Emperor Shengwu took her forward, talking and laughing, like a couple of immortals. [1]
[1] 神仙眷侣” (shén xiān juàn lǚ) in the Chinese. It literally means “a couple of immortals” or “a couple of gods,” referring to a pair who are deeply in love and have an ideal, heavenly relationship, often implying a perfect or fairy-tale-like romance. The phrase was from Chinese mythology, where immortals or celestial beings are often depicted as leading blissful, eternal lives free from the troubles of the mortal world. In modern use, it’s a metaphor for a couple whose love is seen as pure and harmonious, almost otherworldly.
Yun Mengqing suddenly glimpsed ahead a towering peach tree and said in surprise, “Your Majesty, there’s a peach tree over there, even larger than those in the peach grove.”
The trunk of this peach tree is so thick that it takes five or six people to hug it.
At this moment, the peach blossoms on the tree are in full bloom, like a scene from a poem or a painting. The gentle night breeze blows, causing the peach blossoms to fall one after another, as if you were in a fairyland on earth.
Emperor Shengwu’s eyes also turned to the peach tree, recalling his first encounter with the little woman.
It was the beautiful scenery of the peach forest at that time that attracted him and brought her to him.
“Your Majesty, let’s go there.”
“Alright, let’s go.” Emperor Shengwu responded softly.
The woman beside him was delighted to see something she loved, and her girlish shyness was revealed, making one want to shower her with endless affection.
Yun Mengqing let go of his hand again and trotted over, her skirt fluttering, and her figure as beautiful as a painting.
She stretched out her hands to catch the falling petals. Emperor Shengwu stood not far away, quietly watching her.
However, the number of petals she could catch with her hands was limited, so she suddenly had an idea and opened the sleeves of her clothes to try to catch more.
She looked up, focusing on each peach blossom as it fell, but unfortunately, the petals were too light, and the breeze blew them off course.
She turned her body lightly, trying to catch the petals. Her black hair rose and fell with her movements, brushing against her face.
“She was having fun, fully immersed in it, and from time to time exclaimed, ‘So beautiful!’
Little did she know that she was more beautiful than the scenery. The girl was delicate and pretty, with bright eyes and white teeth. Under the peach tree, she was stunningly beautiful. Such a radiant smile could only belong to a girl who had just entered the palace. Emperor Shengwu hoped she would never change.
Unfortunately, he had seen too many women in the harem become desolate over time.
They started gentle and kind, innocent and naive, but with time, their hearts turned as venomous as snakes, and their sweet words hid daggers—it was inevitable.
Although Emperor Shengwu had not been personally involved in the harem’s battles, the darkness and intrigue of the court were even worse than the harem. He lived in the shadows, always standing at the pinnacle of power, with no one to walk alongside him.
Yet he enjoyed the company of innocent, beautiful girls, who helped him relax both physically and mentally.
After a while, Yun Mengqing’s sleeves were filled with peach blossom petals. She trotted over to Emperor Shengwu, stood before him, and smiled brightly, ‘Your Majesty, I caught so many petals. They’re really beautiful.’
Emperor Shengwu gazed at her, secretly sighing that people are indeed more beautiful than flowers.
However, his face remained indifferent. “There’s no one as lively as you among the palace women. So unruly—being a palace concubine, you shouldn’t be running around like this.”
At that moment, they were surrounded by the palace maids of Qianqing Palace and Yun Mengqing’s personal maid. Although he chided her for being unruly, deep down, he didn’t mind. In the entire palace, he was the one who cared least about the rules.
But in everyone else’s eyes, Emperor Shengwu was the most rule-abiding person.
Yun Mengqing knew she had been a little presumptuous, but she had no choice. When she entered the harem of Qi State, Emperor Shengwu had already been selecting concubines for three years.
There were so many women—some gentle, some lively, some cute, some fierce, some dignified, and some talented. He had seen all kinds of women.
If she could not leave a deep impression on the emperor, she was worried that he would become busy with state affairs and forget her after not entering the harem for ten days or half a month.
When Yun Mengqing heard him say with a serious expression that she did not know the rules, she became a little scared. After all, this was the emperor who held the power of life and death. She did not dare to act recklessly just because of her beauty. Her heart filled with anxiety.
She was so frightened that she could barely hold back the tears in her eyes.
‘Your Majesty, this afternoon you already said that I did not behave well, and now I’ve made another mistake tonight. It’s because I was happy and lost control. Please don’t be angry,’ she answered with a slight sob, her voice trembling in a way that was heartbreaking. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she held them back, not daring to let them fall.
The emperor never thought that a single remark from him would make the beauty so sad. Seeing her aggrieved expression, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity in his heart.
His gaze softened, and his tone became much gentler: ‘I’m not angry. There’s no one else here today, so it’s fine for you to be a little unrestrained. Just make sure you don’t break the rules in front of others.’
‘Yes, I understand, Your Majesty. I’m timid, so I wouldn’t dare to be unrestrained in public,’ Yun Mengqing replied softly, her tone carrying a hint of obedience.
If she couldn’t be unrestrained outside, she had to allow herself a little freedom in front of him.
Seeing his expression relax and his attempt to comfort her, though a bit awkward, she guessed that she had misunderstood him.
He likely hadn’t been angry from the start. The emperor’s majesty made it so that he was used to hiding his emotions, so even slightly serious words sounded especially terrifying.
As she relaxed, the tears she had been holding back finally flowed down.
Emperor Shengwu’s gaze remained fixed on her. Seeing her cry, he took a small step forward, bent down slightly, and extended a hand to gently wipe the tears from her face, his movements incredibly tender.
“What a little crybaby, so easily startled.” There was a hint of helplessness and doting in his voice.
Yun Mengqing stamped her feet lightly and called out coquettishly: “Your Majesty~ No, it’s you who is too scary.”
She didn’t agree—it was obviously him who had scared her, and she refused to admit she was timid.
Yun Mengqing angrily threw the petals in her hand at the man. In an instant, large pieces of petals fell like pink snowflakes, landed on his dragon robe, and also on her hair and skirt.
Her smile bloomed like a spring flower, beautiful and captivating.
Emperor Shengwu’s heart moved, and such beautiful scenery made him a little absent-minded. However, he did not show it, but just looked at the woman in front of him quietly.
Without giving the man a chance to react, Yun Mengqing boldly tiptoed and wrapped her arms around his neck.
But the man was too tall, so she could only rub her head lightly against his shoulder.
She said softly, coquettishly, “Your Majesty, I am timid and easily frightened. You are so majestic and powerful that I tremble with fear.”
When Yun Mengqing wrapped her arms around his neck, Emperor Shengwu felt a moment of fluster. He quickly steadied himself, wrapping his large hands firmly around her slender waist, and asked in a low voice, “So it’s my fault?”
She playfully drawled, “Your Majesty~,” then added softly, “Your Majesty is the emperor, how could he be wrong? It’s just that I’m timid, but Your Majesty scared me today, so I deserve some compensation.”
At the end, she pouted her little mouth and puffed up her cheeks, looking so cute when asking for a reward.
“Hahaha, you mischievous woman, you’re good at picking up on hints and climbing up the ladder.” Emperor Shengwu couldn’t help but laugh, feeling both amused and helpless. How could anyone refuse such a clever and lovely girl?
“Tell me what you want.” His eyes revealed a hint of doting.
Yun Mengqing was quite pleased with Emperor Shengwu’s indulgence. She had an immature idea in mind, one she was sure he wouldn’t agree to, as he was always so serious and stern.
But….If you don’t enter the tiger’s den, how can you get the tiger cub? [2]
[2] “不入虎穴，焉得虎子?” (bù rù hǔ xué, yān dé hǔ zǐ?) is a Chinese idiom. It translates to “If you don’t enter the tiger’s den, how can you get the tiger cub?” This idiom means that one must take risks and face challenges in order to achieve great success or obtain valuable rewards.
Her eyes were bright and clear, looking straight at him.
She said in a delicate voice: “I think the peach blossoms are very beautiful tonight. I want to sprinkle these peach petals on your majesty’s dragon bed so that we can smell the fragrance of flowers all night long.”
After speaking, she hooked his hand, making his head lowered, and leaned close to his ear, whispering: “Your Majesty, I want to try the taste of peach blossom juice. Tomorrow, my body must be full of peach blossom fragrance~”
Making love on the petals is just like squeezing juice…
Hearing her say such presumptuous words, Emperor Shengwu’s eyes darkened, but a fire ignited in his heart.
He whispered back, “You’re seducing me like this, don’t beg for mercy tonight.”
Yun Mengqing’s ears felt numb, and seeing his wolf-like eyes, she couldn’t help but feel a little scared, thinking that she shouldn’t seduce him.
However, it was too late.
Emperor Shengwu straightened up, turned his head and ordered Liang An, “Bring a basket of peach blossom petals to the Qianqing Palace bedchamber.”
Liang An and the palace servants all lowered their heads, not daring to see what the two nobles were doing.
They only vaguely sensed that Yun Meiren had been crying, and then His Majesty laughed heartily, causing their own moods to fluctuate with his.
Hearing the emperor’s order, everyone was curious about what Yun Meiren had done.
Emperor Shengwu thought to himself, this little woman was growing bolder by the day—but he liked it. A slight smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and there was a hint of expectation in his eyes.
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Liang An responded immediately. He dared not be negligent in front of His Majesty.
“Qingqing, it’s getting dark. Let’s go back to the palace.” Emperor Shengwu said bluntly.
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Yun Mengqing responded softly.
Although she wanted to stroll outside the palace for a while, after all, she didn’t know when she would be able to spend such a beautiful time with Emperor Shengwu again.
But she still followed Emperor Shengwu back to the palace obediently.
Unexpectedly, they encountered Lin Guifei on their way back.
T/N: Reminder that Guifei is also Noble Consort
Lin Guifei had been in the palace for many years, so it was easy for her to spy on the emperor. In addition, Yun Mengqing and the emperor did not hide their outing this time. There was a large entourage, so it was hard not to know.
Before they met, Lin Guifei heard His Majesty talking and laughing with a Meiren he had just favoured. She didn’t know that His Majesty could talk so much.
From His Majesty’s tone, it seemed he was very happy. Having accompanied the emperor for many years, Lin Guifei had some understanding of Emperor Shengwu’s mood.
When Yun Mengqing, Emperor Shengwu, and their entourage saw Lin Guifei, they found her dressed in a luxurious red palace gown, as dazzling as a blazing flame.
The skirt dragged on the ground, and the skirt was embroidered with exquisite patterns and designs. The gorgeous makeup matched her already dazzling appearance very well.
At first glance, she was a gorgeous beauty, worthy of being the most beautiful imperial concubine in the harem.
Even during her pregnancy and after giving birth, her beauty remained undiminished.
“Your Majesty, I don’t know why I feel tired today. Zhu Qing said that the flowers in the imperial garden are in full bloom and it is very beautiful. I hope to relieve my boredom. I brought the palace people to take a walk, and I happened to meet Your Majesty and Sister Yun.”
Lin Guifei smiled and spoke softly, and there was no flaw in her words.
“Rise. It’s cold at night. You can go back to the palace after a walk to avoid catching a cold.” The voice of Emperor Shengwu was calm and gentle, and his eyes swept over Lin Guifei vaguely.
“Your Highness, greetings to the noble consort. May you have peace and good health,” Yun Mengqing paid her respects after Lin Guifei.
“Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am very touched. This must be Sister Yun. She is really beautiful.” Lin Guifei smiled and looked at Yun Mengqing, with a hint of jealousy in her eyes.
“I am a willow-like person, not as elegant and dignified as your majesty.” Yun Mengqing lowered her eyes and responded timidly. [3]
[3] , “蒲柳之姿” (pú liǔ zhī zī) is a Chinese idiom. It literally means “a figure like the cattail and willow,” and it metaphorically refers to someone with a weak or delicate appearance.This idiom is often used to show modesty or self-deprecation when comparing oneself to someone with greater beauty or status.
“Sister is good at sweet-talking, no wonder His Majesty is fond of her. Look, I was caught up talking, and forgot to tell sister to rise. Sister, get up quickly.”
After Yun Mengqing stood up, she quietly stood behind Emperor Shengwu, sneering in her heart.
She didn’t believe that Lin Guifei came to the imperial garden to appreciate the flowers at night. Emperor Shengwu, being straightforward, maybe secretly pleased, expecting for the two women vying for favour.
Humph, men are all pigs!
But Yun Mengqing was not in the mood to play any jealous drama tonight. She decided to play a pitiful role. After all, in front of the Noble consort, she was just a mere Meiren.
Delicate, pitiful, fragile, innocent.
Lin Guifei came out to meet the emperor by “chance”, so she naturally didn’t want to return empty-handed. She took out her trump card and talked to Emperor Shengwu about their child.
“Your Majesty, Chengyi returned from the Prince’s Academy today, and he was so exhausted that he barely touched his evening meal. Normally, I wouldn’t trouble Your Majesty with such a small matter, but since I happened to meet you today, if Your Majesty is free, could you visit Chengyi in Changning Palace?”
Lin Guifei frowned slightly, her face full of worry for the eldest prince.
Emperor Shengwu’s expression changed slightly. Lin Guifei gave birth to the eldest prince and accompanied him for ten years.
Today, she met him by chance and told him about the prince’s situation. Reason told him that he should go and see him, but…
He dropped his eyelids, his eyes were deep, and it was difficult to understand his thoughts.
Just when the atmosphere was about to stagnate, Yun Mengqing bit her red lips lightly, her eyes misty, and her nose tingling with sadness:”Your Majesty, the eldest prince must be tired from studying at the Prince’s Academy. With Your Majesty’s care, he will surely feel much better.”
The Emperor Shengwu looked at the woman with her head down behind him. Her shoulders were trembling slightly, and her expression could not be seen clearly, but her voice was a little choked.
Lin Guifei couldn’t stand Yun Mengqing’s pretentiousness. There was a lot of sarcasm in her eyes, but she said to the Emperor Shengwu softly: “Your Majesty, Yun Meiren is so sensible, I will definitely reward her tomorrow.”
Yun Mengqing lowered her head and almost laughed. The emperor hadn’t even decided where he was going yet.
Seeing that the little woman was so considerate, Emperor Shengwu sighed secretly and said to Lin Guifei, “In that case, I will go to Changning Palace to see Chengyi.”
Lin Guifei showed a look of joy on her face, a hint of pride flashed in her eyes, as she left with His Majesty.
But before leaving, Emperor Shengwu did not forget Yun Mengqing and ordered Liang An: “Escort Yun Meiren back to Lingxi Palace.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Since Emperor Shengwu wasn’t staying in Qianqing Palace tonight, naturally, she couldn’t sleep there either.
Fortunately, she was already scheduled to move to her new palace the next morning, and since Yun Mengqing didn’t have much to pack, the servants had tidied up the palace early in the day.
After Watching Emperor Shengwu and Lin Guifei’s entourage leave in the distance, Yun Mengqing also headed back, eager to take a look at her new residence.
Lingxi Palace Side Hall.
“Why didn’t you keep His Majesty here tonight, Mistress?” Qingyuan was very angry that the Noble Consort had snatched away the emperor from a lower-ranked concubine.
“Qingyuan, you must understand, it’s what you can’t have that’s most desirable.” Yun Mengqing raised the corner of her mouth and revealed a sly smile.
All her efforts to charm the emperor tonight weren’t just about being satisfied with one night of his company. She wanted him to spend the night at Changning Palace, thinking about her in his heart.
Whether it was a rose or a peach blossom, she wanted Emperor Shengwu to think of her when he saw it.
In fact, before going out for a walk, she guessed that there might be a palace concubine who would come to intercept. After all, they hadn’t hidden their whereabouts, and the concubines in the palace were well-informed. With His Majesty’s allure being so great, it was only natural.
But she didn’t expect that the one who came to intercept was Lin Guifei
If it had been a lower-ranking concubine, playing hard to get might have been a bit tricky. But with the noble consort, things were different. Everything she had said earlier made perfect sense.
How could a mere Meiren dare compete with the Noble consort for the emperor?
Yun Mengqing laughed to herself. She hoped His Majesty would sleep well tonight, after all, there was no chance she’d be squeezing any peach blossom juice tonight…
As for her, she could have a good night’s sleep and replenish her energy.
Tomorrow, she will be paying her respects to the empress, and who knows what might happen then?
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