Chapter 127 - Promise of fireflies

Yun Fenghuang was shocked. She thought that there might be something wrong, but Qi Jiulu only took out a bluish white silk bag from his sleeve and shoved it to her shyly, “I caught the fireflies for you before I came here, but I forgot it when I saw you. They were covered a night. I’m afraid that they are not bright.”

There was someone getting up and walking outside. Qi Jiulu couldn’t stay, so he hurried away.

Yun Fenghuang stared at the fireflies blankly. Fireflies loved warm places, so they were intolerant of the bitter cold in the north. She didn’t know it when she was a child. When she studied with her tutor and learned a poem called “Ode to Firefly”, she was curious about the sentence “If you fly to the sky on high, you’ll be viewed as a moon-side star”. She perversely asked others to catch the fireflies to her. She wanted to see the scene of “The rain cannot smother your fire; Swept by wind, the brighter you are”.

Later, Yun Fenghuang learned that such interesting insects couldn’t live in the north where was too cold, so she cried for several times. Qi Jiulu coaxed her and promised that when they grew up, he would take her to the south to see fireflies, and then she could see and grab them at whim.

At that time, they were children. They thought it was far to go out of the city, let alone the distant south area. Yun Fenghuang thought that the promise seemed vague and untouchable.

Therefore, Qi Jiulu’s promise couldn’t comfort Yun Fenghuang at all. Moreover, she was angry with him, because she thought that his promise was insincere, but just a stalling tactics. His purpose was to wait her to forget it after a while. Then she really forgot it.

However, Qi Jiulu still remembered it.

Yun Fenghuang held the silk bag that was made in a hurry and felt lost for a long time. Finally, when Xi Le who had cleaned up called her outside tentatively, Yun Fenghuang sighed quietly.

After a while, when Xi Le was serving Yun Fenghuang to freshen up, Nian Xuan came in and said, “The eunuch serving His Majesty just came and said that His Majesty asked to put breakfast in our palace.”

Yun Fenghuang replied indifferently that she got it.

A few moments later, the servants came in to pay respects to Yun Fenghuang, and immediately went to the parlor to put the breakfast.

When they almost finished, the Emperor arrived.

He heard that Jie Yu Mao was dressing up, so he didn’t eat breakfast alone, but went to the inner room to see Yun Fenghuang.

After coming in, he saw the silk bag on the dressing table. He took it and looked for a while. Then he asked Yun Fenghuang with a smile, “How did you get it?”

“Your Majesty, you didn’t come here last night. I was very bored, so Xi Le made it to me.” Yun Fenghuang answered without looking back, “Your Majesty, you know that I grew up in the north where has no fireflies, so I was happy to see them and then grabbed a lot.”

The bluish white silk bag was full of fireflies. Many of them had died because they were covered in Qi Jiulu’s sleeve all night, but there were still several fireflies tenaciously shining in their tail wings and emitting the quiet and beautiful light in the shadow.

The Emperor stared quietly for a moment and then put it back. He replied with a little chuckle, “It seems that you are jealous, so I decide to stay with you tonight.”

“I’m not stingy.” Yun Fenghuang just finished dressing up, and turned to glance at the Emperor when she heard the words. She said with a simper, “Your Majesty, you had said that I have the right to arrange the concubines who stay here, so tonight please go to visit Pin Ji. If you want to accompany me, please came tomorrow.”

She slowly stood up while speaking and gathered up her skirts. The pair of jade pendants tied around her waist struck each other with a pleasant sound. “After all, first, as a Jie Yu, I must set myself an example for the concubines. Second, I’m hard to be pregnant, so I can’t often stay with you. I can’t prevent you from expanding the size of the royal family.”

The Emperor smiled, and didn’t reply to Yun Fenghuang. He just said, “You have finished dressing up. Let’s go to eat breakfast.”

After they sat down in the parlor, Yi Xing’en came to serve Yun Fenghuang.

“I have my own maids, but since you are here, just sitting down and eating with us.” Yun Fenghuang said casually, “Liu Hong, give Feng Yi Yi a chair.”

“I can’t sit.” Yi Xing’en hurriedly said, “As a Feng Yi and a member of Xuan Qing Palace, it is my duty to serve the hostess. My Lady, please give me a chance to serve you.”

Yun Fenghuang wasn’t so mannerly since Yi Xing’en said so sincerely. She waved her hand to ask Xi Jing who served her to leave, and then Yi Xing’en replaced Xi Jing.

The skill of Yi Xing’en in serving others was definitely not as good as Xi Jing and other maids who had rich experience. However, even if Yi Xing’en couldn’t be gorgeously dressed now because of her position, she was still very beautiful. She only wore two silver carp-shaped hair clasps which were inserted in her bun. Her earrings decorated with emerald and hibiscus flowers were rewarded when she entered Xuan Qing Palace by Yun Fenghuang. She wore them these days and didn’t change.

Yi Xing’en wore a green palace costume made newly, which was so ordinary and had no floral decorations. Her wrists were exposed when the sleeves were rolled up, and her beautiful fingers took the chopsticks and silver spoons to serve Yun Fenghuang. Although she was unfamiliar with this work, her action was as charming as a picture.

Yun Fenghuang was happy to watch this beautiful scene, but Emperor Chunjia who was not far away turned a blind eye to it. Finishing eating, he took the handkerchief delivered by Yan Yin and wiped his mouth, and then used tea to rinse mouth. After finishing, he told Yun Fenghuang gently that he was busy so he had to leave, and Yun Fenghuang could continue to eat. According to the rules in the Imperial Palace, whether the concubines accompanied the Emperor to eat or vice versa, the meal should begin when the Emperor took the chopsticks and stop when the Emperor finished eating.

However, Emperor Chunjia was generous and never cared about such trivial matters.

Yun Fenghuang noticed it, so she didn’t wrong herself and continued to eat.

At this moment, she just waved her hand and said, “Your Majesty, it’s hot. Please take care.” Then she continued to drink the soup.

The Emperor, of course, wasn’t angry. He smiled and left.

He didn’t give a glance to Yi Xing’en again. Thus, this beautiful concubine bit her lip subconsciously, but immediately lowered her head and continued to serve Yun Fenghuang.

After a long while, Yun Fenghuang finally finished eating. After rinsing mouth, she pressed the lips with a handkerchief, and said to Yi Xing’en, “I plan to arrange you to serve His Majesty more frequently. You should expend the effort, and then when we go to Qi Shan Temporary Imperial Palace, I can help you ask Her Highness for promotion. Although newcomers came in the palace continually this year, there are still many vacant positions. You are so beautiful, so you shouldn’t improperly belittle yourself. Please be aspirant.”

Anyway, Yun Fenghuang lost nothing to encourage Yi Xing’en. The promotion was controlled by the Empress. If the request was not fulfilled, Yi Xing’en would resent the Empress but not her.

Hearing Yun Fenghuang’s words, Yi Xing’en hurriedly knelt down to express her gratitude.

“You may be tired to work all morning.” Yun Fenghuang said indifferently, “Please go to rest. Oh, Nian Xuan, take those gold earrings with apricot and pomegranate pattern to Feng Yi Yi. It’s very suitable for her.”

A pair of earrings didn’t cost much. Yi Xing’en would be more beautiful if she wore them. Yun Fenghuang was also pleased to see the beautiful woman, so she thought that it was just for herself.

After Yi Xing’en left, Xi Jing said to Yun Fenghuang, “My Lady, I think although Feng Yi Yi seemed honest, she may be ambitious. His Majesty didn’t stay in her yard to eat breakfast. She not only went to our place with an excuse of serving you, but also acted enchanting to seduce His Majesty. Fortunately, His Majesty didn’t pay attention to her.”

“How do you know that His Majesty didn’t pay attention to her?” Yun Fenghuang smiled and said, “Feng Yi Yi is beautiful, and her action was very delightful just now. Although I’m a woman, I was attracted by her. His Majesty didn’t give a glance to her. Perhaps he pretended to be indifferent.”

Xi Jing was startled and frowned, “Then, do we…”

“What do you want to do?” Yun Fenghuang said nonchalantly, “I should reward the people in my palace who are ambitious. You shouldn’t hurt her, otherwise I will punish you!”

Xi Jing was anxious to outdo others subconsciously. After hearing Yun Fenghuang’s words, she was shocked, and then thought of what Yun Fenghuang had just said to the Emperor. Yun Fenghuang was almost unable to be pregnant, so she really didn’t need to be jealous of other concubines in her palace. After all, she still expected other concubines like Yi Xing’en to have children for her.

Thus, Xi Jing showed an expression that she understood tacitly. She saluted, “I’m silly.”

Then she flattered, “Feng Yi Yi made efforts here for a while, but His Majesty still didn’t care about her. Even if he pretended to ignore her, he still prefers you, My Lady.”

Yun Fenghuang just smiled and asked something about Ji Muzi, “What did Pin Ji do after she went back yesterday?”

“It seemed that she asked someone to send a few messages to the outside.” Chen Zhu hurriedly replied, “One was sent to Qi Shan Mountain. It was probably for Queen Mother Ji and Her Highness.”

“By the way, when we came back yesterday, Ji Minggan and Yuan Ke didn’t follow His Majesty. What information do you get?” Then Yun Fenghuang made a sound of “um”, and remembered, “His Majesty just left after having breakfast. Is it related to this matter?”

In fact, when the Emperor entered the inner room to see her dressing up, she should have asked implicitly. But the Emperor saw the silk bag as soon as he went in. He picked it up and asked about it, which made Yun Fenghuang nervous.

Yun Fenghuang seemed to mention it lightly, but she was very nervous, so she forgot the important thing.

Fortunately, Chen Zhu was capable. He looked around and asked irrelevant people to leave. When there were only the people who followed Yun Fenghuang since they were in Xi Xing Building, Chen Zhu just said in a low voice, “It is said that yesterday they bribed the servants to break the fishing hook. Then His Majesty fell into water. Therefore, they have been arrested by the Imperial City Division and are about to be interrogated for the crime of murdering His Majesty. Marquess Haixi and Earl Xingning had come over from Qi Shan Mountain last night, and waited all night outside of His Majesty’s courtyard!”

“That accounts for it.” Yun Fenghuang shook the circular fan and said thoughtfully, “Then these two people are really sinful!”

Then she laughed with a meaningful expression. She thought that yesterday Ji Minggan and Yuan Ke wanted to go fishing with the Emperor but was refused by her in the painted pleasure boat. After that, they looked angry. They must take revenge on people who refused them, even if the person was an imperial concubine. They probably would do something.

As a result, the Emperor was hurt because she asked him coquettishly to help her hold the fishing rob.

It seemed that this was the truth. After all, it was Yun Fenghuang who gave the fishing rod to the Emperor.

However, although the travel was proposed by Yun Fenghuang, visiting the lake was arranged by the Emperor. Moreover, the travel was for his concubines. Why did he ask his reading partners to go with them?

Yun Fenghuang always felt that this matter still had other inside stories. Maybe it was guided or intensified by the Emperor?

After all, the Emperor had such experience in the previous summer banquet.

“The case of Zheng Fengqing involved General-in-chief of the Cavalry and Minister Cui. The case that the Emperor fell into water involved Ji’s Family and Yuan’s Family.” Yun Fenghuang thought. The several forces in the Imperial Court were involved except for royalist Duke Yi’s Mansion and the Emperor’s temporary ally Prince Regent.

She couldn’t help being shocked!

Although she didn’t know what Emperor Chunjia would do next, according to the current situation, as long as he succeeded, he would get rid of all limits and gain a great deal of power.

No!

Although Empress Ji was not very reliable, if the Emperor had the power in his grip, Yun Fenghuang would be more troubled. She had offended Yuan Lianniang, Queen Mother Yuan, Yuan Ke, and even the Emperor many times!

Thus, she should prevent the Emperor’s plan. This time, the mistake of Ji Minggan was guided by her to the Emperor directly. If Ji’s Family suffered a big loss, they would definitely doubt Yun Fenghuang and take revenge on her, since they couldn’t do anything to the Emperor.

What could she do now?

Yun Fenghuang thought quickly. It would be best if she could break the Emperor’s plan. However, she was stuck in the palace, and she didn’t know much about the Emperor’s actions, let alone his private conduct. At present, her patron, the Empress was not here, so her action was restrained. And she didn’t have any clue now, so this idea probably couldn’t work.

“It seems that we can only start from the Duke Yi’s Mansion and the Prince Regent.” Yun Fenghuang’s eyes were bright. For a moment, she whispered, “Since everyone is not innocent, the Emperor should treat all people equally. He should punish or forgive everyone.”

Well, how to trap them…

She thought for a while, and then ordered, “Go and ask Pin Ji to come here!”

Although this kind of thing could be done without Ji Muzi, Ji Muzi should be involved!

Ji’s Family was the first to bear the brunt. Whether Ji Muzi was willing or not, she must be the first