Yanhui sat up straight and glared at Xiao Xiao; silently blaming her for jinxing it. The emperor walked straight in a smile on his face Brighting up his already good looks, no wonder the royal family members were beautiful creatures; they had powerful genes, just a look at her and the other concubines is enough coupled with the extremely handsome emperor. Yanhui wondered why he was so happy, isn't he supposed to be secretly mad at her and why was he still coming to her room to share her bed? Wasn't the show over? What more could he want?.
The emperor walked straight in, dismissed the servants, took off his outer ropes like usual and sat besides her on the bed. He turned to her:
"Hui Hui that insolent concubine has been demoted, are you happy" he said with a smile.
Yanhui was both stunned and confused; what was going on? What is he implying? Emperors really were vipers indeed!
" Your majesty, she was demoted because she disrespected the dignity of the royal family, I'm sure she has learned her lesson" Yanhui replied with a smile, moving inside the bed to give him space to lie down.
" Hui hui is right, her punishment is well deserved" he continued smiling.
Yanhui grew alert, the emperor's smile grew too frequent, what exactly was he getting at?
" Your majesty, let's go to bed "
The emperor laid for a while then turned to face her:
" Hui hui, the empress dowager wishes for legitimate heirs"
Yanhui heart flew to her throat, she knew something was off, turns out this was it, he wanted to consummate the marriage. She knew she could not put it off forever but she was simply not ready! She had no affection for the emperor even though he was handsome. She turned the other way in silent rejection. The emperor simply sighed and turned away and that was how they spent the night with Yanhui barely getting enough sleep.
Yanhui woke up the next morning and as usual the emperor was already gone. Her bath water was already prepared and as she took a bath she asked Xiao Xiao of the emperor's reaction as he left that morning
" His majesty left with no expression on his face as usual" she answered
" But he left earlier today" Xiao Qi chimed in.
Yanhui figured he might be angry because of her rejection and his pride might have been hurt by her but she was not ready.
After her bath, she put on a white and black cháng páo with intricate patterns, embroidered with gold threads with hanging gold hairpins with phoenix designs in a fèng jì hairstyle - phoenix bun, symbolizing power and beauty to meet the concubines though she wished the morning greetings be cancelled, she knew it was necessary. She wanted to intimidate the emperor's concubines with her aura, letting them know she's not to be trifled with, Yue Liang being a living example.
This time, they were completely silent with no one talking when she entered; afterall she had severely punished a concubine and was not reprimanded for it, instead the concubine was demoted!. She slowly walked with her gown spread around her and her two maid walking behind her heads high, she sat down at the head seat, flicking her sleeves. The concubines bowed and greeted her properly this time:
" Greetings empress, may you live to a thousand years"
" Rise, rise, how have you all been lately?" Yanhui cared sipping her tea nonchalantly, not really caring.
" We're all doing well, thank you your majesty" they replied in chorus each sitting down in their designated seat.
" Consort Shu, what a lovely bangle you're putting on" Yanhui initiated a conversation.
" It a new design, the only one of its kind, it wasn't easy getting my hands on it" consort Shu raised her hands showcasing the bangle with pride and a hint of mockery
Yanhui looked more closely at the bangle and noticed it was a water colored jade bangle with peach blossom designs as if inlaid, it was beautiful but Yanhui couldn't be brothered; it was nothing rare to her. She simply shook her head at consort shu's proud face :
"Oh....., and how did you get it" she said sipping her tea slowly.
" Of course my father got it for me" she replied unaware of the trap she was getting into.
" Your father, hmm..." Yanhui glanced straight at her.
Consort shu finally understood what was going on, she immediately got on her knees and cried:
" Your majesty that's not what I meant, my father paid a lot to get it for me, he is friends with Master Bai the famous owner of Fenglai pavilion" she said trembling.
"Fenglai pavilion?"
" He is indeed famous for new designs but very fastidious and so only to a selected few, his works are rare to be his friend must be a honor for your family" concubine ka Fei spoke for the first time.
Yanhui looked at this seemingly quiet consort and slitted her eyes, the quiet ones are usually the hardest to deal with,look, with just one sentence consort shu was cleared of any suspicion.
" Yes you're right, it must have taken your family a lot of good karma to know such a Budda, consort shu why so scared, I was just admiring your bangle" she smiled.
" Thank you your majesty" consort shu did not know whether to cry or laugh at the shameless ness of the empress, wiping away cold sweat.
" You all may leave if there's nothing important " Yanhui waved them off.
"Yes your majesty" they answered scurrying away especially consort shu.
As soon as they left, an old mamma by the dowager's side came in bringing a message from the empress dowager.