Chapter 406: Chapter 404: Are You Avoiding Me?
Lianxin hesitated. "Your Highness, is this really appropriate? If the Empress finds out, she might think you are intentionally embarrassing her."
"What are you afraid of?" Shen Yunxi frowned displeasedly. "Right now, her focus is entirely on Shen Yinning. While they’re at each other’s throats, I, as the fisherman, will seize the chance to win over the hearts of the harem. This is clearly a smart move. Even if my brother finds out, he’ll praise my intelligence and wisdom. Besides, doesn’t she pride herself on being virtuous? Even if she knows I’m bestowing grand gifts to the harem, she won’t say a word."
Lianxin dared not say more and bowed her head obediently in agreement.
When Shen Xinya learned that Shen Yunxi had prepared extravagant Mid-Autumn gifts to reward the harem, she hurried over to stop her. However, by then, Lian Ye and the young palace maids had already taken the gifts to deliver to the concubines’ residences.
Shen Xinya was almost furious to the point of collapse. "Elder sister, we brought Shen Yinning into the palace to use the Empress’s hand against her, not to provoke the Empress! She merely lost a thousand taels of patterned silver to you, and you think you’ve won? Do you believe you can indulge in smugness and rest easy from now on?!"
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Shen Yunxi retorted, "I merely want to compete with the Empress. How is that provoking her? Moreover, I was once the Crown Princess Consort. The title of Empress should have been mine all along. Huo Mingyan owes me a debt she can never repay in this lifetime. So what if I provoke her?!"
Shen Xinya was infuriated and speechless.
With nothing left to say, she stiffly stormed out of Chunxi Palace with a taut expression.
Shen Yunxi even sent Huo Mingyan a gift as well.
The palace maid opened the brocade box to reveal a translucent ivory comb.
She glanced at Huo Mingyan. "Your Highness, it’s an ivory comb. It’s said that Consort Rong has sent Mid-Autumn gifts to every concubine in the palace. Some received pearl necklaces, some jade pendants, and others golden earrings. You only just gave the concubines beef and lamb as holiday rewards, and now she’s pulling this. She’s clearly showing no regard for you."
Huo Mingyan was practicing calligraphy.
The girl’s already sharp profile appeared even cooler and more detached, each stroke on the xuan paper precise and powerful, piercing through the paper.
Her cousin had praised her frugality.
Before she came to the Capital, her grandmother had also taught her that as a Queen, she must lead by example, valuing thrift and diligence.
But why...
Why would her cousin look at her that way when she suggested canceling the harem’s budget for bird’s nest?
Why was it that even a lower-ranking concubine like Shen Yunxi dared to flaunt such extravagance and openly provoke her?!
Could it be that she was wrong to be frugal?!
The naturally competitive young girl could not swallow this humiliation.
With a forceful gesture, she ruined what had been an exquisite piece of calligraphy.
Setting down her brush, she emotionlessly washed her hands in the silver basin brought by the palace maid. "What has Consort Rong been busy with these days?"
"Replying to Your Highness, Consort Rong has been engrossed in learning the recently popular Mahjong and card games from the Capital."
Huo Mingyan flicked the towel into the basin.
Splashes of water landed on the palace maid’s face, and she hurriedly bowed her head low.
Huo Mingyan’s gaze turned icy. "Such a fondness for gambling—clearly, the Shen Guogong Mansion has no shortage of wealth to support her pastimes. From now on, if she invites noblewomen into the palace to accompany her, just let her. Even if they gather in groups and linger in Chunxi Palace, I’ll allow it. While gambling is prohibited in the palace, small games are acceptable. Since she enjoys them, as the mistress of the palace, how could I not indulge her and show her compassion? Regardless of wins and losses, ensure the palace attendants keep their mouths shut and hide things well from His Majesty."
The palace maid smirked knowingly. "I will make the arrangements immediately."
After she left, Huo Mingyan pondered briefly and ordered another trusted palace maid, "Personally visit the Imperial Kitchen and have them prepare a few additional dishes for the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet."
She had figured it out. In the past, her ignorance of Capital’s customs led her to indiscriminately cut the bird’s nest budget, causing the Imperial Family to lose face and making herself a laughingstock.
But it didn’t matter. She could learn all these things in time.
Save where savings were needed; spend where spending was required. She must not lose the Imperial Family’s dignity shortly after being crowned as Empress.
"Additionally..." She fell into contemplative silence, her hands slowly clenching into fists. "Invite Shen Yinning to attend the Mid-Autumn Banquet as well."
She could not allow her cousin to think she was petty, incapable of accommodating other women.
The palace was exceptionally lively that night for the Mid-Autumn Banquet.
Shen Yinning held a silk hand fan as she strolled along the flower path toward Chengxi Palace, but halfway there, her dress was snagged and torn by a flower’s thorn.
Haitang inspected it and frowned. "The tear is quite large—you’ll need to change into a new gown. The Commandery Princess is pregnant, and walking back and forth is too tiring. Allow me to return to Furong Palace to fetch a dress for you to change into. Please stay here and don’t walk about unnecessarily."
The path was illuminated with many reunion lanterns, and palace maids and eunuchs passed by from time to time, so it was considered safe.
Shen Yinning sat in a pavilion, smiling. "Go ahead."
Dusk had deepened, and the moon was gradually rising. From afar, faint melodies of flutes and zithers floated from Chengxi Palace.
The girl looked up at the sky.
The moon tonight was exceptionally round.
She wondered if the moon at the border was as full as the one in the Capital.
Had he eaten mooncakes?
At that moment, Shen Yinning suddenly became aware that the first person she thought of when looking at the moon was not Lu Ying but Cui Ji.
Not far away.
De Sun caught sight of the girl in the pavilion at a glance.
It was impossible not to notice—her beauty was too striking to ignore.
He exchanged a look with Gui Quan before discreetly glancing at Lu Ying.
Lu Ying stood with his hands clasped behind him.
He had come late to the banquet due to handling memorials in the Imperial Study that afternoon.
The memorials were from Lu Shiyan, sent from Jiangnan.
Since Lu Ying had ordered the execution of Noble Consort Zhang, Lu Shiyan had been writing letters of admonishment to him incessantly, growing more furious after Lu Ying decreed Shen Yinning to marry Cui Ji as a concubine. Recently, these letters had been flying onto his Dragon Desk like snowflakes, each word a scathing reproach at the limits of literary decorum.
Lu Ying’s thin lips tightened, his expression cold as a winter frost.
De Sun tentatively asked, "Your Majesty, shall we continue down this path?"
Lu Ying said icily, "Why wouldn’t we? I happen to have matters to discuss with her."
He stepped into the pavilion where Shen Yinning sat.
A cool shadow loomed behind her.
Without even turning, Shen Yinning already sensed his presence, cold and imposing, like snow-covered pine trees on a mountain stream.
She didn’t bother to look back and waved her fan at the moon indifferently.
Lu Ying stared at her.
In the dim lighting of the pavilion, only a single lotus lantern cast a soft glow.
Her hair was styled into a high bun, adorned with a thin, delicate golden hibiscus flower hairpin. Her Xiangfei-colored blouse highlighted her slender shoulders and narrow waist, while a glimpse of her porcelain neck showed tantalizing curves that disappeared into her gown’s collar.
The wind carried her fragrance.
It was hers—a unique, unmistakable scent.
Lu Ying’s gaze deepened. "These days, Lu Shiyan has been relentlessly sending letters to berate me on your behalf. Tell me, should I charge him with the crime of disrespecting the Emperor?"
Shen Yinning turned her head toward the moonlight.
Their eyes met abruptly, and Lu Ying’s entire body tensed; he couldn’t articulate the emotions stirring within him.
Shen Yinning gracefully stood and curtsied, her voice warm and smiling. "Your Majesty, a mere woman like me dares not meddle in state affairs."
Glancing at Gui Quan and the others standing in the distance, she added, "Your Majesty and I both have our own families. For an unaccompanied man and woman to be alone together is always inappropriate. I shall take my leave."
As if eager to draw a clear line between them, she descended the steps immediately.
Lu Ying’s face was shrouded in shadow. "Are you avoiding me?"
Shen Yinning’s embroidered shoes came to a slow stop on the steps.
Turning her back to him, her enticingly rosy face displayed a playful mockery. "If Your Majesty comes to me with such trivial matters, may I presume that Your Majesty is purposely seeking excuses to get close to me?"