Chapter 75 Night with the Emperor (2/2)

Lengmei was making a scene persistently at the gate of the study, as if she wanted everyone to know about her being stopped by the emperor's eunuch from entering the study. The eunuch realized it was impossible to send her away, and had no choice but to enter the study and report to Chu Tiankuo what had happened.

Chu Tiankuo was furious at what he heard. He said coldly, ”Who does Lengmei think she is? She's just an ordinary concubine and she dares to compare herself with the queen? Ridiculous! She's thinking too much of herself. Just ask the guards to drag her back to her chamber.”

”But, Your Majesty,” the eunuch said worriedly.

”It does not look too good if we send her away by force, but it does not look good either if we let her keep shouting out there!”

”No matter how hard I reasoned with her, she did not want to leave. She said she had to see you and she had something important to tell you in person.”

”Fine, let her in!” Chu Tiankuo gave it a second thought and admitted Lengmei to his study.

To his surprise, Lengmei rushed to him arrogantly, stared Chu Tiankuo in the eyes and said.

”Your Majesty, do you hate to see me so much? Last time the queen came here, you let her in straight away, yet today, you were treating me differently! It's not right for you to be partial towards her both in public and in private!”

Chu Tiankuo thought Lengmei was going to tell him something important, and it turned out to be trivial complaints of jealousy. He was further annoyed and said coldly, ”So? You're blaming me just because of these petty matters?”

”That's right, Your Majesty, I'm blaming you!” Lengmei resolved to risk everything to make her point. She said blatantly.

”You are the emperor! You should treat all your women equally and give every one of them the fair share of your love! You should not just favor the queen and ignore the others! Do you know how painful it is for the rest of us?”

Chu Tiankuo got more furious at Lengmei's words. He stepped down, walked over to Lengmei and grabbed her by the throat, his face black and threatening as if it was dripping ink.

”Who are you to blame me? You think I'm afraid of you just because I let you in? I can deprive you of your life at my will!

”I should treat all my women equally? I should not just favor the queen and ignore the others? With so many beautiful words, you just want me to sleep with you, right? What, you felt ignored and lonely deep in the harem?”

Lengmei was unable to breathe while she was grabbed by Chu Tiankuo by the throat. She struggled to grab Chu Tiankuo's arm back, her mouth gaping and her face turning purple.

Despite his fury, Chu Tiankuo knew he couldn't throttle her in the study, or he would be criticized for being cruel by the conservative officials in the court, and they might even attack Tang Xia as the cause of the tragedy.

He just wanted to give Lengmei some punishment and released his hand after seeing that she was barely breathing.

Lengmei slumped onto the floor immediately and started panting heavily. After a while, she recovered and said in a soft tone while secretly staring at Chu Tiankuo.

”Your Majesty, have you ever thought about the position of the queen? If you continue to favor her and ignore all the other concubines, you will drop her in great danger!”

Lengmei paused for a while and continued.

”Everyone in the court is unsatisfied with your partiality for the queen. They say she is Daji reborn and she will enchant you and bring disaster to the nation.

”People are talking about her bad influences all over the place, and you still want to favor her alone?”

Her voice turned hoarse as a result of her throat being grabbed just now, but it did make her more charming in a different way.

Of course, Chu Tiankuo did not notice it. He became silent at Lengmei's words. He knew some officials in the court were criticizing Tang Xia. He just didn't care about it so far.

But the severity of the situation described by Lengmei was beyond his expectation. He frowned and said reluctantly to her despite his disgust at her.

”I got what you said... You may now leave!”

Seeing that Chu Tiankuo had taken in her words, Lengmei was filled with joy and her distaste for Tang Xia grew ever stronger. She didn't say another word and left as she was told.

After Lengmei finished washing and combing that night, a eunuch came to her chamber.

”Your Grace, His Majesty ordered you to sleep with him tonight. Please make necessary preparations and follow me.”