Chapter 22 (1/2)

Chapter 22: Three Women are enough for a drama

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First announcement: Changing up some translations. Starting from this chapter on I am going to just use the ‘PinYin’ for some of the terms because I feel like the translated word just isn’t portraying the meaning well enough. However, the word will be explained underneath in brackets and also surrounded in brackets within the text. I will probably remove the brackets for the later chapters.

Secondly, thanks to the 186 people that took their time to vote in the poll. The results were pretty distributed and I was even surprised by the last minute catch up winner. Now for the long awaited moment… the winner of the poll is…. a secret until the first chapter release! ? The release will be sometime this week, I will be gunning for tomorrow but it depends on work, etc. Be sure to come back and hopefully the one that you wanted will be released.

Finally, counting down until the Christmas holidays officially start and my birthday! YAY! Hehehehe XP

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The royal court, civil and military, and the common people of the country all had their focus on Prince Rui’s welcome reception. Upon viewing the end of the welcoming reception, everyone gathering around to see the bustle was taken aback. Following the long silence, an uproar began. Each and every person there were eager to find out the inside story, ultimately the shocking rumors were as follows.

The rumoured State of Xia’s princess, recently entering the palace and becoming the fourth imperial consort, was so gorgeous she was able to ruin and overturn states causing her to be highly doted on by the emperor. Competing with a famed songstress from Funan, her splendidness suppressed the room and everyone present was frightened by the stunning performance.

The rumored Consort Qing was said to be a master of the pen and sword. Her zither piece, “Demonic Zither” was superb and she has simply brought it to utter perfection. On the other hand, since the welcome reception, the valiant general who would charge into the front lines and cause the enemies to tremble in fright has become shaken and seriously injured. Cut into a sorry figure, he returned to his residence and did not dare to take even half a step outside his residence for a solid half month. Hearing a flute song, he would react like a bird shocked by the tw.a.n.g of a bow.

Rumor also has it that Consort Qing was domineering to the max. In public when Prince Rui arrived, she immediately began a war of words with Prince Rui. In fact, her words were so incisive, it cause Prince Rui to become so irritable that he fainted. Concluding with him being carried away, he has already been bedridden for a fortnight and still has not gotten up.

Rumours… infinite rumours. In this world there are no walls that can prevent all news, and even more there are no rumours that are not circulated.

One welcome reception, two individuals striving to oppose each other. Although the State of Yu’s royal family was the focus of the party, they were unable to stand out as conspicuously brilliant. Yet the quiet obscure neighbouring princess had raised her reputation. Working so hard for his success but simply handing it over to another, it's really hard to decide whether Prince Rui’s dream of that night should be him beating himself up or beating himself up [basically this means it was an ultimate fail for him]? We’ll see~

The following days after the welcoming reception, Xia Yuqing had not the slightest knowledge that she was currently in the limelight, setting off a monstrous wave. At present, she was standing in front of the window, propping her chin on her hand. She was pondering about life’s important philosophies——how can she improve her relations.h.i.+p with her mother-in-law!

Suddenly, Xia Yuqing eyes unexpectedly shone. With an aura of excitement like she won the lottery, she shouted. “Lu Rui”

Lu Rui fl.u.s.tered rushed over immediately. She skidded and braked right in front of Xia Yuqing and quickly bowed down. “My lady, do you have any instructions for me?”

“Bring your ear closer”

After muttering back and forth for a while, the master and servant suddenly burst out with a wicked laughter causing anyone who chanced upon it to s.h.i.+ver in fear. A nearby eunuch on night vigil frightened by the sounds, hugged himself as he trembled in the cold wind.

Early the next morning, Xia Yuqing happily led her maid towards the Palace of Compa.s.sion and Tranquility to meet up with Liu Yixiang as arranged.

From the welcoming reception, Xia Yuqing and Liu Yixiang’s past enmity was forgotten. Not just that but they in fact became very close friends, once a love rival who was like a thorn at your side to now becoming dear friends who would tell each other everything.

Finding out more about the empress dowager from Liu Yixiang, she discovered that she was Liu Yixiang’s father’s sister. Finding out the situation of things, Xia Yuqing at once slapped the table and stood up feeling indignant at injustice, “So it was a misunderstanding!”

Thereafter, feeling inwardly a bit remorseful, how she treated such a perfectly pleasant old lady into.. *cough* no, that’s incorrect, I just treated a [Zhang Bei] as if she was one of those folklore demons. I shouldn’t have at the first time we met pressured her with a thousand kg weighing down on her and furthermore I shouldn’t have been secretly delighted at her being overwhelmed.

[Zhang Bei = an elder from the older generations]

Ok, it was her mistake! Countless experiences have told us to realize our mistakes and change, becoming virtuous is the most important. Therefore, she needs to put in a great effort to amend this misunderstanding. Racking her brain over it for the entire day, Xia Yuqing’s eyes lit up. Finally, she thought of a remedy to mend things.

Zhang Suns.h.i.+ just recently finished making herself presentable when a maid from outside came to report that Consort Qing was holding hands with Miss Liu to enter the palace to pay a visit.

Zhang Suns.h.i.+ laid down the hairpin in her hand, her face filled with astonishment: “Xiang’er and that girl are coming together? Quick, let’s go see.”

Zhang Suns.h.i.+ in high spirits walked to the front of the palace hall to watch the girl who recently had amazed the world with her brilliant feat, but was startled right when she set foot in the palace hall. Further discovering the usually flat sand had a living creature sprawled out like a living goose gave her a big fright. Leaning her body, she nearly twisted her waist again which has just only recently gotten better.

With great difficulty she calmed her breathing, took one glance to realize that the object under her foot was… Xia Yuqing. “… Consort Qing, this is…”

Haven’t even finished speaking, Xia Yuqing has already raised her head with a cheap smile on her face and handed over the item within her hand over.

Zhang Suns.h.i.+ lifted her head, took a distant glance with a face that could not bear to look straight at Liu Yixiang, she suspiciously opened the embroidered box that Xia Yuqing handed over to her.