Women? Keep a pile of them to look at, choose one person to favor. Pass through a garden of flowers without a single leaf clinging to you. This had always been Fourth Young Master Gu’s philosophy.
Although when he married Yan’er he had shamefully still been an inexperienced rooster, that was because initially he didn’t understand such matters, and later, pretending to understand, he’d been too embarrassed to ask for instruction. But now he had consummated his marriage with Yan’er and was clear on all the mechanics. Filling the harem with three thousand beauties wasn’t particularly difficult.
Gu Chaobei thought ambitiously that he could learn from that old fellow Father Emperor—play along superficially with others while keeping only his genuine heart for Yan’er.
An Emperor’s life was filled with romance and power. As long as one ruled well, there was no discomfort.
“If you wish to stay, then tomorrow I’ll issue a gracious decree, bestowing titles upon those in the palace so you and Lady Xi can live more comfortably.”
Consort Hua was overjoyed and bowed down to the Emperor: “This concubine thanks Your Majesty!”
Yuwen Changqing had been listening outside for quite a while. He dug at his ear and glanced at Zhuiyun beside him: “Your master is so fickle—won’t you restrain him a bit?”
Zhuiyun thought of Baoshan and sighed helplessly: “Zhuiyun is merely a guard.”
Guards could only do what guards should do—like flirting with little palace maids and such.
Yuwen Changqing clicked his tongue twice. Seeing they were almost done talking inside, he had Zhuiyun go announce him.
Consort Hua withdrew with joy in her eyes. Gu Chaobei sat behind the desk, his face full of contented smiles: “General Yuwen.”
The door closed. Without a word, Yuwen Changqing swung a fist at Gu Chaobei.
After so many years of scuffling, they were already accustomed to it. Gu Chaobei reacted extremely quickly, dodging sideways, grasping Yuwen Changqing’s wrist with his returning hand, then kicking out to force him back.
He was in a good mood today, so he simply pulled off his outer robe, jumped to the open space ahead, and had a good satisfying fight with him.
Yuwen Changqing’s martial skills had been inferior to Gu Chaobei’s earlier, but Gu Chaobei spent every day busy with scheming. Since becoming Emperor, he hadn’t practiced combat at all. After ten moves, he gradually fell into a disadvantage.
Fighting vigorously, Yuwen Changqing didn’t care whether he was Emperor or what—he swung his fists. Seeing this punch was unavoidable, Gu Chaobei improvised brilliantly and kicked a nearby chair flying.
With a loud crash, all the guards outside were startled and pushed through the door together. Yuwen Changqing silently cursed Gu Chaobei’s shamelessness and quickly withdrew his hand.
When Zhuiyun entered, the two men were standing properly.
“Your Majesty?”
Gu Chaobei smiled shamelessly, calmly waving his hand: “Nothing’s wrong. Everyone withdraw… don’t close the door.”
Yuwen Changqing sighed deeply. Watching Zhuiyun lead the guards out, he gritted his teeth and squeezed out: “Your Majesty has excellent strategies.”
When high-status men were shameless, it was called strategy. When high-status women were shameless, it was called scheming. Only when commoners were shameless could rotten cabbage be thrown at them while cursing their ancestors.
Yuwen Changqing had cursed him mentally, so his expression was particularly calm. He even cupped his hands toward Gu Chaobei.
Gu Chaobei patted his shoulder with a smile, wearing an expression of “we’re brothers, aren’t we?” and said: “Minister Yuwen has always understood my heart. Do you have something to report this time?”
The door was still open. Yuwen Changqing didn’t dare say much, only giving Gu Chaobei the recommendation letter Scholar Fu had sealed earlier.
“Excellent.” Gu Chaobei became somewhat more serious: “Eliminating the influence of maternal relatives isn’t the work of a day or night. I hope this person can be helpful.”
Yuwen Changqing smiled: “Consort Yan’s older brother—however poor, he won’t be too bad.”
Gu Chaobei paused, looking at the name again.
Shen Guiwu, Shen Guiyan—they really did seem like family. This made him even more reassured. Gu Chaobei happily prepared to head to Xiuzhuang Palace: “I can go claim a reward.”
“Your Majesty.” The head eunuch from the Imperial Household Department happened to enter, cupping his hands: “According to the decree Your Majesty issued previously, the four days at Consort Yan’s residence have been exhausted. With Consort Zhuang deceased, there is still Consort Shen’s palace in the harem. Your Majesty should go there for five days.”
Gu Chaobei’s entire day of good mood dissipated upon hearing this.
“I want to abolish this rule. Can’t I go wherever I please?”
The head eunuch hesitated slightly, saying in a low voice: “Your Majesty’s commands are naturally possible, but if the rule is abolished after barely half a month of implementation, this servant fears there will be complaints in the harem. Moreover, when enforcing other rules in the future, it will inevitably be difficult to command respect. If Your Majesty truly wishes to change it, it would be best to wait at least a month.”
Gu Chaobei drew a breath. Was this what being Emperor was like? Beds he didn’t want to sleep in—the Imperial Household Department still had to force him into them? Then wouldn’t he be like attending morning court in the morning, resting at noon, and going to bed at night just like going to court?
What nonsense.
Yuwen Changqing looked at Gu Chaobei very sympathetically, cupped his hands and said: “This subject still has matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave first.”
Gu Chaobei waved his hand. After watching him leave, he turned to roar at the head eunuch: “I want to go to Xiuzhuang Palace!”
The head eunuch trembled for a while but persisted in explaining the palace rules to Gu Chaobei: “With so many consorts, they’re difficult to manage. If Your Majesty doesn’t handle things according to the rules, this servant fears real problems will arise later.”
Gu Chaobei listened to his lecture with a cold face.
This head eunuch was also a remarkable specimen. He actually brought out all the examples of consorts competing for favor that had occurred in the palace before. He spoke for three incense sticks’ worth of time. Gu Chaobei nearly fell asleep leaning to one side.
“Your Majesty.” A voice sounded at the door.
Gu Chaobei impatiently opened his eyes to look.
Consort Shen stood at the entrance with an apologetic smile: “If Your Majesty is tired, please return to Xiuzhuang Palace to rest. This consort will consider it as Your Majesty having visited this consort’s residence and will have no complaints whatsoever.”
What? Gu Chaobei rubbed his eyes, looking at Shen Hanlu before him. Had this person’s brain been squeezed by a door? Why was she being so accommodating today?
Shen Hanlu smiled slightly. Unlike her previous arrogance and domineering manner, even her bow was proper: “This consort knows past events made Your Majesty dislike this consort. After emerging from the Cold Palace, this consort has thought things through. As long as Your Majesty doesn’t push this consort away and allows this consort to see Your Majesty’s countenance, that’s enough. Whether you’re at this consort’s palace or not, this consort won’t demand it.”
The old version of the petty transmigrator had upgraded into a magnanimous, gracious, and sophisticated consort. This was quite remarkable.
Gu Chaobei examined her up and down several times, raising his eyebrows: “Since Consort Shen is so understanding, then I’ll go to Xiuzhuang Palace.”
“This consort respectfully sees Your Majesty off.” Shen Hanlu showed not a trace of dissatisfaction, bowing properly: “This consort will pay respects again tomorrow.”
Gu Chaobei felt a chill down his spine, thinking that women changing three times a day was truly too terrifying.
Shen Guiyan had specially gone to the kitchen to cook. Although Baoshan said that as an honored lady, she shouldn’t go near the kitchen anymore, Gu Chaobei had enjoyed eating her cooking back at Gu Fu. This time she still personally prepared it herself, treating it as a celebration.
The journey here hadn’t been easy.
She stood waiting at the palace gate for a while before Gu Chaobei arrived. As soon as he entered Xiuzhuang Palace, he smiled as if no one else existed, came over, embraced her, and spun her in a circle: “My beloved consort!”
Baoshan couldn’t help but smile, quietly reminding: “Your Majesty, Master isn’t yet a consort. You should change how you address her.”
Gu Chaobei carried Shen Guiyan to sit at the table, narrowing his eyes: “Not today, but tomorrow she will be.”
Shen Guiyan froze.
“I originally thought I’d directly make you Empress. After all, that old hag can’t move anymore.” Gu Chaobei said: “But it seems there are still people in court who disagree. Your maternal family, the Shen family—I haven’t yet elevated them either. Making you Empress would be too abrupt. Tomorrow I’ll issue a decree to first make you Imperial Noble Consort.”
Shen Guiyan smiled: “Being anything is the same.”
Gu Chaobei cautiously observed her for a moment: “You’re not angry?”
He’d owed her the position of Empress since ascending the throne and still hadn’t been able to give it to her. If he were in her position, he would already be furious.
“This concubine has always liked to think of things in the worst way. That way, even if the results aren’t great, I won’t be disappointed or hurt.” Shen Guiyan smiled: “The Empress’s position isn’t so easy to occupy—this concubine understands. Going directly from consort rank to Imperial Noble Consort already counts as Your Majesty’s exceptional favor.”
Gu Chaobei sighed, embracing her: “Anyway, I won’t let you be wronged again. If you’re not Empress, no one else will be Empress either. No one will rank above you.”
“Very well.” Shen Guiyan nodded, pulling him: “Let’s not talk about this anymore. Let’s eat first. Today this concubine personally…”
Before she finished speaking, Gu Chaobei had already pulled out a piece of paper.
“You made this yourself?” Gu Chaobei glanced at the dishes on the table, his eyes brightening as he set the paper aside: “Then let’s eat first. This is tomorrow’s harem conferment list. We’ll look at it after the meal.”
A densely written sheet—hearing it was a list of consort conferments, Shen Guiyan was startled and couldn’t help but pick it up to look first.
What a riot of colors! Looking at it, Shen Guiyan regretted cooking for him. Why cook? She should just let him starve. These past days she’d been so moved, thinking Gu Chaobei was devoted to her alone, strategizing and waiting for the day they’d grow old together.
The result was this list had at least fifteen consorts. Apart from Consort Hua, Lady Xi, and Lady Jiang whom she recognized, all the rest were unfamiliar. From the corner of her eye, she even spotted Lady Qing—described as someone who had always served by his side, being promoted to consort rank.
Consort Hua became Consort Hua, Lady Xi was made Consort Xi, Consort Shen retained her original position, Lady Qing became Consort Qing. Her own name was written in large, bold characters at the very top by Gu Chaobei.
Imperial Noble Consort Yan.
She really should thank him for the special treatment. When Shen Guiyan had just heard he wanted to make her a consort, she hadn’t even registered that a consort was merely a secondary wife. As long as she was by his side, whether secondary or primary wife truly didn’t matter.
But why were there so many other names after hers? If the four characters “Consort Conferment Decree” were changed to “Drunken Flowers Pavilion,” she was practically the leading courtesan!
“This is really delicious.” Gu Chaobei ate with relish. Looking up, he saw Shen Guiyan’s ashen face.
“What’s wrong?” Gu Chaobei looked completely innocent: “Did I write something wrong?”
“Nothing wrong.” Shen Guiyan took a deep breath, set down the paper, and picked up the crystal shrimp he was happily eating: “The dishes have gotten cold. This concubine will go reheat them.”
They weren’t cold—he thought the food tasted wonderful. Gu Chaobei was about to speak to stop her when Shen Guiyan had already left with the dish. She returned shortly, telling him with complete composure: “Your Majesty should eat something else. This concubine overheated the dish and ruined it.”