That foreign envoy was truly giving face, shouting praise from beginning to end until his voice was nearly hoarse. But the consorts weren’t performing for him—their eyes were all fixed on the dragon throne above. Unfortunately, today Gu Chaobei had decided to compete with Shen Guiyan in stubbornness. He didn’t watch the performances at all, just stared at Shen Guiyan until her face turned completely red.
The carefully prepared songs and dances failed to catch His Majesty’s eye. Below, the consorts were full of complaints. Consort Hua, who had entered the rear palace hall to change clothes and prepare to take her seat, let out a soft laugh and said with lowered eyes:
“This is what they call—even if a riot of purples and reds blooms everywhere, in his eyes there’s only one spring.”
Consort Xi clicked her tongue twice. “Sister Baihe, you sound so sour today.”
She’d also gone on stage and hadn’t received a single sideways glance from the Emperor either. She wasn’t happy about it either, but if you’re unhappy, just say you’re unhappy—why be so roundabout? So sour.
Consort Hua glared at her. Since being enfeoffed as a consort, no one had dared call her by her former stage name anymore—that represented Drunken Flower Shade, her past in the pleasure quarters. Consort Xi’s mouth was just so disagreeable—whatever others didn’t want to hear, she’d say precisely that.
Consort Shen over there just laughed. “Sisters, those of us at consort rank still need to attend the banquet. Let’s not quarrel here and delay things.”
Consort Hua flicked her sleeve and, having changed clothes, went out first. Consort Xi frowned, feeling that Consort Hua was being passive-aggressive. Since entering the palace, she’d been quite different from before. Feeling uncomfortable herself, she simply left on her own.
Shen Hanlu followed behind them, raising an eyebrow with a smile.
Three chairs were added to Shen Guiyan’s right. The three at consort rank changed clothes and returned, while the rest of the palace women all exited and didn’t return, each going back to their own palaces.
That envoy with the two small mustaches was still speaking below. “This subject has witnessed the beauties of the Heavenly Dynasty. But I wonder if His Majesty has witnessed the maidens of our nation?”
When Gu Chaobei tried to turn his head, his neck was already stiff. “…The ambassador brought maidens as well?”
“Having heard that His Majesty appreciates beauty, this subject specially presents the most beautiful woman of our nation.” The envoy clasped his hands. He looked up about to smile, but saw the Emperor was still staring at a certain lady beside him.
He’d noticed from the very beginning of the song and dance performances—the Emperor seemed to barely glance at anyone, constantly turning his head to look at that lady in purple palace robes to his right. That lady wore a veil, so her features couldn’t be seen clearly, but for the Emperor to keep staring like this was rather excessive, wasn’t it?
Slightly displeased in his heart, the envoy still stepped aside first to let their people present the beauty.
What “appreciates beauty”—he just lusted after women. Shen Guiyan raised her eyes to look below. Twelve dancing girls came forward, waving their sleeves left and right to part, and finally in the center appeared a young woman dressed entirely in golden gauze with half her face covered.
The woman’s eyes were azure blue—at first glance, one couldn’t look away. Shen Guiyan couldn’t help but let out a soft exclamation and gently tugged on Gu Chaobei’s sleeve. “Look!”
Look at what? His neck was stuck—he couldn’t turn around at all right now. Hearing the gasps around him, Gu Chaobei also really wanted to look, but to avoid walking around with a crooked neck later, the Emperor instead gazed deeply at Shen Guiyan. “Nothing is more beautiful than my beloved consort.”
The envoy’s face couldn’t hold up anymore. Their nation’s foremost beauty had come to pay tribute, and the Emperor wouldn’t even glance at her?
“Imperial son?” A mother knows her child best. With one look at Gu Chaobei, Grand Empress Dowager Nian felt something was wrong. She raised an eyebrow and called out.
Gu Chaobei kept his neck rigid and couldn’t turn back. “Mother Empress, your son wishes to gaze more at Yan’er. If you have something to say, we can discuss it later when we return.”
Consorts Hua, Xi, and Shen all looked at the Emperor’s face with astonishment.
He’d been dashing and elegant all his life—if he now said he’d strained his neck from looking at Yan’er and couldn’t turn back, how embarrassing would that be? Gu Chaobei took a deep breath and continued smiling at Shen Guiyan like spring flowers blooming. “Beloved consort…”
Shen Guiyan shuddered and frowned. “Your Majesty, this is against protocol. The envoy has been watching you for quite some time.”
“I have something to say to you. Could we leave the banquet first?” Gu Chaobei laughed awkwardly.
“Do you think that’s possible?” Shen Guiyan said seriously. “The foreign nation is small and cannot contend with our dynasty, but ultimately it is a tributary state. For Your Majesty to leave the state banquet midway would be far too discourteous.”
Gu Chaobei wanted to cry. He didn’t know if this was karmic retribution for quarreling these past few days, but now he was truly in an awkward position.
“I don’t care. Of three thousand weak waters, I only wish to drink from your ladle.” Gu Chaobei began acting shamelessly. “No matter how beautiful someone is, I don’t want to look. Won’t look, won’t look!”
The envoy’s face turned livid. Beside him, Prime Minister Gu also frowned. “Your Majesty.”
Everyone knew he doted on Shen Guiyan—that was no problem. But being too absurd lost all dignity.
Shen Guiyan looked at Gu Chaobei for a while and finally saw what was wrong with him. She couldn’t help but laugh.
“Forgive this subject’s poor eyesight—I don’t know which lady this is?” The envoy spoke with a dark expression.
Shen Guiyan turned back and nodded politely. Beside her, Baoshan helped announce: “This is Consort Yan of Yonghe Palace.”
“So it’s Her Ladyship the Consort. Her Ladyship must be a beauty of unparalleled grace to receive His Majesty’s such attention.”
The fire had clearly spread to her. Shen Guiyan sat upright and said calmly, “Women of the Heavenly Dynasty value virtue over appearance, so this consort’s looks may not necessarily be of unparalleled grace.”
“Oh?” The envoy glanced at the woman beside him, then looked toward Shen Guiyan. “Does Her Ladyship the Consort feel her virtue is outstanding?”
Shen Guiyan smiled slightly. “We uphold the saying ‘A woman’s lack of talent is itself virtue.’ For this consort to praise herself with the word ‘virtue,’ please do not take offense, Ambassador.”
The foreign envoy had already planned it—if this Consort Yan dared to boast of having virtue, his next words would rebuke her for arrogance.
But Shen Guiyan said that a woman’s lack of talent was virtue, so she had virtue.
Was this praising herself or disparaging herself? The envoy was stunned, but the palace consorts and ministers beside him all laughed. Princess Duanwen even said, “Her Ladyship the Consort is truly humorous and witty.”
Shen Guiyan smiled without speaking.
After being embarrassed for a while, the envoy recovered himself and acted as if nothing had just happened. “The women of our foreign nation excel at riddles. I wonder if Her Ladyship the Consort understands them?”
It’s here! This is it! Consort Shen’s spirits lifted. She looked at the envoy with burning eyes. “Small matters like riddles are something women of the Heavenly Dynasty play from childhood to adulthood. There’s no need for Her Ladyship the Consort to step forward—this consort will suffice.”
The envoy was startled by her and looked at her dubiously. “Is this the woman who just performed the drum dance?”
“The ambassador should also address her as ‘Your Ladyship.'” Grand Empress Dowager Nian casually remarked from the side. “Although the Internal Affairs Bureau has no record of imperial favor, the Shen clan also holds proper consort rank.”
Whether the Empress Dowager said this intentionally or unintentionally was unclear, but Gu Chaodong, who had been drinking with his head down below, suddenly looked up.
Shen Hanlu bit her teeth, smiled falsely, and lowered her head, not daring to look around.
She’d been impulsive again. She should have held back—why could she never learn?
“Since Consort Shen says she can, why not compete with our foreign maiden? It would add to the festivity of this banquet. How about it?”
Shen Hanlu glanced sideways at the Emperor.
Gu Chaobei imperceptibly nodded.
“Very well.” Shen Hanlu nodded in agreement.
Shen Guiyan raised her hand, and fine wine and delicacies were all delivered to the small tables before each person. The foreign beauty and Shen Hanlu both went to sit in the middle position at the banquet, preparing to guess riddles.
Everyone’s eyes turned to watch the center. Gu Chaobei seized the opportunity to grab Shen Guiyan and whisper, “Neck.”
Shen Guiyan instinctively looked at the duck neck in the bowl before her and reached out to pick it up for Gu Chaobei.
Gu Chaobei didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He raised his hand to cover his own neck, his eyes anxious.
Oh, his stiff neck. Shen Guiyan understood. She said in a low voice, “Your Majesty should relax first, then slowly twist it back little by little.”
Gu Chaobei’s face darkened by half. Gritting his teeth, while no one was watching him, he quickly used his hands to manipulate it, turning his head back bit by bit. The left side of his neck felt as cramped as if a tendon had been pulled. Only after a good while did he recover.
But once he’d turned back properly and saw the azure-eyed beauty below, Gu Chaobei was dumbstruck.
She looked this good even with the veil on—what about without it?
The beauty was currently exchanging riddles with Shen Hanlu. She posed the first riddle. “What animal has four knees?”
This was essentially cheating, because the answer was something that didn’t exist in the Central Plains. Ordinary women of the Central Plains certainly wouldn’t know.
Fortunately, Shen Hanlu had inadvertently seen this question while watching television. She immediately answered, “An elephant!”
The beauty’s expression changed. She stared at Shen Hanlu in shock.
Shen Hanlu was triumphant. She turned and threw out her own riddle. “What thing can go up and down but has never moved?”
The beauty frowned, unable to figure it out after a long time. Over there, the envoy’s expression also turned somewhat unsightly. He had come to present a treasure, but before it was even presented, they’d been outmatched—how could this do?
Just when he thought this tribute presentation would surely fail, a voice came from above—the Emperor’s: “If you can’t guess it, this young lady should remove her veil.”
Everyone was stunned and looked up. The Emperor had returned to normal, his eyes filled with starlight as he gazed at the beauty.
Even Shen Hanlu was stunned. Just moments ago, hadn’t he said he only wanted to look at Shen Guiyan alone? Why was he now asking someone to remove her veil?
None of the women present understood the Emperor’s thoughts. Shen Guiyan let out a bitter laugh but said nothing more.
Yuwen Changqing tilted his head back and took a drink.
Only men understood men best. No man didn’t like beauties. Gu Chaobei’s curiosity outweighed his lust—give him a blue-eyed woman and he’d definitely want to take a look.
Poor Shen Guiyan.
Since the Emperor had said so, what was there left to guess? The beauty immediately pulled down her veil.
Her face was truly breathtakingly beautiful, with an exotic charm. The envoy’s heart settled. He smiled and turned to look at the Emperor on his seat.
Beautiful, isn’t she? Satisfied, aren’t you?
Who knew that upon seeing her full face, Gu Chaobei actually lost interest. He pursed his lips and perfunctorily remarked, “Not bad.”
Shen Guiyan lowered her eyes, thinking that a bastard like Gu Chaobei deserved someone to slap him to vent their anger.
After the envoy’s face ran through red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple, he gritted his teeth. “This woman is not yet married. Does Your Majesty have any good candidates to recommend?”
A certain gaze had made him extremely uncomfortable just now. Without thinking, Gu Chaobei pointed directly over. “How about him?”