“This is your so called ‘a bit more gentle’?” Jing Wan didn’t give up, feeling that perhaps it was still possible to turn around.
Li Hong Yuan lightly lifted his brow, lowering his head to meet with Jing Wan’s gaze, “Else?”
“Actually, you can be slightly more gentle, letting them know the difficulties and back away, what do you think?”
“Troublesome. If Wan Wan is dissatisfied, then just handle it yourself.”
“If I can do it myself, why would I still need you?” Jing Wan felt a bit irritated.
Li Hong Yuan’s gaze suddenly became profound, “If you can, you’ll do it yourself?”
Jing Wan ‘smiled’, “Wangye, this wife feels that one’s wording doesn’t have any problems, if you have any questions, then it’s certainly your ears having problems. Say, exactly where is the problem?”
Li Hong Yuan nodded, “Then, Wan Wan better remember your own words. In the future, if you can handle, then absolutely don’t look for this husband. As you are aware, continuing on down our current path, in the future, there will only be even more people thinking about your husband.”
Jing Wan’s entire person all felt a bit unwell. She seemingly had just dug a deep pit for herself, the kind that was bottomless. As one would ask, when an Emperor just has the Empress in the imperial harem, what kind of reaction would the court officials have? Right now, there were already people wanting to shove people by her husband’s side. When that time comes, it will most likely be the entire court all wanting to shove him someone. If it really all need for her to take care of personally, then what she will be facing won’t just be the various titled madams bringing their own family’s daughter and requesting an audience with her all day, but probably also need to directly face the court officials as well. Never mind directly facing that kind of scene, even now, Jing Wan already felt dead inside.
“You can’t be like this!” Jing Wan was just like as if she lost her bones, weakly leaning against his body.
“Heh……….” Li Hong Yuan just lightly chuckled.
The sarcasm within didn’t need to be voiced.
“How can you bear?”
“En, this husband very much can bear.” Li Hong Yuan calmly replied, patting Jing Wan’s lower back, “This husband is very optimistic towards you.”
Jing Wan rather resentfully looked to Li Hong Yuan, hoping that he can change his mind. However, a certain someone had a heart of stone.
A line of ‘do you not love me anymore’ spun around the tip of Jing Wan’s tongue. Fortunately, in the last moment, her rationality returned to normal. She was certain, if this line comes out, a certain someone will definitely act up immediately, and afterwards, use his body to tell her, exactly how much he loved her.
Jing Wan genuinely felt that it wasn’t easy being her, to be able to have the indefinitely moody living Enma’s temperament grasped thoroughly.
The next day, Shu Consort Qin just received the numerous young ladies’ portraits. It was even more than imagined. Although upon the imperial court, less than ten people had recommended their family’s young lady, but in the capital, only officials of the fourth rank or higher can attend court. And through certain people’s workings, the people that knew of Jin Qinwang’s ‘good’ weren’t just this number. For a side consort, the requirements were nowhere near as high as that of a main consort. Right now, Jin Qinwang’s ‘circumstances’ have greatly improved. As long as one wasn’t blind, one for the most part was able to tell, so naturally just began to restlessly stir. Never mind as a side consort, to be able to be picked as a concubine was also not bad.
As such, the portraits before Shu Consort Qin almost filled the entire table.
It was obvious that the young ladies on these portraits, it was impossible for all of them to have fallen for Jin Qinwang on their own. There will undoubtedly be those that were brought out by their elders to climb the social ladder. If they don’t have someone in their heart already, it was still okay, at most just harboring endless worries towards the future. Additionally, it was probably just having resentment towards their own elders for having one given away as a concubine. And if they do have someone in their heart, then perhaps would’ve already cried their heart out.
Jin Qinwang had clearly expressed to the Imperial Noble Consort before that he promised Jing Wan to just have her for all his life, and the Imperial Noble Consort naturally didn’t hide this from Shu Consort Qin either. That’s why, when looking at these portraits, Shu Consort Qin’s eyes were somewhat in deep thought, yet also somewhat helpless. So, how exactly should this matter be taken care of? She rather can just randomly pick two, but she can be certain that those two young ladies afraid won’t end well. Then, wasn’t that just equal to indirectly harming them? If they themselves harbor certain thoughts, then it didn’t matter, but if it was just the kind that purely want to marry a husband of equal status, and peacefully and happily live out their life, then wouldn’t that be a great sin?
This kind of difficult problem, how come it just landed on her head? It would be great if she can meet with the Imperial Noble Consort right now, but unfortunately…….
“Your Highness, her Highness Noble Consort has come.”
Shu Consort Qin’s eyes slightly flickered. This actually wasn’t surprising.
“Invite her in then.”
Noble Consort Su had actually specially dressed up for today, her spirit appearing pretty good, just she ultimately had wasted away quite a bit. Putting on the Noble Consort formal gown, she clearly couldn’t compare with the past anymore.
“This consort greets your Highness Noble Consort.” Shu Consort Qin deferentially greeted.
Reasonably speaking, the four consorts should be on equal footing, but noble occupied the lead, so it was a tiny bit higher in status. Moreover, Noble Consort Su was higher in seniority than Shu Consort Qin, and also had a son. Shu Consort Qin greeting her was for the sake of not giving anyone the chance to nitpick.
Shu Consort Qin wasn’t prominent from the start, but the things she did were nevertheless all well-rounded and airtight. On this bit, even Noble Consort Su felt she was somewhat inferior in comparison. After all, she once possessed imperial favor, and her son was outstanding, so she was naturally pleased with herself. No matter how reserved she was, in some areas, she was still a bit ostentatious. And if not careful, some small problems will just appear.
This was something that won’t appear on Shu Consort Qin.
Noble Consort Su stared at her momentarily, suddenly smiling, hurriedly reaching out to help Shu Consort Qin up. Afterwards, she naturally coiled around her arm, “Between us sisters, there’s no need to be overly courteous.”
Shu Consort Qin gently smiled, “Etiquette cannot be abandoned.”
Noble Consort Su seemingly was somewhat helpless, “Oh you. ——Younger sister should know this consort’s purpose in coming, right?”
Shu Consort Qin nodded, having her brought before the table, “The ones sent in today are all here.”
Such a high amount was also beyond Noble Consort Su’s expectation. Her eyes slightly narrowed. Her preventative measures many years ago sure enough were correct. It was all at this critical juncture. Seeing him having an advantage, those court officials just immediately want to curry favor. If she hadn’t been on guard before, then her own son perhaps would really end up with nothing in the end. She can wholeheartedly treat her foster son, but there was a premise, and that was he can’t steal the throne from her actual son.
However, Noble Consort Su never considered, by having a so-called premise, can that still be called wholehearted?
Noble Consort Su casually picked up the scroll at the very top, opening it up and carefully looking over. Towards which family this young lady was from, she already had an understanding inside. Afterwards, she looked through the portraits one by one, the smile on the corner of her mouth never changing from beginning to end. And the scrolls she had looked through got divided by her into two piles. One pile had more, and one pile had less.
Shu Consort Qin sit to the side slowly drinking tea, silently watching, completely not having any intention of going forward.
All the way until Noble Consort Su finished looking at the last one did she finally notice in hindsight that she’d overstepped her duties, her expression somewhat awkward, “Really sorry younger sister, because it’s Yuan’er’s matter, that’s why this consort couldn’t help……….”
“Noble Consort doesn’t need to be like this, this is only human nature.” Shu Consort Qin said.
“Indeed, even if Yuan’er right now has some misunderstanding towards me, as the mother, I can’t really just not care about him anymore.”
Shu Consort Qin strangely felt somewhat disgusted, “It just so happens that previously, one didn’t know how to choose. If Noble Consort can give some suggestions, then it naturally can’t be better. After all, you’re Jin Qinwang’s consort mother. What kind of women he prefers, afraid there’s no one more clear than you. They will be serving Jin Qinwang after all, so we naturally should focus on his preferences.”
“Younger sister’s words are reasonable.” Noble Consort Su sat down next to her, “These young ladies, some, this consort has an impression of, but the majority unable to match a name. If able to summon into the palace for a look, it should be better. After all, these portraits all have some dishonesty. Moreover, these young ladies’ moral character, still need to interact with face to face in order to know.”
“I also share this opinion, how about passing down the word now, letting these young ladies enter the palace in three days, what does your Highness think?” Shu Consort Qin ‘considerately’ said.
“Of course it’s good, just, only summoning these, won’t it be too deliberate? How about having all the young ladies suitable for marriage all summoned?”
Shu Consort Qin thought to herself, ‘This was disdaining the attention on Jin Qinwang still not enough? Still not pulling in enough hate?’
“Then, we’ll handle according to Noble Consort’s idea. ———Someone come.””
Whose mouth the idea came from, Shu Consort Qin passed on exactly as is. To want to let her shoulder the responsibility for no reason, that was impossible.
T/N: Shu Consort Qin be like better let every man and his dog know that this was all Noble Consort Su’s idea. On a side note, I like the attention to detail on how they speak. Noble Consort Su continuously tries to act close with Shu Consort Qin calling her younger sister, but still uses the self-address of ‘this consort’ in front of her to show her own status, while Shu Consort Qin talks and addresses Noble Consort Su very formally, but addresses herself very humbly.
