Eternal Life as False Emperor-Chapter 70 - 60: Bedchamber Attendance

At the bustling Banquet for the Champion Scholar at Taihe Hall, with fireworks blooming massively in the skies outside.

In the far northeast of the Imperial City, within Yonghe Palace, Consort Shuu Yang Huan stood in a plain blue dress, gazing longingly toward Taihe Hall, her face marked by sorrow.

Beside her, a palace maid holding a princess also looked enviously in that direction.

"My Lady, Taihe Hall is really lively, I heard tonight there’s a special banquet for the Champion Scholar, with hundreds attending."

"This year, both the Literary and Martial Champions hail from the Cui Family, they’re truly impressive!"

"The Cui Family..."

The innocent words of the palace maid only deepened Yang Huan’s sorrowful thoughts.

If it were in the past, before her father committed those acts, it would have been the Yang Family enjoying such endless favors!

But now...

"Wow! Fireworks! Look at the fireworks!"

"Sister Huan, look over there..."

Yang Xueqing, now over three years old, stumbled over excitedly, her little face full of excitement.

"So, so beautiful..."

"Sister Huan, can we go there to play?"

"Waaah..."

Yang Huan could finally endure no more, pulling Yang Xueqing into her arms and bursting into tears.

"Sister Huan, don’t cry, Sister Huan, don’t cry. I’ll not go, I won’t go there..."

Yang Xueqing was startled, quickly hugging Yang Huan’s head to comfort her.

Such understanding and obedience, even at a young age.

"Qing’er, it’s sister’s incompetence, it’s sister’s fault. If only you had gone with father and brother that day, you wouldn’t have to suffer the hardships of the Cold Palace..."

Since Yang Xuansu’s rebellion, Yonghe Palace had been regarded as a Cold Palace, with all the palace maids, eunuchs, and so on fleeing for ways to leave the palace, none dared to remain here.

And as Your Majesty forgot about it, the Imperial Household had long reduced all provisions for Yonghe Palace.

In this harsh winter, there wasn’t even charcoal for warmth in Yonghe Palace; they could only rely on cotton clothes and quilts for warmth.

Little sister Yang Xuening was so cold she fell ill, and it was only thanks to the gold hairpin from her dowry that she pleaded with the Imperial Hospital to have someone looked at her a few times.

Otherwise, Ning’er might not have survived this winter.

"Sister..."

Now, one-year-old Yang Xuening seemed to have been awakened, stumbling over, gazing at her two weeping sisters, and immediately began to cry as well.

In an instant, the cries of the women in Yonghe Palace became a single chorus.

"My Lady..."

The little palace maid was also filled with misery, having been raised by Yang Huan since childhood, she viewed Yang Huan as her own sister.

Even under these circumstances, she was unwaveringly loyal, demonstrating the deep bond between mistress and servant.

"My Lady, I heard from someone that the Imperial Household plans to move us to Qianxi Palace."

"Qianxi Palace?"

Yang Huan stopped crying, holding her two young sisters, and asked curiously, "What kind of place is that, and why are we being moved there?"

"Qianxi Palace is a Cold Palace, My Lady, it houses only three or four deposed concubines from the late emperor’s time, and most of them have gone mad."

"I heard from people in the Imperial Household, the concubine candidates have already entered the palace, and are currently residing in Zhongcui Palace."

The little palace maid said, "The eunuchs of the Imperial Household mentioned that this year’s batch of concubine candidates is quite large, and those favored by Your Majesty are being distributed to various palaces. Our Yonghe Palace..."

"Waaa..."

Before the words could fall, the young sister Yang Xuening began to wail.

It seemed the cold got to her, turning her little face bright red, as she tried to burrow into Yang Huan’s embrace.

"Concubine Candidates..."

Yang Huan’s face was sorrowful, but her eyes were filled with stubbornness.

"Father once said the conflicts in the Harem are no less intense than those before the Imperial Court. I’ve never vied for anything, yet now we’re about to lose even a place to live."

"Father...!"

She bit her teeth hard: "Why did you rebel, leaving your daughter alone in the palace, suffering so much hardship?"

"To survive, your daughter has no choice but to do so."

"You once said that the secret could ensure your daughter’s lifelong wealth and prosperity."

"But now, for us – me, Qing’er, and Ning’er – survival is nearly impossible, who needs wealth and prosperity?"

"I only hope that, for the sake of your daughter Yuyao, that Your Majesty will let the three of us live a bit better."

"Dong’er."

The little palace maid quickly responded, "Please give your orders, My Lady."

"Go find Liu Cheng’en of the Imperial Household tomorrow, and tell him I have important matters to report to Your Majesty."

"This... very well, My Lady, I understand."

...

The fireworks continued, brilliantly illuminating the sky; on the rooftop of the distant south side of Zhongcui Palace, stood the silhouette of a woman.

The woman wore a light robe of moonlight white gauze, her black hair cascading like a waterfall over the outskirts, nearly touching the ground.

Her face was delicate as snow, her eyes as bright as stars.

Sadly, half of her face was covered by a veil of white gauze, completely concealing the lower half of her face.

No one knew what unparalleled beauty lay beneath that veil.

"The Imperial Palace, Emperor Zhengyong, and this Literary and Martial competition... is this the destined man my master spoke of?"

The woman’s voice was clear and delightful, resonating like pearls falling on a jade plate, akin to a melodious tune.

"The Great Yu Court is rife with factionalism and corruption, officials greedy for profit, complacent, and the entire Great Yu World is being encroached upon by Noble Families, leaving the people starving."

"This court should be overthrown. But why does my master want me to enter the palace to assist Emperor Zhengyong? Could it be..."

"Hehe..."

Suddenly, a charming laughter sounded, and another figure appeared at the top of the hall.

This figure was entirely different from the lady in the white gauze dress, wearing a pink palace gown, yet revealing tender white arms and calves, with tiny bells on her wrists and ankles.