Chapter 79

That night, Lengmei dressed up and put up a delicate makeup. She put up the most gorgeous gown with a layer of gauze covering it. Her round and smooth shoulders were seen through the gown, and her bosom stood out, making her extremely lovable and charming.

She looked at herself in the mirror and felt profoundly satisfied. Even if Chu Tiankuo wouldn’t touch her, he should not treat her indifferently.

She brought her personal maid who was holding the soup and arrived at the door of the imperial study. The eunuch on duty was about to stop her when he recalled Lengmei’s recent activeness and realized it would be a bad idea to stand in her way. He then decided to go inside to remind Chu Tiankuo, but before he could move, Lengmei stopped him first.

“Why are you escaping from me? Do I look like a beast in your eyes?” said Lengmei as she called back the eunuch who intended to leave and then walked in front of him.

The eunuch bowed to Lengmei and replied, his head lowering, “Your Grace, you misunderstood me. I just thought about something that I should tell His Majesty. Besides, how can there ever be a beast as beautiful as you are!”

Lengmei gave a smile at his words as she slightly closed her lips and said, “You’re a real flatterer. Well, you don’t need to go inside. I need to see His Majesty now.”

“I’m afraid you can’t see him now, Your Grace,” said the eunuch hurriedly, “His Majesty is reviewing national affairs. If you really want to enter the study, let me inform His Majesty first.”

“Em?” Lengmei shot a glance at the eunuch with cold eyes, leaving him sweating and shivering nervously.

“Are my words just something to be ignored? I told you to stay here. How dare you defy my order!”

Lengmei pointed her fingers at two maids among those who were following her, and said to them, “You two. Keep him good company here. I’m going inside now.”

She then took the other maid and walked into the imperial study.

“Your Grace, you can’t do that! Your Grace!” The eunuch wanted to stop Lengmei, but he was dragged by the two maids who stayed and said, “What’s your name, lad? You look really cute!”

“Go away, go away!”

After Lengmei entered the imperial study, she saw Chu Tiankuo sitting at the desk and perusing documents. She stood quietly at the corner with her maid.

Chu Tiankuo heard someone entering early on, but he kept his silence. He thought it was Tang Xia and planned to tease her.

After a while, Chu Tiankuo spoke out, “Since you have come, why are you keeping quiet?” He then raised his head and saw Lengmei and her maid standing nearby. His face turned dark at the sight of them.

“It’s you two. Now anyone can enter my study without my permission?”

“Of course it’s me, Your Majesty, or who else did you think it was?” Lengmei pretended she didn’t understand Chu Tiankuo’s words and said smilingly, “I’m worried about you working hard night and day for the nation, so I bring some refreshing soup to you! I’m standing here for quite a while to make it a surprise!” She winked at Chu Tiankuo flirtingly.

Chu Tiankuo gave a sneer after he saw Lengmei’s apparel and winking, and he thought, “Such impertinence! Does she think I’m a fatuous emperor who can be easily seduced? It’s laughable for her to seduce me!”

At that time, the eunuch who was stopped at the door finally broke free from the two maids and entered the study. He immediately knelt down to Chu Tiankuo who was in a dark face and said hurriedly, “I’m deeply sorry, Your Majesty. I was stopped by Concubine Lengmei’s maids at the door and failed to inform you of her arrival. It’s all my fault.”

Chu Tiankuo was at first angry at Lengmei being permitted in easily without her getting stopped or him getting informed. After he learned what happened, he didn’t blame the eunuch for he knew it was all Lengmei’s trick, and there was no necessity to blame others.

“Fine. You may go now.”

The eunuch cast a hidden glance at Lengmei, only to find that she was staring at him. He shivered in fear and left the study quickly.

“Your Majesty, I made the soup for you myself and it’s full of my love. Please drink it before it cools down!” said Lengmei as she detected Chu Tiankuo’s sullenness and hurried to hand over her soup.

“No, thanks!” said Chu Tiankuo coldly, “I don’t deserve the soup made by someone like your good self. Why don’t you take it back and drink it yourself!”

“If you don’t want to drink it, that’s fine,” replied Lengmei. She knew Chu Tiankuo would never drink her soup and took it back.

“Now, you have brought the soup, and it’s quite late. It’s time for you to go back to your chamber!” said Chu Tiankuo coldly, not giving her any trace of consideration.

Lengmei was a little angry at Chu Tiankuo’s snub and said, “But Your Majesty, I’m now carrying your baby!”

“So what?” Chu Tiankuo was further wearied by her mention of the unborn baby.

“I’m now two persons in one. No matter how much you dislike me, you should treat me better than this!” She took the liberty of sitting on a chair diagonally opposite Chu Tiankuo’s desk, and started to drink tea as if she was lounging in her own chamber.

Chu Tiankuo remembered clearly that he didn’t ever touch Lengmei. He knew she was bound to come up with some other tricks by staying there, and it was best for him to leave her alone. He continued with his documents and ignored her completely.

The next morning, the news that Lengmei spent a whole night in the imperial study was spread throughout the harem. All the concubines were astonished and discussed in twos and threes.

“Concubine Lengmei was really someone of resource. She got pregnant with an imperial baby and spent a whole night in the imperial study!”

“That’s right! People like us can’t even pass the door of the imperial study!”

“I thought it was the queen that His Majesty favored the most, but now it seems…”

“Perhaps Concubine Lengmei will become the new queen and leave the current queen out in the cold!”

“Shouldn’t we stand in line with Concubine Lengmei and keep a good relationship with her now?”

…

Tang Xia also heard about the news and the other concubines’ attitudes after she got up early the next morning. Unlike the other concubines, however, she knew perfectly well that Chu Tiankuo’s detestation of Lengmei was without parallel. He would never allow her to stay in the imperial study for a whole night. There must have been some plot in it!

The viewers watching the streaming obviously saw what had happened, and they started another frenzy of bullet screens.

“Lengmei again! What’s that bitch plotting this time?”

“+Lengmei. That bitch must be up to something. Expose her plot quickly!”

“Fighting! Don’t cower! Kick that bitch’s asses hard!”

“Down with bitch Lengmei! I’m backing you forever, anchor!”

“+Lengmei 10086. Anchor, you’re the best!”

xxx gifted a diamond.

“…Rich guy, it’s you again!”

“First hooray to the rich guy!”

“Hooray to the rich guy!”

…

Tang Xia was amused at the bullet screens that were strangely led astray. She knew Lengmei must have been up with some other tricks, and she made up her mind.

“Thank you all. I will put on an act for her and give her some punishment.”

“That’s it! Just do it! Teach that bitch a good lesson!”

Tang Xia felt warm in her heart at the encouragements from her audience.

She knew Lengmei was fond of staying in the imperial garden in her spare time. The next morning, she got up early and made good grooming of herself. With her natural beauty, she looked ever more charming and lovable. Though Lengmei was quite pretty too, her beauty was not up to even one-tenth of Tang Xia’s beauty.

Tang Xia made her way to the imperial garden and found Lengmei sitting on a chair, eating some snacks. She gave an inward sneer.

Lengmei noticed Tang Xia’s arrival too. She was annoyed after seeing herself eclipsed by Tang Xia’s extreme beauty, and her resentment towards Tang Xia was further intensified. Suddenly, an idea occurred to her.

She pretended that she didn’t notice Tang Xia until she got near. She remained seated in the chair, gave a cheerful smile at Tang Xia and said, “Oh la la…What brought you here today, Your Grace? It must be something to be congratulated on! But you have to forgive me for not in a proper state to curtsy to you since I’m carrying His Majesty’s baby. I’m sure someone as magnanimous as you are should not blame me for that!”

After Lengmei finished her words, she stroked her belly ostentatiously, which had not swollen yet, and then hurled a provocative smile at Tang Xia.

“Of course you should give priority to the care of your own body right now. As for the trivial formalities, it’s up to you,” replied Tang Xia casually as she knew Lengmei’s intention clearly and didn’t say anything else to continue the conversation on that subject. She just waited to see the next step Lengmei was going to take to provoke her.

Lengmei was not daunted after seeing that Tang Xia was still calm, and she continued, “Well, I’m carrying the first baby of His Majesty, and I should keep a good mood for the sake of the baby. Oh, you should know how important and precious this baby is! After all…” Lengmei cast a glance at Tang Xia, who was still untouched, and continued, “After all, I’m doing the best and got pregnant within such a short time, not like someone who’s always swaggering like a sterile and useless hen!”

Tang Xia understood the insinuation immediately and she thought, “How dare she be so impertinent and sarcastic to me! She’s looking for humiliation herself!”

Just at that moment, Chu Tiankuo’s figure approached from behind the two girls.