Chapter 82

In the large bedroom palace stood a woman wearing a gorgeous purplish-red dress embroidered with the pattern of swallows. As the breeze swept by from the window, the floor-to-ceiling curtains drifted about in the wind for a while.

As Lengmei wore a cozy look, she darted a look with her long and narrow almond eyes. Her maid standing aside lowered her head immediately.

The maid who passed the message hurried into the room and said before she got close to Lengmei, “There she comes, Your Grace.”

“Send her in.”

The maid backed toward the door hurriedly and bowed to the woman who stood outside of the room, saying in a gentle voice, “Please come in.”

A woman in white stepped into the room before the maid raised her head. As the breeze swept by, her long white sleeves swayed in the wind, which was quite charming.

“All of you go out.” Lengmei ordered her maids, “Don’t come in without my permission and close the door after you leave.”

“Yes, Your Grace.” Lengmei’s maids obeyed and left lowering their heads. Then the two women left in the room smiled at each other.

After a short silence, Zui Linglong opened her mouth slowly folding her hands.

“It seems that you are in a quite good mood these days, Your Grace.” Zui Linglong said in a sarcastic tone.

Lengmei walked towards her, “How do you know that?” Then Lengmei lifted the bead curtains with her fair fingers, causing the continuous colliding sounds.

“Aren’t you?” Zui Linglong looked at Lengmei, “You have invited the theatrical troupe.”

Lengmei started to laugh, ignoring Zui Linglong’s sarcastic tone. Her laughter was lowish and implicit, then it became louder and louder.

As Lengmei pulled Zui Linglong towards her soft couch, they both sat on it after a while.

“Tell me, what do you want from me?” Lengmei asked without preamble. As the old saying went: ‘No one comes to the Hall of Trinity without reason’, the woman must come here with her own purpose.

“You are a clairvoyant judge of character, Your Grace.” Zui Linglong paused and said, “I heard that your official salary had been embezzled these days. It must be relevant to the empress!”

As Zui Linglong’s words were quite ear-piercing, Lengmei snorted and glanced sideways, “Those dog-like servants are all ‘fence sitters’ who support Tang Xia as she is in power now.”

What Lengmei said was quite correct as the palace is where people fought for power and the imperial harem was the dirtiest place in the world. Servants would definitely flatter the imperial concubine who was favored by His Majesty.

Lengmei got used to the situation, but she needed to take her time. As there would be ample time for her, no one knew what would happen in the future.

As Zui Linglong noticed that Lengmei wasn’t angry, she asked, “You own such a positive attitude, Your Grace. Is there any plan? What is your next move?”

“Of course I have a plan.” Lengmei said. “I just don’t want to tell you yet. I won’t stay so calm without knowing my next move.”

Zui Linglong just nodded slightly with no response. It was typical of women in the imperial harem to do so, as they would lose the initiative so long as they planned everything before others did.

“I still want to remind you that every dog has its day. Although you are pregnant now, don’t take yourself too seriously. As the attitude of His Majesty is what matters.”

What Zui Linglong said was quite direct, but Lengmei bore it in her mind.

“I know.” Lengmei said in a gentle voice, “I know how far to go and when to stop.”

“That is good. Don’t act recklessly.” Zui Linglong said in a calm voice.

“I will be careful. I have other things to attend to next.” Lengmei put down the cup and stroke her belly unconsciously.

As her fingers just touched her belly, Lengmei froze suddenly. She stroked her belly from time to time these days. It seemed to the unconscious behavior.

Lengmei became somewhat absent-minded, looking at her fair arm.

As her doubts appeared on her face, Lengmei frowned as if she was thinking about something unknown by others.

“Your Grace?” Zui Linglong said cautiously after a long time. Her Grace seemed to have something on her mind. There was no wonder that she lost in thought for such a long time, stroking her belly.

Lengmei came back to her sense by the call and raised her head suddenly, looking at the woman in front of her, “What happened? Is there something wrong?”

“Nothing, I notice that you have something on your mind.”

Lengmei had to admit that Zui Linglong owned an exquisite heart. No wonder that her name was ‘Linglong’ (homophonic words for ‘exquisite heart’ in Chinese).

Zui Linglong was right that she did have something on her mind. But Lengmei could not figure out whether she should say it out or not. Then Lengmei leaned sideways after pondering for a while.

“Zui Linglong, I have some questions for you.” Lengmei leaned forward and said in a lower voice.

“Feel free to ask any question, Your Grace.”

After Lengmei looked around, she asked in a low voice, “Do you know my false pregnancy?”

Zui Linglong raised her eyebrows and replied with a smile, “I don’t understand what you are talking about, Your Grace.”

“How could the imperial physician of He shield my false pregnancy even if I did not make a deal with him?” Lengmei had wanted to ask the question, but she had no chance.

Only when there were only two of them did Lengmei dare to ask it.

In fact, Lengmei wondered why the imperial physician chose to help her with the diagnosis even if she had not come to an agreement with him.

It was quite creepy if she pondered on it. And Lengmei had a faint idea that it was relevant to Zui Linglong.

As she thought so, Lengmei raised her head and looked at Zui Linglong, “Tell me, did you play the trick?” If Zui Linglong did it, Lengmei would become so relieved.

Zui Linglong ignored Lengmei’s doubtful look and answered after giving loud laughter, “It doesn’t matter whether it was me or not; no one finds out your false pregnancy. It is enough.”

After hearing what Zui Linglong had said, Lengmei became a little bit anxious and tapped on the table, “Make it clear, Zui Linglong. If my false pregnancy is found out, we will both be punished.” Lengmei thought that she could threaten Zui Linglong in this way.

Unexpectedly, Zui Linglong picked up the cup and took a sip from it slowly as if she did not care about it at all.

“I can do nothing about it!” Lengmei turned her head around impatiently.

Lengmei just wanted to know what it was about. How could she not be worried as she padded her belly?

As Zui Linglong noticed that Lengmei was quite anxious, she wore a faint smile, “Take care of yourself, Your Grace. You don’t need to worry about this matter anymore.”

Zui Linglong’s words somewhat set Lengmei’s mind at rest. Then Lengmei heaved a sigh of relief and became surer of her conjecture.

Now that Zui Linglong had assured that she did not need to worry about it, Lengmei thought that they would both be punished at the worst. As she thought so, Lengmei felt quite relieved.

“In this case, I won’t force you to admit it.” Lengmei wore her usual calm look.

As it was getting dark, the tea became cold. So Lengmei shouted the old maid waiting outside the room.

A maid served them a pot of freshly brewed tea after a while.

As Lengmei looked at the tender tea leaves floating on the surface, Lengmei pondered that Zui Linglong was not an ordinary person, she might as well…

“Would you do me a favor?” Lengmei asked with a smile.

“It is my pleasure, Your Grace.” Zui Linglong replied obediently.

Lengmei felt quite pleased as she needed someone to help her implement the following plans. It would be best for her that Zui Linglong could help.

Then Lengmei told everything about her plan to Zui Linglong in a few minutes.

When she finished her sentence, Lengmei asked, “What do you think?”

Zui Linglong nodded, looking at Lengmei’s cold eyes.

“Good! I appreciate the brave woman just like you.” Lengmei clapped her hands and began to praise Zui Linglong, not caring whether Zui Linglong was listening to her.

As Lengmei praised her too much, Zui Linglong regarded Lengmei as hypocritical and said, “I’m flattered. I’ll always be at your service, Your Grace.”

Zui Linglong waved her hands impatiently and was ready to hear what Lengmei’s good plan was.

At the same time, Lengmei thought that she was talking too much nonsense and stopped her compliment. Then Lengmei got close to Zui Linglong, she said after hesitating for a moment.

“There will be riots in the border area a few days later. Several wars will be inevitable then.”

“What do you mean, Your Grace?” Zui Linglong pretended to wear a frustrating look, thinking that Lengmei was not that stupid as she knew that she should implement her plan during the special period.

Lengmei was quite satisfied with Zui Linglong’s reaction and said after pondering for a while, “Compared to the military of the border area, ours is not weak. Besides, we own brave and battlewise generals and soldiers. After several wars, their soldiers must be greatly reduced.”

After hearing Lengmei’s clear and logical analysis, Zui Linglong nodded her head with some doubts.

“Even if their soldiers are reduced, how will it be helpful to your plan, Your Grace?”

Lengmei replied to Zui Linglong grumpily, “What we lack is a good opportunity. When the wars take a heavy toll of lives from the border area, our good opportunity will come.”

Then Lengmei wore a quite coquettish smile. Apparently, ‘war’ was not cruel any more for two of them.

In a sense, Lengmei was just waiting for an appropriate time. And the following war between her country and the border area was the right time.

Lengmei knew clearly that she could not wait for too long, neither should she be too hurried. It would be so pathetic to mess it up if she was too impatient.

As Lengmei wanted to win, she must be quite careful and consolidate at every step.

“What you mean…” Zui Linglong understood what Lengmei meant.

“As long as the wars take a heavy toll of lives from the border area, the minister will be sent here to sue for peace.” Lengmei clenched her fist, “By then, we can implement our plan.”

Zui Linglong nodded her head, “So we need to get well prepared, Your Grace.”

“Of course we do.” This matter allowed no errors.

Lengmei felt refreshed and was in a good mood.

After Zui Linglong left, Lengmei said to herself, “It is time.”