Chapter 33
In the morning, when the empress was preparing for her morning routine, Tang Kexin had awaken. The empress' movements were light, obviously afraid of waking her up, so she pretended to be asleep. Besides, she didn't know what to do so early in the morning in the palace.
With such a rare free time, it was not bad to lazy around and to sleep for more. However, the noise outside the room, of the women of the harem giving out their respects to the empress, had awoken her entirely.
She opened her eyes and looked up at the bed curtain, feeling a bit absent-minded. The imperial harem seemed to lack of women. If she was not mistaken, there were about four or five official consorts and concubines of the emperor at the moment. And being the head of the harem, she wondered what the empress really feel about it?
"Mother, where is Tang Kexin?" When the women of the harem finally left, Ye Lanchen's voice was suddenly heard.
"Xin'er hasn't woken up yet, lower your voice." The empress motioned for him to whisper, but suddenly realized that he had changed his way of addressing Tang Kexin. "Weren't you always calling her 'Xin Xin'? What's wrong with you today?" The empress slightly furrowed her eyebrows as she looked intently at her son.
"Hmph! What's wrong with me calling her in her full name...? But what's up with her?" The corner of Ye Lanchen's mouth twitched. His current impression of Tang Kexin hadn't been good after the carriage incident. To him now, she's just a malevolent demoness! "The sun was way too high up now, why was she still asleep...! Is she a pig?"
Inside the room, the corners of Tang Kexin's lips curled up. It looked like the fourth prince had really made her his enemy...
"This son pays his respects to the empress." A deep yet magnetic voice was soon heard next.
From the voice, Tang Kexin knew it was Ye Lanjue, so the more she didn't want to get up. Thus, she decided to stay in the bed until she was sure everyone had gone.
When Tang Kexin heard that Ye Lanjue had left, Ye Lanchun follow suit. Even the empress left for her daily rounds. Seeing that it was getting late, Tang Kexin slowly got out of bed.
"Miss Tang, you're awake...! The empress went to the Buddhist hall and ordered this maid to attend to Miss Tang's needs." When the palace maid saw Tang Kexin, she immediately walked forward intending to assist her.
"No need, I'll help myself around." Yesterday when she entered the palace, she discovered something in a pond they had passed by. A medicinal plant that was very rare in the modern era.
She might as well use this time to gather them. It was already near noon, and in such a hot day, it was unlikely that there would be anyone around.
The palace maid originally wanted to follow, but with a single glance from Tang Kexin, the palace maid immediately stopped, not daring to move another step.
"I heard that the emperor was in a very good mood last night when he ate dinner at the Kuan'An Palace. His laughter was full of excitement and aloud, you could even heard it outside the palace. I heard it was because of Tang Kexin, who accordingly has recently recovered from her stupidity, and even rendered a song to the Emperor. And that the Emperor was very satisfied of her performance that he granted her a wish...!" Noble Rong, one of the two imperial concubines who were strolling at the vicinity near the pond, chirped in with a little hostility in her voice.
The Noble Qing who was walking beside her sneered. "Hmph! How can she sing a song that powerful? Maybe it's another ploy set by the Empress. What is she up to again this time...?!I"
"What do you mean?" Noble Rong was shocked as she quickly turned to look at her.
"Have you forgotten about Ning Cai'er? She was originally an attendant by the empress' side, but now she has become the Imperial Concubine Ning." The noble's expression turned even colder.
"You are not thinking that she would be making Tang Kexin a concubine, too? She is her niece after all..." The voice of Noble Rong quivered slightly.
"So what if she's her niece? To consolidate her power, she would rather have one of her own surrounding the emperor whom she could trust and order...!" Noble Qing's eyes darkened. In this palace, what was impossible?
"Speaking of the devil, the fool is here." She raised her eyes and saw Tang Kexin walking over.
"Heh! She's recovered and not stupid anymore?" Noble Qing let out a mocking smile.
"Even if she recovered from her illness but she has been a fool for eighteen years, knowing nothing and not knowing anything...! She should still be considered a fool, shouldn't she?!" Noble Rong disapprovingly snorted as her eyes suddenly narrowed. "Since we coincidentally bumped into her, then we should properly take care of her. I want to see just what ability this fool has."
She suddenly threw the hairpin in her hand in the direction of Tang Kexin.
"Don't you have eyes? You actually broke my flower hairpin, this was bestowed by the emperor!" In the next moment, Noble Rong angrily rushed in front of Tang Kexin.
Tang Kexin lowered her head and saw a hairpin rolling in front of her. The corners of her lips curled up. It was obvious that she was staring at a fork in the road. Moreover, this fork was appearing shoddy.
Seeing Tang Kexin lowered her head but without any reaction, Noble Rong's lips curved up in a proud sneer. "Insolent fool, you actually don't admit your fault."
As she spoke, she suddenly raised her hand, palm open and move it towards Tang Kexin's face.
She decided to engage into physical collision first, since she didn't think that a fool would have any skills. Even if the empress will blame her, a fool would not even have the ability to argue for her defence, let alone have someone from a noble clan to 'testify for her.'
Tang Kexin's heart sigh with disappointment. So, what they really wanted was to attack her needlessly? But, do they have the ability?
Fortunately, Tang Kexin found herself to be civilised, and civilised people naturally had to deal with things in a civilised manner.
Of course, most people might not be able to enjoy her civilised way, she was after all the Tang Kexin of the modern era with a PhD in psychology.
"Wow, you must be Venerable Noble Rong, right?" Just as Noble Rong's hand neared Tang Kexin's, she suddenly cried out in exaltation. Earlier at Kuan'An Palace, she heard this woman's greetings, so she knew it was her the moment she heard the voice.
"You know me?" Noble Rong's hand stopped midway, she looked at her in surprise.
"Hmm-hmm! Noble Rong really is a heavenly beauty. No wonder the emperor adores her. The Emperor said that not only is she beautiful, but…" Tang Kexin repeatedly nodded and praised her in an extremely exaggerated manner, but then deliberately stopped midway.
"But what? What else did His Majesty say?" Noble Rong couldn't help but asked with profound curiosity. She had long since forgotten that she was about to hit her.
Indeed, this was what the women of the imperial harem cared the most. The emperor's feelings toward them.
"Aiyo, why is it so hot today? I've been standing here for such a long time, the sun is so scorching." Tang Kexin raised her head and looked at the sky. The corners of her lips slightly curled upwards.
"Hurry up and cover Miss Tang's face." Noble Rong was a smart person, so she impatiently instructed the palace maids.
"Yes." The palace maid quickly moved forward to cover the side of Tang Kexin with a banana fan, blocking out the scorching sun.
"His Majesty said—
"Give Miss Tang the ice-cold pear soup in your hand." Noble Rong was startled but ordered the palace maid again.
Tang Kexin smiled and squinted her eyes. On such a hot day, drinking a bowl of iced water was such a blissful thing. But of course, she could tell right away if there was anything wrong with the soup.
Seeing Tang Kexin drank the ice-cold pear soup and gulping it down without any hesitation, Noble Rong's eyes flashed. Although this fool appeared to have recovered, but she didn't have any discernment. She didn't even have the heart to be on guard.
Of course, Noble Rong didn't know that Tang Kexin wanted her to have that misconception of her. That way, they wouldn't have any doubts about her words.
After drinking the iced pear soup, Tang Kexin was satisfied. She then slowly said, "The emperor also said that the culinary arts of Noble Rong was first class."
"Really, the Emperor really said that." Noble Rong immediately beamed with happiness.
"Hmph! What are you so proud of." Noble Qing, who was standing at the side, had a face full of resentment and jealousy.
Tang Kexin's understanding of the situation was clear. As a doctor of psychology, how could she not guess what was the woman thinking?
In addition, Tang Kexin also recognised her by her voice. She, too, was one of those women who came in the morning to greet the empress.
"Hmm-hmm! Of course it's true. This morning I even heard one maid from Kuan'An Palace that last night, a bowl of love soup that was said to be from the Venerable Noble Rong almost make the Emperor wanted to change his path and go to the Pingyi Courtyard." At this point, Tang Kexin stopped and smiled.
Last night, the emperor didn't stay at Kuan'An Palace and left early. This morning, she heard a palace maid whispered to the empress that the emperor had rested in the imperial study last night.
"Li Rong'er, you are a bewitching fox spirit!" Sure enough, standing at the side, Noble Qing, who was jealous to begin with, was instantly enraged when she heard this and started to curse at Noble Rong.
"But the emperor did not go to my courtyard last night..." Noble Rong was not stupid, she did not directly fall for it, and quickly raised a question.
Noble Qing stopped and looked towards Tang Kexin.
"Eunuch Liu said that when they were almost at Pingyi Courtyard, there was a sudden urgent matter that the Emperor rushed to his study room." Tang Kexin had expected her to say this, so she naturally followed up.
Of course, Noble Rong and Noble Qing would never have imagined that a recently recovered fool would tell such an elaborate lie.
"Where did the Emperor sleep last night?" However, Noble Qing still asked the eunuch behind her in a low voice. It seemed that all people in the palace were ruthless and were not easy to fool.
"I heard that His Majesty went to the imperial study later on." The eunuch was stunned for a moment before he replied carefully.
"Li Rong'er, what else do you have to say? I have always treated you as my sister, I didn't expect you to backstab me like this." Noble Qing gritted her teeth in anger. She had been a good sister until now, but not anymore, for she would be her irreconcilable enemy.
"If His Majesty likes me, why would it be my fault? Blame yourself for being incapable...!"
"Li Rong'er, you are courting death." Noble Qing was enraged. She quickly raised her hand and slapped Noble Rong.
"Su Qingling, you dare hit me?! You dare to hit me?!" None of the women in the imperial harem were easy to mess with, so Noble Rong retaliated and fought back.
Immediately, the two of them were fighting like crazy.
Tang Kexin retreated a few steps and chose a safe spot. Leaning on the tree trunk behind her, she leisurely watched the lively scene.
She was a civilised person, and this was how a civilised person handled things. But of course, she couldn't guarantee that other party would be civilised as well. Because if it happened that the other party wasn't, the result would surely be a mess.
Some branches of the tree drooped down right in front of her face. She raised her hand and gently pulled them down.
Last night, it shortly rained heavily. The leaves were clean and clear without a speck of dust; it exuded a light fragrance that spread throughout the ambiance; and a pure and delicate green crystal dews slid on the leaves creating a type of enticement. Tang Kexin pulled a branch to her lips, opened her mouth, and bit it down.
With her current attitude, she was a bit of a demoness, a bit of a seductress, and the remaining eighty percent of a hoodlum that should not have belonged to a woman.
It was a scorching start of the summer season, and it was truly depressing. So it wasn't that bad to watch a little good show as there was nothing else to see at the moment.
After sometime of watching the two women fighting passionately, the tiresome scene had already bored her. 'Catfighting' between women wasn't really her thing.
As she was about to leave her spot, her eyes which turned slightly from the fight-scene met a pair of eyes that were deep like an abyss, unfathomable, yet also had a sense of a smile that wasn't a smile.
It was clear that the person was staring at her with intent.
For a moment, Tang Kexin felt as if her heart had stopped beating. She was startled and intimidated!
The branch in her mouth loosened and bounced off her smooth forehead. It caused her some pain, but it did not smother the apprehension and fear in her heart.
Why was he here? When did he come? How long had he been standing there? How much had he seen?