Chapter 103 Moon

  Chao Sheng and Auntie Li almost worked through the entire night, by the time they finished sealing the last jar, Chao Sheng's waist was almost numb, he leaned against the wall and walked slowly for a few steps before sitting down on a small stool at the door.

  Auntie Li poured hot water for her: "Take a sip."

  "Thank you, Auntie."

  Outside the door, a bright full moon hangs in the night sky, making the surrounding stars lose their luster and become dim.

  Auntie Li stretched her waist: "Alas, I'm really old."

  Chao Sheng put down his bowl: "I'll give you a massage."

  "Alright, you're tired too. I know you have a filial heart, that's enough. If it were twenty years ago... no, ten years, this wouldn't be a problem, but now it can't be done."

  "Auntie is working hard every day and has lost weight. I heard that the pharmacy in the mansion is going to prepare medicine, so I told Xiaoshun to get two packs of tonic medicine for you to take."

  "It's hopeless to expect a supplement." At this moment, the moon is bright and the stars are sparse. Li Gugu also has some feelings: "Hey, look, it's like this in the sky, and it's also like this on earth... In the palace, the empress is the moon, and the other concubines are the stars... And in our mansion..."

  Yes, the imperial princess is the moon, and everyone else should retreat far away.

  Auntie Li smiled slyly: "But the moon is also taken turns doing... it's not just one family's."

  Chao Sheng rubbed his hands together and walked over: "Auntie, tell me a story."

  "Hmm," Aunt Li also came with enthusiasm, the two set up a window awning and poured a pot of hot tea.

  "The current queen's surname is Lu - but she isn't the emperor's first wife..."

  Chao Sheng nodded slightly, as if he had heard it before.

  "The Empress's surname was Cai, and she came from a noble family. She married the Emperor at the age of 16 and became the Crown Princess. She went through many hardships with the Emperor, gave birth to four children, but only the eldest prince and princess survived. Unfortunately, the eldest prince also passed away later, and the eldest princess was married off to a distant place..."

  "Where is she married?"

  "In Queensland..."

  Chao Sheng was shocked.

  She had seen a map at the fourth prince's place, with dense place names marked on the Central Plains and the southeastern regions. As you went northwest, the characters became sparser and sparser, with large blank areas in some places, which must have meant uninhabited areas. It wasn't until the corner of the map that there was a small red note with the two words "Kunzhou". It was precisely because it was so remote that Chao Sheng remembered this place name.

  So far away

  The imperial court's power barely reaches there; isn't this princess equivalent to a barbarian queen?

  "When the previous empress was alive, she was like a bright moon in the sky. She and the emperor were a loving young couple who had been through thick and thin together..." Aunt Li said: "I entered the palace when Empress Cai was still alive, I saw her once, to say that her appearance wasn't as beautiful as the current Empress Lu, but she had an air of dignity and elegance, and was warm and gentle...". Aunt Li didn't say much more, continuing: "Later, Empress Cai passed away due to illness, two years later, the emperor appointed the current Empress Lu. Empress Lu was originally a palace concubine, beautiful and talented, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call her the most beautiful among all the flowers. The emperor also loved and favored her very much, for a period of time he even listened to her words and followed her advice... At that time, many things happened in the harem, and the eldest prince was lost during that time."

  "But isn't the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace?"

  "Yes, that's right. So, our empress dowager has nothing to do with us." Aunt Li said: "After I entered the palace, I first learned the rules and regulations, then did some odd jobs. The little palace maids didn't have fewer things to do than me. Later, when Concubine Yan needed people, I was assigned there. I served for five and a half years, and Concubine Yan was promoted to imperial consort. Later, she became pregnant." Aunt Li poured herself half a cup of tea, took a sip, and seemed to be sipping wine instead. Her voice lowered: "Consort Yan knew the empress's methods were ruthless, so she was extra careful. But in this world, there are only thieves for a thousand years, not guards against thieves for a thousand years... No matter how careful you are, it's still impossible to guard against everything..."

  "Empress Yán also..."

  "She wasn't as lucky as Consort An. At least Consort An didn't lose her life and even got promoted, but Consort Yan was six months pregnant when the accident happened, wailing for a whole day and night, resulting in two deaths with one corpse."

  Cháo shēng dǎ le ge duō zhuāng.

  The quiet night heard such a shocking palace gossip, making people feel chilled.

  "After Yan Fei's incident, you can imagine what I went through. At that time, several close sisters in the palace died, including Jiu Er, didn't I mention her to you? I barely escaped with my life and have been struggling until now."

  Chao Sheng thought of Li Auntie's last appearance in front of the Emperor, and surprisingly, the Emperor still had some impression of her.

  Perhaps the Emperor had long forgotten Consort Yu and the insignificant little palace maid Li Yutan by her side. However, he might still recall the soup he had drunk and vaguely remember the delightful experiences of tender flesh and soft jade that he had once savored.

  A man's tenderness is just like this, thin and fleeting; before he leaves, the tea has already gone cold.

  What's more, Empress Cai and Consort Yan have been dead for so many years already.

  Could it be that they still expect the emperor to reminisce about them and guard their chastity like jade?

  Forget it, don't even dream about it. It's not just the emperor, but even ordinary men are impossible. As soon as his wife dies, he'll immediately take another one in, marry a concubine, and hold a servant girl in his arms, without missing a single day of pleasure.

  "However, Empress Lu is no longer young and her mind is no longer on competing for favor, but on seizing power..."

  Chao nodded slightly.

  If it were another girl in her teens, she would probably not understand what Li Auntie was saying.

  But I understand.

  Auntie Li also knew she understood.

  Having reached the position of queen, favor is no longer the most important thing.

  She has reached the pinnacle, and now all she needs to do is maintain this peak and let her son solidify his position, continue her, her children, and her family's current glory.

  It's hard to say which one is more difficult, whether it's the first or the second.

  Chao Sheng was full of curiosity about this unfamiliar Lu Huang Hou.

  Is this a Wu Zetian-style character?

  Relying on beauty and wit to kill one's way out of the harem is no easy feat. She must be ruthless, skilled at plotting, able to gauge the situation — and also endure.

  None of these qualities can be missing.

  So the countless beauties in the harem, only a few can stand out. The position of the empress is unique, and Empress Lu doesn't know how many beautiful women's corpses and tears she trampled on to get there.

  Chao Sheng thought about it again and let out a long sigh, thinking of his own imperial son's consort.

  She didn't want to be cannon fodder.

  She has to take care of herself.

  There's also Auntie Li... she's a master of her craft, we have to support her in her old age.

  So they both got to keep them - well, if either of the two were missing, that promise of a happy old age would be an empty phrase.

  Auntie Li suddenly said this to her, and it's not just an old person's nagging.

  This prince's mansion is like a miniature imperial palace.

  Mrs. Wen is equivalent to the queen.

  And what about Chao Sheng?

  She wanted to avoid all this, but did she succeed?

  No.

  From Wen's actions in recent days, Chaosheng can already see that Wen has a strong desire for control.

  What she does, perhaps every woman will do, but won't be as anxious as her.

  Her hands eventually reached her own body.

  How can we protect ourselves at that time?

  Should I go and tell her now that I won't be ambitious, but just want a simple and peaceful life?

  Chao Sheng's gaze fell back on the night sky above the courtyard, and at some point a cloud floated over, covering up the moon.

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  Thanks for Yu Gu Qing Fen's long review, I'll add another 2,000 words update.

  I also want to apologize to Yisheng Lian, when I was adding comments, my hand slipped and clicked delete, and it couldn't be recovered. So your comment, as well as the messages from Xinghe Bimonthly below, are all gone. I'm really sorry.