The Beloved Imperial Consort Chapter 167

At the third quarter of the hour of Chen¹, all the princes and ministers had already gathered in the front yard, but the legitimate master of the prince’s residence had yet to make an appearance. 

“Elder brother, where do you think the Sixth Brother is right now?” Recently, the Crown Prince would undoubtedly approach Zong Zheng Chun to engage in conversation when they met. He did this to enjoy the sight of his extremely unwilling expression. It allowed the Crown Prince, who had endured grievances for over a decade, to feel immense satisfaction whenever he got his way. 

“Bendian’s eyes and ears² are nowhere as good as the Second Brother’s.” Zong Zheng Chun snorted disdainfully. Zong Zheng Hui had become increasingly excessive in the past two months. Even if this matter was brought before the Yuancheng Emperor, he was unafraid.

The Crown Prince’s face darkened. He actually called him his Second Brother? This was not a display of intimacy but a blatant disregard for the status of the Crown Prince. 

Both of them looked at each other with mutual disdain, yet neither was willing to show weakness by taking the first step to retreat.

Zong Zheng Ming and Zong Zheng Yun looked on indifferently, each holding their tea and sitting comfortably. Zong Zheng Han lowered his head, pondering over the list of names sent by the Imperial Noble Consort. There were more than forty young ladies from prestigious families. If there was someone to his liking, he could make an early decision, and the rest could be slowly chosen during the flower viewing banquet.

“Eighth, this time, they’re selecting people for you. Do you have someone you fancy? Or shall us brothers offer some advice for your consideration?” Zong Zheng Yun couldn’t be bothered with the discord between the two on the other side. He chose to change the topic and joined Zong Zheng Han in a separate discussion. 

“Didi³ received the list of names yesterday and hasn’t had a chance to look at it carefully yet.” Zong Zheng Han said, but his words were untrue. 

He had carefully read the list twice after receiving it. The people he held in highest regard were none other than the Second Miss of Grand Preceptor⁴ House Yu Hong Ying and the daughter of the Chief Grand Minister⁵ Zhu Ge Li. There was originally one more person, but it seemed that the lady had a great admiration for Zong Zheng Lin. She had utilized connections in the palace once already. He considered himself a prideful man, so he didn’t make any undue efforts. 

“Unfortunately, the most intriguing woman in Shengjing City has already been taken by Sixth Brother. If we want to find such a woman again, it might not be easy.” The Crown Prince suddenly interrupted their conversation. His words, however, were quite rude.

Zong Zheng Yun set down his teacup, stared at the Crown Prince for a moment, and suddenly burst into laughter, “If Second Brother has taken a fancy to any of Sixth Brother’s concubines, Bendian can certainly help inquire. If there are unmarried girls in her family, it’s not a problem to send them to Second Brother’s residence.”

The Crown Prince became increasingly hostile towards Zong Zheng Lin. At this moment, bringing this up in front of Zong Zheng Han, the implications behind it, both explicit and implicit, were not just provocation but also a blatant display of coveting. 

Zong Zheng Yun had never wielded power. He was unafraid of gains or losses, so why would he be afraid of the Crown Prince? The response he gave was neither soft nor confrontational. 

The likes of concubines were just playthings; even if given away, no one would make a fuss. Especially when they were some family’s unmarried girls – sending them to the Crown Prince’s residence was doable. 

Unfortunately, everyone present here knew very well that the woman mentioned by the Crown Prince was undoubtedly Zong Zheng Lin’s dearest. That cefei was recorded in the Zong clan’s genealogy, a legitimate member of the imperial family. If the Crown Prince dared to blatantly express that he coveted Mu’shi, he could forget keeping his position as heir apparent. 

Zong Zheng Hui had a displeased look on his face. He did not expect Zong Zheng Yun, who has always been frivolous and uninvolved in political affairs, would openly confront him to defend Zong Zheng Lin. 

The atmosphere here was getting increasingly tense when a singing voice was heard outside the door, “His Sixth Highness has arrived.”

Instantly, the front yard quieted down, and everyone who had been chatting and laughing turned to look outside the main gate. 

Zong Zheng Lin’s expression was grim. A face that should have been filled with joy now was as dark as ink. Complemented by his deep blue brocade robe today, his whole person appeared much colder. 

All present saw the Sixth Prince walking straight into the hall. Upon encountering the other princes, he simply nodded in greeting, sparing no more words. Even his full-blooded brother, the Fourth Prince, didn’t get a friendly expression. 

Damn woman! Zong Zheng Lin was so infuriated by Mu Xi Yao that he couldn’t calm his anger now. Crossing through the second gate to the front yard from Danruo Courtyard, the more he thought, the more he felt he shouldn’t have let her behave so audaciously. 

Turning his gaze back to the Crown Prince and the First Prince, who secretly disregarded decorum, the hidden hostility in Zong Zheng Lin’s phoenix eyes intensified. Additionally, there was Zong Zheng Ming, who exhibited the appearance of an upright gentleman, yet never concealed his heartfelt admiration for Mu Xi Yao. The more Zong Zheng Lin contemplated the more he felt that the solemn occasion of the Draw Lots Ceremony should not have permitted women to attend! Especially someone as stubborn and troublesome as Mu Xi Yao.

As the hour of Si⁶ approached, Consort Shu and her attendants arrived belatedly from the palace. Once the most esteemed figure in the residence arrived, the womenfolk followed suit and made their way towards the main hall. They were simply waiting to witness the completion of the Draw Lots Ceremony for the Sixth Highness’s firstborn son before heading back to the courtyard to enjoy a play and have tea. 

“Where is Cefei? Bring Cheng Qing out quickly. If the auspicious moment is missed, Bengong won’t let it slide easily.” Consort Shu, seated high up on the seat of honor, scanned around but couldn’t spot her precious grandson. She grew somewhat anxious at this time. 

Consort Shu got ready early today, but on the way, she encountered those who had recently gained favor. They exchanged a few innocuous yet cutting words, and only then did they perfunctorily offer a few polite congratulations. In all honesty, she didn’t hear any sincerity from them, but they were quite envious of the new waistcoat she had on. Consequently, she was delayed by these encounters and arrived a bit later.

If Consort Shu arrived almost at the last moment, there were individuals who were even more composed. Mu Cefei, who hasn’t shown her face until now, has left everyone somewhat perplexed. This content belongs to thehlifestyle.com, if you see this translation elsewhere, it’s been stolen!

“Consort-mother seems to be intending to reprimand someone; Qie dares not delay and rush to throw herself into your line of fire.” 

While the person had yet to arrive, the woman’s sweet and charming response had reached them first. 

Upon hearing this, Zong Zheng Lin’s expression darkened even further; reluctant as he was, he couldn’t hold her outside.

“Alright, here she comes.” Di Wu Yu Ying pursed her lips, soothing her anxious companions. 

“Too bad she’s too far away to see her clearly.” If Mu Cefei could have come to the courtyard earlier, it would have been much better; it was a pity that she only arrived now. 

“What’s the rush? She’ll still pass by here later.” 

“Oh, that’s true! Fortunately, there’s still something to console us.”

Below, people whispered in hushed tones, all waiting for the protagonist to make an appearance today. Cheng Qing was supposed to be the only one receiving attention, but now, due to Cefei’s delayed arrival, even she was included in the attention. 

Unintentionally, Mu Xi Yao stole the limelight from her son. This act of overshadowing the main character and stealing the spotlight, she has played it more than once. 

Everyone was staring at the entrance of the main hall. In the blink of an eye, a group of people turned in from the corridor, and the woman in the middle, surrounded by others, instantly captured everyone’s attention. A series of gasps rose one after another. 

Enchanting! Enchanting to the point of dazzling and mesmerizing. Stunning! Stunning to the extent that the entire grand hall lost its luster, with her alone shining brightly.

Black! The Sixth Highness’s Cefei, Lady Mu, surprisingly chose a black wide-trailing dress as the base for such a grand banquet. Her waist was cinched very high, folding pleats just half an inch below the chest, tied with a jujube red silk belt that accentuated every detail of her alluring curves. 

The wide and high-waisted skirt perfectly camouflaged the woman’s lack of a defined waist due to the flaw attributed to her prominently raised abdomen. As she walked, there was not the slightest appearance of heaviness. 

The double-layer stand-up collar that has never been seen before accentuated the woman’s jawline with an exceptionally delicate profile. The upper part of the body had no other intricate embellishments besides being adorned with red-edged decorative toggles. The lower part with its layered large skirt was extraordinarily magnificent, interweaving two shades of red silk threads, light and dark. It turned out to be the unique craftsmanship of the Jiayi Workshop’s ‘Shadow Embroidery’, renowned as the best embroidery in Shengjing. The patterns were daring and innovative, opting for a rarely used safflower and red spider lily. Just a single red spider lily occupied the majority of the skirt’s hem, and its ostentatious and unbridled appearance complemented the woman in the hall perfectly. 

The entire long skirt featured only red and black, complementing each other, fervent and intense. 

Looking at the woman’s makeup, they were astonished to find her beauty so remarkable that they couldn’t remember various beauties they had encountered before. Just the languid and seductive starlight emanating from her bright eyes, adorned by winged eyeliner, was sufficient to captivate one’s entire heart and mind.

In her act of defiance against Zong Zheng Lin today, Mu Xi Yao ventured into bold makeup for the first time. Not only did she ornament her forehead with a golden-edged flower marking, but she also applied crimson lipstick several times. The red lips enhanced her complexion, making her appear as fair as snow, while her eyes seemed even darker. 

Coupled with an exquisitely crafted fire-like feather fan in hand, Mu Xi Yao resembled a flower spirit who heedlessly charged into people’s sight, as if she were oblivious to the world around her. 

“Qie has arrived late. Qie hopes consort-mother and all the esteemed guests can forgive Qie.” 

With a subtle lift of her right hand, Mu Xi Yao’s sleeves floated gracefully in the air. As she bowed with elegance, she rested the feather fan against her cheek, concealing half of her face.

A beauty like this lowered her eyes as if words were on the verge of being spoken but held back. When she spoke, her words carried a laid-back and languid charm. With each blink, a shimmering radiance graced her eyes, and her glossy red lips parted, rendering everyone nearby spellbound. 

Beautiful – this woman was astonishingly beautiful. Transcending mere physical charm, her entire soul radiated a seductive allure.

Di Wu Yu Ying dazedly stared at Mu Xi Yao as she walked gracefully by, giving her a teasing wink. She felt her heart beating a little faster. Even after the person had moved some distance away, Di Wu Yu Ying continued to gaze in a daze at the highly coiled hair knot on the back of her head. 

“Yu Ying,” the young ladies from prestigious families beside Di Wu Yu Ying, who were not much better than her, couldn’t conceal their admiration, “Cefei is indeed as you said; she is truly a beauty. More captivating than Shi Yan Ling. Merely looking at her overall grace, it’s likely that there’s no one in the entire hall who can compare. No wonder His Highness is enamored with her.”  

While Shi Yan Ling was beautiful in her exquisite facial features, He Lian Wei Rui’s beauty lay in her cold and elegant demeanor. Regrettably, compared to Mu Xi Yao, who stood out uniquely in Great Wei with her enchanting and flamboyant charm, even if you searched through the entire 《History of Wei》, it would still be hard to describe this bewitching and soul-captivating feeling that consumes you unconsciously. 

Startled by her companion’s words, Di Wu Yu Ying came back to her senses. She quickly tugged at the person’s sleeve upon hearing her disrespectful remark towards the Sixth Highness, warning her with a stern glare. These words must not reach His Highness’s ears. Whether he was enamored or not was none of their business, but they mustn’t provide others a basis for gossip. 

Even women were affected in such a way; the princes and courtiers present, awestruck by Mu Xi Yao, were too numerous to count.

This wasn’t the first time they’d seen Mu Xi Yao’s true appearance, but it was the most astonishing and uncontrollable one. Even He Lian Zhang, someone with profound grudges against Mu Xi Yao, couldn’t help but admit that the entrancing allure of this woman had permeated to her very core. Despite being more than a full twelve years older than Mu Xi Yao, he couldn’t help but feel briefly entranced upon their first meeting. Men’s pursuit of women was indeed instinctive and impossible to resist.

Zong Zheng Lin’s face had already turned extremely bad. Just witnessing the shamelessly lecherous and entranced expressions on the Crown Prince and the First Prince’s faces, the inner fury of the Sixth Highness surged uncontrollably. Then, there was also Zong Zheng Yun’s teasing look, revealing in the spectacle. This made him wish he could grab the person and bring her back to her quarters, preventing her from causing further trouble by going out.

Zong Zheng Lin already got riled up at the sight of the dress she had prepared when he went out. That woman, with her prominently showing belly, shielded the dress he wanted to tear to shreds. She persistently demanded him to watch closely, adamant about going out to flaunt herself, proving that even without her slender waist, the conversation from last night was a result of his misspoken words. 

Now, not only did she wear this damn dress, but she also put on such seductive and enchanting makeup, blatantly inviting amorous encounters.

The ostentatious feather fan in her hand was even more irritating to look at. Zong Zheng Lin fixed his phoenix eyes firmly on Mu Xi Yao, his gaze filled with suppressed rage.

Translation notes:

[1] Hour of Chen refers to 7-9 am.

[2] Eyes and ears can also refer to spies.

[3] Didi is a pronoun used by males to address themselves in front of an older male.

[4] Grand preceptor refers to the seniormost of the Three Ducal Ministers or Excellencies, the top three civil positions  (source). 

[5] Chief Grand Minister refers to first rank Chief of the Imperial Guards, one of the highest-ranking military positions.

[6] Hour of Si refers to 9-11 AM.

Relationship Diagram  (by Sith Kazar)

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