SEC Chapter 120 The Hunt
Chapter 120 The Hunt
Yunxiang leaned closer to Empress Wang and whispered, "Your Majesty, we'll create some chaos at the hunting grounds and have Consort Qiao get into an accident, ruining her face. It'll be done without anyone noticing, and even if His Majesty suspects something, he won't be able to find any evidence."
Empress Wang pursed her lips and remained silent upon hearing this.
She truly loathed Consort Qiao's face!
But Lu Mingzhu was just implicated not long ago. Wouldn't it be too obvious to frame her again now?
Seemingly sensing the Empress's hesitation, Yunxiang said at the opportune moment, "If Your Majesty has any concerns, you can postpone it and seek an opportunity after returning to the palace..."
"Do not."
Empress Wang's eyes turned cold, and a sinister smile curled at the corner of her lips. "There are too many people and too many eyes on the hunting grounds. There is no better opportunity than this."
This time, however, she had to plan carefully to avoid making a mistake again.
***
Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the imperial carriage had been staying at the Western Hills Palace for more than a month.
Because of Lu Liangdi's example, the other concubines behaved themselves much better, and even Qiao Qingling stopped hanging around Chu Qingyin.
The music of Chu Qing has found peace and tranquility.
That afternoon, as usual, she sat outside the corridor of Xingyue Palace, idly playing with Little Snowball.
It's so hot right now, and the little guy is shedding a lot.
When the wind blew, the snow-white fur flew everywhere like dandelion seeds, which was really annoying. The servants had to sweep and clean it again and again, and wash all the clothes and bedding before they were satisfied.
"Little Snowball is getting more and more attached to you these days."
After finishing his official duties for the day, Pei Yuanling headed towards Xingyue Palace.
Today, however, behind him, besides the chief eunuch Chen Zhongliang, was a group of palace maids.
The palace maids all carried large lacquered wooden trays, on which were placed several sets of riding clothes of various colors and styles, and stood in a row at the doorway.
"Let's see if there's anything you like."
Pei Yuanling took her hand and led her to the group of maids. "The hunting banquet is in two days. Many concubines will be attending. Would you like to try, Yinyin?"
In her previous life, Chu Qingyin was the eldest daughter of the Duke of Chu's family, and her brother was the Great General Protecting the Country. Therefore, he never restricted her from learning horseback riding and archery, and of course, she liked it herself.
For a young lady confined to her chambers, the opportunity to ride on horseback is a rare one, and after she enters the palace as a concubine, such opportunities become even fewer...
Chu Qingyin pulled herself out of her reverie, "But I don't know how to ride or shoot, I'm afraid I'll make a fool of myself..."
She hadn't forgotten that the original owner of this body was the daughter of a civil official who wasn't skilled in riding or archery.
Even at this point, Pei Yuanling was still testing him.
Chu Qingyin lowered her eyes, a barely perceptible hint of sarcasm flashing within them.
"It's alright."
Pei Yuanling looked at her and said, "I will personally teach you then."
Having said that, Chu Qingyin no longer declined and simply replied with a smile, "Your Majesty is so kind."
She quickly selected two riding outfits from the available options: one light purple and the other dark red.
The materials were all of the highest quality; the breathable and comfortable brocade shimmered with a magnificent luster in the sunlight, making it very beautiful. Even the style was her favorite from her previous life.
Chu Qingyin selected the clothes and gently stroked the soft brocade. "These two outfits are truly exquisite. The Imperial Clothing Bureau has really put their heart into them."
Pei Yuanling glanced at the two outfits she had chosen, his expression darkening. "I'm glad you like them."
Having said that, he glanced at the maids who had brought the clothes and waved his hand, "Reward them!"
For the next two days, Chu Qingyin prepared for the hunting banquet.
Under Pei Yuanling's guidance, she began to learn some simple riding and archery skills.
Pretending to be a novice scholar was no easy task for a seasoned horseman and archer like her, and it left her quite exhausted.
Fortunately, the day of the hunting feast arrived soon afterward.
That day, the sky was clear and the breeze was gentle.
The Western Hills Hunting Ground was the largest hunting ground for the imperial family. Hunting banquets were usually held at the Chengyang Hunting Ground, which was closer to the capital. Therefore, it was not frequently used. It was only used when the emperor was in the mood to hold a hunting banquet at the Western Hills Imperial Palace for summer retreat.
By the time of 9 AM, the hunting grounds were already bustling with activity.
Banners fluttered in the wind, and a lawn stretched into the nearby woods, a pleasant sight that brought a sense of coolness to the heart.
A considerable number of people have already gathered, all of them noble sons from Kyoto, forming several small, scattered groups.
Several officials, led by Lu Zhiheng, gathered at the front, while Cui Minghao led another sizable group of officials from the Ministry of Justice. The two groups stood facing each other, hindering one another.
Several tents were also set up here for the ladies of the palace to rest. In front of the tents was a watchtower, which was exquisite and grand, with a bright yellow dragon throne in the center, and more tables and chairs extending to both sides.
This was the viewing area for the emperor and his consorts, while the wives of officials, noble ladies, and others sat in a separate small pavilion.
As they watched the palace carriages approaching from afar, everyone quickly rose to their feet, stood in neat rows, and knelt to pay their respects.
Empress Dowager Wang was not present at the hunting grounds due to illness, and Emperor Pei Yuanling and Empress Wang walked at the forefront.
Today, the young emperor, dressed in a black riding outfit embroidered with dragon patterns, appeared even taller and more imposing, exuding an air of grandeur. Beside him, the empress wore a dark red palace dress and a kingfisher feather phoenix crown, her demeanor graceful and regal.
"Your Majesty, we respectfully welcome Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress!"
"No gift."
As soon as Pei Yuanling gave the order, the concubines and female relatives of officials present took their seats.
Chu Qingyin was dressed in a light green silk riding outfit, with a pearl hairpin in her hair. Her simple and elegant style was pleasing to the eye.
It was unclear who arranged the seating, but Qiao Qingling and she were placed at the same table. When Chu Qingyin sat down, she couldn't help but feel a little more wary.
"Sister, it's been so long! I've missed you terribly."
Whether by coincidence or not, Qiao Qingling surprisingly wore a holly purple palace dress, with intricate patterns embroidered on the silk brocade, including an iris flower.
Her eyebrows were slightly raised, and her eyes were gentle. Her makeup and appearance today were somewhat similar to Chu Qingyin's in the past.
In addition, her every move was carefully crafted, intentionally imitating the late Consort Gui's attire and behavior. Unfortunately, she tried to imitate the tiger but ended up looking like a dog.
Seeing Chu Qingyin smile without saying a word, Qiao Qingling felt a slight displeasure, but she didn't show it on her face. She simply said, "Thanks to my sister, Aunt has been brought back from the other courtyard and has regained control of the household."
Chu Qingyin's expression changed slightly upon hearing this.
During this time, she was preoccupied with palace affairs and forgot to pay attention to the movements of the Qiao family.
"Congratulations!"
She glanced sideways and saw that the wives of officials from the court were all sitting in the small shed diagonally opposite.
Qiao Gongquan rose to the rank of Minister, but now he has no legal wife. His concubine, Jiang, has been managing the household for many years, and she can regain his favor with just a little bit of scheming.
Sure enough, she now presents herself as the wife of a high-ranking official, and she is already quite adept at mingling and conversing with those noblewomen.
Qiao Qingling smiled and said, "It's all thanks to my sister, otherwise my aunt wouldn't have been able to come back so easily."
Having been in the palace for so many days, she was still just a concubine and hadn't even seen His Majesty's face a few times, while Qiao Qingyin received His Majesty's favor every day.
As sisters born in the same household, they were inevitably compared by the palace servants.
To say that I have no resentment would be a lie.
Qiao Qingling also complained, why is it that she, as a daughter of the Qiao family, is not bad-looking, but is inferior to Qiao Qingyin in every way?
Seeing that Qiao Qingyin was still ignoring her even though they were sitting together, Qiao Qingling bit her lip, deliberately moved closer, and lowered her voice.
"Sister, do you know why my mother was able to regain my father's favor?"