Chapter 83: Sweet-tempered, Tender Sentiments
Luo Weiqing awoke to a kiss. He had unconsciously fallen asleep after seeing the Empress’ sleeping face. When he finally found it difficult to breathe, he suddenly opened his eyes, only to meet a pair of deep, smiling eyes.
“Your Majesty!” Luo Weiqing called out shyly and timidly, full of affection.
“Weiqing, it has been hard these past few days.” She had been away from the Imperial Palace for so long and everything in the harem would have been handled by Weiqing.
Luo Weiqing shook his head. He did not feel that things had been hard. There was no Empress in the harem and it seemed as if the entire harem was without spirit. Those who laughed would become laughless and everyone just went about their own business while silently waiting for something.
“It was not hard, it is just that everyone is waiting for you to come back.” He was not the only one who had been looking forward to the Empress’ return. “Empress, this consort has an impolite request, don’t know if it can be said or not?”
“Say what you want to say.”
“You have been away from the palace for many days and my brothers in all the various palaces miss you so very much. Can we hold a banquet for everyone tonight and have them see you? So that they may feel at ease.” As a King Consort, he had to consider things from the King’s standpoint, not merely as a husband. Compared to the other concubines in the harem, he already felt extremely satisfied. After all, the Empress was with him now and that was more than enough.
After thinking about it, Liyou consented and said, “You can arrange for it. Hold it in your palace.”
“Then as for the King Dowager, should this consort also send an invitation?” The relationship between the Empress and the King Dowager had become one of the taboo topics in the palace. Almost no one dared to mention a single word. It was just that, for this kind of harem gathering event, not inviting the King Dowager seemed to be a little unreasonable. But, inviting the King Dowager needed to be approved by the person in front of him.
“No need, Zhen will gather with the concubines in the harem, no need to invite the King Dowager.” Liyou hesitated before replying. She had already seen Luo Yu today, and that was enough.
“Understood.” Luo Weiqing did not dare to say more and replied that he had to get up to prepare dinner. But, he was still pressed down by Liyou.
“Your Majesty, are you not getting up?” It would be time for dinner in less than an hour. He had to prepare for it immediately, otherwise it would be too late.
“Kiss me and Zhen will allow you to get up.” Liyou laughed and continued to press Luo Weiqing down.
Luo Weiqing blinked. Why did it seem like the Empress had become different after returning? He had never seen the Empress act so roguishly before and this made him a bit overwhelmed.
Seeing Luo Weiqing in a daze, Liyou stretched out her hand in dissatisfaction and punched Luo Weiqing’s cheek lightly, “Don’t be dazed.”
“Your Majesty, you are teasing this consort.” Luo Weiqing reached out and rubbed on the place where he had been pinched. He then held Liyou’s hand and gently dropped a kiss on Liyou’s hand.
“Is that okay, Your Majesty?” The Empress had asked him to kiss her, but she hadn’t specified where the kiss was. Was it okay for him to do so….Luo Weiqing smiled secretly in his heart and that smile diffused into his eyes as well.
Luo Weiqing was originally handsome and gentle, but this smile made the whole person softer. Liyou could not help but pull him in and kiss him fiercely. The man showed such a smile in front of her, it was simply tempting her. She did not know that even though creatures of the dark had an aversion to the light, there was an irresistible yearning for it as well.
“Go get ready, come back to accompany Zhen when you are ready.” Liyou got off from Luo Weiqing. If she did not let him go now, she would really not let go. His smile gave her the strong urge to possess him!
“Yes, this consort will leave now.”
Luo Weiqing arranged for palace attendants to go to the various palaces to notify them that the Empress invited all the concubines to come to the King’s palace to share dinner. The people notified were Ning guifei, Qin Ning; An guifei, Murong Xianhe; Noble Consort Yun, Yun Tailing; Noble Consort Li, Li Qujun; and Noble Consort Luo, Luo Xingchen. All the above were consorts that the Empress had conferred a legitimate title to.In addition, Luo Weiqing sent invitations to Feng Xue, Anhui and Sang Zixin. Although the three did not have titles, in Luo Weiqing’s cognition, these three were obviously already the Empress’ men. Hence, for this kind of occasion, they were more than eligible to participate.
If anyone was left behind, it was only the Enchanting guifei, Situ Hongyu, who was still in the Cold Palace. In regards to this person, Luo Weiqing had hesitated for quite a while and finally decided not to send an invitation. Although the Cold Palace was not a forbidden place, it was still the Cold Palace. A consort banished to such a place was equivalent to have been divorced and inviting such a person was not suitable for such an occasion.
On the eve of the dinner, all the consorts and concubines arrived one after another. These consorts did not have deep friendships with each other and everyone had come along with their attendants. The most coincidental thing was that they all met in front of the gates, nodded lighty and then entered Fengqing palace together. If there was anyone who was relatively more familiar, that was the youngest, An guifei, Murong Xuanhe. He had been the first to arrive and seeing the Empress, he revealed a big smile.
“This consort greets the Empress and the King Consort. Greetings to the Empress and the King Consort, it has been many days since this consort has seen the Empress and have been missing Your Majesty very much, wondering if everything is well with the Empress?” Murong Xuanhe’s words were full of deep concern and his eyes wandered around Liyou as if he was checking to see if everything was fine.
He had really missed the Empress and missed her gentle tone when coaxing him to sleep, missed her clumsy movement of patting his back, missed the sounds of her breathing, even missed her shadow…..
If he could, he really hoped that he could grow up quickly and become a real man in her eyes, instead of a child who had yet to mature, even if he personally knew that he had grown up.
“Come here, accompany Zhen to see the painting.” When Murong Xuanhe came, Liyou had been standing up and was currently admiring Luo Weiqing’s paintings. In the painting, there was the back of a figure standing under a tree and looking into the distance. Looking into the distance seemed to be looking forward to something and that figure seemed extremely similar to Luo Weiqing. Painting such a scene was not difficult, but many painters could not portray their own grace in their paintings and Luo Weiqing’s painting made people feel as if they were the ones standing in the figure’s palace instead. Especially that longing feeling, she thought, Luo Weiqing should have been thinking about her all this time.
“Yes.” Murong Xuanhe was very curious about what painting the Empress was looking at, but at first glance, he showed a knowing smile, ‘This is what my elder brother drew. My older brother was missing the Empress.”
Liyou was a little surprised that Murong Xuanhe could see through the painting in an instant and asked curiously, “How do you know?”
Luo Weiqing had been smiling gently the entire time, but he was also a little embarrassed. He felt a little embarrassed when his thoughts were seen through by others. And the Empress’ question didn’t need to be answered by An guifei, he also knew the answer because their hearts were thinking of the same thing.
“Elder brother missed the Empress and thus drew this painting. Similarly, this consort also missed the Empress and can see through it at a glance. But, this consort is not good at painting and cannot draw this kind of mood.” When Murong Xuanhe said this, there was obviously more loneliness in his tone. The word “miss” had a very magical power. Even the most cheerful and sunny person could turn melancholy by this word.
“If you know you are not good at painting, one should practice more.” She had never missed anyone. She could see whoever she wanted to see, so You could not understand what it was like to miss someone. But she thought it did not seem to be a good feeling, otherwise, why would this little thing be so bitter?
“Smile, zhen likes to see you smile.” Murong Xuanhe had a bright, optimistic, simple and open-minded personality that she had never encountered before. Even if one was treated ruthlessly, he could still open his heart again to accept those who had hurt him. He was able to forget grudges and start life anew. Not everyone could have such an open-minded state of mind. But a person who can have this kind of mind would definitely be a happy person, because they knew what it meant to let go.
Hearing Liyou’s words, Murong Xuanhe naturally showed a happy smile. But, as if thinking of something, he immediately put away the smile, forced a serious look and said, “Your Majesty, this consort will not smile any more in the future. Lest you laugh and say that this consort is like a child.”
Liyou was stunned for a moment, then burst out chuckling: “Hahaha, even if you say you are not a child, this kind of thing can only be said by a child.” Liyou stretched out her hand and rubbed Murong Xuanhe’s head, messing up his hair full of long locks.
“Your Majesty, stop messing with it. This consort had combed it for a long time. Once the rest of my brothers come in a moment, seeing the consort like this, it will be like I acted discourteously.” Murong Xuanhe protested with dissatisfaction, struggling to escape from the Empress’ demonic hand, but was wrapped around his waist by Liyou, unable to move, and Murong Xuanhe did not really want to refuse this rare scene of closeness.
At this moment, a notice from the palace attendant came from the door, “Noble Consort Li is here.”
Before the announcement had finished, Li Qujun entered with a hearty smile. Upon seeing the Empress, he calmly knelt down and said, “This consort greets the Empress, long live the Empress!”
“Arise, did you bring a qin today?” Liyou had a deep impression of Li Qujun’s qin sound and liked it very much. People who saw him would naturally think of his qin.
“This consort brought it, but was not sure if the Empress had such a refined and elegant inclination. Hence, there are people waiting outside with the qin.” Li Qujun was not surprised by the Empress’ words. The Empress liked his qin playing quite a lot and everyone in the palace knew that.
“Let them come in, come and play a tune for zhen.”
“Yes!”
After a while, the melodious tones of the qin sounded out and Liyou pulled Murong Xuanhe to the side to listen. Luo Weiqing poured a cup of tea for them and Murong Xuanhe wanted to pour his own cup of tea, but Luo Weiqing avoided it. Shaking his head, he continued pouring tea for him and sat on the Empress’ other side.
At the end of the song, Liyou said in admiration, “Your qin sounds has gotten richer.” In the past, Li Qujun’s qin sound was brisk and clear, a tune that was always in high spirits. But within the light and spry notes, there was a hint of melodious mellowness contained within. The rhythmical, undulating tones did not lose their speed and it made people feel a certain flavor. A song was like telling a story and the connotation of this story was getting richer and richer.
“Many thanks for the Empress’ praise, it is good that the Empress likes it.” This song was a new piece he had composed while the Empress was away from the palace. It had inevitably contained some of his own untold feelings and playing for the Empress at this time could be regarded as telling his heart. Although the Empress did not understand, he had no regrets at this time.
TN: New chapter! Stay safe and happy everyone! ❤ Sorry to have posted late, I had family over so posting was a bit delayed XD
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Twin Dragons Translations 
Thanks for the chapter!
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