Palace Fighting Naive Concubines’ Ascent to Power
Chapter 553: Really Thick-skinned

Chapter 553: Chapter 553: Really Thick-skinned

"Did that quack doctor surnamed Huang also go?" Concubine Fang Pin looked up, frantic, "Foolishness, why let that quack doctor named Huang treat? No, I can’t be at ease. I must go and see for myself."

Jin Xi hastily held her back, coaxing and pleading, emphasizing that the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau was also there. Only then did she manage to persuade her, exhausted by the effort.

She thought the usual whimsical master was easier to serve, unlike now, when the master seemed to have lost her senses, making it extremely difficult to attend to her. She had already pleaded emphatically yesterday, fearing her own master would walk into trouble and end up punished and imprisoned like those servants.

When she went to the Imperial Kitchen to fetch the morning meal, she hurried past places where Punishment Bureau personnel occasionally passed through, which was quite frightening.

In this cold and indifferent palace, at this critical juncture, no one dared to visit Beauty Lian, except for Consort Xu De. However, Consort Xu De’s actions might be interpreted as having ulterior motives, while her own master genuinely wanted to visit.

This time, she saw clearly that her own master truly cared for Beauty Lian.

But alas...

Jin Xi persuaded Concubine Fang Pin, and a lamenting voice rose in Lanyue Palace,

"Hoping for your wellness through the cold dew, I only wish my heart could take your place."

"If the moon remains pure and clear, I will not hesitate to endure ice and snow for you."

Just like Concubine Fang Pin’s style.

Thousands of speculations and myriad rumors within the Harem, the Lian Hua of Canglan Court was unaware of them all.

She had gotten up early today, had not rested at noon yesterday and had gone to bed early at night - slept until dawn, smelling wonderfully fresh, and felt very spirited in the morning.

Rising at the same time as the Emperor, the dark circles under the Emperor’s eyes and his worn-out face bore her handiwork.

After the Emperor left, Lian Hua, utterly bored, went to the kitchen to watch Pang Ya and Xiao Linzi prepare meals, casually giving a few pointers, and noticed that today’s breakfast was particularly plentiful.

Turning around to call Nanny Qi for breakfast, she unexpectedly found that Huang Zude’s Charcoal Head was also there, muttering something under his breath.

Glancing around, she saw the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau practicing the Five Animal Frolics.

It gave her quite a start!

After Xiao Jizi explained, she finally breathed a sigh of relief, realizing it was all part of the act, and perfectly fine!

Since they had to deceive those outside, it should be done this way!

With that thought, Lian Hua felt inspired and tried practicing the exercises like the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau, receiving cheerful instructions from Chu Yuanzheng, who praised her proficiency. He said it was good for a pregnant woman to exercise but noted she should cease as the pregnancy progressed.

She was pleased, thinking Chu Yuanzheng was truly a good man. If only all Imperial Physicians could be like him.

Thinking this, she glanced sidelong at Charcoal Head, strolled over with her hands behind her back, and listened in; it turned out Charcoal Head was reciting a medical text.

He was indeed diligent, muttering names of medicines that sounded quite bitter!

She twisted her mouth, disinterested in watching this Charcoal Head, and saw Nanny Qi come out, so she happily went to meet her.

After they finished their morning meal, feeling a bit bored, she had Xiao Linzi recite some books for her to listen to.

Xiao Linzi, always adhering to her style, recited in his loudest voice, invigoratingly so.

Nanny Qi listened for a while, then complained of a headache due to poor sleep last night and went back.

Alas, scholars have always been lonely; even Nanny Qi was unwilling to accompany her, so she sighed.

Being full with nothing to do was truly uncomfortable; the picture scroll from Concubine Fang Pin had not yet been delivered, although she had already prepared the bizarre stones.

She propped her head up, suddenly remembering the copied manuscript from yesterday which had earned His Majesty’s praise, and she had not noted down His Majesty’s reaction.

Just the thing, to add some content and record the Lord’s reaction anew.

A resolution made, she acted!

She was full of energy, and just the thought that His Majesty was very pleased and had praised her made her ecstatic, feeling that her learning finally had a use.

Previously, Lian Hua felt deep down that beyond recognizing characters, reading was of little use to her, cough cough, particularly to her, but now her perspective had changed.

She pulled out that notebook and rifled through several books, handing them to Xiao Jizi and the others, asking them to flip through and find phrases that praised people, which she wanted to note down.

So, when the Emperor returned from the morning court, he witnessed this peculiar scene in the Side Hall.

His Little Concubine was seriously squeezed in front of the dressing table, writing and drawing with a brush, while three eunuchs and palace maids stood beside her, each flipping through a book and reading aloud from it as they did.

His Little Concubine then diligently took notes, asking them to read slower, and occasionally looking up when she encountered characters she couldn’t write.

When had his Little Concubine become so diligent?

The Emperor stepped into the inner chamber suspiciously.

Xiao Jizi and the others saw the Emperor arrive and were about to bow and announce his presence.

The Emperor waved his hand and the few quickly bowed their heads and exited.

"’A dignified stature’... hmm, this describes someone imposing, fitting for His Majesty." Lian Hua murmured, writing carefully, "’A grand appearance,’ these words I’ve noted before, no need to keep them. But still, let’s write them down together, missing a few words would be odd. Also, ’Eyes that blaze like cold stars, eyebrows thick as if painted’... done!"

The Emperor twitched with every word. Was she writing about him?

After finishing that phrase, Lian Hua blew on it, then picked it up to look, "Oh?"

She felt something was off, "Eyebrows thick as if painted? That sounds rather fierce, not like His Majesty. Xiao Linzi, this line won’t do!"

The Emperor, about to intervene, lowered his hand again; his Little Concubine still recognized characters, thankfully had the sense to write truthfully.

Lian Hua picked up the brush and started to erase from the back to the front until she reached "A grand appearance," where she hesitated for a moment, "It’s already written, and erasing it would waste ink, better leave it."

Having decided, she didn’t stop her hand, carefully drawing a symbol next to it before she finally stopped.

Turning her head, she called out, "Next line."

Seeing the Emperor, Lian Hua immediately stood up, "Your Majesty, you’re back so early?!"

The Emperor couldn’t help but reach out to pinch her cheeks, pulling them until her lips puckered up, and kissed her, then let go.

He said with a smile, "Nannan, your duties are truly busy, I’ve been here so long and you didn’t even notice."

"You were clearly spying!" Lian Hua put down her pen and playfully scolded with a smile, "Your Majesty, you’re too naughty, always secretly watching what I do, don’t think I don’t know. You want to catch me in a mistake, don’t you?"

It made her feel like she was sneaking around sometimes.

"If Nannan has nothing to hide, why fear my observation?" The Emperor didn’t care that he was exposed.

Spying on his Little Concubine had become a pleasure that eased his tensions.

Lian Hua pouted and muttered softly, "So thick-skinned..."

What seemed normal to her wasn’t necessarily so for His Majesty, what was she to do?

The Emperor raised an eyebrow, "Hmm?"

Lian Hua confidently said, "Your Majesty, I haven’t done anything deceitful behind your back, everything I do is proper, look at this."

Pointing at the excerpted notebook as she spoke.

The Emperor, seeing that she had been busy with this since early morning, humored her with a few words, which left her beaming.

Indeed, watching his Little Concubine was a delight, unlike those old foxes at the court meeting, who just made him impatient, and though the court meeting was merely for show, his ire was genuine.