Chapter 22

The royal court, civil and military, and the common people of the country all had their focus on Prince Rui's welcome reception. Upon viewing the end of the welcoming reception, everyone gathering around to see the bustle was taken aback. Following the long silence, an uproar began. Each and every person there were eager to find out the inside story, ultimately the shocking rumors were as follows.The rumoured State of Xia's princess, recently entering the palace and becoming the fourth imperial consort, was so gorgeous she was able to ruin and overturn states causing her to be highly doted on by the emperor. Competing with a famed songstress from Funan, her splendidness suppressed the room and everyone present was frightened by the stunning performance.The rumored Consort Qing was said to be a master of the pen and sword. Her zither piece, "Demonic Zither" was superb and she has simply brought it to utter perfection. On the other hand, since the welcome reception, the valiant general who would charge into the front lines and cause the enemies to tremble in fright has become shaken and seriously injured. Cut into a sorry figure, he returned to his residence and did not dare to take even half a step outside his residence for a solid half month. Hearing a flute song, he would react like a bird shocked by the twang of a bow.Rumor also has it that Consort Qing was domineering to the max. In public when Prince Rui arrived, she immediately began a war of words with Prince Rui. In fact, her words were so incisive, it cause Prince Rui to become so irritable that he fainted. Concluding with him being carried away, he has already been bedridden for a fortnight and still has not gotten up.Rumours... infinite rumours. In this world there are no walls that can prevent all news, and even more there are no rumours that are not circulated.

One welcome reception, two individuals striving to oppose each other. Although the State of Yu's royal family was the focus of the party, they were unable to stand out as conspicuously brilliant. Yet the quiet obscure neighbouring princess had raised her reputation. Working so hard for his success but simply handing it over to another, it's really hard to decide whether Prince Rui's dream of that night should be him beating himself up or beating himself up [basically this means it was an ultimate fail for him]? We'll see~The following days after the welcoming reception, Xia Yuqing had not the slightest knowledge that she was currently in the limelight, setting off a monstrous wave. At present, she was standing in front of the window, propping her chin on her hand. She was pondering about life's important philosophies——how can she improve her relationship with her mother-in-law!Suddenly, Xia Yuqing eyes unexpectedly shone. With an aura of excitement like she won the lottery, she shouted. "Lu Rui"Lu Rui flustered rushed over immediately. She skidded and braked right in front of Xia Yuqing and quickly bowed down. "My lady, do you have any instructions for me?""Bring your ear closer"After muttering back and forth for a while, the master and servant suddenly burst out with a wicked laughter causing anyone who chanced upon it to shiver in fear. A nearby eunuch on night vigil frightened by the sounds, hugged himself as he trembled in the cold wind.Early the next morning, Xia Yuqing happily led her maid towards the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility to meet up with Liu Yixiang as arranged.From the welcoming reception, Xia Yuqing and Liu Yixiang's past enmity was forgotten. Not just that but they in fact became very close friends, once a love rival who was like a thorn at your side to now becoming dear friends who would tell each other everything.Finding out more about the empress dowager from Liu Yixiang, she discovered that she was Liu Yixiang's father's sister. Finding out the situation of things, Xia Yuqing at once slapped the table and stood up feeling indignant at injustice, "So it was a misunderstanding!"Thereafter, feeling inwardly a bit remorseful, how she treated such a perfectly pleasant old lady into.. *cough* no, that's incorrect, I just treated a [Zhang Bei] as if she was one of those folklore demons. I shouldn't have at the first time we met pressured her with a thousand kg weighing down on her and furthermore I shouldn't have been secretly delighted at her being overwhelmed.

[Zhang Bei = an elder from the older generations]Ok, it was her mistake! Countless experiences have told us to realize our mistakes and change, becoming virtuous is the most important. Therefore, she needs to put in a great effort to amend this misunderstanding. Racking her brain over it for the entire day, Xia Yuqing's eyes lit up. Finally, she thought of a remedy to mend things.Zhang Sunshi just recently finished making herself presentable when a maid from outside came to report that Consort Qing was holding hands with Miss Liu to enter the palace to pay a visit.Zhang Sunshi laid down the hairpin in her hand, her face filled with astonishment: "Xiang'er and that girl are coming together? Quick, let's go see."Zhang Sunshi in high spirits walked to the front of the palace hall to watch the girl who recently had amazed the world with her brilliant feat, but was startled right when she set foot in the palace hall. Further discovering the usually flat sand had a living creature sprawled out like a living goose gave her a big fright. Leaning her body, she nearly twisted her waist again which has just only recently gotten better.With great difficulty she calmed her breathing, took one glance to realize that the object under her foot was... Xia Yuqing. "... Consort Qing, this is..."Haven't even finished speaking, Xia Yuqing has already raised her head with a cheap smile on her face and handed over the item within her hand over.Zhang Sunshi lifted her head, took a distant glance with a face that could not bear to look straight at Liu Yixiang, she suspiciously opened the embroidered box that Xia Yuqing handed over to her.During the afternoon, like always, was an idle time. But with the addition of Liu Yixiang coming to the palace it made the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility liven up a bit. At present, the everyday lonely atmosphere had an unusual liveliness"Yi Tong"

"二筒。""Ba Wan"

"八萬。""Eat"

"吃。"[The above three lines are basically just calls for playing Mahjong. The first two is the name of the tiles, 2 circles and eighty thousand, respectively. People tend to call out the tiles they discard, and eat is basically calling that they have a winning hand. Left the Chinese, just so you guys could see what it looks like.]These three right when the time draws nears of nearing the win would hover over the table, rapt, Lu Rui was stunned. Before her eyes were possibly the three most honorable and respected women in the entire palace, but now they were acting as if they were ferocious animals baring fangs and brandishing claws. Seeing the mahjong tiles on the table, they spared no effort to fight for it. Hence while those three were acting as if they were tigers or wolves, she tremblingly reached out her tiny claws to the not so distant tile walls to take her hand.".... Zi.. zimo" Lu Rui looked at the jade mahjong tile within her hand that she had personally rushed out in the middle of the night to have manufactured. Difficultly, she swallowed the saliva in her throat and softly spoke.

[自摸 (Zimo) is basically when you get a winning hand by drawing yourself for Mahjong instead of winning from someone's discarded tile. It is harder to win this way and you get more points.]"WHAT?!?" The three women simultaneously exclaimed out loud. Falling over each other in their eagerness to climb over the table to see Lu Rui's exposed tiles. With a slight change of expression, they subsequently pretended as if they were deep in thought and returned to their seats and started to shuffle the tiles again."..." Lu Rui seeing that they were expressionless, prepared to once again pretend as if nothing happened with the three women, while her heart's inner animals scratched at the wall inside. You don't have to bully people this much do you, Empress Dowager, My Lady, and Miss Liu. Even if you have respected, honorable status, you shouldn't bully a small little maid like me. Casually reneging on your debt saying aa aa aa. You've done this for already how many times??!!"Still Consort Qing is considerate. Aware that I was so lonely staying in my bedroom, then bringing these small gadgets to entertain me has caused me such joy. You are seriously attentive and considerate. Such a kind hearted, high quality woman; no wonder Ting'er having you by his side will certainly have the god's blessing. No wonder he likes you so much."He's just using me as a shield in order to fool around with his numerous ukes and living the happy fate of having several partners. Xia Yuqing's heart wanted to puke, but her face showed an incomparably honest, smiling face. "That's just trivial, don't even mention it. Empress Dowager you're just flattering me.""Consort Qing, please, you do not have to be modest. Regarding the dinner reception, I have heard all the details in regards to it. The way you stood up for Ting'er at the dinner reception, Consort Qing, has made me tremendously gratified. I even heard about how Consort Qing's solo performance was just divine. It's only a pity that at that time I was still recuperating. Not being able to attend, I really feel regretful. But, if Consort Qing ever has some free time..."*Cough Cough* Liu Yixiang lightly coughed. Acting as if she was not disturbed by Zhang Sunshi's comments, she reminded. "Gu Mu, its your turn to draw a tile"

[Gu Mu = Aunt]"Aa, ok."Zhang Sunshi's attention instantly transferred, but Xia Yuqing was not easily deceived. Her pair of eyes shined as she attentively looked at Zhang Sunshi's direction. "Empress Dowager has heard of it too? I would have never that the Empress Dowager would also like [Shen qie's] zither." Speaking, she modestly looked down a bit, her eyes smiling bright. "How about this, instead of fixing a date why don't we just do it today. [Shen qie] will specially play a song for Empress Dowager..."

[Shen qie = your servant (self-appellation of a lower-rank female)]"Pu..." Liu Yixiang spat out her tea all over the floor. Her eyebrows trembled uncontrollably, and flustered immediately said, "Today? Let's not. Its too much of a rush, the harem doesn't even have a zither anyways. Let's..."What's so difficult? A palace this big and we can't even bring out one zither? I will immediately get someone to go to the Zither Pavillion to select the best zither to be brought back. It's no effort at all""..." Liu Yixiang's mouth opened and closed. Opened and closed. Finally, left speechless she could only shut her mouth.Hearing the dialogue of these people, the neglected Lu Rui who was standing to the side was about to bury her face into the table. This indeed was 'three women are enough for a drama' (idiom that is pretty self-explanatory). Any and every minute was like a ticking bomb for a drama to occur. Barely any time has passed and they actually went as far as to bringing up [Niang Niang's] Zither again? Wahhhh, when she was heading out today she really forgot to look at the calendar, this time she's in real shit.

[Niang Niang = basically a way to of callng someone of higher status who is either the empress, imperial concubine, etc.]Just when Xia Yuqing was eager to give it a try, Zhang Sunshi had on an excited expectant face, Liu Yixiang having gone on a mental journey, and Lu Rui silently getting emotional, a deep, low voice appearing unexpectedly out of nowhere smoothly rescuing everyone here." What is Mother and Qing'er speaking about that could cause the two of you such excitement, no harm in telling me about it right?"