Picking up the cup lid, Jin Mo looked at the kneeling people and the shocked woman, gripping the lid tighter: Meeting again, huh? Hmph. But who will emerge victorious is yet to be determined.
How beautiful!
His elegant eyebrows framed his cloud-like hair, and his deep, cold eyes drew people in. A straight nose, thin lips, and a half-smile added to his handsome depth.
What a stunning creature, I thought.
Suddenly, something tugged at my foot. Returning to my senses, I saw Duo’er signaling me.
“Oh, oh…” I knelt down, kowtowing dramatically, “This concubine greets Your Majesty, long live the Emperor!”
“Ahem, well… I remembered something about a palette, just a paintbox used for painting. After painting, it has all kinds of colors—red, green, blue, yellow, purple, cyan—colorful and interesting!” I said with a seemingly naive tone, glancing at Yun Fei.
Jin Mo looked at Yun Fei, then at me, smiling innocently: “Is the Empress talking about Yun Fei?”
The atmosphere became tense. I awkwardly smiled at Yun Fei, who looked furious: “How could I… how could I…” Damn, this Jin Mo is ruthless! With one sentence, he ruined any chance of improvement between Yun Fei and me!
Yun Fei gritted her teeth and replied: “Of course not. Your Majesty treats this concubine very well.” Shi Piao Ling, I’ll remember this!
Soon, various concubines arrived, and everyone sat down to drink tea and chat. Since the Emperor was meeting them for the first time, they were extremely excited, eagerly eyeing the stage, ready to perform and hoping to gain the Emperor’s favor. It was well-known that the Empress had power in name only, relying on her father, a prime minister.
“Your Majesty is busy with state affairs, and it’s rare to have such leisure. May this concubine dance a song to entertain Your Majesty?” asked Flower Concubine.
“Good, good. It’s rare for Flower Concubine to be so thoughtful. I will watch with anticipation,” Jin Mo replied, causing a burst of excited whispers. They finally had a chance to perform!
On stage, Flower Concubine danced gracefully, every movement soft and charming. As Jin Mo’s gaze changed, the women’s glances toward her fluctuated.
Flower Concubine ended with a beautiful pose, and Jin Mo immediately applauded, calling out, “Excellent! Reward of 30 bolts of brocade and one coral branch.”
