Male Lead Is Always That Heartless

Chapter 13

Within an hour, the whole palace was aware of this. The Emperor had not set foot in the harem for a long time, and surprisingly, he turned Noble Lady Wang of Xiuyi Hall’s jade plaque.

Zhaifang Hall’s Noble Lady Gong, who had waited for many days, immediately swept off the ruyi jade in the side when she heard the news, which smashed into pieces, “Bitch!”

Chun Ya persuaded: “Noble Lady, don’t be angry! Do not spoil your body!” She added, “The most important is next month’s mid-autumn palace banquet. Didn’t you say you can see the difference in the mid-autumn palace banquet!”

Noble Lady Gong laughed coldly, “I’ll see how long she can still jump around!”

Mid-autumn palace banquet, she will be the winner!

The main hall of Xiuyi Hall was suddenly bustling with activity. Gu Yi understood when she looked through the window and saw the palace people in bunches.

As expected of Noble Lady Wang’s — father!
The newly promoted official must have figured out Xiao Yan’s mind!
What about her?

Father Gu, supposedly in Fuzhou, is a local official. Promoting this kind of official official of the former dynasty would be impossible! She can’t use her father to compete!

Holding the Yuehua dress back, Tao Jia saw the ceremony in the main hall of Xiuyi Hall. She comforted her and said, “Beauty, let’s wait for five days and make plans!”

Gu Yi laughed bitterly, wondering whether she could survive another five days —
If not, Tao Jia, let us meet again on June 15th!

Tao Jia saw her smile and obediently changed the topic, handing the Yuehua dress to Gu Yi as if it were a treasure: “Beauty, try this dress. It will look good on you!”

Gu Yi took a closer look. The skirt’s hemline folds had a multi-colored gradient, resulting in a flow of light when it swayed. She had nothing to do, so she tried it on. Although the bronze mirror did not illuminate clearly, it could distinguish the light and shadow of the Yuehua dress.

Gu Yi walked a few steps, and Tao Jia marveled. “Beauty is gorgeous!”

If only His Majesty could see it!

Tao Jia’s eyes twinkled, “Later on, I will go and poke around, and when His Majesty comes, how about Beauty meet him coincidentally?”

Gu Yi thought about it and shook her head, “There is a difference between honor and inferiority. If we go there rashly, Noble Lady Wang will think of ways to fix us. We — should still wait for another five days.”

The summer heat was in full swing, and the iceberg in the hall sent a slight coolness. Noble Lady Wang excitedly allowed the palace people to dress her up, then she sat in the hall and didn’t move. She hesitantly recited the words of importance to be said later over and over again.

She sat there until Xushi (*), when the Emperor finally came.
T/N: 7-9 pm

“The emperor has arrived.” A high chant came through the window.

Gu Yi stood by the window and saw Xiao Yan’s shadow. She immediately began to have a headache. Tao Jia saw Gu Yi’s face getting worse and thought Gu Yi was sad in her heart. To please her, she proposed: “Beauty, I’ll accompany you to play Great Tycoon! Or do you want to write? Should I grind ink for you?”

Gu Yi pressed her temples, which were in severe pain, and sucked a breath. “I’ll go lie down on the bed! You make a pot of hot tea.”

When she was lying on the bed, the pain seemed to be lighter. As soon as Gu Yi closed her eyes, the overly familiar remnants of white light flashed, causing her eyes to widen.

Tao Jia held her neck and fed her a mouthful of tea. Seeing her face paler, she anxiously said: “Beauty, are you uncomfortable? Let me call the doctor?”

Gu Yi shook her head, “Allow me to relax first.”
Even the greatest Hua Tuo can’t help if the plot is indeed back to zero!

Gu Yi lay on the bed and began taking deep breaths to relax. Tao Jia worriedly guarded by the side of the collapse.

*

Noble Lady Wang originally wanted to undress the Emperor but saw that he had already taken off his crown himself after entering the hall, and sat in front of the desk in the study and flipped through the dossier. She could only ask softly, “Is Your Majesty thirsty? The new bamboo leaf tea in my palace tastes good. Do you want to try it?”

Xiao Yan was reading the report and only hummed.

Noble Lady Wang personally went to make the tea and brought it to his hand.

“Your Majesty, please drink it.”

Through the dense tea smoke, Noble Lady Wang’s eyes showed eagerness.

Xiao Yan asked, “Your uncle’s youngest son is now an official?”

Wang Guiren did not expect the Emperor to be so straightforward. She hurriedly told the content of her father’s letter slowly: “Cousin Zibo has not yet served. Although he has passed the examination, because of the death of the late Emperor, he has not yet served in court.”

Xiao Yan asked again, “Why didn’t Wang Zibo take the test in March this year?”

Noble Lady Wang never met Wang Zibo, so relying on the memory of the letters, she replied: “Cousin Zibo’s body is weak. Last winter, he had a severe illness and received medical advice for a long time, so he missed this year’s March program. However, Cousin Zibo has always been a talent. If you are interested, you can let Zibo come to the court and check on him — ” After finishing some words, Noble Lady Wang realized that the points in the letter were all said and felt relieved.

Xiao Yan made an “en” sound, drank a mouthful of tea, and smiled a rare light smile: “Good tea.”

He went back to look at the scroll in his hand.

Noble Lady Wang was overjoyed, “If Your Majesty does not dislike it, I can play the qin on the side to accompany Your Majesty.”

Xiao Yan looked sideways at the zither stand in the study, “You can play the zither in the hall.”

The palace staff then moved the zither to the main hall outside the study for Noble Lady Wang. After burning incense, Noble Lady Wang’s fingertips gently caress the strings of the zither. The sound of the zither was gentle, and it was not noisy at a distance.

Holding a pen, Xiao Yan marked the dossier from the new 5th and 6th grade officials. He wanted to give only some portion of the authority to those from the Hanlin Academy. Over the years, most of the people in the Hanlin Academy, from bachelors to commoners, had surnames of Qi, Liu, and Wu. They would also have an intricate relationship with these three clans even if they were not from these surnames; this kind of scholar could be used, but not all of them.

Noble Lady Wang stroked the zither for several songs, and her fingers were sore. But the Emperor still has no intention to stop writing. The eunuch who reported the time attached his ear and said, “Eunuch Gao Gui, it’s half past midnight.”

Eunuch Gao nodded, signaling the palace people in the hall to come out, and reached to close the hall’s door.

Noble Lady Wang aptly got up from the zither platform and was about to say, ‘It is time for His Majesty to go to bed.’

However, swift footsteps came from outside, followed by several heavy taps after a ‘thud’ sound. “Please, Your Majesty, see our beauty, Beauty Gu …… she is not well …… oooh ……” It seemed someone covered the person’s mouth.

Noble Lady Wang’s willowy eyebrows tightened; this bitch!
She was about to go out to teach this little bitch who doesn’t know the heights of heaven a good lesson, but she saw the Emperor exit the study.  She hurriedly bowed, “Your Majesty, I blame my servant for not teaching the people in the hall and startling Your Majesty.”

Xiao Yan pulled open the hall door as if he had turned a deaf ear. When Tao Jia saw the Emperor, tears were in her eyes, “Please, Your Majesty, see our Beauty. Beauty has a sudden head illness. Please have mercy!”  She said while kowtowing three times in a row.

Could it be that Beauty Gu is sick?

Xiao Yan saw her sad demeanor and lifted his foot towards the west side of the hall where Gu Beauty was. Eunuch Gao followed closely behind, not forgetting to glance approvingly at Tao Jia, a talent! Her act is superb!

Gu Yi’s head ached, and even if she didn’t close her eyes, she felt that the white light was close at hand. She was in so much pain that she tugged on the silk straps hanging down from the bed curtain, and the veins on the back of her hands showed, so painful that she hoped she could die and start over!

The sound of footsteps approaching in her ears; the pace was light and fast; as the person came closer, her headache seemed to be miraculously relieved. Only then did Gu Yi have some strength to turn her head to see who it was. Xiao Yan frowned slightly, seeing that her face was much paler than the last time he saw her, and said hesitantly, “You really have a headache?”

Gu Yi flopped down on the bed and weakly bowed, “Greetings to His Majesty.”

Xiao Yan sat on the bed and touched her forehead, feeling a layer of cold sweat. “Summon the doctor.”

Eunuch Gao immediately turned around and sent someone to do so.

Is this Gu Beauty genuinely sick?
Or — a vicious character?

With her body close to Xiao Yan, Gu Yi’s headache seemed to get better again. An idea flashed in her head, and she spoke intermittently, “Your Majesty …… can come to see me. I’m delighted. It’s just that I don’t have a face to meet Your Majesty with my sickly appearance. Fortunately, my dress is still nice.”

She held one of Xiao Yan’s hands, slightly cold.

Xiao Yan stiffened and seemed about to let go. She squeezed it tightly and said softly, “Fortunately, I have a new dress today. Your Majesty, look, does Your Majesty like this Yuehua dress?”

Gu Yi said while looking at Xiao Yan without turning her eyes. Xiao Yan saw that her gaze was like water, full of expectation but timid. He glanced at the dress, “Very good.”

Gu Yi continued, “Your Majesty likes it! My heart is thrilled! Tomorrow — if my head disease is well, I must go to reward Zhao Wan, the head of the Clothing Department. She specially made this Yuehua dress for me!”

Zhao Wan? Xiao Yan has not heard of this name and feels she can reward her if she wants to.

Gu Yi suddenly felt light in her head, and her headache disappeared. Oh, my God!

Gu Yi’s shoulders fell, and she smoothly fell back to the bed, releasing a long breath of excitement!

Xiao Yan looked at her with a heartfelt smile. Is she that happy?

Gu Yi held Xiao Yan’s hand and shook it in a victory handshake style. Because of you, the plot did not slaughter me!

Is she being coquettish? Her sickly mood did not seem quite the same as usual, and Xiao Yan whispered soothingly, “The doctor will be here soon.”

The words just fell, and a gray-robed middle-aged man carrying a medicine chest entered the west side of the hall, “This humble minister greeted the Emperor.”

Xiao Yan got up and made his way to the side. “Beauty Gu had a sudden head illness. Don’t know what the cause is.”

The doctor hung his head and placed a silk handkerchief over Gu Yi’s wrist, carefully taking her pulse.

Gu Yi felt uneasy. The doctor checked her for a long time before turning to Xiao Yan and saying, “Beauty Gu is suffering from a loss of qi and blood. That’s why she had a sudden headache. Let me prescribe a medication to calm the mind and replenish qi and blood. With time, it will replenish qi and nourish the blood.”

Xiao Yan nodded.

The doctor then lifted his pen and brushed up the prescription.

Gu Yi: Okay.

After the doctor left, Eunuch Gao Gui retreated outside with his palace staff.

Xiao Yan saw that Gu Yi’s appearance improved significantly, “Does your head still hurt?”

Gu Yi shook her head and said, “It’s just a slight pain, still bearable.”

It didn’t hurt anymore.

Xiao Yan sighed, “Rest.”

Gu Yi saw him take off his bright yellow clothes and hesitated, “Your Majesty …… does not return to Noble Lady Wang?”

Xiao Yan laughed, “Are you being jealous?”

Gu Yi hurriedly shook her head, “I don’t dare, but I have a head …… disease,” and I am afraid that I can’t keep up with my physical strength.

Xiao Yan: “I am also tired.”