Male Lead Is Always That Heartless

Chapter 16 

Sending out the Imperial Harem’s Mid-Autumn Festival greetings from the palace, the female officials in charge of documents in the Records Department delivered them to various families who hold positions in the capital, and express horses delivered the letters to various post stations for those outside the capital.

When the governor of Fuzhou received the letter, it was already mid-autumn. Gu Changtong left his post and returned to the Gu Mansion in high spirits, calling Mrs. Gu, “Madam, come quickly, come quickly, the eldest girl has sent a letter home!” 

Mrs. Gu greeted him happily, “Really? But Master shouldn’t call her eldest girl anymore. You should call her Noble Lady!” 

Gu Changtong patted the ebony hat on top of his head. “Look at me! I forgot. It’s a letter from Noble Lady Gu of Heluo Hall!” 

Mrs. Gu took the letter and looked at it—a short line of small script—carefully for a long time before saying, “Someone come, store this paper in the cabinet in my room. Keep it carefully!” 

Gu Changtong took off his official hat, sat, and sighed, “It’s been almost half a year since Xiaoyi came to the capital. I don’t know if she’s doing well in the palace now?” 

Mrs. Gu finally could vent her belly full of words, “Master said is right. I haven’t seen her for a long time. I often dreamed of her recently. The other day, I also had a nightmare, dreaming of — dreaming of Xiaoyi, she — ”

Mrs. Gu’s face changed. “Bad luck! Let’s not talk about it! Master has been an official in Fuzhou for two years. The assessment period is three years. Next year, if you pass the assessment, can you enter the capital to become an official?” 

Gu Changtong sighed, “How can it be easy to enter the capital? Nine years of examinations, with promotion or demotion. On the last exam, I was only mediocre. Although I can pass next year, it’s not easy to say whether I can go to the capital!” 

Moreover, he has stains on him. Although he asked to be transferred from Qingzhoufu (*) two years ago, it was hard to guarantee that the new Emperor didn’t suspect him. 

T/N: 青州府_百度百科 (baidu.com) This is an actual small kingdom in China that was abolished in 1912.

However, Xiao Yi was promoted, so doesn’t it indicate the Emperor’s attitude? Is it possible for him to try his luck next year?

Mrs. Gu missed her daughter so much. “Xiaoyi has always been arrogant. I wonder if she can restain herself after entering the palace. I’m so worried. If Master can enter the capital, and she rose to Imperial Concubine, I may be able to hand the post into the palace to see her. How about you go to the Ministry of Justice? If not, maybe you should send a letter to the Ministry of Revenue to determine their attitude?” 

Gu Changtong thought about suitable candidates for the Ministry of Revenue. “Mr. Shen and I are the same age and were old acquaintances. I will write him a letter during this Mid-Autumn Festival…”

* 

On August 15th, since Sishi (*), Noble Lady Gong from Zhaifang Hall stood in the back of the hall on the plum blossom pile to rehearse the Flying Dance. 

T/N: 9-11 am

Flying Dance, as the name suggests, the dancer wore a neon dress and danced on the three-foot-high plum blossom pile as if flying. Noble Lady Gong rehearsed for over a month and had already mastered the movement. Her steps were light, traveling atop the plum blossom piles. 

Zhao Wan held the neon dress, stepped into the courtyard, and saw Noble Lady Gong’s exquisite dance. 

So beautiful. 

After Noble Lady Gong finished her dance, she raised her eyebrows, saw the dress in Zhao Wan’s hands, and said in surprise, “A Wan, come here, let me take a closer look at that neon dress.” 

Zhao Wan quickly unfolded the neon dress before Noble Lady Gong. 

A long, silk dress with a halter neck, a floating belt, and several layers of diamond yarn on the hemline shines through. 

“Beautiful!” 

Noble Lady Gong gently brushed over the neon dress, “Help me to try it on.” 

Noble Lady Gong wore the neon dress a few moments later and stood on the plum blossom pile. 

Huang Li sighed, “Noble Lady is so beautiful. She’s like an exiled immortal!” 

Noble Lady Gong laughed softly, pointed her toes, and flew to the sky in a whirlwind dance. Unexpectedly, only a few steps, the plum blossom stage suddenly broke. Noble Lady Gong was shocked, and with unsteady feet, she fell from the pile. 

Huang Li exclaimed, “Noble Lady!” 

Noble Lady Gong fell to the ground, feeling a sharp pain in her ankle. Huang Li brought the palace maids to pick her up quickly. 

Noble Lady Gong glanced at the broken plum blossom pile and sneered, “Who is so malicious!” 

She had practiced well on this plum blossom stage. How could it go wrong right before the palace banquet?

The palace maids standing at the back were all shocked and silent. 

Huang Li whispered, “Noble Lady’s ankle is swollen. Let me call the doctor!” 

Noble Lady Gong’s mind quickly turned: “Wait! Today is the mid-autumn palace banquet. How can we let the villain get their way?” 

Two palace maids gently placed her on the couch, wiping her with a cotton cloth dipped in water. 

Noble Lady Gong: “Wrap my ankles in a white veil and cover them with stockings.” 

After wrapping it, Noble Lady Gong held Huang Li’s hand and tried to stand. However, after taking two steps, she felt pain at the side of her foot. She gritted her teeth and took two more steps before sitting back on the couch. Walking was still possible, but Flying Dance was not. 

Huang Li’s face turned pale, “Noble Lady, what can we do about this?” 

Noble Lady Gong swept her gaze across the crowd and landed on Zhao Wan, who was similar in stature. 

“A Wan, you stay. The others retire.” 

Zhao Wan stood still and saw Noble Lady Gong’s scrutinizing gaze, looking at her from the beginning to the end, “Tonight, you’ll wear a veil on your head and dance for me. Are you willing or not?” 

Zhao Wan was shocked in her heart. The Flying Dance was not easy to perform, and if she were to offer the dance, she would only have a few hours to rehearse. She lightly bit her red lip and bowed, “I’m willing.” 

* 

It was a full moon at the mid-autumn festival. Tao Jia specially selected a green cross-collar dress with printed moon shadow in its cuffs and styled a Horse Bun for Gu Yi.

“Noble Lady is sure to amaze the audience tonight.” 

Haiz, you have yet to see the heroine dance the Flying Dance. 

Gu Yi: “Hehe.” 

Tao Jia remembered that Beauty Qi’s palace maid, Tuanyuan, had just come, “By the way, Beauty Qi sent someone to say that she would like to see you this evening.” 

Gu Yi was overjoyed—Sister Qi was settling her draft fee again! Immediately nodding, she said, “Later at the palace banquet, keep an eye on Beauty Qi. If she leaves the table in the middle of the night, report to me quickly!” 

At the eleventh hour, the moon’s shadow appeared. The Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet was held in the Imperial Garden, in a high pavilion called the Moon Viewing Platform. Under the platform, the Emperor sat in the center, and the side was empty because there was no Empress in the palace. Under his seat were the cabinet ministers. A little farther away were the four consorts: Duan, Jing, De, and Shu. Then, a circle behind were the Noble Ladies, Beauties, Talent Lady, and so on. The minister’s family members were sat in the lower part. Everyone surrounded the circular stage set up in the garden.

Gu Yi saw that the stage was far away, so even if Zhao Wan pretended to be Noble Lady Gong, wearing a veil and dancing, she couldn’t tell who she was from such a distance! 

The plot is reliable! 

She took a sip of the Flower Brew. It was sweet in the mouth and spicy when slid down her throat. She dared not drink anymore and ate a small piece of bean-paste-filled mooncake. Sweet but not greasy, delicious. As she chewed on the mooncake, her eyes searched for Beauty Qi, who fortunately wasn’t too far away but had her head down and didn’t feel her eyes. 

Gu Yi redirected her gaze to turn to the people in the Harem. There was no Empress Dowager in the palace, only a few Dowager Consorts. The Dowager Consorts had invited themselves to the Taoist Temple, and the only one left in the palace was Dowager Consort Liu. However, she did not see any women of similar age and rank in the palace, so she had to look at the four consorts who were not far away and had ten hairpins on their heads. 

The two consorts, Duan and Jing, were the oldest. One was surnamed Bai, the other Tang. They were not from prominent families but from Xiao Yan’s prince’s residence before he ascended the throne. Gu Yi never deals with them, and for the time being, she couldn’t tell who was who between the two silhouettes. As for Consort Shu, Gu Yi could distinguish at a glance because she had seen the high and mighty Consort Shu across the training mama figures when she first transmigrated. She fixed her eyes and looked closely; Consort Shu’s eyebrows were like the distant mountains, and her skin was like peach blossoms. Worthy of being the first beauty of the Great Mu Dynasty. It’s a pity; she fell in love with someone she shouldn’t love, aiya. 

The person who sat closest to the Emperor was Consort De, surnamed Liu, named Piaopiao, the second female lead in the book. Unlike Consort Shu’s dazzling beauty, Liu Piaopiao came from a small family, deeply in love with the male lead but ultimately suppressed by the female lead’s aura.

Here, she lights a candle. 

Gu Yi had seen the four consorts, and her eyes inevitably fell on Xiao Yan. She noticed him wearing a bright yellow court dress and a black crown on his head. Their eyes unexpectedly collided. Speaking of which, it had been a while since she saw Xiao Yan. Since the last time in the Peach Garden, Xiao Yan has been busy with the election of officials and has never set foot in the Harem during the past half month. 

Gu Yi smiled. Today, she still uses a fake smile. 

Xiao Yan indifferently turned his face. He recalled what the palace people said: Noble Lady Gu from Heluo Hall has no talent to perform. Useless. 

Dum-dum-dum. 

After a few drumbeats, the music players played in unison. Gu Yi started watching the program with great interest. Beauty Zhou and Beauty Chen presented a dance. Both were tall, one in green, the other in red. 

Both danced well. Xiao Yan, however, did not say reward. Noble Lady Tian performed live calligraphy, writing with style, yet Xiao Yan did not give a reward. Noble Lady Wang, dressed in green, playing the qin. 

In the end, Xiao Yan finally said, “Reward.” 

Noble Lady Wang thanked and walked off the stage. Suddenly, there was a breeze, and a few clouds drifted around and covered the moon overhead, cutting off the moonlight. At the time of the slight darkness, Noble Lady Wang saw a dancer wearing a veil on her head coming onto the stage. 

Noble Lady Gong is still able to dance! Joke! She’s waiting for her to make a fool of herself! 

Dang, another drumbeat. Plum blossom piles appear on the stage. 

Here it comes! 

Gu Yi couldn’t help but sit up straight to see the figure on top of the round platform leaping over the plum blossom piles, pointing her toes lightly, and dancing in circles. The neon dress on her body reflected the moon’s color, causing light to flow. Under the stage, Noble Lady Wang was so angry that she gritted her teeth. What’s going on? Why can Gong Yueqin still do this laborious flying dance?

The dancer covered with a veil on the stage was light and slender. The beauty shocked all the surroundings, and all became silent. 

Eunuch Gao Gui felt impressed; Noble Lady Gong’s skill was superior! 

After a dance, the Emperor indeed said: “Reward.” 

Zhao Wan hastily left the stage, guided by Huang Li to avoid the crowd. She walked to a rockery where Noble Lady Gong had long waited. She took the veil on her head and changed into the neon dress before hastily returning to her seat. 

Zhao Wan stood in silence, wearing only middle clothes. Huang Li left her a set of palace clothes, saying, “You can leave quietly later.” 

Zhao Wan’s undershirt was still sweaty, so she could only stay where she was, and a few sorrows arose in her heart.