vrcanaries Chapter 34 Promotion
Chapter 34 Promotion
Before Chu Qingyin could even enter, Pei Yuanling said, "No need, I'm not sleepy yet, you should go to sleep first."
Chu Qingyin's eyes flickered slightly. Judging from this, he wasn't planning on doing anything tonight?
Psychologically, she felt relieved.
Rationally speaking, the fact that one has not yet received the blessing is not a good thing.
However, she couldn't force the issue; being too hasty would backfire.
"Yes, then I'll go to bed first." She nodded in response, and before leaving, she didn't forget to give the man a tearful and rather mournful look.
Pei Yuanling: "..."
That look in her eyes makes her look even more like a concubine.
He sat quietly by the tatami mat, feeling that the whole thing was too strange.
The former empress had also sought out some women who resembled Chu Qingyin, but he could tell at a glance that those women were completely different from Chu Qingyin, and he was not confused at all.
But this Consort Qiao is different.
She was only sixteen years old, and she had a cinnabar mole on her forehead, but some of her unintentional little gestures and glances made her seem like a concubine reincarnated.
The rain outside the window was getting heavier and heavier, pattering against the banana leaves, which also disturbed Pei Yuanling's mind.
After a long while, when he felt that the woman on the bed should be asleep, he turned off the light and got into bed.
The pink curtains were dimly lit, and Pei Yuanling lay flat on his back, the rich fragrance of rose water filling the entire tent.
Chu Qingyin wasn't actually asleep, but she knew that spending the night quietly was the best option.
As night deepened, the once inseparable couple lay in bed again, but with completely different feelings.
Unbeknownst to her, the rain outside the window gradually subsided, and Chu Qingyin finally succumbed to her exhaustion, her breathing gradually becoming steady as she drifted off to sleep.
Pei Yuanling, however, could not fall asleep for a long time. He turned to his side and quietly looked at the sleeping face of the woman in his arms, his thoughts filled with countless emotions.
He knew he shouldn't have such complicated feelings for a woman he had just met.
But at this moment, he only wanted to immerse himself in this brief moment of tenderness, as if time had turned back, returning to those nights he spent with the Imperial Concubine.
After an unknown amount of time, Pei Yuanling's eyelids finally became heavy. He took one last look at Chu Qingyin's peaceful sleeping face and gently closed his eyes.
The rain pattered softly until dawn broke.
The next morning, Chu Qingyin slowly opened her eyes, and the morning light after the rain shone through the window onto the bed.
She turned her head, but there was no one beside her.
Pei Yuanling had left at some point, leaving behind only a faint scent of ambergris.
Recalling everything that happened last night, Chu Qingyin couldn't help but think of her wedding night with Pei Yuanling five years ago.
At that time, they were not yet bound by power and intrigue; they were simply two people in love.
In the warm glow of the red candlelight, she clearly remembered his gentle touch, his deep murmurs, and the moment he entered her room, kissing away the tears from the corners of her eyes and comforting her in a hoarse voice: "Yinyin, I love you."
That was the first time Pei Yuanling told her he loved her, and she remembered it for the rest of her life.
Time flies, and everything has changed.
She is no longer the innocent and carefree bride she once was. And Pei Yuanling is no longer the young man who loved only her.
They can never go back.
"Master, are you awake? It's time for breakfast."
A soft reminder came from outside the tent.
Chu Qingyin opened her eyes, her expression returning to its usual calm. "Come in and serve me."
Before long, with Xianglan's help, she got up to wash and dress, and then applied makeup.
Just as she was staring at her beautiful yet enigmatic face in the mirror, a young eunuch rushed in to report, "Your Majesty, the Emperor has sent an imperial edict!"
Chu Qingyin was slightly taken aback, and her delicate brows furrowed slightly: "I understand, let them in."
Soon, a palace attendant entered carrying a bright yellow imperial edict.
Chu Qingyin knelt down respectfully, "This concubine, Qiao Shi of Diecui Pavilion, receives the imperial decree."
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Lady Qiao Qingyin is virtuous and kind, and deeply admires me. I hereby bestow upon her the title of Noble Consort of the Fourth Rank and award her one hundred taels of gold. This is my decree."
After the eunuch finished reading the imperial edict, Chu Qingyin respectfully kowtowed: "This concubine thanks Your Majesty for your grace. Long live Your Majesty!"
"Congratulations, Consort Qiao, oh no, I should now address you as Noble Consort Qiao. Congratulations! You are now the highest-ranking of the newly promoted concubines."
The eunuch delivering the imperial edict handed it to Chu Qingyin with a smile. Chu Qingyin also pretended to be pleasantly surprised and said with a smile, "Thank you very much, sir. It's been hard on you to make this trip."
She then glanced sideways at Xianglan, who was equally delighted, and said, "Hurry up and get a purse to buy some tea for your father-in-law."
The eunuch delivering the decree hurriedly refused, saying, "No, no, you mustn't."
After some playful shoving with Xianglan, he accepted the gift with a smile, then bowed to Chu Qingyin and said many auspicious words before returning to report with satisfaction.
As soon as the eunuch left, the palace servants in Diecui Pavilion could no longer hide their joy and knelt down in unison: "Congratulations, Your Highness! Congratulations, Your Highness!"
In this imperial harem, although all servants are servants, they are divided into different ranks. If a servant follows a promising master, he or she can rise to prominence.
The palace servants in Diecui Pavilion were all beaming with joy, their radiant smiles even brighter than during the Lunar New Year.
"Get up, everyone."
Holding the imperial edict in her hand, Chu Qingyin smiled faintly and said, "As long as you follow me obediently and do my work, I will never treat you unfairly. Qiuzhu, you can distribute the rewards."
Qiu Zhu quickly agreed, and Chu Qingyin didn't linger, taking the imperial edict into the inner room.
She unfolded the imperial edict again and examined it closely, her rose-red lips twitching slightly.
Although the rank of Third-Rank Noble Consort was not as high as that of Imperial Concubine, Chu Qingyin was quite satisfied with the fact that she was promoted to the first rank on the seventh day after entering the palace.
She wondered what Pei Yuanling was thinking. Last night, the heavens had been kind enough to let her keep him here by taking advantage of the rain. But she didn't know if he would come again next time, or even tonight.
Keeping a man's body is not difficult for Chu Qingyin. In her previous life, her sexual encounters with Pei Yuanling were very harmonious, and every time was exhilarating and satisfying.
The difficult thing is how to win a man's heart.