At this moment, Qiao San’s facial features remained unchanged, but his body had miraculously shrunk, making him appear as thin and frail as a teenager of fifteen or sixteen. His skin had turned pale and weak, making him indistinguishable from any other eunuch. No wonder the concubines glanced around but failed to spot their secret lover.
“Princess Zhen greets Her Imperial Majesty and wishes Her Imperial Majesty joy every year like today!” At this moment, the uniquely positioned Princess Zhen also arrived at the Wan Shou Palace. Although she was technically a false princess, the old empress dowager actually laughed upon seeing her, even waving her aged hand toward Princess Zhen.
“Grandmother, let me massage your back,” Princess Zhen said as she approached. The palace maid standing beside the grand empress automatically stepped aside, allowing the tall-legged princess to snuggle against the old empress like a little rabbit.
“Wow!” Qiao San exclaimed inwardly again, never expecting his tall-legged wife to have such a skill. No wonder she could act so domineering within the palace! At this moment, no one could associate Bei Gong Zhen with the spoiled and temperamental Princess Zhen or the fierce Bei Gong Zheng.
Qiao San, filled with emotion, raised his eyes and looked around the hall. Although there were many beautiful women, only three distinct figures remained in his vision after a man’s sweeping gaze.
The first was naturally the tall-legged princess, full of passion and desire. Almost at the same moment Qiao San looked at Bei Gong Zhen, the tall beauty’s tall figure subtly trembled, her eyes flicking back toward him. Indeed, their hearts beat in sync!
The second was the jade-like concubine, full of desire but devoid of affection. No matter the time or place, in Qiao San’s eyes, Concubine Yu was always naked—her naked body, her naked tactics, and her naked ambition!
The final woman was a queen both unfamiliar and familiar; unfamiliar because Qiao San had only just met this empress who embodied the dignity of a nation; familiar because he had been secretly thinking about her for so long.
Heh, heh… No wonder they were mother and daughter; they looked so alike.
The tall, graceful figure was only slightly shorter than Bei Gong Zhen. Although her long dress dragged on the ground, Qiao San could still “see” the long, slender legs beneath. The only difference was that the woman’s mature curves had replaced the girl’s delicate slenderness. Her face was no longer fresh and delicate but as enchanting as peach blossoms and as smooth as congealed fat.
The mature charm of this beautiful woman made the lecherous Qiao San’s heart itch. His brow heated, nearly revealing his true form.
Heh, heh… Truly a pair of mother and daughter, both peerless beauties!
“Xiao Sanzi, Xiao Sanzi… Her Majesty is calling you! What are you daydreaming about? Be careful with your head,” an old eunuch repeatedly pushed Qiao San, finally snapping the tightly wound and feverish young eunuch out of his fantasy.
“Little brother, what’s wrong with this little eunuch? Does Concubine Yu have no one to serve her? If so, maybe I should send you a few,” the empress turned her head and saw the dazed and disrespectful Xiao Sanzi, her low laughter filled with heavy sarcasm.
The rivalry between women never fades. Concubine Yu pretended not to hear the empress’s tone, deliberately asking, “Sister is joking. How could I ever compare with you, dear sister? But this servant is quite obedient, just a bit ignorant of palace etiquette. If you don’t mind, sister, perhaps you could discipline him a little?”
Before the empress could retort, Concubine Yu turned to Qiao San and said, “Bold servant, why don’t you thank Her Majesty for her guidance? From today on, go to the Qifeng Palace and learn proper manners before returning.”
“Sister is joking again. I’m afraid I don’t have the ability to discipline Concubine Yu’s people,” the empress, her voluptuous body leaning forward slightly, replied with a smile laced with sarcasm. “You’d better discipline him yourself, sister. I’m afraid I might ruin him.”
One wanted to give him away, and the other refused to accept him. Poor Xiao Sanzi was like a gift, pushed back and forth between the two royal women.
While Concubine Yu was still verbally sparring with the empress, Princess Zhen suddenly leaped lightly from her seat beside the saintly empress dowager, floating over like a little bird.
“Giggle, giggle… If neither of you wants him, then give this little eunuch to me!” The unexpected interloper, like an ambush, stepped forward and pinched Xiao Sanzi’s cheek, patted his arms, inspecting him like checking merchandise. Then, clearly satisfied, she turned to the elderly empress dowager and said, “Grandmother, I don’t want to return to the mountains to practice Daoism for a while. I plan to stay in the palace and keep you company. But I don’t have a eunuch to follow me around. This Xiao Sanzi is great, with strong arms and legs. Please give him to me!”
“Hehe… Alright, then he’s yours!” Although the old empress’s voice was weak and aged, everyone clearly heard her words. Concubine Yu and the empress both froze, then sighed in different ways.
Although the royal banquet was supposed to be brief, it wasn’t until after midnight that the singing, dancing, and music gradually ended. The emperor had left the palace to avoid trouble, and the concubines left in order to return to their quarters. As for the pitiful Xiao Sanzi, he followed his new mistress with a bitter face to the Qifeng Palace.
As the gate closed, the proud princess immediately turned and threw herself into the young eunuch’s arms.
“Qiao Lang, we did it! Hehe… Let’s leave tonight. I never want to stay in this suffocating palace again.”
“Zhen’er, we can’t leave now. We must wait until the fifteenth day of May. That will be our only good opportunity.”
Qiao San happily embraced the tall princess, his words filled with smugness. “Once the Grand Gathering of Immortals begins, we’ll secretly elope. The world is vast and wide, free for us to roam. Let the gods and demons fight among themselves. I refuse to be a fool used by others!”
Indeed, he was a rogue with the aura of a rogue immortal, using others but unwilling to be used himself. If the Dragon Mother and Princess of Ten Thousand Demons heard this, wouldn’t they be furious?
His mood excited, a man easily thought of more carnal things. He scooped up Bei Gong Zhen in his arms and leaped toward the big bed. “Zhen’er, tonight let’s try something new…”
“Ahh… Qiao Lang, be careful not to hurt the child!”
…
Once again, it was the fifteenth day of May. The extraordinary figures of humans, demons, and immortals from the three realms had all unconsciously chosen this day.
In the empress’s sleeping quarters, separated by a few walls, the woman who embodied the dignity of a nation was frowning in deep thought.
“Reporting to Her Majesty, the information from Concubine Yu’s palace has arrived. They also failed to uncover Xiao Sanzi’s origins.”
“Hmm, send someone to the eunuch department to investigate. I must know who this Xiao Sanzi truly is.”
The empress’s frown deepened. Thinking about the fact that someone from Concubine Yu’s palace was now in her quarters made her feel as if a thorn was in her back, the more she thought about it, the more uncomfortable she felt.
Her troubled gaze suddenly stilled, and the empress’s voluptuous body straightened. She turned her head and ordered the trusted servant standing at the door, “I will find an excuse to send the princess away. You will make sure this Xiao Sanzi disappears. Do you understand?!”
Hmph! The women of the palace were indeed different. Don’t be fooled by the empress’s gentle and water-like appearance; in reality, she was just another “Concubine Yu.”
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