Chapter 8
The Lu Hua Palace mooncake case, was solved in three days, Hui Consort was evil for trying to harm the imperial concubine, to frame the empress, her punishment was to be lowered to the 8th rank Xuan Shi, and to stay in the side courtyard of Yao Yue Palace.
Yao Yue Palace.. Yao Yue Palace.. snorted Ye Zhen Zhen, The empress dowager is really too much, what Hui Consort have done, not to even mentioned being punished to the cold palace, even if she was placed to any other palace, she definitely won’t have a good time, all but this Yao Yue Palace… No matter Xian Concubine is willing or not, she now have to side the empress dowager.
Though according to Ye Zhen Zhen, the empress dowager is really too eager this time. Hui Consort is already no longer useful, if the empress dowager really don’t want to treat her badly, ask someone to take care of her properly will, but to place her in Yao Yue Palace to be a hindrance for Xian Concubine. Furthermore, when Xian Concubine was alone, she still appeared to be independent, but this time round the empress dowager made it known that she is on her side, openly helping Xian Concubine to snatch the empress position, it was almost like turning her into a shield for arrows.
Ye Zhen Zhen yawned and thought, if the Xu family is only at this level of thinking as well… then their family is really easy to understand, and one can’t really blame her grandfather.
“The Emperor arrives!”, Wang You Cai loudly announced standing outside Kun Ning Palace, and because he has never done this before, therefore he used his voice wrongly, at the last word his voice cracked, sounding like a crow getting shot.
Ji Wu Jiu frowned after hearing that..
This Wang You Cai, is Wang Xiao Hu, Ye Zhen Zhen asked for him with Ji Wu Jiu herself. He was originally a criminal, should have been sentenced to death, but since Hui Consort received a lighter punishment intended, and Ye Zhen Zhen did not even complained, Ji Wu Jiu gave her a face and gave her the little eunuch.
Ye Zhen Zhen thought that Wang Xiao Hu’s name was too lame, and not suitable for Kun Ning Palace, so she followed Feng You De’s name and changed his name, (You Cai, You = Have, Cai = Wealth.
Ji Wu Jiu couldn’t believe that Ye Zhen Zhen thought this name was very elegant.
Although Wang You Cai’s announcement gave people goosebumps, even the birds flew away, Ye Zhen Zhen seems to have missed it.
That is why when Ji Wu Jiu went in, he saw Ye Zhen Zhen sitting down, eyes staring at something and seems to be lost in thought. Walking towards her slowly, and saw in front of here there was a chess board with 9 boxes. On the board there was from randomly placed pieces with numbers on them. That board is different from normal board, but it is a combination of 9 smaller 9 box chess board, with a total of 81 small boxes in a square, and in each small square a chess piece with number can be placed in. (Sudoku)
Ye Zhen Zhen was still deep in thought, with a deep frown, and didn’t know Ji Wu Jiu was there.
Ji Wu Jiu also didn’t hope that Ye Zhen Zhen will realise herself, “What are you doing?”
Ye Zhen Zhen got shocked and turned towards him, stood up in a hurry and paid her greetings.
Ji Wu Jiu only continued to frown.
“You have arrived, why did the eunuch outside did not announce?” Ye Zhen Zhen said.
“How Disrespectful” Ji Wu Jiu said while showing her 2 fingers, this would be the 2nd fault in his books for her.
Ye Zhen Zhen, sticked her tongue out at him,
Ji Wu Jiu’s gaze returned to the chess board “Is this a 9 boxed chess board?, Though it does not really look like it”
“It isn’t, this is called Sudoku, its created by someone called Shi Tian Chang, in this small boxes vertically should have 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and cannot be repeated, and in each 9 boxes board, its also these numbers that cannot be repeated.
It seems interesting, JI Wu Jiu walked closer to the table and took a chess piece, and started thinking.
Ye Zhen Zhen advised him “This game has different levels, since this is your first time, why don’t we start at the beginner’s level, I have a manual book here, there are all sorts of levels.
“You talk too much” Ji Wu Jiu said, and then placed down a chess piece on the board.
Ye Zhen Zhen thought, I was trying for half a day, it is not possible that you are able to solve it.
Ji Wu Jiu kept placing the chess pieces on to the board, and in a short while the board was completed.
“So easy” He can’t help but to comment.
Turning his head, he saw Ye Zhen Zhen’s face in awe. Beautiful like a flower, eyes shining. Ye Zhen Zhen, was never one to know how to act elegant, whatever she found nice will be placed onto her hair, clear jades, colourful gems, delicate and intricate designs, are her choices. If a normal person were to place it like her, one would think that the woman got rich suddenly and wanted to show off, but when Ye Zhen Zhen has a very exquisite face, when she uses them, it does not seem weird at all, and in the exact opposite, it suits her very well, and manages to carry them very well.
Ji Wu Jiu suddenly remembered something she once said. “This luxurious things, its like it was made specifically for me” ..
“Your majesty, your majesty, this is supposed to be a 2” Ye Zhen Zhen said pointing to a small box.
Jiu Wu Jiu returned to his senses and placed a 2 into the small box, then thought for a bit and shifted his body abit. He was still not used to be too close to Ye Zhen Zhen.
Time places quickly while playing, it was already dinner time, Ji Wu Jiu was lazy to change place so he decided to have dinner at Kun Ning Palace. He thought that his act of playing the game in Kun Ning Palace was kinda shameful, as he neglected his work, then thought that this was Ye Zhen Zhen’s game so it counts as her attracting him to play, so Ji Wu Jiu decided to involve Ye Zhen Zhen and added another stroke in his little black book.
Ye Zhen Zhen didn’t know what he was thinking, and was too lazy to try to understand, eating is an important thing, must focus. She didn’t like people to purposely serve her food— where this service should only be provided with those that are paralyzed. Normal people also will not really like if someone to serve you every single item on the menu. That’s why both of them was holding their own chopsticks and helping themselves. Ye Zhen Zhen likes to eat meat, and asked the kitchen to make braised meat, and not sure what did the chefs do, but the meat was very tender and almost melts in the mouth, and was very fragrant.
That;s why Ye Zhen Zhen was very happy. Even when she eats alone, the people surrounding her will also feel very hungry, Ji Wu Jiu also ate a little more than normal. He also liked that braised meat, and ate quite a few pieces. Ye Zhen Zhen was not too happy someone was sharing her food, therefore she took the remaining pieces and placed it into her bowl. Almost overflowing it.
Su Yue saw and quickly ordered someone to bring in another bowl.
This two person was very heated up in eating, but Feng You De who was outside was in a dilemma, he couldn’t guess the emperor’s thinking, that’s why he didn’t ask him to flip name plates, and also not sure if what he is thinking is what the emperor is thinking.
After dinner, both Ji Wu Jiu and Ye Zhen Zhen was started to feel awkward. If he didn’t flip any names and have dinner at Kun Ning Palace, it means that he will be staying over at the empress’s palace, but Ji Wu Jiu didn’t mean it that way, and Ye Zhen Zhen also wish it was that way. That time during the marriage night was still painful for her. Remembering it make her looked at Ji Wu Jiu
Ji Wu Jiu”….”
“Your majesty, I heard that Xian Concubine is not feeling too well, are you not going to visit her?” Faster go….
“Ji Wu Jiu didn’t answer, and instead asked another question, “In this inner palace, who do you hate the most?”
Ye Zhen Zhen looked at him, with accusing eyes. It was very obvious.
Ji Wu Jiu was trying to calm himself, and asked “What I meant was, which woman do you hate?”
“Zhuang Consort” she replied quickly
“Why?”
“She speaks to eloquently, I can’t win her”
Ji Wu Jiu, smirk and nodded, stood up and left
That night, the emperor didn’t not flip and name plates but went to Han Guang Palace. Zhuang Consort was both happy and shocked, it has been some time since the emperor visited her. Because there was many choices and she was not extraordinarily pretty, talents are normal, although knows what to say, but more frequently used to bicker with others therefore she was not doted on much.
Not only that the emperor stayed at her place that night, he also promoted her rank to concubine level, now as Zhuang Concubine, the same rank as Li Concubine and Xian Concubine.
But what made Zhuang Concubine confused was that, according to the emperor , the reason for her promotion was because of the empress.
After hearing this , Li Concubine did not treat Zhuang Concubine like before, when speaking to her, it was weird too.
Zhuang Concubine was not happy, she didn’t think she did anything wrong, last time when she was helping Li Concubine, they were very close, and Li Concubine actually treated her like a maid servant. Now because of these rumours, Li Concubine totally changed. Now that the both of them are of the same rank, how dare she still show power in front of me.
That’s why, Zhuang Concubine no longer listens to Li Concubine.
Looking at the both of them having an internal fight, Ye Zhen Zhen was happy inside.
Also the 1 big 12 small toads that was supposed to be given to Li Concubine was finally gifted to someone. When they arrive on 2 separate trays in front of Zhuang Concubine, she went pale.
After seeing this gruesome matter, all the other concubine and consorts were also afraid, all placed on a firm heart and wanted to report to the emperor.