Chapter 71 Fifteen Beauties

Chapter 71: Fifteen Beauties

Jiang Wanrou held her breath and spoke cautiously, "Father's teachings are correct; your daughter-in-law understands."

"Just a few casual words, hardly a lecture."

Jiang Wanrou was Lu Feng's officially wedded wife and the mother of the imperial grandson. In front of the ministers, the emperor did not deliberately make things difficult for her. His tone softened as he said, "Recently, envoys from a foreign country came to pay tribute and brought a group of female attendants. My harem is already bustling, and your courtyard seems rather empty. Why not make it a double celebration today and bring some joy to your marriage?"

The emperor believed he had given Jiang Wanrou enough face. A mere illegitimate daughter, fortunate enough to marry a prince as his principal wife. Considering Jun Chi's fondness for her, he had neither bestowed a powerful concubine nor a prestigious princess from a vassal state, but only a few lowly female attendants. She had already borne three children, two of them sons, solidifying her position. Even if the attendants bore children in the future, their mothers' low status and foreign blood would ensure they could never rise to prominence.

Looking around, which princess consort lived as comfortably as she did?

With the emperor's decree, how could Jiang Wanrou dare to refuse? Not only did she have to accept, but she also had to do so with joy, expressing gratitude for "Father's great kindness."

Jiang Wanrou had always been meticulous in her public conduct. She tried to smile, lightly tugging at the corners of her lips, but found it impossible. She deeply bowed her head and dryly said, "Your daughter-in-law... thanks Father."

The emperor was greatly pleased. Jiang Wanrou's submissive and gentle demeanor pleased him even more. He said, "No need to give them high ranks; let them start as concubines."

According to the prince's regulations, besides the officially wedded princess consort, there were two side consorts, both recorded in the imperial jade register. The rest depended on the prince's preference, with several concubines who could accompany the princess consort to the palace for New Year's greetings and be buried in the imperial mausoleum after death. Below the concubines were the unnamed "ladies," slightly better than ordinary maids, lacking prestigious backgrounds or the prince's favor, often ending up lonely in small courtyards after a single night of favor.

The emperor believed he had left enough dignity for Jiang Wanrou. Before she could speak, Lu Feng said indifferently, "Tribute items need not be so elaborate, Father overthought."

The emperor glared at him, annoyed that his most similar son was even stingier than himself! It was well-known that the emperor had a harem of three thousand beauties, but he was not generous. After years on the throne, he had never grandly promoted his harem. Whether they were stunning beauties or long-time companions, the emperor only promoted them under two conditions: bearing a son, especially a promising one, or having a prestigious family with influential fathers and brothers.

The first condition was more common. Veteran ministers knew the emperor's nature. If their families ever fell into trouble, the emperor would not hesitate to confiscate or execute, never lenient because of a daughter in the palace. It might even implicate the palace women. Thus, veteran ministers and clear-minded new nobles preferred marrying their daughters or sisters to families of similar status to ensure generational prosperity.

The emperor was stingy with his harem but sometimes a wise ruler. The previous dynasty had a law that all official women over fifteen had to undergo a selection process before marrying, symbolizing the emperor's supreme authority. After ascending the throne, the emperor abolished this law, not wanting too much entanglement between the court and the harem. If he wanted to promote a minister, he would have to reluctantly favor his daughter, and if neglected, it would create discord between ruler and subject. For the sake of a woman, it was not worth it.

In short, such an emperor, indifferent to women, at least granted the lowest rank to any woman entering the palace, whether favored or not. Lu Feng was even stingier, not even granting a title!

The emperor hesitated, "Jun Chi, isn't this inappropriate—"

"Father, this is my household matter."

Lu Feng's voice was cold, "Please allow me to handle it."

The emperor's public gift, as a subject and a son, Lu Feng could not refuse. But once these women entered his palace, it was his decision. No matter how far the emperor's reach, could it extend into his inner chambers?

The emperor was so angry he blew his beard. The confrontation between the imperial father and son frightened everyone. Some watched the emperor's expression, others glanced at Lu Feng, and one person quietly looked at Jiang Wanrou, who remained silent, his eyes clear with hidden concern.

"Your Majesty, I volunteer to escort the Chen rebel and investigate the situation."

A clear voice broke the tension. Pei Zhang, with his fair and refined face, smiled like a spring breeze.

When Chen Fu was captured alive, Lu Feng suggested immediate execution to eliminate future troubles. The emperor, wanting to give his deceased brothers closure, insisted on taking him to Youzhou for execution. Just as they left the capital, the emperor received a letter from the Turkic state, offering two hundred fat sheep, three hundred fine horses, and five hundred felt blankets in exchange for Chen Fu, promising to restrain bandits and not invade our borders for three years.

The emperor did not care for these trifles, but every winter, the Turkic frequently harassed our borders, plundering wealth, grain, and women. This led to several conflicts between Great Qi and the Turkic. The Turkic shamelessly claimed, "Our country has a treaty of eternal friendship with your dynasty, how could we do such treacherous things? Bandits are also despised in our country. They have no clothes in winter, no women to sleep with, so they plunder. They plunder not only your dynasty but also our own, we suffer too!"

What bandits? Clearly Turkic soldiers in disguise. Everyone knew but could not openly admit it.

The emperor had spent half his life in military campaigns, but privately, he did not want another war. Not because he was old and lacked ambition, but because the previous emperor's incompetence and the princes' power struggles had left the land scarred with too many innocent souls. What fault did the soldiers and common people have?

Compared to the treacherous Prince Chen and the brutal Prince Lu, the emperor was indeed a wise ruler. Without major conflicts, he did not want to wage war against the Turkic.

The feud with Prince Chen and his son was mixed with personal emotions, but if sacrificing Chen Fu could bring three years of border peace, the emperor was somewhat tempted.

The emperor sighed, his mind filled with court matters. Terms like "concubine" and "lady" no longer mattered.

He looked at Pei Zhang and said, "It's rare for you to have such concern, Minister Pei. However, this matter is intricate and complex, and we need to deliberate carefully."

Pei Zhang's abilities were beyond doubt. While the entire court was perplexed, wondering how "Chen Fu" was connected to "Turkic," Pei Zhang suddenly had a sudden insight and reported the recent rise in rice prices in the capital.

The capital's grain supply came from the Jiangnan water transport, and Jiangnan was Chen Fu's stronghold. Why did the rice prices in the capital rise? Because the grain transport ships had sunk! Thousands of bushels of grain had vanished without a trace.

The Turkic people frequently harassed our borders. Although the Qi Dynasty had a strong military, they did not want to provoke a war. It was the geography that forced their hand. The winters there were harsh, and most livestock froze or starved to death. The Turkic people were nomads and could not grow crops. To survive, the poorly defended border towns of our dynasty became their targets.

As for how the Chen rebel and the Turkic people colluded and what their intentions were, no one knew. Now, the Forbidden Dragon Bureau was under the management of Lu Feng's deputy, a man named "Huo Fei'ang." The bureau had subjected Chen Fu to severe torture, but he was a hard nut to crack and had not revealed a single word.

The emperor was deeply concerned about this. He wanted Chen Fu dead but also desired peace at the border. Now, he now somewhat regretted not listening to Lu Feng's advice to execute Chen Fu earlier, avoiding this dilemma.

...

Lu Feng did not hold a housewarming banquet. Having just resigned from his position at the Forbidden Dragon Bureau, the emperor feared others might disrespect him. Today, the emperor personally led important officials to show support. Those present were all key figures in the court, and none paid heed to the earlier domestic matters. They began discussing state affairs, one after another.

Seeing this, Jiang Wanrou involuntarily glanced at Lu Feng. After receiving his nod of approval, she discreetly withdrew. As she exited the hall, she involuntarily glanced at Pei Zhang.

Coincidentally, Pei Zhang was also looking out. Through the sparse crowd, their eyes met, and both were momentarily taken aback.

Jiang Wanrou felt a twinge in her heart. For some reason, every time she saw him, he seemed sad.

It made her sad too.

Pei Zhang was the first to react, offering her a gentle smile. Jiang Wanrou, with mixed emotions, gave him a slight bow to express her gratitude.

Whether intentional or not, he had just alleviated her embarrassment.

Jiang Wanrou quietly left.

The hall was filled with men, and the subsequent events did not require her presence. She was happy to retreat to the backyard, instructing the kitchen to prepare the banquet. She handled these tasks with ease, making no mistakes. By noon, the emperor and his entourage had departed in grand style, with Lu Feng among them. Before leaving, he left a message: "Don't dwell on things."

Jiang Wanrou felt somewhat reassured, but her heart was not entirely at ease. The emperor acted swiftly, and by the afternoon, he had sent over the "foreign beauties." Facing a row of beauties of various shapes and sizes, Jiang Wanrou nearly shattered the cup in her hand.

Lu Feng truly was the emperor's own son! Looking at them, some were petite and delicate, others tall and graceful, some voluptuous, and others slim and coldly beautiful—each had their own charm. But they all shared one common trait: their skin was as smooth as jade and as pale as snow.

These were personally selected by the emperor. Lu Feng and Jiang Wanrou had three children in five years, so the emperor naturally presumed Lu Feng preferred fair-skinned, plump women. Among those sent, several resembled Jiang Wanrou in stature.

When choosing a wife, virtue is key; when selecting a concubine, beauty is paramount. The emperor truly did not want to shortchange his son in this regard. Even the petite and slender ones had curvaceous figures, serving both to relieve Lu Feng's fatigue and to ensure fertility. In the future, they could bear children, ensuring a prosperous and numerous family.

The group of women chirped like larks, kneeling and greeting Jiang Wanrou, their voices giving her a headache. One was called "Snow," another "Willow." After a round, Jiang Wanrou couldn't remember any names, only counting the heads.

Fifteen in total! Even if one were to be attended to each day, it would take two months to cycle through them all. Did the emperor not fear his own son might succumb to exhaustion?

Jiang Wanrou felt a wave of frustration. These women were bestowed by the emperor; she couldn't show them a cold face, but she didn't have to feign a smile either. After all, Lu Feng had said it was their household matter. No matter how far the emperor's reach extended, he couldn't force Lu Feng to sleep with anyone, could he?

Since they had no official status yet, Jiang Wanrou did not have them serve tea. She assigned the fifteen beauties to a remote courtyard, where they would live together. After delivering a few perfunctory words of instruction, she dismissed them.

The newly appointed "ladies" bowed their heads in compliance, except for one bold one who asked, "May I ask, Princess Consort, when will we be arranged to serve His Highness?"

Jiang Wanrou looked at her. She seemed to be called "Shuang Xue"? Her figure was quite similar to her own.

"That's hard to say," Jiang Wanrou smiled and replied, "All matters in the household are decided by His Highness. Even I dare not overstep."