Chapter 285 - Male Concubines and Mistresses (1)
Chapter 285 – Male Concubines and Mistresses (1)
Luanfeng Country, east imperial city, Royal Princess’ residence.
It was April. The lovely spring sunlight was bright outside. Bi Lou quickly walked inside the pavilion to see her master resting on the soft bed.
“Your Highness.”
Bi Lou gently walked over to the bed and softly called her master. The woman lying in bed wore a noble red phoenix robe and gradually opened her eyes. Her phoenix eyes were sharp as ever.
“Your Highness, as you expected. Her Majesty really went to the Feng Family to offer condolences. Hong Shuang is standing guard in front of the Feng Residence with a group of imperial guards.”
“Heh.”
Su Wan slowly got up from her bed and waved her sleeves, sneering. “Back when mother empress was alive, she was asked to escort the bride, Feng Wushuang, into the palace but she refused. Now that she’s dead, she ran over to the Feng Family to offer condolences. She’s just doing this for the madam of the Feng Family and military officer Feng to see.”
“Your Highness is brilliant. No matter how much Her Majesty tries to be friendly to the Feng Family, military officer Feng and madam Feng will still be on Your Highness’ side.”
Speaking of this, Bi Lou’s gaze flickered. “Your Highness, about master Feng, have you really decided?”
A cold glint flashed by Su Wan’s eyes when Bi Lou mentioned Yue Qing. “Bi Lou, you know how I have been treating him. Yet, he betrayed me for Su Man, that bitch. Everyone who betrayed me deserves to die. He is no exception! He wants me to show mercy to him? Keep dreaming!”
Feeling the coldness Su Wan was eluding, Bi Lou immediately bowed respectfully. “This maid understands what to do.”
“Mn, you may retreat.”
Su Wan waved her sleeves and Bi Lou immediately retreated respectfully, leaving Su Wan alone in the room. Her gaze grew complicated.
How did Feng Wushuang just die like this?
What happened to the first male supporting lead?
Luanfeng Country was dominated by females. Of course, though the empress had power over the country and women had high statuses, the men in the country could live normally. They could get married and likewise, enter in the imperial examination and even the palace as officials. The former emperor had started changing the rules during that time period which led to this result.
Ever since the former emperor started emphasizing equality in genders, Luanfeng Country started the imperial examination system for men. Now, one-third of the people on court were male officials. Of the current court, there were even two powerful male officials.
Minister, Liu Xuan.
Military officer, Feng Wuchen.
Feng Wuchen was Feng Wushuang’s brother. Feng Family vowed loyalty to the imperial family for generations. Madam Feng was even sworn sisters with the former emperor. Back when the former emperor was still alive, she had been wanting to matchmake her youngest daughter and Feng Family’s second master. Unfortunately, while he did like her, she wasn’t interested in him in the least bit. In the end, their marriage didn’t go through.
Even so, the sickly Feng Wushuang was still deeply in love with the current emperor, Su Man.
Su Man was the empress of Luanfeng Country and the female lead of this world. She was born into a pampering lifestyle and bestowed as the successor to the throne. Two years ago, the former emperor had died suddenly and Su Man had ascended the throne. Because she took over when she was still really young, a lot of the elder officials didn’t put her in their eyes. Thankfully, minister Chi Xueyuan and the minister officer, Feng Wuchen, had protected her the entire way through. She was then able to safely get through the unstable time period.
The court was stable now and Su Man had started taking in male concubines in her harem. Everything looked calm and quiet but it was the calm before the storm.
In this world, Su Wan was Su Man’s sister and the princess royal of Luanfeng Country. Though they had the same mother, they had different fathers. Su Wan’s father was just the boytoy of the former emperor and he had a low status. Therefore, Su Wan wasn’t favored in the imperial city and even after she grew up, the former emperor didn’t like her.
But Su Man was different. She was the child of the former emperor and the man she loved the most. As a child, she was given almost the best in the imperial city.
Not only did she, a princess living in a privileged environment, succeed the throne, there were countless men who would die to follow and love her.
In the original plot, Su Man had three husbands and four male concubines. Each of these seven men were outstanding and talented, handsome as ever!
Yue Qing was one of the seven.
Coming from a poor background, Yue Qing was as his name proclaimed, he had a bright and clear appearance with a refined temperament. He was known as master Ruyu in the capital. Even the noble ladies were convinced by his talent and would treat him politely.
He used to be the musician on Su Wan’s princess royal residence. The two would frequently sing and play in harmony and naturally, they’d start to feel something for each other.
But Su Wan was ambitious. She was unwilling to let herself drown in love. She wanted the entire country.
After realizing that Su Man also admired Yue Qing’s zither skills, Su Wan recommended Yue Qing into the palace to have him teach Su Man zither. In reality, she wanted Yue Qing to monitor and get close to Su Man for her. In the beginning, Yue Qing was indeed on the same side as her. He would frequently tell Su Wan about Su Man’s movements but slowly, Yue Qing was attracted by the incredibly intelligent Su Man and he truly fell in love with her.
After realizing his heart, Yue Qing confessed to Su Man. She had already known about Su Wan’s ambitions through the silk brocade bag left by the former emperor. She didn’t blame Yue Qing. Instead, she beat her at her own game and had Yue Qing monitor Su Wan for her.
Just like this, Su Man got to know a lot of Su Wan’s actions ahead of time. This caused her plan to disrupt the court to fail. After many failures, Su Wan had become vigilant now. She had her trusted aide, Bi Lou, to investigate this and found out that Yue Qing had betrayed her in the end.
Su Wan lost her mind finding out that the man she loved betrayed her. She did everything she possibly could to control the imperial shadow guards and kill Yue Qing. Unfortunately, Yue Qing was under Su Man’s protection now.
Su Wan ended up summoning all her direct line of power in advance, preparing to revolt when Her Majesty went to officer sacrifices to her ancestors every day in May.
Of course, as a cannon fodder, Su Wan’s plan naturally would fail. Su Man’s spies were in Su Wan’s people. That person had leaked the news ahead of time and her plan failed.
Since ancient times, the winner makes the rules, not the losers.
Even if Su Man only put Su Wan on house arrest because she was still her sister, the arrogant Su Wan refused to accept her failure and committed suicide in the imperial city in the end…
This was the plot and fate that Su Wan had received from the original body.
According to the original plot, it was early April now. The original body just found out that she was betrayed by Yue Qing. Although she knew that she couldn’t kill him, she still ordered Bi Lou to do so. After all, it was a good chance to confuse people.
Su Wan wasn’t worried about the internal strife with Su Man. She was most worried about not being able to find Su Rui. The first male supporting lead in this world should be Feng Wushuang but the first day that she entered this world, she received news of Feng Wushuang dying due to sickness!
This shocked Su Wan because in the original plot, Feng Wushuang only died due to sickness a few years after. It was because of his existence that the Feng Family would be on the same side as Su Man. Now that Feng Wushuang passed away, the Feng Family immediately changed sides and planned to work with Su Wan.
Could it be that this world also has a reborn person or a transmigrator?
If outsiders really changed the path of this world, then what status would Su Rui have in this world now that Feng Wushuang had passed away in advance due to sickness?