The Red Mansion Big Liar.

Chapter 509: The Palace
"Your Majesty! You are so powerful today. I am so exhausted that my back and waist ache. I can't take it anymore!"

On the dragon couch in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Concubine Wu, who was still in her lingering state, placed her slender, white thigh on Emperor Wanlong's abdomen and pressed her soft body into the emperor's arms, panting.

In order to prevent external relatives from interfering in government affairs, Taizu of the Great Xia Dynasty set a rule: the empress can only be chosen from an ordinary family with a clean background, and cannot be from a wealthy and noble family.

Therefore, in order to appease the nobles and wealthy families, the imperial concubine is often chosen from aristocratic families.

Even Emperor Zhengqing did not change this point and conferred the title of Imperial Concubine Zhen on her.

But when the King of Qin ascended the throne, he did not continue this unspoken rule. Instead, he canonized the daughter of Wu Tianyou, who came from an ordinary wealthy family, and made Wu a royal concubine.

Although there were voices of opposition in the court, it was an unwritten rule after all, and it was also a matter related to the harem. Emperor Wanlong was a worry-free dictator, so he got the matter done.

But even so, it still cost the emperor a lot of trouble, and there were many heated arguments at the morning court, which shows that the emperor doted on Concubine Wu.

The reason why she was so favored by the emperor was, on the one hand, because of her beautiful face and charming figure.

On the other hand, it is because she comes from a humble family and is not like the ladies from wealthy families who are used to being dignified and can say anything flattering or nice words.

In the past, she might have been accused of flattery, but today the emperor showed off his skills and kept him busy for nearly half an hour, so she was speaking from the bottom of her heart.

However, the tricks that had always worked in the past did not work very well this time.

Seeing that the emperor seemed to be somewhat bored, she moved her evenly bent legs back and forth on the emperor's abdomen, and said coquettishly, "Does the emperor dislike me because I am old and ugly?"

She entered the Prince of Qin's Palace when she was sixteen, so it has only been eight or nine years now. Twenty-four or twenty-five is the best of life, so how can she be considered old?
Being teased by her like this, Emperor Wanlong's eyes were filled with fire. He swallowed his saliva, turned over and pressed down the naughty Concubine Wu.

Concubine Wu exaggeratedly put her arms in front of her body, her face pale with fear, "Your Majesty! ~ I... I can't stand your torture..."

Although she was begging for mercy, her long, white legs were already wrapped around Emperor Wanlong's waist, tightly clasping him.

……

About two quarters of an hour later.

Concubine Wu's face flushed, and she hugged the emperor's back tightly with her arms. She was sweating profusely and gasping for breath as she said, "Your Majesty has the power of a dragon. I... I am so weak, how can I serve you alone? Please forgive me... Call Sister Zhou to come, so that I can catch my breath..."

She often serves the emperor, how could she not notice something unusual?
How could a woman around the emperor not know how to survive?

Although he vaguely guessed the whole story, he said nothing. Instead, he catered to the other party's wishes, flattering him and begging for mercy.

Although the emperor owns six palaces, for health reasons, there are regulations for the concubines to sleep with him.

Emperor Wanlong was not a licentious and tyrannical ruler. On the contrary, he was ambitious and worked hard to govern the country, wanting to be a wise ruler whose name would be passed down through the ages.

As soon as he ascended the throne, he cleared up the chronic illness of Emperor Zhengqing, who had not attended court for more than ten years, and became very diligent.

But people always have seven emotions and six desires. Ambitious people like him are often quite proud. How could he admit that he is inferior to others?

In particular, it is about men's self-esteem.

It would have been fine if he didn't know, but he went to the trouble of adding unnecessary details and letting his close companion watch.

Although she seemed to be trying to hide her embarrassment when she asked Zhang Yun逸 whether he was taking medicine, she actually agreed with it deep down in her heart.

Therefore, he ordered the imperial physician to use sea dog whip as medicine.

Tonight, he had planned to use the drug to compete with Zhang Yunyi, but the gap was too big and he died halfway. Fortunately, Concubine Wu persuaded him to pursue the enemy with all his strength, but it turned out that he was the one who made him succeed and the one who made him fail. Under Concubine Wu's flattery, all his efforts were wasted.

Sensing the reluctance on the emperor's face, Concubine Wu was considerate and panted, "Your Majesty, thank you for your mercy!"

After she said this, the emperor finally felt a lot better.

He pretended to be indifferent and pinched Concubine Wu's sweaty nose. Then he turned over and lay flat on his back, exhaled a breath of foul air, and said in a calm tone as possible: "If it weren't for my beloved concubine begging for mercy, I would never let you go so easily today!"

"Your Majesty, please don't scare me. Next time, call Sister Zhou over. Otherwise, I won't be able to handle it!"

The emperor was moved when he heard this. Concubine Wu was a very annoying enchantress who was good at currying favor and fawning on others, but Concubine Zhou was completely different from her.

Although they each have their own merits in appearance, their personalities are very different. Not to mention those words of flattery, even the occasional humming was suppressed with great effort.

If it was Consort Zhou who was sleeping with me, maybe...

As the saying goes, the first time is new, the second time is familiar. Maybe he has just used the medicine and is not familiar with its properties yet.

He was thinking about how to make further progress, but he said, "It's hard for you not to compete for favor!"

"I cannot serve you alone, how can I dare to compete for your favor?" At this point, Concubine Wu changed the subject and said, "However, I want to speak up for my father!"

If it were any other time, Emperor Wanlong might have reprimanded him, but now he was flattered and asked curiously, "Oh? What's wrong?"

"It is said that Master Zhang from the Tiangong Academy has the ability to turn stones into gold. Yesterday, my mother went to the palace to visit him. I heard that he and my sister Zhou's family opened a theater together. My younger brother even joined the immortal school. Why didn't he bring me home? Could it be that he despises my humble family background?"

She rubbed her cheek against the emperor's chest, and then stretched out her slender jade fingers to draw a few circles on the emperor's chest, and then she said coquettishly: "The great emperor has been gracious and allowed any family with a large house or a separate courtyard to stay in a closed place and invite the imperial carriage to enter their private residence, so that they can enjoy the love between flesh and blood, the most natural love in the family, I am deeply grateful, but my family is poor, how can we afford to build a separate courtyard?
I would like to ask the emperor to help me and ask Lord Zhang to bring my father with him and raise some money for my family to build a separate courtyard..."

He was once again outdone by his own ministers, but on second thought, even if he had the ability to turn stone into gold, it would only make money for himself. However, Emperor Wanlong couldn't help feeling a little dissatisfied, and said perfunctorily: "I am rich, so I will just give you more rewards tomorrow!"

Zhang Yun逸 was very careful and although it was just a small business matter, it was reported to the emperor.

Naturally, Zhang Yun逸 would not confess his purpose, and only said that he was grateful to Zhou Xianzu and others for their help during the impeachment.

However, when Emperor Wanlong heard Concubine Wu mention Zhang Yun逸, he couldn't help but think of the gap between the two sides.

I thought to myself, I wonder what’s different about the medicine Zhang Yunyi is taking?
If he could take it, not to mention the little vixen Wu Guifei, even the usually arrogant Concubine Zhou would be subdued and made to kneel down and beg for mercy.

When Concubine Wu saw that the emperor did not respond, she thought he was shirking his responsibility, so she began to coax him and said coquettishly, "Your Majesty! Rewards are only a temporary solution and will easily lead to criticism. If you bring my family along, he will only earn less..."

The effect of the drug had already worn off, and Emperor Wanlong had even used up all his remaining strength. He was too embarrassed to admit it, so he quickly pushed aside her restless white legs and said righteously, "It's getting late. I have an early court tomorrow morning. Let's rest now!"

"Your Majesty!" Concubine Wu refused to give in and said coquettishly, "Then what I said..."

Finally, he could not resist Concubine Wu's soft and hard persuasion, so he had to agree: "Alright! It's just a share of a theater! I will summon him to the palace tomorrow morning to help you say hello!"

He replied casually, but in his heart he was thinking, Zhang Yun逸 has always been a good friend of Cao thieves, and he was able to use it on Madam Mei in time last time, so he must always have the medicine with him.

Summon him to the palace tomorrow, and take the opportunity to investigate thoroughly and get the secret medicine, so that you can show your power.

……

(End of this chapter)