I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 294 The Difference Between Young Girls, Young Wives, and Mature Women
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Yanfu Palace, Chengping Hall.

This is a remote palace that has been unused since its construction.

Later, Wanyan Aguda presented Zhao Yu with over a hundred hot potatoes, namely those Liao beauties. Zhao Yu was caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to accept them or not, so he placed them all in Chengping Palace.

Zhao Yu originally thought that after some time, when he turned against the Jin Dynasty and turned to help the Liao Dynasty, he would return these Liao beauties to the Liao Dynasty in exchange for some favors and preferably some benefits.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Yu sent someone to the Liao Kingdom to hint to Yelü Yanxi and his ministers that he had not touched these Liao beauties and that if they worked hard, he would return them to them in the future and they could still be good friends. Meanwhile, Yelü Yanxi killed or forced the Liao people who wanted the Liao beauties back to rebel.

In this way, these Liao beauties, who were originally quite important, suddenly became unimportant.

The key point is that Yelü Yanxi doesn't want these Liao beauties anymore, including his two stepmothers, his low-ranking concubines, his aunts, his sisters-in-law, and his brothers' wives.

This resulted in these Liao beauties rotting in Zhao Yu's hands.

Of course, it cannot be said that all these Liao beauties were unwanted.

However, if one or more of them were to disobey Yelü Yanxi, their voices would be too soft to reach Zhao Yu's ears.

Furthermore, those powerful Liao nobles who didn't even dare to challenge Yelü Yanxi became insignificant under such circumstances.

In short, these Liao beauties, who originally had the hope of returning home to reunite with their families, suddenly lost all hope. Some of them even became homeless. If Zhao Yu didn't want them, they didn't know where to go.

Originally, these Liao beauties trapped in the Zhao Song Dynasty's palace could not have known about these events that occurred in the Liao Kingdom.

Don't forget that among these Liao beauties were Xiao Sese's older and younger sisters. Xiao Puxian also had intricate connections with some of these Liao beauties. Furthermore, Zhao Yu's harem contained thousands of concubines of Liao origin, who also had intricate connections with these Liao beauties.

Most importantly, Zhao Yu did not forbid the two sides from visiting each other and reminiscing.

Among Zhao Yu's concubines were Xiao Puxian, a concubine of Zhao Yu who was from the Liao Dynasty and was well-informed because she helped Zhao Yu handle political affairs.

Moreover, Xiao Puxian and the others despise Yelü Yanxi so much that they certainly wouldn't help Yelü Yanxi conceal the stupid things he had done.

This led these Liao beauties to have a relatively clear understanding of their situation.

Seeing this, some Liao beauties with a strong sense of self-preservation couldn't help but have the idea of ​​staying in this place where there was no war and they could continue to enjoy wealth and honor, that is, actually becoming Zhao Yu's concubines.

Thus, these Liao beauties with ulterior motives began to persuade or even bewitch other Liao beauties, especially those who had no home, to stay. They hinted or even explicitly instructed Zhao Yu's concubines of higher status, such as Xiao Puxian, Xiao Sese, Yelü Nanxian, Yelü Yabuli, and the three Khitan princesses, to help them, ideally to secure an opportunity to serve him in bed.

In this atmosphere, the feelings of these Liao beauties became both subtle and complex. They were filled with despairing sorrow, yet also harboring newfound hope; they were filled with uncertainty and trepidation about the future, yet also with longing and yearning for a new life. Among them, there was both tenderness and mutual support, as well as undercurrents of calculation and competition.

Soon, these once noble but now tragically fated beauties of the Liao Kingdom began to test each other, form alliances, and even secretly compete in various ways, hoping to find their place in this silent war. They whispered secrets, exchanged glances, and every subtle movement concealed their unspoken thoughts.

Their daily lives were no longer simply about waiting and sighing, but filled with calculation and planning. Those Liao beauties, harboring dreams, began to meticulously adorn themselves, attempting to greet any possible turning point in their fate with their most beautiful appearance. Some gently touched their exquisite makeup, whispering before the bronze mirror, expressing their endless fantasies about the future; others leaned against the window, gazing at the high and unreachable sky, their eyes shimmering with a light that was both resolute and bewildered.

They saw each other's preparations, smiled at each other, and their tacit understanding and unity seemed to be a source of warmth and support in this unfamiliar place.

The two concubines left behind by Yelü Jun were thirteen and fourteen years old, respectively. They had just entered the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace when Yelü Jun was framed by the treacherous minister Yelü Yixin and others, deposed as a commoner, and imprisoned in Shangjing. In November of the same year, they were killed by Yelü Yixin.

Later, Yelü Hongji realized his mistake and exonerated Yelü Jun, posthumously granting him the title of Crown Prince Zhaohuai. Only then were they exonerated as well.

When Yelü Yanxi became emperor, they became imperial concubines. Their prime years were wasted in political struggles.

Unexpectedly, now that they are getting old, they may have new men again, and even their own sons, which makes them very excited.

They already knew how powerful Zhao Yu's fertility was, and they had analyzed that they really had a chance to be paired with Zhao Yu, or even several times.

They looked at each other. Although they were no longer young, they still retained their charm and were no less beautiful than young women.

Moreover, while others may not know, they themselves are well aware that one of them is 99% new and the other is brand new, which will surely give Zhao Yu quite a surprise.

Crucially, they were Yelü Yanxi's stepmothers, which would definitely be detrimental to Zhao Yu.

This is the difference between a young girl, a young woman, and a mature woman. The latter knows where their strengths lie and how to use them to strive for a chance.

Similar to the two imperial concubines in their situation and thoughts were Yelü Heluwo's ​​second wife and two favored concubines he took in his later years, as well as young widows like Liao Taishu Huluwafei. They had heard of Zhao Yu's prowess and inevitably wanted to experience being with a real man, and even more so, they wanted to have their own children, especially their own sons.

They were all mature women, long past the shyness of youth, and well-versed in the ways of court life, knowing how to maximize their own interests in this treacherous situation. They began to subtly approach the concubines favored by Zhao Yu, especially Xiao Puxian, attempting to leverage her influence to win Zhao Yu's favor for themselves.

In short, they faced the storms that might change their fate with an almost yearning attitude. They even began to take the initiative, no longer passively waiting for fate to take pity on them, but using their wisdom and charm to weave intricate and complex nets, attempting to capture the heart of the man who could give them new life and hope.

They also subtly guided the younger generation of Liao beauties, using gentle words and their own experience to persuade them to accept reality and seize the opportunities before them.

In this atmosphere, the Liao beauties within Chengping Palace gradually formed two camps: one side consisted of women who persisted in searching for their way home, unwilling to abandon their longing for their homeland; the other side comprised women who decided to stay, using their wisdom and beauty to secure their future. The boundaries between the two were not clear-cut, and while there were occasional clashes of ideas and fusions of emotions, there was more mutual understanding and respect.

Finally, one day, Xiao Puxian opened this Pandora's box. Out of disgust and hatred for Yelü Yanxi, she brought all of Yelü Yanxi's low-ranking concubines to serve him in bed.

Zhao Yu had already made up his mind to replace Yelü Yanxi, so naturally he had no reason not to touch Yelü Yanxi's concubines.

In just three days, Zhao Yu had taken advantage of all of Yelü Yanxi's low-ranking concubines.

This greatly encouraged the Liao beauties who longed to stay by Zhao Yu's side. They flocked to Xiao Puxian, hoping to also achieve a change in status and obtain the fruit of their "love" with Zhao Yu.

……

That day, Xiao Sese came to see her older sister Xiao Qinqin and younger sister Xiao Pipa to discuss their future and whereabouts.

Previously, Xiao Sese had discussed with Xiao Qinqin and Xiao Pipa the idea of ​​bringing their five daughters into the harem. Xiao Qinqin's eldest and second daughters were already of age to serve the emperor and could become Zhao Yu's concubines. With them in Zhao Yu's harem, Xiao Qinqin and Xiao Pipa would have some security in the Zhao Song Dynasty. Xiao Qinqin and Xiao Pipa would stay in Chengping Palace for the time being and wait to see what news came from the Liao Kingdom, or whether Yelü Yudu might return to the Liao Kingdom or defect to the Zhao Song Dynasty.
However, as more and more Liao beauties entered Zhao Yu's harem, either voluntarily or involuntarily, the number of Liao beauties in Chengping Palace decreased, and Xiao Qinqin and Xiao Pipa became a little panicked, especially the former.

Xiao Qinqin's husband's family was all killed by Yelü Yanxi and Xiao Fengxian, so if she were to return to the Liao Kingdom, she could only go back to her parents' home.

But in this chaos of war, the capital of Liao had been captured by the Jin people, and they didn't know where their parents were, or even if they were still alive.

Their family's only male heir, Xiao Yu, was also killed by Yelü Yanxi and his minister Xiao Fengxian, and their family was likely to decline.

Moreover, according to Xiao Sese's idea, even if she found her family, she would first try to move them to the Zhao Song Dynasty. This would ensure their safety and even give them a chance to make a comeback. After all, Xiao Sese had given birth to two sons for Zhao Yu. Once her two sons grew up, her family would have someone to rely on in the Zhao Song Dynasty.

In other words, she had to establish herself in the Song Dynasty first.

But the thought of being a complete stranger in the Song Dynasty, and not knowing if her family could even move there, made her anxious. She couldn't help but wonder, 'Why don't I also enter the Song Emperor's harem? That way, I can stay with my second sister and my three daughters, and we can all look after each other?'

Xiao Pipa also wavered. Besides sharing the same concerns as Xiao Qinqin, she also thought that since Yelü Yudu had surrendered to the Jin Dynasty, they would most likely become enemies in the future. If Yelü Yudu led the Jin people to attack the Liao Dynasty, she might be implicated by Yelü Yudu. It would be too foolish to wait for Yelü Yudu to "change his mind." It would be better to enter Zhao Yu's harem now and become Zhao Yu's concubine. Even if Yelü Yudu acted as an accomplice to the tyrant, with Zhao Yu's protection, no one would dare to touch her.

It's normal for Xiao Qinqin and Xiao Pipa to have come to their senses; people are often like this. When faced with major choices, their inner balance always wavers until they see the choices of others, which seems to provide some basis for their own determination. In other words, the inner balance subtly tilts with changes in the surrounding environment. Or, it could be said that only through the influence of the environment and the struggle within themselves can they gradually see their own desires and fears clearly.

While waiting for Xiao Sese to arrive, both Xiao Qinqin and Xiao Pipa revealed a hint of anxiety and anticipation in their eyes.

As Xiao Sese entered the side hall where Xiao Qinqin and Xiao Pipa lived, a subtle and solemn atmosphere permeated the space. The flickering candlelight illuminated the complex expressions on their faces, as if every ray of light and shadow was telling the story of their inner turmoil.

Upon seeing Xiao Sese arrive, Xiao Qinqin and Xiao Pipa quickly got up to welcome her in.

After they met, Xiao Sese took the initiative to say, "You two can rest assured that all of them are in my palace. After some time, once Jiu Si and Te Si are mentally prepared, I will ask the Emperor to come and confer titles upon them. The same goes for others; when they reach the appropriate age, I will make arrangements for them."

Xiao Qinqin and Xiao Pipa knew that Xiao Sese would not mistreat their daughter, and that Xiao Sese also needed their daughter to help her consolidate her favor. Furthermore, although Xiao Sese was a "second-time bride," she still held some status with Zhao Yu. In short, their daughter would be fine following Xiao Sese.

The key point is that Xiao Qinqin and Xiao Pipa summoned Xiao Sese not to talk about their daughter, but to discuss their own future.

They were so mature that they couldn't be more mature, and they had already had several children. Xiao Sese was their sister, so Xiao Qinqin and Xiao Pipa had nothing to be embarrassed about.

So, Xiao Qinqin only blushed slightly before saying bluntly, "Sese, look, how about I and Pipa also go to the palace?"

Xiao Pipa, trying to cover up the truth, said, "There are only thirty-odd people left here. It's eerily quiet at night, and the two of us are getting uneasy. Besides, some people are plotting to enter His Majesty the Emperor's harem. In our opinion, we'll all be entering His Majesty the Emperor's harem sooner or later, so we might as well do it sooner rather than later..."

Zhao Yu has thousands of women; if Xiao Sese were jealous, she would have been consumed by jealousy long ago.

Moreover, if Xiao Qinqin and Xiao Pipa could also enter the palace, Xiao Sese and they could look after each other and discuss things together.

Most importantly, Xiao Sese has a very important matter she wants Xiao Qinqin and Xiao Pipa to help her with.

This matter not only concerns the rise and fall of their family, but also the survival of the Liao Dynasty and even the Khitan people.

Therefore, Xiao Sese did not show any displeasure. Instead, she showed an understanding smile, a warm and inclusive smile, like the gentle sunshine in spring, which could shine into the softest corner of people's hearts.

Seeing Xiao Sese's smile, Xiao Qinqin and Xiao Pipa were relieved.

Next, the three sisters had a heart-to-heart talk about the benefits of all of them entering Zhao Yu's harem, the development direction of their families, and the important matter that Xiao Sese asked Xiao Qinqin and Xiao Pipa to help with...

Having connections in the imperial court makes it easier to become an official.

That very night, Xiao Qinqin and Xiao Pipa moved into Xiao Sese's palace...

……

(End of this chapter)