Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 39 38. White Lotus in the Wind
Mrs. Chu's dance...

How can one describe its beauty? The fact that even this unromantic king took the time to admire it is truly breathtaking.

The name of this dance is "Lotus". Against the backdrop of the lotus leaves reaching the sky, it really looks like lotus flowers swaying gently in the summer breeze.

Her graceful and nimble wrists were like dewdrops rolling back and forth on a lotus leaf. Appreciating it in the sweltering heat of summer, Qin Shi could only feel the gentle breeze and the delicate fragrance filling the air, unable to take his eyes away.

Her waist is slender but powerful, and her body control is particularly exquisite. When she leaps into the air and performs various melodious dance moves, she is like a light feather, and her feeling of staying in the air is even more amazing!

Qin Shi praised repeatedly, and at this moment he subconsciously wanted to take out his mobile phone to take a photo, then he came to his senses.

When the dance was over, before the king could say anything, she clapped her hands vigorously: "It's so beautiful!"

Mrs. Chu could no longer maintain the angle she had carefully paused facing the king. At this moment, she couldn't help but look at Qin Shi with sweat on her face and couldn't help laughing.

Looking at her beautiful appearance, who would have thought that she had given birth to a prince many years ago!

Looking at Ji Heng who was still sitting on the chair on the platform, he nodded nonchalantly and said, "Reward."

Then he ordered: "Now that you have enjoyed the dance, let's have dinner."

Qin Shi: ...

Mrs. Chu's face in the audience was frozen: Reward, reward, reward!

I don't know if the king has ever truly admired her. He sent someone to summon her today, thinking that he was back from his western tour and finally wanted to relax for a while...

I never thought that I was treated as a side dish for dinner!
The king really has a serious eye disease!

She looked at the noble lady beside her, feeling resentful in her heart: If she were still in Chu, she should be accompanied by such a beauty!

But now the Chu State is gone, and although the king is not very romantic, he does not restrict them too much, and he is very brave...

Mrs. Chu was very upset, but she finally consoled herself and let it go.

She then remembered that the king had not yet met the princes and princesses since returning to Xianyang, so she had no choice but to continue trying. She said timidly, "Your Majesty, I will serve you dinner."

Qin Shi felt that he should not stay here.

But before she could get anxious, the king said coldly, "No need."

He even said as if it was a matter of course: "I have ordered the eunuchs to announce that cinnabar and lead are poisonous and cannot be used in the Xianyang Palace from now on."

"Why are you still wearing red clothes and applying white powder?"

"You are all sweating profusely now, so don't come near me and contaminate my food."

"Now that you have finished watching the dance, please leave."

Ji Heng knew that Qin Shi hoped to have a magnanimous and tolerant king, so at this moment he chose words very tactfully and even consciously adjusted his tone of voice.

But unfortunately, Qin Shi didn't notice it at all.

She even began to pity the beauty.

The king is telling you that cinnabar is poisonous, but this fine silk dress isn't something you can obtain overnight. Since it's been made, and so much thought has gone into it, when Madam Chu wears it and dances for the king, the king should be able to feel Madam Chu's unwavering love!

There is also lead white. Mrs. Chu had lead white powder evenly distributed on her face, but it was not her fault. Everyone uses it now.

She applied it very evenly and smoothly, and now the hot sweat oozing out made her look even more fragile and pitiful, instead of being a mess...

To such a beautiful woman like a white lotus in the wind, the king...

Ugh!
The servants carefully brought the freshly cooked hot dishes. Qin Shi lowered his head to eat, not daring to look at Madam Chu's heartbroken expression.

……

Little did they know that once they left Zhangtai Palace and returned to the carriage, Madam Chu's timid expression instantly vanished. The servants, daring not to utter a word, rushed forward to cleanse her face and change her clothes. The lead-white makeup was removed, revealing Madam Chu's face.

From long-term application of powder, her complexion was slightly pale, her lips purplish. Beneath this bloodless pallor, the faint blue veins on her face were faintly visible, and there were dotted black spots on her cheeks, and flakes under her eyes like clouds.

Although her facial features were still delicate and beautiful, the blemish of uneven skin tone became increasingly unbearable.

The maid knelt on the ground and brought a bronze mirror.

Because it was used in the Xianyang Palace, the bronze mirror was polished to a brilliant shine, revealing every detail. Apart from the paleness of her face, the shadows on her cheeks were particularly noticeable.

Madam Chu frowned instantly: "Hurry up and put powder on me again!"

The servants whispered, "Madam, since the king says this lead is extremely poisonous..."

Tears welled up in Madam Chu's eyes. Her slender white fingers gently stroked her cheek. She said, "But if I don't use makeup, how can I hide this face?"

The king has few princes, and they are all equally unloved.

In this case, as a mother, she should do her best to please the king. If the prince can inherit the throne one day, then their Chu State will not be...

This thought made her heart surge, but also made her feel a dark chill from the soles of her feet, and she began to tremble from head to toe.

That was the King of Qin who destroyed the six kingdoms and unified the world!
His existence was like a towering mountain, suppressing everyone.

While he was alive, no one dared to show the slightest support for the prince.

Even though the king is already thirty-six years old!

The thirty-six-year-old king was still strong and vigorous. It was said that the King of Yan, who was in his thirties, was already fat, stupid, and often short of breath.

Who would dare to talk about matters of life and death lightly with such a great king?

If he collapses...

Madam Chu couldn't help but shudder—the mountains collapsed, the rivers and seas overflowed, the dome of the earth was about to break, and the country was crumbling...

She didn't even dare to think about it.

She also thought that the men in the country were useless and the King of Chu was immoral, so he would only offer beauties to Qin. She already had a beloved man. Now that Chu was crushed by the iron hoof of Qin, she was heartbroken and wanted to live a good life with the prince.

But her homeland came to rely on her, and made her shoulder all kinds of great tasks.

The prince is weak and now he even dares not catch a cold easily. How can she, as a mother, be willing to bear such a heavy burden?
She was filled with all sorts of anguish, and the king was completely bewildered. She had been quite brave at first, but after she gave birth to a prince, hoping to gain the king's affection by using her frailty, the king no longer even bothered to approach her.

She couldn't even try to please him.

Thinking of this, and looking at her own flawed face reflected in the bronze mirror by the sunlight, Mrs. Chu couldn't help but feel sad and silently shed pearly tears.

The servants were unaware of Madam Chu's worries and fears, and their faces also looked bleak at this moment.

This lead powder is expensive and even poor families cannot afford it, but since they serve in the palace, naturally everyone has to try their best to use it.

Lead pink and red clothes are their favorite colors.

Now that I know it is unusable, how can I not be sad?

Only cinnabar can create the fiery crimson of the lady's dance dress. Maddermaus dyes always appear slightly pale. The more it's dyed, the heavier the pigment, and the more it appears worn.

The maids looked at the bright red strings they used to tie each other's hair and couldn't help but feel sad.

It’s all the Shaofu’s fault. He can’t make good makeup powder, nor can he make a beautiful red dress!

Coming!