Chapter 438: Consort
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Heavens, so the flower garden in the harem is so big. If we were to come during the day, it would definitely be even more beautiful than now.”
“It’s beautiful at night too. It’s a pity it’s raining today. I really want to dance among the flowers. I wonder if I can lure the butterflies over?”
“It rained so heavily these past two days, and many flowers fell. What a pity.”
“Since there are so many flowers, it’d be good to make them into fragrance bags or let the Priestess make them into rouge powder.”
…
The group of ladies became emotional as they spoke.
At this moment, Feng Lan deliberately grinned and said, “Don’t you know that the king got someone to gather all the flowers here to brew the Hundred Flowers Wine?”
As for who it was brewed for, Feng Lan didn’t need to say it explicitly because everyone already knew.
Everyone looked at Feng Ling.
At this moment, everyone had already walked into a pavilion. There were soft cushions on the chairs and fruits and snacks on the table.
Feng Ling sat on one of the wooden chairs, then smiled at everyone and asked, “Do you want to drink?”
The ladies were stunned at first, then looked at her expectantly.
“Priestess, can we drink?”
“Of course.”
Feng Ling looked at the head butler.
The head butler quickly said, “I’ll get someone to bring wine to the ladies immediately.”
With that, he went to give instructions.
Feng Ling glanced at everyone and said to them, “Everyone, be careful when you admire the flowers at night. Also, it’s best not to go to the lake. Be careful not to slip and fall. There’s no clothes here for you to change into.”
The ladies quickly replied, “Yes, Priestess.”
After responding, everyone went to admire the flowers.
Feng Ling continued sitting there without moving.
Feng Lan also sat over. She held Feng Ling’s arm and said in a wheedling tone, “Sister, since everyone has gone to admire the flowers, let’s go too.”
At this point, she lowered her voice and said, “Maybe those people are saying something behind our backs. Why don’t we go and listen?”
Feng Ling glanced at her and said lightly, “Go ahead. I’ll wait for the wine to come.”
Feng Lan seemed to struggle for a while before saying, “Alright, if anyone dares to criticize you behind your back, I’ll definitely help you teach them a lesson.”
After saying that, she let go of Feng Ling and walked towards the crowd.
Feng Ling watched as Feng Lan walked away and the corners of her lips curled up slightly. She called the head butler over and instructed him in a low voice.
The head butler quickly nodded and left.
Feng Ling had just sat in the pavilion for a while when a group of maidservants walked in with trays of wine.
The wine bottles were very exquisite blue and white porcelain bottles. They looked small, exquisite, and especially beautiful.
One of the maidservants carried a tray and walked up to Feng Ling.
Feng Ling took a wine bottle, a wine glass, and poured herself a cup.
The maids left after placing all the wine on the stone table.
Just as Feng Ling was about to drink her third cup, a woman walked in from outside the pavilion.
The person walked up to Feng Ling and bowed to her. “Priestess.”
“Yi Xuan, come and drink with me.”
Yi Xuan was the prime minister’s daughter. She was educated and reasonable, a typical lady from a wealthy family.
She walked leisurely to the stone table and similarly took a bottle and a wine cup. She came over and sat beside Feng Ling, pouring a cup of wine to toast Feng Ling.
“Priestess, Yi Xuan toasts you.”
Feng Ling clinked cups with her and the two of them drank a cup of wine each.
Only then did Feng Ling ask, “Everyone went to admire the flowers. Why didn’t you go?”
“Priestess, I…”
Yi Xuan stopped talking. After a while, she said with a red face, “Priestess, can I ask you a question?”
“Ask.”
“Erm… will the… king accept a consort?”
Feng Ling narrowed her eyes. “Why are you asking me about this?”
Yi Xuan immediately stood up and knelt in front of Feng Ling. “Priestess, I… I want to be the king’s consort. Please fulfill my wish.”
Feng Ling looked at the woman kneeling in front of her and realized that there was a black aura on her body. The corners of her lips curled up slightly. She suddenly tapped her forehead with her finger and said, “If you want to be the king’s consort, it’s useless to ask me. You have to ask if His Majesty agrees. Even if I agree, it’s useless if he doesn’t.”
“Uh?”
The moment the black aura on Yi Xuan was removed, her body suddenly trembled. She had never thought of revealing those thoughts in front of the priest. She quickly kowtowed to Feng Lan uneasily. “I crossed the line. Please don’t blame me, Priestess.”
“Get up.” Feng Ling stood up from her chair and said to Yi Xuan, “I’ll go see what the others are doing.”
As she spoke, she walked towards the corridor outside the pavilion.
Yi Xuan quickly followed. As she walked, she looked at Feng Ling uneasily and said, “Priestess, I… I was just spouting nonsense. Please… please don’t blame me.”
“Sure, but only if you help me do something later.”
“Okay.”
In another pavilion.
A few young ladies stood at the pavilion and admired the flowers as they discussed softly.
“Previously, I always thought that this Hundred Flower Garden was built by the king for the High Priestess to admire the flowers. I didn’t expect him to use these flowers to brew wine. The king really dotes on the Priestess.”
“I wonder if the king will take in consorts after he marries the High Priestess?”
At this moment, Yi Xuan walked over and said, “Even if the king wants to take in a consort, we don’t have much of a chance.”
“Why?”
The ladies were indignant.
“In terms of family background and looks, we’re not bad too. If the king wants to take in a consort, who else can he take in if not us?”
“Exactly. If the king really takes in a consort, I think all of us here will have a chance.”
Yi Xuan shook her head. “You’re wrong. Guardian Feng is the one with the greatest chance.”
When the ladies heard this, they all turned to look at her.
At the same time, they looked indignant.
“Why? Are our identities inferior to a Guardian?”
“That’s right. The Guardian and the High Priestess are twin sisters. They look so alike. How can the king still want the Guardian after he has the High Priestess?”
“Besides, the Guardian is equivalent to the daughter of a third-grade official. Her status is also so much different from that of the High Priestess.”
When she heard this, Feng Ling, who had been hiding, looked at the figure standing behind a pillar in the corridor on the other side. The smile on her face widened.
Feng Lan didn’t expect these women to view her like this behind her back.
She had always thought that her status was very high. She didn’t expect that in front of this group of women, she was actually inferior to them.
Especially since they actually said that there was a huge gap between her and Feng Ling.
These words made her lose her mind from jealousy and hatred. The black aura on her body couldn’t be blocked either.
She walked into the pavilion.
When the ladies heard footsteps, they subconsciously turned around.
Seeing that it was Feng Lan, the few of them were a little embarrassed. After all, it wasn’t proper for them to criticize others behind their backs.
The few of them looked at each other and were about to leave.
However, Feng Lan said in a smiling voice, “Sisters, why are you leaving? I happened to want to find someone to play with me.”
The ladies thought that since this person was the High Priestess’s sister, they had to give her face, so they stopped.
Yi Xuan also asked with a smile, “Guardian Feng, where do you want to go to play? The rain seems to be getting heavier now. You definitely can’t go pick flowers.”
“I’m not going to pick flowers. I just realized that the rain in the pavilion by the lake is an especially beautiful sight. Sisters, why don’t we go there to take a look?”
“Erm…”
The ladies were a little hesitant. The priestess had instructed them not to go to the lake just now.
Feng Lan glanced at them and suddenly said with a thoughtful expression, “It’s a pity if you don’t go take a look, sisters. The royal palace lake has beautiful scenery. Even at night, it’s so beautiful that it’s suffocating. If you don’t go take a look, you might never have a chance again.”
Feng Lan’s words made the women feel a little uncomfortable.
What did she mean by ‘might never have a chance again’?
Maybe the king would take them in as concubines and they could then see the scenery every day.
Did this person really think that the king would accept her as his consort and deliberately say these words in front of them?
At this moment, Yi Xuan stood up and said, “Since Guardian Feng said that the night scenery in the pavilion by the lake is very beautiful, why don’t we go take a look? Everyone can just not go to the lake.”
The others thought about it and agreed with her.
They followed Feng Lan into the lake pavilion.
The others were all in the other pavilions or admiring the flowers in the corridor. Feng Lan deliberately led them towards somewhere empty.
When they reached the lake, they couldn’t see anyone because of the forest.
When they reached the pavilion, the ladies realized that they couldn’t see anything at night.
“Guardian Feng, you’re toying with us. There’s no beautiful scenery here at all!”
“That’s right. It’s pitch-black everywhere. Where is the beautiful scenery?”
“Sisters, don’t be anxious. The crystal lamps aren’t lit here. Wait, I’ll get someone to light it immediately.”
After saying that, Feng Lan lifted her skirt and strode back.
When she reached a place where no one could see her, she stopped. She went behind a large tree, before coming out with Feng Ling’s appearance.
Feng Lan, who had turned into Feng Ling, revealed a sinister smile and walked into the pavilion.