Title: The Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir
Chapter: 004 out of 513 – Since you’re here, you might as well accept it (2)
The room was silent for a while. The two honored concubines didn’t speak. Instead, a woman that was wearing a purple and yellow long dress and farthest on the left side spoke first, “Oh, even older sister has a day where she has to salute to us. I wouldn’t have expected this to happen even if I was dreaming.”
Ji Man glanced at her. This woman was so conspicuous. She had the same lowly concubine status as her and she was also originally from a brothel, but she dared to speak without waiting for the honored concubines. What was her name? Mu Shuqing?
Mu Shuqing was given to Marquis Moyu by the crown prince, so she had a strong supporter and her conduct was slightly more brazen. Anyways, the other women couldn’t do anything to her. Ji Man remembered that this woman and Nie Sangyu were as incompatible as fire and water. Whenever one of them saw the other person, they would inevitably snap at each other like dogs.
With Mu Shuiqing taking the initiative, the rest of the women didn’t say anything. The two honored concubines also didn’t signal for her to rise from her salute. Ji Man could only make the decision to straighten up.
Then, she glanced at Mu Shuqing and said, “Younger sister, those words are faulty. The wheel of fortune is always changing. Who won’t have a day when they need to lower their head? If it’s time to lower your head, then you should do so. Right now, the honored concubines have a higher status than me. It couldn’t be more normal for me to salute them in greeting. There’s no need to be surprised.”
When she heard these words, Honored Concubine Ling was surprised. “You’ve really shown progress. Did you really think things through just because the marquis locked you up for a few days?”
Ji Man nodded. She was a person that had already foreseen her ending. How could she not think things through?
“This is good thing.” Honored Concubine Xue lightly coughed. She used a handkerchief to cover her mouth and said, “Today is the marquis’s wedding day and our household will be welcoming another madam. It’s for the best that you can let go of the past. Come over here and wait with us.”
Ji Man nodded. She looked left and right and saw that she could only stand next to Mu Shuiqing.
If she were the real Nie Sangyu, who had to serve tea to her man’s new lover after being demoted from the main wife to a concubine, it would have been justifiable for her to resort to violence because of emotional distress. Fortunately, she was Ji Man. She didn’t have any feelings toward the current situation. These women were much easier to deal with than clients at work.
The room was silent again. Ji Man looked around. The main room was empty except for them. Compared to the lively sounds of gongs and drums outside, it was extremely quiet inside. The mood even seemed slightly sad.
When she thought about it, she could understand. This entire room was filled with Marquis Moyu’s women. How can a woman be happy watching her man getting married?
They had already been standing here for a long time and Ji Man was overcome with boredom when the lively sounds from outside finally entered the room. Ji Man raised her head and saw a woman that was escorted inside by the crowd. The woman seemed haloed in golden light.
Of course, this definitely wasn’t the bride. From the nine phoenixes that were embroidered on her dress, she was probably the empress. The old madam wasn’t here and Marquis Moyu’s father had prematurely died on a battlefield. Since there weren’t any elders, the empress had come here to be the guest performer to convey friendly feelings.
Ji Man’s didn’t like the empress at first sight. This woman seemed lifeless without even a hint of a smile. No wonder the emperor still didn’t favor her even thought she given birth to the crown prince.
The women kneeled down to pay their respects to the empress, so Ji Man followed them in kneeling. The empress said conventional words to them. The general idea was that they had worked hard in serving the marquis. Now that a new wife had come, they had to get along with her. It would be disadvantageous if they didn’t.
The group of women said they understood in unison. Ji Man followed the other women with standing up and walking to the side without making the slightest mistake.
However, when she inadvertently looked up, her eyes met the empress’s slightly cold gaze.
Ji Man felt a cool breeze sweeping down her back. She hastily lowered her head. Oh my god, had Nie Sangyu even offended the empress? The author had used her pen to mostly write about the male lead and female lead, so Ji Man really didn’t know what Nie Sangyu had done in the past. Now that she had been brought over here a scapegoat, this was really too cruel!
“The bride is entering, lift the skirt, splash the good fortune water, pull the knotted red ribbon…”
The empress finally looked away from her and towards the entrance when an older female servant called out from outside.
Ji Man secretly raised her head to take a look.
Ning Yuxuan was wearing a crimson robe. He maintained a serious expression as his face was splashed with good fortune water. But, he couldn’t hide the joy in his eyes that stealthily went from the corners of his eyes to the tip of his eyebrows.
The book had said he was an incomparable gentleman with an appearance that resembled a celestial being with the attractiveness of jade. It had sounded too abstract. Ji Man carefully looked him over. Marquis Moyu was worthy of his reputation. He had been born with a good appearance. He had a figure that looked as if it was drawn with a knife and peach blossom eyes. Combined with his habitually solemn expression, he was truly enticing in his asceticism.
His eyes seemed like clear water that reflected the waves of sunlight. However, when his gaze met hers, the clear water froze into ice. Ji Man raised an eyebrow. She was already conscientiously and obediently waiting here to offer tea. Why did he still look as if he loathed her?