Chapter 330: Chapter 148: The Empress’ Heart Inquiry Again! The Empress’ New World Gate!_3
As long as the red silk appears, all the Dao Power will be completely sealed, reduced to a mere mortal unable to even truss a chicken.
Aside from that, she found that her inner self had also quietly changed.
The original Yu Youhan was cold, determined, extremely self-serving, and wouldn’t stop until her goal was achieved.
But now she has become hesitant, sensitive, and plagued by gains and losses.
It was the same back on the Flying Boat.
In the past, she would never have done such an absurd thing.
Yet at the time, she was overwhelmed by an inexplicable jealousy, almost putting herself in danger.
And all of this is because of Chen Mo.
That dog-like lackey always managed to stir her emotions, making her forget to weigh the pros and cons, choosing "wrongly" time and again.
Recalling Ji Hongxiu’s words about her "unstable Dao Heart," Yu Youhan sighed faintly.
"Even that crazy woman could see it. Indeed, it is my Heart Demon..."
"Why does Your Majesty sigh?" Xu Qingyi asked aloud.
"Nothing." Yu Youhan shook her head, suddenly thinking of something, and asked thoughtfully, "By the way, where did you hear about oxen dying of exhaustion in the field, ’reap what you sow,’ and things like that?"
"..."
Xu Qingyi’s cheeks turned red, and she stammered, "That, that was something I read in a storybook, Your Majesty, why are you suddenly asking about this?"
Yu Youhan asked curiously, "What storybook, bring it for me to see."
?
Xu Qingyi was stunned, puzzled, "Your Majesty, what would you want to see such things for?"
"I’m just bored and passing the time."
"But..."
"Go and get it, why so wordy?"
"Yes..."
Xu Qingyi got up and left.
After dawdling for half an hour, she came back with a pale yellow booklet, presenting it with both hands.
"Your Majesty, it’s all here..."
Yu Youhan reached out, took it, flipped through it casually, her eyes slightly paused, looking at Xu Qingyi with a bit of surprise.
"There are illustrations too?"
"..."
Xu Qingyi lowered her head, her face flushed red.
Yu Youhan looked through it for a while, her expression growing weirder.
This storybook titled "Deep Palace Resentment" tells a story of a romance between a palace servant trapped in the deep palace and a military officer in the court, who pledge their lives to each other.
The book contained various daring and explicit descriptions that make one’s heart race just by reading it, and the cover page even has illustrations... Yu Youhan thought her own play with the Ink Treasure was bold enough, yet compared to the book, it was nothing but child’s play!
"The thirty-second tale, the little palace servant meets the high-ranking gentleman at night, hesitant rain and shy clouds, love lingers."
"...It shows Miss Xu You lying on her back, raising her legs high, with Mr. Chen kneeling behind her thighs, holding her legs resting on his shoulders, with a forward thrust..."
"Your Majesty, don’t, don’t read it out loud!"
Xu Qingyi wished she could find a hole to hide in.
Yu Youhan closed the book, frowned, "Isn’t this considered a forbidden book in the palace? Qingyi, where did you get this from?"
Xu Qingyi’s fingers intertwined, softly replied, "These were confiscated from other palace servants, I barely looked at them..."
She was telling the truth.
Even though such "dirty books" were banned, numerous palace servants and eunuchs circulated them privately.
My palace life is so dreary, almost devoid of any entertainment, so this was one of their few mental sustenances.
Xu Qingyi initially confiscated them when spotted, but later she realized it was uncontrollable, so she just let it be.
One day, out of curiosity, she perused a bit and was so flustered that she burned them all in haste.
Yet, not knowing why, she kept this book "Deep Palace Resentment" alone...
Yu Youhan sternly said, "As the Director of the palace, you should lead by example; how could you privately hoard such obscene items?"
Xu Qingyi lowered her head, "I know my fault."
Yu Youhan waved her hand, the storybook disappeared, "I’ve disposed of it for you, considering it’s your first offense, I shall not hold it against you, but do not do it again."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your leniency."
"You may go."
"Yes."
Xu Qingyi looked shamefaced as she bowed and retreated.
After she left, Yu Youhan raised her hand, and the yellow booklet reappeared from thin air.
She opened the cover page and continued reading.
"...As the clouds disperse and the rain abates, Mr. Chen holds the beauty in his arms, softly saying: You’er, don’t worry, I’ll find a way to take you out of the palace, with an eight-carriage sedan chair, a proper marriage, to make you a legitimate Lady Chen in the light of day!"
"Miss You was deeply moved, her beautiful eyes rippling with emotion, her legs clasped around the man’s waist, tenderly said: Dear Lord, there’s still time, love me once more..."
As she read, Yu Youhan found the illustrations were becoming blurred, and the male’s face seemed to transform into Chen Mo, while the female’s became herself...
Coming back to her senses, her cheeks blushed crimson, and she tossed the book into the corner like a hot potato.
"What a lousy book!"
...
...
After leaving Zhao Hua Palace, Chen Mo intended to visit the Frozen Sky Palace to see the Empress.
But after waiting at the Qianqing Gate for quite a while, Xu Qingyi did not appear.
Eventually, a palace servant came to relay that the Empress was in meditation and couldn’t meet guests, suggesting he come another day.
"Don’t tell me the Empress is still upset?"
Last time on the Flying Boat, they were almost caught by Ji Hongxiu, and he also stained the Empress with ink, which was indeed quite awkward...
But this couldn’t be blamed on him, either; everything happened so unexpectedly, and the Empress inexplicably ended up tied up.
Thinking back to the illustrations he had seen in the game and the unexpectedly triggered hidden event, he could guess somewhat, but couldn’t quite understand the workings of that red silk.
That thing was beyond his control, yet it seemed that he was the only one who could unravel it, which was quite bizarre...
"Forget it, I’ll think about it later,"
Chen Mo shook his head in resignation, turned around, and left.
After leaving the Imperial Palace, he glanced at the sky; it was almost 5 p.m. He decided against going back to the Government and headed straight to the Imperial Music Bureau.
He remembered well that Gu Manzhi promised him a surprise the next time he visited...