Chapter 38: Concubine Zhen
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“Your Ladyship, I have brought Li San,” Liu Li announced, leaving Li San to wait outside Bishui Pavilion as she entered the main hall to report.
Inside the hall, behind a screen painted with delicate ink landscapes, a noblewoman dressed in luxurious violet robes reclined on a couch, reading a Buddhist scripture. Upon hearing Liu Li’s words, she sat up and said, “Bring him in. Ming’er has been quite mysterious in his letter. I’m curious to see what this ‘perfume’ he mentioned is.”
With that, Consort Zhen rose and, assisted by two maids, made her way to the main hall, where she took a seat on a redwood chair.
At this moment, Liu Li called for Li San to enter.
“Your humble servant from the Qi Prince’s estate pays his respects to Consort Zhen,” Li San said, bowing deeply without daring to look up.
Seeing Li San dressed in coarse, tattered clothing, Consort Zhen frowned slightly. “Since you are Ming’er’s man, there’s no need to be so formal. Ming’er mentioned something about perfume in his letter. Is it true?”
Li San finally dared to look up and saw a woman of extraordinary grace seated before him. She had phoenix eyes, willow-leaf eyebrows, a face as fair as powdered jade, and lips as red as cinnabar. Though not a beauty capable of toppling kingdoms, she was undoubtedly stunning.
It was said that Consort Zhen, originally named Yun Xin’er, hailed from Suzhou in the Great Yu Empire. Her father, Yun Shang, had been a seventh-rank magistrate in Taiping County, Suzhou. Twenty years ago, when the Empress Dowager was selecting concubines for Emperor Wenxuan, all officials with daughters were required to present them as candidates. Yun Xin’er had been chosen during this selection and quickly won the emperor’s favor. Within a decade, she had risen to the rank of Consort Zhen. However, in the ever-shifting world of the imperial harem, where new faces constantly replaced the old, Consort Zhen’s influence had waned over time.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Li San replied, “Your Ladyship, I have been sent by His Highness to deliver both the perfume and the Drunken Qingzhou wine.”
“Where are the items?” Consort Zhen asked.
Liu Li answered, “Your Ladyship, His Highness has sent quite a lot this time. I had a few eunuchs bring them over. They should be here soon.”