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Chapter 1945: Dragon’s Pearl?
Chapter 1945: Dragon’s Pearl?
Chapter 1945: Dragon’s Pearl?
Dragon’s pearl?
Attendant Zhou mentally asked the favored concubine system, “What’s the dragon’s pearl?”
“It’s a narrow vulva and slender vagina. The cervix wouldn’t be too deep inside,” the favored concubine system explained. “It will make men endlessly infatuated.”
Attendant Zhou blushed slightly at the explanation, yet was resolved to obtain it. The main connection between men and women was sex.
“My empress, we will return at noon to dine.” Zhao Xu reached out to lightly pat Ning Shu’s folded hands as they rested on her lap. “We’ll be going first to deal with government affairs.”
“This subject wife respectfully sees His Majesty off.” As Ning Shu stood up to curtsy, she sneered inwardly. Just a few moments earlier he didn’t give her face and now he was trying to use a meal to make up for it.
Ning Shu wanted to say, ‘Scram! You’d better not come.’ All he had to do was come over and pick up the chopsticks to eat, but she would have to do a ton to prepare.
After Zhao Xu left, only Ning Shu and Attendant Zhou remained in the room. Ning Shu carefully sized the woman up. The more she studied her, the more beautiful Attendant Zhou became. Her skin was excellent: there really wasn’t a single blemish.
It was like a top-quality sheep-fat white jade that carried a faint, healthy flush. What an amazing complexion.
Attendant Zhou couldn’t help but feel apprehensive as Ning Shu stared at her. After all, she was only a seventh-ranked concubine, she was still too weak to confront the empress.
“Qiu Ling, send Attendant Zhou over to the Palace of Moonlight. Tell Consort Zhuang to look after Attendant Zhou and that I hope they’ll become good friends,” Ning Shu told Qiu Ling. She then turned to Attendant Zhou and said, “You must be tired after attending to the emperor last night. Go back and rest.”
“This subject thanks Her Majesty for her kindness.” Attendant Zhou curtsied to her.
“And arrange for an instructor to teach Attendant Zhou the proper customs,” Ning Shu told Qiu Ling.
Attendant Zhou’s expression showed her embarrassment. She had to curtsy every other minute, yet now she was being disdained for bad form.
“Yes.” Qiu Ling curtsied to Ning Shu, then turned around and said to Attendant Zhou, “Attendant Zhou, please.”
Ning Shu watched Attendant Zhou walk away. Even with her back turned, she still looked elegant.
Ning Shu clicked her tongue twice. Love began with noticing a person’s attractive features, then grew in admiration of their talent, and finally became devotion to the other’s character.
The favored concubine system created an image of a devastatingly beautiful goddess concubine in Zhou Ningning. Everyone desired beauty, especially the emperor who was used to being surrounded by beautiful women. So she had to possess outstanding beauty.
But what could beauty alone achieve? She needed to master all kinds of skills and learn a great deal of knowledge across various subjects to set herself apart. She had to be able to recite Tang poetry, Song verses, and Yuan opera. She had to be capable of discussing ancient philosophies, from Confucian classics to Taoism, and be well versed in the four arts. All this was necessary to create the ideal, learned woman.
A woman whose work was exquisite: whose embroidered flowers attracted butterflies and whose cooking skill rivaled even that of the imperial kitchen’s imperial chef. A woman whose very presence suppressed her rivals.
When the male lead saw this, he’d be like: ‘Oh my! My woman is both beautiful and talented, a boon to my reputation! The poems she writes are even sought after by gifted scholars!’
Whatever the topic of the day, she needed to be able to expand on it. There were many women in the inner palace. The empress was always lofty and dignified, out of fear that her prestige would decline. Meanwhile, other women were either only pretending to be sincere or were extremely stupid. It was only when he was with this woman that his spirit was truly liberated.
This was love!
But a love that had never been tested could not be called love. Every time the male lead was in danger, the favored concubine system issued a task that allowed the female lead to act like a martyr—she would dash forward to block knives and blades for the male lead.
When the male lead saw that he would say, ‘Oh my, how deeply moving!’ This inner palace woman was willing to die for him. Which other would be so brave as to risk her safety when his life was in danger? The women in the inner palace loved his status, his prestige, and great wealth. But this woman alone loved him for who he truly was.
And so, affection took root and grew. This woman alone was enough to satisfy him in this life, the presence of others were all hindrances to the existence of their love.
Translator: Kiara