The Tyrant’s Drama Queen Empress

CHAPTER 24: I Want It All

　　Shen Ling’s swollen lips healed in two days. During that time, she had to avoid spicy, sour, and super hot foods, sticking to bland meals, which nearly drove her crazy with craving. Now that she was fully healed, she immediately ordered quite a few dishes she had been craving from the Imperial Kitchen.

　　After finishing her meal, Shen Ling let out a long, satisfied sigh. What a heavenly life this was, so carefree and joyful. Even if it was just for the exquisite dishes prepared by the Imperial Chefs, she had to live long enough to enjoy them. Good food was never to be wasted.

　　Seeing Shen Ling eat so much, Liu Zhu still couldn’t help but caution her. After all, the palace’s concubines usually ate very little, and it was rare to see someone with Shen Ling’s hearty appetite.

　　Liu Zhu said, “Your Grace, should I call the Imperial Physician? Lately you’ve been eating more than before, going from one and a half bowls to two bowls. Will this affect your health?” She hinted delicately, “Your figure is already perfect, not a bit more or less.”

　　Liu Zhu was worried Shen Ling might gain weight.

　　Shen Ling replied, “No need. I just have a bigger appetite. Don’t worry about me getting fat. Have you ever seen me gain weight no matter how much I eat? Of course not.” If there was one thing Shen Ling was most satisfied with about her body, it was that no matter how much she ate, she never got fat.

　　Although Xie Yuanxun jokingly teased that she had gained weight, Shen Ling firmly believed it was just normal changes from taking care of her body. After all, before entering the Palace, she had only just been brought from the countryside by the Shen family.

　　Shen Ling stood and went outside for a walk to aid digestion. The palace servants of Chang Le Palace all performed their duties diligently, supervised meticulously by Liu Zhu. Plus, Shen Ling, as the mistress of Chang Le Palace, treated them kindly and never struck or punished them on a whim. This made them slightly bolder, at least daring to laugh and chat in the Palace, unlike when Shen Ling first arrived, when everything had been so grim and silent.

　　She noticed two maids huddled together, heads down, fiddling with something in their hands. Curious, she walked over and saw that each of them was holding a paper kite. Shen Ling suddenly reached out and took the one decorated with a little bird.

　　“Did you make this yourselves?” she asked curiously.

　　The maid bowed, “Yes, Your Grace.”

　　Shen Ling examined the kite carefully. “It’s very well done. Where do you plan to fly it?”

　　The two maids glanced at each other nervously. One whispered, “Your Grace, flying kites is forbidden in the Palace right now. We just made them to look at, not to actually fly.”

　　Shen Ling frowned slightly. Making kites without flying them? How did that make sense? A kite only became a kite when it soared in the sky. She was about to tell them to go fly the kites, but then she remembered what the maid had said. Flying kites was apparently forbidden in the Palace? She decided it was better to find out why first before saying anything, so as not to accidentally break some taboo.

　　Shen Ling asked, “So flying kites is forbidden now. Does that mean it used to be allowed? Why not anymore?”

　　The maid’s voice dropped even lower. “A while back, there was a Zhaoyi who flew a kite in the Palace. Somehow, the kite accidentally landed right in front of His Majesty...”

　　Shen Ling’s eyes lit up.

　　Oh, she got it. This was that Zhaoyi who had tried to use kite-flying as a way to flirt with Xie Yuanxun. Totally a scheme. So next, the Zhaoyi probably shyly went up to His Majesty to get her kite back.

　　The maid continued, “When the Zhaoyi approached His Majesty to retrieve her kite, he stepped on her fingers, broke them, and then made her eat the kite.”

　　Shen Ling’s face froze.

　　Perfect. She guessed the beginning correctly but had no idea the ending would be so… Xie Yuanxun-style.

　　The maid added, “Since then, no one in the Palace has flown kites again. I just happen to have the skills to make them, and I couldn’t resist, so I made these. Your Grace, don’t worry, I’ll destroy them immediately.”

　　Shen Ling said, “They look so beautiful, it would be such a waste to destroy them.” If this craftsmanship existed in the modern world, it could easily be displayed in an exhibition.

　　She looked up at the sky—bright blue, gentle breeze—and thought it was perfect kite-flying weather. Since she had to move around anyway to work off her meal, she might as well go fly a kite.

　　But first, Shen Ling decided to send someone to the Taiji Hall to see if Xie Yuanxun would come. After all, he had been the reason kite-flying had fallen out of favor in the Palace. She definitely didn’t want him thinking she was trying to imitate that Zhaoyi and end up with broken fingers.

　　Shen Ling didn’t expect Xie Yuanxun to come, so she planned to have fun flying the kite alone. Yet when the messenger returned, they brought “good news.”

　　“Your Grace, His Majesty said he’ll come later to fly kites with you and that we should all make sure to take good care of you.”

　　Shen Ling gave a dry laugh. She accepted the news that Xie Yuanxun was coming with a heavy heart. She really wanted to know if he treated her like catnip—couldn’t go a day without “sniffing” her or he’d be uncomfortable. She lifted her arm and sniffed—no minty scent at all.

　　Well, if Xie Yuanxun was coming, he was coming. No point resisting, so she might as well lie back and let him do what he wanted.

　　Shen Ling had the palace maid make a kite for her. The maid nodded happily and got to work. The materials came from the best supplies in Chang Le Palace, and the design was a pretty little serving girl. Shen Ling was very pleased and carried her kite out to the Imperial Garden.

　　She found a spacious spot in the garden and, with Liu Zhu’s help, tried a few times before finally getting the kite into the air. At first, she was the only one flying, but the empty space felt too vast. She called the other palace maids over. They dared not come close to Shen Ling, so they stayed at the edges to fly their kites.

　　Jing Fēi saw the kites in the sky and said, clearly annoyed, “Who’s looking for trouble? Don’t they know what happened to the last person who flew a kite?”

　　Nanny Zhou looked at Jing Fēi. She had heard the news before Jing Fēi did. “Your Grace, it’s Chang Le Palace’s Bao Fei leading the group to fly kites in the Imperial Garden.”

　　Jing Fēi’s eyes narrowed. “Her? She really is getting carried away. Does she really think His Majesty won’t get angry just because she’s flying kites? Come on, Nanny, let’s go to the garden too.”

　　Nanny Zhou sighed. She thought, His Majesty wasn’t angry about the kite itself. What annoyed him was someone using kite-flying as an excuse to get close to him. That Zhaoyi from before had brought it on herself, and now who knew which corner of the Palace she was hiding in.

　　Jing Fēi’s excitement got the better of her, and Nanny Zhou couldn’t stop her. She followed Jing Fēi to the garden, but before leaving, she asked her to bring some gifts.

　　Jing Fēi frowned. “Why should I bring her gifts?”

　　Nanny Zhou Zhou was speechless. What else could it be? Of course, it's because you're acting like a villain looking for trouble, and you can't even play the villain properly!

　　Giving Shen Ling a gift would make her feel obligated to accept it. Even if Jing Fēi said something unpleasant, the two wouldn't have a major falling out. Do you even understand the social dynamics?

　　Nanny Zhou explained, “Bao Fei is a shrewd person. If she’s out here flying kites, that means she already cleared it with His Majesty. She won’t leave any loose ends.” So this time, Jing Fēi probably wouldn’t get the reaction she wanted. Shen Ling was now a consort on the same level as her. They couldn’t treat her like a low ranking concubine anymore.

　　Jing Fēi frowned, her voice turned sour. “Who says she even asked His Majesty? Maybe she doesn’t know what happened with that Zhaoyi.”

　　Nanny Zhou shook her head. “Even if she didn’t know, her head palace maid, Liu Zhu, would have reminded her.”

　　Jing Fēi got furious. “Nanny! Why are you speaking for her? Are you my nanny or hers?”

　　Jing Fēi had been very spoiled back at the Prime Minister’s Manor. Although she was afraid of Xie Yuanxun after entering the Palace, she was Jing Fei, a consort with a high rank. She was very self-centered and only wanted to hear what she wanted to hear. She rarely listened to other people's advice.

　　Even when Jing Fēi was angry, Nanny Zhou couldn’t let her truly offend Shen Ling. So, as usual, she calmly soothed her. “Your Grace, I am your nanny. Of course I think of your best interest.”

　　Jing Fēi frowned. “Then why are you asking me to give her gifts? You know I don’t want to. If I do it, everyone will think I’m afraid of her.”

　　Nanny Zhou stayed calm. “Your Grace, you are mistaken. Giving gifts will show her the strength of your family, something she, born to a Minister’s household, cannot compare with. It will make her see the difference between you and her.”

　　Jing Fēi clapped her hands. “You’re right. I must give her gifts.”

　　Nanny Zhou nodded. No matter the reasoning, the result was the same—Jing Fēi would follow her advice.

　　Jing Fēi smirked. “Nanny, take the jewelry from my vanity, the pieces the late Emperor gave me. I want to show them all off to her. She can drool all she wants, but she won’t get a single piece.”

　　Nanny Zhou, “.....” I can’t carry all that.

　　…..

　　Shen Ling’s arms were tired, so she handed her kite to Liu Zhu and flopped down to rest. Just then, Jing Fēi arrived with a large entourage.

　　Seeing Shen Ling resting, Jing Fēi froze. “Why aren’t you flying your kite? Hurry up! I came all this way just to watch you fly it.”

　　In Jing Fēi’s mind, if Shen Ling didn’t personally fly the kite, how could she report her misdeeds? What did it matter if the palace maids flew it? It wasn’t the palace maids she cared about—those didn’t count.

　　Shen Ling replied calmly, “I’ve already flown it. I’m resting now.”

　　Jing Fēi hurriedly said, “No, you need to go fly it again.”

　　A helpless look flashed in Nanny Zhou’s eyes. She had known this would happen. Every instruction she gave along the way had completely gone in one ear and out the other.

　　Shen Ling raised an eyebrow. “And why exactly should I listen to you?”

　　Jing Fēi pouted. “Because… because… I brought gifts for you.”

　　Shen Ling blinked. “Huh?”

　　—Isn’t this just like a weasel wishing a hen a happy new year, clearly up to no good?

　　Shen Ling frowned. “But what does me flying a kite have to do with you bringing me gifts?” It made no sense at all. She was just flying a kite, not launching a rocket. Why was Jing Fēi making such a big deal out of it?

　　Thinking fast, Jing Fēi said, “How could it not be related? Haven’t you met your mother, Madam Jiang? She must have told you to ask me to take extra care of you. But since you’ve always stayed in Chang Le Palace, I didn’t want to disturb you. Now that you’ve come out, I thought of your mother’s words. And since I happen to have the jewelry the late Emperor gave me, which you’ve never seen, I thought I’d bring it for you to look at.”

　　Shen Ling was speechless. Madam Jiang asked Jing Fēi to take care of her? It was more like she wanted Jing Fēi to kill her! Shen Ling knew perfectly well that Madam Jiang didn’t like her. She didn’t believe that entering the Palace would change her mother’s opinion one bit.

　　Seeing that Shen Ling didn't object when she mentioned Madam Jiang, Jing Fēi smiled. Looks like Shen Ling really does listen to her mother. What she didn’t know was that Shen Ling had never even seen Madam Jiang the day she entered the Palace.

　　Jing Fēi said, “Look at these. Aren’t they delicate and beautiful?”

　　Shen Ling’s interest was piqued. She leaned over, examining the jewelry in the box, and nodded. “Yes, they’re pretty.” Two of them were even as exquisite as the ones Xie Yuanxun had given her.

　　Jing Fēi thought Shen Ling must be completely dazzled by them. She smoothed the hairpin on her head. “I knew you’d like them. It's just a pity you haven't received any gifts from the late Emperor. So, do you want to pick one?” she said with thinly veiled malice.

　　After all, Jing Fēi was only letting Shen Ling pick. She hadn’t said she would actually give her anything. She was just waiting for Shen Ling to get excited for nothing.

　　Shen Ling picked up one piece, then another, and another, until she finally grabbed all of them in her hands. “Pick? I like them all. I’ll take every single one!”

　　Jing Fēi almost popped her eyes out. “What did you say?”

　　Shen Ling smiled. “Why are you so surprised? You brought them here for me, didn’t you? A gift only counts once it’s in my hands. Did you think just letting me look at them counts as giving me a gift?”

　　Jing Fēi froze, “..…” Right, that’s exactly what I was thinking.

　　Shen Ling clutched the jewelry tightly. “You can think what you want, but they’re mine now.”

　　Jing Fēi screamed, “All of them? How come you didn’t steal them sooner?!”

　　Shen Ling put on an innocent face. “I am stealing them.”

　　Jing Fēi’s mouth went dry. “…..” What do you mean by that, with that innocent look?

　　She was just about to say she wouldn’t give them, when Shen Ling narrowed her eyes. “You don't actually want to give them to me, do you? Are you that stingy?”

　　Stingy? Shen Ling just called her stingy? Jing Fēi felt like someone had stepped on her tail. She snorted. “Do you think I’m you? If you want them, you can have them.”

　　Shen Ling nodded. “Alright then, I’ll take them. My mother asked you to take care of me, and you've done a great job.”

　　Jing Fēi froze. Wait a minute, had she done something stupid? She only wanted to show off a little, she never meant to actually hand over the jewelry the late Emperor gave her. And she wasn’t even trying to ‘take care’ of Shen Ling! She just wanted Shen Ling to obey her! Nanny Zhou’s face nearby looked like it was about to collapse.

　　Jing Fēi was reluctant to part with them, and she steeled herself to try and get them back. But when she met Shen Ling’s half-smile, half-smirk, she glared and stomped away. “It’s just some jewelry. Only someone from a family with little wealth like yours would treat them like treasures. Hmph.”

　　After walking a distance, Jing Fēi was furious. She didn't think she had done anything wrong. She glared at Nanny Zhou. “You told me to give her the gift! And now they’re all gone!”

　　Nanny Zhou stayed silent. Sure, she’d said give a gift, but she never told Jing Fēi to parade the late Emperor’s jewelry in front of Shen Ling.

　　Instead of showing them off, she had lost them all.

　　Jing Fēi spun on her heel. “No, I can’t just let her have them. I’ll take them back. Once I do, we’ll make sure His Majesty knows she’s flying kites. Even if she doesn’t end up like that Zhaoyi with the broken hand, she’ll at least fall out of favor.”

　　Shen Ling handed the jewelry she got from Jing Fēi to Liu Zhu, then ran off to fly her kite. But suddenly, the wind shifted, and Shen Ling didn’t react fast enough.

　　The kite tumbled down, landing right in front of Xie Yuanxun.

　　He paused mid-step, lowering his gaze to the kite on the ground.

　　The palace attendants around him knelt silently. Shen Ling looked at him, her voice cautious. “Your Majesty?”

   

  

Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter