dmims Chapter 27 That scoundrel has become handsome again!
Chapter 27 That scoundrel has become handsome again!
Shen Shixi rolled her eyes. There were so many people, why did they have to call her out? Wasn't this just asking for trouble?
It certainly stirred up a lot of hatred, especially among Consort Rong, who was almost in tears.
She had dressed up carefully today, spending nearly two hours, but the Emperor didn't even glance at her.
Is the Emperor's heart no longer with her at all?
He finds me boring, but he's wonderful with other people. Is he trying to hurt me like this?
Consort Rong was heartbroken and took a sip of tea in a sullen mood, regretting that the wine had not yet been served.
Consort De laughed and said, "Your Majesty's words are exactly the same as Consort Hui's. Could it be that you had discussed this beforehand?"
This was just a joke.
The emperor said "Oh," and then asked, "What did Consort Shen say?"
He didn't care at all what Hui Xiurong said.
Shen Shixi said, "I have received many rewards from the Empress Dowager and the Emperor these past two days. From now on, I will dress up like this every day to make the Emperor and the Consorts happy."
No one seemed happy except the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager bestowed a reward upon her, and she did not go out of her way to express her gratitude, but she could not remain silent either.
The emperor said, "I have rewarded you quite a bit in the past, but I have never seen you dress up much."
[This is so annoying! Why is this bastard getting more and more worked up? Why would I wear it in my own palace? When I'm at home, shouldn't I do whatever's most comfortable?]
"It was my fault. I will dress up better from now on!"
"Hmm, I've got it!" The emperor couldn't suppress the urge to smile as he saw her agitated.
The Empress Dowager glanced at the Emperor and laughed, "You're still young, like a flower bud. Wear whatever looks nice, make the most of it. But when I get to my age, even the prettiest clothes are just for looking at. If I actually wore them, I'd look like an old hag."
The concubines all laughed and cheered.
The Empress said, "Mother is not old at all; Mother is still young."
However, since the Empress Dowager was a widow, she could not touch any beautiful women.
Shen Shixi smiled and said, "Your Majesty is right! I haven't worn the jewelry you bestowed upon me yet; I'll wear it for you to see another day!"
The Empress Dowager said, "Good! When you were little, you always wore two pigtails and coral beads, sometimes pearl beads, looking like a little pink dumpling. Back then, I thought that when you grew up, you would wear some beautiful jewelry, and you would definitely look good! Seeing you today, it's indeed very nice!"
The Empress Dowager had seen countless beauties, but none could compare to the one before her.
Her beauty was exquisite, and her demeanor gentle and graceful.
She was the most graceful and alluring, with every smile and frown exuding charm and beauty.
Seeing this scene, no one felt good, except for the emperor.
Shen Shixi didn't eat lunch, so she took some snacks from the table and started eating.
Willow shooting involves peeling a piece of bark off a willow branch to expose a bit of white bark, tying a red knot to it, and using it as a target. Then, members of the royal family, sons of princes and ministers, and soldiers would ride horses and shoot at it.
This was originally a traditional custom, but since the Great Zhou Dynasty, it has become a military training program, with the royal family taking the lead in participating.
Today, Li Yuanke will also take to the field to shoot the first arrow.
Li Yuanke asked, "Didn't Consort Shen have lunch today?"
"Yeah, I was so busy sleeping that I didn't eat anything." It's mainly because I ate zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) this morning and it's not digesting well.
He said, "Send this crispy mountain and Qingfeng rice from my table to Consort Shen."
Well, I've stirred up another wave of hatred.
This crispy mountain is essentially the ice cream of this era. The cream is heated to a semi-melted state, shaped into a mountain, chilled, and drizzled with honey before being served.
Qingfeng Rice is a refreshing summer dish made with crystal rice, dragon crystal powder, and borneol.
Shen Shixi is not qualified to eat either of these two things.
Since she was given food, Shen Shixi didn't stand on ceremony. She thanked him and started eating.
I must say, it's actually quite delicious.
It's still very hot today, the wind chill is about 30 degrees Celsius, and it's still under the blazing sun. Even with some shade, the heat radiation is still very strong.
Watching the lively scene and enjoying an iced drink is quite pleasant.
The willow-shooting activity began, and the emperor was to go first. Shen Shixi, being very supportive, stopped eating and focused on watching him.
Li Yuanke wore a jade crown in his hair, a deep red cross-collar narrow-sleeved robe with gold-embroidered dragons and trim, a jade-inlaid belt around his waist, and tall boots. He had broad shoulders, long legs, and a tall, elegant figure.
He carried with him an imperial majesty, and his sharp temperament was like that of an invincible general who conquered the battlefield.
But he was born exceptionally handsome, with eyes like autumn water and bones like jade; he was truly a peerless beauty, unmatched in the world.
Shen Shixi heard herself swallow hard, and inwardly screamed like a groundhog.
[Aww, this jerk has gotten even more handsome! Who is he trying to seduce dressed like that? Waaaa, I want to pounce on him! I could sleep with him a hundred times a day and I wouldn't get tired of it!]
Li Yuanke's cool demeanor lasted only two seconds. Upon hearing these shocking words, he almost missed a step while descending the stairs.
He paused, then turned to look at Shen Shixi, who sat there dignified and composed, smiling calmly. If he ignored her burning gaze, he would really doubt that these thoughts were coming from her.
Why is he looking at me like that? Does he want to sleep with me too?
Li Yuanke quickly left, and after a certain distance, he could no longer hear it.
Cen Yin led the imperial horse over and handed over a large bow and a featherless arrowhead.
Featherless arrowheads are specially made arrows for shooting willows. The arrowheads are shovel-shaped, swallowtail-shaped, or willow-leaf-shaped. Compared with ordinary arrowheads, the feathers are removed, which enhances flight stability and makes them more suitable for close-range precision shooting.
Shooting willow branches requires some skill.
First, the wind was strong, causing the willow branches to sway and sway. Second, the person shooting the willows was riding a horse at full speed, which was equivalent to shooting a moving target from a hundred paces away.
Not only must you hit the target, but you must also break it.
After the arrow breaks, the archer must catch the willow branch before it hits the ground.
People thronged inside and outside Jinming Pond. At this time, the capital city must have been deserted as everyone gathered here.
All eyes were fixed on the person on the field.
Li Yuanke rode his horse around the training ground several times, constantly nocking arrows and aiming. After a few attempts, he increased his riding speed, and the horse galloped freely at his command.
When the arrow was nocked again, the bow was drawn to its fullest extent, and the arrow flew out with a whoosh.
As the arrow flew, Li Yuanke spurred his horse to gallop towards the willow branch, catching it in his hand before it hit the ground.
Such skill is truly admirable.
Thunderous cheers erupted from the stadium, with shouts of "Long live the Emperor!" echoing like a tsunami.
Shen Shixi was also very excited.
Once Li Yuanke stood on the stands, the arena quieted down. He said, "I have made the start; now it is up to you, my beloved ministers. The winner will be rewarded with one hundred taels of gold! Those without official positions will be granted substantive posts, and those with posts will be promoted one rank."
How difficult it is to get promoted even one rank!
Everyone was as excited as if they'd been injected with chicken blood.
When Li Yuanke returned to his position, he casually tossed the willow branch he had shot down to Shen Shixi.
Shen Shixi was speechless. What was she thinking? Was she going to borrow a vase from Guanyin to worship?
The other concubines were also speechless. The emperor had gone too far, only thinking about Consort Shen.
But with the Empress Dowager present, they didn't even dare to make jokes; everyone sat upright, like bodhisattvas.
Those who are able to participate today are mostly sons of noble officers and soldiers who have undergone selection, as well as palace guards, and a small number of sons of officials.
In the end, only three people came out on top: one was the heir of the Marquis of Changning, who was also Xu Murong's brother; another was Cen Yin; and the third was someone who surprised Shen Shixi, her elder brother Shen Shijin.