"That is your problem, Empress. It has nothing to do with zhen. Zhen only wants to see the result. You better start thinking of ways to get yourself out of this," after saying that, he glares at her for good measure before turning around and storming out.
"Hey, Your Majesty! Don't go!" calls Mo Qi Qi. Jun Qian Che does not even turn around and soon disappears from her sight.
Mo Qi Qi looks at the scrolls on the table forlornly, "Wuwuwu, you really likes bullying me, Jun Qian Che!" She already released the order to the residences of the nobles, how could she suddenly take it back now? Wouldn't that offend the nobles? On the other hand, she cannot afford to take Jun Qian Che's words lightly either. Ah, you are so cruel, Jun Qian Che~.
In the end, Mo Qi Qi sends messengers to the residences of the nobilities in the dead of the night, canceling the selection.
The noble young misses who are already prepared to enter the palace are heart-broken beyond words. And their fathers, who have been planning to climb a higher branch through their daughters, could only sigh while shaking their heads, quietly resenting the Empress.
Although many of the officials are unhappy with the Empress for the sudden cancelation, none dares to voice their complaints out of respect for her position and to Mo Clan.
The news of the cancelation spreads inside the palace as well. The concubines are all murmuring to each other, "I knew she isn't that generous!"
"I think this is just a plot from the Empress. She wanted to see which eligible young maidens have secret intentions towards His Majesty. And then, she will quietly pluck one by one out."
"I think you're actually right! The Empress is famous for her jealousy!"
"Hahaha—-" their palaces are filled with laughter and gossips. The cancelation of the selection is a good thing for them, after all.
Although the selection itself has been canceled, Mo Qi Qi's plan to find a diverting beauty for Jun Qian Che has not. Since Jun Qian Che cares about the ancestral rules, she will pick the beauties from other places.
Although there is a time limit for the official nation-wide selection, it is still possible to take in any beauty from outside and privately confer them a title if they suit the Emperor's taste. And so, Mo Qi Qi sends her people to test the waters outside the palace. She orders them to bring in any famous beauty, which she will then place next to Jun Qian Che. She does not believe he will not be moved.
Jun Qian Che is reading a book under the lantern when he sees a small eunuch leading a thinly dressed woman in.
When the beauty sees Jun Qian Che, the smile on her face deepens. She stares at him like a fool; she's heard rumors of how handsome the Emperor is. However, she is just a common girl. Never in her life had she expected to catch his eye and to be especially picked to enter the palace to serve him. Her heart thumps loudly. She gets shy when she sees his handsome face. Her face is pink now. She can die with no regret tomorrow, if she gets to serve this man in bed tonight.
Jun Qian Che frowns unhappily. How could a random woman simply enter his chamber?
The eunuch respectfully steps forward, "Your Majesty, this servant is following the Empress' order to send this beauty over, to serve you for the night."
When Jun Qian Che heard Mo Qi Qi's intention, he is so angry that he almost dropped his book. "Get lost," he says coldly.
The beauty immediately lowers her head in fear.
The eunuch gathers his courage to say, "Your Majesty, the Empress said that you have been working too hard. This servant needs to make sure that this beauty serves Your Majesty well to help Your Majesty relax." He pulls the maiden over by the sleeve and sends her a look.
As for the maiden, although she is scared of Jun Qian Che, she feels like she can die without regret if she gets to serve him. And so, she gathers her courage to approach him and speaks with a gentle voice, "Your Majesty, please let this commoner help you rest."
'Bang'
Jun Qian Che angrily slams the book on a table.
The maiden and the eunuch tremble in fear.
The eunuch immediately pulls the maiden over by the sleeve before saying, "Let's go, let's go." He quickly leads her out.
The next day, Mo Qi Qi begins interrogating the eunuch. The eunuch remembers the Emperor's anger timidly, "Please do not even bring it up, Your Ladyship. Last night, this servant brought the beauty in. His Majesty only spared her a glance before angrily telling us to get lost."
Mo Qi Qi is a little disappointed to hear that, "This Jun Qian Che really does not know how to appreciate beauty. Perhaps, it was the number that he was unhappy with. Tonight, take in two of them with you."
The eunuch looks at her hesitantly, "Two? That- that doesn't sound right, Your Ladyship."
"What isn't right about that? Didn't you say that His Majesty only kicked her out after giving her a glance? From the sound of it, it is not that His Majesty did not have the 'need', it's just that she didn't suit his taste. Tonight, bengong will personally pick the two ladies that we will send to serve him. Bengong hope that His Majesty will be satisfied with them. If he does, your future will be boundless!"
In the palace, everyone wants to climb higher. In this place, the higher one is, the better they are treated. If you have nothing, you will be treated like nothing as well.
And so, despite fearing Jun Qian Che, the small eunuch decides to try his luck anyway.
When the night comes, Jun Qian Che returns to his chamber after bathing, only to find the eunuch from yesterday, this time flanked by two ladies.
Jun Qian Che's anger rises once more. "This is from the Empress again?" asks Jun Qian Che coldly.
The eunuch does not dare to look at him in the face and can only nod with his head lowered, "Yes."
Jun Qian Che narrows his eyes before he snaps, "Get lost!"
The eunuch hastily leads the women away.
When Mo Qi Qi questions him the next day, the eunuch looks at her with a pained face, "Don't even ask, Your Ladyship. His Majesty did not even spare them a glance before kicking us out."
Mo Qi Qi is annoyed now. "What is wrong with this Jun Qian Che? Is he cold in that 'part'? Could it be that my method is wrong?" she mutters to herself. People says that cold-natured men who speaks little are all sexually frustrated. Could it be that he is tired of being served on a silver platter all the time and only likes active people on his bed? Haha, she will send two really active ones tonight, to fan the fire in his heart.
And so, Mo Qi Qi orders the eunuch to return again tonight.
The eunuch is so scared that he kneels on the ground. He really does not want to face the Emperor's wrath again.
Mo Qi Qi resorts to threat this time, "You are scared of His Majesty's wrath? Aren't you scared of bengong's? If His Majesty is angry, he will be furious at worst. Bengong, however, will not hesitate to take your life!"
He is one of the lowest-ranked eunuchs, he really cannot afford to offend the Empress. In the end, he can only bite the bullet and does the bidding.
Night comes and Jun Qian Che who had been busy all day retreats to his bed early. Unfortunately, he cannot sleep. Mo Qi Qi had been sending him women for the past two nights, will she pull some stunts again tonight? In the end, he can only lie on his bed, sleep completely evading him. When he thinks of the way she pushed him towards other women, a strange kind of fire burns inside his heart.