The Captivating Crown Prince

(20) The Emperor's Concubines

The luxurious Great Hall was full of ministers and their families sitting inside. The brightly dressed women were sitting beside their respective parents, frequently looking over the rich young masters. At the top of the Great Hall were seated several Imperial concubines. Though the emperor had many concubines, there were only three present today. Emperor Shang was wearing a bright yellow informal robe, sitting at the highest seat. His pair of shrewd eyes were brimming with strength as he occasionally glanced at several ministers. Those ministers appeared respectful, but in fact, they were all a little afraid.

"Your Majesty, everyone's gathered. We might as well begin!" Consort Xin said with a smile as she looked the emperor. She was wearing a purple palace attire, while her face was finely made up, making her appear sweet and charming. Her hair was rolled up in a bun, supported by a golden pearl hairpin that sparkled and dazzled the eyes. She was separately decorated with numerous other pearl and jade ornaments, entirely covered in jewels.

Consort Xin had a son and a daughter. Her son was the third prince Shang Chengying, while her daughter was the eldest princess Shang Qinmi. Consort Xin was an arrogant and willful mistress within the palace, often acting like a spoiled child irrespective of the occasion. Yet emperor Shang had never shown any discontent with her. After all, ever since knowing Empress Qiu, he had never visited another consort's chambers again. Even though Empress Qiu had been dead for 13 years now, he had never called upon any concubine to serve him in bed.

"Everyone? There's still someone who's not here. The East Palace's Crown Prince has actually not come to the Emperor birthday. That's highly improper!" Consort Qin stated resentfully. She was wearing a snow white flowing brocade dress, while her beautiful hair was left down. Her pretty face looked a bit charming and her demeanor was stylish. But when she mentioned the crown prince, her glossy eyes darkened with hatred.

Consort Qin was an elder at the palace. At the time the emperor was still a crown prince, she was already his side consort, so she was also the first one to give birth to a prince. Unfortunately, her child hadn't been conferred the title of Crown Prince. Consort Qin only had this son, the eldest prince Shang Chenzhao.

Consort Qin's words made everyone take a look around the Great Hall, but they didn't find the rumored crown prince. Their hearts were unavoidably full of doubts; could the rumors among the commoners from the previous days be false? Was the crown prince still that worthless crown prince they knew?

Huan Mo Che's brows creased for a brief moment, finding Consort Qin's words too harmful to the crown prince. So his circumstances had always been this difficult. Thinking of that graceful and keen youngster growing up in such a dirty environment, Huan Mo Che was suddenly filled with disgust for Consort Qin. So much that he felt like saying a few words in chastisement to her. If it weren't for his formidable self-control, he would've probably really done so. However, why did he want to do such a thing? Just because he was the crown prince's mentor?

Leng Yufeng determined that the crown prince really wasn't inside the Great Hall and couldn't help but wonder. He obviously saw him enter at the palace gates, but the crown prince wasn't currently here. What had actually happened? Could it be that he had run into some problem, or did simply not wish to attend the birthday banquet? Saying things like the crown prince being afraid and similar guesses, Leng Yufeng couldn't accept those as true, because the look in the crown prince's eyes was as fearsome as those of the wild beasts he had seen before. What would that kind of person be afraid of?

Consort Qin smiled complacently. After the crown prince had schemed against her son in the streets, Minister Bai had really come to the emperor to say that the eldest prince wasn't well-mannered. His Majesty had ordered her son to stay put in his residence and reflect. He wasn't allowed to go out even for the emperor's birthday. It had turned Consort Qin into a target for ridicule by the other concubines in the Imperial palace.