The Ugly Empress by Yun Guo Shi Fei / 丑娘娘 by 云过是非

Chapter 4 - Probing

I'd decided to put the tag 'gender-bender' on the details page. Maybe I won't be getting many readers (compared to when I worked on My Wangfei), but I'm more concerned that people won't feel tricked. 

I wasn't keen on gender-bender either, but in this novel, I've never felt bothered by it. The author still writes Teng Yun as a man. Teng Yun is still a 'he', and never even once he is called a 'she' unless the author refers to the real empress whose body Teng Yun borrows. 

I've tried my best to stick to the author's writing style, but I'm worried that I don't do a good job of it. That's why I'm relieved that at least one reader commented that they don't find the gender-bender too obvious.

I really, truly hope you guys enjoy reading this novel. So, enough ranting, here's chapter 4.

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Teng Yun looked at the bowl of fish soup on the table and asked, "I've had fish soup at lunch."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Said Xiu Yao, "You're from Feng, and most Feng people like fresh fish dishes, so the kitchen make an effort to prepare fish soup for you as often as possible."

Teng Yun knitted his eyebrows. Others just thought that this Empress was ugly, and because she was the mother of the country, they didn't dare looking closer to examine the Empress' face. They couldn't find anything wrong with her.

But Teng Yun could see, these purple and red swelling on his face obviously weren't something a human was born with.

Fish caused heat, it could cause or aggravate sickness. Having this soup every day would only make the swelling on his face even more painful.

[T/N : There's this saying in Chinese Traditional Medicine that 'fish caused heat, meat caused phlegm, vegetables and tofu kept you healthy'. Maybe that's why Chinese people live until over 100 years? ]

Teng Yun left out the fish soup. But people in the Palace weren't all fools, so if someone wanted to harm him they could use other methods other than giving him fish soup.

Xiu Yao didn't understand why the Empress wouldn't eat the soup. Teng Yun lightly said, "It's salty."

After dinner, Little Crown Prince came again, looking extremely reluctant to be there. Acting tough, he reasoned, "If Father doesn't tell me to, I don't want to come here."

Teng Yun only said, "Xiu Yao, pour tea for the Crown Prince."

"I don't need it," Xue Pei said, "I've come, so I can say I've come if he asks. I'm not staying here even for a moment longer."

He turned to go, but suddenly changed his mind mid-step. He smirked and said, "Father is at Defei's right now. Let me tell you, tomorrow Marquis Wannian will come back to the capital city, Your Majesty as an Empress must be present at the court hall to bestow rewards."

Actually, Teng Yun had already heard about that. Perhaps Xue Junliang had deliberately sent the little prince to come telling these news, in order to incite jealousy from the Empress. But Xue Junliang, of course, miscounted Teng Yun.

Teng Yun wasn't a little wife striving to earn favors; he wasn't going to be jealous. He'd love to see Xue Junliang try.

Xue Junliang's inner palace was a total train wreck, it was so refreshing to see.

Seeing the Empress all fine and breezy, the Crown Prince's heart grew dark. He tried again, "I heard that it was Defei who proposed that Mother must be present at the court tomorrow, and Father readily agreed... Defei also said... She said that you should wear a veil to cover your face so as not scaring Marquis Wannian."