WK Chapter 75

The elderly imperial consorts in Ci Ning Palace had fallen completely in love with square dancing.

 

Every few days, they would request musicians from the music department to come and play.

 

The oldest, Imperial Consort Liang, secretly practiced every night to keep up with her old friends.

 

Qu Dubian often came over and occasionally would run into Consort De—the Crown Prince’s birth mother.

 

It wasn’t that she deliberately encountered him to ask for help in speaking well of her son to the emperor, as she had already been reprimanded by the emperor for this previously.

 

She genuinely loved square dancing. Whenever musicians came from the music department and music faintly sounded from Ci Ning Palace, Consort De would promptly arrive.

 

Even though her residence was quite far from Ci Ning Palace.

 

Consort De actually wanted to invite musicians to play in her own palace, but she couldn’t. In the entire rear palace, only Ci Ning Palace had been specially granted permission by His Majesty to invite musicians for music and dancing.

 

Even Consort Wen, who didn’t particularly enjoy socializing, would occasionally come.

 

Cultural activities in the rear palace were generally few. Besides the daily routines of paying respects, arguing, scheming, and meticulously analyzing whether someone’s words were targeted at oneself, there wasn’t much else.

 

Gradually, one’s thoughts became increasingly sensitive, and complex emotions, like moss in the corners of the palace, slowly crept over the walls of one’s heart, dark and damp.

 

Qu Dubian thought, whether herding one sheep or two, the effort is much the same.

 

This saying might be crude, but the reasoning wasn’t. Why not promote the square dancing at Ci Ning Palace and mobilize interested consorts to join? That way, the elderly imperial consorts would have a livelier atmosphere.

 

When he brought this up at Ci Ning Palace, the four imperial consorts’ eyes brightened, and they wholeheartedly agreed.

 

Always leading their own palace people and Consort De in dancing had become stale after a while.

 

These old bones of theirs had already mastered several dance routines. Ci Ning Palace was their home turf, and they naturally wanted to lead the young, flower-like consorts in dancing.

 

With permission granted, Qu Dubian planned to take Zhiyi and the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Princes to distribute flyers to various consorts’ palaces after school.

 

The flyers were written by themselves and palace servants from Shunning Palace and Ci Ning Palace, each in different handwriting.

 

Each flyer read: “Hot dancing at Ci Ning Palace, evening twilight, His Majesty absent, come if you love it.”

 

Qu Dubian stood at the entrance of Shunning Palace, patting the money pouch at his waist, “If palace servants were to distribute flyers, they might be directly driven away. We have the advantage of our status, which we must use well. For each flyer successfully distributed, ten wen will be awarded.”

 

“When distributing flyers, be polite. If the consorts aren’t available, never disturb them. Explain in detail our Ci Ning Palace enter… palace culture. If the consorts clearly express disinterest, withdraw immediately.”

 

“Take note of hesitant consorts for a second round of promotion.”

 

Sixth Prince: “Xiao Qi, we don’t lack money. We’ll help you distribute them for fun, no payment needed.”

 

“No, Sixth Brother, how can you say you don’t lack money?” Qu Dubian said righteously: “You’re severely lacking! Think about it, isn’t all your money given by your mother and Father Emperor? Have you ever earned money yourself?”

 

The Fifth Prince thought and said: “Sixth Brother, we’ve never earned our own money. Only Xiao Qi gets a 20% share of the milk tea money each month.”

 

Qu Dubian: “Exactly! If you make them angry, won’t they stop giving you money? Without money, how will you give bonuses to the palace servants who attend to you? The key is face!”

 

The Sixth Prince felt a deep realization: “That’s right.”

 

“Now it’s different. The money you earn from distributing flyers is your own, earned through labor. You can do whatever you want with it.”

 

The Sixth Prince fell into deep thought, and then immediately had an epiphany.

 

He tightly hugged his stack of flyers.

 

“Xiao Qi, thank you for giving brother this opportunity. I’ll work hard.”

 

Qu Dubian looked at the Fifth Prince, who waved his hand, “I’ll go.”

 

The Fourth Prince tried to negotiate, “I’ll distribute half.”

 

Qu Dubian: “Fourth Brother must not fall into degeneracy. Don’t you want to buy a small pillow with your own earned money?” He leaned in, winking, “Soft, bought with your own money, a small pillow~”

 

Fourth Prince: “…”

 

Although he knew this was his brother’s ploy, he couldn’t help but be tempted. Damn it.

 

Qu Dubian: “Doesn’t Consort Yi not allow you to decorate your own bed? If you earn your own money, she surely can’t object, right?”

 

The Fourth Prince silently stood up straight, “I’ll try my best.”

 

Qu Dubian: “Good! Sister!”

 

Zhiyi raised her hand: “Mm!”

 

Qu Dubian solemnly entrusted Da Hei to her, “You’re the patrol inspection team, randomly supervising whether they’re slacking off. The important tasks are for you to complete.”

 

Zhiyi: “Rest assured, leave it to me.”

 

After this speech to boost employee motivation, the flyer distribution group officially set out. Qu Dubian watched them leave, then turned around and went back to Shunning Palace.

 

He leisurely sprawled on the rocking chair beside the vegetable garden, limbs splayed out.

 

Ye Xiaoyuan sat on a small stool beside the rocking chair, unable to suppress a smile: “Your Highness, aren’t you going out?”

 

Qu Dubian gave him a conspiratorial wink: “They’re young, and the young should do more work, right? Besides, when has the person giving out money ever had to work?”

 

Ye Xiaoyuan laughed: “Yes, Your Highness is right.”

 

Spending a few taels of silver to get princes to work for him—perhaps only the young prince could manage such a thing.

 

“Come, Xiaoyuan, let’s eat some fruit.”

 

Qu Dubian plucked a bunch of grapes and handed them over, then plucked another bunch and casually tossed it backward: “Liuliu!”

 

Yi Shi’er caught the grapes and landed near a tree far from the vegetable garden, sitting cross-legged.

 

–

 

Over the course of the afternoon, the three princes ran throughout the rear palace.

 

While there weren’t many main consorts, the number of Noble Ladies, Ladies-in-waiting, and others added up to quite a few.

 

Some of them had long given up hope regarding the emperor and only wished to live peacefully until a new emperor ascended the throne.

 

Only the Imperial Consorts and Imperial Concubines could reside in the palace. The rest, especially those without children, either left the palace with support, returned to their clans with imperial favor, or went to guard tombs.

 

For the rest of their lives.

 

When they received the flyers, what first caught their attention wasn’t the princes’ explanations but the promotional slogan: “Hot dancing at Ci Ning Palace, evening twilight, His Majesty absent, come if you love it.”

 

Consorts: ?

 

They had heard about occasional dancing at Ci Ning Palace, but why emphasize that His Majesty wouldn’t be there?

 

Could it be a reminder that those interested in dancing could come, but those with other thoughts, such as hoping to encounter His Majesty, shouldn’t attend?

 

Was that the implication?

 

Some interested ones politely asked: “When should we go?”

 

Zhiyi replied: “Xiao Qi is currently training the musicians, and they’re in the preparation stage for these three days. Ladies, you can gather at Ci Ning Palace three evenings from now.”

 

–

 

Zhiyi and the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Princes distributed flyers while Qu Dubian arranged for people to collect different styles of clothing in the palace.

 

By the morning of the third day, he finally started to take action.

 

Most of the musicians in the music department were women—family members or descendants of disgraced officials, or from families that had been musicians for generations. There were also male musicians, but unless the Emperor was present, male musicians generally couldn’t enter the rear palace.

 

Qu Dubian was quite disappointed about this, thinking about how much fun they were missing. With so many beautiful sisters, aunties, and elderly imperial consorts in the rear palace, all reserved for his cheap father and the previous emperor, what would be wrong with letting them see some handsome young men? They would only look, not talk—how stingy.

 

Since male musicians couldn’t come in, he had to work with the female musicians.

 

Qu Dubian borrowed Madam Su from Ci Ning Palace. This lady had served many consorts and was skilled in various makeup styles, with outstanding makeup techniques.

 

Madam Su was using dark blue pigment to extend the eyebrows of the female music supervisor.

 

Qu Dubian directed from the side: “Yes, yes, make the eyebrows extend to the temples, sharper… then tie a high ponytail… good, handsome! This beautiful sister’s features are already quite heroic. Later she’ll change into guard’s clothes.”

 

The female music supervisor lowered her head in embarrassment.

 

Qu Dubian walked to another female musician, “Consort Guo, please keep your hand steadier. This sister’s features are subtle, not suitable for heavy makeup. Later she’ll wear a scholar’s outfit.”

 

Some musicians who could apply makeup themselves, after understanding what the Seventh Prince wanted, began to put makeup on each other.

 

Qu Dubian walked around with his hands behind his back, squinting his eyes.

 

It was like being back at the backstage makeup scene before a performance in his previous life.

 

Amidst the flying powder, Madam Su sighed melancholically.

 

She had originally served the imperial consorts and taught etiquette and rules to new consorts, princes’ wives, and princesses, but had relaxed in her later years.

 

Unexpectedly, even as she approached the end of her life, she found herself forced into a new career path by the Seventh Prince.

 

When their makeup was almost done, Qu Dubian clapped his hands, “Beautiful sisters, please accompany the imperial consorts well later. Also, the consorts in the rear palace are very lonely, unlike you who are more free. My father is not very attentive, so if you can make them happy, I’ll have rewards for you!”

 

The female music supervisor asked: “What counts as making the imperial consorts happy?”

 

Qu Dubian smiled and said: “You’ll know soon.”

 

–

 

Afternoon.

 

Twilight.

 

The weather wasn’t as hot anymore.

 

Some of the consorts, holding flyers, walked in small groups toward Ci Ning Palace, quite nervously.

 

Noble Lady Rong was among them.

 

Actually, it was mainly because the Seventh Prince had been promoting it with other princes, making high-ranking consorts curious, but they found it a bit embarrassing—dancing in front of elders was hard to do freely.

 

So Noble Lady Rong was sent by Noble Consort Lan to see what was going on.

 

She also brought along Lady-in-waiting Ding, who had recently entered the palace. Lady-in-waiting Ding had been quite favored in the past two months and was here purely to join in the fun.

 

Lady-in-waiting Ding said: “I saw many sisters on the way, all coming here. Will there be too many people later?”

 

Noble Lady Rong: “What does it matter? Everyone is just coming to see the excitement out of boredom. Some are also giving face to the Seventh Prince.”

 

Lady-in-waiting Ding asked curiously: “Is the Seventh Prince very favored?”

 

“Hmph, no matter how favored he is, he doesn’t have the prospects of my son, the Fifth Prince,” Noble Lady Rong didn’t want to talk more about this with her, pulled her to walk faster, and arrived at the entrance of Ci Ning Palace.

 

At the entrance, there was a stall set up displaying various flowers.

 

Qu Dubian extended his small hand politely: “Ladies, please choose the flowers you like. If you find any musician sister pleasing to the eye later, give the flowers to them.”

 

Noble Lady Rong: “We give flowers to them?”

 

Qu Dubian: “Yes.”

 

Noble Lady Rong and Lady-in-waiting Ding each chose a flower, “Let’s see how well they can play.”

 

After all the visiting consorts had chosen their flowers, Qu Dubian stepped aside with a smile, “The Ci Ning Palace Square Dancing Band welcomes your arrival!”

 

The doors of Ci Ning Palace instantly opened.

 

Several hands reached out, pulling in the stunned consorts from outside.

 

There were handsome guards, romantic scholars, shy students, domineering generals, aloof musicians… At first glance, they all appeared to be men, but upon closer inspection—soft hands, necks without Adam’s apples—

 

They were clearly women.

 

These women gently tugged at their sleeves, smiling and complimenting them:

 

“Your Highness, you look beautiful today.”

 

Their fingers lightly touched the flowers the consorts were holding, “If I can please Your Highness later, may I have this flower?”

 

Fragrant softness, eyes full of affection.

 

Noble Lady Rong and the other consorts’ faces instantly turned crimson.

 

If they were men, this would certainly violate palace rules, but, but—

 

 

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