This scholar is a bit cruel

Chapter 325 The Imperial Concubine's Kneeling
"Squeak..."

The door opened, and a fragrant breeze wafted in.

Luo Zijun glanced quickly inside, bowed her head, and walked in, respectfully bowing: "Your subject Luo Zijun greets Your Majesty the Queen and Your Highness the Imperial Concubine, wishing both Your Majesties a long and healthy life!"

The Queen, dressed in a purple and gold phoenix robe, sat gracefully on a long bench, looking at him with a half-smile.

On the lower right sat a woman dressed in a vermilion ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with a thin gauze shawl around her shoulders and neck. She looked elegant, dignified, and beautiful, and was no more than eighteen or nineteen years old. She was none other than the eldest daughter of the Jia family, Consort Jia.

The Queen smiled but remained silent in response to Luo Zijun's visit.

Consort Jia quickly rose slightly and said with a smile, "Young Master Luo, please don't stand on ceremony."

She naturally knew the current status and position of this Young Master Luo, and she also knew that the reason why everyone in the Jia family, including herself, was not imprisoned or exiled was actually thanks to him.

The downfall of the Jia family was entirely their own fault, and they cannot be entirely blamed.

Of course, even if she harbored resentment, she would never dare to show it at this moment.

The Prince of Liang is gone, and now this Imperial Concubine is like dust on a rooftop, vanishing without a trace with a gust of wind.

She has no one to rely on now, the Jia family is gone, and the fate of her entire family depends entirely on the Queen's mood.

And this young man before her must be the Queen's most beloved person right now.

Therefore, she certainly wouldn't dare to put on any airs of a noble concubine or the eldest daughter of the Jia family.

“Young Master Luo, I’ve actually wanted to meet you for a long time, but I haven’t had the chance. Thank you so much for taking in those young ladies and maids from the Jia family. If it weren’t for you, I don’t know where they would be now…”

Consort Jia smiled and expressed her gratitude, maintaining a dignified and proper demeanor.

But she no longer dared to refer to herself as "this palace" or "this concubine".

Luo Zijun looked up and saw that Consort Jia had a smile on her face, with willow-leaf eyebrows, phoenix eyes, cherry lips and white teeth, skin as smooth as cream, and a dignified and gentle temperament. She was elegant and noble, truly living up to her title of Consort.

This woman appears to have a more regal and aristocratic air than the Queen.

Although the Queen was beautiful, she was too stunning, possessing a bewitching and alluring beauty that captivated the soul. In contrast, the Imperial Concubine possessed a dignified, elegant, and noble beauty that commanded respect.

"Your Highness is too kind. I only did what I was supposed to do."

Luo Zijun lowered her head and said respectfully.

At this moment, the Queen, who had remained silent, smiled and said, "The Noble Consort is indeed too kind. Luo Qing did this not just out of kindness, but for another purpose."

"Oh?"

Consort Jia was taken aback upon hearing this, and a look of doubt appeared on her face.

The Queen glanced at someone and smiled, "You must have heard in the palace that Luo Qing is getting very close to Tan Chun, Ying Chun, and especially Lin Daiyu from your Jia family."

Consort Jia immediately understood her meaning, and glanced at the person with her phoenix eyes, still wearing a dignified smile: "That is Tan Chun and the others' good fortune. Young Master Luo is so talented, proficient in poetry, songs and prose, and can also write books. Daiyu also likes these things the most. She is naturally very happy to be able to become friends with Young Master Luo."

The Queen smiled slightly and said, "I suspect that Lord Luo's intentions go beyond simply becoming friends with them."

Consort Jia lowered her eyes and smiled, "I am no longer in the Jia family, so I don't know anything about these things and I don't care. As long as they are doing well, I am at ease."

The queen raised an eyebrow at someone, as if to say: Look, they've already agreed.

Luo Zijun said respectfully, "Miss Tanchun and the others are doing well in the Grand View Garden. They are self-sufficient there and are undisturbed. Your Highness, there is no need to worry."

Consort Jia smiled and said, "That's good, thank you very much, Young Master Luo."

The Queen suddenly laughed and said, "I've heard that the Grand View Garden is extremely luxurious and exquisite, even more extravagant than our harem. I've always wanted to go and see it, but unfortunately I haven't had the chance."

Luo Zijun said, "If Your Majesty wishes to go, you may go today."

The Queen laughed and said, "Never mind, I am busy with state affairs and it is not easy for me to travel. Consort Jia, on the other hand, is usually free and can go and take a look when she has nothing to do. If she likes it, she can stay there. After all, her sisters and cousins ​​live there, so it will be more comfortable for her."

Upon hearing this, Consort Jia's expression changed drastically. She hurriedly rose from her chair, knelt on the ground, and said in a trembling voice, "Sister, you jest. Now that I've entered the palace, I naturally can't leave at will. Although the King is no longer here, you are still here, and I will stay here for the rest of my life to serve you. Please... don't send me away..."

She's currently in the palace, so at least she still has the title of Imperial Concubine. The Jia family won't completely fall apart, and those who had grudges against the Jia family in the past won't dare to exterminate them.

But once she is driven out of the palace, everything will change.

Moreover, the criticism from other families and the stares from her own relatives would make her feel so ashamed and guilty that she couldn't go on living.

In this era, even some maids and young ladies, when driven out of the mansion, would commit suicide by jumping into a well out of shame and indignation, let alone a noble concubine like her.

The room was quiet for a few seconds.

The Queen suddenly smiled, stood up and helped her up, saying, "Sister, you've misunderstood. I just felt you were bored staying in the palace and wanted you to go out and see your sisters to relax. I never said I wanted to send you away."

Consort Jia's body was still trembling slightly, her beautiful face pale. She bowed her head and said, "Thank you, sister... If you have time, I would like to go there with you." The Queen smiled, staring at her dignified and beautiful face for a while, then glanced at her fair, swan-like neck and her prominent breasts. Suddenly, she sighed and said, "Sister, you are still so young. Do you really want to spend your life alone in the palace?"

Consort Jia lowered her head and quickly said, "This concubine is willing to accompany and serve my elder sister forever. This is my wish."

The Queen smiled slightly and held her soft, boneless hand, saying, "But sister, I am not willing to grow old alone in the palace like this. I am a woman, just like you, only eighteen years old. How can I endure such loneliness for so long?"

Consort Jia was taken aback by her words, raised her eyes and looked at her, seemingly puzzled.

The king smiled and gently rubbed her smooth, soft hands, then suddenly said, "If my sister is willing, how about we find a man together?"

Upon hearing this, Consort Jia was immediately shocked and looked at her with disbelief.

The Queen laughed and said, "What, you're not willing? Didn't you just say you'd stay with me for life?"

Consort Jia seemed startled, stunned for a few moments, then hurriedly knelt on the ground again, bowing her head tightly, her voice trembling as she said, "Sister, this...this...Our King...Our King's body is not yet cold, you..."

The queen said nothing more, slowly released her hand, and sat back down in her chair, her charming peach blossom eyes still looking at her.

But the atmosphere in the study seemed to suddenly turn cold.

The room fell silent, the only sound seemingly being the rapid breathing of the eldest daughter of the Jia family, who was kneeling on the ground, trembling slightly.

"Sister, you must be referring to the late king, right?"

After a long pause, the Queen finally spoke, but her voice had turned cold, and her face seemed to be covered with a layer of frost.

Consort Jia was taken aback at first, then her heart skipped a beat. She suddenly remembered the changes in the Great Liang Dynasty in recent days, and her face turned deathly pale. She kowtowed in fear, "Sister is right, it was the late King, it was the late King... I was confused for a moment, I was confused for a moment..."

My king's and the late king's ideas are different, especially at this moment.

The entire court, including the nobles of Liang and the army, had already tacitly accepted the Queen's power; only the change in address was needed. At this moment, she was still foolishly referring to the late King as "My King."

"Sister, please forgive me..."

She trembled and kowtowed, her heart filled with fear and terror.

The Queen said coldly, "What crime has my sister committed? I admire your loyalty and affection for the late King, so how could I possibly blame you? Now, there is no one I trust to guard the late King's tomb. I wonder if my sister would be willing to stay by his side and serve him at any time?"

Upon hearing this, Consort Jia's heart sank, and her face became even more unpleasant.

At this moment, Luo Zijun suddenly spoke up, breaking the tense atmosphere: "Your Majesty, what are your orders for summoning me here today?"

The queen looked at him, the frost on her face gradually fading, and said, "What do you think?"

Luo Zijun respectfully asked, "Could it be about what I begged about that day?"

"Humph."

The Queen gave a soft hum, offering no reply. Her gaze then fell upon Consort Jia, who was kneeling on the ground, and a smile returned to her face. "Sister, there's no need to be nervous. If you don't want to go, then you don't have to. But since you're willing to stay by my side, what do you think of my suggestion?"

This suggestion, of course, refers to finding a man together.

Upon hearing this, Consort Jia lowered her head and bit her lip tightly, her body still trembling slightly, but she remained silent.

After a long silence, the Queen suddenly sneered and said, "It seems that the Imperial Concubine is unwilling. Then you may leave. I need to discuss state affairs with Minister Luo."

Consort Jia kept her head down and remained kneeling on the ground without moving.

Because she knew very well that if she left now, it would be the same as leaving forever.

Even the Jia family.

She knew better than anyone the coldness and ruthlessness of the woman in front of her, who was now the most powerful woman in Daliang.

"Is there anything else, Your Highness?"

The Queen asked in a cold voice.

At this moment, Consort Jia slowly raised her head, her eyes still filled with fear. Her dignified and beautiful face was flushed. She bit her lip and asked in a trembling voice, "Who...who is the man that sister is talking about?"

A smile finally appeared on the Queen's lips. She glanced at someone and her voice suddenly softened: "Don't worry, sister. He's definitely not ugly or incompetent. At least, he won't wrong you."

At this moment, Consort Jia already had a vague idea of ​​who it was, but she dared not think about it.

She found it terrifying, absurd, heretical, and unbelievable...

But at this point, did she have any other choice?
She lowered her head again, her cheeks burning, biting her lip tightly, her fingernails gripping the hem of her skirt. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and finally mustered the courage to speak in a shy voice, "Since...since you like it, I...I will naturally...naturally accompany you..."

By the end, her voice was barely audible, and her cheeks were as radiant as the sunset.

(End of this chapter)