The Ugly Empress Volume 1 Chapter 4

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 w.a.n.gfei), 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.

Chapter 04 – Probing

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 see to Xue Junliang try.

Xue Junliang's inner palace was a total train wreck, it was so refres.h.i.+ng 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.”

[T/N : So petty, are you eight? Oh right, he was eight.]

Teng Yun inwardly snorted. He hadn't met this Defei, he didn't know if Defei was as arrogant as rumored, but her being spoiled was most probably true. Xue Junliang must know about what generally happened inside the Imperial Harem, especially if a Defei was bullying the Empress. If he knew but did nothing about it, it could only mean Xue Junliang approved.

“Thank Defei on my behalf.”

The little crown prince was so stunned by this words. His mood to mock the Empress gone, he excused himself.

—

Xue Junliang did indeed go to visit Defei's Yuxiu Palace.

At the beginning, Defei was very concerned that Da w.a.n.g really had started favoring the Ugly Empress. Her concern hadn't yet bloomed into a full-blown anxiety when Xue Junliang announced he was planning to visit Yuxiu Palace this evening.

Defei instantly felt her suspicions were unnecessary. That ugly and hideous Empress; she was smart but still shameful. Di w.a.n.g wasn't someone who could be easily swayed.

[T/N : Di w.a.n.g (帝王) corresponds with Da w.a.n.g, means a king that is considered superior among other kings. See note from chapter 1.]

Defei racked her brain for ways to capture Xue Junliang's heart. In one evening, she did everything from dancing to playing the zither. She pulled out all the stops; frantically trying to entice Xue Junliang.

By her estimation, after three rounds of performances, Xue w.a.n.g should be pretty drunk. At this time, Defei planned to pretend she was also drunk, then throw herself into Da w.a.n.g's arms and coax him into bed.

However, her expectations didn't come into reality. Xue Junliang drank a lot of wine but he was certainly not drunk. Still, Defei gritted her teeth and pretended to be drunk. She was about to snuggle into Xue Junliang's embrace when someone reported that Head Servant, Jiang Yu, requested an audience.

This late at night, His Majesty was alone with his consort, naturally all other matters could wait, right? But unexpectedly, Xue w.a.n.g immediately ordered Jiang Yu to come inside, while telling Defei to go to the inner room so she wouldn't disturb.

Jiang Yu came in, and after saluting Xue Junliang, she said, “Reporting to Your Majesty, the Crown Prince had returned from Yunfeng Palace. This old servant had been following him, Crown Prince had done according to your instruction, but Empress' hadn't even moved.”

Xue Junliang leaned back on his chair holding a cup of wine in his hand. He squinted at a candle on the table for a moment before laughing, “Seems like I really had underestimated her.”

Then he thought of something interesting, “Crown Prince had been spoiled for so many years, what do you think of letting him follow the Empress?”

Jiang Yu lowered her head and replied, “Your Majesty is wise, it is a good idea. This old servant think that though His Highness Crown Prince is intelligent, he can be a little arrogant. Her Majesty the Empress' character can tone him down.”

“Alright,” Xue Junliang put his cup on the table and stood up, “Then it's decided… It's already late, we should let Defei rest early.”

Then he strode out of Yuxiu Palace.

When Defei came out of the inner room, she only saw the back of Xue Junliang's and Jiang Yu alone in the outer room. Jiang Yu relayed Xue w.a.n.g's words then excused herself.

—

Early morning the next day, Xiu Yao started the day busy. It was because yesterday the Crown Prince said that His Majesty requested the Empress be present at the court hall today.

Although it would be a difficult situation for her Empress, Xiu Yao still nursed a glimmer of hope. Also the Empress was her mistress, if it wasn't up to her to dress the Empress sincerely, who else would bother?

Xiu Yao couldn't sleep a wink last night, she paced outside because she didn't want to wake the Empress.

Teng Yun's face was hurting the whole night. Also, this wasn't his home so he wasn't comfortable. He was always a light-sleeper, too. Hearing Xiu Yao paced back and forth, he had to yell at her before she went quiet.

When the day began to brighten, Xiu Yao started helping Teng Yun to dress. It was extremely uncomfortable for Teng Yun. Since he was nineteen, he'd started donning his armor by himself. He didn't like being served by people, especially not by Xiu Yao because every single time she would be saying, “Your Majesty, does this look good?”, “This dress will compliment your waist.”, or “What hairstyle would be suitable?”

Xiu Yao fussed with Teng Yun's head for half a s.h.i.+chen. When she finally finished, Teng Yun had used the whole time as an exercise of reigning his temper.

[T/N : One s.h.i.+chen is around two hours of modern time.]

Teng Yun had just finished the whole dress when the Little Crown Prince came.

Xue Junliang indeed had been baiting Teng Yun. But his intend was only to test the Ugly Empress by using both Defei and the Crown Prince. He didn't intend to make things difficult for the Empress, hence him sending the Crown Prince to accompany her.

The Crown Prince's status in Xue Country was undoubtedly high. Xue w.a.n.g sending the prince to the Empress' Palace was to let everybody see she wasn't an ordinary woman.

The court officials' heart were br.i.m.m.i.n.g with apprehension. They had seen for themselves how the Crown Prince and the Empress' relations.h.i.+p was very close like mother and son.

Today was the day of change, the day people of the Imperial Harem felt alarmed that the Empress still had the Phoenix Seal, also had brought the Crown Prince to her side.

[T/N: Phoenix Seal (Fengyin, 凤印) is a seal that certified the holder as the true female ruler of the inner palace.]

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