The Little Consort's
Eps. 55: Laughing in Suffering
“Pe...The Royal Empress?”
Elder Yao asked again.
“Hahahaha..
Xiao Biqi frowned as Elder Yao laughed. What's he laughing at?
“Dia? Grand Empress? Haha…. Eunuch Bi, are you sure?”
“True. How could this shabby woman be His Majesty's Royal Consort?” ask one of the others.
Xiao Biqi began to grow furious. How dare they doubt the royal family. They think he's lying? If the king knew, he would be very angry.
Li Anlan rolled her eyeballs, lazily watching the debate unfolding before her eyes. He was tired, but still had to finish his business. These fools would not believe in his identity that easily. It's only natural that they don't know. Li Anlan could tolerate if they did not believe him. But, he really did not think that these people would also doubt Xiao Biqi, the personal eunuch of the confidence of His Majesty the King.
“You really don't believe?”
Elder Yao laughed, indicating that he did not believe it. So did everyone in the room. They laughed at Li Anlan, indirectly already laughing at His Majesty King Long.
“Mistress, can you show me the evidence? Take out the object that Your Majesty had given you during the departure,” Xiao Biqi's request.
Li Anlan poked at her backpack, looking for something that could prove her identity as the Noble Empress. Meet me! Li Anlan took out a special plaque belonging to the golden-colored Empress Dowager that Long Ji Man had given, as well as handed over a bright red invitation stamped with the Yao family. Li Anlan then handed it to Xiao Biqi. The little eunuch raised the noble Empress's plaque high up into the air, so that everyone who was there could see it clearly.
“This is a plaque or special token of the Empress of Nobles. And this, is the invitation stamped Yao family handed His Majesty the King to Lady Huang An,” Xiao Biqi said. His hand held up a red invitation.
Elder Yao paused for a moment, trying to digest Xiao Biqi's words.
“Mrs Huang came by Your Majesty's order. He came to represent His Majesty the King to congratulate the marriage in the family of the State Counselor. You treat him like a waiter? Do you know what the consequences are?”
In an instant, everyone in the room immediately kowtowed, including the two brides. They really did not expect that the simple woman they were asking for was like a servant and they thought the marriage attendant was the Grand Empress who had just been appointed two months ago. Indeed they were mistaken, they were also already guilty of not trusting Xiao Biqi whose words and actions on the orders of His Majesty the King, were impossible to lie and dishonest.
“Ampuni us, Lady Huang.”
Li Anlan became sultry on her own. Those who are like this really make him amused and sick.
“Already. All of you, wake up! I'm afraid of your attitude!”
“Thank you, Mistress Consort Nobles.”
Everyone who prostrated then got up and stood up, but did not dare to raise their heads. Elder Yao took a step forward, then lowered his head and saluted in front of Li Anlan.
“Sorry for our sassness, Mistress. We really don't know. Why didn't the madam tell us earlier?”
This elder, is old but very annoying. It felt like Li Anlan stuffed this guy's mouth with smelly socks in order to stop talking nonsense and waste his time. So, the old man thought that this was all his fault? It's so absurd!
“How can I explain it to you if you keep telling me to take pictures of you? You guys didn't even give me a chance to tell me my identity because you treated me like a waiter!” li Anlan. His face turned cold from annoyance.
Xiao Biqi came to deliver the gift as a congratulation for the marriage in the Yao family or the State Counselor family. Earlier, Long Ji Man did not have time to give it away because Li Anlan left in a hurry. As a result, the reward was left behind and Long Ji Man was forced to have his eunuchs follow along and deliver the reward.
But, unexpectedly, the Noble Empress who was so protected by her king was even treated as lowly as a servant. In fact, they consider him as a wedding attendant at heart. Do they not know how the King fought against the officials who resisted and issued decrees to shut the people up? What a terrible offense they have committed today!
“You already know not what punishment you will receive for playing a noble Empress?” asked Xiao Biqi.
“A-Ampuni Us, Mrs Huang An.”
“Biqi, stop. It's a bright and happy day. Not good if spilled blood.”
“No, Mistress. His Majesty has issued a decree to punish anyone who has dared to talk, meddle in affairs, and play tricks on the Royal Empress without exception. Servants will be punished if impressed selective in imposing the punishment,” explained Xiao Biqi. Li Anlan sighed softly. Punishment, punishment, punishment. The authority of the king is indeed really strong!
“I'll talk to Your Majesty later. Don't let the happy day of the Yao family crumble. You don't want this family to betray His Majesty just because this isn't it?”
“Although the Madam can speak to His Majesty, the punishment must still be meted out. Madam, for her punishment, please mistress only specify.”
Alright, since Xiao Biqi can still be invited to negotiate, then Li Anlan will serve him. Punishment for this family, let him decide for himself. Li Anlan weighed what punishment was appropriate but not burdensome on the moral and material side.
“Begging Your Majesty to cut the salary of the State Counselor only. For the time being, let Your Majesty alone determine.”
“Good, Mistress. I'll pass it on to Your Majesty. Elder Yao, where is the State Counsel?”
“Abspond, Eunuch Bi. My son's been on business for a while. It may be back soon.”
“You should treat Mrs Huang like this. State Counselor is not there apparently.”
The actions of Li Anlan who released and forgave the sensibilities of the people in this place invited admiration. Subconsciously, the woman had already built an image for herself. A royal family, let alone a special status, was usually extremely arrogant and haughty. Most act arbitrarily, even acting cruel if only slightly offended. But the woman in front of these people was different.
Li Anlan not only released them, but also only gave a light punishment. With his special and high status, he could have sentenced him to death. However, since she was just an ordinary woman from the modern world who had never been involved in any conflict, Li Anlan had absolutely no thoughts of getting there.
His heart was in no way darkened by arrogance or greed, there was no black dot whatsoever there. In modern times, misunderstandings like this can be resolved in a familial manner. Or at worst, it can be resolved in the police or court, it is not necessary until sentenced to death.
“The Royal Empress turned out to be very kind. We have been presumptuous to him and demean him, but it is unexpected that he even let us go,” said one of the invited guests.
“True. It is fitting that he is chosen,” said one of the others.
“Has Royal Highness the King protected him so much. The relationship of the Grand Empress with Her Majesty the King must be very good.”
“Rumors that the Grand Empress was mentally ill turned out to be completely untrue.”
“Do not talk about betting here. Don't you see who Kasim Bi brought? If we hear it, we can be punished. I don't want to be imprisoned in the Justice Department's Bureau of Investigation Palace.”
The whispers about her made Li Anlan sick. If you want to say thank you, just say it, there is no need to praise and talk behind the back. The woman walked out of the party room, strolling around the vast Yao extended family residence. The courtyard is decorated with flowers and red wedding sign cloth. Garden lights, and pillars supporting the building also can not be separated from the red color.
“Country Advisor is definitely working hard to hold this wedding.”
After having a mouthwash, Li Anlan heard from people that this marriage was done as a form of business cooperation. The State Counsellor was not only an official, but his extended family were reliable businessmen who controlled a quarter of the trade in the Dongling Kingdom. Its business is engaged in services, food, lodging or hospitality, and the fabric industry.
The bridegroom was a big miss of the Yuan family, and married the First Young Master of the Yao family. The Yuan family was the fifth great family in Dongling Kingdom, only to be southwest of the capital. The First Young Master of the Yao family was a scholar of the most intelligent and coveted Royal Academy by the young girls in the capital. Reportedly, this Young Master will be entering the Royal Examination in a few months. No wonder the wedding was so big and luxurious.
Li Anlan's beautiful eyes caught a very familiar figure sitting in the courtyard of Yao's residence garden. That guy was a pretty guy. He sat down languidly, looking sad as if he were mourning someone's death. The man's hand was holding a pot of wine. Li Anlan rushed straight to him.
“Sister, what are you doing here?” ask Li Anlan.
Seeing his sister coming, Li Afan looked even more dejected.
“Huaaa... Anlan, I'm sad!”
“Ssttt... Brother, why are you crying? It's unbelievable!”
Li Afan did not care about his sister's question. The beautiful man poured some wine, then drank it to the end. His expression was getting sad.
“Young Master Yao has already snatched my lover!”
“So, the bride is your lover?”
“Yuan Shiyi and I grew up together in the southwest of the capital. But, she instead chose that clever Young Master as her husband!”
Apparently, his brother is heartbroken because of marriage left by his lover. What a shame for Li Afan. He lost quickly in proposing. Li Anlan was compassionate for the disaster that befell his beloved brother. Her sister-in-law's candidate is now someone else's legal wife and is no longer likely to be reached by Li Afan. It was only fitting that the beautiful man was so sad.
“Anlan, help me snatch it!”
“Sister, even though I am the Grand Empress, I have no right to interfere in other people's harem affairs. In fact, I don't want to take care of the harem in my own palace.”
“Then what should I do?”
“Man can fall in love again. It's not good if you destroy the happiness of others. Loving does not necessarily have to have. Rather than being pathetic like this, come on, I accompanied you on a walk. The weather is very sunny today!”
“But, what if your husband's bodyguards are looking for you?”
“I can take care of it.”
Li Anlan returned to the wedding hall, looked for Xiao Biqi and said that he would take a short walk. Xiao Biqi had refused, let alone Li Anlan asking permission not to bring bodyguards. But, in the end he could do nothing as Li Anlan continued to force and convince himself. After obtaining permission, Li Anlan immediately ran out.
Li Anlan took Li Afan for a walk around the capital while capturing every moment he saw with a camera. The thing that felt so strange it could not help but make Li Afan curious. He asked in his heart where his sister got such an object from. In this age, the strangest thing that existed was a swivel chair belonging to a noble at the border. Li Afan did not expect that his sister had an object far stranger than a chair that could spin.
“Anlan, what is it?” li Afan asked while pointing at the camera.
“This?”
Li Afan nodded.
“This camera.”
“Where did you get it?”
“Reclaration.”
“Since when do you have secrets?”
“Since I came to the palace. Brother, would you like to try it?”
Li Afan seemed interested. The handsome man received Li Anlan's camera, then flipped through it like a toy.
“How to use it?”
“Like this.”
Li Anlan then taught Li Afan how to use the camera, starting from how to hold, adjust the resolution, brightness, contrast, focus, to how to photograph the object in front of him. At the direction of his sister, Li Afan began to photograph. The first shot fell on a hairpin merchant who was serving the buyer. Li Afan was happy not to play. His sadness seemed to disappear when he learned of his work.
“See! The picture looks so natural! Anlan, your tool is really great!”
“You want to aim for more?”
“Of course!”
“Come!”
The Li brothers then aimed the camera to aim at all the sights in the capital. They really are a pair of very compact dimensional siblings. Li Anlan and Li Afan laughed together whenever they accidentally photographed an embarrassing or funny object. With just a camera, that little happiness is created.
Indeed, happiness is very simple and does not require fancy things.
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...Hello loyal readers! Today the author loves two chapters first, because outside activities are really solid huhuhu. Hopefully you like, the author wants to continue the activity first. See you in the next episode! Warm regards from Author for dear readers!...