Quick Travel: The Long Road to Resurrection

"Well, the Empress Dowager has six pieces, I have four pieces, and Yonghu Jingse has four pieces. But the Emperor suggested that the harem should be frugal, so I didn't make new clothes for you. But your skin is fair, and the rose-red color sets off you. It would be a pity not to give it to you." Langya said to Concubine Hui.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." The imperial concubine expressed her gratitude again.

When Bai Ruiji heard that she was not the only one to own this precious warm satin, her arrogance instantly subsided.

"The roads are slippery in the snow, so we should go back early."

The harem was peaceful and quiet, and in the blink of an eye, another year had passed.

The Queen Mother was not willing to see the harem so peaceful. All matters were under the control of the Queen and she had no room to intervene, so she started to make trouble. She wanted Bai Ruiji to cause trouble in the harem, but unexpectedly, her situations were resolved one by one by the Queen.

Just when she was about to stop and feel bored, Qingying started to find things for her to do.

Hongli specially ordered the Imperial Household Department to make a batch of hairpins with various patterns of flowers and fruits.

On Qingying's birthday, Hailan came to the main hall early and waited there. She wanted to be the first to congratulate her sister.

Qingying washed and combed her hair and began to dress up, still with her usual bun, decorated with white jade.

Qingying stood in front of the mirror in her inner garments, and Aruo took out a pomegranate red cheongsam and tried it on her.

"My Lord, you wear this on your birthday today. It's auspicious."

Qingying pouted and said, "Well, this one won't do. It's too bright."

Hailan said quickly: "Why not wear purple? Purple goes especially well with gold jewelry and white jade. Sister, why don't you try it?"

Aruo was nervous. She was afraid that Yan would put on such heavy lip balm. The light purple color and bright red lips didn't match well.

Before the purple flag dress was brought, Li Yu rushed in with a wooden box in both hands.

"Your servant wishes the Empress Xian good health, and Hai agrees to give her good health."

"I am here on the orders of the Emperor to bring a gift to His Majesty."

Qingying wondered why her young man didn't come and only sent a servant to deliver a gift. Could it be that he was busy with something else?

Unhappily, he asked, "The Emperor is not coming?"

"The Emperor said he would come when he was done with his work, so the gift comes first."

Qingying felt a little happier when she heard Li Yu say this.

Aruo hurriedly stepped forward to take the wooden box, then turned around and presented it to Qingying.

Qingying lifted the lid and saw a hairpin with two roses.

As it got dark, Qingying looked outside the door from time to time. Her expression became more and more ugly. Finally, she just waited at the door.

When he saw the emperor coming, his complexion improved and he quickly knelt down to greet him.

"Your Majesty, be safe."

Hongli helped Qingying up, and they walked into the main hall together.

The dishes are very rich, all of which are Qingying and Hongli’s favorites.

Hongli said that he asked the imperial kitchen to prepare a bowl of silver thread noodles for her birthday in the morning, and Qingying was very moved.

After the two of them drank a glass of wine, Qingying began to feel dizzy and thought that she had to do something to let the emperor know that she treated him with utmost sincerity and without reservation.

She stood up, knelt down and said, "Today is my birthday, and I have a wish that I would like to ask Your Majesty to fulfill."

Hongli was a little wary and didn't know what Qingying needed. He just said he would try his best to satisfy her without agreeing outright.

"Oh, tell me, if it can satisfy you, I will definitely fulfill your wish."

"No matter what ignorant things I said, you must fulfill my wish."

Seeing that Qingying insisted on fulfilling her wish, he became more cautious, but he was determined to fulfill her wish. Do you want to be the emperor or the queen, but I also want you to fulfill your wish?

Qingying is an old woman, but she still speaks like a little girl.

Hongli warned: "Let me make it clear first! Apart from making you the queen, I will do my best to satisfy you in other aspects."

Qingying shook her head and said, "This wish has nothing to do with me, but with the Emperor."

Hongli didn't like Qingying's hesitancy. She said a lot but still didn't tell him what the matter was. However, he had a bad feeling and said impatiently, "You tell me!"

Hearing the displeasure in Hongli's tone, Qingying didn't dare to confront him.

"After the late emperor passed away, the emperor conferred titles on all the concubines who remained in the Forbidden City and moved them to Shoukang Palace to live out their days. I want to take care of those who are still alive, but don't care about those who have passed away?"

Every time Qingying said something, Hongli's face turned darker. Before she finished speaking, his face was already as dark as it could be.

"I also ask the Emperor to consider that she served the late Emperor and to reward her with a title if she has no title, to show his filial piety."

Hongli guessed who it was, but he hoped Qingying could understand his expression and not mention anything that shouldn't be mentioned.

"you are right?"

"The palace maid favored by the late emperor in Rehe, Li Jingui."

Hongli said meaningfully: "Some people can be missed in their hearts, but they cannot be spoken out."

Qingying argued, "But Li is different. I believe the emperor is aware of this."

Hongli was speechless. What was Qingying so stubborn about? Why did she insist on posthumously conferring the title of Li on herself?

"Li was just a maid favored by the late emperor. She was never given a title. How can we add a new title to her?"

"Your Majesty is fully aware of Li's contributions to the country. However, there are many people who have made contributions, so there is no need to praise them one by one. However, Your Majesty, please consider the late emperor and posthumously confer the title of Grand Noble Lady on Li and move her to the tomb of the late emperor's concubines, so as to save her face."

Hongli said with a dark face: "Is it possible to posthumously confer a title on someone who was never given a title by the previous emperor? The Empress Dowager will be angry!"

Qingying insisted, "Just give her the title of Grand Concubine or Grand Noble Lady. The title doesn't need to be too high. Just show your love. It's better than Li's tomb in the temporary palace, with weeds and setting sun, and a lonely grave with cold smoke, which is so desolate."

Hongli patiently explained to her and hinted that she should not mention it again.

"If I do so, it will give others a handle to speculate about my relationship with her. The late emperor said before his death that I am the son of Niuhulu."

"Of course the Emperor is the Empress Dowager's son, so the only people he can confer titles on others are Consort Tai and Noble Lady Tai."

"I understand the pain in your heart, Your Majesty, and I want to make you feel better."

Hongli's face suddenly became gloomy, and then gradually turned red.

He really couldn't figure out what Qingying wanted to do this time. Why did she insist on asking him to posthumously confer the title of Li?

Not only will it give others a handle and leave a lot of gossip, but it will also cause the Empress Dowager to blame and question her.

Li's affairs have always been the most secretive thing in Hongli's heart.

When he was still a prince, he would still miss his biological mother who passed away young from time to time.

But now that he has ascended the throne and become the ruler of the world, how can he let the world know that he has such an unbearable mother?

Every time he mentioned her, Hongli felt like he was back in the Old Summer Palace.

At that time, he had just been born and his mother died during childbirth. He was just a baby in swaddling clothes, but he was rejected by the Emperor's father and left in the garden to his fate.

The feeling of being humble and ignored was like a stain that could never be erased, deeply engraved in his heart.

At this moment, recalling the past, Hongli felt powerless and depressed, and really didn't want to think about the past anymore.

Hongli said weakly: "Since it's your birthday, there won't be a next time."

After saying this, Hongli walked out. He didn't plan to stay here, for fear that Qingying would be angry to death.