Professional Ethics of a Concubine

In fact, Ye Qingzhi didn't even need to invite them. Not long after she arrived at the East Palace, Ling Yue and the Ninth Princess came on their own initiative.

"I also went to the city gate to greet you, but I didn't see you. Later, when I asked, I found out that you were sick and had returned to the East Palace, so I hurried here again."

When the Ninth Princess saw Ye Qingzhi, she smiled and explained, then stared at her and said,

"She's lost a lot of weight, and with her sickly face, she looks like a frail beauty. I feel sorry for her."

When the Ninth Princess came in, she had already asked Nanny Zhang about her illness. Knowing that she was almost recovered, she started joking.

"Yeah, it's true. I also think you've become more beautiful." Ling Yue also said.

"Alas, I am the prince's favorite concubine after all. Without this stunning beauty, how can I hold my head up in public? I will bring shame to the prince."

Ye Qingzhi touched her cheek and spoke charmingly with a hint of sadness.

Ling Yue and the Ninth Princess,...

I just praise you a few words and you still act.

Ling Yue looked at Ye Qingzhi's little vixen and couldn't help but said with envy,

"Alas, I don't even like looking in the mirror anymore. Since I got pregnant, my figure has changed and I have spots on my face. I've become much uglier."

"It's like this when you're pregnant, just relax." Ye Qingzhi turned serious in an instant and said with a smile, "Don't worry about your figure or appearance now, just you and the baby are healthy."

"Yes, Ling Yue, you are healthy and the fetus is stable. You don't need to stay in bed to protect the fetus. You can walk around. It's really good. Some women have to lie down all the time since pregnancy, and the fetus is unstable at any time. It's too painful."

The Ninth Princess also spoke.

Ling Yue touched her round belly, nodded with a smile, and then said,

"Okay, let's not talk about my pregnancy. Qingzhi, tell us about the Chu-Zhao War.

How on earth did the Crown Prince and the King of Chu manage to capture so many Chu soldiers? It's incredible!"

"We really want to know!" The Ninth Princess said expectantly.

"Well, it's not easy to say..." Ye Qingzhi talked to Xiong Dayong about the two times he captured the Chu army.

Especially the second time, after occupying Yancheng, the series of efforts made by the prince to lure the Chu army consumed even more energy.

"Wow! That's amazing!" Ling Yue couldn't help but admire after hearing it, "Such a plan is too bold!"

"His Royal Highness actually dared to go to the Chu army camp alone. Oh my God, does he trust the King of Chu so much? I find it incredible!"

The Ninth Princess was also amazed and expressed her incomprehension.

"This is the mutual respect between men." Ye Qingzhi shrugged and whispered deliberately,

"Perhaps the love between the Crown Prince and the King of Chu is real, and I am just a cover-up."

Ling Yue,...

Is it really okay to scare a pregnant woman like this?

The Ninth Princess,

You are really good, even naughtier than before.

"Hahaha... ahem... just teasing you guys." Ye Qingzhi said with a smile.

“Let me share with you some gossip about the King of Chu. I heard that more than half of the nobles in the capital of Chu like the King of Chu, especially the King of Wei. They love him to death and are willing to give up the throne to him.

So, when the King of Chu led his army to attack Shangjing City, Shangjing had no defense at all, and the King of Wei was at the gate of the imperial city to welcome the King of Chu..."

"Wow! Did the King of Chu conquer Shangjing with his beauty? I've heard that many nobles of Chu were incestuous. It turns out to be true!"

The Ninth Princess' eyes suddenly lit up, and she asked excitedly, as if she had found a big melon that interested her.

"I have never seen the King of Chu. Is he an extremely handsome man? Is he more handsome than the Crown Prince?"

She had already imagined many scenes in her mind, and she wished she could see the King of Chu immediately and catch a glimpse of his appearance.

Ling Yue looked constipated and puzzled.

"The King of Chu is also handsome, but not as handsome as the Crown Prince. I can only say that the taste of the Chu nobles is... very unique."

Ye Qingzhi suppressed her laughter and nodded seriously, "Yes, it's hard to understand."

"Hey, are you serious or not?" Ling Yue couldn't help but hit her lightly when he saw her trying to hold back her laughter.

"It's absolutely true." Ye Qingzhi nodded vigorously and said with a smile.

"It's just that the King of Chu doesn't like being teased like this, you know? We can just talk about this in private, and it can't be spread out.

When the King of Chu comes back and hears these rumors, he will cause trouble for you, but I won’t help you out.”

Ling Yue and the Ninth Princess rolled their eyes and said in unison, "We are not stupid."

Things like this are just for fun and I won't tell anyone about them.

This is how good sisters chat when they get together. They dare to talk about anything, serious or not, and gossip about everything.

"Qingzhi, has the legendary doctor you mentioned before come back with you?" asked the Ninth Princess.

"Not yet. After meeting him once, he followed the King of Chu back to the capital." Ye Qingzhi looked at her with concern.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

"Didn't you say he had a good way to prevent pregnancy long term? I wanted to ask him to get me some long term contraceptive pills."

The Ninth Princess said, "Taking birth control pills is too troublesome and harmful to the body."

"It only took a few years for the Chu State to be destroyed and the Great Yan to be conquered." Ling Yue looked at her and said,

"Even if you get pregnant and have a child, you don't have to worry about him being caught in the middle of the problems between the two countries. He will only be the young master of our Great Zhao. Why would you deliberately use long-term contraception?"

"I know. The problem I'm most worried about will no longer exist in the future." The Ninth Princess nodded.

"But before Dayan's problem is resolved, I don't want to get pregnant and have a child. If I get pregnant, I don't know if my body is healthy, which will definitely hinder me from doing other things."

"Then you wait another two or three months. Once he comes back, I will arrange a short-term contraceptive surgery for you."

Ye Qingzhi spoke.

"That's great!" The Ninth Princess said with a smile, and then asked her, "What about you? Should we put pregnancy on the agenda?"

"It's too early. I don't plan to..." Ye Qingzhi shook her head and was about to say something more when she heard a voice outside.

"I have met His Highness the Crown Prince."

Ling Yue and the Ninth Princess also quickly stood up to greet them. They looked at Ye Qingzhi again, a trace of worry flashing across their faces.

Oh, I don’t know when the prince came, and whether he heard them talking.

Ye Qingzhi smiled and shook her head at them, telling them not to worry, then she slowly stood up to welcome the returning prince.

Ling Yue and the Ninth Princess were the first to greet the Crown Prince.

"Greetings, Brother Prince."

"Meet His Highness the Crown Prince."

"Don't be polite." The prince said to them gently, "I will change into my casual clothes and leave. You can continue chatting later."

Ling Yue and the Ninth Princess quickly retreated, not daring to even glance at Ye Qingzhi.

"You seem to be in better spirits and feel better too." After the prince waited for them to leave, he walked towards Ye Qingzhi and said while looking at her little face.

"When people are happy, they will be energetic." Ye Qingzhi smiled and leaned in his arms, hugging him.

"Your Highness has now achieved great success in destroying Chu. Should I congratulate Your Highness in advance on your ascension to the throne?"

"You are so smart." The prince smiled and pinched her little face. "Father did express his intention to abdicate early. Let's wait until next spring."

"Wow, I can get promoted again with His Highness!" Ye Qingzhi said with a smile.

"Your Highness, can you just appoint me as Imperial Consort? It can be done in one go, so you don't have to issue another imperial decree for promotion later, which saves costs."

"... Qingqing is really good at saving money for me. You even thought of the cost." The prince was amused by her and pinched her little face.

"Okay, okay, I'll listen to you. What title do you want?"

"I'm not good at naming. As for the title, Your Highness, you can decide for yourself. I'm fine with either." Ye Qingzhi said indifferently.

“……”Prince.

Your attitude makes me feel that this Imperial Concubine is worthless.

Okay, let’s just drop the topic. There’s no point in continuing the conversation.

The prince did not need Ye Qingzhi to serve him. He changed his clothes and said to her,

"I intend to dismiss the concubines in the backyard. They have no children and are not favored. Except for Yao Yinyin, the others have no family to speak of. They were either actors or thin ladies, and their backgrounds were very low.

It would be better to let them go out and marry, give them a good property, and reward them with a few slaves, which would be the final reward for them.

This is better than being a widow in the harem for the rest of my life. If they can't keep me company, they'll go find eunuchs to mess around with, which will make me lose face. Why bother?"

To be honest, after learning that Su Ranran was having an affair with the eunuch, Xie Jin felt disgusted as if he had swallowed a fly.

He absorbed more modern ideas and no longer viewed women as appendages of men or as commodities. He felt that his concubines must be loyal to him and could not marry again in their lifetime.

However, he hadn't sent them away yet, and they did such a thing on his territory, which really made Xie Jin a little upset.

In order to prevent this from happening again, Xie Jin decided to dismiss the remaining concubines who had no children.

Ye Qingzhi was stunned for a moment, then smiled and praised, "Wow! Your Highness is so kind and generous to think and do this!"

"What about Yao Yinyin? How does Your Highness plan to deal with her?" Ye Qingzhi asked again.