TV Series: When the Villain Chooses to Stand by

Langya waved the round fan in her hand and admired her daughter's beauty. She was smart and beautiful, worthy of being her daughter.

"Jingxi, think about it. Concubine Jia lives alone in Qixiang Palace, while Concubine Xian lives in Yanxi Palace, along with two maids. If you don't know, you might think Mother is targeting Concubine Xian."

"But Concubine Yi has done nothing wrong, and there is no reason for her to move to another palace. If Concubine Xian is truly interested, it would be best for her to ask your Royal Father for help."

After listening to this, Jingxi frowned and nodded. She didn't like Concubine Xian. None of the other concubines were like her.

Although she was just the emperor's concubine, she always acted like the main wife and lectured others, and secretly looked at the empress dowager with pity.

Jingxi didn't want to even look at such a hypocritical person.

Even Concubine Jia is better than her, at least her desire is written on her face.

"How about it, is there anything you like?"

"What do you think of this pink pearl, Madam Empress? Madam Hui made a new whip for Jing Luo a few days ago. This can be inlaid on the end. It should look very nice."

Langya's mouth twitched speechlessly. You sisters are all family, and you don't use your own things. You are really your own children.

"It looks good. Take it. Mother thought you were going to use it yourself."

"I don't dare use the pearl powder you have that's so precious."

"Why are you afraid? Everything that belongs to my mother will be yours from now on."

Langya patted Jingxi's head with a round fan. She really enjoyed watching these children grow up and would never get bored no matter how many times she saw them.

"The perfume you made with bitter orange a few days ago was delicious, but bitter orange is rare, and foreign tributes are not suitable for business. If you want to make money, try a different recipe. You're old enough to have your own ideas."

Jingxi fiddled with the pearl in her palm and leaned on Langya's arms, acting coquettishly.

"I see, Empress Dowager. The people you gave me are really useful. They can find me whatever I need."

"They are all poor people. Their families were in trouble and they were saved by my mother."

Langya held Jingxi and rocked her slowly. She paused as she thought of something, and a complex look flashed in her eyes as she looked at her daughter.

"The material of that fairy wand is too dangerous. You must be careful when you make these next time."

Langya had no idea what to do when she gave birth to a girl who liked to study these things.

At first she liked elixirs, and she would make her own recipes according to the recipes. If she hadn't had the amulet on her, she would probably be a year old now.

Langya had no choice but to disguise the relevant knowledge into miscellaneous books through the system and mix it into the storybooks collected from outside.

Jingxi is very talented in this matter. She started to do it herself according to the relevant guidance when she was so young.

"My dear Queen Mother, I have taken note of your words."

Being looked at with such loving eyes, the little bit of worry in Jingxi's heart disappeared.

The Empress Dowager was still the same as before, and treated her and her brother no differently.

Concubine Xian and Hai Chang discussed behind the emperor's back, saying that the Empress Dowager would pay more attention to her legitimate son as she was now the Empress, and that Yonglian was forced to study hard every day.

He also said that he was brought up to be too arrogant and it was all due to the negligence of his mother, the Empress Dowager.

But she knew that was not the case. The Empress Dowager had never asked them to do so.

Now it seems that I don’t value my younger brother more just because he is the eldest prince.

Sometimes, Jingxi could even feel that the Empress Dowager favored her more, like the staff at her disposal, which her brother did not have.

……

That day, Gao Xiyue was tuning her newly acquired pipa when the familiar screen appeared in front of her again.

When I looked up, I saw Ruyi and A Ruo peeking at the door of Ruyi Pavilion.

What is she doing? She's just walking in like a rat. Does she think that's pretty? Only toddlers would act like that!

[Hahaha… What a great image! And the raised fingers, all four of them bent like chicken feet.]

When Ruyi saw the portraits of Hongli and Langya, she felt a pang of sadness in her heart.

Lang Shining's praise of her beauty did not make her happy at all.

When Ruyi heard the other party say that a Western man can only have one wife, her heart was filled with ripples.

That kind of world is the life she dreams of. It is the only time in her life that her heart is moved. If only the Qing Dynasty could be like this, there would be no one else between her and her brother Hongli.

【Look at her like that, what is she thinking? 】

[Lang Shining, a courtier, praised the beauty of a concubine and even wanted to have the opportunity to paint her portrait. He must be crazy...]

Look at her like that. She knows that only the Empress can be as picturesque as the Emperor. Even though she says that concubines can't, her eyes are almost overflowing with anticipation after hearing this.

She seemed to yearn for the kind of relationships Westerners have. Westerners don't have concubines, but they do have many mistresses, who don't even have a formal status. Sometimes, the king wouldn't even let go of his subjects' wives.

[Really? So unruly?]

[Yes, there are also ministers who would offer their wives in exchange for benefits.]

[So disgusting…]

The scene changed to show the Emperor and Ruyi, who was asking expectantly, "Your Majesty, what if a husband can only have one wife?"

[Ah... She actually asked that. She's really audacious. She's totally out of her mind.]

[A Ruo beside her was so anxious that she almost died. It was hilarious. She looked like she wanted to go up and explain to her master herself.]

Hongli was very angry at Ruyi's words. What does it mean to have only one wife? The love is over and the woman is asking to leave. What does she want to do?

"Ruyi, do you feel that being my concubine has wronged you? Do you regret it? Have you forgotten the moral principles you learned in childhood after hearing a few words about foreign customs?"

Ruyi pouted and refused to admit defeat. "I was just thinking about it. There are other possibilities besides the moral code. Customs may be different, but the hearts of men and women are the same. Doesn't Your Majesty want to be attracted to only one person in his life?"

Hongli looked down at the woman in front of him, and at this moment he suddenly felt that he could not understand her.

He was the emperor, shouldering the heavy responsibility of the country, and she was a concubine in the harem.

With such an identity, how could she possibly be in love with others like other men and women in the world?

Fortunately, his queen was Langya. If he had really chosen Ruyi, Hongli couldn't imagine what the harem would be like now.

There are many things I want to say in my heart, but what comes out of my mouth is, "Okay, I don't need to say these words anymore in the future."

Hongli thought he was just reluctant to scold his childhood sweetheart, so he frowned and turned his attention to the porcelain vase in front of him.

He suppressed his discomfort and listened to Ruyi's strange words, "I will definitely be respectful to the emperor in the future..."

Ruyi also has her own little temper. Didn’t the emperor say it was just a matter of chance? Why is he so fussy about it?

She deliberately pulled the ladder before leaving, and left with a smirk on her face as if she had succeeded in a prank.

Humph, I hope you don’t understand me!

Hongli staggered and almost fell down, his eyes flashing with anger as he looked at Ruyi's back.