Chapter 356: Being Forced by Concubine Tao

Shi Qingxue and Shi Baojing looked at each other speechlessly for quite a while.

Shi Baojing said, “I see. I am coming soon.”

She paused for a moment and then told Shi Qingxue, “I am fine. Don’t worry about me. Go back first.”

Concubine Tao’s intention was obvious.

She summoned Shi Baojing even though she knew that Shi Qingxue was here, so it was evident that she wanted Shi Baojing to go with Shi Qingxue to see her.

However, Shi Baojing told Shi Qingxue to go back.

Shi Qingxue couldn’t help laughing. She thought that Shi Baojing was capable of coping with the superior’s orders.

Qingxue didn’t want to get involved in the mess, so she nodded. “I am off now.”

Nevertheless, as soon as she got up, the maid outside said, “Your Highness, Concubine Tao is waiting in the side hall.”

“Gee!”

Shi Qingxue couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.

In order to see her, Concubine Tao racked her brains.

“Well. Since she wants to see me so much, let’s satisfy her.” Shi Qingxue pondered for a moment and then decided to see Concubine Tao in person and check what she wanted to do.

Concubine Tao was sitting in the master’s seat in the parlor of the side hall. She had a cup of tea in her hand and seemed to drink tea at leisure, but there was restlessness in her eyes.

The restlessness reached the peak when Shi Qingxue came to the parlor.

When Concubine Tao saw Shi Qingxue, she almost sprang from her seat. Fortunately, the maid next to her pulled her clothes in secret.

Concubine Tao sat down again and pretended to be noble and distant, accepting the two young ladies’ greetings.

Then she asked unhurriedly, “Baojing, how are you feeling?”

Shi Baojing bowed slightly. “Mother, thanks for your concern. I am all right.”

“So I am relieved.” Concubine Tao nodded.

Shi Qingxue stood behind Shi Baojing like a wall flower all the time and didn’t plan to interrupt them.

In the end, Concubine Tao got impatient first and stated, “Qingxue, I have heard that you and Baojing are close since she was unmarried. You can come to visit her frequently. It’s so nice of you.”

Shi Qingxue showed a shy smile. “Your Highness, thanks for your compliment.”

Then she stopped talking.

Concubine Tao was speechless.

Perhaps it was her first time to be so humble after she was titled as a high-ranking imperial concubine.

However, she had something on her mind, so she didn’t dare to show a long face to Shi Qingxue.

She knew how arrogant this young lady was. If she dared to be unfriendly to her, the girl dared to embarrass her.

Concubine Tao gritted her teeth secretly yet still forced a smile, saying, “The peach blossom is beautiful outside. Qingxue, since you came to the Taole Palace, how about going out for a walk with me?”

Shi Qingxue looked at Concubine Tao and couldn’t help but think playfully, “If I refuse her, she will probably stomp out of anger.”

She just thought so but still agreed obediently.

However, seeing that Concubine Tao wanted to see Shi Qingxue alone, Shi Baojing was worried, even though they would be just in the courtyard of the Taole Palace.

She pulled Shi Qingxue’s clothes in secret and looked anxious.

Shi Qingxue patted the back of Shi Baojing’s hand to comfort her and glanced at her to set her mind at ease, indicating, “Don’t worry. I will be fine.”

Even though Shi Baojing was worried, she wouldn’t object to Concubine Tao’s proposal in public, so she could do nothing but watch Shi Qingxue walking out of the parlor with Concubine Tao.

In the courtyard of the Taole Palace, there were peach trees that Concubine Tao liked most everywhere.

Under the breeze in spring, the petals of the peach flowers flew all over the sky.

The courtyard was full of faint flower fragrance, which was refreshing.

Unfortunately, Concubine Tao wasn’t in the mood to enjoy the beautiful scenery. She just took Shi Qingxue to the depths of the peach forest.

Then she came straight to the point. “Shi Qingxue, I know that you are close to my son.”

Shi Qingxue was speechless.

Although she was prepared, she was dumbfounded by these straightforward words.

What did it mean? She was close to Mo Junzhan?

Even though men and women could talk with each other freely in Mo Country, Concubine Tao’s words could easily make others misunderstand.

Shi Qingxue’s face fell, and she responded indifferently, “I am merely an official’s daughter, and I don’t dare to get close to His Highness in private. Please speak with caution, Your Highness.”

Concubine Tao probably realized that what she said was ambiguous, so she smiled in embarrassment. “I didn’t mean that. It’s just…”

She hesitated rarely and stuttered for a long time. Then she gritted her teeth and expressed, “In fact, I want you to do something for me. Hope that you can help me, Qingxue.”

Gee, as expected, people would never see somebody else suddenly except on business, for help, etc.

Shi Qingxue had wondered why Concubine Tao wanted to see her so anxiously even though they had no contact.

It turned out that Concubine Tao wanted to ask her for help.

Shi Qingxue pursed her lips and decided to hear Concubine Tao’s request.

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“Your Highness, please go ahead.”

Whether she would agree depended on what Concubine Tao’s request was.

However, Concubine Tao thought that Shi Qingxue agreed with her, so she got overjoyed at once and stated anxiously, “Junzhan wants to guard the northern border. I hope that you can convince him to give up this stupid plan.”

“What?” Shi Qingxue was petrified.

She had thought about all kinds of requests Concubine Tao might make, while she had never expected that the woman wanted her to persuade Mo Junzhan to give up going to the northern border.

Shi Qingxue looked at Concubine Tao seriously for a long while and then confirmed that the latter wasn’t joking with her, so she was more confused.

“Your Highness, what do you mean? His Highness has just returned to the capital city. Why would he go and guard the northern border?

“Moreover, even if His Highness really wants to, he should go there with soldiers after His Majesty issues an imperial edict. I am just a girl. Why do you think that I can stop him?”

Shi Qingxue almost wanted to roll her eyes at Concubine Tao.

She didn’t know what Concubine Tao was thinking about. She even considered asking Shi Qingxue to do something beyond her ability.

Even Mo Junyang might not be able to make it, let alone her.

Why did Concubine Tao think that Shi Qingxue could do it?

Concubine Tao seemed to take it for granted and looked at the girl, with certainty in her eyes, as if saying, “Of course, you can do it.”

“The environment at the northern border is poor, and Liang Country will intrude from time to time, so it is very dangerous. Junzhan is only fifteen years old. He is so young. How can he suffer hardships in such a place?” Concubine Tao thought that Shi Qingxue was unwilling to, so she started to talk about how dangerous that place was, hoping that she could convince Qingxue.

“You are Junzhan’s friend. Can you bear to watch him lose his life there at a young age?”

Concubine Tao said with emotion and reasons.

She thought that even a hard-hearted person would be moved.

However, Shi Qingxue could do nothing but look at her with a frown and explain powerlessly, “I naturally hope that His Highness will be safe and sound, yet I can do nothing to help you in this matter, Your Highness.”

Concubine Tao looked angry at once and stated, “Shi Qingxue, I asked you humbly, but you refuse me. Don’t you think that I can do it without you?”

Shi Qingxue thought, “Just do it if you are capable. Why do you talk with me?”

“I dare not. I am really unable to do as you request,” she repeated stiffly.

When she thought of Mo Junzhan, she still became emotional involuntarily. Then she added, “Your Highness, if you don’t want His Highness to guard the northern border, you can tell His Majesty. He is reasonable and won’t disappoint you.”

To be frank, Shi Qingxue’s suggestion was the most practical way.

Nevertheless, Concubine Tao seemed to have been provoked and sneered at Shi Qingxue. “Huh! It’s fine if you don’t want to help me. Why do you make sarcastic remarks?”

Shi Qingxue was unable to reply, as she really didn’t think that she made sarcastic remarks.

Because it was not the right time to reason things out, she kept silent.

Anyway, no matter what Concubine Tao said, Shi Qingxue couldn’t make it.

Concubine Tao lowered herself by requesting Shi Qingxue and even provoked her, but she couldn’t persuade the girl. At last, she realized that the girl wouldn’t agree with her, so she was frustrated.

She expressed coldly, “Since you are unwilling to, I will think that Junzhan has wasted time on making friends with you. Go away. You are not welcome in the Taole Palace.”

It was the first time for Shi Qingxue to be driven away so directly, so she was stunned.

She thought, “Concubine Tao is really straightforward as they say. She doesn’t have any worldly wisdom. She is so proficient in getting rid of anybody that she can’t make use of.”

However, Shi Qingxue was peaceful unexpectedly and didn’t get angry even though Concubine Tao was so impolite to her.

Perhaps she knew that Concubine Tao overreacted because she was worried about Mo Junzhan.

No matter what way Concubine Tao used, the mother’s love should be respected.

Shi Qingxue bowed to Concubine Tao and turned to leave.

When she almost reached the gate, she couldn’t help but look back, to see that Concubine Tao who was always haughty lowered her head in frustration without precedent.

She was like a homeless cur in its old age which had nothing to rely on and could only walk forward shakily with its long tail.

Shi Qingxue knew that she imagined too much, yet when she saw Concubine Tao in this state, she involuntarily thought of the teenage boy looking at her with his bright eyes, where there were stars inside seemingly.

If he died so soon, it would be a pity.

In the previous life, Mo Junzhan went to the northern border and died in a battle with Liang Country before Mo Junyang conquered the capital city.

He was buried in the desert full of yellow sands at a young age, and even his dead body couldn’t be found. In the end, he was buried in the royal mausoleum with a fake body in clothes.

At that time, Shi Qingxue had been locked up in the Cold Palace, so she didn’t know this thing, yet when she was around Mo Junyang as a ghost after she died, she heard that the battle which caused Mo Junzhan’s early death was not simple.

However, Mo Junyang didn’t like the Mo family all the time, so he didn’t investigate this matter.

In the previous life, the northern border was Mo Junzhan’s fiefdom where he was titled as a king, but he couldn’t even protect himself there. Now this boy who hadn’t come of age would guard the northern border.

Shi Qingxue didn’t dare to imagine what would happen.

She pursed her lips and warned herself many times in secret not to be meddlesome, yet she couldn’t control her legs in the end. She returned to Concubine Tao.

Concubine Tao hadn’t concealed the sadness on her face. She was stunned to see Shi Qingxue who had walked back. “You…”

Shi Qingxue pursed her lips. “Your Highness, please tell His Highness that I still have an appointment to make a bet with him. After my eighteenth birthday, I will compete with him.”

After speaking, Shi Qingxue didn’t care what reaction Concubine Tao would have but left directly.

She had said and done what she should say and could do. As for whether she could change anything in the end, they could only wait and see the result.

Till Shi Qingxue went away for long, Concubine Tao finally came back to earth and then suddenly remembered that the girl’s birthday was in the sixth lunar month.

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