Blood-Sucking Empress

Chapter 31: The Imperial Selection

The night before the Imperial Harem Selection, the Imperial palace was extremely lively.
Chuxiu Palace housed all types of men, red flowers and green willow, a gathering of orioles and swallows.
It seemed that if one reached into the crowd, they could easily draw out a handful of beauties at random.
But compared to the lively and spring-like aura at Chuxiu Palace, many other places in the Imperial palace seemed very cold and desolate.
This included the Empress’ Qin palace, especially in the dragon throne room.

red flowers and green willow: all colors of spring

a gathering of orioles and swallows: a crowd of young girls, or males, in this case, chattering together pleasantly

Ever since Luo Weiqing had fully recovered from his illness, Qianhe Liyou had stopped visiting every night, nor had she had anyone come to serve him anymore.
She just read books and rested in her bedroom every day, and it would be the same tonight.

Qianhe Liyou did not particularly like overly bustling, lively places.
Most of the palace attendants in the dragon throne room had been dismissed, only Feng Ying was standing by outside the door.
There were a few Imperial guards standing in the distance.
It didn’t seem like the grand Empress’ residence.
But, there was also a special person who lived here.
It was the fox demon, Feng Xue, who lived and served here as a special palace attendant.

“Master…”

Qianhe Liyou was currently leisurely reading a book but felt the air tremor for a second, and then a split second later, heard the very sad cry of ‘Master’.
No one in the entire Imperial palace would call her that except for Feng Xue.
Qianhe Liyou had not been startled by Feng Xue’s appearance and did not even bother to look at him, staring fixedly at the book in her hand.

Feng Xue was saddened, deeply saddened.
He had already been in the palace for quite some time, but the Empress had not paid any attention to him.
He was really reduced to a mere cleaning attendant, but she didn’t even give him a straight look.
And even now, standing in front of the Empress, he was treated as nonexistent….

What had he done wrong, why did she ignore him? Was it true that the Empress really hated him? Feng Xue couldn’t help but think these thoughts, but could not come to an answer to his questions.

The tense and silent atmosphere between Qianhe Liyou and Feng Xue lasted for a long time, until Feng Xue could no longer bear it and knelt on the ground, “I just want to repay your life-saving grace, the kindness that dripped out like a gushing spring of water.
A cultivator will never owe favors to others.
Although I am unworthy, so unworthy of being even your slave, I will still not leave.
Even if you ignore me or treat me coldly, I will not leave.
I am here today to let you know that Little Jin has recovered his human form and he wants to serve you to repay your kindness.
If you like, I will bring him to see you.
If you dislike that, just let him remain as a cleaning servant with me until we think we have repaid your kindness in full!”

If this life-saving grace could not be repaid in full, he would never leave.
Whether one was a man or demon, one should have basic principles.
When he thought about it, the work he was currently doing now was vastly meager compared to the life-saving kindness he had received from his benefactor.
If he was only to do this, maybe 200 or even 300 years would not be enough.
He was a demon, but his benefactor was most likely not mortal.
They would have a long time to keep living!

Demons are inherently different from human beings.
In many cases, their ways of thinking were very honest and true.
They would only do things they were willing to do, tremendously self-willed and sincere.

“Zhen does have one thing for you to complete, and your companion can accompany you…” Qianhe Liyou finally lifted her chin and glanced at Feng Xue.
There was a trace of comprehension in her eyes.
In fact, she was actually a little confused herself.
She only thought of how a demon’s nature advocated freedom, but she had forgotten the true temperament of demons, which was that they were unwilling to owe anyone anything.

“What do you want me to do? I will definitely work hard to follow your instructions.” Feng Xue raised his head in astonishment, his eyes filled with observable joy.
Being able to do something for his benefactor was a blessing that he had been seeking, but failed to get all this time.

“In the Yuling Pass, the border between the Sang Empire and my Qianhe Dynasty, war will soon break out.
One of my concubines, Yun Tailing, is now serving there as a military doctor. Zhen asks that you protect him if war breaks out.
You will help the rest of the army if the situation deems it necessary.
Are you willing?” She had already received several secret missives every day for the past few days, all of them containing confidential military intelligence related to the frontline’s garrisons.
Although the war had not yet started, both sides were preparing quickly, the pressure mounting until it would explode.
The war was about to begin soon, and she still felt a little worried after pondering over the thought, especially regarding Yun Tailing.
He belonged to her and was one of her responsibilities.
She had an obligation to safeguard his safety.
And now, there were just such two idle ‘people’ in the Imperial Palace.
Sending them there to deal with some of the ordinary soldiers would put her at ease.

“Frontline garrison? If this is the Master’s request, Feng Xue is willing to go!” Such a task could not be seen as a particularly difficult task for him, he would definitely do his best to protect that person…

“Then leave.
Don’t let the other party know that you were sent by zhen.” With them going, she could rest assured.

“Yes!”

After dismissing Feng Xue, who was extremely joyful, Qianhe Liyou no longer had the desire to continue reading.
She looked out the window and couldn’t help contemplating tomorrow’s Imperial selection.
She had not wanted to hold it, but a secret report sent by the Anbu Black Ops said this: a Sang Empire spy was among the candidates, and he was actually of high status.
He was the eleventh prince of the Sang Empire.
This was the only reason why she permitted the Imperial Selection to occur, but she had delivered an ultimatum that this would be the last Imperial selection.
After this year, she would cancel this practice.   

The Empress’ selection was the selection of new harem members.
This selection was extremely strict, wealth, status, appearance, talent, and purity were all considered.
To be able to stand in front of the Empress, the candidates had already overcome numerous hurdles.
Here, there were no ordinary men, each of them possessing their own credentials and talents.
As long as they could be selected by the Empress, they would reach the sky in one step.
It was just that some people looked forward to this day, while others did not. 

Qianhe Liyou sat on the dragon throne, looking frigidly down at the rows of men in front of her, comparing reality with the intelligence she had long received beforehand. 

“Huang’er, is there someone you like?” Luo Yu also attended the Imperial Selection, sitting beside Qianhe Liyou.

“Call me by name..” Qianhe Liyou, dissatisfied, protested with Luo Yu’s appellation, her eyes shifting from those men to Luo Yu. 

“Liyou…do you have anyone you like among these men?” Luo Yu softly compromised, repeating the question just now.
There was a hint of helplessness in his usually cold eyes, making it seem more emotional

“No.” Qianhe Liyou replied truthfully, she did not even have the intention at all.
How could she like someone, she already had too many people in the harem.

“No? Then this bengong saw a few good candidates, how about the Empress listen to them?” He also had obtained a copy of the list of these people.
After comparing using various criteria, he already had several suitable candidates in mind.

bengong: just a title that Luo Yu refers to himself; usually used by the royal family members, Empress or high-rank consort

“Speak.
Let’s hear it.” She was curious about the ones Luo Yu thought were good.

“In the first row, the first from the left.
In the second row, the third from the right.
In the fourth row, the first form the right, and the last row, the fourth from the right. Huang’er…..Liyou, what do you think of them?”

Qianhe Liyou secretly sized up the people Liyou had selected one by one in her heart and said playfully: “I’m afraid you are only considering their status.”

When the Empress selected new consorts and concubines, it was not only for his own preference.
In many cases, candidates were also chosen for balancing the power of the court.
The candidates named by Luo Yu just now were all sons of high-ranking court ministers, his meaning self-evident.

‘Since the Empress does not care for these people, this bengong naturally listed those who I thought were suitable.
This bengong thinks that these people are most fitting, what does Liyou think?” Luo Yu was not surprised that Liyou had seen through his thoughts immediately, but instead felt a bit of relief in his heart.
At least the Empress had understood the identities of these people, naturally understanding his intentions.
“Zhen does not care what their identities are.
This dynasty’s Imperial court no longer needs to use the harem as a place for checks and balances.
As for this election…” At this point, Qianhe Liyou’s eyes swept across the rows of men kneeling, finally falling on one of them….