Scum Consort Guide (Bl) Ch.5

(Xiao Yaozu is in the image above)

           
“Meihui, did you sent the letter?”
Yaozu questioned his handmaid as he drank fresh yellow tea. It is pleasing, as it has a sweet and vibrant flavor, however, he preferred the subtle and refined sweet flavor of white tea.

“Yes, your highness.The Xiao household received your letter.”
The young maid brought a tray with mooncakes and placed the dessert in front of her master.
Her master always had a sweet tooth but never really indulged too much in sweets.

“Also,..did you find the spies?”
Yaozu put down the cup of tea questioning in a hushed voice to his dowry maid.
Of course, he can’t get rid of them, but he can make sure to not speak nonsense in front of the emperor’s spies.

“Yes, your highness.They are two servant girls.”
Meihui replied imitating her master’s hushed voice.
Meihui was surprised to find out the two girls were spies. They weren’t deceitful or anything of the sort, If anything they were quite childish.

“Are you sure they are the only ones?”
Yaozu grabbed a moon cake after questioning his maid, not able to stop himself.
However the food in the palace, somehow couldn’t compare with the food from Xiao mansion.

“I’m not quite sure…I will investigate more. However,the two are surely spies.”
Meihui replied calmly to her master but she was quite upset that the emperor, her master’s husband was spying on him, like he is planning treason.
But she knows this kind of thing is unusual in the palace, sadly.

“Hm, and what are their names?”
Yaozu asked curiously, wanting to know what maids deceived him so easily.

“Their name are Wan Souxin and Ling Hailan, your highness.I found that Hailan worked as an embroidery maid before serving the emperor and Souxin served the empress dowager.”
After hearing Meihui’s words Yaozu raised his eyebrows before giggling and grabbing the teacup once again.

“Was Souxin a spy implanted by the empress dowager to watch his majesty’s every move?”
Meihui chuckled at her master’s statement, not because it was wrong. No, It was just funny to hear.
The empress dowager does seem to be a woman that like being in control.

“It seems so,your highness. By the way, would your Highness like to take a walk?”
Meihui looked at her master’s thoughtful face waiting for an answer.

“Yes, It will help clear my mind.”
Yaozu had his mind full of different things minus the concubines, as there is not an empress yet harem meetings aren’t every day. So,he doesn’t have to worry about fighting with those raging women.

Before exiting the chambers Yaozu stopped midway and looked out the window.
“It’s too sunny today for my liking, bring other two maids to assist and an eunuch.”
Yaozu looked at Meihui smirking with a hint of excitement in his eyes, that his maid understood right away.

“Yes, your highness.”
Meihui smiled as she head to bring the servants to assist her master.

~~~~
After a short while Meihui went into consort Xiao’s chambers when everything was settled.

“Everything is ready for Your Highness to take a walk.”
Meihui smiled softly, stretching her arm for her master to hold onto.

“Great.Finally something entertaining.”
Yaozu smiled wide as he hold onto his maid’s arm while she giggled lightly.

At the entrance of the chambers three servants were waiting quietly, they were terrified. Well,only the maids were, while the eunuch was just worried, though their faces didn’t show any emotions.

Consort Xiao exited the chambers gracefully together with his dowry maid, smiling sweetly at the three servants in front of him.
They were surprised to see the consort wear men’s clothing. It is true that Xiao Yaozu was a male consort but still…It was unnerving to see.

The older maid of the two held the umbrella for consort Xiao while the younger maid held a tray with fresh tea and the eunuch had his arm stretched for consort Xiao to hold onto with his head facing the ground. while Meihui was walking beside her master and talking about different unimportant matters.

It was fun for Yaozu and Meihui to see the stressed faces.
Yaozu bullied lightly eunuch Bai, who was the brother of the head eunuch. But got bored shortly after and started speaking with Meihui more.

“Concubine selection..? Hm,are commoners allowed?”
A hushed soft voice made consort Xiao frown lightly.
In his past life, the emperor had no such thing as concubine selection, he only married daughters of ministers and officials or dukes.

“Concubine selection?”
Yaozu questioned curiously glancing at the maid in question.
The maid to her credit, bowed in fear of being punished, together with the maid she was talking to.
Indeed, Consort Xiao is not favored but he still has a high rank and the emperor wouldn’t mind if he punished some servants.

“Greetings your highness..!”
The two maids had trays with embroidered clothes and were dressed in a pink uniform. Yaozu analysed them as they trembled slightly under his gaze.

“Would there be a concubine selection?”
Yaozu questions once again with an indifferent voice,eyeing the two maids.
The maids at each other slowly before finally answering.

“Y-yes, your highness.There would be a concubine selection in two weeks from now..”
The maid who answered was the one who listened to the other maid’s dreams.

“I see…Are commoners allowed?
Yaozu raised his eyebrows slightly but still maintained his cold eyes.
The two maids were a little relieved that consort Xiao wasn’t undignified like the other concubines.

“It’s not certain, your highness..I heard that the ministers could allow commoners, as his majesty doesn’t have any heirs yet.”
The same maid answered again in a calm voice this time.

“I see…Well, if commoners are allowed you shouldn’t participate..” Yaozu addressed the maid who kept talking about the concubine selection, then addressed the other, “However,..you probably would be a favored consort..or even noble consort, who knows?”

Then Yaozu turned from the two maids to continue his walk.
The two maids were stunned but bowed nonetheless before the male consort.
Souxin, Hailan, and Yuche were also stunned by consort Xiao but not Meihui, who got used to this new version of her master.

********
“He didn’t even bat an eye after hearing there would be a concubine selection and commoners may be allowed, huh?”
The emperor smiled slightly, knowing he didn’t have one more troublesome person to care about in his harem.

“..Also, his highness told the maid he overheard that she shouldn’t participate if commoners were allowed and told the other maid that she could be..a favored consort…or even a noble consort.”
The emperor raised his eyebrows after hearing how daring the new consort is.

“Your majesty, we have arrived at the Palace of Accumulated Purity.”
The emperor stepped out of the carriage as soon as it was lowered.
He entered the empress dowager’s chambers with a brilliant thought in his mind.

“This son greets royal mother.”
The emperor bowed before his mother dutifully.

“Quickly rise and have a seat beside Mother.”
The empress dowager smiled gently at her son. She didn’t see him in some time and it looks like it have been a court crisis.

“Mother, I would like to discuss consort Xiao.”
The emperor said as he took his seat elegantly beside his mother.
The empress dowager frowned slightly after hearing her son’s words.

“What do you think about consort Xiao?”
The emperor questioned looking at his mother intently.
The empress dowager raised her eyebrows and smiled slightly.

“Well…Consort Xiao is collected, calculative, and intelligent.He is a dignified young man, however…”
The empress dowager turned to her son, a little confused. Why would he ask about a person who is suspected of treason, unless…

“A member of the Xiao family does plan to seize the empress seat but that’s not the Prime minister.It’s Minister of Rites Xiao.”
The emperor frowned lightly, he feels guilty for treating the prime minister and his family unfairly.

“Prime Minister Xiao has been loyal to the country, it’s not surprising, however,..even if it may not be him, it is related to him.”
The empress dowager told her son in a soft voice, to make him understand that if he pities consort Xiao and his family he can not take serious action.

“I know, That’s why I found a way to control Minister of rites…Also, about consort Xiao..”