Don’t Want a Divorce (10)
Possessiveness
“I heard that GQL’s character posters will be released tonight. My adorable Li Zi and Liu Ye, here I come, wuwuwu!”
“Did Director Z say at the press conference that this drama has a secondary female lead? Just thinking about the character posters coming out and seeing a certain coquettish girl looking out of place makes me want to cover her fans’ eyes.”
“With Photoshop skills and Director Zhen’s aesthetic sense, even if Xu Sajiao just glares, at least her looks are there. So she is still watchable, okay? Are you haters done or what?”
“It’s not that we’re targeting Xu Sajiao. Let’s be reasonable, who is the worst actor in this cast? Who? Who? Who is dragging down the average performance level of the entire crew?”
“Rumor has it that XJ’s first scene in the cast set Director Zhen’s expectations so high that it scared two A-list actors into five NGs.”
“Hey you with the glue, stop right there! Can you, this person wearing the skin of a fan, be any less sophisticated? If you want to whitewash your idol, at least pick something else to praise, okay? Acting skills? Does this term have even a cent’s worth of connection to Xu Sajiao?”
“As everyone knows, the four basic skills of an actor are body, voice, form, and expression. Which one of these can Xu Sajiao even remotely perform?”
“Sigh! This thread is meant for discussing the plot. Can we stop the bashing? Let’s all look forward to Director Zhen’s new work. See you at the official blog at 9 PM tonight, okay?”
……
On the day the stills from 《The Palace Wall Willows》 were to be released, Douban was already buzzing with discussions.
However, not many people in the production team had the time to think about this matter. The Weibo accounts of Qiu Yongli, Lu Xun, and Feng Qingyu were all managed by their companies and assistants. When the time came, all they needed to do was follow the official blog and repost the news, adding a few greetings in character.
Xu Jiao, on the other hand, managed her own Weibo.
Previously, she used it to flaunt her relationship with her fans. Ni Hong wasn’t always with her and couldn’t stay long at the Feng residence, so some of the more intimate photos and content were updated by Xu Jiao herself.
Ni Hong could at most help her with fan management and overseeing the fan club. After all, most of her fans were drawn from Feng Qingyu’s followers, feeding off the traffic from p fans (p粉, people who pretend to be real fans for various motives). Without organizing these fans to increase their sense of belonging, it would be impossible to form a substantial fan base or have significant purchasing power. Therefore, a unified fan club management was necessary.
But now, Xu Jiao didn’t have the time to think about the stills to be released that night.
Today, she had a scene with the Empress, along with Lu Xun and Qiu Yongli.
……
At that time, spring had already arrived. The Emperor, who had spent the winter at his suburban palace, moved back to the imperial palace in the capital, preparing for the grand spring selection—
Currently, the Empress was frail and had not yet conceived an imperial heir. The harem consisted of only one Empress, one Noble Consort, two Consorts of the second rank, and three Concubines of the third rank. Although there were more Ladies and Attendants (lower-ranking concubines), none of them were reported to be pregnant.
For the royal family’s lineage to flourish and expand, this situation was highly unfavorable.
Therefore, the Ministry of Rites and the Censors repeatedly petitioned the Emperor, requesting him to reopen the harem in the spring to replenish the imperial concubines, so that an imperial heir could be born as soon as possible. Among these petitions, a Censor also submitted a memorial condemning Rong Qing, accusing the Noble Consort of having a malicious heart, employing ruthless methods, being jealous, intolerant of others, and lacking the virtue to match her position. The memorial earnestly implored the Emperor not to be bewitched by her, lest the kingdom be disrupted by such a calamity.
The young Emperor, in his early twenties, sat on the grand throne in his golden dragon robe. As he listened to the Censor citing historical precedents of kingdoms being ruined by beauties, his expression remained indifferent, showing no hint of joy or sorrow.
He glanced at the Vice Minister of Revenue standing among the ranks of officials.
That man was one of Rong Qing’s brothers.
The Vice Minister clenched the ivory tablet in his hand. Although he barely managed to suppress any change in his expression, the way he gripped the tablet suggested that he wished nothing more than to skin the Censor who had submitted the memorial.
A fleeting smile passed through the Emperor’s eyes. When the Censor finished his impassioned speech, the Emperor responded in a light and casual tone:
“Your words are too harsh, my loyal subject.”
“I find Xiaoqing to be straightforward in character and genuinely innocent.”
“Alright, this is a family matter of mine, no need to bring it up again. Any other memorials to present?”
The officials stood back in line, their heads respectfully lowered. The Emperor’s gaze swept around the grand hall before he waved his hand: “Court is dismissed.”
As the eunuch by his side announced the end of the session, the officials orderly withdrew. With that, this session came to a close. Lu Xun’s assistant came over to wipe his sweat. After all, even though it was autumn, wearing layer upon layer of the dragon robes for several hours inevitably led to sweating layers upon layers.
The next session was for selecting concubines.
All four important characters will appear in the same scene. The Emperor, at this time, will still show a certain level of respect towards Noble Consort Rong. Regardless of the occasion, he always maintains mutual respect with the Empress (相敬如賓, literally “respect each other as guests”), while showering Noble Consort Rong with affection—at least that’s how it appears to outsiders.
Xu Jiao was originally listening to Ni Hong’s suggestion to have some barbecue for a late-night snack, when she suddenly smelled a rich, woody fragrance reminiscent of cologne. She instinctively turned her head to look and found that Lu Xun had somehow walked up beside her without her noticing.
Lu Xun was also an Alpha.
He had the perfect model-like physique, standing over 1.8 meters tall, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs. His appearance was of the scholarly and refined type, but because he had a pair of sword-like eyebrows and deep-set eyes, his double-lidded eyes appeared very profound, so no one would think he was too youthful.
In fact, he was very suitable to play the role of an Emperor who, despite his young age, was already deeply calculating and sophisticated.
Aside from the initial greetings and polite exchanges when she first joined the crew, Xu Jiao seldom got close to Lu Xun and Qiu Yongli. She had a rather solitary presence on set, as she wanted to avoid leaving a negative impression of rubbing off heat (蹭热度, meaning to gain popularity by associating with famous people).
However, at this moment, she saw Lu Xun approaching her with a smile. Holding his script, he asked:
“I’ve been watching your scenes these past couple of days, and it seems like you really hit Director Zhen’s marks. If you don’t mind, could we run through the next scene together? I want to capture the feeling Director Zhen is looking for.”
Xu Jiao felt unworthy of such praise from him. As she agreed, she glanced over at Qiu Yongli and Feng Qingyu on the other side and asked, “Would you all like to join us for a run-through?”
Lu Xun smiled slightly, and the woody scent of his pheromones became even richer. Perhaps due to his appearance, he inexplicably gave off a scholarly aura.
Before he could speak, Feng Qingyu, who had been reading the script on the other side, suddenly looked up and glanced in Xu Jiao’s direction. A few seconds later, she walked over with the script in hand, subtly moving closer to Xu Jiao, and said with a smile:
“Are we rehearsing together? Count me in.”
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Lu Xun exchanged a glance with her. Xu Jiao had already turned to ask Qiu Yongli. Despite being a top star, Qiu Yongli didn’t put on any airs. She was the youngest in the entire crew, having risen to fame at just nineteen years old. She still carried the exuberance of youth, always greeting everyone with a smile and getting along well with the whole crew.
Recently, she had noticed Xu Jiao’s impressive acting skills and had developed a sense of admiration for her. Consequently, she was enthusiastic towards Xu Jiao. Upon hearing Xu Jiao’s request, she immediately came over with a cheerful smile, saying:
“I’m in too! Even though I’m just making a cameo today, I can still cheer you all on!”
……
This scene features the Emperor, the Empress, and Noble Consort Rong meeting with the well-bred young women selected for the imperial consort selection.
Noble Consort Rong sat right next to the Emperor, their chairs nearly touching, while there was a square, large pearwood table separating the Emperor from Empress Qi. On the table, there were two cups of tea placed on each side.
The Emperor and the Empress were on equal footing, whereas the Noble Consort sat in a slightly lower position.
Anyone with keen eyes could instantly tell who among the three had intimate relations and who was merely maintaining a façade of politeness.
The surrounding palace servants all kept their heads bowed and their demeanor submissive, remaining so quiet it was as if they didn’t exist. Only the voices of the Emperor, Empress Qi, and Noble Consort Rong occasionally echoed in the hall, with the loudest being the eunuch’s announcements.
The young women entered in batches. Rong Qing was idly playing with her newly dyed nails, not even lifting her head as she casually remarked, “Regardless of their age or skin tone, why are they all wearing powder… It’s like a swarm of butterflies entering the imperial garden; it’s making my eyes hurt.”
A hint of amusement appeared in the Emperor’s eyes. Although he initially had no interest in these women, he found Noble Consort’s witty comments amusing. He cleared his throat and said to the announcing eunuch:
“Enough, let’s not have them come in batches anymore. We don’t want Xiaoqing to end up needing the imperial physician to visit Jinxiu Palace after accompanying me through this selection.”
Empress Qi, however, was very earnest about the selection. Seeing that Rong Qing was determined to disrupt the process, she lowered her gaze and gently advised, “The consort selection is a matter of national importance. I earnestly implore Your Majesty, for the sake of the empire…”
Before she could finish her sentence, Rong Qing had already looked up, a faint, mocking smile playing at the corners of her lips, and interrupted the Empress, “Is Her Majesty accusing me of being unreasonable and disregarding the well-being of the empire?”
At this point, she cast a coquettish glance at the Emperor and said with a smile, “Your Majesty must stand up for me. I was merely concerned that these flower-powdered butterflies would dazzle Your Majesty. How is it that in the Empress’s eyes, it has become a matter of jeopardizing the state? Such a grave accusation, I absolutely cannot bear.”
The Emperor waved his hand with a smile, casting a meaningful glance at the Noble Consort before speaking to end the conversation: “Enough, the Empress is virtuous and the Noble Consort is considerate. I understand both of your intentions.”
“The selection will continue.”
Upon hearing this, Qi Yunshang and Rong Qing each averted their gaze. The Empress picked up her teacup and slowly stirred the floating tea leaves with the lid, while Noble Consort Rong Qing fiddled with the nail guard on her pinky finger, her emotions in turmoil.
The two of them indeed had a real contention over this matter. The Empress, being soft-hearted, did not wish Rong Qing to act too excessively and become a thorn in the eyes of the palace staff. Rong Qing, however, did not want to give any newcomers the chance to threaten the Empress’s position. She played her part with just the right amount of intensity, making it impossible for anyone to see through the subtleties of her act.
“Announce: The daughter of the Vice Minister of Works, selected candidate Qian Duoduo—” The eunuch’s voice rang out again.
Rong Qing glanced over and remarked, “No wonder she comes from the Ministry of Works… so robust, tsk tsk.”
The Empress took a sip of tea to moisten her throat and said, “Miss Qian has a sturdy physique. In my humble opinion, it is good for the palace to have all kinds of beauty. If everyone had a slender waist, it might not necessarily be a good thing.”
Rong Qing’s gaze was practically shooting flames, and she gripped her nail guard tighter.
The two were like needle points against wheat awns (針尖對麥芒, an idiom meaning they were sharply opposed), and the more Rong Qing spoke, the angrier she became. Hearing the Empress praise the other candidates, her expression twisted in anger, and she even struggled to control the volume of her voice. Yet, the Empress remained calm and composed throughout.
Until…
“Announce: The daughter of the Minister of Personnel, selected candidate Liu Ruyi.”
Rong Qing lifted her lips slightly and said, “Just now, Her Majesty the Empress mentioned that the palace is filled with those as frail as willows swaying in the wind, which is indeed quite monotonous. I think Her Majesty’s words are very true, so let’s just forget about this one.”
The Empress: “…”
The Emperor glanced at her with a hint of amusement in his voice, “But Xiaoqing just said that willows are memorable precisely because of their ephemeral nature and their swaying grace—how is it that you’ve changed your mind so quickly?”
Rong Qing choked for a moment.
The Emperor toyed with the jade thumb ring on his hand, gently shook his head, and fixed his gaze on Liu Ruyi before making a decision: “It shall be her.”
“Alright, Noble Consort, do not quarrel with the Empress. The Empress’s health is already poor. Now, I will not keep you outside in the wind any longer. Return to the palace early; let this be the end of today’s matters.”
“Noble Consort, accompany me for a walk in the Imperial Garden.”
……
After finishing the last line of the conciliatory dialogue that called for “each to be punished with fifty strokes of the cane”, Lu Xun walked towards Xu Jiao, and the two completed the exit scene.
Before they had a chance to reflect on what they had done well or poorly in their performance, they heard the assistant announce that the next scene was about to begin filming. Lu Xun, still standing beside Xu Jiao, slightly lowered his head upon hearing this and, in a complimentary tone, said to her:
“Acting with you is really different; that last scene went so smoothly.”
As he leaned down, Xu Jiao could feel the woody fragrance pressing heavily over her head, giving her a strange sense of weightiness.
She was momentarily stunned and didn’t quite understand what he meant by that.
Feng Qingyu suddenly called out to her.
“Jiaojiao,” she said, “Let’s go.”
Hearing these two words from Feng Qingyu’s mouth, Xu Jiao was stunned for a second before she realized. She thought Feng Qingyu wanted to maintain the illusion of their marriage in front of others, so she nodded and headed outside.
Qiu Yongli, also an Omega, came up and affectionately linked arms with her, talking about the feelings from the previous scene.
Only Feng Qingyu and Lu Xun were left standing there.
Feng Qingyu’s eyes narrowed slightly, the gentleness in her voice suddenly vanished, replaced by a hint of coldness: “With Emperor Lu’s acting skills, I thought there would be no need to rehearse in advance.”
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Lu Xun smiled but remained silent. As he walked to Feng Qingyu’s side, his pheromones suddenly pressed towards her direction, the scent of wood and bitter orange blossom clashing abruptly.
In an unnoticed corner, a tumultuous storm was brewing!
Amidst this tense atmosphere, Lu Xun leaned slightly towards her, smiling warmly, and whispered:
“Don’t be so domineering, little sister Xiaoyu.”
After a pause, he said, “Since you haven’t marked her for so long, shouldn’t you give others a fair chance to compete?”
“You can deceive others, but you can’t deceive me. She doesn’t have your scent on her.”
“I can smell it; this Omega…is unclaimed.”
Feng Qingyu suddenly raised her eyes to look at him, her gaze sharp, with emotions bursting forth like a blade that can cut through water.
……
The conversation between the two did not let a third person know.
Everything in the crew proceeded in an orderly manner.
Until nine o’clock in the evening.
The official Weibo account released a nine-grid photo set of the character costumes.
The background was the red walls of the palace, with a white plum blossom branch peeking out. The scene featured the two main characters, two important supporting characters, and some other roles. These included a popular veteran actor playing the young general of the Qi family, a character playing Rong Qing’s older brother, and several significant concubines in the palace.
In this setting, the emperor’s regal aura, the empress’s grace, the concubines’ vibrancy, and the noble consort’s splendor—
Every single image made people scream with excitement.
Fans went crazy the moment they saw the photos.
“Ahhh, my Sixth Lord! I want to marry you! Emperor, please look at me! Can I be another one in the harem?”
“Oh my god, our Jade Sister’s demeanor! I declare she is now the most serene and gentle empress in my heart!”
“Our Pear is so adorable! Is it really okay to have such a cute female lead in a palace intrigue drama? Boohoo, come into my arms, I’ll protect you!”
“Hey, wait a minute, didn’t anyone notice? Xu Sajiao actually fits in here without feeling out of place at all…”
“I can only say that the production team’s photoshopping skills are top-notch! You can’t tell anything from the character portraits!”
“I have to say, Xu Sajiao actually makes a pretty good ‘flower vase’ (花瓶, a term used to describe a person, usually a woman, who is attractive but lacks talent or substance). Doesn’t she slowly seem to embody the essence of a decorative vase?”
……
Amid the countless discussions, Xu Jiao naturally became the one singled out for criticism again. Even though her styling in the character portrait was incredibly beautiful, and the white fur collar on her cape accentuated her radiant complexion, with her glamorous makeup making it seem like the colors in the background couldn’t overshadow her brilliance.
However, it seems like the production team intended to stir things up today.
Two hours later—
The official Weibo account released a still from the drama.
It was a scene of Empress Qi and Rong Qing filming by the pool.
The background was illuminated by scattered dim candlelight, and behind them were jade-colored pool steps, casting a glow on the two people in the pool that made their skin look like ice muscles and jade bones (冰肌玉骨, meaning pure and flawless). Their waterfall-like black hair partly draped over the snowy white edge of the pool, with some strands falling into the water, appearing entangled.
Noble Consort Rong held the Empress by the neck with one hand, her head slightly tilted up, her half-closed eyes filled with a deep, entranced longing. The clothing on her shoulder had slipped halfway off, exposing her rounded shoulder adorned with water droplets. The remaining fabric hung around her waist, subtly revealing her faintly discernible waistline.
Empress Qi looked down at her, the flickering candlelight reflecting in her eyes along with the person in front of her. She supported her waist with one hand, her gaze filled with tenderness.
When this image was released, the fans were all like “！！！！！！”
“Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap! Who is this! Who is the Empress holding! Who’s in Sister Yu’s arms!”
“Oh my god, that waist, that back! Is this Xu Sajiao? My phantom limb just got hard!”
“Mother, I can suddenly accept this Omega!.”
“Xu Sajiao’s expression… No way, this must be fake. I won’t be slapped in the face!”
“It seems like there’s been a lot of hostility towards Xu Jiao since the show started, right? She’s just an ordinary Omega, what did she do wrong? I don’t care, just for this picture, I’ll watch this show.”
“Don’t anyone stop me! Today I’m definitely getting a new phone! But before that, I need to prprpr, lick the screen! (舔屏, meaning to admire something/someone intensely).”
“Although you can’t really tell the acting skill from the stills, honestly, this feeling of passion without being vulgar, this desire without being crude, I do have a tiny bit of expectation for this show.”
“Just for this picture, I’m willing to give it a glance. Really, as long as Xu Sajiao isn’t that much of an eyesore… I can accept it.”
……
A small wave of “True Fragrance” (真香, a slang term meaning someone who initially dislikes something but later admits to liking it) appeared on the internet.
Feng Qingyu was just browsing the official account’s updates, and she saw this still from the show. Her assistant, Luo Bo, had already updated her content earlier, simply sharing the official account’s post with a routine collaboration message.
But now, seeing this still, she couldn’t help but feel the urge to hit the share button.
As she pondered over what to write, her thoughts circled around and landed on the words Lu Xun said earlier today.
(If you're not reading on littlepandatranslations.com, it means this has been stolen)
At that time…
Lu Xun said:
“Since you haven’t marked her for so long, shouldn’t you give others a fair chance to compete?”
“I can smell it; this Omega…is unclaimed.”
How did she respond again?
Ah, yes.
She said, “Then it’s not your turn.”
Now, Feng Qingyu lowered her eyes and looked at the screen for a long time. Her pale fingertips moved slightly, and finally, she sent out the Weibo post—
Not long after.
Her fan club was collectively stunned!
They saw that Feng Qingyu’s latest Weibo post was a beautiful still from a drama, accompanied by a simple caption of just six characters (in Chinese):
“My noble consort.”
However, the fans were still—
“!!!”
If they remembered correctly, this was the first time Feng Qingyu interacted with Xu Jiao on Weibo!
The possessiveness emanating from the screen… could it be real?
