Chapter 506: Chen Zhao Extra Story (Second)_3
 

But even if she’s as beautiful as a fairy, what does it matter? She’s not favored by the commander-in-chief. All these days, I haven’t seen her enter his bedroom even once.

“Come here, massage my back.” I lean on the Arhat couch, instructing her.

Sure enough, my younger sister walks over, sits across from me, chews on a fruit from the small table, and teases, “Are you itchy?”

Angered, I sit up abruptly, knocking the fruit from her hand, and scold, “Ungracious! You just take people’s things to eat. Did I say you could?”

She stands up, slaps her hands together, startling me.

However, she doesn’t hit me, simply sneers disdainfully, and strides away.

I’m furious, and order the maid to stop her, but the maid is too timid to approach her.

That night, when the commander-in-chief summons me again, I exaggerate the rudeness of my younger sister and playfully ask him to discipline her.

However, as he hears this, he immediately dismounts me, and orders a maid to lead me out.

I’m dazed, wondering what has upset him.

After that, he doesn’t call for me again, nor does he send me any gifts.

Unwilling to put up with this, and very curious about what happened, I go to my younger sister’s courtyard to ask.

However, I encounter the commander-in-chief outside her courtyard, and he’s talking to her about something, even reaching out to pull her close.

She slaps his hand away, turns around to go back into her courtyard, and even closes the courtyard door.

I’m stunned, and quickly hide behind a tree, fearing that his rage might involve me.

However, he stands at the door for a bit, turns around and leaves, glancing over when he passes by the tree where I’m hiding.

I dare not breathe, waiting until he disappears before I come out from behind the tree and rush back to my room.

Two days later, another banquet is held in the commander’s mansion, and we concubines are called to attend and entertain the guests.

After several cups of liquor, the generals forget themselves, flirting with us, and the commander-in-chief doesn’t interfere, allowing everyone to enjoy themselves.

I then realize that concubines in the commander’s mansion don’t only serve the commander himself, they also double as playthings for the guests.

But what about my younger sister?

I look around, only to see her sitting among a group of dancers, watching everyone coldly.

Then, a martial general addresses the commander, “Great General, I would like to request the hand of Miss Chen Ying.”

At these words, the room falls silent.

All eyes turn towards the Great General.

The Great General smiles faintly, responding, “I cannot grant this.”

A strategist nearby immediately teases, “The Great General has only one dancer who knows the Hu Xuan dance, General Feng, you shouldn’t put the General in such a difficult position.”

Everybody bursts into laughter.

Somebody else chimes in, “We all have our eyes on Miss Chen Ying, General Feng, you need to get in line.”

General Feng flushes with embarrassment, but soon recovers, cuddling the concubine next to him, “Then I’ll request her from the Great General.”

The commander agrees, orders someone to bring ten bolts of silk and some gold and silver, and gives them all to the concubine.

As my mind is spinning, the Great General asks my younger sister to dance again.

So I see her dance the Hu Xuan dance for the first time.

Her figure is like a nimble bird, jumping non-stop to the beat of the drum, a whole two hours, without the commander ordering her to stop.

I see that my younger sister is sweating profusely, her clothes sticking to her body.

Suddenly, she collapses, as if she has fainted.

In the stunned silence, a young general rushes forward, picks her up and sprints out of the hall calling for a doctor.

The banquet ends abruptly, and everyone loses their taste for drink, following out of the hall to see what’s happening.

I glance over at the commander, and find that his face is very grim, probably because he’s angry at my younger sister.

For a long time, there are no banquets in the commander’s mansion. The monthly feasts haven’t been held for a whole four months.

I don’t see my younger sister, rumors have it she injured her foot and is still recuperating.

In these few months, the commander summons no concubines, but the number of concubines has increased.

One day, I finally see my younger sister again. She seems to have gained some weight, her skin is radiant and flawless, and even more beautiful than before.

She looks at me with her usual displeasing expression, which truly infuriates me.

That day, Wei Qi visits the commander’s mansion, and for some reason, he and the young lord from the Xiao Family come to the courtyard meant for the concubines, where they bump into me.

I see that the young lord is toying with a whip, at times striking at some flowers and plants. An idea comes to mind, and I lead them to my younger sister’s courtyard.

Everyone in the mansion knows that the young lord is domineering and unpredictable, often whipping people on impulse.

For someone as stubborn as my younger sister, it’s easy to displease others.

Let the young lord from the Xiao Family and Wei Qi deal with her then. Even if the commander gets upset, both of them are his relatives. He can’t possibly help outsiders at the expense of his own family.

I watch as Wei Qi and the young lord from the Xiao Family enter my younger sister’s courtyard and listen with glee to the commotion.