Page 233

Chapter 233: 233 Chapter "Favor

The abacus that Noble Consort played with was doomed to fail.

Not to mention whether Lian Hua would delve deeply into the direction hinted by Noble Consort, even if she did grasp the underlying meaning in Noble Consort’s words, she had already expressed her feelings with His Majesty, and of course, she would believe His Majesty, not the words of an outsider.

Seeing that her words had achieved the desired effect among everyone present, Noble Consort started speaking again, "Alas, my health has deteriorated, it’s all fate.

Now, I’m relying on all my sisters. We must strive harder in the future.

We need to work together to relieve our lord of his worries.

Whoever can be the first to bear His Majesty a prince, His Majesty will surely be delighted, and the former court officials will certainly be jubilant, maybe. .."

Noble Consort lowered her eyes, the rest of her sentence left unspoken.

The ambitions of the crowd were stirred, and they began to feel hopeful. In the past, they dared only to lament in private. As they observed that others also had no children, it offered them some comfort.

Now that Noble Consort had brought it up openly, everyone’s thoughts were stirred. In the harem, nobody else had children. If someone could bear a prince first, the prince would ascend the throne one day...

At the thought of this possibility, everyone’s hearts burned with desire, but then they remembered the rumors circulating in secret that someone in Canglan Court was pregnant, though it had not been confirmed and the truth was unclear.

Thinking about how His Majesty was now monopolized and spent his nights in Canglan Court, their looks toward Lian Hua were filled with jealousy, their eyes flashing with unusual light.

Only Beauty Zhao and Changzai Zhou were different from the others.

Beauty Zhao lowered her head to drink tea, without much thought.

Changzai Zhou, on the other hand, lowered her eyelids, a cold light flashing in her eyes. No child had been born in the palace for so many years; wasn’t Noble Consort the clearest about the reason? Yet, she dared to pose here.

When she was new to the palace, she was as naive as the others, thinking Noble Consort Xue was tolerant and kind to her subordinates. Only later did she realize her naivety. Unfortunately, by then it was too late; her body was already unable to conceive.

These fools, really thinking that since Noble Consort’s health was ruined, she posed no threat. They thought Noble Consort genuinely cared for them.

Their wonderful Noble Consort, indeed, had her body ruined due to a miscarriage in those years, but what they didn’t know was that Noble Consort wasn’t completely ruined. She wasn’t ruined to the point of being unable to conceive for life. As long as she took proper care, there was hope.

In recent years, Noble Consort had been conditioning her body, trying every means possible to repair the damage from her miscarriage, so she could be the first to bear a prince and ascend to the throne of the Empress. Naturally, her son would become the Crown Prince.

But man proposes, and heaven disposes; just as Noble Consort’s health was almost restored, Beauty Lian, favored and pregnant, unexpectedly thwarted her plan.

In this palace, the most venomous person was Noble Consort. For her own benefit, she played everyone like monkeys; in the harem, there was no one who had not suffered her "kindness."

Being a former palace maid and then promoted to the lowest rank of Cainv after gaining favor, Beauty Lian was sent far away to a secluded courtyard. To the discerning, it was clear His Majesty did not wish to see her, allowing her to narrowly escape one disaster.

The affairs of the world are indeed interesting. The person initially looked down upon has now become a significant threat in Noble Consort’s heart. Divine justice is clear; it’s not unavenged, just yet to come.

Changzai Zhou kept her head down, curling her lips into a sneer when no one could see her expression. When she raised her head, her expression was as solemn as everyone else’s, yet ambition was brewing.

Everyone looked simultaneously at Lian Hua, their eyes filled with surging hostility.

While gazing at Lian Hua, someone said, "We also wish, but just....", fixing their gaze on Lian Hua, the implication clear without further words.

Talented Lady Jia jumped out, directly pointing out, "Beauty Lian, we consorts need to be self-aware, we cannot act like ordinary concubines who can’t be seen in public. You can’t just cling to His Majesty and refuse to let go."

"Jealousy is the path to self-destruction, it should be avoided. Sister Lian appears amiable, surely she isn’t such a person?"

"We are all in the palace, all sisters, we should support each other and leave His Majesty to others as it is only proper."

"Indeed, Beauty Lian, with her temperament as bright as the moon and her noble character, will surely wish to help her sisters."

The crowd, each adding a word, openly and covertly mocked Lian Hua for being jealous, yet they also exalted her, putting her in an impossible position.

Noble Consort Xue, having achieved her objective, cooled her anger a bit and said no more, picking up her tea cup to mask her scorn and watching the events unfold from a distance.

Xiao Jizi felt indignant, as this group meant no good, having staged a drama, openly and secretly implying that his master monopolized His Majesty and pushed her into opposition with everyone else in the harem.

If, in the future, His Majesty did not favor others, it would apparently be his master’s fault.

He worried silently; it was a dilemma, wanting to prove his master wasn’t jealous, yet he could not push His Majesty away, unsure of what to do.

He feared his master, confused by these people and falling into their trap, might agree to something. He hurriedly got close to Lian Hua, hoping to give her a hint.

Talented Lady Jia, with sharp eyes, noticed his movement and interjected, "Oh, what’s with the servant behind Beauty Lian? Perhaps he wants to relieve himself; though it’s against protocol, we as masters are not unkind. If you must go, then go quickly."

Xiao Qing and Xiao Linzi, though dull, also sensed something was off but could not voice it, nor could they offer much help.

Upon hearing Talented Lady Jia finish, Xiao Linzi decided, he would report exactly what had happened here to His Majesty as soon as he could.

Speaking of the Emperor, it’s unavoidable to mention his rush to Huaying Hall.

He hurried from Canglan Court to Huaying Hall, pondering many things along the way, including Xu Rongying holding people without clear intentions, and his Little Concubine’s desperate yet helpless appearance, which angered him!

The more he thought, the angrier he got.

Although he trusted Xu Rongying wouldn’t harm his Little Concubine, the thought of Xu Rongying, who acted impulsively and carefreely like a man, unsettled him.

He was very uncomfortable, fearing his Little Concubine had been wronged and even more afraid she had been led astray.

Upon reaching Huaying Hall, he was so furious that he ordered Xu Rongying to be called out, not wanting his Little Concubine to see him like this, fearing it would frighten her.

When Xu Rongying came out and casually asked, "What brings His Majesty here?" he could no longer restrain himself, angrily questioning why she detained the person, who had been in Huaying Hall for a day and yet hadn’t been let go.

Xu Rongying was surprised, saying the person had already returned, asking how he hadn’t seen her?

The Emperor, seeing Xu Rongying’s expression didn’t seem false, inquired about the time of her return, precisely when he was reviewing memorials just before leaving Canglan Court.

Although there were several paths back to Canglan Court, he had taken the shortest route from Canglan Court to Huaying Hall. If the person had taken the same path back, he should have encountered her, yet he had seen no one along the way.

Both were shocked by this realization; a person in good health had simply vanished.

Xu Zhaoyi speculated whether she might have gone to the Imperial Garden afterward, taken a different path not crossing his, or perhaps she had wandered elsewhere after entering the Imperial Garden?