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So, taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention, she stealthily took a piece of pastry and placed it on her handkerchief, pretending to wipe her mouth with the handkerchief while she let the pastry dissolve in her mouth.

After lightly pressing her lips together a few times, she swallowed with her saliva, savoring the sweet taste filling her mouth.

Lian Hua, feeling satisfied, squinted her eyes in delight, indeed the pastries at the Noble Consort’s flower-viewing banquet were delicious.

The Emperor’s peripheral vision had been on her; glancing over occasionally, he caught this scene and couldn’t help but let out a cold smirk, thinking to himself that after he had just treated Little Concubine a bit better, her audacity had grown considerably.

Daring to sneak food right under his watch, it seemed that she needed a proper lesson that evening.

The Concubine, who was in conversation with him, thought the remark was a display of dissatisfaction with her and couldn’t help but become nervous, stammering to a halt.

The Emperor looked at her and told her, "Continue."

He hadn’t paid much attention to what the person before him had been saying and didn’t understand why she had stopped speaking.

The one speaking with him was none other than Beauty Li, whose face had gone somewhat pale with fright. The wan and frail-looking woman gazed at the Emperor with pitiful, pleading eyes, a far cry from her usual arrogant and haughty demeanor.

She felt that she hadn’t said anything wrong, merely mentioning that it had been a long time since she had seen His Majesty and tactfully praising him. She had also subtly expressed her longing for him. Was that also a mistake?

She felt like crying. Recently, things had not been going her way; for some reason, she was punished by the Noble Consort to relearn proper conduct, tormented by the Nanny for almost a month before being released, exhausted in both body and mind, having lost several pounds—and this was just shortly after being let out.

Just now, seeing that the Noble Consort and many higher-ranked Concubines were yet to arrive while His Majesty had come early, she had secretly rejoiced, hoping to perform well before His Majesty before the Noble Consort and the others arrived.

She had not expected to offend His Majesty before she could say much, still uncertain what had displeased him, truly feeling a desire to weep without tears.

The Emperor looked at the Consort before him, who appeared to be greatly wronged, teary-eyed as she gazed back at him. When prompted to speak, she remained silent, baffling him with her behavior, and growing somewhat impatient, he waved his hand, signaling her to withdraw.

Beauty Li could only meekly acknowledge and bow as she withdrew, sitting down at her seat with a mix of dejection and resentment.

The Concubines seated around her looked on with scornful eyes, secretly mocking her shamelessness in trying to stand out, calling her delusional.

In the harem, there were almost none who favored Beauty Li, due mostly to her problematic behavior in everyday affairs, preying on the weak and fearing the strong.

She would often spew venomous words at those of similar or lower rank, her sharp tongue undisciplined, and out of envy, she would repress others, causing significant discontent among the lower-ranked Concubines, who nevertheless felt powerless to retaliate.

Concurrently, she would excessively flatter those above her, buzzing around like a fly, wherever there was advantage to be found. A bona fide opportunist, yet her methods were none too clever, earning her the despise of the higher-ranked Consorts.

Lian Hua, on this side, dared to steal only a piece, not daring to eat more, for it was easy to be caught.

After satisfying her hunger with the pastry, she began to look around and sensed that His Majesty’s gaze seemed to sweep in her direction, consciously or not. Her heart skipped a beat—was she caught sneaking food?

Stealing glances towards His Majesty, she observed for a long while, but couldn’t make out any clues from his expression.

So, resting her hand on the edge of the small banquet table, she leaned her cheek on her palm and continued watching, realizing that His Majesty was indeed handsome, with a visage fair as jade and eyebrows like distant stars.

His bearing was extraordinary, exuding elegance with every gesture, yet carrying an air of authority.

The more Lian Hua watched, the more captivated she became, unwittingly staring for a good while.

The Emperor noticed her gaze but no longer looked in her direction, sitting up straight in his seat at the head, occasionally responding to the words of the Consorts below, his mood slowly improving.

Just then, the concubines who had not arrived received the news and hastened to come to pay their respects.

The Noble Consort also rushed over, her heart filled with impatience. She received the message from a palace attendant while she was still getting her hair done; she never expected His Majesty to arrive early. Without any mental preparation, his arrival had disrupted her rhythm completely.

She could only keep urging the palace maid dressing her to hurry with her hair. Though they rushed, they finally finished and she hurried to the location, being carried in a sedan chair. She constantly urged the eunuch who carried the sedan chair, and now they had finally arrived.

She felt both surprised and puzzled in her heart.

His Majesty had never shown much interest in such flower-viewing banquets.

Although she had invited him before, out of respect for her, he would almost always attend to show his support, though he would invariably arrive late, stay for only a short while, and then leave.

Why would he, on a whim, arrive so early this time?

She felt an immediate sense of misstep in her mind. Many concubines had probably already arrived at the flower-viewing banquet. Without her to oversee the event, what if someone misspoke and offended His Majesty?

She would have to arrive early when inviting His Majesty in the future. She absolutely could not repeat today’s mistake.

"Your servant pays respects to His Majesty. Your servant did not know of Your Majesty’s early arrival and has come late; I beg for Your Majesty’s forgiveness," the Noble Consort said reverently as she knelt down.

Behind her followed a group of concubines who had just rushed over, most of them being senior consorts.

These people usually timed their arrival just before the event started, but today, His Majesty had broken the routine.

The lower-ranked concubines already seated also stood up to greet them with a bow, and the entire garden was aflutter with people paying respects. Only the Emperor remained seated, unmoved.

"Rise, it is not your fault. It is I who have come early. Be seated," he said.

The Emperor was pleased with the Noble Consort. She had managed the harem well in recent years, with little conflict to trouble him, which he appreciated.

"Thank you for Your Majesty’s grace," they all replied.

The high-ranked concubines who had rushed there wiped the sweat from their foreheads. They had hurried so much that they had begun to sweat, and now that they were seated, they felt weak and were still catching their breath.

Those concubines, accustomed to being treated with the utmost care and having delicate physiques, typically moved little and walked slowly—who would have thought they could be in such a rush?

It was only the Noble Consort who had been granted the privilege by His Majesty to ride in the Imperial Palanquin; the others, with no such honor, usually walked.

So when the Noble Consort took her seat, she was still composed, her face not red, her breath not short.

She sat next to His Majesty and announced the beginning of the flower-viewing banquet.

She picked up the teapot and personally poured tea for His Majesty, saying, "Your Majesty, please try this newly made chrysanthemum tea.

It is made with Hangzhou White Chrysanthemum—fragrant, pleasing, and sweet in taste.

It is excellent for clearing the liver and improving vision.

You always work so hard reviewing documents at your desk, and should drink more of it. "

"The Noble Consort is considerate," replied the Emperor after she poured the tea. He took a sip from his cup and found it as sweet as she had described, commenting, "Good."

After setting down his tea cup, the Emperor realized he still preferred Dew Tea. The Little Concubine had said it was nearly ready—it should be just a matter of a couple of days. After being without his favorite tea for so long, he was hopeful that it would soon be available again.

He was quite anticipative; after all, this was the first time the Little Concubine was truly preparing the tea for him. Once this batch was finished, he didn’t plan to let her make it again; the process was too arduous, and he didn’t want her to go through that hardship.

Thinking of this, the Emperor’s gaze inadvertently swept in Lian Hua’s direction, only to see her looking quite foolish. Upon hearing the Noble Consort’s words, she also began to drink the tea, tasting it while she sipped. After finishing her tea, she started to enjoy the desserts.

Her appearance made him want to laugh—while others were here to appreciate the flowers and the romance of the setting, she was the only one who seemed to be here just to eat and drink.