Yu Miaohua watched in a daze as the Empress was led away by the Emperor.
[What exactly does the Empress want to say?]
[Once the host redeems the mind-reading skill, then you’ll know.]
Yu Miaohua simply ignored the voice. She had no idea when the Emperor and the Empress would return, and it wouldn’t do to leave just like that, so all she could do was wait there.
After standing for a while, Chai Xiu returned. “Your Highness, please have a seat. If there’s anything you wish to eat, just tell the kitchen staff, and they will prepare it right away.”
Yu Miaohua nodded and sat down. She wasn’t going to sacrifice her own comfort just to maintain appearances.
She didn’t hold back and ordered several of her favorite teas and snacks. The snacks took a bit longer to prepare, but the palace staff in Qianyuan Hall all knew the status of this Consort in the Emperor’s heart—none dared to keep her waiting.
The food fresh from the stove was soon brought over, including a steaming basket of shrimp dumplings. The shrimp inside had been caught just before dawn, combined with mushrooms and winter bamboo shoots, creating a flavor so fresh it could make one’s tongue melt. The dumpling skins were also perfectly chewy.
Meanwhile, the Empress was startled by the Emperor’s abrupt and somewhat rude behavior, so unlike his usual self. After collecting her thoughts, she began to piece things together.
Pei Lingyue led Empress Yang Zhaopei to the study, sending everyone else away.
Yang Zhaopei got straight to the point: “Your Majesty, can you actually see the words appearing above Consort Hui’s head?”
One of the voices sounded like Consort Hui’s. Was she suddenly able to see what Consort Hui was thinking?
The Emperor’s expression confirmed it. “It seems the Empress can see it now, too.”
“Is she talking to herself? Or someone else?” the Empress asked, unable to help but wonder. From the Emperor’s tone, he had been able to see it all along. He had kept it well hidden.
Recalling how the Empress Dowager had initially detested Consort Hui but later changed her attitude, doting on her as if she were precious, Yang Zhaopei finally understood.
“Mother can see it as well?”
Since the Empress could see it now, Pei Lingyue didn’t bother hiding the truth from her.
“Consort Hui isn’t talking to herself. When I said earlier that she is blessed by a deity, it was no empty claim. She’s actually communicating with a divine being.”
“That deity often assigns her tasks, and upon completion, she receives rewards,” Pei Lingyue explained, mentioning some of the past missions and their rewards, his tone tinged with a hint of frustration, “But Consort Hui often refuses to carry out these tasks.”
The Emperor’s words finally cleared up the Empress’s doubts from the past few days.
No wonder the Emperor had suddenly started doting on Consort Hui so much—it was all because of the rewards tied to these tasks.
No wonder Consort Hui was reluctant to complete them. Those missions seemed to push her toward the highest position, even requiring her to betray her own heart and harm others. Consort Hui was not the type to hurt people; she was quite obedient and went with the flow. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been framed and sent to the Cold Palace, where she had willingly spent half a year farming.
Forcing Consort Hui to do things she was unwilling to do—was this truly a benevolent deity and not an evil god?
No... Judging by the genuine and valuable rewards bestowed, in the Emperor’s heart, this deity must be a righteous god.
“So, Your Majesty, you took the initiative to help Consort Hui complete the task?” Yang Zhaopei asked with a knowing smile. After learning the full truth, the grievances she had felt seemed to vanish as quickly as morning dew under the sun.
As the Empress of the nation, if her suffering could bring about such benefits, she was willing to cooperate.
Moreover… Consort Hui was even willing to stand up for her, sacrificing her own interests. The sudden vision Yang Zhaopei had seen of Consort Hui communicating with the divine must be a sign from Heaven itself.
Under the Empress’s watchful gaze, Pei Lingyue looked somewhat embarrassed for reasons unknown. Clearing his throat, he said, “Zhaopei, you understand my difficulties, don’t you?”
A faint smile curled at the corner of Yang Zhaopei’s lips. “Your humble servant naturally understands Your Majesty’s hardships, but Consort Hui is simple and obstinate—she may not fully grasp these things.”
In fact, her position in Consort Hui’s heart might even surpass that of the Emperor.
Thinking of this, Yang Zhaopei felt a wave of happiness wash over her, as refreshing as an ice-cold drink on a scorching summer day.
Pei Lingyue fell silent for a moment before saying, “I am the Son of Heaven; perhaps Consort Hui fears the majesty I carry.”
Yet, the veins on the back of his hand beneath his sleeve bulged visibly.
Seeing this, Yang Zhaopei wisely decided not to press further and avoid provoking His Majesty’s anger.
“Empress, you must pay closer attention to Consort Hui from now on.”
Pei Lingyue didn’t know how many others might witness the divine presence within Consort Hui in the future, but for now, the situation was favorable to him.
Yang Zhaopei maintained her gentle and virtuous demeanor. “Your humble servant will certainly protect Consort Hui.”
Even if there were no divine presence within Consort Hui, just based on her actions today, Yang Zhaopei would guard this little sanctuary carefully.
Suddenly, Pei Lingyue remembered something and a strange smile flickered across his face.
“There’s one thing I almost forgot to tell you.”
“Consort Hui has another task.”
“The divine has prepared more than twenty potential suitors for her. She must successfully win over three non-same-sex targets, excluding myself, within a month.”
Having often observed the conversations between Consort Hui and the divine, Pei Lingyue began to understand some unfamiliar terms from this era. He even explained to the Empress what “winning over” meant—essentially, to capture someone’s heart, making them develop affection, fondness, or even love for her.
Pei Lingyue pondered that the more the chosen suitors liked Consort Hui, the greater the benefits she would receive.
Yang Zhaopei’s gentle smile stiffened. “Isn’t this... ridiculous?”
Pei Lingyue sighed. “But the rewards they offer are too generous!”
He went on to describe the possible rewards for completing this task, practically eager to help Yu Miaohua win over three suitors immediately.
Often, Pei Lingyue lamented silently: why didn’t the divine assign him these tasks instead?
Looking at his eager expression, Yang Zhaopei finally felt completely at peace.
The Emperor was willing to personally help Consort Hui ‘step out’—an act that carried the weight of humiliation for a Son of Heaven—all for those rewards beyond this era’s imagination. If he could endure that, what was a little grievance of hers?
Consort Hui truly wasn’t having an easy time.
“So, which suitors has the divine chosen for her?”
Pei Lingyue had an excellent memory, especially when it came to matters concerning Yu Miaohua. “Duke Pinghuai Chen Junjian, Marquis Xuan Shi Bosheng, the eldest son of the Grand Secretary Song Xinghe, last year’s third-place scholar Shen Sushang, and the junior general Jiang Xunxin…”
Yang Zhaopei listened to each name, feeling a headache coming on.
It seemed they were trying to sweep up all the young talents in the court at once. She wondered which three the Wise Consort would choose.
But then…
“Is that all?” Yang Zhaopei asked, only to notice the emperor’s smile growing even more meaningful. A bad feeling suddenly crept over her.
“Who else is there?”
Pei Lingyue chuckled, “There are also the two boys, Chi Yan and Chi Yao.”
Yang Zhaopei’s body stiffened, her face blank.
Her own son was on the list?
Should she praise the divine eye for its keen judgment?
She realized she had been too quick to feel relieved earlier.
Seeing the empress’s expression, Pei Lingyue felt a surge of satisfaction. It seemed he wasn’t the only one feeling the sting.
Now that the empress had joined in, the impact was doubled.
“Your Majesty, Empress, for the sake of Great Qi, you’ll help me, won’t you?”
“The Crown Prince is our son, and his status is precious. He can’t possibly miss out on even one spot!”
“By the way, don’t assign him or Chi Yao any consorts for the next couple of years, so they don’t lose their eligibility.”
The empress: “……”
She was left speechless.
…
Yu Miaohua waited for quite a while before the emperor and empress finally returned.
She noticed the emperor’s mood was especially good, while the empress appeared somewhat dazed and conflicted.
“Your Majesty, are you all right?” Yu Miaohua asked.
Yang Zhaopei shook her head. “I’m fine. I should return to the Phoenix Palace now.”
Yu Miaohua inquired, “Will you still be resting to recover your health?”
Yang Zhaopei gave the emperor a sidelong, faintly amused glance. “Although the miraculous medicine you sent, Wise Consort, was perfectly suited and almost a cure-all, I still need to rest for a couple of days.”
The emperor had already let the words slip, so she had to give him face—she couldn’t just say she was fully healed right away.
Hearing this, Yu Miaohua instantly felt reassured. After a moment’s thought, she slipped two books into the empress’s hands, then bowed gracefully. “Since there’s nothing more, I will take my leave.”
Pei Lingyue, who hadn’t had a chance to speak from the start, groaned inwardly.
He rubbed his temples and muttered, “Summon Imperial Physician Zhang.”
Some patching up was still needed.
The empress looked down at the two unexpected books in her arms and couldn’t help but laugh softly.
Yu Miaohua walked away briskly. When she had arrived, she looked ready to pick a fight, but now her demeanor was calm and even carried a hint of joy. Seeing this, Cuiwei, who had come along, finally let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, a smile touching her lips.
She didn’t ask what had happened—if the empress wanted to share, she would do so of her own accord.
But Yu Miaohua couldn’t wait to share the good news. “The medicine I sent was just right. Empress will recover quickly.”
Cuiwei blinked in surprise, then smiled. “That truly is wonderful news.”
She was a little curious: Did the empress bring the medicine with her? Could it have been hidden inside the books?
Yu Miaohua nodded. “Yes. To celebrate this happy event, Guan Ju Palace will receive an extra month’s allowance this month.”
Not only had she managed to protect the Empress, but she also hadn’t angered her in the process. The mission was a complete success—what a relief! To celebrate, she was determined to have a feast for lunch today!
Although she had already eaten a little with the Emperor, that was at most just a pre-meal snack.
Because of her recent elevation to Consort, the palace servants in Guan Ju Palace had already received double their monthly allowance. Now, with an additional bonus, who knew how many people would be green with envy if they found out? Because of this, many palace maids were trying to slip silver coins to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, hoping to be assigned to Guan Ju Palace.
But every spot in Guan Ju Palace was already taken, so even if they wanted to get in, there was no room. As for the two servants who had been taken away earlier for gossiping, they were punished with twenty lashes each and then expelled from the palace.
Back on her own turf, Yu Miaohua started ordering dishes. “For lunch, prepare a full table: Eight-Treasure Chicken, roasted lamb chops, braised deer tendons, osmanthus shark’s fin, pickled pig’s trotters, and Panlong vegetables—make sure all these are served. The rest can be prepared as you see fit.”
After a moment’s thought, she added, “Let’s save the braised deer tendons for dinner and add a dish of shrimp dumplings.”
That dish was quite time-consuming, but the Eight-Treasure Chicken was often prepped in advance since Yu Miaohua liked it so much. If she didn’t eat it, it would be given directly to Cuiwei and the others.
Qingluo personally went to keep an eye on the small kitchen.
Yu Miaohua asked her mother and younger sister, “Mother, Miaoping, do you want to have a little something to tide you over first?”
Seeing her daughter in such a celebratory mood, Wang Yaning knew that something good must have happened during her visit to Qianyuan Hall.
She smiled. “Your sister and I just had some noodles and smoked civet. I quite liked the smoked civet.”
No one in Guan Ju Palace would dare let them go hungry. But since they were thinking about Miaohua, they didn’t eat much, saving their appetite to dine with her later.
Yu Miaohua started spinning a tale. “I suddenly remembered that the Empress Dowager once gave me a miraculous medicine. Thinking to try my luck, I sent it to Qianyuan Hall. I didn’t expect the medicine to really help the Empress’s illness. Knowing that Mother will soon recover, I’m so happy.”
Wang Yaning gave her daughter a look that said, “I’m just quietly watching you spin your story,” but still played along. “It must be that the Empress is truly blessed by Heaven’s grace.”
*What Heaven’s grace! It’s obviously the host’s own merits! Host, you’re such a big fool! Wouldn’t it be better to use those merits to become Noble Consort?*
The system clearly couldn’t understand why Yu Miaohua was so generous with giving away credit and was frustrated by her lack of ambition.
Yu Miaohua knew that trying to explain feelings to a system that didn’t understand human nature was pointless. It was better to make up a practical reason on the spot to fool it.
*You just don’t understand my strategic planning. I’m doing this for my own future! If I get promoted to Noble Consort within a year, I’ll probably make enemies with the Empress and the Crown Prince’s faction. I’ve only been here a year—I can’t compete with them. But now it’s different. I’ve earned credit for her. She’ll have to protect me later, right?*
*So this is your plan! I misunderstood you. I didn’t expect you to actually be clever.*
Feeling annoyed at the system’s cheeky tone, Yu Miaohua decisively blocked it.
Wang Yaning didn’t bother to figure out the truth of the matter; after all, the storm had passed and the sky had cleared.
Preparing such a large feast wouldn’t be quick, so Yu Miaohua decided to keep herself busy. With enthusiasm, she said, “Come on, I’ll take you to see my storage room.”
Heh heh, she had to show off her wealth properly.
While she was away, her mother probably wouldn’t be in the mood for a tour.
“Great! I want to see!” Yu Miaoping was very supportive.
Yu Miaohua led the two of them to the storage room.
Wang Yaning had thought that since her daughter had only been in the palace for a year, even with all the gifts she’d received, it should be limited.
But once she stepped inside... she was immediately dazzled by the large, luxurious items radiating an aura of opulence—coral bonsai, treasure incense burners, pearl screens, jade thirteen-branch lamp trees, and more. It was so dazzling that she instinctively closed her eyes.
Yu Miaohua explained, “This coral bonsai was a gift from Consort De.”
“The pearl screen was sent by the Empress just yesterday.”
“The jade thirteen-branch lamp tree, the treasure incense burners, and the crystal curtains... these were all gifts from the Empress Dowager.”
“The seven-treasure vase, the tortoiseshell mirror stand, the agarwood tea table, and the ivory carved flower table—these were all bestowed by the Emperor.”
Unfortunately, these large items couldn’t be presented to her mother under the pretense of rewards.
But that was okay—silks, jewelry, and accessories were perfectly suitable to give.
Wang Yaning’s heart pounded rapidly as she watched her daughter open box after box filled with jade pieces. The exquisite and splendid jewelry filled hundreds of cases, and there were also over a dozen rosewood chests filled with fine silks.
“Bring out everything I mentioned earlier.”
Cuiwei understood immediately and quickly found the jewelry and silks that her mistress had said were to be reserved for Madam and the Second Miss.
“These gold-inlaid jade hairpins shaped like longevity characters and these two century-old ginseng roots—I want to save them as birthday gifts for Grandma. This is my token of affection as her granddaughter.”
Pointing to another pile of treasures, she said to Yu Miaoping, “These silver hairpins with double fish and floral designs, and the gold fish hairpin inlaid with precious stones, are specially for you. I’ve also saved two bolts of morning glow satin and sprinkled gold satin for you to make two new outfits for the New Year.”
Yu Miaoping’s face lit up with joy. “These hairpins are so beautiful! Thank you, sister~” Her sister was so kind to her!
“The silver-gilt jade fish basket-shaped Guanyin hairpin and the golden tiger hairpin are especially for Mother. This bolt of cloud silk matches your temperament perfectly—you couldn’t wear anything more fitting.”
Yu Miaohua hadn’t forgotten her father either, selecting some of the Four Treasures of the Study for him. Besides using them for copying sutras and calligraphy, she had no other use for them.
Finally, Yu Miaohua picked up two boxes of gemstones. “Take these gems back with you to make hair ornaments.”
Wang Yaning smiled wryly, “If anyone didn’t know better, they’d think we were here to mooch off the palace.”
Carrying all these packages out of the palace—what would that look like?
Her daughter had received an overwhelming amount of gifts, especially since the Empress Dowager had even sent over a whole collection of treasures.
Yu Miaohua was beaming with pride. “Anyway, I can’t possibly use all of this myself. If I don’t give some away, the storage room will be full in no time. It’s because I’m so well-liked that I keep receiving gifts from everyone. If I don’t pass some on, there’ll be no room left in a couple of years.”
In front of her family, Yu Miaohua naturally wanted to say more about the wonderful life she was leading in the palace, so her mother wouldn’t worry about her outside.
“Not only does the Empress Dowager dote on me, but the Empress likes me too. The Noble Consort, Virtuous Consort, and Worthy Consort are all on good terms with me…”
Yu Miaoping spoiled the mood by asking, “What about the sisters you don’t get along with?”
Yu Miaohua replied decisively, “They’ve all been sent to the Cold Palace or the nunnery!”
Just then, Hong Xing hurried in with a worried expression. “Your Highness, the Noble Consort has arrived.”
There was only one Noble Consort in the entire palace.
Yu Miaohua was a little puzzled. Even if the Noble Consort came to visit, she would usually choose a time after her afternoon nap, so as not to disturb her. But now, it was mealtime.
Looking at Hong Xing’s expression, it seemed the visitor was not coming with good intentions.
Yu Miaohua said, “Mother, you and Miaoping continue your tour. I’ll go greet Noble Consort sister.”
……
Half an hour earlier.
Upon receiving news that Fengyi Palace was sealed off, Noble Consort Yuan Huirou was beside herself with anxiety.
She had known the Empress for many years; their relationship was harmonious and deep. Especially since she was straightforward and had offended many concubines over the years, the Empress had looked out for her a great deal. Without the Empress, she wouldn’t have lived a peaceful life.
Although the official explanation for sealing off Fengyi Palace was to allow the Empress to recuperate, when she had watched the Consort Promotion Ceremony, the Empress’s complexion looked excellent—hardly like someone who was ill.
She couldn’t help but suspect that the Empress was being punished because of what happened yesterday.
Yesterday’s “Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix” performance was full of suspicious details.
Since then, the Empress’s mother and younger sister had not appeared in public, as if they were being held captive.
Yuan Huirou thought it over and decided to bring a century-old ginseng root to Fengyi Palace under the pretense of visiting the Empress. Since they were close, even when the Empress was ill, she was usually permitted to see her unless it was a contagious disease.
But today, she was not so lucky.
The palace servants at Fengyi Palace only said the Empress was unwell and not to be disturbed by outsiders.
This was unprecedented, which only strengthened Yuan Huirou’s conviction that the Empress was not sick but under house arrest.
Yuan Huirou then personally cooked a bowl of noodles and went to Qianyuan Palace to pay respects, hoping to gather some information. Unsurprisingly, she was unable to see the Emperor either.
She could only return to the palace feeling gloomy.
“Your Highness, could this have something to do with Guan Ju Palace?” a palace maid named Manao dared to speak up. Originally a third-rank palace maid, Yuan Huirou had promoted her because she was nimble and amusing.
Yuan Huirou was puzzled. “Why would you think it’s related to Guan Ju Palace?”
Manao lowered her eyes and said, “If it were related to yesterday’s auspicious signs, the Empress should have fallen ill yesterday, not today. Yesterday, the Emperor rested in Guan Ju Palace.”
Yuan Huirou found this reasoning somewhat convincing, but…
“Consort Hui doesn’t seem like that kind of person. She looks rather dim-witted—she wouldn’t have the brains for this.”
Upon hearing this, the palace servants around Yuan Huirou lowered their heads silently; no one thought she was in a position to say such things.
Yuan Huirou muttered to herself, “I still don’t want to believe she’s that kind of person. The Empress has treated her well.”
Even so, she sent people to investigate further.
As soon as she inquired, news came through that Consort Hui had also gone to the Qianyuan Palace and had successfully met with the Emperor.
Yuan Huirou, who had just been turned away, felt a swirl of complicated emotions: when she met the Emperor, he was busy. But as soon as Consort Hui arrived, the Emperor happened to be free. The difference in treatment was glaringly obvious—she couldn’t pretend not to notice. She had even taken the trouble to make noodles for the Emperor herself!
The Emperor didn’t deserve to eat the noodles she made.
Fuming, Yuan Huirou said, “Bring me the noodles I made. I’m hungry.”
The noodles were reheated by the imperial cooks before being served—no palace attendant would dare let their mistress eat cold food. If something happened to her, they’d be the ones to suffer.
Yuan Huirou took a bite and immediately spat it out.
Why was it both sweet and salty? It was absolutely disgusting!
She guessed that in her anxious state while cooking, she had mistakenly added sugar.
Frowning, she said, “Pour these noodles out.”
Luckily, the Emperor hadn’t eaten them.
No, he should have eaten them!
She thought angrily.
Just then, a palace attendant brought the latest gossip. As a noble consort ranked just below the Empress, Yuan Huirou still had her sources.
“Consort Hui left Qianyuan Palace looking quite pleased.”
“She ordered a feast with a large spread.”
“Guanju Palace announced an additional monthly allowance this month.”
Since the Empress had discreetly gone to Qianyuan Palace, the people of Yong’an Palace hadn’t caught wind of her visit. But Yu Miaohua never bothered to hide such things.
Yuan Huirou sat in her chair, her expression shifting constantly.
The Empress had gotten into trouble, yet Yu Miaohua was so happy about it—she was even eager to celebrate.
Was this how she repaid the Empress?
The more she thought about it, the more upset she became. She had felt a kinship with Yu Miaohua and even gifted her a silk flower she had personally crafted. Few consorts in the palace enjoyed such treatment.
Yu Miaohua did not deserve it!
Suddenly, Yuan Huirou stood up, teeth clenched, and said, “Let’s go to Guanju Palace!”
She took a few steps but then stopped. “Bring out all the gifts Yu Miaohua has given before.”
During the festivals, the two palaces exchanged gifts.
The food was long gone, some silk had been used up, but the jewelry remained.
Yu Miaohua had even sent gifts to the noble consort’s only daughter.
Yuan Huirou had no intention of involving her daughter in adult matters.
After gathering the items, she stormed into Guanju Palace with fierce determination.
The palace attendants of Guanju Palace led her to the front hall and courteously served tea and snacks.
Yuan Huirou was unmoved, her face sharp and resolute like a drawn sword. “Spare me the ceremony. I wouldn’t dare drink the tea from Guanju Palace. Where is Consort Hui?”
No sooner had she spoken than Yu Miaohua appeared.
Her eyes fell on the two large boxes Yuan Huirou had brought, a puzzled look crossing her face. “Sister, what’s going on?”
Yuan Huirou found her pretentious expression unbearably grating. “Nothing much. I’m just returning some of the things you gave me before.”
“Most of it doesn’t matter, but the silk lotus flowers you received—I made those myself, and you need to give them back.”
Yu Miaohua raised an eyebrow. “I wonder, how have I offended you, sister?”
Why was the Imperial Concubine so full of resentment towards her? And right from the start, she was demanding things back and asking for favors, acting as if their relationship was about to be severed forever. This instantly made Yu Miaohua recall a scene from her past life in elementary school when she had a falling out with her deskmate. She felt completely thrown off balance.
Yuan Huirou sneered coldly, “Playing these games is pointless. The Emperor isn’t here, so who are you trying to fool? Not everyone is gullible enough to fall for your act.”
Yu Miaohua frowned. “I don’t even know what rumors you’ve been listening to—”
Yuan Huirou cut her off, “Do you think you deserve the care the Empress has shown you?”
[Holy crap! Host, she’s definitely mistaken! She thinks you framed the Empress and got her confined. Why don’t you try a ‘Your servant is at a loss for words’ moment to clear things up?]
Yu Miaohua felt more wronged than Dou E ever did. She hadn’t expected the Imperial Concubine to come at her so aggressively right off the bat. She knew the Concubine was straightforward, but not *this* straightforward!
“Sister, you’ve got it all wrong. The Empress is just unwell—her condition isn’t suitable for meeting outsiders.”
Yuan Huirou’s voice rose sharply. “Don’t give me that high-sounding nonsense. Do I look like a fool who’d believe that?”
“You must be happy to see the Empress in trouble, huh?”
Yu Miaohua bit her tongue. She wasn’t about to let anyone misunderstand her for eighteen episodes straight. “I know you won’t believe anything I say right now...”
Yuan Huirou’s smile turned even colder. “At least you know your place.”
The next moment, Yu Miaohua said, “That’s why I’m bringing someone you trust to explain things. Come on, let’s go to Fengyi Palace. You have to believe the Empress’s words, right?”
Yuan Huirou was stunned for a moment. “Go to Fengyi Palace?”
“Thanks to you, Fengyi Palace has been sealed off. Even I can’t see the Empress there anymore.”
Yu Miaohua wanted to say more, but suddenly a task notification sounded in her mind.
[To become the queen of the harem, you must master the art of subtle manipulation. Only by playing the ‘green tea’ game perfectly can you leave the real green tea with no way out. Host has triggered Main Quest 3.1: In front of the Empress, subtly plant some ‘eye medicine’ on the Imperial Concubine, making her realize she’s the uninvited one. Task reward: Great Qi’s disaster forecast for the next year.]
Hmm?
That reward sounds pretty good!
More importantly, compared to previous tasks that involved confinement or property confiscation... this one felt much friendlier.
As the one being misunderstood, she was upset. So why not give the other party a taste of her own medicine? The Empress would surely understand, and once the Imperial Concubine realized her mistake, she’d forgive her, right?
Yu Miaohua decided to go for it.
Although she had never played the green tea role before, she had plenty of free time in the palace to binge novels and dramas—she could handle this with ease.
She said in a subtly sarcastic tone, “Maybe the Empress just gets a headache whenever she sees you, which is why she turned you away. But it’s different with me. I’m so charming, the Empress would definitely want to see me. Don’t believe me? Come with me and see for yourself.”
She guessed the Imperial Concubine had come at the wrong time. The Empress was probably at Qianyuan Palace then, so naturally, she was refused.
Yuan Huirou’s eyes were practically shooting flames. So it was true—Consort Hui had been pretending all along. Now her true fox-like nature was finally revealed. She was such a master of deception, having fooled every single one of them.
Her years of friendship with the Empress couldn’t be so easily undermined.
She snorted coldly, “Fine. Let’s go to the Palace of Phoenix Elegance together right now.”
She wanted to see what Consort Hui would say after being firmly shut out.
……
Twenty minutes later, Yu Miaohua and Yuan Huirou arrived at the front of the Palace of Phoenix Elegance.
The grand doors remained tightly shut, with only a palace attendant standing guard.
Under Yuan Huirou’s icy gaze, Yu Miaohua stepped forward and said, “I am Yu, with an urgent matter to see Her Majesty.”
The attendant respectfully bowed to the two ladies. “Please wait a moment, Your Majesties. I will notify Her Majesty immediately.”
Yuan Huirou sneered: The Empress will not see them. She didn’t even see me—let alone Yu Miaohua, the very person responsible for all this trouble.
After a short wait, Aunt Fang, who stood beside the Empress, personally came out. She bowed politely, “Thank you for your patience, Your Majesties. Please, come in.”
The grand doors of the Palace of Phoenix Elegance opened.
Yuan Huirou felt as if she’d been struck by lightning: just an hour ago, she had been outright refused! How could it be that now, with Yu Miaohua, the Empress was willing to meet?
Yuan Huirou’s heart shattered.
Yu Miaohua: Guess who wasn’t invited?
Consort Hui: I was clearly first… Whether it’s knowing the Empress longer or becoming sisters, why is this happening?
