Chapter 084

Chapter 084

The emperor said he went to seek justice from Consort Rong on her behalf, but since that day, the emperor hasn’t come to Yonghe Palace to see her either.

At first, Consort Liang was initially a bit thrilled by the flattery of the palace servants, but after a few days of being ignored, she realized something was wrong. She hadn’t gained any benefits at all, had she?

The servants from Consort Rong's side were lukewarm towards her as well.

Before, she could still see Consort Rong, but afterward, it seemed to be on Consort Rong’s orders to block her, using illness as an excuse. But they couldn’t really fail to smell the medicinal herbs in the main hall, could they?

People said that Consort Rong resented her, but there hadn’t been any significant reaction, no overt targeting, just a refusal to see her.

Before, she could go to Consort Rong to feel out the situation and keep an eye on Consort Rong’s movements.

Now, she had no clue what Consort Rong’s situation was. The only ones she could command were a few young palace servants, but trying to get info from them was pointless. It was faster to get info from outside.

If the emperor didn’t come to Yonghe Palace, she’d never get to see him.

She was worried about what to do when Consort Tongjia seemed to want to pull her in. Of course, she had to grab the opportunity.

After sitting with Consort Tongjia for a while, most of the maids quietly slipped away, leaving only nanny Wang by her side.

Before coming, Consort Liang had asked around about the situation in Jingren Palace. Nanny Wang was Consort Tongjia’s most trusted personal nanny, so her being there was normal.

Consort Tongjia’s silence was her way of giving permission. Consort Liang didn’t have the nerve to ask Consort Tongjia to send everyone away.

Consort Liang had finished warming up, and seeing no outsiders were left, got straight to the point.

She started by expressing her willingness to stand with Consort Tongjia. “...If I can be of service to you, I won’t refuse. My status is low, but it would be an honor to help you.”

She spoke these words humbly.

All of this was to curry favor with Consort Tongjia. By lowering herself before Consort Tongjia, she knew she’d make a better impression; she understood these high-born ladies’ mindsets all too well. The more humble she seemed, the more satisfied the other side would be.

Even if Consort Tongjia secretly disliked her, she’d still appreciate this humble attitude.

Sure enough, she heard, “Consort Liang sure has a clever tongue. No wonder the emperor has taken an interest in you recently. I fear in the future, it won’t be as easy to invite Consort Liang to Jingren Palace as it is today.”

Consort Tongjia wore a proud smile, her eyes still sharp but clearly pleased, though there was still some criticism. She was satisfied with Consort Liang’s compliance. She didn’t speak in riddles. Wasn’t she trying to use Consort Liang to suppress Consort Rong?

Seeing that Consort Liang was on board and had this intention, it hit the mark. Consort Tongjia needed Consort Liang, though Consort Liang did look somewhat off-putting. Her features, especially her eyebrows and eyes, did resemble Consort Rong’s.

Hearing Consort Tongjia’s words, Consort Liang showed a slightly bitter smile and began to build her emotions.

Consort Tongjia’s initial disbelief was evident. She instinctively looked at nanny Wang, wondering if Consort Liang was deceiving her.

Nanny Wang also looked carefully and then nodded slightly, seemingly confirming the truthfulness of Consort Liang’s words.

Consort Tongjia felt a sinking in her heart.

“Imperial Noble Consort, how dare I lie in front of you? Don’t laugh at me, but if His Majesty had even the slightest interest in me as he does with Consort Rong, I wouldn’t be troubled.

This has been weighing on my heart, and I didn’t dare to confide in anyone. I wouldn’t have opened up to you if I didn’t find you approachable and kind.”

As Consort Liang spoke, sorrow entered her brows, and a faint melancholy appeared on her face, along with bitterness. Her eyes turned slightly red, and a hint of embarrassment showed on her face.

Consort Tongjia's expression became unpredictable, her eyes dark and gloomy. She remained silent for quite some time, realizing that Consort Rong was more of a threat than she had anticipated.

"I am truly at my wit's end. The Emperor did indeed visit me a few days ago to check on my injuries, but after he left for the main hall, he never came to see me again. I truly do not know where I have erred."

She then lowered her head to wipe her tears, a performance that was a convincing mix of truth and deception.

The purpose of saying this was to lead Consort Tongjia to believe that the Emperor only pretended to stand up for her, but in truth, he wanted to make Consort Rong jealous.

This would increase Consort Tongjia's hostility towards Consort Rong. Only in this way could Consort Tongjia temporarily align herself with her to find ways to deal with Consort Rong together.

Because currently, apart from her, who else would be more suitable to use to stab a knife into Consort Rong's heart?

Consort Tongjia didn't expect that when the Emperor rested in the side chamber, Consort Liang was actually sleeping outside.

Moreover, Consort Liang also mentioned that one night, the Emperor had left and returned after quite some time. Consort Liang didn't know where the Emperor had gone, but since he didn't leave the Yonghe Palace, he could have secretly gone to visit Consort Rong!

Such things would never have come to light if Consort Liang hadn't revealed them.

The handkerchief in Consort Tongjia's hands was nearly torn to shreds. She bit her lower lip unconsciously, holding it tightly between her teeth until it turned white, seemingly unaware of the pressure.

It was as if a fire was burning in her heart and lungs. Her hand holding the handkerchief trembled slightly from the force, as if she could barely contain her anger.

Seeing that Consort Tongjia was about to lose control, Nanny Wang could only remind Consort Liang that it was getting late and that the Imperial Noble Consort was tired. It would be better for Consort Liang to visit again another time.

Consort Liang lowered her head to wipe her tears, a flash of triumph in her eyes. When she lifted her head again, she had already offered to leave. Before she had gone far, she heard the sound of something shattering behind her. She discreetly covered the corner of her mouth with her handkerchief and left with satisfaction.

Consort Tongjia stood up and threw everything on the floor. She continued to throw things around until she was too exhausted to continue. With a gloomy expression, she said, "Consort Rong, I've underestimated her!"

Nanny Wang agreed. When all these events were connected, it was evident that Consort Rong held a special place in the Emperor's heart.

Even when Consort Rong had spoken back, she was only placed under house arrest. The Emperor even used Consort Liang as a pretext to go to the Yonghe Palace. Everyone thought that Consort Liang was rising in favor because of her resemblance to Consort Rong, diverting the Emperor's affection.

They thought the Emperor was trying to make Consort Rong uncomfortable by placing a look-alike in the Yonghe Palace and mocking her.

But Consort Liang's truth hit them like a sledgehammer, jolting them awake from their ignorance.

"Nanny, it seems we can't wait any longer. The late Emperor's Consort Donggo was also exclusively favored in the harem. Am I supposed to just watch helplessly as Consort Rong becomes the second Consort Donggo? What if we have the Grand Empress Dowager take action!"

Consort Tongjia thought of the Grand Empress Dowager, who would never tolerate a single woman being exclusively favored in the harem.

It's unthinkable that the Grand Empress Dowager had nothing to do with Consort Donggo's early death. "The elder ancestor will definitely not sit idly by." The more Consort Tongjia thought about it, the more feasible she found this plan.

"My lady, even if we want the Grand Empress Dowager to know, you shouldn't be the one to tell her. It's not appropriate. If the Emperor finds out, he might..." The meaning was clear. If the Grand Empress Dowager eliminated Consort Rong, the Emperor, who currently favored her, would be angry.

The Emperor would surely be furious, but as the Grand Empress Dowager was his grandmother, he wouldn't dare to do anything to her. However, if it was known that the Imperial Noble Consort had informed the Grand Empress Dowager, the Emperor's wrath might be directed at Consort Tongjia.

Even if Consort Rong is eliminated, if the Imperial Noble Consort angers the Emperor, all will be in vain, and who knows who will reap the benefits.

This kind of matter should not involve the Imperial Noble Consort directly.

Nanny Wang said, "Even if we want the Grand Empress Dowager to know, it has to be others who tell her. The other consorts in the harem should go to the Changchun Palace and speak to the Grand Empress Dowager. The Imperial Noble Consort only needs to sit back and watch. When someone falls from favor, it certainly won't be you, and you'll still achieve your goal."

Consort Tongjia nodded in understanding. "But how do we encourage the consorts to go to the Grand Empress Dowager?" If Consort Liang hadn't revealed the truth, she would still be in the dark.

"There's no need for you to worry, my lady. We just need to make use of Consort Liang for a while. In time, the other consorts will eventually sense that something is amiss. At that time, all you need to do is drop a hint, and..." Nanny Wang then leaned in and whispered her plan into Consort Tongjia's ear.

Yonghe Palace

"My lady, Consort Liang went to Jingren Palace earlier today, and I have no idea what she's planning. These past few days, I've been keeping her from seeing you as per your instructions. What are your intentions, my lady?" Qinxin was combing Consort Rong's hair while speaking cautiously, carefully handling the long tresses in her hands.

"I don't have any plans," Su Yi lazily rested her chin on her hand, her eyes reflecting a sense of indifference.

"The reason I haven't been seeing Consort Liang is simply that she's become quite boring lately. Even seeing her had become tiresome. Every day, she says the same things, and even as a conversational companion, she wasn't very engaging. I had been thinking of a way to distance myself from Consort Liang."

Luckily, when that troublesome man deliberately caused a scene, I went with the flow and decided to distance myself from Consort Liang, enjoying the peace and quiet that followed.

"Your Highness, how can you not have any plans?" Qinxin was genuinely worried. "Consort Liang is not someone simple; her ambition is clear in her eyes, and she's trying to replace you!"

To make things even more complicated, you and the Emperor are still at odds, which makes the situation quite tricky!

It's a case of the lady not being worried, but the maid is.

"I'll think about it," Su Yi said after a moment, her expression serious. Meeting Qinxin's expectant gaze, she slowly continued, "We'll wait and see. If they don't make a move, neither should we."

Qinxin, who had been waiting eagerly, thought: That's it? Just this?!

If Su Yi weren't her mistress, Qinxin would have grabbed her shoulders and shaken her. "Don't think that just changing the wording makes it any different! It's still the same!"

At that moment, Yun Hua entered carrying a censer. Seeing Qinxin's frustrated expression as she combed Consort Rong's hair, Yun Hua teased, "Sister Qinxin, what's wrong? Why the sour face?"

It was probably another frustration with Your Highness.

Qinxin ignored Yun Hua's obvious joke and, seeing the censer, asked, "Yun Hua, why did you bring the censer? Her Highness isn't in the habit of using incense."

Su Yi also turned to look at the censer but said nothing.

Yun Hua placed the censer down and lit the incense, and soon a fragrant aroma filled the room. It wasn't a heavy, oppressive scent but a fresh fragrance of flowers and fruits, very pleasing to the nose.

"Her Highness mentioned wanting to go to the Imperial Garden for a spring outing, but since you're under house arrest and can't go out, I thought of a fragrance in the storeroom. It's a very refreshing scent, like springtime, and it promotes sleep. I thought I'd let Your Highness try it."

Yun Hua moved the censer closer to Consort Rong so she could get a better whiff.

"I know Your Highness isn't accustomed to using incense, but this fragrance is very light and not like those strong scents. Although you can't go to the Imperial Garden, smelling this might let you have a lovely spring dream at night."

Su Yi gently fanned the air in front of the censer with her hand, and the fragrance was indeed light, a floral and fruity scent that was very soothing and indeed helpful for sleep. "It does smell nice."

Qinxin asked, "How come I don't remember this fragrance? When was it brought in?"

For such a novel incense, she should have remembered it. Even if Her Highness didn't like using incense, when inventorying the storeroom, she should have had some impression, even if faint.

Although Yun Hua had recently taken over managing the storeroom, Qinxin had been in charge before.

"Sister Qinxin, I only discovered it when I was doing a routine inventory of the storeroom. It was a fragrance delivered by the Internal Affairs Department, but since Her Highness doesn't like using incense, it was placed directly in the storeroom upon delivery and recorded in the ledger." Yun Hua replied calmly.

Qinxin responded, "So that's how it is."

Although she still had some doubts, Qinxin didn't pursue it further. Now that Yun Hua was managing the keys and the ledger, if there were any issues, Yun Hua would also be responsible.

"Then let's keep it burning tonight," Su Yi said with a smile, seemingly quite liking the scent.

Yun Hua also smiled along. "I'm glad Her Highness likes it."

She breathed a sigh of relief in her heart. If Her Highness really disliked incense to the point of not wanting to use it at all, it would have been troublesome, and they would have had to find another way. Fortunately, Her Highness could still accept it.

Su Yi lowered her eyes and gently yawned, a touch of fatigue showing on her face. "I'm really feeling a bit sleepy."

The cat had already jumped onto the bed and was lying there, grooming its fur. It rolled around on the bed, trying to catch the fur it couldn’t reach with its paws.

Su Yi lay down, and the cat, which had been playing by itself, came over and snuggled next to Su Yi's neck, resting its head in the hollow of her shoulder to sleep.

Originally, the cat liked to climb up and rest its head on Su Yi to sleep, but Su Yi was firm about not allowing this habit. Every time the cat tried to lie fully on top of her, she would push him off.

While the cat was still small, it was fine to let it lie on her, but if it got bigger and heavier, and continued to lie on her to sleep, it would be impossible to sleep well. It would feel like a large stone pressing on her chest.

At most, it could rest its head, and nothing more. Su Yi was very principled about this, and even when the cat tried to throw a tantrum to achieve its goal, Su Yi firmly refused.

Yun Hua set the incense burner on a small tea table near Su Yi. The faint, refreshing fragrance soon filled the entire inner chamber, causing people to relax and gradually feel sleepy.

Tonight, Yun Hua was on night duty.

When Kangxi arrived, it was quite late. This surprise visit would have initially caused panic among the maids of the Yonghe Palace. However, they had since stopped being panicked. After all, it was the side hall that was busy now. The people in the side hall were wary that they might meddle, so they were being defensive. This actually made things easier for the maids.

There was no longer any need to panic.

And just a few days ago, the Emperor had stormed out angrily. Most likely, he had gone to see Consort Liang.

Sure enough, here he was.

After resting in the side hall, Kangxi went to bed, and most of the maids on night duty had already gone to sleep.

During night duty, they would usually take a short nap, but tonight, they slept more deeply.

A shadowy figure tiptoed towards the main chamber. Along the way, no one was awakened, and the figure reached the inner room. Outside, Yun Hua was sleeping soundly on a temporary small bed and didn’t notice the two sneaky figures that had slipped in.

The figure in front was the taller one, while the one behind was shorter, bending over as they followed.

Just as they were about to enter, the taller figure paused, causing the one behind to bump into them out of panic. The first reaction was to cover their mouth to avoid making a sound that might wake others.

The taller figure turned slightly and glared at the person behind, whispering, "Why am I sneaking around?"

It felt like he had been acting like a thief all this way. Wasn't this his harem?

Did he really need to be so careful?

It was all Liang Jiugong’s fault for being so cautious from the start, which made him follow suit.

Liang Jiugong also whispered, "I don’t know, Your Majesty."

He hadn’t intended to be so cautious either, but since the Emperor had been walking lightly, he followed suit. He was just cooperating with the Emperor, so why was the Emperor asking him?

Kangxi reached out to give Liang Jiugong a tap, but thinking it would make a sound, he refrained. Instead, he straightened his chest, no longer walking cautiously, and bypassed the screen as if he was calm and composed as usual. Liang Jiugong did not follow him inside.

Who would have believed it? Using a distraction tactic here.

He had seemingly gone to the side hall but then sneaked out from there.

For several days, the Emperor had been waiting for a chance to step down gracefully, but no opportunity had come. He had scolded Liang Jiugong for coming up with this idea, saying it hadn’t considered that Consort Rong wouldn’t give him an easy way out.

The Emperor had stormed out angrily and hadn’t returned to the Yonghe Palace.

This time, Liang Jiugong didn’t dare to suggest anything for fear of making things worse. He thought that even if the Emperor went to the Yonghe Palace, it wouldn’t be a big deal. Consort Rong probably hadn’t taken it to heart. However, if there was something, did the growing distance between Consort Rong and Consort Liang count?

There was something he didn’t dare to say: why should the Emperor care so much about face? Consort Rong was living carefree these days, eating and drinking as usual, completely unaffected.

Consort Rong wasn’t acting like someone under house arrest at all. She was living quite freely, unlike him, who was in quite a difficult situation.

When the Emperor furrowed his brow and said, "If I go like this, wouldn't it mean I'm bowing my head again? I shall not go."

Liang Jiugong saw this and, uncharacteristically, naively believed him.

And yet, here he was, right here.

Sigh, I really don't understand.

When Kangxi entered the inner chamber, he walked with his chest puffed out and head held high, but he still placed his feet lightly, taking slow steps as he approached. He lifted the curtain and went to the bedside, pausing for a moment before lifting the bed curtain.

To his surprise, the first thing he saw was the cat, sprawled out on its back!

It seemed this cat was called something like "Pot Lid."

Pot Lid was sleeping with its belly exposed, resting on Consort Rong's shoulder. Its white fur was glossy and bright, looking stunning. The sleeping beauty and the pretty little cat should have been a heartwarming sight.

Indeed, Kangxi felt that kind of heart-stopping sensation, but it was different.

Every time he encountered Pot Lid, the cat gave Kangxi a different kind of heart-stopping feeling.

This cat was fierce, with two faces. Just moments earlier, it had been wailing crazily at him, and as soon as it saw Consort Rong, its voice changed completely.

Heh, the thought made Kangxi sneer coldly.

His reaction was to reach out and unceremoniously lift the soundly sleeping cat, then glance at the cat bed, which was clearly rarely used, clean and as good as new.

It was obvious the cat never slept in its bed; it always went straight to the human bed.

Holding Pot Lid, which was dead asleep, Kangxi considered placing it in the cat bed but then worried that if it woke up, it would start yelling and wake everyone else. So, reluctantly, he gently placed the cat back into the cat bed.

As Pot Lid was placed on the cushion, thinking it was its favorite human, it habitually rubbed against it. The soft, silky fur was their secret weapon for conquering humans.

Faced with such rubbing, Kangxi swiftly retracted his hand, silently snorted, and turned away without hesitation.

He returned to the bedside and sat down. Without Pot Lid by his side, Kangxi felt more comfortable.

But looking at the person who was sleeping soundly, Kangxi felt quite annoyed again. Consort Rong actually looked even better, not having lost any weight at all. She ate well, drank well, and slept well, her body recovering nicely.

Not giving him a way to step down and instead making him figure it out himself, Kangxi lightly pressed his lips together, his expression seeming somewhat aggrieved, though it might have been an illusion.

Consort Rong's sleeping posture wasn't very proper, not neat and tidy. At that moment, she suddenly turned over, startling Kangxi, who froze, afraid she was about to wake up.

Fortunately, Consort Rong just turned over to sleep on her stomach and then remained still, her face now sleeping in the direction of Kangxi, her hair slightly messy from the turn, partially covering her face as she continued to sleep deeply.

After the initial shock, Kangxi steadied himself, realizing why he was so panicked. It was unlikely that Consort Rong would wake up at this time. Even if she did, there was no need to panic about her finding him here. What was there to fear? What was there to be afraid of?!