Chapter 152

Chapter 152

The maid was startled by Consort Hui's sudden action. After tossing a cup, Consort Hui quickly composed herself and glanced at her personal maid beside her.

The maid understood and stepped forward, handing the maid a bulging pouch, whispering, "You've worked hard. Consider this tea money. You may leave now."

Her Ladyship is in a foul mood now. If one lingers without being perceptive, it might not be a reward but a punishment.

The maid had thought that Consort Hui was angry and in a foul mood, so she might not receive any reward.

But when she took the pouch and felt its heft, she was satisfied.

Her face couldn't help but show a hint of joy, and she didn't dwell on Consort Hui's earlier action. She tucked the pouch into her sleeve and left respectfully, head bowed.

After dismissing the maid, the personal maid returned to Consort Hui's side and stood quietly, awaiting instructions.

"The Imperial Noble Consort has suffered from heatstroke. Later, prepare some things, and accompany me to visit the Imperial Noble Consort."

Consort Hui had regained her usual serene demeanor, as if she had never been upset.

"Yes, Your Ladyship," the maid obediently replied, without inquiring if they should also prepare something for Consort Rong. She then withdrew to prepare the items for the visit to the Imperial Noble Consort.

After the maid left, Consort Hui's face darkened, her expression clouded with gloom.

Today was supposed to be a joyous day for the Eldest Prince. She shouldn't have been so upset.

But her Eldest Prince had finally returned to the palace, and he had matured so well. As his mother, she was both delighted and proud.

The Eldest Prince had been away from the palace for several years, and people in the palace had almost forgotten his existence, only knowing about the Crown Prince and how clever he was. Consort Hui had been silently seething, waiting for the Eldest Prince to return and surpass the Crown Prince.

Now that the Eldest Prince had returned, today was the perfect opportunity to make a favorable impression in front of the Emperor, to remind him that this was also a child he valued, and that her Eldest Prince was now no less than the Crown Prince.

Today was supposed to be a grand announcement of the Eldest Prince's return, but an incident had occurred at the Cining Palace.

As a result, who would still remember that today was the day the Eldest Prince returned to the palace?!

It had completely eclipsed the Eldest Prince's moment!

The Eldest Prince was still young and didn't understand, but Consort Hui couldn't stomach this anger. Normally, she wouldn't care, but why did it have to be today?

Now, Consort Hui was most concerned about her Eldest Prince. Having his moment stolen, how could she be at ease?

Although the maid said she hadn't discovered what exactly happened at the Cining Palace, there were only a few people there, and they couldn't be completely unrelated.

Originally, Consort Tongjia and Consort Rong were supposed to be attending to the Grand Empress Dowager, but after the Emperor rushed over, both of them felt unwell and left the Cining Palace, returning to their own palaces.

Especially Consort Rong, who even rode the Emperor's palanquin back to the Yonghe Palace, although it was because Consort Rong's condition was severe that she was sent back in the palanquin.

But why would both of them suddenly feel unwell at the Cining Palace?

Consort Hui surmised that perhaps Consort Tongjia and Consort Rong had been mistreated by the Grand Empress Dowager at the Cining Palace, and someone had alerted the Emperor to seek help, prompting him to rush over.

To confirm her suspicions, Consort Hui decided to visit Consort Tongjia to probe her for information.

She thought she might be able to learn something from Consort Tongjia.

After all, Consort Tongjia must have been present at the time and should know what happened.

Moreover, Consort Tongjia's hostility towards Consort Rong was not weak.

As for the previous rumors that Consort Tongjia and Consort Rong were chatting and laughing together, and that Consort Rong had shared some beauty secrets, which supposedly made Consort Tongjia let go of her prejudice against Consort Rong, such talk was only meant to fool others. Consort Hui wasn’t buying any of it.

Putting on a friendly face while hiding a dagger in the heart was something they were all accustomed to.

On the surface, they might call each other sisters, but deep down, they were probably disgusted and repulsed by one another.

Only Consort Tongjia, with her high status, strong temper, and distinguished family background, naturally didn’t regard everyone highly. Others had to kowtow to her, and Consort Tongjia acted entirely on her whims and fancies. No one dared to openly oppose her.

When Consort Hui heard that Consort Tongjia and Consort Rong were getting along well, she scoffed. Since when did Consort Tongjia learn such tricks? Previously, Consort Tongjia had always looked down on such behavior, thinking it was all an act.

But now, even Consort Tongjia was using the same tactics.

That’s why Consort Hui thought of visiting Consort Tongjia later to probe and find out what was really going on.

Consort Hui’s reasoning wasn’t wrong, but when she arrived at Jingren Palace with gifts and had barely sat down to speak a few words, she was nearly silenced by Consort Tongjia’s impatient and cutting remarks.

"Today is the day the Eldest Prince returned to the palace. Shouldn’t you, Consort Hui, be spending time bonding with him as mother and son? What brings you here to see me? Are you really here to check on me, or are you just fishing for information?"

Consort Tongjia curled her lips, speaking with a hint of mockery in her tone.

She lay on the bed, wearing a forehead band, propping herself up to look at Consort Hui, who sat nearby.

After returning, Consort Tongjia had vented her anger by tearing at the blankets on the bed, but she still had to summon a physician to keep up appearances.

Otherwise, it would be too obvious if she claimed heatstroke one moment and was fine the next.

On the way back, Consort Tongjia became more and more convinced that not only had the Grand Empress Dowager been scheming something, but Consort Rong had also seemingly dragged her into the scheme.

Consort Rong’s suggestion that she pretend to faint likely had ulterior motives.

Indeed, it wasn’t until she returned that Consort Tongjia realized that leaving the Cining Palace wasn’t just about Consort Rong falling ill—she herself had also "fallen ill."

This threw everyone off. If only Consort Rong had been ill while she remained "fine," Consort Rong’s condition would have stood out like a sore thumb.

After all, Consort Tongjia had initially used the pretense of heatstroke to feign fainting, so she couldn’t suddenly confess it was all a ruse just to avoid the Grand Empress Dowager’s rules. That would never do.

Moreover, Consort Rong didn’t bat an eye at the sudden appearance of so many low-ranking maids in the Cining Palace, who caused a commotion that nearly reached the Grand Empress Dowager herself.

At the time, Consort Tongjia had thought that Consort Rong’s commotion in the Cining Palace, injuring so many maids, would be hard to smooth over.

But then the Emperor arrived to handle the fallout for Consort Rong—yes, specifically for Consort Rong!

Not only was there no punishment, but there wasn’t even a harsh reprimand. Instead, the Emperor had Consort Rong escorted back without incident and likely went to the Grand Empress Dowager to plead on her behalf.

Additionally, the Emperor didn’t want the events of the Cining Palace to spread.

In other words, the day’s events were quietly brushed aside. Consort Rong’s reputation remained intact, and she was excused from attending to the Grand Empress Dowager’s illness—though Consort Tongjia was off the hook too.

But the more Consort Tongjia thought about it, the more she felt like she was the only one kept in the dark throughout the entire ordeal.

At first, she thought it was one thing, then it turned out to be another, and in the end, even Consort Rong seemed to know what was going on. It was as if she had been pushed through the entire situation without understanding a thing.

It was infuriating. It felt like she had been made to look like a fool, knowing nothing. The more Consort Tongjia thought about it, the angrier she became.

So, while Consort Tongjia was lying in bed fuming, she heard that Consort Hui had arrived.

Claiming to have come with gifts to visit her, Consort Tongjia couldn’t help but snort at the thought. What kind of visit was this? It was probably just an attempt to gather information. How fast she moved.

Consort Tongjia initially considered having her maid inform Consort Hui that the gifts could be left, but she was feeling unwell and thus couldn’t see anyone, effectively turning her away.

But then she changed her mind and decided to invite Consort Hui in.

She was well aware of the purpose behind Consort Hui's visit, but Consort Tongjia only wanted to seize this opportunity to mock her further.

If it weren’t for Consort Hui’s visit, she would have forgotten that the eldest prince had returned to the palace today. Consort Hui must be ecstatic.

Usually, she acts as if she doesn’t compete for favor, but now that the eldest prince is back, Consort Tongjia could see the unmistakable joy in Consort Hui’s eyes, yet she still feigned calmness and indifference. Hmph, how typical.

Consort Tongjia felt uneasy and didn’t want Consort Hui to feel at ease either.

So she deliberately taunted her, knowing full well that Consort Hui wouldn’t dare to confront her directly.

"Sister, what do you mean by that? I merely heard that you had suffered from heatstroke and came to express my concern. I have no ulterior motives.

The imperial physicians are exceptionally skilled. I wonder which physician treated you so effectively that you appear to have recovered so swiftly, as if you were never ill at all."

Consort Hui was well-prepared for Consort Tongjia’s sharp tongue, so her expression remained unbothered despite Consort Tongjia’s provocations. She maintained a perfectly polite smile, appearing utterly amiable.

Consort Hui had entered the palace long before Consort Tongjia and was also older. Despite her long tenure, she remained only a consort.

But Consort Tongjia had entered the palace as a consort and was later directly elevated to the rank of noble consort. Even though Consort Tongjia was younger, Consort Hui still had to call her "sister."

The more Consort Tongjia observed Consort Hui’s smiling face, the more it irked her. What was Consort Hui pretending to be? She knew precisely what kind of person Consort Hui was. Did she think that just because she entered the palace later, she wouldn’t be aware?

It was merely that before the eldest prince returned to the palace, Consort Hui had been keeping a low profile, living cautiously, staying out of trouble, and acting as if she had given up on competing for favor. But now that the eldest prince was back, she was indeed different, even coming to probe for information.

"Consort Hui, are you implying that I’m pretending to be ill?" Consort Tongjia asked with dissatisfaction, glancing sideways at Consort Hui.

Although she indeed wasn’t ill.

But Consort Hui’s smiling face, while claiming to be concerned, subtly insinuating that she was pretending to be ill, only made Consort Tongjia even more displeased.

Her smile was so fake! Even Consort Rong’s smile wasn’t as insincere as Consort Hui’s!

If Consort Rong had a belly full of bad intentions, at least when she complimented people, it was with a sense of sincerity, not just empty flattery. She genuinely thought her hands were... beautiful!

But Consort Hui, with her veiled sarcasm, Consort Tongjia wasn’t going to indulge her.

"If you were truly here out of concern for me, that would be one thing. But I suspect your intentions lie elsewhere. Consort Rong is also unwell. Why haven’t you gone to Yonghe Palace to see her? Am I your sister, but Consort Rong isn’t your sister?"

Wanting to know what happened in Cining Palace? Hmph, Consort Tongjia wasn’t going to tell Consort Hui.

If she had the guts, she could go ask Consort Rong. It would be even better if she provoked Consort Rong and got beaten up.

Consort Tongjia just wanted to vent her frustration. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t feel comfortable. Now that she had let it all out, she felt much better.

Seeing the faint change in Consort Hui’s expression, Consort Tongjia didn’t care at all.

If she couldn’t outwit Consort Rong, she could certainly outwit Consort Hui.

"Sister, your health is of utmost importance. Naturally, I came to see you. As for Consort Rong...

I heard that Consort Rong had a sudden illness, and it was quite severe. Since you were with her, sister, you should be careful not to catch her illness. It’s strange how someone can fall ill so suddenly."

Consort Hui wasn’t going to be easily provoked by Consort Tongjia’s sarcastic remarks. She still tried to find out the reason behind Consort Rong’s sudden illness.

"Oh, so you’re not visiting Consort Rong because you’re afraid of catching her illness? But you’re here to see me, and you’re not afraid of catching my illness? I spent quite some time with Consort Rong. Who knows, I might have already passed her illness to you."

Consort Tongjia clearly understood that as Concubine Hui spoke, her voice trailed off, wanting nothing more than for Consort Tongjia to lose her temper and blurt out the reason for Consort Rong's illness.

But Consort Tongjia deliberately did not oblige, instead choosing to circle around the topic with Concubine Hui.

Whenever Concubine Hui tried to steer the conversation towards Consort Rong and the Cining Palace, Consort Tongjia feigned ignorance, almost daring to say, "I know, but I just don't want to tell you."

She steadfastly refused to fall into Concubine Hui's trap.

Usually quick to be provoked, Consort Tongjia's mind was surprisingly sharp and clear this time, completely immune to the bait.

As they continued, Concubine Hui began to grow increasingly agitated.

No matter how patient she was, she could not endure Consort Tongjia's deliberate cold shoulder and harsh words.

She finally realized that Consort Tongjia had no intention of revealing anything and was even toying with her.

She couldn't fathom why Consort Tongjia was acting this way, given that she detested Consort Rong.

Every sentence somehow mentioned Consort Rong, yet not a single word revealed the information Concubine Hui sought!

It was all a game to her!

Seeing that she would get nothing from Consort Tongjia, Concubine Hui decided not to stay and endure her insults any longer. She promptly excused herself, citing the late hour and not wishing to disturb Consort Tongjia's rest.

She wasn't about to make herself miserable; if Consort Tongjia didn't plan to tell her anything, staying would only give her an excuse to vent her frustrations on her!

Was she supposed to be a doormat?

After deliberately snubbing Concubine Hui, Consort Tongjia found her anger strangely dissipating.

Seeing that Consort Hui was about to leave, Consort Tongjia felt a bit reluctant.

This was a rare opportunity for Consort Hui to come to her on her own, and she hadn't fully calmed down yet. And now she was leaving.

She said, "Are you really leaving, Consort Hui? I'm not very tired, and your presence won't disturb my rest. I can still chat with you for a while longer. To leave so soon, anyone who doesn't know would think I'm some kind of monster. You've only just arrived, and you're in such a hurry to leave. Is this truly a visit from the heart?"

Consort Hui's movement to stand up froze, a flash of anger in her eyes. Was Consort Tongjia going to go on and on like this?

Did she really think she had no temper?!

Qianqing Palace

Emperor Kangxi lay on the bed, his back pierced with countless golden needles, his body drenched as if he had just been pulled out of water.

The imperial physician continued to manipulate the needles, inserting more as needed, while Liang Jiugong stood by nervously, not daring to make a sound, for fear of disturbing the physician and causing a wrong insertion.