Chapter 172

Chapter 172

When Liang Jiugong noticed the scratches on Kangxi's neck, although his expression was well managed, his inner thoughts were screaming: Aghhh—!

Just as the Crown Prince had some marks on his face, now the Emperor also had some scratches. Clearly, Consort Rong was behind this.

Although Liang Jiugong kept a straight face and asked if the Emperor wanted to add a collar, he was inwardly relieved that the scratches weren’t on the face and could be covered up.

If it had been on the face, the ministers would’ve definitely sneaked a few glances, acting like they didn’t notice.

Liang Jiugong’s thoughts were running wild, but when Kangxi shot him a glance, his mind went blank.

"No need," Kangxi said.

Liang Jiugong didn’t dare say another word, but he wondered if the Emperor really planned to attend court like this. The ministers would definitely be thrown off, and even the palace servants would be floored.

Then he understood why the Emperor was so calm.

Because after the Emperor got up, Consort Rong, who usually slept soundly, also got up with him for the first time.

Although Consort Rong looked pretty grumpy, she actually got up.

What a rarity! Consort Rong’s morning grumpiness was legendary.

Liang Jiugong half-expected the sun to rise in the west today, as she had never served the Emperor by helping him dress for court.

But Consort Rong wasn’t up to help the Emperor wash or dress. Instead, she sat at the dressing table, messing around with her makeup.

Just as Liang Jiugong thought Consort Rong had gotten up early to do her makeup, he heard her say, "Come here."

Wait, who’s she calling??

Then he saw the Emperor, like it was the most normal thing in the world, calmly walk over and sit beside Consort Rong.

"Make sure to layer it on thick," Kangxi even offered advice, "otherwise it’ll all come off soon."

Seriously, you’re giving me tips now?

Su Yi said expressionlessly, "Got it." Then she dabbed the brush into the makeshift foundation and began pressing it onto the scratches on Kangxi’s neck.

Kangxi’s attitude had shifted from yesterday’s "I can’t accept putting on makeup like a woman" to "Actually, it’s not that bad" and then to "Too bad it’ll only last a day or two."

But in the eyes of Liang Jiugong and the other servants, it was pure shock.

Fortunately, they didn’t have to serve at this moment, otherwise their stunned faces would’ve been a dead giveaway. The servants all lowered their heads, not daring to look.

"Sigh, I wonder how long this’ll take to heal. At least a few days," Kangxi said with feigned melancholy.

Give it a rest, the skin’s not even broken.

Su Yi didn’t say a word and silently continued her work.

"It’s totally rare for you to get up so early. I’m really not used to it," Kangxi said with a hint of emotion. "I thought you’d be hard to wake up again today, so usually..." you just tune me out and sleep like a log.

"I haven’t rinsed my mouth yet. Are you sure you want to keep talking to me?" Su Yi suddenly spoke, just staring at him calmly, her eyes conveying two words: "Quiet!"

"Keep talking, and I’ll breathe my morning breath on you."

Perhaps sensing the message in Su Yi’s eyes, or because she mentioned she hadn’t rinsed her mouth, Kangxi kept his mouth shut after that.

With Kangxi out of the way, Su Yi quickly finished covering him, put down the brush, yawned, and patted Kangxi, signaling him to get on with it. She prepared to go back to sleep.

Then Kangxi grabbed her hand and said gently, "You're up already. Have breakfast with me before going back to sleep." He also casually straightened the clothes on his shoulder.

Su Yi, hearing this familiar phrase, 'Since you're here, eat before you leave,' felt like she was the one getting the short end of the stick.

"Alright, I'll keep you company," Su Yi could only say.

"Give me a smile," Kangxi pinched her cheek, his face showing a faint smile, looking quite pleased.

Su Yi obediently flashed a toothy grin. With her fair skin, wearing white undergarments, and her long black hair, the forced smile looked odd, almost eerie.

Kangxi: ...

"Uh, maybe don’t smile," it looked a bit creepy.

Hearing this, Su Yi instantly dropped the smile.

Could’ve done that sooner.

Men, always full of demands.

Su Yi quickly got ready. Since she planned to go back to sleep, she didn’t bother changing or fixing her hair. After finishing, she had to sit and wait while Kangxi got dressed.

This was the first time Su Yi saw Kangxi in his court attire. She watched as he layered on clothes, even counting them out of boredom.

Why so many layers? Doesn’t it get stuffy?

After dressing, he draped strings of red coral beads over his shoulders and a string of pearls down the middle.

That wasn’t all. He kept adding things to his waist—jade pendants, sachets, you name it.

Su Yi: "..." That belt’s holding up well with all that weight.

So being an emperor and attending court is a hassle too. No wonder he’s up at the crack of dawn. It takes half an hour just to get washed and dressed, let alone braid his hair. If he doesn’t get up early, there’s no time to change.

All that jingling must take forever.

After dressing, only the court hat was left, to be worn later before heading to breakfast.

Just as Kangxi finished changing, he expected Consort Rong to be bored and listless, but instead, she was curiously watching, completely focused. Kangxi subconsciously smiled and went over to hold her hand, "What's wrong?"

Did she suddenly find him extra handsome and regal in his court robes?

Usually, after court, Kangxi would change out of his court attire into casual clothes. And when he left, Consort Rong was still asleep, never waking up. When he had time in the afternoon, he would often come in casual clothes. Thinking about it, Consort Rong really hadn't seen him in court attire many times.

Kangxi suppressed his rising smile to appear more composed.

Then Consort Rong spoke with a hint of sympathy, "Nothing, I just think Your Majesty is so diligent, I really..."

Kangxi: Could she be saying she feels inferior? Consort Rong doesn’t need to be so hard on herself.

"I kind of feel bad for you," she said. Getting up earlier than the rooster every day, wearing so many layers without getting heat rash is a miracle, and jingling around like a moving treasure chest.

Being an emperor, almost working year-round without a break, how resilient. Ministers even have a few days off each month, how is it that the emperor is worse off than the ministers?

Oh, how pitiful, he hardly gets to sleep in a few times a year.

Since that jerk can't sleep in, she’ll just have to pick up the slack and sleep in for both of them.

Su Yi pretended to feel sorry for him, but the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but turn up.

Kangxi: '....' I’ve never seen someone show sympathy like this.

It’s really tough on you, your way of showing sympathy is to sleep in for me.

"If Consort Rong could join me for meals every day, with you by my side, I wouldn’t feel the hardship," Kangxi said warmly.

Hearing this, Su Yi’s face showed an expression of 'how can you even say that?'

Then she pointed to the slightly brightening sky outside the window, tactfully saying, 'Your Majesty, the sky’s already bright. What are you still dreaming about? Do I look like the diligent type?'

It’s bad enough for one person to wake up early, but to drag her into it too? That’s just cruel.

The hour of Yin is still dark—that’s not waking up early, that’s staying up late!

Do you know how much beauty sleep I’d need to recover from just one night of staying up late?!

That jerk can’t help being all refined and caring about his looks, but she can’t!

Kangxi: '..No.' And with that, they silently dropped the subject.

After the meal, Kangxi was about to leave, as it would take some time to get from Yonghe Palace to the court.

Originally, Liang Jiugong was supposed to place the court crown on Kangxi, but Su Yi eagerly said, 'Let me do it, Liang Jiugong,' as she stepped forward.

Kangxi could tell at a glance that she found it interesting and wanted to try it herself.

Seeing the Emperor’s lack of reaction, Liang Jiugong took it as approval and handed the court crown to Consort Rong with both hands.

After taking it, Su Yi weighed it in her hands—it had some heft to it, not light at all.

The red tassels on top were smooth and neat, nothing special. The front of the crown was adorned with a golden Buddha, and the top was inlaid with fifteen top-grade Dongzhu pearls, with seven more at the back, and the largest Dongzhu pearl was set at the very top.

Liang Jiugong watched Consort Rong’s actions, his brow twitching involuntarily. The court crown was delicate, and he was afraid she might accidentally break it with her grip.

But seeing the Emperor’s silence, he didn’t dare speak up, as it would be inappropriate if the Emperor wasn’t displeased.

Kangxi watched her as if she’d found a new toy, holding the court crown and examining it.

Su Yi quickly finished examining it and prepared to place it on Kangxi’s head, saying, 'It’s so heavy! I thought it wouldn’t be that bad, but it feels so light. Won’t it hurt your head to wear this?'

She wasn’t wearing her platform shoes indoors, just a pair of soft-soled shoes, which made it a bit awkward when she raised her hands to place the court crown on Kangxi.

As she started to tiptoe, Kangxi lowered his head slightly to let her place the court crown on him, saying somewhat helplessly, 'It will.'

To say it wouldn’t would be a lie.

The court meeting would last at least an hour, and even if it felt fine at first, it would become uncomfortable over time. But with all the ministers watching, he couldn’t show it—he had to pretend nothing was wrong.

Otherwise, why would Kangxi change his clothes immediately after the court meeting?

Hearing this, Su Yi couldn’t help but laugh. After straightening the court crown on his head, she touched his face, saying sympathetically, 'It’s really hard on you.' Then she added, helplessly, 'But there’s no other way. Hurry up and go—don’t waste any more time.'

She was going back to sleep.

Kangxi: "It's so you don’t miss your morning nap, right?"

"Liang Jiugong," Kangxi extended his hand towards him.

Liang Jiugong, catching the hint, took out a box from his sleeve and presented it to His Majesty with both hands.

Kangxi took the box and opened it, revealing a mutton-fat jade bangle. However, it wasn't the usual round bangle but an open snake-shaped bangle.

The snake's head was intricately carved, not scary but charming and lively.

The scales were meticulously detailed, with the snake's tail slightly raised and the bangle body curved, giving it a whimsical appearance. The eyes were adorned with two shiny black gemstones, resembling the moist, beady eyes of the little white snake.

Su Yi's eyes sparkled, her grin nearly reaching her ears, clearly delighted. Yet, she pretended to be reserved, asking, "Is this for me?"

But she had already extended her hand, waiting for Kangxi to put it on her.

This made Qinxin, who was about to step forward to take it and put it on for her mistress, retract her steps.

"Who else would appreciate such a bracelet but you?" Kangxi took the snake bangle out of the box, and Liang Jiugong, quick to understand, took the empty box.

Hearing His Majesty's words, and considering the top-notch Hetian jade and superb craftsmanship, even snake skeptics might find it intriguing.

Plus, anything from His Majesty would be treasured by the consorts.

"Okay, okay, hurry and put it on me," Su Yi urged.

Seriously, the snake bangle is awesome, right?

Kangxi, clearly inexperienced, tried to slide the bangle over her fingertips. But it seemed he had to press her hand firmly to get it on.

Consort Rong's hand was soft, but Kangxi, wary of using too much force, moved awkwardly.

Seeing it stuck at her fingertips, Kangxi frowned slightly. Was the size off? It was tailored to Consort Rong's measurements.

Liang Jiugong, noticing His Majesty's inexperience and frown, guessed his thoughts.

Then Consort Rong pointed to her wrist, "It seems it should go on from here," she said, unsure.

Kangxi looked at the opening and realized, trying to slip it over her wrist.

It slid on, fitting perfectly—just as it was meant to. Kangxi let out a barely noticeable sigh of relief. He should have checked how to wear it first.

Reflecting on his clumsy attempt to push it over her fingertips, Kangxi felt a tad embarrassed. Best to leave before Consort Rong catches on.

Su Yi, oblivious, happily hugged Kangxi, leaning into his arms with a sweet smile, "It's so beautiful, I really like it." She hadn't expected such thoughtfulness from him this time.

Her earlier grumpiness about the early rise was gone.

For once, Su Yi didn't ruin the moment or demand to return to sleep.

By the time Kangxi realized, he had already instinctively hugged her back, pulling her closer. Hearing Consort Rong's words, his expression softened. He wanted to say 'I'm glad you like it,' but felt it was too immature, so he just said, "Hmm."

But the slight upward inflection in his tone was hard to miss.

If not for Liang Jiugong, noticing the lateness and reluctantly coughing to remind His Majesty of the impending court meeting, he'd have hated to interrupt.

Indeed, they barely made it on time.

As Kangxi took his seat on the dragon throne, his breathing was slightly labored. Fortunately, during the court session, listening to the ministers' reports helped him gradually calm down.

Mingzhu's faction, which had been most vocal in urging Kangxi to appoint an empress, now seemed to have gone quiet.

When the Nala family's companion was sent back yesterday, even Mingzhu, dense as he was, realized it wasn't just about the princes' fight but also the Emperor's displeasure with the Nala family's actions.

The Crown Prince started the fight, but the Emperor pinned the blame on the Eldest Prince's companion, accusing him of stirring up trouble between the brothers.

So both sides were at fault, and both would be punished equally—no favoritism.

It looked fair on the surface.

But to Mingzhu, it was clear the Emperor favored the Crown Prince over the Eldest Prince.

So even if the Emperor appointed an empress, he wouldn't choose Consort Hui.

If they kept pushing for Consort Hui as empress in court, the Emperor would only grow more annoyed.

Though Mingzhu clashed with that old rogue Suo'etu in court, he knew better than to push the Emperor's patience too far.

Besides, even if he wanted to back the Eldest Prince, the boy was still too young—it wasn't the right time.

They had to take it slow; rushing wouldn't help.

If they moved too fast, the Emperor might turn against the Eldest Prince, hurting the Nala family and playing right into Suo'etu's hands.

So Mingzhu quickly told his officials to drop the push for Consort Hui as empress in court.

Mingzhu wanted to back off, but Suo'etu wasn't about to let him off the hook.

He had his people bring up Consort Hui again, only to have others shoot it down right away, like a well-rehearsed act.

The Eldest Prince's companion was Consort Hui's nephew, and he wasn't much older than the prince.

How could he have stirred up trouble between the Crown Prince and the Eldest Prince? Someone must have put him up to it—how else would a kid like him know how to drive a wedge between the Crown Prince and the Eldest Prince?

If it wasn't the Nala family, it had to be Consort Hui behind this.

With behavior like that, how could she ever be fit to be empress?

When the Eldest Prince and the Crown Prince clashed, it wasn't just the Crown Prince's reputation on the line!

After the Eldest Prince returned to the palace, Mingzhu was practically strutting around like he owned the place.

He even petitioned the Emperor to appoint an empress. What was he up to? He knew exactly what he was doing.

All he wanted was for Consort Hui to become empress, so the Eldest Prince could go from being the eldest son of a concubine to the legitimate heir, securing both status and seniority.

Once Consort Hui took control of the harem, even if the Hesheli family sent help for the Crown Prince, she'd shut them down hard.

From then on, the slightest misstep by the Crown Prince would bring relentless attacks from Mingzhu's faction, all to ruin his reputation and make him seem unfit for the throne.

If the Crown Prince proved unfit, it would be time to name a new heir, and the Eldest Prince, as both legitimate and the eldest, was the obvious choice.

Even if the Emperor really did want to appoint an empress, it absolutely couldn't be Consort Hui!

When Mingzhu saw that the two officials performing the duet were from Suo'etu's side, he knew that Suo'etu, that old scoundrel, was deliberately making things difficult for him.

The two sides thus engaged in a covert struggle, but Suo'etu and Mingzhu never directly confronted each other. Kangxi, seated above, watched them bicker until it was nearly over before he finally spoke up.

"Since there is no suitable candidate, the matter of appointing a new empress will be discussed later."

This "later" essentially means it's not happening anytime soon.

Suo'etu was naturally pleased, while Mingzhu, having prepared himself, wasn't too disappointed. Instead, Tong Guowei, who watched the conflict from the sidelines, was the most disappointed.

This also means that the Emperor had no intention of appointing Consort Tongjia as the new empress.

Tong Guowei knew his previous actions were inappropriate, and because of that incident, when Mingzhu's faction urged the Emperor to appoint a new empress, they joined in, hoping the Emperor might show some consideration to Consort Tongjia, given their familial ties.

Considering this, the Emperor might have shown Consort Tongjia some favor.

After that incident, the Emperor did not revoke Consort Tongjia's authority over the palace, which indicated that there was still some affection between them.

Since Consort Tongjia already managed the palace, why not legitimize her authority during this grand appointment instead of her merely acting on the Emperor's behalf?

Despite her long tenure in the palace, Consort Tongjia still hadn't borne a prince.

With the upcoming selection of new concubines, there was a desire to send Consort Tongjia's sister into the palace to support her, but Consort Tongjia grew increasingly irritable. Could it be that the family wasn't doing all this for her benefit?

Any child born would be raised by Consort Tongjia, providing her with support in the palace. Why couldn't Consort Tongjia grasp her family's good intentions, instead growing so irritable?

In the future, if Consort Tongjia had no children, she would have no support, and what hope would the Tong family have then!

With the prospect of appointing a new empress gone, Tong Guowei decided to send his wife into the palace to counsel Consort Tongjia, urging her to curb her impulses. When her sister entered the palace, she would need to support her, allowing the two to collaborate.

——

After Consort Tongjia felt better, she learned that Consort Rong had gone to Qianqing Palace to confront Consort Hui, and there was also the incident with the snake. She was restless.

Hearing it from the maids wasn't as clear as going straight to Yonghe Palace to hear it from Consort Rong.

Consort Tongjia speculated that Consort Hui certainly didn't come out ahead against Consort Rong.

One after another, two of her maids died because of the snake, and rumors spread that Consort Rong had released a white snake in the imperial garden that bit people.

The guards combed the imperial garden and found a venomous snake, but it was brown. It bore no resemblance to the white snake.

Then there was talk that the white snake was only as long as an arm and as thick as a finger, just a little white snake, hardly capable of harming anyone.

Only the brown snake was found, and there was no trace of the little white snake. Perhaps the brown snake had swallowed the little white snake.

Consort Tongjia didn't depend on these rumors. She went straight to Consort Rong, avoiding the uncertainty of speculation. She was certain that Consort Rong would tell her directly.

Consort Tongjia: How could they compare to her? In the palace, she and Consort Rong were the closest. Others in such situations could only ponder slowly, and it would be difficult to know the detailed process.

When she arrived, Consort Rong had just woken up. It was past lunchtime, and she was just having her lunch.

With her stomach still delicate, Consort Tongjia didn't dare to follow Consort Rong's example. She just sat aside, holding a cup of warm water.

"Why are you having lunch so late? Why not just have dinner instead?"

Actually, if it was just once or twice, it would be fine, but if it was always irregular, how could it be good for the body?

She had just recovered a bit and was already acting like this. How could that be good?

Consort Tongjia couldn’t bring herself to express her concern, making the situation feel awkward.

“I had breakfast this morning and then went back to bed.”

Consort Tongjia hesitated, seemingly surprised that someone could wake up, eat, and then go back to sleep.

She didn’t say anything more, deciding to wait until Consort Rong was done eating.

However, when she saw Consort Rong nearly finish all the food on the table, Consort Tongjia’s expression gradually became unreadable. She looked incredulously at Consort Rong’s figure and then at her stomach.

It looked about the same as before she ate, still flat.

“Do you always have such a hearty appetite?” Consort Tongjia couldn’t hide her astonishment.

Or is it just recently? Could she be pregnant? They say women’s appetites grow when they’re pregnant. Consort Rong couldn’t be... Consort Tongjia couldn’t help but glance at her stomach again.

“Yes,” Su Yi replied, dabbing her mouth elegantly.

Hearing this, Consort Tongjia’s expression grew even more perplexed.

She’s always had such a big appetite?!

Which begs the question!

“How do you not gain weight?!” Consort Tongjia was a bit envious. Consort Rong always appeared slender and graceful.

As she put it, she looked like a breeze could knock her over, yet she was as strong as an ox.

Back then, she was afraid that eating a little extra would make her gain weight, but Consort Rong ate so much and stayed so slim. How could Consort Tongjia not feel envious?

Su Yi: Because I use spiritual energy to clear my meridians, naturally expelling excess impurities, ensuring I don’t absorb too much, so I don’t gain weight.

But could she admit that?

Of course not.

So, “Maybe it’s because I’m strong, so I eat more. Otherwise, I’d feel weak,” Su Yi feigned a weak and feeble demeanor.

Consort Tongjia thought it made sense. Who could match Consort Rong’s strength? It seemed natural for her to eat more.

So be it.

After Consort Rong finished her meal, Consort Tongjia seized the moment to ask what had happened yesterday.

After asking, she felt a twinge of nervousness.

Though she appeared confident that Consort Rong would tell her, deep down, Consort Tongjia felt a little uncertain.

If it were convenient to spread, it would have already been spread. But one could imagine that what had been spread must have already been filtered of key details. What had been spread was probably just trivial matters.

As for those present, the Emperor was out of the question. She rarely saw the Emperor, let alone ask him about such things. Wouldn’t that make her seem too frivolous?

The Crown Prince was the same. She didn’t usually have contact with the Crown Prince. The Eldest Prince sided with Consort Hui, so it was also difficult to approach him. Without the Emperor’s tacit approval, it was inconvenient to contact the princes.

Would Consort Hui really be so foolish as to reveal herself? If Consort Hui hadn’t suffered a loss, she wouldn’t have returned so quietly yesterday. She must have come out empty-handed.

So, that leaves only Consort Rong, doesn’t it?

"Hmm..." Su Yi feigned hesitation, "Are you sure you want to know?"

Consort Tongjia, hearing this, pretended not to care, saying, "Actually, I’m not that interested."

"Alright, I thought the process might be a bit long and troublesome to explain. Since the Consort isn’t that interested, I’ll save my breath." It’s actually a relief.

Consort Tongjia: !!

"Wait! I was just being sarcastic, didn’t you get that?" Consort Tongjia said, getting a bit annoyed again. Consort Rong was clearly teasing her on purpose.

"You should be more straightforward in the future. If I sometimes really don’t catch on, it’s not good. You can just tell me directly. Always speaking in riddles makes people act oddly."

Su Yi’s tone was unusually serious, her usual smile absent.

Consort Tongjia initially felt somewhat moved, but by the end, "You’re the strange one, hmph!"

She thought Consort Rong was finally being serious.

"Qinxin, you explain it to her." Su Yi called Qinxin for the task.

Then she leaned back, enjoying her post-meal relaxation. There’s nothing better than lounging lazily after a meal.

Anyway, Qinxin had seen it all, so let her explain.

She couldn’t be bothered to repeat it.

Consort Tongjia saw this and thought, well, letting a maid explain.

As expected, the process was lengthy, but Consort Rong was too lazy to repeat it, so she passed the task to her maid, Qinxin.

Honestly.

Consort Tongjia asked Qinxin to wait and then glanced at the lazily lounging Consort Rong, who looked completely relaxed.

She couldn’t help but wonder if Consort Rong was this casual in front of the Emperor.

Isn’t Consort Rong being a bit too relaxed?

"Don’t lie down right after eating; you’ll gain weight." As soon as Consort Tongjia finished speaking, she thought of Consort Rong’s figure and felt it was somewhat unnecessary.

She was just offering a friendly reminder, whether Consort Rong heeded it or not.

"The most comfortable position after eating is reclining. Whether you sit, stand, or recline, it makes no difference in gaining weight, and the latter is more comfortable."

So don’t stress about it.

Lie down if you feel like it; it’s comfortable.

Su Yi’s face showed pure enjoyment, her eyes half-closed, which made Consort Tongjia consider trying it later.

For now, Consort Tongjia didn’t want to admit she was convinced.

"Alright, you do what’s best for you." Then she signaled Qinxin to start.

Qinxin, because she usually accompanies Consort Rong and listens to storybook readings, can accurately describe the plots, giving a sense of imagery. This makes it much more interesting to listen to, rather than a dry statement. However, Qinxin doesn’t reveal everything, omitting what is best not to say, what’s inappropriate.

Consort Tongjia, who initially didn’t have much of a reaction, listened while laughing, lightly covering her lips with a handkerchief. Unable to hold back her laughter, tinged with a bit of schadenfreude, she let out a few chuckles.

No wonder Consort Hui shut her doors to visitors right after returning.

With Consort Hui's current reputation, the concubines might actually flock to visit her, pretending to be concerned but really with their own agendas.

Consort Hui, who cares about her image, would either refuse to see them or put on a gentle and virtuous act if she did.

Meeting them would mean putting on a show in front of the concubines, but wouldn’t that be just too awkward?

No wonder Consort Hui even went after the little white snake, figuring that since Consort Rong had let it go, it would probably die in some forgotten corner.

Consort Hui quietly had a eunuch catch it back and covered her tracks, so she wouldn’t have to worry about Consort Rong finding out.

Besides, she probably figured it wouldn’t matter even if Consort Rong knew, since Consort Rong had no proof she’d killed it.

Besides, would Consort Rong really make a big deal out of confronting Consort Hui over a little white snake? If she did, Consort Hui would probably love it.

Then, it would make Consort Rong look arrogant, picking a fight with Consort Hui over nothing, and Consort Hui could play the victim by acting weak and denying it, earning sympathy and making others feel even more sorry for her, while making Consort Rong look even worse.

After all this, the Emperor didn’t really punish Consort Hui, letting her off easy, which really ticked off Consort Tongjia.

“She’s really sneaky, not getting anything upfront but scheming behind the scenes. Yesterday, she deliberately walked by Jingren Palace, like I wouldn’t catch on to her game! She might fool others, but she can’t fool me. You’re one of the few who sees through Consort Hui’s sweet talk.”

Consort Tongjia was still pretty pleased.

Yesterday, after learning that Consort Hui and Consort Rong had parted on bad terms, Consort Tongjia felt the stifling anger in her chest immediately dissipate, and even taking medicine didn’t affect her good mood.

Su Yi's mind quickly turned, and she soon thought of what to say in such a situation—criticizing the other party would never be wrong, and it didn’t require reasoning.

“It’s really too much, it’s so infuriating, how could she do that?”

Consort Tongjia nodded repeatedly, “Exactly!”

Only Consort Rong would say that at this time. If it were someone else, they might pretend to be magnanimous, highlighting how kind and virtuous they were, while actually being very angry inside, hypocritically speaking, which would be annoying.

Thinking that Consort Hui, besides closing her palace to visitors, had no other consequences, it was really neither painful nor itchy. Consort Tongjia couldn’t help but say,

“The Emperor didn’t even punish Consort Hui. It seems he’s not planning to pursue it because of the Eldest Prince, which really let her off easy.”

Just because she has the Eldest Prince?!

She really thinks she’s something.

If the previous princes hadn't died young, where would the Eldest Prince stand as the eldest son?

“Yes, yes,” Su Yi agreed from the side, then quietly turned her head, covering her mouth and yawning softly, just as Consort Tongjia caught her, “You're sleepy? Is this the time to be sleepy?”

Su Yi: "...." Consort, you're really a bit irritable now.

“Hmm... why not?” she said with a tired look, “Feeling sleepy after eating is normal, it’s not something I can control.” Su Yi spoke with great confidence.

Consort Tongjia, still fuming like a fireball over Consort Hui, felt that continuing to talk was pointless.

Seeing Consort Rong half-lying down with a comfortable expression, while she insisted on sitting upright, Consort Tongjia also wanted to relax.

“Make some room for me, I’m also a bit tired.”

“Okay,” Su Yi moved quickly this time, swiftly making space, and Consort Tongjia also half-lay down.

No wonder it feels so comfortable; no wonder Consort Rong has been lounging lazily without moving.

Even with her hair styled in a traditional Manchu bun, it wouldn’t get messed up now, thanks to the small soft pillow supporting her neck. Consort Rong really knows how to indulge herself. She’ll likely have the same setup arranged in the Jingren Palace later.

Consort Tongjia adjusted her clothes and accidentally brushed against Consort Rong’s hand, feeling something sharp and slightly jarring.

"What are you wearing? It feels a bit odd," Consort Tongjia asked.

"This? It’s a bracelet," Su Yi said, raising her hand. As her sleeve slid down, Consort Tongjia caught sight of the snake bracelet she was wearing. She took it off to show it to Consort Tongjia.

The mutton-fat white jade was of the finest quality, and the craftsmanship of the snake bracelet was nothing short of exquisite. The scales were intricately carved, yet the surface was smooth to the touch, with no sharp edges. The snake’s head was remarkably lifelike, and the inlaid eyes added a perfect finishing touch.

The bracelet curved gracefully, and even the tip of the snake’s tail was meticulously detailed.

It looked fascinating, almost like a little white snake coiled around her wrist.

Her bracelets were typically simple round ones, or gold ornaments with hollow designs, bead bracelets, and such. She didn’t own anything quite like this.

Even if she had such high-quality mutton-fat jade, she wouldn’t have crafted it into a bracelet like this. It was typically reserved for jade pendants or ornamental pieces. Now, it had been fashioned into an open-ended snake bracelet for a consort, which seemed somewhat wasteful.

Consort Tongjia, who oversaw palace affairs, naturally had access to insider information. She knew that among the recently procured jade materials were a few pieces of exceptional mutton-fat white jade. The one on Consort Rong’s wrist had been crafted from one of those pieces.

Just the day before, they had encountered a little white snake, and now a nearly identical snake bracelet adorned Consort Rong’s wrist. It must have been hastily crafted, likely a special gift from the Emperor to Consort Rong.

Thinking of this, even though Consort Tongjia had braced herself, she still felt a pang of bitterness.

So, the Emperor could be considerate after all.

Consort Tongjia turned her head slightly to glance at Consort Rong, who now appeared to be drifting off to sleep. "This bracelet is quite unique. Soon, it might become all the rage in the palace."

She joked, though those women seemed to disdain Consort Rong, the styles, makeup, and accessories she favored were still widely popular.

Then she put the snake bracelet back on Consort Rong’s wrist, fitting it snugly.

"That certainly wouldn’t include Consort Hui," Su Yi remarked.

Consort Hui likely despised snakes more than anyone now.

Hearing this, Consort Tongjia agreed. Thinking of Consort Hui’s predicament, she’d likely feel uneasy just hearing about a little white snake—no, even the word 'snake' would unsettle her.

When Consort Hui sees this snake bracelet, she’ll likely feel very uncomfortable, especially since it was a gift from the Emperor. Knowing this, Consort Hui would probably be even more furious.

Consort Tongjia thought of this and was even more eager than Consort Rong to witness Consort Hui’s reaction upon discovering why snake bracelets had suddenly taken the palace by storm.

—

The long-awaited promotion was finally about to be settled.

All the ladies in the palace had already dressed up early and were waiting for the news. They had even sent out all the people they could to keep an eye on other palaces, making sure to get the latest updates immediately.

The officials responsible for announcing the edict had already set off, and everyone was waiting to see which palace they would head to.

Meanwhile, Su Yi was just slowly getting up, as it wouldn’t happen that quickly anyway.

So she proceeded at her usual leisurely pace, just like any other day. But Qinxin was too restless to settle down, and now she was going all out to dress Su Yi up.

Su Yi hesitated to speak, but Qinxin seemed to know what she was about to say and quickly interjected, "Your Highness, just for today—after this, you can do as you please."

Today wasn’t a day for cutting corners.

Qinxin’s expression remained unchanged, but her eyes were truly hard to ignore.

Su Yi fell silent and sat still, and Qinxin, satisfied, marveled that Her Highness wasn’t entirely oblivious to the gravity of the situation, and sometimes she could actually listen to advice.