Chapter 223

Chapter 223

The first words the Imperial Noble Consort said upon seeing Su Yi were, "Your illness has certainly made you quite the spectacle, to the point where even I found it difficult to see you. If you hadn't recovered, I might not have been able to see you at all today."

The resentment in her tone was unmistakable, not a bit of exaggeration.

It wasn't that the Imperial Noble Consort was exaggerating; when Su Yi was still ill, it was impossible to see the Rong Noble Consort. Even when she arrived, she was still turned away. Due to the Rong Noble Consort's illness, no matter the reason for visiting, none were successful, including her own.

This time, hearing that she had recovered, the Imperial Noble Consort made another trip. Before, it was impossible, but now that she was better, it shouldn't be forbidden to visit the sick. This time, she finally got to see her.

Su Yi had to shoulder half the blame for this. If she had allowed visits, rumors of her being 'possessed' would have spread quickly.

She coughed twice and spoke in a weak voice, "This illness was quite severe, often leaving me in a daze. It's only recently that I've started to feel better. Thank you for your worry."

But the main blame had to be shifted to Kangxi. She didn't know that this 'illness' would be given such a grand facade by him.

If she hadn't reacted quickly, as soon as she heard the Imperial Noble Consort was coming, she immediately lay back in bed and began coughing, pretending to still be unwell. Just moments ago, she was sitting there with her legs crossed, eating pastries with great enthusiasm, which would have surely infuriated the Imperial Noble Consort even more.

Seeing that Su Yi was still unwell, the Imperial Noble Consort's anger lessened a bit. "Who's worried about you? I don't have time for such concerns. But really, at this time, how can you still be recuperating?"

This sounded like the soul-searching question, "At your age, how can you still sleep? How can you still sleep?!"

Completely unaware of what had happened, Su Yi gave a weak smile and remained silent.

One of the key elements of pretending to be ill is to speak less. Which patient is so spirited that they can chatter non-stop? Even if they are ill, they should appear to be almost recovered.

Seeing that the Rong Noble Consort remained silent, the Imperial Noble Consort wanted to say more but then remembered something and glanced at the surrounding palace maids. Su Yi understood; she thought there were too many people around, making it hard to speak.

"Qinxin, go and brew a fresh pot of tea."

"Yes," Qinxin responded understandingly, then took the extra palace maids with her, leaving the space for the ladies to talk.

"Well, what is it? *Cough, cough.* Let's talk slowly, no rush," Su Yi said slowly, looking extremely calm, as if she were completely detached from the world, which left the Imperial Noble Consort speechless.

After the extra people had left, the Imperial Noble Consort looked at the Rong Noble Consort, who seemed completely unaware of the situation. It seemed she was so ill that she didn't even know the basic news. "Do you really not know anything?"

Su Yi sighed, "Look at how ill I've been. How could I know what's been happening? What is it, really?"

She was genuinely curious now. The Imperial Noble Consort's demeanor suggested that something significant had happened, which piqued Su Yi's curiosity due to the information gap.

The Imperial Noble Consort knew how to gossip.

Quick, tell me, what gossip is there that I'm unaware of? Finally, something different and exciting. These past few days have been as peaceful as a still life, truly bland.

"Indeed, if you knew, how could you still sit still?" The Imperial Noble Consort, seeing that the Rong Noble Consort really didn't know, felt a bit of sympathy for her being kept in the dark, which was somewhat reflected in her gaze.

Su Yi smiled and nodded, yes, so what is it?

The Imperial Noble Consort thought for a moment, probably because she was ill, the palace maids didn't dare to say much in front of her, and being in the Qianqing Palace, the maids were even less likely to speak out of turn. No wonder the Rong Noble Consort seemed completely unaware. After finding a reasonable explanation for her ignorance, she spoke,

"If you don't recover soon, I'm afraid Consort Ping might surpass you."

Su Yi: ...

That's it?

In that instant, her curiosity withered, her heart turned cold. If the gossip was related to herself, her heart was colder than if she had been killing fish for ten years—it was just dull and trashy.

Which gossip lover enjoys their own gossip? Of course, it's more interesting when it's about others.

But seeing the Imperial Noble Consort's face full of suppressed emotions and a strong desire to vent, Su Yi didn't want to spoil her mood and immediately followed up with a question, "Ah, how could this be?"

"You were sick and didn't attend the grand selection, so you probably didn't know. This Consort Ping was selected during this year's selection process. All the chosen ladies were quite beautiful, and Consort Ping, in particular, was directly made a consort upon entering the palace. Even though she is the younger sister of the late Empress, it still seems a bit excessive." The Imperial Noble Consort lowered her voice towards the end, but her expression was not pleasant.

Because of this promotion, there were inevitably many murmurs in the harem. It was said that Consort Rong was initially only made a concubine (daying), while Consort Ping was directly made a consort, which was quite a rare favor.

There were even rumors that if Consort Ping had entered the palace earlier, given the Emperor's respect for Empress Xiaochengren, being her sister might have made the Emperor cherish her even more, possibly elevating her status beyond just a consort, perhaps even surpassing the Imperial Noble Consort herself.

Hearing such rumors, the Imperial Noble Consort was naturally uncomfortable. Such whispers couldn't have spread without someone intentionally spreading them. Just having entered the palace, she was already building her influence!

Su Yi, upon hearing this, also recalled, "Ah, that little cutie."

So she has already entered the palace, indeed missing some good drama.

Su Yi coughed twice, picked up the teacup beside her, took a sip to moisten her throat, and continued to inquire, "And then?"

"This lady came in with such a grand display, as if afraid that no one would know her status. The late Empress indeed has a good sister. If the elder sister knew she had such a good sister to take care of the Emperor and the Crown Prince, she would surely rest in peace." The Imperial Noble Consort said with a half-smile.

Although it was known that given Consort Ping's background, she was bound to enter the palace, and her status would not be low, but being made a consort immediately upon entry was something even the Imperial Noble Consort found hard to swallow, let alone the other concubines in the palace. The other three consorts must have been so angry that they 'accidentally' broke many things.

Having worked hard for so long to reach the position of consort, and then Consort Ping comes in and is directly made a consort, it's no wonder Consort Hui and the others couldn't swallow this.

"Hmm, it does sound a bit excessive." What could Su Yi say? She could only agree.

She hadn't fully grasped the situation yet, so she could only align herself with one side in the conversation, which was the safest bet.

"Not just that, Consort Ping has also been receiving much favor from the Emperor, who visits her frequently and bestows many gifts. Among the selected ladies, she is the only one who is a daying or a beauty, and she is the most favored. It's even said that she sent gifts to the Crown Prince, and he accepted them." Here, the Imperial Noble Consort paused and glanced at Consort Rong's expression.

Consort Ping rose while Consort Rong was ill. If Consort Rong hadn't suddenly fallen ill, even if Consort Ping was made a consort, she might not have enjoyed such favor.

Moreover, Consort Ping is technically the Crown Prince's aunt and has taken advantage of Consort Rong's illness to get closer to the Crown Prince.

Seeing the Imperial Noble Consort observing her reaction, Su Yi thought that if she showed no reaction, it would seem as if she wasn't paying attention.

So she sighed, "I really didn't expect that." She coughed lightly into her handkerchief, "So much has happened while I was ill, truly the world is unpredictable."

The Imperial Noble Consort's mouth twitched. The words sounded correct, but the reaction was off. Her reaction was as if she was hearing about someone else's affairs, completely unrelated to her.

"You are quite composed," the Imperial Noble Consort said with mixed feelings. Earlier, Consort Rong's calm demeanor could be attributed to her not knowing, but now that she knows, her expression hasn't changed, and she shows no significant reaction. If it were her, she wouldn't be able to sit still, not just because of the Emperor, but also because of the Crown Prince.

But then again, no matter what, even while recuperating, Consort Rong is doing so in the Qianqing Palace. Even if the Emperor is temporarily distracted by Consort Ping, it doesn't shake Consort Rong's current position, and the Crown Prince hasn't been swayed so quickly. After all, their bond is deeper.

The illness came at an inopportune time, but fortunately, the recovery isn't too late.

"You should recover quickly now, lest it drag on and become worse." It would be a pity for Consort Ping to use you as a stepping stone.

The Imperial Noble Consort didn't say the rest, but the implied meaning was clear to Consort Rong.

As for the illness, Su Yi felt a familiar sense of guilt, like when she used to feign illness at school. She nodded silently to the beauty who showed some concern for her.

Her reaction made the Imperial Noble Consort think of something else. She leaned in and whispered, "Is there something unusual about your illness? Could it be that you've been cursed..." Her eyes darted around, hinting at something.

Su Yi was momentarily speechless, seemingly pondering how to phrase her response. The Imperial Noble Consort seemed to have jumped to conclusions.

But her hesitation and pause seemed to give the Imperial Noble Consort some signal, as if she had hit the mark, and she couldn't help but start theorizing about conspiracies.

The methods in the palace are endless, and with Consort Rong being quite the eye-catcher before, many consorts wanted to bring her down. To pull someone down, the methods are endless, never truly ceasing or calming down.

Consort Rong suddenly fell ill and has been bedridden for a long time, which is indeed suspicious. It's likely that she has been cursed by someone.

The Emperor likely felt uneasy about this, which is why he kept her under close watch to recuperate.

He didn’t allow anyone to disturb or visit her, likely to prevent any further attempts on her life.

The more she thought about it, the more the Imperial Noble Consort nodded, convinced this must be the case. She then turned to Rong Noble Consort and asked, "Do you have any thoughts on who might be behind this?"

In the blink of an eye, Su Yi, who had lost track of the Imperial Noble Consort’s train of thought, was utterly bewildered.

What thoughts could I possibly have?!

It was like during a school lecture when you bent down to pick up a pen and missed everything that followed.

Su Yi rubbed her temples, looking distressed, and replied weakly, "Not at the moment, no." She felt she should have some thoughts to properly address the question.

Seeing that Su Yi didn't seem to have any suspicions, the Imperial Noble Consort's expression turned more serious.

"Those who could successfully carry out such a scheme without being caught are likely not the minor concubines. They wouldn't have the capability. It must be..." a high-ranking concubine, someone with deep roots in the palace, who could clean up any traces afterward without getting any dirt on themselves.

The Imperial Noble Consort delved deeper into her analysis, and the more she thought about it, the colder she felt. "Moreover, even if we find some clues, the other party might have already prepared a fall guy. Catching the mastermind behind this won't be easy."

The fact that even Rong Noble Consort fell victim to this scheme shows it must have been meticulously planned for a long time to strike precisely without leaving traces.

"If she hadn’t just entered the palace and hadn’t fully established herself, it would have happened after you fell ill. Otherwise, I would have suspected her of being behind it," the Imperial Noble Consort said, unable to hold back a few cold snorts.

"Otherwise, as soon as you fell ill, she would have risen by stepping over you."

The younger sister of the late Empress, leveraging that title as if it still mattered. When Empress Xiaochengren entered the palace, Consort Ping was still a baby. What sisterly affection could there be?

Now she has the nerve to flaunt that sisterly title.

Su Yi’s lips twitched. How should she respond? The little beauty was so earnest, diligently analyzing a non-existent mastermind for her.

If she were to tell the truth, it would be that she dug her own grave. Blame Kangxi for not staying put on a rainy day, or blame the Heavenly Dao for not considering such issues when setting up the body. If she had just fainted properly, none of this would’ve happened!

Now Kangxi still doesn’t know his own mindset. He just buried the body, leaving her panicked too!

"Ahem, it’s not necessarily that I was targeted. Honestly, my body’s just a bit unreliable. When it gets sick, it doesn’t care about timing. There’s not much I can do about it," Su Yi said weakly, looking as if she had already accepted and gotten used to it.

If she really had a good solution, if she could control this troublesome body, she wouldn’t be in this mess now.

"Sigh, you get used to it. As long as I’m still breathing, I’m fine," Su Yi said, placing her hand on the Imperial Noble Consort’s hand and patting it lightly, signaling her not to worry too much. She was really doing okay.

Let’s leave it at that for now. After all, she’d already dealt with the Heavenly Dao earlier. Even if it wasn’t completely dead, it couldn’t return to being the Heavenly Dao. Hmph.

Su Yi felt thirsty after speaking and took a couple of sips of tea. It had cooled down a bit.

After Su Yi’s resigned speech, even the Imperial Noble Consort felt she might’ve overreacted.

"Is that so?" The Imperial Noble Consort was even made to doubt herself. It was her own body, but she spoke as if it were something else.

"Mm-hmm, see, I’ve pulled through, haven’t I?" Su Yi smiled softly, looking serene and peaceful, almost as if she were glowing with a holy light.

The Imperial Noble Consort fell silent for a moment. That familiar feeling of wanting to vomit blood returned. Yes, this feeling was unmistakable. It seemed Rong Noble Consort had truly recovered.

"I'm discussing serious matters with you. You know what I mean," the Imperial Noble Consort decided to bring the conversation back on track to justify her visit today.

"I know, but this isn't the end of the world. In the end, in this palace, it's common for beauty to fade before favor does. We shouldn't stress too much about it. It's not good for our health. It's not worth it for such things," Su Yi also spoke seriously.

She was also discussing serious matters. How could she be out of touch? "You, my dear, have just seen too few people, that's why you're like this." My poor little beauty, having seen so few living, eligible men in her life, it’s truly a pity. Su Yi looked at the Imperial Noble Consort with eyes full of pity.

This is mainly because there are so few men in the palace. If there were a few more capable men, they wouldn't just focus on one person. With more options, eyes wouldn't be fixed on just one.

But we also know that it's impossible now. Even if there were more, we could only look but not touch, fearing that any mistake could cost us our heads. It really feels like a waste just talking about it.

"Look at you, it's only been a short while since we last saw each other, and you already look so haggard. It's hard to tell which of us is actually sick," Su Yi said with concern, gently touching her own face. After all, one's face is one's own; men are unreliable, only a pretty face is truly your own.

"Really?!" Hearing this, the Imperial Noble Consort also grew nervous, anxiously touching her face as if searching for a mirror to check. "Recently, there have been so many troubles that I haven't been able to rest well. I really do look worn out. The maids insist I don't, but I know they never speak the truth."

Even if not a woman of the harem, one would still be very concerned about one's appearance, let alone in the harem where the concubines are very competitive. Even without favor, everyone usually competes in this aspect; one must not fall behind others.

Just as the Imperial Noble Consort had memorized a whole list of beauty and skincare methods and was about to leave, she suddenly remembered why she had come.

Weren't we just discussing Consort Ping?!

And yet, Rong Noble Consort had changed the subject again. She had said all she could, given all the hints, Rong Noble Consort should have... paid attention, right?

The Imperial Noble Consort wasn't so certain anymore.

Su Yi: I listened, I really did.

But now, cuddling the little one is what matters.

"Honored Mother Consort!"

The little milky voice could be heard from afar, the hurried little steps almost there, then slowed down, becoming somewhat hesitant and unsure.

Su Yi saw a little head peek out from the edge of the doorway first, small hands gripping the door frame, looking inside.

The eyes were very bright, shining as they looked over, and after meeting Su Yi's gaze, "Honored Mother Consort?"

The voice was softer than before, as if confirming something, then a happy smile appeared on the face, and the little body leaned forward, running over and throwing itself into Su Yi's embrace.

"Honored Mother Consort, you're better now." The little milk dragon was overjoyed, almost unable to believe it, small hands hugging tightly, nuzzling like a little puppy, "Baocheng missed you so much, Honored Mother Consort."

"Yes, I'm better now," Su Yi patted the little milk dragon's head, still the familiar touch.

But.

Su Yi looked at his stature and sighed, "It's been a while, you've grown taller." The baby fat on his face wasn't as obvious anymore, and Su Yi's heart ached.

The little one really grows fast when young, even the milk buns aren't as plump anymore.

He's stretched out a bit, not so chubby anymore.

Hearing this, the little milk dragon laughed even more happily, Honored Mother Consort had noticed he had grown taller. "Yes, Honored Mother Consort." To let Honored Mother Consort see more clearly, he stepped back a little and turned around, "Baocheng will grow even taller soon, as tall as the Emperor." He raised his hands excitedly, gesturing.

Su Yi smiled, watching him excitedly gesturing like a silly fawn.

After the joy, the little milk dragon's smile faded as if he had thought of something, his mood dropping, like a puppy with droopy ears coming over clingily for a hug.

"What's wrong, weren't you just happy about growing taller? Why the sudden frown?" Su Yi gently tapped his nose, softly asking why he was suddenly unhappy. This little one's emotions really change like the weather, shifting in an instant.

"Honored Mother Consort, you were really sick for a long, long time this time. Baocheng was so worried about you. The Emperor wouldn't let me come see you. Please don't get sick so often anymore, okay?"