Chapter 225

Chapter 225

Consort Ping's heart suddenly thudded as she followed their gaze. Even without the servants' reminders, she had a vague guess about the identity of the person approaching.

The servants' hushed whispers confirmed her suspicions.

It was none other than the Rong Noble Consort herself, whose name she had heard since entering the palace but had never seen in person.

As their eyes met from a distance, though it was too far to clearly see each other's expressions, Consort Ping felt an inexplicable conviction that this Rong Noble Consort was indeed from the same hometown as her, an elder in the palace.

Though she had heard the frail Rong Noble Consort was fairy-like in beauty, a standout among the concubines, which had initially won the Emperor's favor, earning her the title "Rong," and even though Consort Xian had to change her title from "Rong" to "Xian" to avoid clashing with the Rong Noble Consort—a testament to the Emperor's favor towards the Rong Noble Consort—showcasing her unparalleled beauty, Consort Ping, driven by a woman's complex emotions, was loath to admit the other's superiority, especially in terms of appearance.

Unless it was utterly impossible to surpass, like night and day, she would never easily admit defeat.

But with her system's help, she would only grow more beautiful.

And to others, it would simply appear that she had blossomed, becoming more beautiful without any drastic changes, only a gradual enhancement.

With such an advantage, Consort Ping did not believe she would be second to her predecessor.

Even if she wasn't quite there yet, with the system in hand, she would eventually replace the other, as the favored concubine system would help her become the Emperor's sole favorite; it was only a matter of time.

Unless the other also had a system aiding her.

But it wasn't certain that everyone could be so lucky as to have a system.

So no matter how others described the Rong Noble Consort, Consort Ping always felt that the other was indeed a formidable rival, but being ahead now didn't necessarily mean she would have the last laugh.

And just when she thought it would take some time to formally meet the real person, she unexpectedly encountered her.

It truly left Consort Ping feeling unprepared, her plans slightly disrupted, unsure how to greet the other.

Was it a coincidence, or did the other come intentionally?

But at this moment, no matter what she thought, Consort Ping got up to greet her, after all, she couldn't hide now, at least she couldn't show fear.

"Greetings to the Imperial Noble Consort." Amidst the chorus of salutes from the concubines and servants, Consort Ping also stood up to pay her respects.

As she curtsied to the Rong Noble Consort, Consort Ping couldn't help but curse the cumbersome and redundant etiquette in her heart. If she had come earlier, perhaps it would be the other way around, with the other saluting her.

But even though she was dissatisfied, Consort Ping did not foolishly show it on her face, instead, she wore a smile.

Qinxin whispered beside Su Yi, reminding her who the leader was.

Actually, even without Qinxin's reminder, Su Yi recognized her.

But the way she recognized people was different from others.

This different soul aura was as obvious as a broad bean among a group of mung beans.

"All rise," Su Yi said gently, looking at the group of uniquely beautiful little beauties before her.

Some were new faces, probably from this year's selection, the Imperial Noble Consort wasn't exaggerating, it was indeed a high-standard batch.

Because she had already seen all the attractive young women in the harem before, if there was someone unfamiliar, they must be a newcomer, looking particularly fresh and radiant. She couldn't possibly have no impression if she had seen them before.

If it weren't for the fact that staying in one place for too long could get a bit boring, just the thought of having new concubines to look at every few years would make her stay longer. Su Yi's smile became even gentler.

"This must be Noble Consort sister. I heard that you have been feeling unwell recently. Are you better now? The wind is quite strong today, and you're dressed rather lightly, so be careful not to catch a cold."

Consort Ping stepped forward and initiated a casual conversation with Rong Noble Consort.

Her opening remarks were laced with pointed concern. Recently, the other party had been using the excuse of feeling unwell to intercept people from other palaces. She hoped that Rong Noble Consort wouldn't catch a cold or fall ill after being out in the wind.

The terms "sister" and "sister" came easily, with a smiling face, showing that she was quite accustomed to the superficial camaraderie of the concubines, having evolved over this period.

Consort Ping had a delicate and refined appearance, with a small tear mole at the corner of her eye, which seemed to be the perfect finishing touch to her face, making her look even more captivating.

When she smiled, it was bright and radiant, not the typical reserved smile of the time. Her rosy and soft lips made her teeth appear even whiter, exuding a lively and slightly bold charm, yet still brimming with vitality.

She was a beauty with a completely different style from the fragile, sickly beauty.

Consort Ping had deliberated for a while to determine her style.

The fragile beauty style might evoke more pity, but if she followed the same style, it would clash with Rong Noble Consort's persona, which was a major taboo and would easily lead to comparisons.

Moreover, with the first impression already set, comparisons would inevitably make the other party seem even more delicate, and the fear of being overshadowed would lower her own standing, making it seem like a comparison between the original and a counterfeit, though not as extreme as imitating the famous beauty Xi Shi.

Adopting a different style would make it easier to stand out.

After all, while the fragile beauty has a unique, delicate charm, seeing someone who is constantly sickly for a long time and then encountering a completely opposite type of beauty would be a refreshing change.

So when using the system rewards, she directed her transformation towards her chosen style.

However, given the current limitations, Consort Ping couldn't instantly become a stunning beauty. You can't become fat overnight, and a sudden transformation would arouse suspicions. It had to be done gradually.

Moreover, the higher Kangxi's favor towards her, the more rewards the system would grant. Consort Ping was just beginning and could only use the limited resources she had to make some simple improvements.

The tear mole was the easiest feature to acquire, something that would immediately catch people's attention without requiring too much effort to obtain.

She even came up with a reasonable excuse for it, saying she had accidentally bumped her eye, and although it didn't break the skin, it left a mark that turned into the tear mole, thus creating the current Consort Ping.

As Consort Ping spoke, the other concubines stood up and quietly observed the unfolding situation.

No one dared to intervene at this moment, as it seemed these two might clash, and getting involved would only invite trouble.

In fact, Consort Ping even considered stepping closer to Rong Noble Consort to engage in a more intimate conversation, which would look better.

At this point, if the senior wasn't foolish, she would know not to immediately break the facade.

If it weren't for the system suddenly warning her not to get too close to Rong Noble Consort.

The system's sudden warning made Consort Ping's heart race, and she almost stepped back to distance herself from Rong Noble Consort, but she managed to hold back.

If she had stepped back, it would have looked even more suspicious, and everyone present was adept at reading into things, especially with Rong Noble Consort, whose background wasn't entirely clear.

However, Consort Ping continued to smile and chat casually with Rong Noble Consort, trying not to let the other party notice anything amiss.

Consort Ping couldn't help but ask the system why it had given such a warning. Was there something strange about Rong Noble Consort? Otherwise, why would the system suddenly issue such a warning without any further explanation, only advising her not to get too close.

Was the current distance considered too close?

Consort Ping tried to ask, but the system remained silent, as if it didn't exist, leaving her to ponder and overanalyze the situation. The system's lack of response only made Consort Ping more anxious.

Su Yi listened to the words that seemed caring but were actually insinuating and just smiled softly, "Thank you for the reminder, Consort Ping." Although the reminder wasn't very sincere.

Qinxin promptly handed over a cloak that looked light but was definitely warm, draping it over Su Yi, as if finally finding the right moment to put on the cloak that Su Yi had been refusing.

Su Yi, now cloaked: Does it look like my mom thinks I'm cold?

Don't you know whether I've just recovered from a serious illness?

She was the most bundled up in the room.

"It seems this is our first meeting. I haven't been out for a walk in a long time, and there are some new faces I don't recognize."

Su Yi adjusted her cloak and naturally continued the conversation, her gaze falling on a few new young ladies, like balancing water, not missing anyone, taking care of all the newcomers.

The new young ladies who met Su Yi's gaze slightly lowered their heads and responded with a proper smile, silent but appearing serene and lovely, quiet and gentle.

They hadn't quite figured out Rong Noble Consort's temperament yet and didn't dare to be too lively in front of her.

Besides, Consort Ping was also present. These two, one could imagine, were probably targeting recent events. Despite the smiles on their faces, who knows what they were really thinking. They didn't dare to casually get involved.

To avoid being directly used as a venting target would be bad.

So each one was very quiet and gentle, not daring to chat and laugh as freely as they had with Consort Ping earlier.

If Consort Ping and Rong Noble Consort were not present together but separately, they would dare to flatter and curry favor. But with both present, pleasing one would inevitably offend the other.

If Consort Ping and Rong Noble Consort clashed, it would be different for them; this was something they couldn't help but be cautious about.

Consort Ping was a bit anxious inside. These concubines were quite chatty earlier, weren't they?

Now they've all turned mute, each becoming as quiet as mice.

She had thought that with these concubines around, at least the atmosphere wouldn't be too chilly, which would somewhat help divert attention.

A word from each would somewhat distract Rong Noble Consort, not letting it stay entirely on her.

But unfortunately, the concubines seemed to selectively ignore Consort Ping's intentions, each acting more transparent and submissive, not causing too much of a stir.

Su Yi, looking at the cautious young ladies, didn't intend to make things difficult for them.

This was the downside; sometimes they were very enthusiastic, now too reserved. Finally, her gaze fell on Consort Ping, seeing her smiling brightly, a master of small talk. Su Yi actually quite liked such plastic small talk at times.

Not to mention, she was genuinely interested in Consort Ping.

Was that thing still on her?

Su Yi smiled warmly and stepped forward. The distance between them wasn't far, and it quickly shortened. She reached out towards Consort Ping, who suddenly stepped back, seemingly staggering, avoiding Su Yi's outstretched hand.

This move was somewhat sudden, but Consort Ping quickly reacted, leaning on a servant who promptly supported her, her body tilting, her hand resting on her calf, her expression as if enduring something, "My leg...!!!"

"What's wrong, Your Highness?" the servant supporting her asked nervously, startled by Consort Ping's sudden discomfort.

The servants around Consort Ping also nervously gathered, forming a human wall that separated Su Yi, making Consort Ping feel slightly reassured.

The other concubines, seeing this sudden turn of events, some hadn't yet reacted to what had happened, but instinctively, like a professional reflex, they had to show some concern, "What's wrong, Sister Consort Ping?"

Even those who hadn't reacted followed suit, showing a certain level of understanding.

So for a moment, many people quickly got into the act, with servants trailing behind their masters, making the scene suddenly resemble the aftermath of a major accident.

Except for Su Yi's side, who seemed out of place and didn't fit in.

Su Yi, who looked like she'd been set up: "..."

Her hand hung in mid-air, creating an awkward pause.

Take me along! Su Yi's hand reached out dramatically, like a plea for help.

At that moment, "What's going on here?" a voice tinged with coldness rang out.