Chapter 248

Chapter 248

This time, when Consort Ping came again, to avoid any mishaps—even though Noble Consort Rong was no longer present and unlikely to scheme against her—she decided not to touch any pastries or tea at all.

At most, she would hold the tea in her hand and inhale its aroma, not even taking a sip.

She couldn’t afford to make such a careless mistake and ruin things again.

However, the wait this time wasn’t too long. For Consort Ping, who had steeled herself, it came as a pleasant surprise that it was much quicker than expected, which gave her some relief.

After all, no one enjoyed sitting around idly waiting. Being able to meet directly did lift her spirits, and the smile on her face became even more noticeable.

Good. This was a very good start.

Though Consort Ping had come to fan the flames, she knew this wasn’t something to be done directly.

She couldn’t outright criticize Noble Consort Rong.

Instead, she had to use Noble Consort Rong as a starting point to open the conversation.

She needed to present herself as a sympathetic listener, offering gentle persuasion.

It had to be said that Consort Ping was shrewd. She understood that fawning over him at this moment wouldn’t be effective.

Because even though there was tension and displeasure between them now, Kangxi’s mind was still largely preoccupied.

If she tried to ingratiate herself now, even if he accepted it, his response would be perfunctory—like a fleeting amusement, not something he’d take seriously.

On the other hand, adopting the approach of a "woman who intuitively understands men's thoughts," guiding the conversation along the lines of what was already occupying his thoughts, would not only allow her to quickly engage him but also leave a favorable impression of being thoughtful and understanding.

Upon seeing Kangxi, Consort Ping carefully observed his expression. Of course, she didn’t immediately bring up Noble Consort Rong. Instead, she first gently voiced her solicitude.

Kangxi’s expression softened slightly.

Noticing this, Consort Ping asked if he’d like to try the soup she had brought. "This is something I made myself. I’m not sure how it tastes—would Your Majesty like to try my modest efforts?"

The soup, of course, was prepared by the imperial kitchen, but this time, Consort Ping had taken matters into her own hands. She started with something simple, making milk tea and bringing along some toppings.

It wasn’t troublesome or time-consuming, and with the imperial kitchen’s soup as cover, it wouldn’t arouse suspicion.

Besides, Kangxi had likely become weary of the imperial kitchen’s offerings.

If she used the usual excuse of claiming it was her own work when it was clearly an obvious ruse, it would come across as trite.

So, she really had to make something herself, and it had to be something novel.

Especially when compared to the tired old dishes from the imperial kitchen. Even if Kangxi didn’t necessarily believe her cooking was any good, he’d still be more inclined to try something new.

Sure enough, Kangxi showed little interest in the imperial kitchen’s soup.

But the thing Consort Ping claimed to have made herself seemed to arouse greater interest.

"What is this?"

Kangxi looked at the glass cup, which bore some resemblance to the milk tea his grandmother enjoyed—made from compressed tea and salty in taste, which didn't suit his palate.

But this looked different. There were additional ingredients mixed in.

Consort Ping explained that this was something she had come up with on a whim, and adding toppings makes it tastier.

Since the Grand Empress Dowager is Mongolian by birth, there’s milk tea here too—Mongolian milk tea is savory.

Compared to savory milk tea, the sweet kind obviously allows for more creativity.

As she spoke, Consort Ping personally scooped some out and handed it to Kangxi. This time, she wised up and remembered to remove her nail guards to avoid messing things up.

She made it lightly sweet, worried it might be too sweet for Kangxi’s taste.

Watching as Kangxi took a sip, Consort Ping couldn’t help feeling nervous. "How does Your Majesty find the taste?"

"It’s alright."

At least he responded.

After taking another sip, he set it down.

Consort Ping wasn’t sure whether Kangxi’s "It’s alright" was just being polite or actually liked it.

He had only taken two sips and stopped—was he following that ‘three-sip rule’ again?

Or was it too sugary?

"It’s alright" might as well have said nothing at all.

She should’ve known better than to cut corners—not everyone liked milk tea, after all.

"This was also something I came up with on a whim and thought tasted quite nice," Consort Ping said with a smile, taking a few sips herself.

"I had originally thought of sending it to the Grand Empress Dowager to score some points, but I was worried my amateur skills might make a fool of me in front of Her Majesty.

Your Majesty knows the Grand Empress Dowager best. If even Your Majesty finds it acceptable, then I’ll have more confidence. Another day, I’ll personally prepare some and send it for the Grand Empress Dowager to try."

After all, the Grand Empress Dowager did drink milk tea, and mentioning this now would show her filial devotion.

Kangxi valued filial piety highly. If the milk tea didn’t appeal to his tastes, she could switch gears and present it as an offering for the Grand Empress Dowager. Whether he liked it or not, the thought would still matter.

Sure enough, Kangxi responded with a slightly approving tone, "Indeed, the Grand Empress Dowager really enjoys these kinds of treats."

"You can just instruct the imperial kitchen to learn the recipe later—no need to bother doing it yourself." It seemed thoughtful of him, implying that such tasks could be left to the servants so Consort Ping wouldn’t have to exert herself.

But though he said this, Consort Ping couldn’t simply agree.

Otherwise, it’d look like preparing something personally for the Grand Empress Dowager was truly burdensome?

That wouldn’t do—it would make all her earlier flattery pointless.

"Your Majesty, I don’t find it troublesome at all. It’s my good fortune to be able to show my sincerity to the Grand Empress Dowager—how could it be a hardship?"

Consort Ping adopted the stance that nothing made by others could compare to the sincerity of doing it oneself, and that this hardly counted as laborious—not in the slightest.

She knew this response would surely be the right one.

Sure enough, Kangxi said nothing further, and at the same time, she received a notification that his favorability had increased.

That stuck favorability meter finally moved.

Consort Ping couldn't help but feel a little excited, yet she quickly composed herself.

Seeing that the moment was right, she prepared to get to the point. "Your Majesty, have you not been resting well these past few days? Your servant is concerned for your health. I dare not presume to advise, but only wish for you to take good care of yourself."

Consort Ping put on a worried look, as if genuinely troubled by his recent lack of rest and concerned for his well-being.

In truth, it had only been a few days, and Kangxi showed no visible changes. Saying he had lost weight would be an exaggeration, but claiming he looked somewhat tired seemed accurate.

And what could be the reason for his recent poor state? There was only one likely explanation.

Kangxi's expression stiffened slightly, his silence said everything.

Hesitantly, Consort Ping asked carefully, "...Could it be that Your Majesty is troubled by Noble Consort Rong's matter from the other day?"

Kangxi remained silent, neither confirming nor denying.

His lack of response was as good as an admission.

"I have heard some whispers these past few days—that Noble Consort Rong made a scene because of me..." Consort Ping observed Kangxi's expression as she spoke, choosing her words carefully.

Seeing that Kangxi did not interrupt, she took this as a sign she could continue.

So it really was because of her. Noble Consort Rong had made a scene over her. Consort Ping couldn't help but feel a tinge of pride.

Though she knew the root cause was her own doing, she couldn't outright accuse Noble Consort Rong of jealousy.

Instead, she changed tack. "It was my fault. That day, I was in such a hurry that I was remiss in my duties and disrespected her." Her expression became contrite.

"Noble Consort Rong is justified to be upset with me." By taking the blame first, she subtly implied that Noble Consort Rong was petty to have overreacted to such a minor slight.

This also implied that Noble Consort Rong was intolerant.

After all, it wasn't truly about a mere failure to greet her properly.

"No," Kangxi finally spoke up.

Consort Ping smiled to herself but pretended not to understand. "If not because of me, then why would Noble Consort Rong act this way?" Her tone was full of confusion.

She didn’t actually expect Kangxi to answer. Pressing on, she said,

"Whatever the reason for Noble Consort Rong's anger, I fear this situation cannot continue. Noble Consort Rong has fragile health—if she remains upset, it may harm her health. I can see that Your Majesty still cares deeply for her."

Her voice was soft and understanding, yet her face showed a touch of sadness.

Though she spoke words of reconciliation, she couldn’t act completely selflessly—that would make her seem too saintly.

She had to show some of her own pain before Kangxi.

This way, it would seem that she spoke out of concern for him, unable to bear seeing him distressed, even if it meant suppressing her own pain.

For his sake, she was willing to endure her own unhappiness if it meant cheering him up.

This also created a contrast with Noble Consort Rong.

Even if Kangxi didn’t consciously compare them now—his thoughts focused on Noble Consort Rong and paying her less mind—

Overlooking Noble Consort Rong’s flaws and her own merits wouldn’t last forever.

Once Kangxi’s affection for Noble Consort Rong faded, or his attention shifted...

Previously, the flaws of Noble Consort Rong that had been overlooked would gradually become apparent, and it wouldn’t be as easy to ignore them as before—tolerance for her shortcomings would even diminish.

What once seemed acceptable now appeared completely unacceptable upon closer inspection.

Similarly, the merits she had consistently displayed but were overshadowed by Noble Consort Rong would naturally make the difference clear between them.

After all, she was now showing only her best side.

“You’re quick to defend her,” Kangxi said, seeming somewhat displeased that she had brought up Noble Consort Rong.

But Consort Ping received no sign his opinion of her had dropped.

This meant that while his words sounded critical, he actually approved of her speaking up for Noble Consort Rong and attempting to mediate.

Otherwise, if he truly did not wish to hear anything about Noble Consort Rong, he would have interrupted and changed the topic long ago, making his unwillingness to discuss the matter clear.

Consort Ping felt a stab of jealousy—her rival had gotten the jump on her and stayed ahead, leaving her to chip away at it step by step to slowly turn the situation around.

If only she had arrived earlier, she wouldn’t have to work this hard now.

It was like a race where the opponent had taken off first, forcing her to start later and work harder just to break even—not even surpassing them yet!

Why couldn’t that advantage have been hers instead?

Yet, she kept her face perfectly blank. “I’m not defending Noble Consort Rong—I’m thinking of Your Majesty. Seeing Your Majesty so troubled over Noble Consort Rong’s affairs breaks my heart.”

Her words were filled with sincerity, her eyes glistening with tears she refused to let fall as she gazed at Kangxi. The tears lingered but did not spill, as though she were struggling to hold them back. She reached out, intending to take Kangxi’s hand resting on his knee.

Abruptly, Kangxi lifted his hand and rubbed his temples hard in frustration. “If only Noble Consort could think the same way, I wouldn’t be so troubled.”

Consort Ping’s outstretched hand grasped at air.

After a pause, she instead rested her hand on Kangxi’s raised arm, offering gentle comfort. “Your Majesty, if you are truly worried about Noble Consort Rong, you should go see her. These past few days, she must have been suffering too.”

Then she laid the groundwork. “When Noble Consort Rong sees Your Majesty arrive, she’ll be thrilled.”

She sold it with conviction, painting the scene as though she had already witnessed it unfold.

If things didn’t pan out as she’d said, it would only be because she couldn’t possibly speak for Noble Consort Rong’s true thoughts—she was merely expressing how she herself would react.

If she were Noble Consort Rong, she would undoubtedly be overjoyed—but that was just her own perspective.

There was no telling if Noble Consort Rong would agree.

Kangxi did not immediately agree, but neither did he refuse. His expression, however, seemed to soften slightly.

Seeing that the timing was perfect, Consort Ping pressed on. “I could accompany Your Majesty to visit Noble Consort Rong. If any misunderstandings arise, as a woman, I might explain things better. Perhaps Noble Consort Rong would be more willing to listen.”

On the surface, it sounded like a kind offer—to accompany Kangxi and help reconcile the two.

But this was far more direct than Noble Consort Rong merely hearing rumors of her visiting the emperor in the Qianqing Palace and seething with jealousy.

This wasn’t hinting—it was a straight shot at the heart of the matter.

Consort Ping liked the sound of that and was keen to prove she meant it, eager to show her determination to reconcile the two so that Kangxi would bring her along.

"Sister Noble Consort is quite sensitive. It would be better if this humble consort accompanies Your Majesty. If there are any misunderstandings, they can be clarified. If Sister Noble Consort’s anger has not yet subsided, this humble consort can also plead Your Majesty’s case to her."

If Noble Consort Rong were to lash out and directly confront her in front of Kangxi, snapping in her rage, it would only make her appear even more pitiable.

After all, she had come to smooth things over. Who would have thought the other party not only refused to acknowledge her goodwill but even vented their anger on her? That would be quite the scene. Just imagining the situation made Consort Ping nearly giddy at the thought.

Witnessing it firsthand would be far better than hearing about it later from palace servants.

Being present would not only allow her to get the full picture but also stir the pot right in front of the other party.

Kangxi merely waved his hand. "We shall consider it."

He seemed unwilling to say more.

A flicker of frustration crossed Consort Ping’s eyes. Having come this far, she refused to press her luck and wanted to try one last time.

Kangxi propped his head up with one hand, lost in thought.

Noticing this, Consort Ping called out softly, "Your Majesty," trying to draw his attention back.

But the next moment, she clammed up, as if her voice had been cut off.

Her expression shifted slightly, and her voice became lighter, her words quicker than before. "Then I shall take my leave now and not disturb Your Majesty further." After delivering the customary farewell, she bowed and backed away quietly.

Even after leaving, her expression was not as composed as before, though she still managed to maintain control.

Consort Ping mustered a smile at Liang Jiugong standing nearby and instructed, "Eunuch Liang, take good care of His Majesty. I shall take my leave now and return to my quarters."

Liang Jiugong naturally responded with a smile, bowing respectfully. "Yes, this humble servant bids Her Ladyship farewell. May Her Ladyship walk slowly." His demeanor was one of utmost deference.

Leaning on her attendant’s arm, Consort Ping departed with regal bearing, though her heart was filled with frustration!

Because just before leaving, unwilling to give up, she had tried one last effort.

The moment she called out to the emperor, before she could even voice the words she had prepared, she immediately received a notification of a dip in favor.

Though it was only a slight decrease, it was enough to startle her.

She dared not say another word and hurriedly took her leave.

This was a clear sign that he truly did not wish to hear more and wanted to be left alone—so much so that even an extra word would immediately trigger a warning.

That dip in favor was like a splash of cold water poured over her heated thoughts, instantly sobering her up.

She must have come across as too eager earlier, and fearing Kangxi might notice something amiss, she dared not stay any longer.

Staying any longer risked undoing all the groundwork she had carefully laid.

Though it was a pity she couldn’t accompany Kangxi to Yonghe Palace to witness things firsthand, the current outcome was still quite favorable.

This trip was not without its gains.

By the time she left the Qianqing Palace, she had regained her composure.

She even appeared cheerful, leaving with a small smile playing on her lips.

Because Consort Ping knew there would surely be people noting her every move after her departure. She couldn’t afford to slip up here—she had to keep smiling.

Now all she could do was go back and wait for good news.

If the Emperor really went to Yonghe Palace first, only to find that Noble Consort Rong not only showed no joy upon seeing him but instead got even angrier, quarreling with him or giving him cold looks, Kangxi, with his pride wounded, would surely be furious.

He would feel that after he had already humbled himself to seek reconciliation, Noble Consort Rong not only failed to restrain herself but became even more unreasonable.

Just imagining that scene was hilarious.

If Consort Ping hadn't gone to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to add fuel to the fire, things might indeed have unfolded as described.

Noble Consort Rong, upon seeing Kangxi come to Yonghe Palace to visit her, would've been truly happy that he had taken the first step toward reconciliation. Even if she still held onto some resentment, it would have dissipated.

But now, before this could happen, Kangxi had already met with someone else. By the time he decided to go, Noble Consort Rong would have long since learned that before coming to her, he had met with the very source of their quarrel.

Not only that, but the meeting had not been brief—he had stayed for quite some time before leaving. And when he did leave, she had been cheerful, like something great had happened.

With all these speculations combined, Noble Consort Rong’s emotions must have already reached their boiling point. All she needed was a spark to ignite her fury.

And Kangxi’s arrival would be that very spark!

Whether it was mere coincidence or a change in the weather, even under clear skies, the low rumble of thunder in the distance could be heard—like the prelude to a storm, though it faded after just a moment.

Kangxi, who had said he needed time alone to think, didn't look upset anymore. His expression was now indifferent as he idly twisted the jade ring on his finger, his gaze deep and unreadable.

Hearing the muffled thunder outside, he asked quietly, "Is it raining?"

Yonghe Palace

With Kangxi gone these past few days, Su Yi could finally give herself a proper once-over.

After all, smoke and mirrors wouldn’t fool someone like Kangxi, who could see through them at any moment.

Qinxin wasn’t as quick to follow her orders anymore and rarely left her alone for long.

She would always check in periodically, saying she was worried Su Yi might fall ill without anyone noticing.

She mentioned that last time, Su Yi had fainted for a long while without anyone realizing it, leading to her prolonged illness, so they couldn’t let that happen again.

Perhaps this was the result of being under the top boss’s watchful eye—no one dared slack off, and the second boss’s requests were always pushed to the back, treated as secondary.

No more slacking off for her.

Now that she was back in Yonghe Palace, good—one less wildcard to worry about. Qinxin’s enforcement priorities needed reshuffling.

This was the perfect opportunity.

Since no issues were detected within the physical body,

she would step out of it, cut through the noise, and check again—perhaps the problem lay with her soul.

Before leaving her body this time, Su Yi made sure to seal it, preventing any mishaps—like slapping a silencing charm on a zombie's forehead to immobilize it.

Just lie low and don’t respond to the outside world.

Only then could she finally examine herself properly. She’d rushed through it before, but now, with some peace and quiet for once, she could conduct a more thorough inspection.

But no—everything was fine.

That’s exactly why it felt off.

It didn’t make sense—not that Su Yi was paranoid.

If anyone else blacked out with their sworn enemy right there, they wouldn’t be so carefree either.

Her qi circulated smoothly, with no strange marks or unsettling seals added.

Even when she looked inward, her lifebound sword showed no signs of abnormality.

Since she couldn’t detect anything, Su Yi considered summoning it for a closer look.

*If I whip it out and stash it quick, the heavens won’t have time to react.*

As if.

The reaction seemed even quicker this time.

No way was she dodging lightning today.

She might escape, but the palace wouldn’t—if it really struck and collapsed, it wouldn’t be a joke.

It seemed she wouldn’t find anything unusual for the time being, so Su Yi had no choice but to flop back into her body and veg out.

Otherwise, she might space out and forget to ‘dress,’ leaving her scrambling later when Qinxin walked in.

Still pissed her off.

Too annoyed to even drag herself up for food, Su Yi just lay faceplanted on the bed like a starfish, motionless, startling Qinxin when she entered.

"Mom—!" Qinxin choked out mid-word, nearly choking on her breath when Su Yi abruptly lifted her head.

Seeing she wasn’t comatose, Qinxin relaxed as Su Yi waited for her to recover before asking gently, "What is it?" *No need for the full ‘Mom’ treatment.*

Then she faceplanted back into the bed, as if to say, *Talk. I’m listening.*

Her brief head lift was purely a ‘still alive’ signal.

Relieved that Her Majesty was still awake, Qinxin exhaled. "Dinner’s ready, Your Majesty."

Su Yi heard but barely reacted, drawing out a lazy "Hnn," then murmuring gloomily, "I ate too much at lunch. You guys split it."

Qinxin bit back a protest—Her Majesty usually had a robust appetite. Lunch portions never affected her dinner.

"Leave me." Su Yi clearly had no intention of moving, committed to being a corpse.

She really didn’t seem hungry.

"Yes, Majesty." Qinxin backed out, defeated.

Outside, Qinxin chewed her lip. Was it because…? But Her Majesty hadn’t left her chambers since lunch, and most visits were silent while Su Yi ‘napped.’ She hadn’t even heard today’s court drama yet.

Could it be that some busybody was running their mouth and accidentally let the Rong Noble Consort hear it?

At this thought, Qinxin's expression turned cold. It had only been a few days since the Emperor last visited, and already there were troublemakers causing drama.

While distributing the evening meal, Qinxin gave everyone a stern warning: if anyone was caught gossiping behind the scenes, they would face severe punishment, and such gossiping servants would no longer be tolerated in Yonghe Palace.

The servants hurriedly assured her they understood.

Originally, it was inevitable that some servants might be affected by the gossip and whisper a few words among themselves, but they always kept their comments mild and truthful, walking on eggshells.

Seeing that Qinxin had brought this up, the others immediately feared getting caught and kicked out of Yonghe Palace. If they were reassigned to serve another consort, their good situation would be gone for good.

No one wanted to lose this position.

Previously, they had been envied when their mistress returned and even handed out bonuses.

If they were transferred elsewhere, not only would there be no bonuses, but they would also have to walk on eggshells to avoid punishment.

Many were eager to serve in Yonghe Palace—not just for the bonuses, but also for the better living conditions.

Those who had previously served in Yonghe Palace had already been screened and replaced, with some reassigned to worse assignments.

Suddenly, someone called out, "The Emperor approaches!"

Everyone quickly knelt and bowed in greeting.

Kangxi stood with his hands behind his back, looking around before asking, "Did the Rong Noble Consort not dine this evening?"

It was dinnertime, yet she was missing.

News of Kangxi's visit to Yonghe Palace spread like crazy.

Consort Ping wasn’t surprised—this was what she expected. Even without her persuasion, Kangxi would likely have gone to see the Rong Noble Consort eventually. She’d just sped things up.

Yet, it was precisely after Consort Ping’s visit that Kangxi went to Yonghe Palace.

Even if Kangxi genuinely intended to reconcile, the Rong Noble Consort would now believe he had only come because of Consort Ping's influence. The anger that had nearly dissipated would flare up even stronger.

This was going to be quite a show.

Consort Ping decided to wait up, eager to hear what news her servants would bring back.

And she wasn’t the only one on edge waiting.

When word first spread that the Emperor had gone to Yonghe Palace again, some of those slow on the uptake hadn’t rushed over, thinking it was a wasted trip.

Nothing had been achieved, after all. Seeing Consort Ping emerge strutting out like she’d won, they had assumed she had successfully stirred the pot, leading the Emperor to summon her for the night or stay at her palace.

Why had she strutted out so triumphantly, only for the Emperor to return to Yonghe Palace? Had Consort Ping actually spoken in the Rong Noble Consort’s favor and persuaded the Emperor to visit?

Otherwise, why would Kangxi, who had ignored Yonghe Palace for days, suddenly go back?

What was Consort Ping up to?

To anyone paying attention, Consort Ping didn’t seem the type to do this out of the goodness of her heart.

The smarter ones knew better than to take things at face value.

The moment they realized Consort Ping’s scheme, they silently acknowledged her cunning and manipulative tactics, a master at playing with people's hearts.

If Consort Ping had indeed gone before the Emperor to speak well of Rong Noble Consort, playing the empathetic role and persuading him to visit her,

she would have not only curried favor with the Emperor and showboated herself, seemingly advocating for Rong Noble Consort without seeming pushy, but also set a trap for Rong Noble Consort to fall into, leaving her fuming.

Should Rong Noble Consort lose her cool, she would easily fall into Consort Ping's scheme.

It would also push the Emperor away from Rong Noble Consort by her own actions.

Meanwhile, Consort Ping would appear as the innocent and pitiable one who had done good yet was unjustly targeted by Rong Noble Consort, making it easy for her to win the Emperor's sympathy by stepping on Rong Noble Consort.

Consort Ping might as well have blasted trumpets that she had gone to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to see the Emperor, making it impossible for even the least informed in Yonghe Palace to play dumb.

And now, with the Emperor visiting Rong Noble Consort again, it became a backhanded jab from Consort Ping.

Wasn’t this implying that the Emperor only came because of Consort Ping’s persuasion, otherwise he’d have blown her off? That he went on her advice!

Even if Rong Noble Consort tried to suppress her displeasure, she might still end up throwing shade. After all, making up takes the right mood.

Consort Ping’s role in this was undeniably crucial, yet she managed to keep her hands clean and appear as the understanding one, leaving Rong Noble Consort painted as the jealous hothead.

Slick move.

Who would have thought Consort Ping had such tactics? She had been underestimated before, seen only as someone who loved the spotlight, but now she went all in.

If Consort Ping’s scheme succeeded this time, Rong Noble Consort could take a real fall.

Yonghe Palace

Su Yi lay flat, staring at the canopy above, feeling agitated.

Lying on her stomach for too long left her gasping and uncomfortable.

So she began shifting constantly, tossing like a salad.

Rolling from one side to the other, changing positions with zero logic.

It was all about doing whatever she pleased, taking advantage of the spacious bed.

Yet even such a large space couldn’t contain Su Yi’s chaos.

During another flip, she wiped out, landing on the footrest before rolling onto the floor.

Su Yi reacted quickly, grabbing the blanket mid-fall.

But experience proved that when falling from a bed, windmilling your arms does squat—at best, one might pull down a cushion, but the fall was inevitable.

So she soon let go of the blanket, retracting her hands before landing to avoid bracing herself, then rolling to disperse the impact.

No fancy techniques—just a simple, practical way to walk it off, ensuring she barely felt any pain.

As she prepared to get up, dust herself off, and return to bed, her eyes caught something that left her dumbstruck.

Su Yi didn’t pause. She continued as planned, deadpan standing, brushing off her clothes, then turning back to lie down and closing her eyes.

She lay flat, hands folded over her chest, the picture of peace.

Nothing had just happened.

"Noble Consort, there’s no need for such an over-the-top greeting upon seeing Us." The man’s voice, though calm and gentle, was laced with laughter.