Chapter 262

Chapter 262

While nearly everyone politely attended Consort Xian's gathering, Noble Lady Qing dug in her heels and skipped it, showing up at Su Yi's quarters with gifts in hand.

When Qinxin returned to announce Noble Lady Qing's arrival, Su Yi wasn’t surprised by the visit.

It was only a matter of timing—just when she would come.

"Show her in," Su Yi said gently.

Soon, Noble Lady Qing was ushered in. Su Yi watched the shadow visible through the screen.

Noble Lady Qing did not step around the screen but stopped before it. "Greetings, elder sister Noble Consort," she said, bowing behind the screen.

She refrained from walking in unannounced out of consideration—aware that if Su Yi looked unwell, her presence might not be welcome despite being permitted to visit.

To walk in unannounced would be improper, and Noble Lady Qing was not one to commit such a tactless mistake.

Such an error would start things off badly all due to a careless action.

For Noble Lady Qing, this would clearly be disadvantageous, so she consciously halted before the screen.

"Mm." Su Yi glanced at Qinxin, who promptly had an ornate stool placed outside the screen beside Noble Lady Qing.

Noble Lady Qing sat at an angle, without looking around or fixing her gaze on the screen. "I heard elder sister Noble Consort was unwell, so Ru Ying came to visit. I hope this isn’t a bother," she said, her voice carrying through the screen.

With some distance between them, her voice was slightly louder than usual but remained controlled—never shrill or harsh.

"You’re no bother at all."

A small table stood before Su Yi where she rested her hand. On it was a storybook, left open partway, as if paused for a break.

A string of beads, crimson as blood, hung loosely from her slender, pale fingers.

Among the beads was a black ring, black as polished inkstone. As she fiddled with the beads, the long black tassel hanging from the ring swayed gently.

"You’ve come with kind intentions to visit, yet here I am, only able to greet you properly like this," Su Yi said, her gentle voice laced with tiredness.

She sounded apologetic for being unable to host face-to-face.

Of course... It was all an act. Every bit of it.

Noble Lady Qing lowered her head slightly, turning slightly toward the screen, listening intently rather than letting her gaze wander.

Her posture conveyed earnest attention, even through the barrier.

"Elder sister Noble Consort granting me an audience is already a privilege. I had planned to pay my respects as soon as we settled in the palace retreat, to thank you for the medicine you sent during the journey—it helped me greatly. I never imagined..."

Here, she trailed off as if catching herself saying something inappropriate.

Noble Lady Qing paused, skipping past the detail that Rong Noble Consort had fallen ill upon arrival. When she spoke again, she said, "It took me a few days to come. I hope elder sister Noble Consort won’t take offense."

"You’re one of the few so considerate. I appreciate it."

Su Yi's voice grew softer as she spoke.

She seemed a little downcast due to the lack of visitors, as Noble Lady Qing had been the only one to come see her these past few days. Such kindness was truly rare.

Yet her eyes drifted to the storybook, where a line coincidentally matched the words she had just spoken.

Noble Lady Qing knew well that apart from her, no one else had visited Rong Noble Consort these days—not even sending gifts or greetings.

Not to mention Consort Xian and Consort Hui, who had spent the day laughing together without sparing a thought to inquire after Rong Noble Consort.

However, Noble Lady Qing didn’t believe Rong Noble Consort would truly be troubled by this.

Apart from the pervasive scent of medicine in the room, nothing felt particularly oppressive. The hostess’s mood subtly shaped the atmosphere.

"Since Sister is close to Noble Consort, it is only right for Ru Ying to visit. I heard Noble Consort keeps an adorable little pet, but bringing it along would’ve been troublesome," Noble Lady Qing smoothly changed the subject, moving to a lighter topic.

After all, if they continued exchanging pleasantries, it might wear on Rong Noble Consort’s patience and end their visit early.

"Yes, I do miss it a bit now that you mention it," Su Yi sighed, playing along with the topic.

Indeed.

She couldn’t even pet the chubby cat now.

"Ru Ying has some skill in embroidery. Noble Consort surely lacks nothing, but these are a few round fans I embroidered myself—nothing fancy, just for fun."

Now was the perfect time to offer the gifts she had brought.

Qinxin looked at the tray being offered by Noble Lady Qing’s maid, where several round fans were arranged. After inspecting them, Qinxin carried the tray over to Su Yi, while Noble Lady Qing remained unfazed by the inspection.

Once the inspection was complete, Qinxin brought the tray to Su Yi’s side.

"My Lady."

She presented the tray for Su Yi to take.

Among the round fans, one had a spotless white jade handle, flawless and gleaming with a soft glow.

Dangling from it was a moon-white tassel. When lifted, the jade felt cool and smooth to the touch—clearly of the finest quality. The fan’s surface was embroidered not with common motifs like flowers or birds, but with an adorably playful chubby cat, vividly rendered.

The snow-white fur kept it lively against the plain fan, avoiding any stiffness. The little black bangs looked especially real, and the expression of a tiny fish held in its mouth captured the essence perfectly.

Even more delightful was the fact that the fan was reversible. On the reverse, the same cat now held a small flower in its mouth, as if freshly plucked from a bush.

The other fans also depicted the chubby cat in various charming poses, proving the great care Noble Lady Qing had put into them.

"Ru Ying only caught a glimpse and didn’t study it closely, so there may be some discrepancies in the embroidery," Noble Lady Qing modestly added at the right moment.

Though her tone was modest, her "slight skill" was undeniably impressive.

"You have such talented hands," Su Yi gently traced the patterns on the fan with her fingers. The delicate texture was such that even a rough fingernail might damage the embroidery.

The very first step of splitting the silk threads would have been challenging enough.

Su Yi tapped her fingertip lightly on the vivid image of the chubby cat on the fan, her smile deepening.

"I'm glad that Noble Consort Rong likes it." This time, Noble Lady Qing refrained from further modesty, knowing that too much humility would just seem tedious.

These niceties worked only on certain people.

At present, they seemed to hold little sway over Rong Noble Consort.

Su Yi put the round fan down. "Put them away," she instructed Qinxin to store the others.

She turned to a fresh page. "Since arriving at the summer palace, I haven’t ventured out much. All I can do is kill time with storybooks these days." The page turned with a soft but audible rustle.

"Aside from needlework, Ru Ying occasionally reads random books. Whenever she finds certain parts uninspiring, she considers revising them." Noble Lady Qing seamlessly picked up the conversation.

Her tone grew even gentler. "If Noble Consort Rong doesn’t mind, would you allow Ru Ying to narrate the story for you? We could follow the tale you’re currently reading." She paused, as if reflecting. "Stories set in stone always end up boring."

She seemed to be hinting at something beyond the story.

The room beyond the screen went quiet. Noble Lady Qing did not speak again but sat patiently—a stark contrast to the Imperial Noble Consort.

The silence was so deep, only their breaths could be heard.

Then, footsteps whispered closer—it was Qinxin.

"Noble Lady Qing, please." Qinxin bowed slightly and handed the storybook to her with both hands.

Noble Lady Qing showed no surprise, accepting it with a polite, practiced smile. Not a hint of smugness, as if she would have been equally content whether Qinxin had come to deliver the book or to see her out.

She took it all in stride.

——

Consort Yi was truly intrigued by Consort Ping’s proposal and stayed not merely out of half-hearted formality but because of the possibility Consort Ping had suggested.

Yet as time passed, Consort Yi couldn’t help but grow uneasy, though she didn’t voice it outright.

The question was: How certain was Consort Ping that the Emperor would come? After all, he was currently unwell.

Even if he did visit, there was no telling when.

Would Consort Yi have to keep showing up, just to "coincidentally" encounter the Emperor during his visits to Consort Ping?

What had initially been a perfunctory gesture now seemed to require genuine, frequent visits.

If she wasn’t even willing to do this much, then missing the opportunity would be her own fault, not Consort Ping’s.

After all, Consort Ping had no qualms about pushing Consort Yi forward during this time instead of hogging the Emperor’s sympathy for her illness.

Consort Ping knew that while some pity might be granted, it never lasts.

Such fleeting pity wouldn’t hold his attention. But if another could exploit that momentary softness—someone like Consort Yi, who surely needed no instruction—then so much the better.

When the Emperor wavered, that brief point of vulnerability could be magnified.

Using their old connection, if Consort Yi succeeded in making headway, she would become the lightning rod, drawing all the resentment that Consort Ping feared.

The kind of woman Consort Yi had once been—given the chance to rise again—would only get even bolder and pushier than before.

Such a person made the ideal decoy, the one who would lead the charge on her own, even without Consort Ping’s manipulation.

Unlike the Imperial Noble Consort, who actually retreated, her refusal to face things directly led to the current situation.

Because regaining what was lost would make Consort Yi even more desperate to cling tightly to everything she has now, making it even harder for her to endure returning to her current state. Since she hasn’t yet tasted the pain of losing and regaining favor, she can barely tolerate it for now.

These women of the inner palace are all like this—when they fall out of favor, they act as if they’ve given up competing, but once they regain favor, they can no longer bear the monotony of their former life.

Consort Yi would be no exception.

Though Consort Ping concealed it well, betraying nothing outwardly,

Consort Yi always felt deeply unsettled by Consort Ping’s stare.

It was like being touched by something clammy and slithering—revolting, panic-stricken, yet something she had to suppress and endure.

As time passed, logically, the Emperor should have returned to the traveling palace by now.

Though she tried to restrain herself, Consort Yi’s gaze kept flickering to the door.

Even her conversation with Consort Ping was somewhat distracted.

Consort Ping acted as if she hadn’t noticed, seeming perfectly unshaken—so certain, as if convinced the Emperor would surely come.

But this was only on the surface. Consort Ping wasn’t truly that steady inside.

Instead, she would frequently open the panel to check whether Kangxi’s favorability had fluctuated, using it to read the situation.