Chapter 121 Rumors of the Talent Show

Jiang Huan slept exceptionally soundly, as if she were trying to sleep away the fatigue of the past few days and the embarrassment of yesterday.

When she slowly woke up, it was already broad daylight in the bedroom.

She patted the spot next to her; it was empty. Huo Lin had left sometime earlier.

"Your Majesty, you're awake?"

Xiao Zhao brought in a bowl of warm water, her face beaming with undisguised joy.

"His Majesty has gone to the morning court session. Before he left, he specifically instructed that you should not be woken up so that you could sleep a little longer."

Jiang Huan rubbed her still slightly sore waist.

Hmph, at least he has some conscience and knows how to be considerate of the "wounded".

As she washed up, she looked at her rosy complexion in the mirror, and the awkward yet warm memories of last night flooded back, making her cheeks feel hot.

"Your Majesty," Xiao Zhao said in a low voice, a hint of excitement in her voice, as she combed her hair, "you don't know, what happened yesterday has spread throughout the entire harem. Everyone is saying that the Emperor's favor towards you is truly unique."

Jiang Huan paused, her hand holding the hairpin still.

She's made the gossip headlines again; even A-list celebrities don't have her level of influence.

That makes sense, since Consort Jia and the Empress Dowager both came yesterday, and the Emperor even specially sent two nannies over afterwards. It was impossible to keep it a secret.

Sigh, she could imagine how twisted the faces of those jealous concubines outside must be.

However, thinking of Huo Lin's clumsy yet sincere care, Jiang Huan felt a sweet warmth in her heart.

She'll face whatever comes her way, and she's loved by others now!

The sky outside the window was perfect, with bright sunshine, a gentle breeze, and light clouds.

Jiang Huan didn't want to be entangled in these chaotic thoughts, so she said loudly, "Xiao Zhao, the weather is nice today, push me out for a walk."

Xiao Zhao responded and pushed the wheelchair, the two of them slowly leaving Weiyang Palace.

In the Imperial Garden, flowers bloom in clusters, and a gentle breeze carries their fragrance.

Jiang Huan took a deep breath, feeling the freshness of nature, and her mood improved considerably.

However, just as they rounded a patch of flowers in full bloom, a group of people blocked their path.

The woman at the head of the group was dressed in a red palace gown with gold peony patterns, adorned with jewels and jade, exuding an air of nobility; she was none other than Consort Jia.

She was followed by a large group of palace servants.

Consort Jia seemed to have just come from admiring the flowers in some direction. She was now standing in the middle of the path, looking at Jiang Huan with a leisurely air, her lips curling into an undisguised sarcasm and coldness.

They met on a narrow path.

The air froze instantly, and the pleasant floral fragrance seemed to have taken on a gunpowder-like smell.

Xiao Zhao gripped the wheelchair handle tightly, wary of Consort Jia.

Consort Jia did not speak immediately; she looked Jiang Huan up and down as she sat in the wheelchair.

The woman before me had a languid and charming air about her, as if she had just been touched by the first rain, and there were still some red marks on her fair neck.

Throughout the years she had been in the palace, the emperor had never stayed overnight at her residence, let alone visited her.

Of all the concubines in the palace, none could do it except for Jiang Huan.

Consort Jia suddenly clenched her fists, her eyes filled with jealousy that seemed about to burst forth.

"Oh,"

She finally spoke, her voice sharp and shrill, trailing off with a long, drawn-out tone, breaking the silence in the garden: "Who do we have here? It's the newly promoted Consort Zhuang."

"My sister looks quite well. It seems you enjoyed the favor last night."

She deliberately emphasized the word "favor," her eyes like poisoned blades, making no attempt to hide it.

Here we go again.

I'm so tired of hearing it.

Jiang Huan really wanted to rush up in her wheelchair, fly her to the flower bed, and shut her up with a couple of sips of water.

"Greetings, Your Highness."

She nodded slightly in the direction of Consort Jia, her posture neither humble nor arrogant, her manners impeccable.

Consort Kejia disliked Jiang Huan to begin with, and seeing that she only nodded and did not rise to perform the grand ceremony that lower-ranking concubines would do, her anger flared even more.

"Oh, Consort Zhuang, you have quite the airs."

Consort Jia sneered, took two steps forward, and approached Jiang Huan's wheelchair.

"What? You've only enjoyed the rain and dew for one night, and you've already forgotten the rules of the palace? You're even being so perfunctory in your greetings to the Imperial Concubine?"

She didn't care about Jiang Huan's leg condition; she just wanted to make Jiang Huan bow and embarrass her!

Even if she received the rain and dew, she would still have to bow before her.

Jiang Huan scoffed inwardly, thinking, "Just because I'm not showing my teeth doesn't mean I'm innocent."

Then he raised his eyes, his gaze clear and bright.

"Your Highness is too kind. My legs are weak and I cannot kneel down. I would have to lie on the ground, which would be even more impolite."

"Since Your Majesty has objections, why not ask His Majesty to decide and choose a suitable method to perform the proper ceremony?"

Jiang Huan directly brought up Huo Lin, her meaning was quite clear.

She has a powerful leg, a leg that can kick across the six palaces and stomp in all directions.

Hmph, if this really escalates to Huo Lin's face, it's hard to say who will suffer.

She originally had no intention of arguing with anyone, but after being confronted again and again, she could no longer tolerate it!

Consort Jia was taken aback, and her face instantly turned ugly. Jiang Huan had always been submissive before, but when did she dare to use the Emperor to suppress her?

"Hmph, sharp-tongued!"

Consort Jia snorted heavily, forcibly suppressing her anger, but her gaze was already coiled around Jiang Huan like a venomous snake.

"I'm in a good mood today, so I won't hold your rudeness against you, but..."

Consort Jia leaned down slightly, getting close to Jiang Huan's ear, her voice suddenly turning cold.

"Jiang Huan, don't be too smug. Do you think that just because you've climbed into the emperor's bed and been promoted to the rank of concubine, you can rest easy? Ha, how naive."

She straightened up, and that fake, arrogant smile returned to her face.

"I have heard that some ministers in the previous dynasty have submitted a memorial, saying that there are few concubines in the palace and few imperial offspring. They earnestly request Your Majesty to select more women to fill the harem and continue the imperial line."

She paused deliberately, admiring the subtle changes in Jiang Huan's expression, and was pleased to see a ripple in the other's eyes.

"The imperial decree for the selection of imperial concubines," Consort Jia deliberately dragged out her words, "is likely to be issued soon."

Looking at Jiang Huan, she could almost see countless young and beautiful young women flooding into the harem, completely drowning out this annoying favored concubine in front of her.

"No matter how beautifully the flowers in the garden bloom, how many days can they stay on the branches all to themselves? Sister Zhuangfei, don't you think so?"

Consort Jia's voice floated down, and she no longer looked at Jiang Huan. Leading a group of trembling palace servants behind her, she walked past Jiang Huan.

Xiao Zhao stood anxiously beside the wheelchair, her face pale.

"Your Majesty..."

Jiang Huan sat in her wheelchair, her face still expressionless, except that the tips of her fingers resting on the armrests curled slightly.

It's just a provocation tactic; don't fall for it.

But if the talent show is really happening, does Huo Lin have a choice between agreeing or disagreeing?

Besides, men are all heartless. If this batch of beauties in the harem is not satisfactory, who knows, a new batch might just bring out a true love?

An indescribable sense of gloom quietly descended, and even the fragrance of the garden flowers carried a faint, astringent taste.