Why is it so lively outside?

Sitting in the sedan chair on the way back to the palace, Chen Yuwei was surrounded by a constant stream of noise.

The sounds were chaotic and disordered, and Chen Yuwei couldn't make out what was being said outside.

Upon hearing this, Xia He looked up and glanced back, then turned to Chen Yuwei and complained that the source of the sound was Chengqian Palace.

"Consort Yu just moved out of Yanxi Palace today. Chengqian Palace is full of palace servants who love to join in the fun."

There was no way around it; Consort Yu was favored, so everyone would naturally try to curry favor with her.

This really shows how much Consort Yu is behaving. She's quite old, yet she acts like a little girl.

Xia Yu looked down on Consort Yu because she was oblivious to social cues.

Every time I come to Yikun Palace to pay my respects, I don't know if it's because I'm deliberately being sarcastic or if I'm just unaware of it, but it's really disgusting.

"Oh, so it's Consort Yu. She's quite an interesting person. Even the Emperor praised her for having a childlike heart."

Chen Yuwei sat in the sedan chair and chatted casually with Xia He for a few moments.

She remembered the expression on the Emperor's face when he mentioned Consort Yu; it gave her the illusion of a domineering CEO being attracted to her.

Chen Yuwei found that scene too offensive and hardly recalled it.

"Your Majesty, do you think Consort Yu is real or fake?"

She has the charm of a young married woman, but acts more charmingly than a young girl.

To these people, it would seem like their personas are disconnected and don't fit together.

But in the Emperor's eyes, perhaps this was very novel and attractive?

Chen Yuwei leaned back in her chair, "Whether it's true or not, Consort Yu has successfully left an impression on the Emperor."

The Emperor's recent list of concubines for his nights with him is almost entirely filled with the name of Consort Yu.

Xia He, don't you understand yet?

Consort Yu was favored by the Emperor. Regardless of her other qualities, this kind of behavior was very popular with him.

Xia He nodded, but still felt that Consort Yu's situation couldn't last.

No good family would resort to such underhanded methods.

Those who knew her were deliberately trying to please the emperor; those who didn't might have thought she came from a brothel.

The last person to give Xia He this feeling was Consort Lan, but Consort Lan went from being a Noble Lady to a Consort, and her persona changed completely.

Although he might not change in front of the emperor, he became much more formal every time he came to pay his respects.

Now, looking at Consort Yu again, tsk tsk tsk

Chen Yuwei's sedan chair left through the passageway, leaving the bustling crowd far behind.

At this moment, Consort Yu was inspecting the Chengqian Palace with her maid Hongguo.

Ouch

Abu was right after all; the emperor of the Qing Dynasty was, after all, a man.

Every man enjoys a little bit of quirky fun.

Consort Yu thought of the methods she had learned. Although they were embarrassing to use, they were effective. Now that she had become a consort, that was all that mattered.

What does this mean? It means that the emperor likes the kind of thing she does.

After happily spinning around, Consort Yu looked at the red fruit and asked if the other palaces had sent congratulatory gifts.

If anyone doesn't give her face during her move to the new palace, don't blame her for whispering sweet nothings in the emperor's ear.

"Your Majesty, they have all arrived. The ones from Yikun Palace are the best, all made of fabrics that Your Majesty likes. I have already sent them to the Imperial Wardrobe, and Your Majesty will be able to wear new clothes in just a few days."

Hongguo was not brought from Khorchin by Consort Yu; she was a palace maid assigned by the Imperial Household Department.

This person was quick-witted and resourceful; in just three months, she became a maidservant to Consort Yu.

As for Consort Yu's original maids, they have already retired to the second line.

"Really? The Imperial Noble Consort of Yikun Palace is quite adept at handling things."

Consort Yu was pampered and spoiled in Khorchin, and she had no fear after entering the palace.

Aside from being somewhat cautious around the Emperor, Consort Yu considered everyone else insignificant.

The Imperial Noble Consort of Yikun Palace? Consort Yu didn't think much of her from the beginning.

Because Consort Yu knew that the highest-ranking official in the harem was the Emperor.

As long as she pleases the emperor, what can others do if they are dissatisfied with her?

Having fully mastered the essence of survival, Consort Yu can be said to have figured out how to navigate the harem.

He waved his hand, reminding Hongguo not to forget to write down and list all the congratulatory gifts.

Those who give her face will naturally receive some face in return; however, if someone deliberately sends her gifts to annoy her, she will not let them off the hook.

The commotion at Chengqian Palace lasted for three days.

During these three days, Consort Yu spent her free time summoning people from the Imperial Household Department to redesign the layout of Chengqian Palace.

For example, some decorations that look old and worn out should be replaced.

Imperial Household Department: ...

The Imperial Household Department had also encountered a tough opponent, even more stubborn than the others in the harem.

If you can't reason with them or make them understand, you can only compromise and go along with what they want.

Therefore, the Imperial Household Department helped Consort Yu improve Chengqian Palace as much as possible, while on the other hand, they rushed to Yikun Palace to complain to Chen Yuwei that Consort Yu was not abiding by palace rules and was making decisions on her own.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuwei was immediately amused by the cunning of the Imperial Household Department.

It seems that he couldn't handle Consort Yu, so he came to her for help, thus diverting the conflict.

But why would I think Chen Yuwei would help? There's no benefit for her.

Furthermore, Consort Yu's meddling with the Imperial Household Department was simply a way for her to have a better position in Chengqian Palace.

Without affecting Chen Yuwei's own interests, Chen Yuwei supports some of the actions of the concubines in the harem.

"Alright, alright, stop complaining. Your Imperial Household Department lives better than anyone else's every day. This is just a small matter. Don't talk about how difficult it is."

Go back and do as Consort Yu said, lest you offend the Emperor's new favorite, and all of you will be replaced.

Chen Yuwei's few words successfully drove away the Imperial Household Department staff who came to complain.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!