Yanxi Palace

After a month of careful recuperation, Consort Hui's health had just improved somewhat. She leaned against the window, staring blankly at the bright moonlight outside, her thoughts already wandering far away.

Cunxin, her face grave, bowed as she entered the hall, looking at Consort Hui as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

Seconds passed, the moon rose above the willow branches, and Consort Hui came back to her senses. She looked at Cunxin and said in a deep voice, "Today is the one-month celebration for the two princes born to Consort Yu. His Majesty has visited Consort Yu's palace; it must be quite lively."

Cunxin paused for a moment, then looked down at her toes.

After a moment's hesitation, Cunxin steeled herself and spoke softly, "Your Majesty, the Emperor just issued another decree, bestowing names and order of seniority upon the thirteenth and fourteenth princes, and granting the title of Dongzhu to Consort Yu."

"、、"

Consort Hui's face immediately darkened, and she said through gritted teeth, "The Imperial Noble Consort holds a rank equivalent to a secondary empress. Now that there is no empress in the palace, the Imperial Noble Consort..."

Consort Hui was completely unaware that her hands were clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms.

After a cup of tea, Consort Hui loosened her tightly clenched hands and spoke in a cold voice, "The Imperial Noble Consort is deeply favored by the Emperor and has the most children. Now, she has been bestowed with the Eastern Pearl by the Emperor, which is well-deserved."

"Cunxin, go..."

He whispered a few words in Cunxin's ear, and Cunxin's expression changed. She looked at Consort Hui with hesitation.

Picking up her teacup, Consort Hui brushed away the foam, a meaningful sneer playing on her lips. She said, "The Imperial Noble Consort's maternal family has no powerful officials in court, only relatives by marriage and women in the harem."

"His Majesty has only issued an imperial edict to announce to the world that she has been granted the title of Imperial Noble Consort. He has not yet set a date for the investiture ceremony. The only thing I can do is to delay the investiture ceremony."

With a cold smile, Consort Hui curled her lips.

"Without the investiture ceremony, even if she is an Imperial Noble Consort, her title is not legitimate."

"The court officials, the Hesheli family, the Niohuru family, and the Tong family are likely very willing to obstruct the Imperial Noble Consort's investiture ceremony."

Age Suoli

After returning from Yikun Palace, the Fifth Princess sat silently by the window with a gloomy face.

His eyes were sinister, and his mind was racing.

Empress Niohuru, Imperial Noble Consort?

She had assumed that after Niohuru's death, her father wouldn't appoint an Imperial Noble Consort as he had in her previous life. However, after many years of twists and turns, Tongjia failed to become an Imperial Noble Consort; instead, Xumur...

Xu Muershi, a former palace maid who served her mother, the Empress Dowager, what merit did she possess to become an Imperial Noble Consort?

The beautiful palace maid who served the Fifth Princess closely, head slightly bowed, spoke timidly, "Princess, it's getting late, you should rest."

"Um."

The Fifth Princess responded, her lewd gaze falling on the palace maid, looking her up and down.

The palace maid's slender body trembled slightly. Suppressing her fear, she lowered her head, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible, and silently prayed...

However, God did not hear her prayers.

The Fifth Princess stood up, circled the palace maid, patted her pert buttocks, and laughed loudly, "Dai'er, tonight you will warm my bed!"

"Princess……"

With a thud, Dale knelt on the ground, shaking her head desperately, her heart filled with fear and lingering dread.

No, no, she doesn't want to warm the princess's bed, she doesn't want to...

The Fifth Princess's face immediately darkened, and she looked at Dai'er with icy eyes. "What? You don't want to serve me? I'm doing you a favor by letting you warm my bed and serve me. It's your good fortune. Don't be ungrateful."

"uh-huh."

With a cold snort, Dale, who was kneeling on the ground, trembled like a leaf.

Two days later

Xu Lejin was in Yikun Palace, handling palace affairs, when Ruhua bowed and entered the hall to report that Princess Wuxiha and several other princesses were requesting an audience.

Putting down the account book in her hand, Xu Lejin smiled and invited Ruhua, Wuxiha, Wuyoudai, and Wulingzhu in.

A moment later, Ushiha entered the palace with her two younger sisters.

"Daughter greets Mother."

The three sisters bowed respectfully, and Xu Lejin quickly told them to get up and instructed Nongying to go downstairs to prepare snacks and milk tea for them.

Half an hour later, Ushiha looked at Xu Lejin with a hesitant expression.

Xu Lejin paused for a moment, then smiled and instructed Ruhua beside her, "Ruhua, take the Twelfth Princess and the Fourteenth Princess to the side room to play with the Fourth Prince and the Twentieth Princess for a while."

"yes."

Ru Hua respectfully agreed and led Wu Youdai and Wu Lingzhu to the side room.

A moment later

Wuxiha carefully chose her words, looked at Xu Lejin, and said softly, "Mother, yesterday, Fifth Sister's personal maid, Dai'er, suddenly died."

After a pause, Ushiha lowered his voice.

"The daughter secretly sent someone to take a look at Dale's body and found that Dale had been tortured to death. Dale's body was covered in bruises, there wasn't a single good spot."

Xu Lejin's expression froze upon hearing this.

After frowning and pondering for a moment, Xu Lejin spoke in a deep voice, "I remember a month ago, Consort Duan reported that the Fifth Princess had a new batch of maids from the Imperial Household Department to serve her."

"Yes, Mother, that is indeed the case."

Ushiha looked grave, head bowed in deep thought.

After a pause, Ushiha mustered her courage, her face flushed red, and whispered in a voice only she and Xu Lejin could hear, "Mother, I've sent some eunuchs to secretly monitor Fifth Sister. Little eunuchs..."

"The young eunuchs seemed to hear sounds of lovemaking between a man and a woman in Fifth Sister's courtyard."

After speaking, Ushiha lowered his head, feeling both ashamed and angry, wishing he could disappear into the ground. Xu Lejin, on the other hand, was almost speechless with disbelief in her eyes.

This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!