Born into a military family, Mu Yanran possessed a more resolute nature than other women. She was always a woman of her word, doing whatever she thought of. Once she decided to go to Huguo Temple to offer incense, she quickly arranged for her servants to make preparations.

Mu Yanran thought she had done a very good job, but little did she know that her decisive actions had deeply offended the other concubines, causing the harem to suffer countless losses.

It's not so easy for concubines to leave the palace. Situ Yuan is a very suspicious and controlling person. He doesn't allow concubines to have close relationships with ministers of the court. It's very difficult for them to even enter the palace, let alone leave.

Only Mu Yanran was allowed to leave the palace twice to visit her family in order to show her favor. Other concubines could only see their families at palace banquets.

These things alone were enough to make the concubines in the harem grit their teeth in envy. They were all the emperor's women, but they might never see their families more than a few times in their lives. Mu Yanran not only won the emperor's favor, but could also meet with her family. How could they not be jealous and resentful?

In Consort Li's Yilan Palace, beautiful women dressed in various palace costumes sat on both sides, and the rich fragrance of perfume slowly drifted and spread in the air. They did not speak, but just sitting there made people see the wonderful scene of hundreds of flowers blooming.

Situ Yuan was cunning and ruthless, skilled in the ways of navigating the court. He was adept at balancing the court by controlling the harem. The women who gained his favor were not only exceptionally beautiful, but also represented extraordinary power.

Three days have passed since Consort Li fell into the water, and the concubines in the harem are beginning to stir. After all, Mu Yanran's absolute power has lasted for far too long. This trip out of the palace to offer incense has directly become the fuse for this matter, and resentment is rampant in the harem.

Dressed in pure white, Consort Li leaned against the bed. Her small face was lightly powdered, but it couldn't hide her pale and haggard appearance. The arrogance between her brows was also somewhat diminished, making her look pitiful. Although her face was veiled, a glaring red mark on her left cheek was still faintly visible, ruining the overall beauty.

"Sister Lifei, you are so pitiful." Liang Jieyu pretended to wipe her eyes a couple of times, with a concerned expression on her face.

"What are you saying, Consort Jieyu? I am a princess of a nation, symbolizing good relations between the two countries. How could I be pitiful?" Although she felt a slight agreement in her heart, Consort Li was still unwilling to lose face in front of others.

At the same time, she harbored deep hatred for Mu Yanran. If before it was merely jealousy of the other's favor, now it was an irreconcilable feud. She had almost ruined her face, lost half her life, and felt icy cold all over. How could she not hate and resent her?

However, she absolutely could not let anyone know about this; she would not allow anyone to pity her.

"Although we sisters are not as favored as the Imperial Concubine, we are still the Emperor's concubines. Yet she pushed my elder sister into the water and ruined her appearance. It is truly too much." Consort Wan tugged at her handkerchief angrily, her words carrying a sense of shared sorrow.

“Yes, Consort Gui has made such a mistake, which, to put it bluntly, has affected the diplomatic relations between the two countries. Yet the Emperor didn’t even bother to ask her about it. Instead, he allowed her to leave the palace to offer incense. What an honor! If this continues, will there be any place for us sisters in the harem?” Consort Shu chimed in, her voice trembling with fear.

Although this is just a hypothesis, it may very well become a reality given the current situation.

The women in the imperial harem depended on the emperor for their lives. They vied for his favor in every way possible, simply for the wealth and glory, and a place to stay. Without the emperor's favor, how could they possibly have the face to live on in this world?

It must be said that Consort Shu's words truly resonated with everyone, and the palace fell silent for a moment.

"My dear sisters, please don't worry. His Majesty is benevolent and wouldn't treat us like that. The Consort... she was just confused for a moment. My dear sisters, please don't think too much about it. After all, we represent more than just ourselves." Wuyou, dressed in a moon-white palace gown, sat quietly to the side before speaking hesitantly. It was precisely this hesitation that made the hearts of these concubines waver even more.

Wuyou seemed to realize she had said the wrong thing, a look of helplessness on her face, and she immediately fell silent. The others didn't think anything of it; Consort Rou was always this kind-hearted peacemaker, always trying to smooth things over.

Everyone was lost in thought and did not notice the ashen face of Consort Li lying on the bed. She stretched out her arm for the maid to help her up and shouted loudly, "Someone, help me change my clothes—I want to see the Emperor."

Consort Li was truly provoked by Wuyou's words. As a princess of a country, she represented the face of the nation. To swallow her anger was not her style. Moreover, she represented not only herself, but also the country behind her. She absolutely could not tolerate it.

"Sister Lifei, what's wrong with you? Don't upset yourself. Let's talk about it after you've recovered and the Imperial Concubine returns from offering incense." Wuyou stepped forward and held Lifei's wrist, feeling the trembling wrist beneath her hand, and poured a handful of oil on it.

"Why should I wait until he returns from offering incense before we discuss this? I'm going to get to the bottom of this today. Does Mu Yanran really think she can run rampant in the harem just because she's a Noble Consort? I refuse to believe it—"

Consort Li's pale face flushed slightly with anger, her heart burning with uncontrollable rage. Why should she give way to Mu Yanran? Why should she put up with her rudeness? So what if she was the daughter of the General Who Protects the Nation? She was still a princess of Qin! Who was weaker in terms of backing?

"Sigh..." Wuyou sighed upon seeing this. She opened her mouth to say something, but Liang Jieyu quickly grabbed Wuyou's hand and pulled her out of the crowd, clearly indicating that she was not allowed to interfere anymore.

"Sister Roufei, don't worry about it! We've taken care of all these things. Sister Lifei will be fine. If you're free, go back and rest!" Consort Liang had been putting up with Mu Yanran for a long time, so she naturally wouldn't let Wuyou ruin things. She tried to get rid of her with a few words.

These words were exactly what Wuyou wanted to hear. She pretended to hesitate for a moment, but in the end, she sighed and was helped away by Lianqiao.

"Lian Qiao, Xue Li is an unfamiliar face. Tell her to gather information carefully and report anything to me." Wu You whispered to Lian Qiao with a worried expression.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Although Lian Qiao felt that Consort Li and Consort Gui were not good people and that it would be good if they made a scene, she still obeyed her mistress's orders.

A gentle breeze caressed her hair, and Wuyou reached out to cool the messy strands by Leng Biyin's side, a barely perceptible smile playing on her lips.

The more chaotic the harem, the better. Only in chaos can she seize the opportunity to enter!