Inside Feihong Pavilion, Ning Wanrong took a sip of hot tea: "Is Consort Chen still in Beichen Palace?"

“Yes, our people are watching, but they haven’t come out yet,” Hongdou said.

"She's really bold. Both of them are freezing cold, yet she dared to run to Beichen Palace without being summoned," Ning Wanrong sighed.

Hongdou had no way to respond to that.

Well, hasn't Consort Chen been like this since she was in the manor?

During the mourning period for the late emperor, she often visited the Beichen Palace.

The ice was still falling outside, and it had been falling all morning. Gradually, it turned white and became slush.

Yan Nangui had lunch with Shu Chengfeng in the warm pavilion.

While Shu Chengfeng was reading the memorial, she just sat there, lost in thought.

"It's only the beginning of winter, and you're already like this?" Shu Chengfeng said with a laugh during a break.

"Yeah, I'm not used to it yet, but I'll be fine in a few days." Yan Nangui straightened up and looked at Shu Chengfeng: "How about I go back?"

"Listen to what you're saying." Shu Chengfeng shook his head: "Go back tomorrow."

Yan Nangui collapsed back down: "It's not that I don't want to go back, it's just so cold."

Shu Chengfeng shook his head: "Give her something warm."

Liangchen responded and went out.

He returned shortly after, bringing hot milk and some snacks.

Yan Nangui sat up and simply snatched the commemorative document from Shu Chengfeng's hand: "Take a break."

She didn't even look at the folded documents; she simply piled them all together and pushed them away into the distance.

Several of them even fell to the ground.

Liangchen picked her up.

Seeing that Shu Chengfeng had no objection, Liangchen called Meijing and others in to help His Majesty wash his hands.

Yan Nangui fed Shu Chengfeng a small sesame-filled soft cake, and then ate one herself.

Shu Chengfeng served tea, though he didn't like milk: "Eat it yourself."

He leaned against the large pillow. To be honest, even in winter, he usually dealt with official documents in his study.

This is the first time I've ever done this in this warm and cozy room, on the kang table.

The feeling of being able to fall back and take a nap anytime is quite novel.

As far as I can remember, it was when I was very young, in Fengxiang Palace, that my wet nurse would teach me to write, and it would be like this.

"Send Yunji out of the palace to visit Granny Mu."

When she entered the palace, Granny Mu never came back; she was getting old.

Shu Chengfeng directly bestowed upon her an imperial title, gave her a sum of money, assigned more than a dozen people to serve her, and told her to go out and live as an old lady.

Yunji returned shortly afterward and then left the palace.

Yan Nangui didn't say anything throughout the entire journey, only thinking that the children who grew up in the harem were truly pathetic.

He wasn't close to his own mother, but he was very close to his wet nurse.

At least, look how much gentler Shu Chengfeng is towards his wet nurse than towards the Empress Dowager.

Of course, Yan Nangui was unaware of the little stories between the Empress Dowager and Shu Chengfeng.

Yan Nangui spent a whole day and night here.

The next day, the snow had stopped, but because there was ice underneath, it was very difficult to clear the outside, and they could only manage to clear one path.

Jiangxiang went back, and now Chanyi and Yuanhua were serving her. Chanyi supported her, afraid that she would fall.

Upon arriving at Fengxiang Palace, Consort Jing was not present, so no one said anything directly.

However, the envious look in their eyes was impossible to hide.

Huo Zhaorong still smiled and called her "sister" on the surface, but inwardly she was sighing.

She had planned to find a way to stand up for herself on the Empress Dowager's birthday, but she never expected that the Empress Dowager would suddenly pass away.

The Empress Dowager is also finished; if she wants to rise again, she'll probably have to wait until the New Year or sometime later.

She sees His Majesty less and less these days.

They are not as good as those who are favored above, nor even as good as those below. His Majesty has only come once in the past few months.

How could I not be anxious?

Seeing Consort Chen like this now, he became even more anxious.

We're all the same kind of people, so how come there's such a big difference?

After everyone dispersed and went home, Huo Zhaorong, preoccupied with her own thoughts, did not leave with Yan Nangui.

Back in Zhaochun Palace, Yan Nangui said, "Ever since the Empress raised the Second Prince, she seems to be in a good mood."

“Yes, although the Second Prince… well, he’s not a problem now. Her Majesty the Empress is happy,” Chanyi said.

"Your Majesty, have you noticed Consort Yi?" Yuanhua asked.

Yan Nangui shook his head: "What's wrong?"

"On my way back, I kept thinking about Consort Yi. She used to be quite favored. But since her miscarriage, she has rarely been favored by His Majesty. Just now, when I looked at her, the way she was looking at you was very unpleasant," Yuanhua said.

"Well, after Consort Mei gained favor, Consort Yi was unable to serve the emperor, so she seems to have fallen out of favor." Yan Nangui smiled.

"It doesn't matter what they think of me, we can't control that. As long as I don't do anything reckless," Yan Nangui said.

“Then she definitely wouldn’t dare,” Yuanhua said.

Yan Nangui laughed again: "I didn't realize it until you said it. Now that you've mentioned it, all the women in the harem are viewed differently by His Majesty."

“That’s naturally different. Your Majesty truly cherishes you,” Yuanhua said.

Yan Nangui smiled slightly but did not answer.

In Shu Chengfeng's harem, the Empress is the Empress; when she was valued, she was the most honored.

Now, His Majesty is probably annoyed with the Empress. Unless something major changes, the Empress may just be a tool to him.

Consort Jing and Consort Xiang...

Previously, Yan Nangui knew that Consort Xiang had fallen out of favor and that she was originally one of the three powers vying for power. But now it seems that His Majesty actually treats his cousin, Consort Jing, quite well.

Of course, he didn't like this cousin. There was nothing he could do about it.

Next...

As for herself, Consort Chen, she must say, is quite favored these days. She's probably already overshadowed Consort Wen.

However, even when she was in the manor, she wasn't the kind of person who was out of favor.

Whether it was because of her family background or her temperament, Shu Chengfeng's attitude towards her was definitely different.

I was indeed much more unrestrained than others.

Perhaps it's because she told the truth from the beginning. Sometimes, truth and falsehood can be deceiving.

As she thought about it, she started to laugh.

The maids didn't understand what she was laughing at, but they laughed along with her.

In the Beichen Palace, Shu Chengfeng looked at the memorials and superstitions, and after reading them, he asked, "What do you think?"

Wei Xiao said, "Prince Gagong is not in good health these days and seems to intend to pass the throne to his heir. Although he has seven or eight sons, he has truly favored his heir over the years. Now the heir is over twenty and married. If Prince Gagong passes away, he can take over the position."

“Yes, now is the perfect opportunity. Your Majesty only needs to support Prince Daya,” Ding Min said.

Ding Min is currently the Vice Minister of War and the Deputy Commander of the Capital City Patrol Office.

Wei Xiao took over the infantry battalion in the outskirts of the capital. General Song, on the other hand, was transferred to the army.

Shangguan Ba ​​was still the commander of the city patrol office in the capital and also in charge of the inner palace. It was clear that Shu Chengfeng had been using him quite well these past two years.

So not only was there no transfer, but they also trusted him more than before.