In Wanchun Palace, after washing up, Consort Xiangxian lay down and suddenly asked, "On what day has Consort Chen served the Emperor?"

Lingjiao was taken aback for a moment, then replied, "It's been two days in a row."

“I asked before,” Consort Xiangxian said.

“It’s been her all along,” Lingjiao said.

"Hehe, she's truly one of a kind nowadays," Consort Xiangxian sighed.

“Your Majesty, please don’t think like that. The new bride will be entering the palace soon,” Lingjiao said.

"A new concubine entering the palace might not be able to shake the power of a Noble Consort?" Consort Xiangxian shook her head and said nothing more.

After serving her, Lingjiao helped her lie down and set up the bed curtains.

Consort Xiangxian lay on her pillow, closed her eyes, but still couldn't fall asleep.

She has always lived with perfect clarity, extremely clear-headed.

But after years of being pampered, when she was still an innocent young girl, how could she not be happy being so highly regarded by such a man?

These days, the man comes less and less, and even when he does come, he's completely different from before; she knows all of this.

In fact, women are the most adept at deceiving themselves.

What they think in their hearts and what they say are not the same.

She knew better than anyone that His Majesty's interest in her had waned since he was in the palace.

Even if he comes to her often, does she not know whether he's interested or not?

At that time, she disregarded her own health to protect the pregnancy because she knew that she had a constitution that made it difficult for her to conceive. If she couldn't have that pregnancy, would she be able to have another one? Even when she was favored by the emperor, it was difficult for her to get pregnant, let alone now.

But in the end, it couldn't be saved.

She turned to her side and touched her stomach; her still flat abdomen looked like a joke.

Even Consort Chen, who was widely considered infertile, was able to give birth to a princess. Yet this woman, who had enjoyed the emperor's favor for so many years,…

Consort Xiangxian took a deep breath, stopping herself from thinking any further.

Many people have trouble sleeping at night.

But Yan Nangui slept very well.

The next morning, His Majesty issued an imperial edict ordering the Empress to oversee the selection of concubines.

However, the Empress also knew that she was just a figurehead and couldn't really control the situation.

This is good, it's better than constantly talking about illness to outsiders but not being able to speak out internally, right?

If things had turned out this way, she might be free now.

We need to be free first before we can talk about anything else.

As expected, the Empress Dowager was furious. As the Empress Dowager, she naturally had the power to manipulate the concubines.

But if the Empress were to preside over the proceedings, it would be perfectly legitimate, and she would be unable to interfere.

But she couldn't say anything about the emperor's decision. She could only swallow her pride and accept it.

"What about the Yu family?"

"Your Majesty, Madam Yu is quite sensible and knows how to be grateful. Madam Li is also very sensible," Song Liangcai said.

Lady Li was also favored by the Empress Dowager. This one, however, left even less of a trace.

"That's good. It's worth all the effort I put into this."

"Yes, after those two enter the palace, we'll keep them away from us. As long as they're useful in a pinch, that'll be fine. It'll save us from getting in the way," Song Liangcai said with a smile.

The Empress Dowager nodded in satisfaction.

After Song Liangcai came out, Granny Fei was at the corner of the outer corridor.

Seeing her standing there, Song Liangcai walked over and said, "Why are you waiting here, Granny? It's freezing cold."

“Of course I’m waiting for you, I have something to say to you,” said Granny Fei.

Song Liangcai's eyes darted around and he smiled: "Then hurry up, don't let you get cold, old man."

“We’re not that much older than each other. There’s no need for that.” Granny Fei didn’t smile.

The two sat in a room, warming themselves by a fire.

Song Liangcai laughed first: "I understand what you mean, Granny. It's just that we eunuchs, once we enter the palace, it's for life. After that, we have nowhere to go. When we can no longer serve, we're just thrown out and locked in a courtyard. To put it nicely, it's called retirement; to put it bluntly, it's just waiting to die."

"I'm only forty-three this year. I'm in good health, and I think I can live for another twenty years."

"The Empress Dowager is already the Empress Dowager! His Majesty will certainly take good care of her. The Empress Dowager is His Majesty's own mother! Even if a prince is chosen as the Crown Prince in the future, it will be the same. They will all be the Empress Dowager's grandsons! The Empress Dowager is now... she is getting a bit old now, and her thinking has become somewhat extreme."

“As her close attendants, you’ve been serving Her Highness since you were only ten years old. Shouldn’t we be advising you? Instead, you’re giving her advice!” Granny Fei said angrily.

"Granny, please calm down. The Empress Dowager is the mistress, and I am just a servant. Whatever the Empress Dowager says, I will do. As for offering advice, I haven't offered any advice. Even if I did, it's only because I serve the Empress Dowager. Your anger is quite strange."

Song Liangcai sighed, "You're right, but our Empress is pitiful. Back in the late Emperor's time, she never had a moment of joy. Now His Majesty is also cold-hearted and doesn't get close to her. Of course, I dare not interfere with the matter of choosing a Crown Prince. If the Fifth Prince is not suitable, then any of the others will be the same."

“Now, doesn’t our Empress Dowager also want the future Crown Prince to be closer to her? You’re different from me. You come from the Ye family. You know better than I do what the Ye family is like now, right? They’re all relying on the old Duke. But how many more years can the old Duke hold on? If the future Crown Prince isn’t close to the Ye family, what will the Ye family have left?” Song Liangcai said, sighing as he poured a cup of tea for Granny Fei. “Granny, you’re just saying that right now, the Empress Dowager is living a very frustrating life.”

Granny Fei stood up: "I think you're blinded by greed! You're confused! What family can prosper for generations to come? Your Majesty the Empress Dowager should interfere less; the Ye family will naturally be better off!"

"Oh dear, Granny, it's alright if you say this to me. But don't let Her Majesty hear it. Of those who came to the palace with Her Majesty, some have left, some have died, and very few remain. The only one who can be close to Her Majesty is you. If you were to hurt Her Majesty's feelings like this, it would truly be..."

These words struck at Granny Fei's Achilles' heel.

She's a good person in every way, except she's very loyal and sentimental.

They grew up together, and although she was a few years older than the Empress Dowager, she protected her like a younger sister…

“Granny, there’s no need to be so angry. I wouldn’t dare lie to you. It’s just that if there’s a favored new concubine who can get close to the Empress Dowager, it might ease the tension between the Empress Dowager and His Majesty. Otherwise, what can the Empress Dowager do? She can’t do anything, can she?” Song Liangcai, observing Granny Fei’s soft heart, quickly said.

In the end, Granny Fei could only sigh deeply.

However, she never married in her life and could only follow the Empress Dowager through thick and thin.

What else can we do?

The Empress certainly couldn't have only come out on the day before the steward arrived.

On the first day of the second lunar month, everyone went to Fengxiang Palace to pay their respects.

The Empress also fondly remembered this long-lost scene.

She didn't dare to put on any airs, and even her attire became much simpler.

"Please sit down, my sisters. I've been ill for so long, and I'm sorry to have troubled you all," the Empress said with a smile.

The crowd naturally replied that they dared not, but in their hearts, the respect they once had was gone.