Qu Muyu was startled. Would her attire have made His Majesty dislike her?
The truth is, she was overthinking it. That night, Nangong Qing still made her serve him in bed, and the matter was considered closed.
She understood that His Majesty preferred elegance, so she didn't wear heavy makeup this time, and His Majesty liked her even more.
For the next two years, apart from spending time with the Empress on the first and fifteenth of each month, Nangong Qing rarely visited other noble ladies and spent almost all his time in Qu Muyu's palace.
She came from a small town and became the most favored concubine in the palace.
Two years have passed, and she has yet to give birth to a prince, while the other concubines who are out of favor have all given birth one after another.
Even the Empress gave birth to another princess, but she had nothing.
It was the Lantern Festival again, and Nangong Qing didn't want to see anyone on this day. He sat in the Mingde Hall, looking at the rabbit lantern.
My thoughts had already drifted back to the past, to that year, which was also the Lantern Festival, when the streets were brightly lit and filled with lanterns.
Su Luo was in high spirits and won the lantern for him with her archery skills. He treasured it and to this day, he is reluctant to light it again.
"Your Majesty, Consort Qu says she is not feeling well and would like you to come and see her."
Every year on the Lantern Festival, Nangong Qing would not see anyone. Even the Empress knew this, and it had become a tradition for her not to disturb His Majesty.
However, in the past two years, Consort Qu has become increasingly presumptuous, relying on His Majesty's favor. She actually believes that His Majesty truly loves her.
"If you feel unwell, go and call the imperial physician. I don't know how to treat illnesses."
"yes!"
Gao Yi relayed Nangong Qing's original words to Qu Muyu's palace.
She was unwilling to accept this. Every time she summoned His Majesty, he would come to her palace. But today, His Majesty didn't even go to see the Empress. Why didn't he come to see her?
"Peony, come with me to Mingde Palace. I want to know why His Majesty is staying there."
Despite the undiminished favor, Qu Muyu felt insecure as long as she hadn't given birth to a child.
Only children can provide a future.
As Qu Muyu approached Mingde Hall, she encountered the Empress, a cold smile playing on her lips.
"Your Majesty has been turned away. Even if today is the fifteenth, His Majesty will not go to your palace."
"By the way, it seems His Majesty didn't visit your palace during last year's Lantern Festival either."
The Empress smiled gently, wearing a bright red cloak, and placed her left hand on the hand of a palace maid.
"His Majesty has not yet had his dinner. I will send him some Yuanxiao (sweet rice balls). I heard that Consort Qu is not feeling well. She should go back to the palace and rest properly. She should not stay here in the cold wind."
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."
After giving a slight bow, Qu Muyu turned and headed towards the Mingde Hall.
"Consort Qu, wait a moment!"
The Empress gently called out to Qu Muyu, saying softly, "Consort Qu, it's best not to disturb His Majesty tonight, lest you anger the Emperor."
Qu Muyu scoffed: "That's you, Empress. If it were me, it might not be the same."
Peony was a little worried because the palace had never told them why His Majesty did not see anyone on the Lantern Festival.
"Consort Zhao, if we go to His Majesty like this, won't we displease him?"
"What's there to be afraid of? The Lantern Festival is a day for releasing lanterns and for lovers to meet. I have prepared so many lanterns for His Majesty, he will surely like them."
Qu Muyu originally wanted to give Nangong Qing a surprise, but who knew that even though she pretended to be sick, Nangong Qing wouldn't come to see her.
"Eunuch Gao, go in and tell His Majesty that I have prepared a surprise and have come to invite His Majesty to enjoy it together."
Gao Yi wouldn't make a fool of himself. He had served His Majesty for five years and probably knew that the Lantern Festival must be a special day for His Majesty.
"Consort Qu, you should go back. His Majesty does not wish to see anyone from the inner palace today!"
What Gao Yi wants to say is that every year on this day, His Majesty only wants to spend time with his old rabbit lantern.
Moreover, this lantern was most likely a gift from the Vice Minister of Agriculture.
"What do you mean by this, Eunuch? The Empress can go in to see His Majesty, but I cannot. Are you deliberately trying to make things difficult for me?"
Qu Muyu had a cold face that made people feel quite intimidated.
In the past two years, she has been favored and domineering in the palace. If it weren't for her face, she would have died countless times by now.
"Please forgive me, Consort Qu. I did not mean to make things difficult. Her Majesty the Empress just sent over some Yuanxiao (sweet rice balls)."
After glancing at His Majesty from outside the door, he returned without entering the Mingde Hall.
Gao Yi had said everything she could, but His Majesty wouldn't even see the Empress, so why would he see her?
Today is a day when His Majesty misses his old friends, and as His Majesty's personal eunuch, he naturally wouldn't allow anyone to disturb him.
"How dare you! How can the Empress compare to me? Get out of my way, I need to go in and see His Majesty."
Gao Yi stood in front of Qu Muyu and spoke in a gentle tone.
"Consort Qu, please don't make things difficult for me. Go back! At this moment, the last person His Majesty wants to see is you."
Upon hearing this, Qu Muyu was enraged and, with all her might, slapped Gao Yi across the face.
Gao Yi was old and his teeth were loose. This slap knocked out all of his molars.
A mouthful of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth, and he was in so much pain that he almost died.
"You dog servant, don't think I don't know. It's always because of your instigation that His Majesty goes to other palaces."
Now that's great, everyone in the harem has princes and princesses. Your contribution is considerable. I feel it would dirty my hands to even hit you. Get out of my way..."
Even if Qu Muyu was angry, she dared not shout or curse loudly in front of Mingde Hall.
That's why Nangong Qing inside wasn't alerted. Gao Yi, as a senior eunuch, had worked diligently his entire life.
No one in the harem dared to disregard him; even the Empress herself greeted him with a smile.
Only this Consort Qu in front of him was indeed a country girl. She had only been favored for two years, but she thought she had become a phoenix.
They not only looked down on the servants who served them, but they also disregarded the Empress.
She was self-righteous, but in Gao Yi's eyes, she was nothing more than a substitute.
Gao Yi wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief and spat out the fallen tooth. There were too many bloody incidents in the palace, and he had long since learned to remain calm in the face of adversity.
"I thank Consort Xie for the beating. I have hurt your hand, and I deserve to die."
Qu Muyu, with an arrogant air, glanced at Gao Yi kneeling on the ground, wiped her hands with a handkerchief, and said.
"You sycophant! I'm beating you today because you overstepped your bounds first. If His Majesty finds out about this, you'll be sorry."
"Yes, yes, yes... I understand, I wouldn't dare..."
Qu Muyu was finally satisfied. She had been bullied by lowly servants since she was a child, and she hated people like Gao Yi the most.
Moreover, Gao Yi often encouraged His Majesty, saying that the emperor should treat all women equally in the harem, otherwise why would His Majesty even notice the other women?
"Now that you understand, hurry up and go and announce that I have been waiting here for a long time and request that His Majesty come out to see me."
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