Fengluan Palace.
The head maid Jin Han came over with a smile and announced the good news: "Your Majesty, I heard an interesting story and came to make you laugh."
"How happy is it?"
"The Emperor went to Chengqian Palace today. That person was probably ready to bathe and change clothes, and then go to bed with him. But, the Emperor is gone!"
The queen was learning embroidery by following patterns. When she heard this, she immediately dropped her work and said, "Really?!"
"Of course! I specifically asked the maid in Chengqian Palace, and I heard that she cried until her eyes were red after the emperor left, and she was very unhappy!"
"She has come to this day?" The Queen casually grabbed a handful of golden melon seeds and placed them in Jin Han's palm. "This is quite entertaining. Collect more and tell me about it!"
"Yes, I know!"
Jin Han was overjoyed and walked out with the reward in his hands. As soon as he turned the corner, he saw the emperor's procession.
She thought the sheer number of golden melon seeds had blinded her, and she'd even mistaken the stone pillars outside for bright yellow. After carefully rubbing her eyes, Eunuch Yang's face gradually became clearer, and she was horrified.
"Empress! You, you must hurry and welcome the emperor!"
"What are you doing? It's already so late. The Emperor must be resting in the Changsheng Palace. Who am I going to pick up?"
"The Emperor has arrived!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard the voice of Eunuch Yang singing in greeting.
The queen's expression changed as well. She quickly stood up and checked her clothes. She then asked in a low voice, "How is my makeup? Is my hairpin crooked?"
"I didn't know that my queen would specifically ask for these opinions before going to bed."
Before Jin Han could answer, Xie Yanci walked in.
Ever since she married into the Eastern Palace as the daughter of the Prime Minister, he would not set foot in her room except on the days stipulated by the ancestors every month. When they met occasionally, they treated each other with respect, without any affection between husband and wife.
After Xie Yanci officially ascended the throne, with the imperial concubine by his side and more beautiful ladies in the harem, he had less and less time to visit her.
Today is not the first or fifteenth day of the month, what is he doing here?
The Queen uneasily dismissed the servants and stood still, not daring to approach. "Your Majesty, is there something you need from me?"
"Why does the Queen say that?"
"You don't like coming to Fengluan Palace. Everyone knows it, and I know it best." She laughed self-deprecatingly, "Since Your Majesty has come to my humble place, there must be something to discuss. I do have some self-awareness."
"You are the Empress of the Central Palace, the mother of a country, so how can your bedroom be considered a lowly place?"
She curled her lips and said, "I have not received Your Majesty's favor. Whether it's Zhaoyi or Guifei, as long as they are upset, they can torment me for fun. Isn't it degrading for the first wife to be bullied by the concubines?"
The queen spoke, still so aggressive that he was unable to respond.
For some reason, he just remembered the empress dowager's earnest advice at this moment: the queen is straightforward and has a good heart.
Xie Yanci walked towards the small table and saw the embroidery work on it, as well as the crooked pattern she had just finished embroidering.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me for making you laugh! I will put it away right away!"
"Wait a minute." He held her hand, and the cold touch startled them both. "I've never heard that the Queen has a hobby of embroidery. Why are you suddenly interested in this?"
"No, nothing, just embroidering for fun to kill time."
The queen pulled back the embroidered handkerchief, but because she used too much force, she tore it in two!
There was an obvious expression of regret on her face, but she hurriedly covered it up with a nonchalant attitude and threw it aside, her movements stiff and funny.
"It seems that I'm usually too harsh on you. Just a few casual words from me scared you so much!"
"Your Majesty is so busy with state affairs that you specifically turned down the Imperial Concubine just to chat with me?" The Queen didn't believe it. Her words were filled with questioning and self-pity. "I haven't learned much in these years since entering the palace, but my understanding of my position is no worse than others! So, Your Majesty, if you have anything to say, just say it directly."
Xie Yanci took in her reaction, concealing his warmth and sitting aside, his voice becoming cold. "I believe everything you say, but I wonder if the Empress's relatives in the Prime Minister's Mansion in the capital have recognized their place."
"What do you mean?" The Queen was anxious when she heard it was related to the family. "Your Majesty, are you doubting my father's loyalty because of some rumors from the Imperial Concubine?"
"Don't you get tired of always bringing the Imperial Concubine into everything?"
"She is the one who always tries to step on me in everything. She is tireless. Has Your Majesty ever reprimanded her?!"
The familiar atmosphere made Xie Yanci lose the desire to continue communicating.
She was not as good as the other concubines in the palace in many aspects, but when it came to irritating him, she undoubtedly ranked first!
Considering the situation of the previous dynasty, he always endured it as much as possible. As long as he avoided this hedgehog, he would not have to worry about being hurt by her.
So, he chose to leave again.
The news of the emperor and empress's disagreement and their quarrel in Fengluan Palace late at night spread like wildfire.
Concubine Jin, who was originally upset because the emperor left her to visit the empress, was relieved of her gloomy mood after learning the follow-up.
Sangyuxuan was also bustling with activity.
"How strange! I've read quite a few novels before, and the queens described in them are mostly dignified, polite, and gentle, like Concubine Jin, a fairy descended to the mortal world. But our Empress has a bad temper, is easily influenced, and is easily instigated. Apart from her good family background, I really..."
"Jingning! Do you really think of yourself as a storyteller in a Beijing teahouse?" Jing'an had just entered the house to clean when he heard her reviewing gossip. "Discussing the master's private affairs without permission will result in severe punishment!"
"Oh, sister, of course I won't tell anyone about this. I'll only tell this to the young lady and Sister Wen Yu. Are they going to report me to the emperor?"
Wei Shuyi turned sideways and poked her cheek: "If you are so loud next time, I am afraid I will file a complaint with the emperor to teach you the lesson!"
"My Lord, please forgive me! Please spare this time! Next time, I will whisper it in your ear and never let anyone else hear it!"
Jingning laughed and left the inner hall. After Jingan finished tidying up the books on the table, he also left and closed the door.
They have already tacitly accepted Wen Yu's existence and reserved the position of the chief maid in Sang Yuxuan for her.
"My lady, the Emperor has probably noticed something. This morning, when I passed by the laundry department, I heard that last evening, the Emperor came out of the Heavenly Prison with a sullen face and went straight to Chengqian Palace. Later, he didn't stay there, but went to Fengluan Palace, causing a quarrel."
"Yeah, I know."
"So...what are you going to do next, girl?"
Wei Shuyi stood up with the help of the handrail and replied with a calm smile, "Of course, I will just watch the fire from the other side and see the chaos between the two sides. The more chaotic they are, the more hope my child has to survive in the cracks."
She had been framed several times before, and the finger of blame was always pointed at the Queen and the Imperial Concubine. With her own strength, she was unable to verify who the real murderer was.
Then stir up this muddy water!
Even if you blame one person wrongly, you can't let the other one go!
Only if the two of them try to protect themselves, can she, who is at the center of the storm, return to peace.
"Is Xi Baolin in the inner hall?"
A familiar voice came from outside.
She immediately turned to the window, wanting to see the man's figure.
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