Chapter 21 Consort Zhuang's Plum Blossom Banquet Plan
Chapter Twenty-One: Consort Zhuang's Plum Blossom Appreciation Banquet Plan
As for Consort Zhuang, upon returning to Changxiu Palace in the afternoon, the smile she maintained vanished the moment she stepped through the palace gates and dismissed her attendants, replaced by a chilling, sinister expression.
She walked straight to the chaise lounge by the window, sat down abruptly, and dug her nails, painted with henna, into her palms.
"Well done, Su Su! Well done, Mu Hanyan!" She practically spat out those words through gritted teeth.
Yingchun, the personal maid, carefully served a cup of freshly brewed Lu'an melon seed tea, glancing at her expression and daring not to say a word.
Consort Zhuang took the teacup, but did not drink it. Instead, she slammed it heavily on the small table beside her, making a crisp "clang" sound, which startled Yingchun and made her shrink back.
"Did you see that, Yingchun?" Consort Zhuang's chest heaved, clearly still seething with anger. "That Su Su, she's learned her lesson now! I spoke so harshly to her, and she actually endured it without uttering a sound, standing there obediently with her head bowed, so well-behaved that no one could find fault with her! If it were before, she would have jumped up and glared at me! She's getting more and more difficult to deal with!"
She recalled Su Su's calm and composed demeanor, and felt a surge of irritation. An arrogant and domineering opponent was not scary; what was scary was an opponent who knew how to be patient and had learned to hide his sharpness. The current Su Su made her feel powerless, as if she were punching cotton, and she also felt a vague sense of unease.
"And that Consort Wan!" Consort Zhuang's anger turned to Mu Hanyan. "A female physician who appeared out of nowhere, relying on saving the Emperor and being granted the title of Consort, dares to act arrogantly in front of me! She even dared to speak up for that bitch Su Su! What 'harmony is precious'? Ha, she clearly doesn't respect me at all!" The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Mu Hanyan's calm and detached demeanor was even more irritating to her than Su Su's silence.
These two, one rising to power with great momentum, the other carrying the emperor's child and enjoying immense favor, would pose a serious threat to her if they joined forces, or even if they simply remained peacefully on their own! What fueled her resentment even more was the Emperor's attention towards them, which mirrored her own long-held sense of loss. She had been in the palace for so many years, scheming and plotting, yet when had the Emperor's gaze ever truly lingered on her? No, she couldn't sit idly by and wait for her doom. She had to do something to show the Emperor who truly deserved to stand by his side!
A fierce and resolute light flashed in Consort Zhuang's eyes, like a poisoned dagger.
"We can't wait any longer... The plum blossom viewing banquet is the perfect opportunity." She murmured to herself, her voice low and dangerous, "I will make them all die!"
A vicious plan quickly took shape in her mind: not only to get rid of Mu Hanyan's unborn child, but also to use this opportunity to completely ruin Su Su!
The following day, Consort Zhuang invited Princess Ning, Zhuang Shuran, to the palace under the pretext of having a chat.
When Zhuang Shuran stepped into Changxiu Palace, her face was pale and haggard, clearly still grieving the loss of her son. She respectfully bowed to Consort Zhuang and said, "Elder sister."
Consort Zhuang dismissed her attendants, leaving only Yingchun to guard the door. She took Zhuang Shuran's hand and sat down on the couch, her face showing a pained and indignant expression: "Sister, how have you been lately? Every time I think of my poor nephew, my heart aches!"
Zhuang Shuran's eyes reddened, and she said softly, "Thank you for your concern, elder sister... but in the end, my heart is empty."
"Sister knows, sister knows everything." Consort Zhuang patted the back of her hand, her tone turning cold. "Therefore, we must avenge this! We must not let the murderer who killed my nephew go unpunished!"
Zhuang Shuran raised her head, her eyes filled with hatred, yet also with a hint of confusion: "But, Consort Su, she is now..."
"It's precisely because she's risen again that we can't let her off the hook!" Consort Zhuang interrupted her, leaning forward slightly and lowering her voice. "Sister already has a brilliant plan. At the plum blossom banquet in a few days, this time, we'll make sure she never has a chance to recover!"
Zhuang Shuran looked at the madness and ruthlessness flashing in her eyes and felt a sudden tightness in her heart: "Elder sister... what is your plan?"
Consort Zhuang's lips curled into a cold smile as she laid out her plan. "...At that time, you only need to wear this and find an opportunity to get close to Consort Wan." As she spoke, she took out an exquisitely crafted, thumb-sized, openwork gold incense ball from her sleeve. The incense ball emitted an extremely elegant and faint fragrance.
"This item is called 'Like a Dream'." Consort Zhuang placed the cold, golden incense ball into Zhuang Shuran's hand, her tone carrying a cruel smugness. "It contains several special spices, colorless and odorless. Ordinary people will only feel calm and soothed by its scent, without any harm. However, Consort Wan is pregnant and has a special constitution. Just a moment's exposure to its scent will cause her blood to surge, her fetus to become restless, and she will immediately show signs of discomfort. In this way, no one will know and no one will be able to trace it back to us."
Zhuang Shuran gripped the cold, golden incense ball, her hand trembling violently, her face instantly turning deathly pale. She too had been a mother, deeply understanding the hardships of pregnancy and the preciousness of the unborn child. Even with the deepest hatred she harbored for Su Su, to ask her to harm another unborn child in this way…
She shook her head violently, her voice pleading, "Elder sister! No...we can't do this! The child is innocent! Can we...can we find another way? As long as Consort Su pays the price, everything else..."
"Foolish!" Consort Zhuang abruptly shook off her hand, stood up abruptly, and glared down at her with eyes as sharp as knives.
"The child is innocent? What about my nephew? Isn't he innocent too?! How old was he when he died?! Zhuang Shuran, have you forgotten how your son died? Have you forgotten when you held his cold body and cried until you fainted?!"
Every word she uttered struck Zhuang Shuran's heart like a hammer blow, making her tremble and bringing tears to her eyes.
"I...I haven't forgotten...I haven't forgotten..." She stood up and choked out, barely able to utter a complete sentence.
"It's good that you haven't forgotten!" Consort Zhuang bent down, staring intently into her eyes, her tone aggressive. "Think about your son! Think about how unjustly he died! Yet now you're soft-hearted towards your enemy. Do you deserve to be a mother?!"
Zhuang Shuran was forced to retreat step by step by her interrogation, her mind in turmoil. The golden silk incense ball in her hand felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, and the faint fragrance now smelled of blood.
Seeing her wavering expression, Consort Zhuang softened her tone slightly, but tightened her grip on her hand with a deeper sense of coercion: "Take this! This is the best opportunity! You only need to wear it, casually approach Consort Wan at the plum blossom banquet, speak to her, or simply stand beside her for a while. The rest is up to fate! Su Su is now a Consort. If she finds another chance to rise again, or if Consort Wan gives birth to a prince, what place will you, me, and our Zhuang family have left in the harem and the court? By then, it will be too late for revenge!"
The small incense ball felt incredibly heavy in Zhuang Shuran's hands. Its icy touch and eerie fragrance sent chills down her spine. A fierce battle raged within her, fueled by a thirst for revenge, fear of Consort Zhuang, and a lingering sense of conscience.
Looking into Consort Zhuang's unquestionable, even threatening, gaze, and remembering her tragically deceased son, the string of reason finally snapped.
She clutched the golden incense ball in a daze, as if she were holding a red-hot iron, her soul seemingly leaving her body.
“I…I understand…” she replied in a hollow voice.
"This is truly my Zhuang family's good sister!" Consort Zhuang finally showed a satisfied smile, but the smile did not reach her eyes. "Go back and keep it safe. At the plum blossom banquet, it's all up to you."
Zhuang Shuran bowed to Consort Zhuang like a puppet, clutching the golden incense ball tightly in her hand, and then walked out of Changxiu Palace with unsteady steps and a dazed expression.
Watching her dejected figure disappear outside the palace gates, Consort Zhuang's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a cold, calculating, and ruthless expression.
"Yingchun," she called softly.
“This servant is here.” Yingchun immediately stepped forward.
Consort Zhuang walked to the window, looking at the bright spring sunshine outside, but her eyes were as dark as a deep pool.
"You heard it all. My dear sister is too weak and indecisive. She may not be able to accomplish anything."
"Does Your Majesty mean...?"
"At the plum blossom viewing banquet, arrange for several clever members of our own people to carry the same 'fragrance' with them." Consort Zhuang's tone was calm, but it carried a chilling murderous intent. "If she hesitates or dares not approach, you know what to do. Make sure to find an opportunity to get close to Consort Wan and make sure she has 'smelled' enough of this fragrance."
“This servant understands.” Yingchun understood and said in a low voice, “But… if our people do it, what if…”
Consort Zhuang snorted coldly, a cruel smile curving her lips: "If the matter comes to light, all the clues will naturally point to my good sister, Princess Ning, who is 'deeply in love with her son' and 'heartbroken,' to the point that she took the risk of using a strange fragrance to seek revenge. This fragrance is a unique 'heartfelt gift.'"
Yingchun's heart trembled, and she lowered her head: "Your Majesty is wise."
Consort Zhuang stopped speaking and simply gazed out the window. No matter how bright the sunlight was, it couldn't penetrate her eyes, which were filled with lust for power and hatred.
The plum blossom viewing banquet will surely be a bloody feast.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com