A month has passed in a flash, and he hasn't set foot here, nor has he summoned Consort Han to his bedchamber.
Now, everyone in the palace knows that Consort Han has overstepped her bounds and has fallen out of favor with the emperor.
If it weren't for this incident, everyone would have assumed that Consort Han's favor would last forever.
Some people were saying that it wasn't just Consort Han who overstepped her bounds; the eldest prince's actions against the Qiao family, which caused such a commotion, also made the emperor dissatisfied with him. Furthermore, his mother's willful behavior further fueled the emperor's growing impatience.
As a result, the status of mother and child is no longer what it used to be.
In just one month, Consort Han seemed to have aged ten years, reverting to her original age. A few strands of white hair appeared on her head, and her mental state seemed somewhat abnormal. Every day, she would go to the door to see if the emperor was coming.
Having been in the harem for so many years, she had never been so neglected.
"Go and find out if the Emperor is too busy with state affairs to come to the inner palace," Consort Han said to Granny Zhou.
Zhou Mama's life wasn't easy either. In the past, good things would be sent here every few days. The Imperial Concubine would give away what she couldn't use, and even a little bit of it would make the family much richer.
But now, the emperor is not coming, and there are no more rewards. It's deserted and quiet. Even the servants in the courtyard are listless and have no energy to work.
Consort Han's palace, once vibrant and full of life, has become deathly still.
When Granny Zhou returned, she looked unwell and hesitated to speak.
"Speak, what is it that I cannot bear?" Consort Han sneered.
"The Consort Xian is still as favored as before, and the Emperor has favored two new concubines, often visiting them."
When Consort Han heard this news, she froze. The emperor was really angry with her. He was just ignoring her like this, pretending she didn't exist. Would he really forget her after a long time? Wouldn't she be left to grow old alone in the palace?
The thought of the consequences filled her with fear.
"Your Highness, should we go see the Emperor ourselves?" asked Granny Zhou.
“In the past, it was always the Emperor who came to see me or summoned me to his bedchamber. That was my glory and my pride. Now, I have to go to the Emperor. Isn’t that telling everyone that I have fallen out of favor and am eager to regain it?”
"But now is not the time to worry about saving face."
"Now everyone in the palace is laughing at me. Those concubines who were jealous of me before, how could they let go of such an opportunity? So I closed my doors to guests and refused to see them. As soon as I stepped out of this door, I don't know how many people would be waiting to mock me."
Thinking back to her former privileged treatment and then to her current situation, Consort Han was filled with resentment.
She clenched her fingers into her palm, oblivious to the blood streaming down her face.
"Qiao Lian'er, it's all Qiao Lian'er's fault. She ruined everything I have. I will make her pay with her life."
For Consort Han, the fact that the emperor is leaving her hanging like this makes it easier for her to act without anyone noticing.
Once she's dealt with Qiao Lian'er, she'll figure out a way to regain the emperor's favor.
The eldest prince had already used underhanded tactics, but even such a huge threat failed to bring down the Qiao family; instead, it caused him to suffer a major setback.
Therefore, Consort Han decided to take a more direct approach: hire an assassin to eliminate the problem cleanly and efficiently.
She disguised herself and left the palace, entering the largest martial arts organization in the capital, called the Loyalty and Righteousness Bureau.
The Loyalty and Righteousness Bureau operates various businesses, recruiting apprentices to learn martial arts, escorting goods, and also accepting commissions from the imperial court to suppress mountain bandits and maintain public order.
Therefore, it is a very respectable martial arts profession.
However, those who know more about the Loyalty Bureau know that it secretly trains a group of skilled assassins who have never made a mistake once they accept a task.
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