Chapter 17 Thunderous Wrath Consort Wan had never seen the Emperor like this before, she…
That day, Zhuyin and Huayue went to the Imperial Fabrication Office and the Imperial Jewelry Office to collect the newly made court robes and jewelry, leaving only Gu Xi and Cailian in the room.
"Your Majesty, I've heard that many of the newly promoted concubines have already met the Emperor, and he has even bestowed many gifts upon them," Cailian said casually.
Gu Xi hummed in agreement, engrossed in reading the ancient book that Mu Yunqi had given her.
"This servant also heard that His Majesty favored Consort Li again last night, and he only left the Jiaofang Palace this morning..."
Hearing this, Gu Xicai realized that Cailian was implying something, so he put down his book and listened attentively to what she was saying.
“Your Majesty, His Majesty has never set foot in Weiyang Palace... Should we…” Cailian hesitated, unable to finish her sentence.
Upon hearing Cailian's words, Gu Xicai suddenly remembered that it had been half a month since she last saw the Emperor. Xiao Heng's devilish face flashed before her eyes, and she recalled his whispers in her ear at Bihe Garden, as well as his cold expression when he left that night after she changed her dressing. Her breath caught in her throat.
Seeing that Gu Xi remained silent for a long time, Cai Lian thought that she had said something wrong and upset her, so she quickly admitted her mistake: "This servant has overstepped her bounds. Please punish me, Your Highness."
Seeing this, Gu Xi helped Cai Lian up with both hands: "Cai Lian, there's no need for this." Gu Xi sat back in the rocking chair and continued: "I know you mean well, but I don't want to do this."
"Does Your Highness not want the Emperor's favor?" Cailian asked anxiously.
In this palace, everyone is scrambling to gain the Emperor's favor, but their concubine spends her days either reading or tinkering with herbs, which makes her really anxious.
Gu Xi looked at Cai Lian and shook her head firmly.
The emperor's favor is the most ephemeral thing. Yesterday it could be Consort Wan, today it could be Consort Li, and tomorrow it could be someone else. She has witnessed the emperor's ruthlessness, so why should she give her heart away for a favor that cannot last?
Cailian was about to say something when suddenly hurried footsteps came from outside the door.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, something terrible has happened..." Hua Yue said, panting heavily.
"What's wrong? Tell me slowly. Where's Zhuyin?" Gu Xi felt something was wrong when she didn't see Zhuyin and asked nervously.
"In the Imperial Garden...we just encountered Consort Wan in the Imperial Garden. Her head maid deliberately knocked us down...and even damaged the hairpins that the Imperial Jewelry Department made for Your Highness." Because she was running too fast, Hua Yue spoke haltingly: "Sister Zhu Yin argued with them, but they falsely accused her and detained Sister Zhu Yin there..."
While Huayue was talking, Cailian had already helped Gu Xi get dressed, and Gu Xi led the two of them hurriedly toward the Imperial Garden.
Gu Xi didn't want to cause trouble, but trouble still came knocking on her door.
When they arrived at the Imperial Garden, Zhu Yin was kneeling on the cobblestone path, holding up the court robes she had received from the Imperial Household Department. Her forehead was covered in sweat, and her body was swaying involuntarily.
Besides Consort Wan, Consort Li and other concubines of lower rank were also present.
Gu Xi quickly walked to Zhu Yin's side, handed the court robe to Cai Lian, and then slowly helped Zhu Yin up. Because she had been kneeling for too long, Zhu Yin's knees could not straighten up, so Hua Yue quickly helped her up from the side.
"Consort Gu, you don't even bow to me? Do you not respect me?" Consort Wan's words were as sharp and arrogant as ever.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to Consort Wan and Consort Li, and greet all my sisters." Gu Xi bowed to Consort Wan and the others.
Consort Wan sat in the center of the pavilion, looking down at Gu Xi with an air of superiority, showing no intention of making her get up. No one else dared to speak.
"Sister, please get up first." It was Consort Li who spoke first; she was the only one present who could be considered an equal to Consort Wan.
After Gu Xi got up, she nodded to her to show her gratitude. On the way here, Hua Yue told her that it was Consort Li who deliberately created an opportunity for her to run back and inform her.
"Such deep sisterly affection! Everyone says you two were closest when you were in Chuxiu Garden, and it's truly true." Consort Wan said sarcastically, walking up to Gu Xi as she spoke: "But I've heard that the Emperor has favored Consort Li several times, yet he has never visited your Weiyang Palace?"
“Indeed, if I were the Emperor, I wouldn’t want to go looking like this.” Consort Wan finished speaking with a contemptuous smile. Her makeup was as exquisite as ever, but her words were harsh. The other concubines and palace maids present also joined in mocking Gu Xi.
Gu Xi did not respond to her words.
Consort Wan turned to look at Consort Li, her red lips slightly parted, her eyes full of jealousy and hatred: "Consort Li, it's not that I'm criticizing you, but the Emperor is currently showing you great favor. You should try to persuade him. It can't be that you're the only one monopolizing the Emperor while the other sisters can't even see him."
Gu Xi finally understood that Consort Wan's purpose today was to create enemies for Lu Mengli, sow discord between her and Lu Mengli, and ridicule herself in the process.
Consort Wan had been looking for an opportunity to get revenge on her for what had happened before. Now that Consort Li was favored, she was jealous of her. And since she was on good terms with Consort Li, Consort Wan wanted to vent her anger on her.
But the Emperor's punishment of her last time had taught her a lesson, and even if she was angry, she dared not punish the concubines privately again, so she could only take her anger out on Zhu Yin.
"Sister is joking. Mengli is of lowly status and her words carry little weight. How could I possibly persuade the Emperor? Sister Gu and the other sisters have only been in the palace for a short time. There will always be opportunities for them to see the Emperor in the future."
"You..." Consort Li's words infuriated Consort Wan. To her, these words were a veiled insult, implying that she had been in the palace for too long. The saying "Only the laughter of the new concubines is heard, but the tears of the old ones are not" still echoed in her ears. She said angrily, "Lu Mengli, don't be so smug!"
Consort Li saw through Consort Wan's thoughts and didn't want to deal with her anymore: "Sister, I'm tired and will return to Jiaofang Palace first. Please excuse me." Perhaps if she left, things could end sooner.
After Lu Mengli finished speaking, she left with her maids. Seeing this, the others also made excuses to leave, leaving only Consort Wan, Consort Qin, and Consort Du, who were on good terms with Consort Wan, at the lakeside pavilion.
Consort Wan had nowhere to vent her anger.
"Consort Gu, your maid has repeatedly offended me. Do you really intend to let this go?" It seems that Consort Wan still has no intention of letting her off the hook. Now that everyone else has left, only her confidante remains, and she will likely make things even more difficult for her.
"Your Highness, Gu Xi has no intention of antagonizing you. You are surely well aware of what happened today. I hope this is the last time. If Your Highness continues to make things difficult for the people in my palace, Gu Xi will not sit idly by and wait for her doom." Gu Xi's voice was not loud, but her aura was intimidating. For a moment, Consort Wan even considered letting her go.
"Hahaha, you think you can do that?!" Consort Wan sneered. Gu Xi didn't have that ability; she had almost been fooled by her just now.
After Consort Wan finished speaking, she called out to Qin Xin, who rushed towards Zhu Yin and slapped her across the face. Gu Xi tried to stop her, but was held back by Consort Du and Noble Lady Qin, while Hua Yue was also grabbed by their maids.
"I'm in a bind. What can you do?"
"Your Highness, have you forgotten what happened last time...?"
"I haven't forgotten!" Consort Wan interrupted Gu Xi, gritting her teeth as she said, "How could I forget? It's all because of you that the Emperor hasn't come to see me for two months..."
During the two weeks of confinement, although the Emperor never visited her, he would still send Zhao Fuquan to bring her things she liked every day. She knew that the Emperor still cared about her, but he treated her that way because of the rules of the palace.
When her confinement was lifted, she eagerly awaited his arrival, but the Emperor still didn't come. At the spring banquet, the Emperor didn't even glance at her, instead bestowing upon Gu Xi a zither! Why?!
If things continue like this, the Emperor will completely forget about her. She finally gained the Emperor's favor, and if she falls out of favor and that person finds out... Consort Wan was filled with resentment at this moment.
"Slap! Slap! Slap!" Consort Wan was still not satisfied after saying that. She walked up to Gu Xi and slapped Gu Xi several times with all her might.
"Miss!"
"Your Majesty!"
Zhuyin and Huayue were so startled that they shouted in unison.
Consort Du and Noble Lady Qin were also shocked and looked at each other. They did not expect that Consort Wan would dare to hit Gu Xi. They knew that it was against the palace rules to punish a concubine without permission. They had only intended to teach the servant a lesson and had not thought of harming Gu Xi.
Gu Xi's ears were ringing from the slap, and she tasted a salty, metallic flavor in her mouth. She had underestimated Consort Wan's anger; she hadn't expected that Consort Wan would dare to hit her herself with such force, as if she wanted to kill her.
Seeing Consort Wan's increasingly fierce gaze, her unease deepened. When Consort Li and the others left earlier, she had Cailian sneak away to Xianfu Palace to summon the Imperial Concubine, but she hadn't seen her return yet.
"Consort Gu, what are you looking at? Do you think someone will come to rescue you today?" Consort Wan sneered. She had just noticed that Gu Xi had looked towards the Noble Consort's palace twice. Another of her maids was missing, presumably to inform her.
Gu Xi dared not say anything more to provoke her, and only hoped that Cai Lian would come back soon.
"You don't know yet..." Consort Wan smiled smugly and said, "The Imperial Concubine went to Wanfo Temple today to accompany the Empress Dowager to worship Buddha. The Emperor is currently receiving guests in the Imperial Study. No one will come to save you... Just bear with it!" After saying that, she slapped Gu Xi across the face again.
Gu Xi was slightly dizzy from the beating. Before she could react, she saw Consort Wan raise her right hand again. Gu Xi had no choice but to turn her head and close her eyes...
Suddenly a voice rang out from afar: "Stop right now!" Xiao Heng said, enunciating each word clearly, his voice filled with barely suppressed anger.
Gu Xi heard the sound and slowly opened her eyes, seeing Xiao Heng walking towards her.
Cailian also came back.
Consort Wan looked flustered, and her hand, which was about to strike, was suddenly grabbed tightly by Zhao Fuquan.
"Greetings, Your Majesty." Everyone knelt down. Consort Du and Noble Lady Qin were trembling with fear, not expecting the Emperor to suddenly appear here.
Xiao Heng walked straight to Gu Xi and helped her up.
Gu Xi looked up at Xiao Heng. Her cheeks were terribly swollen and red, blood was seeping from the corner of her mouth, her eyes were slightly red and seemed to be filled with misty water, and her lips were trembling slightly uncontrollably after being hit.
Seeing Gu Xi like this, Xiao Heng's calm expression instantly crumbled, her eyes flashing with cold light. She turned to the kneeling Consort Wan and asked, word by word, "Consort Wan, who gave you the audacity?!"
"Your Majesty, I...I...it's her..." Consort Wan looked up at Xiao Heng, whose face was terribly gloomy. She wanted to explain, but found herself too frightened to speak coherently.
Even from a distance, she could feel the surging anger emanating from Xiao Heng, and the aura he exuded sent chills down her spine.
"It seems you don't take my words seriously!" Xiao Heng's pupils blazed with uncontrollable rage, as if he were about to devour her alive at any moment.
Consort Wan had never seen the Emperor like this before. She felt as if she had entered an ice cellar, and the terrifying fear instantly engulfed her. Her face turned deathly pale, and she trembled uncontrollably.
"Your Majesty!" Cailian suddenly shouted. Everyone looked up and saw Gu Xi faint in Xiao Heng's arms.
Xiao Heng was startled, and his anger immediately subsided.
"Summon the imperial physician!" He scooped Gu Xi up in his arms and strode towards Weiyang Palace.
Zhao Fuquan quickly followed, cautiously reminding him, "Your Majesty, Consort Wan, she..."
"Make them kneel. No one is allowed to stand up without my permission!"
Xiao Heng's voice echoed throughout the Imperial Garden. Consort Wan suddenly realized that she was really finished this time, and she collapsed to the ground.
"Yes." Zhao Fuquan glanced back and thought to himself that Consort Wan should be glad that Consort Gu had fainted at this moment, otherwise they would probably not have been able to withstand the emperor's wrath.
A note from the author:
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The male lead was forced to kneel as punishment [angry]
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