With her aunt's instructions right in front of her, Consort Zhou dared not show her reluctance on her face, no matter how unwilling she was.
She covered her face with a handkerchief and made a tearful expression: "Your Majesty has not visited Yanxi Palace for a long time. I was overjoyed to hear that Your Majesty had come to Yanxi Palace, but I also heard that Your Majesty came to see Consort Huo. I know that I am arrogant and willful. I have come to disturb you at this time only because I want to see Your Majesty."
Consort Zhou forced herself to act sensible, but she felt extremely aggrieved by it.
"Since Your Majesty is preoccupied with state affairs, I would not dare to disturb you. My small kitchen has just made some refreshing chilled plum juice today; Your Majesty, please take some back to Funing Palace. It is merely a small token of my appreciation."
A fawning yet cautious smile appeared on her face.
It was somewhat unexpected that Consort Zhou, who was usually so domineering, would show such an expression. Even Jin Yang, who was standing next to the Emperor, couldn't help but raise her head.
Strange things have really happened one after another today.
But Pei Yuanhui immediately saw through Consort Zhou's true feelings, her reluctance and unwillingness.
Pei Yuanhui glanced at Consort Zhou with a half-smile: "I appreciate Consort Zhou's kindness, but it should also be known to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager is getting old, and the imperial physician advised her to eat less cold food, so I ordered the imperial kitchen to make extra room-temperature plum juice and send it to Cining Palace."
Consort Zhou always felt that the Emperor's words sounded like they had a hidden meaning, but when she looked into the Emperor's smiling eyes, it seemed that it wasn't.
Consort Zhou pursed her lips, smiled, and turned her attention to Huo Qinghe, who had not shown up for a long time.
"Yes. But what is the reason why Lady Huo did not come out to see His Majesty off as he departs? That is far too impolite."
Upon hearing this, Pei Yuanhui glanced at Consort Zhou indifferently, but Consort Zhou sensed a hint of danger in that glance, and she unconsciously swallowed.
"It's because I'm reluctant to let her out, is Consort Zhou even questioning this?"
Consort Zhou was stunned by the Emperor's words.
Not to mention Consort Zhou, even Jin Yang and Lü Yun, who were standing nearby, were stunned.
Green Cloud and the others reacted faster, lowering their heads upon hearing the sound.
This wasn't because she was afraid to listen, but because she was holding back a laugh.
The officials were naturally overjoyed that the ladies cared so much for them.
Consort Zhou, who had been pretending to be virtuous and gentle, could no longer maintain her composure after hearing the Emperor's voice.
The smile on her face cracked. If the Emperor were not in front of her, she would have definitely cursed him out without thinking. But because the Emperor was there, she had to suppress her resentment.
That expression was truly as fascinating as if a paint palette had been overturned.
"His Majesty……"
That sounded truly pitiful.
"It's sunny. Don't let your wives come out."
The official finally spoke.
But he wasn't saying this to Consort Zhou, but to Yu Zhi, the head palace maid beside Consort Zhou. As he spoke, his dark eyes were full of disgust.
Consort Zhou keenly sensed the Emperor's dissatisfaction, but dared not vent the pent-up complaints in her heart. She bowed to the Emperor once again.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. But I am not as delicate as Consort Huo, I am not afraid of the sun."
Green Cloud and Green Willow, standing to the side, dared not speak out against Consort Zhou's sarcastic remarks.
Pei Yuanhui naturally understood, and he stepped out, saying, "I'll pretend I didn't hear your little tantrum."
After saying this, Pei Yuanhui didn't even glance at Consort Zhou.
Oh, after taking two steps, he suddenly remembered something else.
"If you're not afraid of the sun, then go and have a good stroll in the Imperial Garden. Standing under the eaves won't make you feel so hot."
Pei Yuanhui's words meant that Consort Zhou was no longer allowed to stay in Yanliang Pavilion.
Zhou Hengping understood, and her expression worsened. She turned around and glared fiercely at the Yanliang Pavilion.
With the official's permission, she didn't stay at Yanliang Pavilion for long.
However, Consort Zhou still left Yanliang Pavilion grumbling and cursing, clearly having remembered this incident.
She didn't hold a grudge against the official for going to Yanliang Pavilion; instead, she only resented Huo Qinghe, who never showed up.
Naturally, Consort Zhou dared not hold a grudge against the Emperor.
Meanwhile, inside Yanliang Pavilion, when Green Locust and Green Cloud tiptoed in, Huo Qinghe was leaning over a small table, fanning herself.
As July arrived and the weather grew hot, Huo Qinghe's sleeves slipped down as she fanned herself, revealing a section of her slender arm. Green Cloud quickly stepped forward and took the fan from her to fan herself instead.
Green Locust stepped forward and touched the teacup: "My lady has woken up... Did the servants disturb you?"
Huo Qinghe turned her head slightly and yawned lazily: "I wasn't asleep anyway. His Majesty left, and I didn't hear what His Majesty and Consort Zhou were talking about just now?"
Green Locust was guarding outside, and it was Green Cloud who answered.
Huo Qinghe listened to Lüyun finish speaking, but didn't say anything.
In the harem, it's inevitable to offend people. Those who are favored by the emperor are even more likely to offend others. If you're afraid of offending people, you might as well not live.
"Did the Imperial Household Department say when the ice would be delivered?" Huo Qinghe was a little afraid of the heat.
Huo Qinghe hadn't felt anything amiss when she was at the Huo residence, but after entering the palace, this first summer seemed to feel much hotter than when she was at the residence.
Green Locust nodded: "Consort Chi said that it hasn't been too hot these past few days, and that she asked Her Majesty the Empress's opinion around the middle of the month. Except for the concubines who are raising princes and princesses, no one is in a hurry to use ice."
Huo Qinghe sat up straight and fanned herself: "This is causing Her Majesty the Empress to offend someone. Is there anything else going on outside? I heard Miao Xi's voice from the Emperor's side earlier... What happened?"
She remembered again.
The two maids then remembered, and Green Cloud paused in her fan-waving motion.
“I overheard it just now, and He Yunzhong has already gone to inquire about it. I only vaguely heard Miao Xi mention Qin, who was recently demoted.”
Huo Qinghe reached out and picked up the book that the official had been looking at earlier. She fanned herself with the book and said, "Then let's wait."
Judging from Miao Xi's flustered manner earlier, it must have been something serious.
He Yunzhong acted quickly and returned with the news in no time.
"Your Majesty. This servant has learned that something happened to Consort Qin, who was under house arrest. Consort Qin... she hanged herself."
The two maids were stunned when they heard the voice. Green Cloud dropped the fan in her hand, but He Yunzhong, who was kneeling and answering, caught it.
"Sister, be careful. You might frighten your wife."
Yunzhong was quite adept at handling things. Although he was several years older than Lüyun, he addressed her as "elder sister" because Lüyun had served Huo Qinghe earlier.
Huo Qinghe wasn't frightened, but she still sat up straight: "Hanged herself? Wasn't she afraid of implicating her family?"
For a palace concubine to hang herself was a grave crime.
Didn't you see how the Empress and Consort Chi severely punished the palace servants who wentssiping after Consort Fu fell into the water last time?
The suicide of a palace concubine is not something to be taken lightly.
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