Consort Cao gave a soft hum, and obediently handed the lotus flower in her arms to Jin Yang.
"What's so special about these lotus flowers? These are the only lotus flowers I can offer. Unlike Consort Huo, who received a ruby earring personally bestowed by His Majesty. I haven't forgotten, it was a gift from the late Emperor when His Majesty was enfeoffed as a prince in the Prince's residence."
Consort Cao took the round fan handed to her by Zhu Shi and hurried into the Funing Palace.
Thus, Consort Cao's voice traveled from outside the palace all the way into the inner palace.
"Back when Your Majesty was still a prince, I had only seen him wear that hat before, but I could never see it clearly from a distance. Now, however, I can feast my eyes on it at Consort Huo's place."
Consort Cao's words were rather sarcastic.
But what Consort Cao said was not untrue. When the late emperor was still a prince, he would only wear court robes and the red jeweled hat when he entered the palace during festivals. Consort Cao was not a principal or secondary consort at that time, so she would not follow him into the palace.
It's true that we won't be able to meet.
Consort Cao entered the palace gracefully from outside, waving a round fan. She was slightly pregnant, her beautiful eyes sparkling, but she spoke in a petulant manner.
Jin Yang hurriedly went to fetch the embroidered stool.
Pei Yuanhui pointed with his folding fan in the distance: "Sit down. Where did you hear that from?"
He didn't offer any further explanation.
He didn't originally need to explain so much to the concubines.
What's more, now that his peace and quiet has been disturbed again, his already limited good temper is even more difficult to maintain.
Consort Cao's lips pursed so much they could hang an oil bottle: "Who told me this? Why would I need anyone else to tell me? This thing has already spread throughout the six palaces. I suppose Consort Huo was so delighted that she intentionally let the sisters in the harem know."
Pei Yuanhui said "Oh": "Are you also short of jewelry? What kind of gemstones do you want? What kind of gemstones don't we have in the storeroom? Not to mention my storeroom, do you not have enough? We could make a hundred pieces of jewelry if you wanted."
He glanced at her as he spoke and noticed the few ornaments that Consort Cao wore in her hair today.
Consort Cao used several pairs of silver hairpins to secure the matter today; the only crucial element was a few jade hairpins.
In addition, she was dressed in light and elegant colors today, which made her look even more serene.
Consort Cao immediately became anxious upon hearing this.
“Your Majesty! How can these be the same? The ruby you bestowed upon Consort Huo was the one you used when you were granted the title of princess. How can it be the same as other gemstones? I don’t have any gemstones like that. It’s a one-of-a-kind gemstone.”
Consort Cao wasn't stupid; she could tell the difference.
Pei Yuanhui unfurled his folding fan: "Why are you in such a hurry? With your temperament, you're already jumping to conclusions before others have even said a few words. Since things are different, what brings you here to me?"
Pei Yuanhui's tone clearly showed extreme impatience.
Consort Cao understood, and she put her hands on her hips: "I don't want anything else, I just want an explanation from you."
Pei Yuanhui looked at her, pursed his thin lips, and directly gave Consort Cao an explanation.
"My things, I can give them to whomever I want? You want an explanation? I'd like to ask you, what explanation do I have for giving things to others? Shanlu, you've gone too far."
Hearing the cold voice, Cao Shanlu subconsciously bit her lip: "Your Majesty!"
That sound was delicate and gentle.
Pei Yuanhui tapped Cao Shanlu's knee with his folding fan: "Alright, it'll get hot any later. I'll have someone send you back."
Consort Cao was unwilling, but she had been rendered speechless by the Emperor's previous words, and now she didn't know how to refute him.
The Emperor was right; that is indeed the case.
The government's own property can be given to whomever it wants.
Cao Shanlu thought that she would be treated differently by the emperor, especially since she was pregnant...
However, the officials showed her no mercy whatsoever.
Pei Yuanhui tapped his folding fan: "Are you tired? Then sit for a while and then go back."
Cao Shanlu didn't linger: "Yes, this concubine takes her leave."
Pei Yuanhui didn't even glance at Cao Shanlu.
She's feeling really down right now.
Cao Shanlu arrived in a fit of anger and left in a fit of anger.
She had just stepped out of the Funing Palace when she bumped into someone's sedan chair.
"Who's blind? Didn't they see me? They just barged right into me." Cao Shanlu flicked her sleeve.
"Consort Cao".
A majestic voice came from above, accompanied by a slight cough.
Cao Shanlu was taken aback, and when she looked up, she saw a deathly pale face.
"Your Majesty the Empress? This concubine greets Your Majesty the Empress." Cao Shanlu reluctantly curtsied.
Xue Yinjia, seated on the imperial carriage, waved her hand dismissively: "Alright. You're pregnant, no need for such formalities. But what brings you to Funing Palace while you're pregnant? Well, you're pregnant, why are you being so reckless?"
Xue Yinjia magnanimously pretended not to have seen Cao Shanlu's previous offense.
Cao Shanlu gritted her teeth, but in the end, she couldn't help but complain to the Empress.
"No, no, it's because I heard about Consort Huo receiving a reward, and I was envious, that's why..."
Before Cao Shanlu could finish speaking, Xue Yinjia raised her hand to stop her.
"Alright. I already knew about this. If it's about this, I will make the decision myself. I'll have someone send you back."
Upon hearing this, Cao Shanlu's face immediately lit up with joy. She bowed and said, "Yes, yes. It is Your Majesty the Empress who understands the hearts of us concubines the most."
She waited patiently for Empress Xue to get out of the sedan chair, and then helped Empress Xue up.
Finally, after watching Empress Xue enter the Funing Palace, she slowly boarded her ceremonial carriage and returned to the Zhongcui Palace.
Empress Xue entered the Funing Palace, and after Jinyang relayed the message, she easily met with the Emperor.
"You're not feeling well, what's wrong? Why did you come in person?"
Xue Yinjia was excused from formalities and took a seat. The stained-glass window that had been open was now closed at Pei Yuanhui's signal.
"Rumors are spreading in the six palaces now, and I'm afraid trouble is brewing. I just saw Sister Cao again..." Xue Yinjia's voice was extremely gentle.
It's also much more pleasant to listen to than Cao Shanlu's voice.
Pei Yuanhui raised his hand: "Did the Empress come for the same reason?"
"It's just a ruby, a reward is a reward. But now everyone in the palace knows about it. That's not quite right. His Majesty rewarded Consort Huo because she served him so well, but now everyone is envious, and it has created a trend of comparison. That's... not quite right."
Look, Xue Yinjia's words are much better than Cao Shanlu's jealousy just now.
Pei Yuanhui looked at Xue Yinjia: "What does the Empress mean?"
This means that he took Xue Yinjia's words to heart.
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