Chapter 135 The Battle for Favor in the Harem?
Both of them were stunned for a moment. In the end, Liu Huan was the first to react. She hurriedly brought over the hawthorn cake and handed it to Consort Liu.
Consort Liu smiled and then said calmly, "If Your Majesty really has the ability to keep people in the palace, what harm would it do to me? It would just mean having another person who can cook, and I could also eat even more delicious hawthorn cake. Isn't that a good thing?"
"Is this a good thing?"
"Isn't Your Majesty afraid that she will compete for favor?"
Fuling was getting anxious. This Meng Yanzhi was clearly not simple. What if she really gained the emperor's favor?
Besides, everyone is a servant, so why should Meng Yanzhi be able to turn the tables and become the master?
Consort Liu immediately saw through what Fuling was really concerned about. She smiled and then said coldly, "Fuling, if you have the ability, you can go too. I won't stop you; I'll even help you. There will only be more people in the harem, not fewer, right?"
"That's not what I meant, I wouldn't dare!" Fuling knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly.
Liu Huan sighed helplessly at her appearance, then said, "Your Majesty, Fu Ling is just that naive; she is wholeheartedly devoted to you!"
"I know what I'm doing."
"Therefore, I will not be angry or mind."
Consort Liu smiled and ate the hawthorn cake in her hand with satisfaction. It was made by Meng Yanzhi herself, and it tasted better than the one in the imperial kitchen!
Seeing that Consort Liu was satisfied with the hawthorn cake, Liu Huan smiled and pulled Fu Ling outside.
"You've seen the Empress's attitude. I advise you not to do anything you shouldn't."
"I'm worried for Your Highness, Sister Liu Huan. Do you really think that Meng Yanzhi being with the Emperor is a good thing for Your Highness?"
Fuling was getting anxious. She frowned and looked at Liu Huan. Why were these people so tolerant of Meng Yanzhi?
"If it wasn't Meng Yanzhi, it would have been someone else. If it were Meng Yanzhi, she wouldn't have harmed the Imperial Concubine. Then the Imperial Concubine would have gained another favored concubine. Don't you realize how valuable that is?"
“Fuling, this is the inner palace, and there will only be more and more people here. Even if His Majesty really takes a fancy to Meng Yanzhi, what’s so strange about that? Do you think you and I can stop him? Or do you think the Imperial Concubine can stop him?”
Liu Huan and Consort Liu grew up together. They had been training to enter the palace since they were very young, so she understood these things better than Fu Ling.
Liu Huan wouldn't have said these things if she wasn't worried that Fu Ling might do something she shouldn't.
Now, Fuling finally understood. She smiled a little embarrassedly and then whispered, "As long as it doesn't harm Her Majesty!"
"Silly girl!" Liu Huan chuckled and pinched Fu Ling's nose. "Let's go, time to get to work!"
On the other side, Meng Yanzhi, as usual, squatted by the stove, silently waiting for her roasted sweet potatoes.
Even though she can now eat whatever she wants, her favorite food is still roasted sweet potato, especially since Mingchu is in her current state, eating some sweet potato is good for her health.
She had just taken out the roasted sweet potatoes and was about to leave when she saw Xiao Xingyuan standing at the door.
Xiao Xingyuan was dressed in casual clothes, which made him look less aloof and dignified than usual, but instead gave him a more gentle and down-to-earth air.
"I want to eat too."
Xiao Xingyuan walked over, took Meng Yanzhi's hand, and sat down with her.
Regardless of whether Meng Yanzhi agreed or not, he simply took a sweet potato, broke it open, and put it in his mouth. Although it was very hot, it was sweet, and eating it made him feel much more at ease.
"Meng Yanzhi, are you angry?"
"Are you angry that I schemed against you?"
Xiao Xingyuan tilted his head and looked at Meng Yanzhi beside him.
Meng Yanzhi smiled faintly: "This subject dares not be angry. Whatever Your Majesty does is justified. The Emperor is never wrong."
"I didn't mean it, I'm just used to it, Meng Yanzhi, I'm just used to it!" Xiao Xingyuan said this with a hint of helplessness and grievance.
He was raised to be an emperor from a young age. No matter what he encounters or who he meets, his first reaction is always to calculate. He has to weigh the pros and cons because his decisions can affect far too many things. He cannot be careless!
Meng Yanzhi was somewhat surprised. She had thought that Xiao Xingyuan had come to interrogate her, but she never expected that he would say this to her.
She looked at Xiao Xingyuan, understood the grievance in his eyes, silently lowered her head, and said softly, "This subject dares not, this subject will cook well."
"That's not what I meant."
"Meng Yanzhi, I..."
Xiao Xingyuan looked up and met Meng Yanzhi's bright, sparkling eyes.
He suddenly found himself unable to utter the words he had prepared.
"Meng Yanzhi, do you really love freedom?"
"Beyond everything?"
Xiao Xingyuan took a deep breath and asked again.
However, Meng Yanzhi did not say anything else, but simply smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I shall take my leave now."
What she likes and dislikes is her own business and has nothing to do with anyone else.
Meng Yanzhi, holding the still-warm roasted sweet potato, silently walked to Mingchu's room, broke off half of it, and handed it to her: "We used to eat this often when we were at home, but we don't eat it as often now. However, it still tastes pretty good. Why don't you try it?"
"I remember back then, we often prayed that we could eat roasted sweet potatoes every day." After taking a bite, Mingchu couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Seeing Mingchu's expression, Meng Yanzhi smiled and took a bite of the roasted sweet potato before saying with a smile, "Yes, we were so innocent back then. We were content as long as we could eat a roasted sweet potato every day. But now, we've finally achieved that, yet I'm not happy at all."
"Mingchu, do you hate him?" Meng Yanzhi tilted her head and looked at the battered Mingchu.
Mingchu thought about it seriously for a moment, then slowly shook her head: "This servant does not hate, because this servant is still alive and can still accompany Miss. For this servant, this is enough, and I am content."
Meng Yanzhi was somewhat shocked.
She originally thought that Mingchu, having suffered so much, would be twisted with hatred, but she never expected that deep down she would think this way.
Indeed, if she wasn't a pure and kind person, then why would she have been so loyal to Meng Yanzhi and taken care of her in every way the moment she saw her in her previous life?
"Mingchu, I'm sorry, it's my fault. You've been so good to me, yet I couldn't even protect you."
Meng Yanzhi lowered her eyes, revealing an indescribable sense of guilt.
Seeing this, Mingchu suddenly smiled and gently hugged Meng Yanzhi: "I am already very satisfied to be able to hug you like this, Miss. I know you are a little different from before, but I don't care. Compared with truth, goodness and beauty, I hope you live well and have everything!"
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