During this time, Hailanzhu slept soundly and did not even hear the sound of the rain. She only slowly opened her eyes when the rain subsided.
"Qingluan..." she whispered, but there was no response for a long time. Then she remembered that she had arranged for Qingluan to pick mushrooms today, especially after the rain, when the mushrooms were growing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
However, she was wary of others and did not want them to serve her, so she did her own hair and makeup.
After she finished, she slowly opened the door, only to be startled by what she saw.
Qi Leiyinyu stood before them, completely soaked; her hair was still dripping wet, and her clothes were soaked through.
"What are you doing?" Hailanzhu frowned.
Qi Leiyin said sweetly, "This concubine came to pay her respects, but I did not expect that Consort Chen was fast asleep. I suppose you are quite tired from handling the affairs of the harem every day, so I did not want to disturb you and waited at the door." After speaking, she coughed twice, looking like she had caught a bad cold and would fall over if a gust of wind blew her away.
Anyone else would have been moved by her sensible appearance and even felt some pity, but Hailanzhu was different; she had no good feelings towards this woman.
She didn't know why Qi Leiyinyu had to pretend to be so weak when Huang Taiji wasn't around.
Hailanzhu said expressionlessly, "If it's just for a simple greeting, you can wait for me in the main hall. Why wait in the rain? It's not a big deal."
She never invited Qi Leiyinyu in to sit down, letting the rain and wind blow by.
"To show my sincerity, what does a little wind and rain matter?" Qi Leiyinyu smiled gently and charmingly, like a kind and understanding person.
"Hehe..." Hailanzhu sneered, seeing that no one else was around, she made no attempt to hide her annoyance, "Whether it's true or not, you know it in your heart, I don't need to say it outright."
"Your Highness, what are you saying? I don't understand," Qi Leiyin said gently.
Seeing that the person in front of her clearly knew everything but pretended to be innocent, Hailanzhu became even more annoyed and said bluntly, "We're all old foxes, what are you playing at? You deliberately waited for me in the rain just to tell everyone that I am a vicious person who deliberately made things difficult for you, especially to let the Emperor hear it, so that he would pity you and distance himself from me."
Qi Leiyinyu never expected that Hailanzhu was so intelligent, able to guess her intentions with just one glance.
Being young, Qi Leiyinyu, despite her deep thoughts, could not control her expression. She opened her mouth wide in surprise, but quickly pursed her lips after realizing what she had done. "This concubine would not dare, Your Highness, you have misunderstood."
"Misunderstanding?" Hailanzhu scoffed. Since her vicious reputation had already been spread by Qilei Yinyu and couldn't be salvaged, she might as well just become the villain.
As the rain intensified again, a mocking smile curled at the corner of her lips. "To show your sincerity, then you may speak with me and pay your respects in the rain!"
"This..." Qi Leiyinyu was stunned. She did not expect that her carefully laid plan was just a little trick in Hailanzhu's eyes.
Large raindrops drenched Qi Leiyinyu, who was filled with immense regret. However, Hailanzhu held a much higher position than her, so she had no choice but to obey and kneel in the rain to pay her respects.
When she got up and heard the voice from the little eunuch, a glimmer of hope rose in her eyes.
"His Majesty has arrived."
No sooner had the eunuch finished speaking than Huang Taiji appeared before the two of them.
Upon hearing this, the two immediately bowed and greeted the Emperor with "May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace."
"No need for formalities," Huang Taiji said, waving his hand. He then dismissed the eunuchs, walked straight into the room, and stood beside Hailanzhu.
"Why are you standing here?" Huang Taiji asked curiously, looking at Qi Leiyinyu's disheveled appearance.
After speaking, Qi Leiyinyu's eyes immediately turned red. "This concubine is... paying respects to Consort Chen. Because of my lowly status, I dare not step into the palace, for fear of soiling the threshold."
The implication is that Hailanzhu bullied her and she wanted Huang Taiji to take charge of things for her.
Hailanzhu was truly impressed by her ability to cry so easily. She knew that it would take her a long time to think about her deceased grandparents before she could shed a single tear.
Upon hearing this, Huang Taiji showed no displeasure. Instead, he asked Hailanzhu for confirmation, "Is that really so?"
Seeing Huang Taiji's blatant distrust of her, Hailanzhu felt no comfort. "Your Majesty, my sister Yinyu is far too insecure. I've invited her into the room long ago, but she absolutely refuses, always saying she'll dirty the palace. I have no choice but to let her be." With that, a wronged expression immediately appeared on her face.
"Your Majesty, how can you distort the truth like this? It was clearly you who wouldn't allow me to..." Qi Leiyinyu deliberately left her sentence unfinished, trying to arouse Huang Taiji's curiosity.
Unexpectedly, Hailanzhu spoke first: "Why shouldn't I let you do it?"
"You know what's going on," Qi Leiyinyu said weakly, glancing at Huang Taiji as she spoke.
"What things have I not done?" Hailanzhu retorted.
Faced with Hailanzhu's questioning, her tears fell like a broken kite string, and she knelt down, saying, "It's all my fault. I disturbed Consort Chen's peace. It's understandable that you're angry, and it's only right that you punish me by making me stand in the wind and rain."
Her pitiful appearance would make any man feel extremely sorry for her.
Unfortunately, she underestimated Huang Taiji's love for Hailanzhu. Even if he punished her by throwing her into the wind and rain, or even killed her, Huang Taiji would not blame Hailanzhu in the slightest.
"Knowing that disturbing Lan'er is wrong, why do you still insist on doing it your way?"
Huang Taiji's words startled Qi Leiyinyu.
Hailanzhu smiled and said, "Sister Yinyu is really strange. The sisters in other palaces wait in the main hall to pay their respects to me, but you know it's pouring rain, yet you insist on standing guard outside my bedchamber and won't let anyone wake me up. Tell me what your intentions are?"
Upon hearing this, Huang Taiji's face darkened, and he had already guessed what was going on. He stared coldly at Qi Leiyinyu.
Seeing Huang Taiji's gloomy expression, Qi Leiyinyu couldn't help but panic and stammered, "This concubine is new here and doesn't understand many of the rules. I didn't know that I was supposed to wait in the main hall. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."
"Since you don't understand the rules, then learn them before you pay your respects to me." Hailanzhu's smile faded, and she revealed a serious expression. "As a concubine in the harem, please remember your behavior and don't let it get out, making people laugh at you and disgracing the Emperor."
Hailanzhu's words were a veiled warning to Qilei Yinyu not to attempt to provoke her.
Qi Leiyin had no choice but to comply, and could only lower her head and say, "Yes, Your Highness, I obey!"
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