That night, Hailanzhu, who had applied the perfume, was awakened by her personal maid, Peilan. To her surprise, she found that she looked much more radiant in the mirror, and her skin had noticeably improved.
Hailanzhu exclaimed in surprise, "Peilan, bring that perfume to me again, I want to apply it again."
Pei Lan hesitated for a moment, "Your Majesty, didn't the imperial physician say to apply this balm twice a day with a period of time in between?"
Hailanzhu didn't care. "What's the harm in applying the beauty and skin care products one more time? It's actually better for my skin."
"But Your Majesty..."
"Furthermore, I will punish you for disrespect," Hailanzhu said impatiently.
Perrin dared not say anything more and handed the prepared perfume to Hailanzhu.
After applying that layer of fragrant balm, Hailanzhu felt that she had become even more beautiful, whether it was psychological or not.
In the past few days, she used perfumed cream for several days in a row, and her face regained its youthful beauty and fair complexion. As a result, Huang Taiji seemed to have become as fond of her as he had been in his youth, and he visited Guanju Palace much more often.
The concubines who already had children were fine, but the young concubines who had just entered the palace, as fresh as flowers, couldn't help but feel jealous. Consort Chen was already favored, and now she had become even more beautiful and had even aroused the Emperor's affections. Now, Consort Chen was the only one in the palace who enjoyed the Emperor's favor.
Fueled by this resentment, the group found themselves in Empress Zhe Zhe's Qingning Palace and began to complain to her.
In Qingning Palace, Zhe Zhe sat upright, taking a sip of hot tea, and observing the young concubines below without revealing her expression.
"Your Majesty, it's not that I'm jealous of Consort Chen, but Consort Chen has really gone too far."
"It turns out that the Emperor spends more time with Consort Chen, so it's normal that he doesn't show much favor to the other concubines in the palace."
"But now, His Majesty has only gone to Consort Chen's place. How are my sisters and I supposed to live?"
As Zhe Zhe listened to the complaints of these young concubines, she felt a surge of annoyance, but on the surface, she maintained the dignified demeanor of an empress.
She cleared her throat, and the complaining concubines stopped complaining and stared at her with expectant eyes.
Zhe Zhe rebuked sternly, "In the harem, wherever the Emperor goes is according to his own will. Do you think you can force him to go wherever he desires?"
"Your Majesty, we are terrified. That's not what we meant..." The young concubines knelt down in a panic.
Zhe Zhe looked at the timid concubines, a satisfied look flashing across her eyes. Her anger turned into kindness, and she said, "I know your intentions, but no matter how you scheme against Consort Chen, it won't work. If you really want to gain the Emperor's favor, then go and do it in front of the Emperor."
The concubines exchanged glances, seemingly understanding something, their eyes darting around.
But deep down, a strong resentment arose against Consort Chen.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I understand."
"Um."
The Empress on the stage did not miss the glances from these concubines, and a hint of satisfaction flashed in her eyes.
"However, Your Majesty, I will also go back and speak to you about this."
"Yes, Your Majesty the Empress." Hearing that the Empress would speak to the Emperor on their behalf, the women couldn't help but show a hint of gratitude.
After the concubines left, Zhe Zhe couldn't help but show a hint of relief.
The old nanny behind Zhe Zhe looked at the Empress with heartache, "Your Majesty, why do you have to get involved between Consort Chen and the Emperor for the sake of these concubines? Getting involved will only make the Emperor resent you."
Zhe Zhe smiled and said, "Granny, that would probably be the case in the past, but now that the Emperor has met with Zhalute, how could he truly favor Hailanzhu?"
"Consort Chen, Hailanzhu has used some means to bewitch the Emperor again. She is courting death."
Zhe Zhe said meaningfully, her eyes revealing a sharp edge.
Hailanzhu, her niece, once relied on the emperor's favor to suppress her, the empress. It's time for her to pay back those debts.
—
Golden Phoenix Hall.
It was rare for the empress, who was usually so well-behaved, to come to see him. Huang Taiji frowned, but did not stop her from entering.
Huang Taiji was processing memorials when he heard footsteps outside. He asked softly, "What brings the Empress here to see me?"
Zhe Zhe, dressed in a light yellow cheongsam, walked in slowly with a dignified smile on her face. "Well, usually all the sisters like to come to His Majesty's place, but I'm afraid of disturbing His Majesty and the sisters in the palace, so I come less often."
Huang Taiji glanced at her and said, "You are quite honest."
"Speak, what brings you to me?"
"Your Majesty is wise," Zhe Zhe praised.
Huang Taiji didn't pay much attention to Zhe Zhe's casual compliment, but Zhe Zhe naturally understood her importance in the emperor's heart.
She suddenly became slightly worried and said to Huang Taiji, "Your Majesty, I didn't really want to bother you, but all the sisters in the harem have come to me, so I had no choice but to come."
Upon hearing this, Huang Taiji paused, his hand holding the memorial still. "A concubine in the harem is looking for you?"
Huang Taiji finally turned his attention to his dignified empress.
A hint of irony flashed through Zhe Zhe's mind. Their Emperor only takes her, the Empress, seriously when something really happens.
"Yes, His Majesty has been going to Guanju Palace these past few days, so Consort Shu and the others have come to my Qingning Palace..."
The empress didn't say anything more, but Huang Taiji understood what she meant.
He knew that his recent visits to Guanju Palace to show favor to Consort Chen had aroused the jealousy of the other women. Huang Taiji's expression softened slightly. In front of his principal wife, he felt somewhat uncomfortable that his exclusive favor towards one person had caused resentment among the other women in the harem.
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