A woman dressed in a pink and white palace gown, with a moon-white veil draped over her arm, gracefully entered. The door opened, revealing her slender and graceful figure. Backlit, she appeared like a goddess or fairy.
Her delicate and pure features held a faint smile, like a lotus flower slowly blooming, exuding amazing charm.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to the Emperor and Your Majesty the Empress." She bowed slightly, her every gesture exuding the elegance of a lady from a noble family, yet also possessing a refined and charming beauty.
Looking at Chu Baiwei, Wuyou couldn't help but admire her slightly. This woman was indeed very charming. No wonder Helan Wuyou fell at her feet and was at her beck and call, making him the future Empress Dowager and even killing Helan Wuyou's sons to become an empress.
Unfortunately, although this woman had some political ability, it was not enough to support such a large country. She only used petty tricks that women used, which eventually led to rebellions by the princes, the destruction of the country, and the displacement of the people. As a result, the dynasty gradually disappeared into the long river of history without leaving a trace.
"No need for formalities..." Wuyou cleared her throat. Previously, Helan Wuyou had been so fond of Chu Baiwei, but her sudden change of heart was too sudden and inevitably aroused suspicion. Therefore, Wuyou would often go to Chu Baiwei's place to sit for a while.
When necessary, illusions were used to create the illusion that Chu Baiwei was still favored. This is one of the reasons why Wuyou indirectly exiled Chu Baiwei's clansmen, yet still allowed Chu Baiwei to hold her head high in the palace.
"What business does my beloved consort have with me?" Wuyou could clearly sense the Empress's stiffened body after Chu Baiwei's appearance, and couldn't help but glance at him curiously. Seeing that the Empress didn't speak, he could only step in himself.
"I heard that Your Majesty has caught a cold and I was very worried. I came here to ask to be able to attend to you. Your Majesty has treated me so well and doted on me. I have no way to repay you but to serve you with all my heart."
Chu Baiwei slightly raised her cheeks, her eyes brimming with tears, looking incredibly charming. Her words were exquisite, fully expressing a woman's worries and anxieties about her husband, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
"Didn't I already issue an edict that the concubines of the harem are not allowed to enter or leave the Emperor's palace at will, lest they catch a cold?" The Empress's face changed, and she stared at Chu Baiwei as if she were looking at a seductive vixen, wishing she could skin her alive.
"Your Majesty..." Chu Baiwei bit her lip, her eyes filled with even more tears, and turned to look at Wuyou, looking quite pitiful.
Seeing that Wuyou remained unmoved, Chu Baiwei had no choice but to step forward herself, her voice low and tinged with a sob, "Your Majesty the Empress already has many affairs to manage in the six palaces, and you also have to take care of the little princess I gave birth to, so it is inevitable that you are tired. I not only want to repay the Emperor's affection, but also want to share Your Majesty's burden. After all, how can one do two things at once? The little princess and the Emperor are equally important, after all, they are also very important to me."
After listening to their witty banter, Wuyou suddenly realized that it was still a power struggle within the harem! Indeed, wherever there are people, there is a world of intrigue; wherever there are women, there is palace intrigue.
She finally understood that the Empress, having gained the little princess and the Empress's position, couldn't help but want some favor. Therefore, she kept all the concubines outside the Yiyuan Hall, not allowing them to compete with her.
With his cunning, Chu Baiwei naturally wouldn't let the Empress's favor and rank go to waste. His actions would inevitably cause the Empress to lose something. Managing the six palaces, caring for the little princess, and serving the Emperor—she couldn't do it all herself. Chu Baiwei's actions, in turn, allowed her to get a share of the spoils.
Managing the six palaces allows one to place their own people and develop their power within the harem; reclaiming the little princess means reclaiming one's own flesh and blood and piercing the Empress's heart; caring for one's own illness can also solidify favor and perhaps even lead to the birth of another prince.
This woman really foresaw everything.
However, the Empress had grown ambitious and didn't understand the principle of not trying to do too much at once. Wuyou, on the other hand, didn't mind giving him some favor. As an Empress, she couldn't just focus on competing with other women; she had more important responsibilities.
What he needed was an empress who could stabilize his harem and relieve him of any worries about it, not an empress who was only concerned with competing with other women and stirring up trouble.
Although Helan Wuyou treated this empress poorly, ultimately causing her to lose her status, dignity, and even her life, he wouldn't mind replacing her with a more obedient and capable empress if she didn't cooperate.
Thinking back to her teary eyes just now, wasn't she just being coquettish and asking for pampering?
"The Empress is indeed busy, with so many things waiting for you to handle. I'll leave Consort Chu to take care of things here!" Wuyou's expression turned slightly cold, feeling that the Empress was taking advantage of his kindness. His goal was to stabilize the court, and only secondarily the women in the harem. If these women affected his most important taboo, he would not show any mercy.
Helan Wuyou may seem soft-hearted, but he actually inherited some cold-blooded genes from his father, though he hasn't been able to fully express them. You can tell from his attitude towards the women the Empress didn't favor. Wuyou inherited his father's personality, but he also has some of the late Emperor's demeanor.
"Your Majesty, I obey." The Empress bit her lip, feeling quite aggrieved. However, her years of upbringing had prevented her from throwing a tantrum in public, and she was led away from Yiyuan Palace by Xiazi.
Seeing the Empress leave, Chu Baiwei gave him a smug look. This Empress was really foolish and greedy. Sure enough, she had gotten hold of her. She was the Emperor's most favored woman, and she would definitely take back everything she had lost.
Wuyou saw through his thoughts but didn't say anything, content to enjoy Chu Baiwei's care. Chu Baiwei was meticulous and thoughtful, a clever woman. He never failed to please someone he tried to please, and he certainly got what he wanted.
Outside the Yiyuan Palace, the Empress still felt deeply wronged, unable to understand what she had done wrong. The Emperor had clearly treated her much better, so why had Chu Baiwei dismissed her with just a few words?
Seeing the Empress leave dejectedly, abandoning even basic etiquette, Xia Xiazi couldn't help but sigh deeply. The Emperor's summons to see the Empress off already explained everything; why couldn't she understand?
"Your Majesty the Empress..." Xia Xiazi called out to the other person and hurriedly caught up.
The Empress stopped in her tracks, her eyes lighting up. "That's right," she thought, "Xia Zi is someone close to the Emperor, and it seems the Emperor relies on him quite a bit lately. He can ask Xia Zi; he must have been confused just now."
"Your Majesty, this servant has a few words to discuss with you. Please dismiss everyone else." Xia Zi lowered his eyes and looked at the ground.
"You may all leave!" The Empress waved her hand, and the servants behind her obediently left.
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