In a side hall of Zhilan Palace, a snow-white puppy woke up from its slumber, its big, dark eyes looking around, the confusion in its eyes gradually fading away.
"Where am I?" The snow-white puppy opened its mouth, but instead let out a soft, innocent bark. What was that sound? How could there be a dog barking from the Golden Dragon Palace? Where is that damned Fu Shun?
Situ Yuan was filled with resentment; he hated dogs more than anything. But gradually, the astute Situ Yuan noticed something was wrong: why did a dog bark whenever he opened his mouth?
The round head looked down, but instead of seeing its own strong body, it saw a fluffy, snow-white body. It was clearly a dog's body!
Situ Yuan was instantly struck dumb, standing motionless in place. A gentle breeze blew by, ruffling its snow-white fur and adding to its desolate appearance.
Am I dreaming?
"Look! The little white dog has woken up! Quickly, go and report to Her Majesty!" a palace maid in a pink dress exclaimed excitedly, grabbing Situ Yuan and running away.
Looking at the puffy light pink palace dress in front of him, Situ Yuan's eyes were stunned for a moment. He subconsciously wanted to scold the other party for his unreasonable behavior, but he could only bark like a dog, which made people laugh.
"My dear puppy, you're so beautiful, Her Majesty will surely love you." A palace maid's soft, childlike voice came as she gently stroked the dog's head.
Situ Yuan turned his head away in disgust. How could a lowly palace maid touch my head? I must be dreaming.
While Situ Yuan was pondering, the little palace maid had already led her to the main hall of Zhilan Palace. Zhilan Palace was filled with a faint fragrance of orchids, and it was so quiet that only the sound of turning pages could be heard.
Wuyou leaned against the window, holding a book in her hand, engrossed in reading. She was dressed in a moon-white dress, with delicate orchid patterns embroidered on the hem, cuffs, and collar. A light blue shawl was draped over her elbows. The warm sunlight fell on her exquisite and flawless face, giving her a holy glow.
"Greetings, Your Majesty—" The young palace maid stepped forward with small steps, her skirt perfectly in place, displaying excellent manners.
At this moment, Situ Yuan finally came to his senses and struggled with all four paws. The palace maid was caught off guard, and the puppy fell to the ground with a thud.
"Oh dear, little dog, what happened to you? Are you alright?" The little palace maid was panicked and squatted down to hug the little dog. She felt sorry for him when she saw the bloodstains on his body.
The commotion was quite loud, so Wuyou calmly looked away, a gentle smile playing on her lips, her voice soft and gentle.
"How could you fall like that? Quickly, Physician Li, come and take a look." She put on her embroidered shoes and took a step to go and check on the situation, but was blocked by Lianqiao beside her.
"Your Highness, you are allergic to dog hair, so you must not get too close." Lian Qiao's face was full of disapproval. This lady's allergy to dog hair was very severe; even the slightest bit of it could cause her skin to become red and swollen.
"This..." Wuyou hesitated for a moment, then looked at the pitiful little white dog and nodded.
The young palace maid stood there, holding the little white dog, somewhat at a loss. Her mistress was allergic to dog hair, yet she was still willing to save this little white dog. Her mistress was truly kind!
"Sherry, take good care of this puppy, and I will reward you handsomely." Wuyou turned to look at the little palace maid, her eyes slightly curved, gentle and kind.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Xue Li nodded hurriedly, her eyes seemingly sparkling, looking every bit like a little fangirl.
Seeing Sherry leave with the puppy, Wuyou's peach blossom eyes deepened, and the corners of her mouth curved upwards.
Fengyi Palace was the residence of the empresses of the Great Sword Dynasty. Although Mu Yanran was a Noble Consort, she had already moved into Fengyi Palace, which showed how favored she was.
Unlike the tranquil elegance of Zhilan Palace, Fengyi Palace is grand and luxurious in its overall decoration. Even a small piece of porcelain is the result of the artisans' painstaking efforts, perfectly matching Mu Yanran's overall temperament.
Dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, Mu Yanran dressed up and made up under the palace servants' attire. Her long black hair was styled into a crescent-shaped bun, with a few phoenix hairpins inserted diagonally. She had a plum blossom makeup on her forehead, and her red lips were slightly upturned, making her look bright and charming.
"Your Majesty, all the ladies of the harem have come to pay their respects," Mu Yanran's head maid, Zhu Qing, whispered in her ear.
"I understand. Tell them to wait." Mu Yanran adjusted her temples, her tone rather dismissive.
Of course, her disdain was not without reason; as the most favored and only imperial concubine in the harem, she had the right to be so.
Mu Yanran was nonchalant in her bedchamber, while the concubines waiting in the front hall were filled with resentment.
"The Imperial Concubine is truly powerful, making us wait for so long." The newly favored Consort Wan twisted her handkerchief, feeling indignant.
"That's natural. In half a month, the Emperor only summoned Consort Gui, while we haven't even seen the Emperor's face. Such favor can probably only be matched by Consort Rou."
Wuyou picked up her teacup and took a light sip, ignoring the sour smell around her. Situ Yuan's body was currently lying in the Golden Dragon Palace; how could he possibly have the opportunity to favor these beautiful concubines?
Seeing that Wuyou didn't respond, the concubine shut her mouth in frustration. She only dared to make a few sarcastic remarks, as both of these women came from powerful and influential families, and she couldn't easily provoke them.
"Have you all been waiting long, ladies? I'm sorry I'm late." Mu Yanran, dressed in a rose-red palace gown, walked in gracefully, immediately silencing all the concubines.
"Greetings, Your Highness the Imperial Concubine—" All the concubines rose in unison, displaying their graceful bearing.
People say that three women make a drama, but the imperial harem is more than just three women; intrigue, jealousy, and backstabbing are inevitable. Everyone wears a smile, but what they're really thinking remains a mystery.
Mu Yanran came from a military family, and amidst the infighting in the harem, she gradually learned to be shrewd and resourceful, suppressing every concubine completely.
Half an hour later, Mu Yanran was a little tired. She saw Wuyou quietly drinking tea to the side and a strange feeling suddenly rose in her heart.
The Mu and Bai families weren't exactly sworn enemies, but one was a scholar and the other a warrior, their political views clashing. After entering the palace, they became rivals, but fortunately, she had a slight edge. Consort Rou appeared gentle and submissive on the surface, but how could she be an ordinary person who had secured her position in the harem? She usually maintained a facade of composure, so why did she seem unusually happy and different today?
"Consort Rou seems exceptionally happy, why don't we share this with the ladies?" Mo Yanran was displeased; she simply didn't like seeing Consort Rou happy. She was exhausted from working for the Emperor, while this woman was so carefree—it truly infuriated her.
"It's nothing, just got a pet to amuse us. It's lonely in the palace, we sisters have to find some fun. Why don't the other sisters try it too?" Wuyou slowly picked up her fan, her casual words instantly deflecting the question.
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