"Why are you so angry, sister? Who provoked you?" A clear, cheerful voice rang out, followed by a slender figure entering the shop.
Wu waved her hand behind her again, and a group of palace servants hurriedly retreated like a tide, leaving only the two sisters in an instant.
"What are you doing here, coming to see me make a fool of myself?" Bai Yiran was still furious and sat down on Feng Zhi, looking down at Wuyou.
Over the years, the sisters had little personal interaction. Wuyou peacefully held the position of Consort Xian, managing official duties and taking care of her son, never vying for the emperor's favor. She, on the other hand, was single-mindedly trying to win the emperor's favor and curry favor with him, but died peacefully without incident.
People with different paths cannot make plans together. They are not on the same path, so naturally they have nothing in common. Their so-called sisterly affection is just something they say to outsiders.
“Sister, you are mistaken. I have come here with the sincere intention of offering advice and helping you out.” Wuyou dusted off imaginary dust from her palace dress and slowly sat down to the side. Her tone was unhurried, and her eyes were full of certainty as she looked at Bai Yiran, confident that the other party would be curious.
"You'll help me? You're lucky if you don't harm me." Bai Yiran sneered. If it weren't for her good sister stopping her, Su Yun would have been dead long ago, and things wouldn't be like this today.
"Sister is angry with me because of Su Yun, isn't she? I stopped you because it was for your own good." Wuyou picked up a cup of tea and took a clear sip. "Harming concubines in the harem is a serious crime. Sister has no children, the Emperor's favor is waning, and the Empress Dowager is devoted to Buddhism and doesn't care about worldly affairs. Besides me, who else can consider your feelings?"
With each word Wuyou spoke, Bai Yiran's expression grew increasingly grim. Indeed, she had once been unbridled in the harem, relying solely on the Emperor's favor. Without his favor, she didn't even have a child. The Empress Dowager, that old hag, was deeply dissatisfied with her; in this harem, she was truly isolated and helpless.
"I know you hate me, hate me for taking your position as empress and your husband, but what can I, a woman, do? The emperor loves me, can I resist him?"
Bai Yiran's attitude softened noticeably. The feeling of being isolated and helpless was too painful. Without the emperor, he had almost nothing. On the contrary, his half-sister, whom he had always looked down upon, held public power, had a son to rely on, and still lived comfortably without any favor.
More than a decade has passed, so whatever she says is what she says. Of course, she can push the blame onto Emperor Liang Yuan, since she's certain that Wu You won't go to Emperor Liang Yuan to question him.
“Sister, I have wronged you all these years, but I also relinquished the power of the palace to you and never touched it. Consider it my compensation to you. We are sisters. My mother has been dead for several years. Do you still hold a grudge against me?”
Wuyou taking the initiative to approach him is a way of showing weakness first, so it's not a big deal for him to say some soft words. With Wuyou's help, she can do more things without leaving a trace.
"Sister, you're joking. Sisters don't hold grudges overnight." Wuyou smiled and pursed her lips. She was the one who had seduced her brother-in-law for wealth and status, and she was clearly incapable of managing palace affairs, which was why she had to hand them over to him. Yet she spoke as if she had been wronged. Her rhetoric was quite skillful.
“I advise my sister not to harm Consort Rou. She bears a striking resemblance to you. As long as she is alive, the Emperor will never forget you and will always remember your kindness.”
Bai Yiran was taken aback by these words. She hadn't thought of that. Even so, she still didn't want other sluts to benefit from it.
"Does Sister want a child?" Wuyou put down her teacup, the clinking sound echoing around it. Bai Wuyou's hand trembled, and the teacup tipped over, spilling tea all over the floor, wetting her magnificent palace dress.
"What do you mean by that?" He had been in pain for a day and a night, but gave birth to a stillborn child. He never conceived again and gradually lost hope, thinking that he was destined to have no descendants.
Especially as the other women in the harem gave birth to children one after another, while he remained childless. Gradually, the emperor visited less and less, and she felt increasingly cold, spending her days sitting in the palace counting the bricks in the walls. Of course, she wanted a child; she was desperate for one.
"Consort Rou resembles my elder sister, so her child will likely resemble her as well." Wuyou's red lips curled slightly; leaving some things unsaid was a skill.
"You decide for yourself, sister!" She said, bowing and turning to leave without giving anyone time to react.
Su Yun's rise to favor was expected by everyone. The Emperor's lavish affection lingered in Cai Li Pavilion for a long time. In Cheng Qian Palace, Consort Zhao's brilliance was overshadowed by Su Yun. Every day, she watched the Emperor's carriage turn towards the side hall, gritting her teeth in hatred, and regretting more than once that she hadn't killed Su Yun in one fell swoop.
Wuyou also harbored resentment, but he could do nothing against her every time, like punching cotton, leaving him powerless. Helpless, Consort Zhao could only vent her resentment on the Empress. After all, the Empress had always been competing with him for the Emperor's favor. She was Consort Xian's sister, and Su Yun was favored because of the Empress. He had shot himself in the foot.
Although Bai is almost thirty, he is still easily provoked and can explode with strong reactions after just a few words. He is the person Zhaofei loves to satirize the most.
Surprisingly, Bai remained remarkably calm this time. No matter how much Consort Zhao provoked her, even resorting to the bombshell of their resemblance to mock her, she showed no reaction. Consort Zhao even saw a resemblance to Consort Xian in her, and couldn't help but sigh, "Truly, they are sisters!" She was filled with doubt.
Although Consort Zhao was domineering, she was not stupid and understood Emperor Liang Yuan's temperament well. Daring to harm him was like stepping on a landmine; not only would she lose his favor, but she might even lose her life.
While he admired Emperor Liang Yuan and wanted to control it, he hadn't completely lost his mind. Behind it were his family and relatives, and he couldn't let momentary jealousy ruin things. So, he could only provoke those who were out of favor.
The difference between being favored and not being favored is truly enormous. The emperor's favor, the servants' flattery, and the concubines' jealousy surround her like a profusion of flowers and a raging fire, firmly elevating Su Yun to a high position.
Within two months, Su Yun gained the Empress's exclusive favor, a privilege only Empress Bai Yiran had previously enjoyed, causing an uproar in the harem. In just two months, she was promoted to the rank of Consort, and smoothly rose to the position of Palace Mistress, moving from Chengqian Palace to become the Mistress of Changxi Palace.
Su Yun was proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and excelled in singing, dancing, and poetry. She was practically a younger version of Bai Yiran. Emperor Liang Yuan was infatuated with her and bestowed gifts upon her in abundance at Changxi Palace.
Pear blossoms are planted everywhere in Changxi Palace, adorning it with a snow-white world, and the delicate fragrance of pear blossoms fills the air. In the dead of night, under the cover of darkness, Su Yun, dressed in a light blue casual robe, sits before a mirror, admiring his reflection. Behind him, Xiao Die helps him tidy his long hair, which is adorned with a few flower hairpins, giving him a fresh and natural look.
"Ouch..." Su Yun winced in pain, his scalp tingling. Xiao Die had pulled his hair. He couldn't help but frown and glare at Xiao Die before remembering someone, "Why haven't I seen Bi Lan today?"
Bilan's skills are the best. He always asks her to fix his hair and makeup, but why can't he be seen today?
Xiaodie opened her mouth, but before she could speak, a palace maid rushed in and whispered, "Master, the Emperor has arrived!"
Before Su Yun could happily greet the girl, she continued, "But the Emperor went into Bilan's room."
Upon hearing this, Su Yun's face turned pale instantly.
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