Emperor Liang Yuan was captivated by Su Yun's appearance and impressed by his many talents; they shared countless common interests. Men are not only visual creatures but also value their own enjoyment, especially emperors with three thousand concubines in their harems; it's impossible for them to remain celibate for just one woman.
Aside from occasionally visiting the pregnant Su Yun, Emperor Liang Yuan's favor was mostly distributed among other women. Although Su Yun was somewhat heartbroken, she accepted it calmly. After all, the man he loved was an emperor; he couldn't possibly have only one woman.
He just needs to make sure that he is the most important person in the other person's heart.
The emperor's favor blinded him, making him unable to see himself clearly, but reality always brings people back to reality.
"Greetings, Your Highness, may Your Highness be well." A six-month pregnancy is enough to make a woman's figure heavy, and the loose palace dress could not hide her bulging belly. Her beautiful face was gentle and warm.
"Please rise, Consort Rou. There's no need for you to come and pay your respects while you're pregnant. The imperial heir is more important." Wuyou smiled. This was the first time she had spent time with Su Yun in private; they usually just exchanged glances.
"With Your Highness in charge of the inner palace, I dare not be negligent in the slightest. Moreover, if it weren't for Your Highness's help, I wouldn't be where I am today." Su Yun's face was lightly made up, her long hair was loosely tied up, and she smiled gratefully, her beauty unparalleled.
"These are all minor matters. Consort Rou should focus on her pregnancy and strive to give the Emperor another son. The more cries of babies in the harem, the more grateful you will be to me." Gently stroking the jade bracelet in her hand, Wuyou's tone was sincere, making it impossible to tell whether she was being genuine or not.
Su Yun was utterly astonished by these words, filled with nothing but suspicion. Was the Imperial Concubine joking?
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I am deeply grateful and will certainly take good care of myself during this pregnancy, striving to give birth to a healthy prince." Su Yun smiled, for who doesn't know how to say such high-sounding words?
"That's good. Now that you've given birth to a prince, I'll have someone to rely on." Wuyou picked up a handkerchief to wipe her mouth, and the words slipped out. As soon as she said them, she was surprised herself, covering her mouth in astonishment. She seemed to be wondering why she had blurted it out, and then immediately covered it up.
"Look at my mouth, sometimes I can be a bit outspoken. Consort Rou, please don't take it to heart. This child is yours, take good care of him, he will surely be filial to you in the future, and who knows, he might even have great fortune!"
Wuyou patted her mouth in a mocking manner, apologizing for her slip of the tongue. Her words implied that Su Yun shouldn't take it to heart, but how could Su Yun not? Her face remained smiling, but her heart was in turmoil.
They hadn't chatted for long when Su Yun, unable to contain his impatience, excused himself to carefully consider what Wuyou had just said. He believed that nothing was said without reason; since the Imperial Concubine had spoken so, something must have happened.
Watching Su Yun's hurried departure, Wuyou glanced at her sideways and casually ordered from the spot where she had just sat, "Throw all these things away! I don't want to see them anymore."
Upon returning to Changxi Palace, Su Yun ran into Bi Lan, who had become Consort Ling. They were sisters and lived in the same palace, but they had long since fallen out and their relationship was merely a facade.
"Greetings, Consort Rou. May Your Majesty be well." Dressed in a light green palace gown, Bilan was elegant and graceful, her bows flowing smoothly like clouds and water, a far cry from her former timid and submissive demeanor.
The jade hairpin in her hair swayed slightly, making her skin appear as white as jade, adding a touch of radiance to her delicate features. Because Emperor Liang Yuan often visited Su Yun, but she was pregnant and unable to serve him in bed, this benefited Bi Lan, who shared a room with her. Bi Lan successfully rose to the ranks of favored concubines, and within a few months, she was promoted from Ling Daying to Ling Changzai.
"Get up. Is your master going out? Is there something you need?" Su Yun raised an eyebrow and asked casually when he saw that the other party was dressed so formally.
"The plum blossoms in Fengyi Palace are in bloom, and Her Majesty the Empress is in high spirits, so she invited us concubines to a plum blossom banquet. Consort Rou is quite pregnant and it is not convenient for her to walk around much. I suppose Her Majesty the Empress took this into consideration, which is why she did not invite you."
Bilan's eyes gleamed with smugness. So what if you have a higher rank than me? You're still disliked by the other concubines.
"It's cold in winter, sister, you should go back and rest quickly, so as not to harm the fetus. The Emperor, the Empress, and even the Empress Dowager are all very concerned about this pregnancy, so it's best not to have any mishaps."
At this point, Bilan was also a little jealous. No matter how much she was favored, Su Yun was only a concubine and had not even been promoted to the rank of consort. Yet the three powerful figures in the harem paid so much attention to her pregnancy. How could she not be jealous?
Thinking of the rewards flowing into Changxi Palace like a river, Biyun felt a surge of resentment. "What's so great about that? Every woman can give birth. When I'm pregnant, I'll be even more glamorous than you."
What was meant unintentionally was like a thorn piercing Su Yun's heart, causing her intense pain, a touch of bitterness, and even more confusion.
I hadn't thought about it carefully before, but now that I do, I wonder why the three most powerful figures in the harem care so much about her pregnancy.
The Emperor's favor and concern for this pregnancy are not surprising, but she has no connection with the Empress and the Empress Dowager. What are they after? She has not forgotten how much the Empress hated her back then. How did she suddenly change her attitude?
She was over six months pregnant, and all the women in the harem quieted down, showing no interest in her belly whatsoever. Her days were filled with eating and drinking, everything proceeding smoothly and uneventfully.
Don't think he was unaware that although the Emperor's harem appeared peaceful, there was no shortage of infighting. Countless concubines suffered miscarriages, and most of the princes and princesses who were truly raised were born to high-ranking concubines, possessing noble status. Only Consort Xin's princess was born successfully and was subsequently adopted by Consort Zhao.
After she gained favor, she became the target of everyone in the harem. How could these women not be jealous and take action? Yet, she has been eerily calm lately, which makes people think deeply.
Su Yun was quick-witted and had a rather peculiar way of thinking. Suddenly, her face turned a little pale, and she had a vague guess in her mind. Too lazy to exchange any more pleasantries with Bi Lan, she casually said something and was helped back to the palace by Xiao Die.
"Your Highness, what's wrong with Consort Rou? Why does she suddenly look so pale?" Bilan's head maid asked curiously.
Su Yun's behavior just now was so unusual that even a blind person could see it, so it was hard for her not to be suspicious.
“…” Bilan remained silent, staring intently in the direction Su Yun had left with her almond-shaped eyes. Having followed Su Yun for so long, she knew Su Yun’s personality and methods well, which was why she was able to live in the same palace with her without any problems.
Such a brilliant change of expression has never happened to Su Yun before. Could it be that something big is about to happen?
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