"Indeed, His Majesty's passion when he saw the Consort that day made me blush just talking about it. That's true affection. Consort He even offered herself to him, but His Majesty didn't take a liking to her. She got away with it for nothing, but it served as a warning to the other concubines in the palace."
One of the palace maids said to Consort Rong, who was adjusting the phoenix hairpin in her hair, with great interest, "If you want to win His Majesty's favor, you should know who you are. Don't lose your dignity and become the laughingstock of the palace!" Her words made Consort Rong laugh so hard she was shaking.
"Nonsense! She is His Majesty's woman after all." Seeing the palace maid's feigned apology, Consort Rong glanced at the swaying Consort He and then said with a coquettish smile, "His Majesty must have been frightened. I will visit him later and tell him not to be frightened." She didn't even look at Consort He anymore and said slowly, "Today we are going to pay our respects to the Noble Consort. After the Noble Consort leaves the palace, I'm afraid it will be difficult to see her again."
She knew that the favored concubine was leaving the palace, and she had thanked countless gods and Buddhas for her sacrifice.
If the Imperial Concubine could be summoned out of the palace, then the remaining concubines would also be granted permission. They all gathered in Shen Wangshu's palace and even shed tears.
Shen Wangshu knew perfectly well that there was no sincerity in this, and she felt exhausted just thinking about these women who were still shedding tears.
She couldn't help but smile as she looked at the concubines below.
Her smile made the concubines below cry even harder.
"I thought you would be very happy to leave the palace." Shen Wangshu's fiery red fingernails shimmered faintly in the light. In that instant, the concubines below held their breath, fearing that this stunningly beautiful imperial concubine would become enraged and send them to their deaths.
Shen Wangshu herself was not in the mood. Although she knew that the concubines behind her back must be cursing and resenting her, she still felt a pang of sadness as she watched all the beautiful women in the palace wither away in this heartless harem.
"Let's call it a day," she said listlessly.
She was eager to get out, but how many women in the world would want to come in for even a one in ten thousand chance of receiving favor?
"You are willing to see me off today, that is your own choice," Shen Wangshu said coldly, lowering her eyes. "From now on, you should all behave yourselves."
She had almost finished packing her belongings. All the priceless treasures that Emperor Hui had bestowed upon her over the years were carefully prepared as part of her dowry. As for the remaining servants, apart from Ah Xiang who insisted on following her, she didn't want to bring anyone else along to avoid getting in her way.
With a touch of melancholy, she took one last look at the luxurious palace amidst the trembling silence of the other concubines. It was as if she were seeing the same noble consort from before, who lived alone in the cold, opulent palace, guarding her unwavering love, only to meet a tragic end.
A faint chill crept into Shen Wangshu's eyes, and she felt a pang of sadness.
Being misplaced in love can be so hurtful, even costing one's life.
When the imperial concubine passed away, was she already regretting that she had given her heart to a man who was not worthy of her?
“Consort He,” she said in a cold voice, “is a dishonest woman. You all keep a close eye on her.”
"Your Majesty is right. I even saw her trying to seduce His Majesty today, but His Majesty didn't take a liking to her." Consort Rong was already impatient and showing her reluctance. Besides, what if the Noble Consort was really moved and didn't leave the palace?
She quickly forced a smile and exaggeratedly described how Consort He had chased after Emperor Hui naked, before finally saying with satisfaction amidst the whispers of the concubines cursing Consort He for being shameless, "Perhaps she has been debauched for too long, but such licentiousness is truly laughable!"
Shen Wangshu glanced meaningfully at Consort Rong, who had specifically described how Consort He had seduced Emperor Hui.
Consort Rong was favored by the Emperor some time ago and then spent her days in front of him, which earned her a lot of ridicule. Now, she's going to use Consort He as a scapegoat.
"Constant dripping wears away a stone. If she were to strip naked in front of His Majesty every day, who knows if she would actually gain his favor?" Seeing Consort Rong's expression change slightly and her bow slightly to him, Shen Wangshu decided to lend her a hand and said with a smile.
"That shameless Consort He, she really did it!" Consort Rong was determined to crush Consort He first, or at least make Consort He's reputation in the palace infamous, even worse than her own, so she hurriedly said with a smile.
Seeing that Shen Wangshu looked disgusted when he mentioned Consort He, she changed the subject and started talking about other things. In the midst of their brief conversation, they heard a loud voice from the eunuch outside. Then, they saw Emperor Hui, dressed in a dragon robe, enter with a sad expression.
Looking at the aloof, languidly beautiful Shen Wangshu, he felt an unbearable heartache and couldn't help but shed tears. The supreme emperor shedding tears in front of his concubine made the other concubines extremely jealous, but what aroused even more resentment was the aloof concubine, whose expression remained extremely cold.
She watched the emperor weep before her without feeling the slightest bit of reluctance.
"I, I..."
"I should leave the palace." Shen Wangshu didn't even glance at Emperor Hui, finding his current reluctance utterly ridiculous.
She had only been in the body of the Imperial Concubine for a few days, which showed that what Emperor Hui was reluctant to part with was the former Imperial Concubine.
But if you couldn't bear to part with her, why were you so cold and cruel in trampling on the Consort's true feelings?
Why would someone risk the death of Consort He just to please her?
Now that I know I can't bear to part with it, it's disgusting.
"Don't go." Emperor Hui was hurt by Shen Wangshu's indifference and disgust. He was a little scared, but still held a glimmer of hope and pleaded softly.
Shen Wangshu ignored him and, with Ah Xiang hanging her head, walked past Emperor Hui and out of the palace gate.
She walked briskly in the warm sunlight of the Imperial Garden, her eyes fixed on the ever-approaching palace gates that represented her freedom and Ah Xuan's existence. She knew that behind her, Emperor Hui was helplessly following her, weeping, and that the concubines who wanted to please the emperor were also following her toward the palace gates. But her heart was empty, filled only with ease and joy, which made her unable to help but reveal a beautiful smile.
She walked very fast, but did not feel tired. She strode to the palace gate, but suddenly stopped.
She suddenly covered her mouth.
Beyond the fiery red palace gates and the long street, a handsome and tall young man, accompanied by a fiery red imperial carriage and countless jubilant people, stood in the sunlight. Upon seeing her, they smiled broadly at her.
“It’s time to go home,” he whispered to his only queen.
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