When Luo Wanyi announced her pregnancy at this time, it certainly dampened the Ye family's spirits.
After Ye Xiaoyi was summoned to the emperor's bedchamber, the empress's anger completely dissipated.
She understood Luo Wanyi's meaning, and although she didn't explicitly say so, she didn't intend to do anything to her.
Luo Wanyi was not favored by the emperor, so her pregnancy was truly a matter of chance. Who would have thought it would be her?
“There should be rewards everywhere, Your Majesty, how should we distribute them?” Jiangxiang asked.
"Just follow the crowd. Don't worry too much about it. Just avoid sending things that are easy to make mistakes on," Yan Nangui said.
"Yes, when we get back, I'll prepare everything."
"Hmm." Yan Nangui chuckled softly, "Where do you think His Majesty is going tonight?"
“Well… logically speaking, we should go to Qiyun Pavilion.” Jiangxiang smiled as well.
"I wonder if the new bride resents her? For the sake of the child, Luo Wanyi has made quite a sacrifice, offending many people in the process," Yan Nangui said.
"Yes, there's really no need for that. There are princes now, but she's not favored and her family background isn't good either."
"No, in your opinion, what are the chances of the Empress giving birth to a legitimate son safely?" Yan Nangui asked.
Jiangxiang honestly shook her head.
"Yes, that's how everyone sees it. Why can't Luo Wanyi see it that way? If she gives birth to a son and gets close to the Empress, who knows what benefits she'll get in the future? If the Empress can't give birth to a legitimate son, which illegitimate son will she support? Even with the eldest son, wouldn't it be better to have an extra layer of protection? So, for Luo Wanyi, wouldn't having more options be a good thing?"
"Your Majesty is still young. The world has changed so much in the last few decades; who knows how it will end?"
Jiangxiang took a deep breath: "It turns out that I was thinking too shallowly."
The people in the harem were either as stupid as Consort Ye.
Or perhaps, appearances can be deceiving.
That night, Shu Chengfeng naturally went to Qiyunxuan.
Rewards were sent in like a flowing stream, after all, this was the first time in several years that someone had become pregnant again.
Luo Wanyi was also very happy and naturally hoped to give birth to a prince.
Regardless of their true intentions, everyone wore a congratulatory expression.
As for the new concubines, the Ye family members have already been chosen to serve the emperor.
The other three were of low rank and dared not say anything.
They could only accept their fate after their limelight was stolen.
From that day on, Luo Wanyi, citing the instability of her pregnancy, stayed home to rest. It seems she won't be going out for at least three months.
As the weather grew hotter, ice began to be used throughout the palace.
This is something that not just anyone can use freely.
In most places, only a small amount is distributed each day, and once it's used up, there's nothing left.
Unless you entertain His Majesty, you won't be able to benefit from it.
However, the main palaces are not lacking in any of them.
Zhaochun Palace will never lack these things if needed.
The cicadas were replaced with new icebergs and placed a little further away, lest the geese returning south be chilled by the cold.
"I heard that the two of you had another argument in Linhua Palace," Chanyi said.
“Ding Liangren’s temperament will never change,” Jiang Xiang said.
"They say it wasn't because of her this time, but because of Wu Baolin, who's no pushover either," Chanyi laughed.
"One is a promising new concubine, and the other is a concubine who has fallen out of favor. Why are they bickering?"
"They said it was because of the ice. For some reason, the Imperial Household Department gave Ding Liangren the same amount of things as Wu Baolin. Wu Baolin boasted about it a few times, and then a fuss broke out."
"The Imperial Household Department is very good at judging people by their appearance. I suppose Wu Baolin is quite the expert now?" Yan Nangui said.
"It must be, but Wu Baolin is also blind. Is this little bit of stuff worth it?" Jiang Xiang shook his head.
"It's quite unsightly that the two of them are arguing over this." Chanyi shook her head as well.
"Your Majesty, Consort Huo Zhaorong has arrived outside," the eunuch at the door announced.
Yan Nangui said, "Please."
She's been coming often lately, and Yan Nangui is happy to listen to what she has to say.
As for what she thinks, that doesn't matter.
"Greetings to my elder sister," Huo Zhaorong said with a smile.
"Sit down, you look hot," Yan Nangui said.
“My sister is shirking her duties, and there’s already such a big commotion outside,” said Huo Zhaorong.
"Hmm? Isn't it just about the Lin Hua Palace incident?" Yan Nan Gui said.
"Huh? What happened to Linhua Palace?" Consort Huo was stunned.
"Where are you talking about?" Yan Nangui asked with a smile.
"Oh, I just came back from paying my respects and went for a walk in the garden. I ran into Consort Xiao and Lady Xia. First, she and Lady Xia bickered, and she slapped Lady Xia. Then she ran into Consort Ye, who was out for a stroll. Consort Ye said they didn't know the rules and punished them by making them kneel together in the Imperial Garden. The sun is scorching today, and while they were kneeling there, she stopped people from reporting the news. I was lucky enough not to be punished, but she stopped me too." Consort Huo shook her head, looking speechless.
"But there are too many people in the garden, how can you stop them everywhere? After the Empress arrived, Consort Xia had already fainted from the heat. Sending her back now has alarmed His Majesty, and those others are all in Fengxiang Palace now. What happened at Linhua Palace?" Consort Huo asked.
Jiangxiang explained.
Huo Zhaorong shook her head: "These are all minor matters. I didn't see His Majesty when I came back, but I imagine this matter has angered His Majesty."
Sure enough, before the two had exchanged more than a few words, someone from Fengxiang Palace came to deliver a message that Her Majesty the Empress had invited all the concubines of the harem to the palace.
The southward migration of geese is so annoying.
Huo Zhaorong sighed, "If I had known this would happen, I would have gone with them. We've only been training our legs."
Regardless, the two of them went together again.
Shu Chengfeng sat there with a gloomy face, and Consort Ye and Consort Xiao were also sitting there, their expressions not good either. The concubines arrived one after another.
Once everyone had arrived, the Empress said, "I have invited you here because of something that happened today."
As she spoke, she gently waved her hand, and Su Jin relayed the story for her.
"These are trivial matters of the inner palace, and should not have troubled Your Majesty. But since they have, I would be grateful if Your Majesty would listen to them," the Empress said.
Shu Chengfeng nodded, giving her some face.
"Consort Ye, you punish people indiscriminately without distinguishing right from wrong, causing Lady Xia to suffer from heatstroke under this scorching sun. As a consort, you should set an example, but your actions are truly unacceptable. I hereby deduct a year's salary from your pay and order you to copy ten volumes of Buddhist scriptures. Do you have any objections?" In the end, the Empress's punishment was too lenient.
However, with the Empress Dowager present, she found it difficult to act.
Consort Ye wanted to retort, but when she met Shu Chengfeng's sudden gaze, she dared not speak.
"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty. I made a mistake in my haste."
"Since you know you've made a mistake, then properly copy the palace rules. These are not things a Noble Consort like you should be doing. If you still don't know what to do and what to say in the future, I can always replace you with another Noble Consort." Shu Chengfeng's voice was cold.
"Your Majesty... I..." Consort Ye's explanation was completely cut off by Shu Chengfeng's icy gaze.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will remember." Consort Ye said with a wronged expression, her eyes reddening.
No matter how wronged she felt, no one felt sorry for her.
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