It's not just hopeless; this is even worse than the Third Prince's behavior.
Inside the Beichen Palace, Consort Jin wept uncontrollably.
"Your Majesty, I am guilty, but I am truly heartbroken. I have truly regarded the Fourth Prince as my own child. Yes, with Consort Rong around, I have lost my mind. Those words were just an outlet for my emotions, nothing excessive. I only wanted to tell her not to interfere. Your Majesty has not established a Crown Prince, and I only wanted... to support the Fourth Prince. Over the years, every time I think of the Seventh Prince, my heart aches as if it were being torn apart. Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I truly know I was wrong. I really didn't know she would be so distraught as to commit suicide..."
Shu Chengfeng looked at Consort Jin for a long time before saying, "You're still thinking about the Seventh Prince?"
"Yes, not a day goes by that I don't think about it. I know I'm unlucky and couldn't keep that child, but it was my child with His Majesty. His Majesty has many children and many concubines. Perhaps he doesn't care much, but I've never been favored. It was just that one child of his own."
"Your Majesty, from the moment I entered this palace, my heart and eyes were filled with you, but you never saw me. I was so happy to have your child, so incredibly happy, but I was so afraid of losing him that I couldn't keep him. Over the years, I've hated myself so much. One day, when I saw the Fourth Prince, I suddenly thought, if my child could grow up, he would have such features... Waaah, I really miss my child so much."
"Consort Jin, your father is getting old. I can't bear to cause this old minister any more grief." Shu Chengfeng's eyes were cold. "Therefore, I will not demote you. You will remain Consort Jin. You haven't accomplished much these past years. I know that. As for the child, you don't need to mention him. You are not blessed with him."
"Your Majesty... I thank Your Majesty..." Consort Jin was heartbroken.
Yes, she was trying to survive, but she really thought about that child every day; she was the child's biological mother.
"Your Majesty finds me an eyesore now, but I truly love Your Majesty, and I truly regret not being able to save that child... It doesn't matter if Your Majesty dislikes me. But Your Majesty... in the future, when you think of me, please don't only remember all the bad things about me..."
"Alright, go back now. There are some things I can find out, but I simply choose not to pursue them. If you understand this, then behave yourself from now on. For your father's sake, I will ensure your safety and well-being. However, if you can't remember my words, then you should at least remember the fate of Consort Ke Hui." Shu Chengfeng said calmly.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Consort Jin knew that nothing she said could evoke any pity from this man.
Because he has never liked me.
Back at Liuyun Palace, Hongchou and Lüyu both breathed a sigh of relief; His Majesty's intention was to not pursue the matter further.
Whatever else happens, we won't pursue it further.
As for falling out of favor, the Empress had already fallen out of favor long ago.
Life will just be like that from now on.
"With a woman like the Empress around, it's difficult for any ambitious concubine in the harem to rise to the top. She's too formidable." Consort Jin lay on the couch in the outer room and laughed. "If the concubines can't rise to the top, how can the princes? After all, they're not like His Majesty back then, who had the Ye family's support and was also the legitimate son. Nowadays, the princes don't even have the confidence."
"Your Majesty, you..."
“Me? What can I do? I said I would listen to the Empress, and I will definitely listen to the Empress. It's just that I'm thinking, His Majesty didn't think of this. Men and women think differently. He didn't realize that it's because the Empress is too domineering that the princes are even more anxious.”
"The Empress is so hard to please. From beginning to end, she has never shown any favoritism towards any of the princes. All the concubines in the harem are anxious, do you think the princes are anxious too?" Consort Jin sneered: "It's good that I'm out of there now. I want to see which one of them will be able to break out in the future."
After saying that, she closed her eyes, as if she was tired.
In the evening, His Majesty arrived at Zhaochun Palace.
"You know that Consort Jin came to see me today."
"So you know she came to see me, right?" Yan Nangui asked in return.
"What did you say to me?" Shu Chengfeng asked instead of answering.
"Tsk. Just like I told you." Yan Nangui chuckled. "Her father is the general guarding Bailu Prefecture, and she even gave birth to a prince. What can be done about her?"
Shu Chengfeng suddenly laughed, took her hand and gently squeezed it: "You."
"Huh? What's wrong with me?" Yan Nangui asked, puzzled.
"You are very good, excellent. I don't need to worry that you have anything you don't tell me."
The wild geese fly south, shrugging their shoulders.
She smiled and thought to herself, no.
No, Shu Chengfeng. I'm not hiding everything from you. It's just that you can't see through my deception.
I am too selfless. But my selflessness means I never allow myself to suffer any injustice.
That's just how I am—I don't suffer losses, I don't hold back, I don't compromise, but I'm willing to consider the big picture, so that you'll feel that I won't deceive you or hide anything from you.
However, women in the harem who are truly selfless, never hide or deceive, and are completely sincere and without any scheming will not survive.
So I won't hurt you, but I can't guarantee anything else.
"What are you thinking about?" Shu Chengfeng squeezed her hand again.
“I’m thinking about how good you’ve been to me. Trust me,” Yan Nangui said.
"Really, what's there to think about? It's been so many years."
Yan Nangui got up, sat on his lap, and hugged his neck: "You're so good. Liking you is the best thing I've ever done. Hmm, back then, when I wanted to enter the Crown Prince's residence, it was to seek refuge. But once I entered, I felt like fate had smiled upon me. I liked you at first sight, and I still do now. But when you were the Crown Prince, ah, the first time I saw you, you were so handsome back then."
The eighteen-year-old crown prince is so handsome.
Now, nearing forty, it's inaccurate to say I look good anymore.
However, his charisma still captivates people.
Coupled with his mature demeanor and the majesty of being an emperor for many years, he appeared even more extraordinary.
Yan Nangui looked at his eyes, which were no longer so golden due to his age, and smiled.
Even in the setting sun, his hair still retained a deep golden hue.
She held his head and chuckled softly, "Shu Chengfeng, you're such a good person. At least to me, you're exceptionally good. Especially, especially good."
Shu Chengfeng didn't say anything, he just hugged her waist.
then.
Back then...
He didn't quite remember what he was like back then, nor did he think about it much. But he did remember that she had liked him very much from the very beginning.
Then, His Majesty, who was being held, also laughed.
A relaxed laugh.
Standing at the door, Yun Ji thought, "With so many troubling things going on, His Majesty can still laugh so easily. It's clear that the Empress really knows how to appease him."
Indeed, Her Majesty the Empress's methods, her demeanor, and everything about her is unmatched by any of the concubines in the harem.
That's why she was able to become Empress despite being a second wife. His Majesty never cared.
What is most admirable and worthy of Yunji's respect, compared to His Majesty's indifference, is that the Empress herself never seems to care.
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