"Oh my, sister! It's been so long since I've seen you! You look radiant even though you just gave birth!"
The person who arrived was Liu Ruhua; her voice could be heard from a great distance.
"Ziling, go make some tea!"
"Yes, Consort Mu!" Zi Ling deliberately called out Consort Mu's name, her voice so loud that Consort Liu seemed afraid she wouldn't hear her.
Consort Liu swayed her hips as she entered, ignoring Ruan Yu Mu completely, and sat down directly.
"Your Highness Consort Mu, I see that your palace is short of servants. Would you like some transferred from my palace?" Liu Ruhua looked around. Although Chengen Palace had gained favor, it didn't seem like much.
"Then I'll thank you for your kindness, elder sister. However, my Chengen Palace is really too small to accommodate so many people. Unlike your palace, elder sister, the monthly allowances for the harem are not that important to you at all. We are different; we have to live within our means."
Liu Ruhua looked at her with disdain. She really came from a humble family; even after entering the palace, she was still reluctant to spend money.
"In that case, I won't make any further arrangements for my sister, lest she feel it's too much."
Liu Ruhua held a handkerchief in her hand and fanned herself intentionally or unintentionally. "Oh dear, sister, what's that smell in the palace? You just gave birth, you should really get rid of the smell. I brought you some ambergris that the Emperor bestowed upon you today. You can use some when you feel better."
"Oh my, sister, you're so generous to me! You're even willing to part with a gift bestowed by the Emperor." Ruan Yu Mu knew that Liu Ru Hua never gave things away for no reason. This ambergris must have some serious problems.
Ruan Yumu waved his hand, "Ziling, quickly accept it, and don't let down Consort Liu's kindness."
"Yes, Consort Mu!"
Liu Ruhua began to drink her tea by herself. The two sat there awkwardly.
Ruan Yumu leaned against the bedside, "I haven't seen the eldest young master yet! Why don't you have the wet nurse bring him up so I can see him?"
"The child has just been born and is probably too shy to see strangers. Let's wait until he's a little older," Ruan Yumu politely declined.
Liu Ruhua started talking about some trivial things. After chatting for a while, she realized it wasn't very interesting.
Then they left.
The concubines from various palaces also began to come to Ruan Yu Mu's place one after another to give gifts.
After a while, she got tired of it and told Ziling to just go through the motions.
It's really meaningless!
When a wall falls, everyone pushes it down; now that it's in a good position, everyone rushes to join in.
Chengen Palace returned to a brief period of tranquility.
As night fell and the city lights came on, Ruan Yu Mu didn't care which concubine Qi Jingxuan had favored tonight. She only wanted to live her own life.
"Miss, I've found it!" Zi Ling said softly as she knelt down as soon as she entered.
"Tell me what happened."
Zi Ling, who was kneeling on the ground, moved to Ruan Yu Mu's side. "Rong'er originally wanted to go to the Empress's palace, but Xia Mu refused. It seems that staying here will eventually be a disaster. What do you think, Miss?"
"I don't think so. A wise bird chooses a good tree to perch on. She hasn't left yet, has she? Let's keep her here and see. What about the others?"
Zi Ling shook her head, indicating that Ruan Yu Mu was fine.
"Zi Ling, there is one more person who has not arrived today!"
"Are you referring to Consort Wanrong, Chu Yue, from Chengfu Palace, young lady?"
Ruan Yumu looked at her and nodded with a half-smile.
Chengfu Palace.
"Qiao'er, I've miscalculated. That wretched woman has become a concubine. I'm about to give birth, so perhaps..." Chu Yue gestured for Qiao'er to come over and they began to discuss countermeasures.
The next morning, as dawn was breaking, Chu Yue got up early to prepare to go to the Empress's palace to pay her respects.
As usual, all the sisters were present, but Chu Yue was heavily pregnant and hadn't been invited before.
Even the newly arrived concubines didn't recognize her.
"Long live the Empress!"
"Get up, everyone. Oh dear, Natsume, quickly help Consort Wanrong up. I didn't expect Consort Wanrong to come today!" The Empress had granted her special permission not to come and pay her respects, and she was still quite surprised to see her.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Seeing that Natsume had come over to help her, Chu Yue immediately straightened her back, supporting her large belly as if she were showing it off.
"Serve tea!!"
"Sister Chu Yue! Why is your tea just plain water?!" Qiao Siyu, that brainless beauty, saw it and then shouted it out loud.
Upon seeing this, the Empress coughed twice, "Consort Wanrong is about to give birth and cannot drink things like herbal tea."
Before Chu Yueren even sat down, she was already staring at Li Meiren's belly.
It's strange, really. The Emperor favored all the concubines equally, but one of the Empress's dowry maids got the better of him. She got pregnant after just one night of his favor on their wedding night!
She glanced at Consort Li's belly, which was three months along and still looked unremarkable. Originally, she had planned to trip and fall while trying to get closer to the Empress, but now she had other plans in mind.
"The chrysanthemums will soon be past their prime; if you don't admire them now, they'll be gone!" The Empress reminded everyone, urging them not to just sit there idly, but to go for a walk.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I've heard that chrysanthemums can be used to make tea. Why don't we have the palace maids pick some?" Liu Ruhua suggested. Ever since the Empress arrived, Liu Ruhua had been flattering the Empress to the skies every time she came to pay her respects.
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