"I don't want to see anyone right now," Qian Shengyan said calmly.
Qingxue seemed to be taken aback for a moment before replying, "Yes."
A moment later, another report came: "My lord, the princess wants to take the seventh prince out to play."
"Hmm." Qian Shengyan continued to lie there, still doubting herself, but she didn't forget to instruct, "Have her bring more people."
"yes."
The world finally quieted down, and Qian Shengyan sighed, letting herself continue to sink into the darkness.
Hall of Mental Cultivation.
"Your Majesty, just now, Xiao Quanzi passed by the North Gate and saw Wang Baoen from Yongshou Palace escorting Lüyun out..." Su Peisheng said in a low voice while he was changing Yinzhen's tea.
Yinzhen paused in his vermilion brush: "Go and ask."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Su Peisheng bowed and went out. He returned shortly after and reported, "Luyun hid the thumb ring that His Majesty had previously lost. The Imperial Concubine found out, and she has now been sent to the Imperial Prison."
"Lüyun?" Yinzhen frowned and thought for a moment. "Is she one of the two maids who were added to her later?"
“Yes, and... the fact that Green Water, who lives with Green Cloud, is having an affair with her has been discovered by the Imperial Concubine. The Imperial Concubine has now ordered that Green Water be expelled from the palace.” Su Peisheng had already found out all the details. “In addition, Green Smoke is of marriageable age. She is a palace maid from the Upper Three Banners, and the Imperial Concubine intends to let her leave the palace to get married.”
"Hmm? Then Yongshou Palace will be deserted?" Yinzhen said, standing up. "Let's go take a look."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Su Peisheng followed behind Yinzhen. He knew it! He knew the Emperor would be worried and want to go and see. Fortunately, he had just spoken to Qingxue, and Yongshou Palace should have made preparations.
Meanwhile, in Changchun Palace.
"This servant begs Your Majesty, please spare my life..." Consort Xiang knelt on the ground, stammering as she kowtowed to Ulanara. But as soon as she kowtowed a little harder, her chin was forcefully grabbed.
Ulanara chuckled as she looked at her: "It doesn't matter whether you live or die, but don't ruin this face."
"Your Majesty, this servant is willing to do anything for Your Majesty, please spare this servant's life..." Xiang Changzai's tears flowed freely. She had also figured it out. Since it was the Empress who wanted her dead, she would beg for her life. What if the Empress changed her mind?
Ulanara snorted lightly: "Your life belongs to me. If I let you live, you live; if I let you die..." As she spoke, she bent down and got close to Consort Xiang's face, and said coldly, "Then you will die."
"Your Majesty..." Consort Xiang dared not resist at all. The overwhelming pressure from the superior made her only able to lower her head and weep. "Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
"With such a face, and the Emperor even finding out about it, you still dream of surviving outside the palace? Fool." Ulanara sneered, and seeing Consort Xiang crying again, she became even more impatient. "Go back, and don't come to Changchun Palace unless it's absolutely necessary."
Ulanara glanced at Consort Xiang with annoyance, and was about to wave her away when Consort Xiang suddenly raised her head again: "Does Your Highness want my life because of my face?"
"You are not worthy to ask me, get out." Ulanara's voice was cold, her tone not loud, but it was full of contempt.
Someone was already pulling on Consort Xiang's arm. Consort Xiang wanted to plead for her, but Ulanara had already gotten up and left her seat, saying to the maid next to her, "Let's change the color tomorrow. This nail polish doesn't look good."
...Her life is worth less than the color of a fingernail.
Xiang Changzai was heartbroken and despondent. She was dragged away in a daze and pushed and shoved as she staggered out of the gate of Changchun Palace.
She stood there blankly for a moment, looking at the high palace walls and the patches of sky that were divided by them.
Her home was in a mountain valley, where all she could see when she looked up were the sky and towering peaks. Although the sky there was also cleaved by the high mountains, it didn't feel cramped at all; instead, it felt even more vast and expansive.
She didn't want to go to the palace, she never wanted to go to the palace! Why, why...?
“It’s…it’s this…it’s because of this…” Xiang Changzai touched her face with trembling hands; this was the root of all the bad things.
Her parents wanted to marry her off to an old, wealthy businessman because of her face; the men in the village kept harassing her because of her face; she was forced into the palace and died because of her face...
Just because of this face, it looks like that person.
Thinking of Qian Shengyan, Consort Xiang strangely felt no resentment. She was a warm and kind person. Although she had been punished today, Consort Xiang had a feeling that if there was anyone in the palace who could help her, it could only be that person.
Unfortunately, she ruined everything herself.
If she hadn't resorted to such petty tricks and had directly sought help from Consort Xi, perhaps she might have had a chance to survive.
Xiang Changzai's tears flowed again. She had been crying for too long recently, and her eyes were stinging, but she couldn't care less at the moment. She touched her face with both hands and stumbled towards Zhongcui Palace.
Inside Yongshou Palace, Qian Shengyan was still holding her breath when she heard the announcement that "The Emperor has arrived."
...Here we go again!
Qian Shengyan struggled to sit up, and was about to get up to greet the emperor when Yinzhen strode in and stopped her: "Sit down."
"Why has Your Majesty come at this hour?" Qian Shengyan perked up and poured him tea, but Yinzhen grabbed her hand and said, "I told you, you should sit down."
With a quick glance, he could see that there were indeed fewer people serving inside and outside, and said, "I know about the thumb ring."
"Hmm..." Qian Shengyan didn't intend to hide it from him. She gave a wry smile, "I really never expected... it's been so long, and I didn't notice anything at all..."
"You're foolish to try and outsmart those scoundrels with your cunning schemes!" Yinzhen poked her forehead with a finger, making her cry out in pain.
Tears welled in her eyes as she touched her forehead: "Your Majesty...am I really that foolish?"
Yinzhen didn't answer her question, but gave her a meaningful look, as if to say, "You're only just realizing that?"
Qian Shengyan: ...
"It's alright, fools have their luck." Yinzhen thought to himself, with me protecting you, the worst that can happen is that a servant steals something from you.
Qian Shengyan stammered for a long time before finally managing to utter, "My palace is suddenly missing three people..."
"I'll have the Imperial Household Department choose a replacement for you. Don't get angry over those heartless people." Yinzhen held her hand, knowing she was in a bad mood. "Just smash and throw away that thumb ring. I have this one you gave me, and that's enough."
Qian Shengyan tilted her head and snuggled against him: "But, but I want to ask someone for help."
"Hmm?" Yinzhen patted her head, wondering if she actually knew any of the palace maids.
"Your Majesty, I do get along well with Consort Xiang, but she is a pitiful person. She has some bad habits that can be corrected. I would like to ask Your Majesty if she could move into Yongshou Palace... Now that the rear palace is empty, it would be suitable for her to live there, right?" This was a good idea that Qian Shengyan had just thought of. Although Consort Xiang was not a palace maid now, she was willing to insist on moving in. Wouldn't Yinzhen give her face?
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