According to Aruhan's opinion, no matter how close the emperor and the concubine were, it was impossible for them to explain everything that happened that night clearly.
She couldn't imagine how the Emperor would broach the subject. Would he ask the Imperial Noble Consort if she was the one who arranged it?
In Aruhan's mind, she was young and fresh, and the Emperor took her in without any further concern about her origins or reasons. Even if the Imperial Noble Consort was unwilling, she could only accept it reluctantly. No one else could possibly know the few words she and the Emperor exchanged in the small room.
But the Imperial Noble Consort found out.
And within just one day, the Imperial Noble Consort found out!
Aruhan couldn't understand it. Last night, the Emperor left her place late and was clearly in a bad mood. Even so, he could still have such private words with the Imperial Noble Consort.
She took a few steps, then stopped, instinctively turning back to ask Green Ice something, but when she turned and saw an unfamiliar face, Aruhan felt a lump in her throat.
Yes, she had to cut her tail to survive; her loyal little palace maid was gone, and she too was about to face being confined to her quarters.
She has only just arrived and has not yet been favored by the emperor, yet she is to be confined to her quarters. She will be released in three months. Will the emperor still remember her then?
No, this can't be done. She went to great lengths to become a noble person, not to be confined to her quarters copying some damn Buddhist scriptures!
"I would like to pay my respects to the Emperor," Aruhan said, biting her lip.
The palace maid following behind her was still in shock and instinctively refused, saying, "But Her Highness the Imperial Noble Consort said..."
"I am the Emperor's concubine, not the Imperial Noble Consort's concubine!" Aruhan said angrily. "Go and find out where the Emperor is!"
Unexpectedly, the young palace maid knelt down with a "thud," her eyes filled with terror: "Your Highness, according to palace rules, one cannot casually inquire about the Emperor's whereabouts..."
"Slap!" A loud slap rang out. Aruhan's delicate eyebrows were full of ferocity. But before she could say anything, she heard clapping not far away. She didn't react for a moment, but the little palace maid suppressed her sobs and tugged at her hem in fright: "Your Highness, the Emperor is here, the Emperor is here."
Aruhan was startled, then overjoyed. Without hesitation, she raised her hand and slapped herself across the face. Then, facing the approaching golden procession, she knelt down with a "plop" and silently shed tears.
At this moment, Aruhan was especially grateful to her mother.
Her mother was not a native Mongolian; her hometown was originally in Jiangnan, but she ended up on the grasslands by chance. Because of her beauty, her father took a liking to her and forcibly took her into his household. Following her mother, Aruhan really learned many useful skills.
She had it all planned out. When the Emperor saw her, he would definitely stop and say something. Then, seeing the finger marks on her face, he would ask questions. All she had to do was act weak and pitiful, cry a little, and firmly state that it wasn't the Imperial Noble Consort who did it, and that should be enough—
Um?
Has the Emperor walked past?
Didn't the Emperor see her?
Aruhan watched as the bright yellow boots embroidered with dragon patterns walked past her without stopping, as if she were not a person at all, as if she would never be discovered.
She was stunned. She subconsciously straightened up and called out, "Your Majesty!" But whether her voice was too soft or the Emperor was thinking about something else, the man walked past without even pausing.
He walked past...
The pain in her cheek was still there, but Aruhan felt like a fool...
She knelt there like a lost soul for a while, unwilling to think about whether the Emperor hadn't seen her or didn't want to see her. After a long while, she finally got up in a daze and was helped back to Suicheng Palace by a palace maid.
Yinzhen did hear someone call out "Your Majesty" only after he had walked over, but he hadn't paid attention and assumed it was someone unimportant, so he didn't turn around and only asked Su Peisheng to take a look.
Su Peisheng, being as shrewd as he was, had seen it as soon as he arrived. Now, he leaned close to Yinzhen and whispered, "This servant sees that it is Consort Ru."
"Oh?" Yinzhen narrowed his eyes and quickened his pace. "Ask Qingxue later. Your mistress can't be mistreated right now."
Su Peisheng: ...
If his eyesight wasn't failing him, Consort Ru was kneeling there with handprints and tears on her face.
But... how could a handprint be from the Imperial Noble Consort?
The Imperial Noble Consort was always the most disciplined. Even if there was a traitor among her own people, she would simply send the person to the Imperial Prison and do whatever she was supposed to do. She never beat or scolded the palace maids around her. If a noble lady were to receive a slap from the Imperial Noble Consort, she would truly be considered honored.
Su Peisheng was too lazy to investigate. Anyway, Consort Ru hadn't cried to the Emperor, so why should he care?
As the Emperor entered the Yanbo Zhishuang Palace, he did not see the Imperial Noble Consort. Su Peisheng asked Qingxue first and learned that the Imperial Noble Consort was still feeling unwell and had gone back to lie down after seeing everyone.
The Emperor entered the inner palace with a displeased expression. Su Peisheng didn't need to follow. He simply beckoned to Qingxue, called her over, and quietly asked about Consort Ru.
Qian Shengyan was leaning against the pillow reading a storybook. She used to have occasional menstrual cramps, which only happened when she ate something cold or got chilled. But this time, it was probably because of the medication that she was experiencing occasional abdominal pain.
In the morning, she was worried and angry about Ferguchun, and she also talked with Aruhan for a long time, which made her stomach uncomfortable. In the middle of summer, she insisted on covering her stomach with a thick blanket in the hope that it would make her feel better.
"Stomach ache?" Yinzhen knew immediately upon seeing her condition. He reached in and touched her stomach, then tried to rub it for her, but Qian Shengyan grabbed his hand and pulled him out from under the covers: "Your Majesty..."
"What? Didn't you beg me to rub your skin last time?" Yinzhen raised an eyebrow.
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