The next day, Zhuang Yuyan took a sedan chair to the empress's palace to pay her respects. As soon as she arrived at the gate of the empress's palace, several concubines of lower status came over. When they saw Zhuang Yuyan, they came forward to pay their respects, and their attitude was two points more respectful than usual.

"My sisters, there's no need to be so polite. We are all sisters." Zhuang Yuyan got off the sedan chair and held out her hand for support. She didn't look arrogant at all, but no one present believed that this Zhao Chongyi was really so kind.

"Sister Zhao Chongyi loves and cares for her younger sisters, and we younger sisters must not forget our duties," the woman standing in the front said respectfully.

Zhuang Yuyan glanced at the woman. She was not very old and although she was pretty, she was not very conspicuous in the harem. Her words were flattering and had some unspeakable meaning.

"I have met Zhao Chongyi."

The voice beside her made Zhuang Yuyan understand why the talented person in front of her said this. She raised the corners of her mouth slightly, and her voice seemed gentler than usual: "Talented Ma."

Ma Cairen glanced at the palace maid who was paying respects to Zhuang Yuyan, and knelt down unwillingly to do so. The moment she lowered her head, she seemed to see the ridicule in the eyes of the other women around her, which made her feel even more embarrassed. However, when she thought that this woman had demoted her from a concubine to a talented person in just one night, she had no choice but to endure it.

"Okay, it's getting late, let's go in and pay our respects to the Empress," Zhuang Yuyan was not stupid enough to give Ma Jieyu a cold look at the door of the Empress's Palace. She wanted the Emperor to think that she was simple-minded, not willful and stupid. All men in the world have a common problem. They don't want women to be too smart to be controlled, but they also don't want women to be too stupid to be presentable.

Ma Cairen let the woman beside him walk past him with a mocking smile on her face. He stood there, letting the cold morning wind hurt his cheeks.

Concubine Shugui always arrived at the Empress' Palace neither too early nor too late. As she was walking on the sedan chair supported by the palace maids, she glanced at Ma Cairen standing in the corner, a smile of seeing a joke appeared on the corner of her mouth, and she walked into the gate without stopping, pretending not to notice Ma Cairen's greeting.

After entering the main hall, she deliberately glanced at Zhao Chongyi, who was sitting in the third seat on the right. After greeting the empress, she sat down in the first seat on the left and said with a smile, "Sisters all came early today."

Everyone present knew that Concubine Shu Gui's brother had impeached Zhao Chongyi's mother's family. Now Concubine Shu Gui's nonchalant attitude clearly showed that she did not take Zhao Chongyi seriously.

Zhuang Yuyan pretended to be unaware of the calculations of the people around her and lowered her eyelids as if nothing had happened. After all... women in the harem were not allowed to interfere in government affairs.

"It's getting colder today, but you sisters still got up so early to pay your respects to me. Thank you for your hard work," the Queen said softly at this time. "Heyu, bring some hot tea."

Concubine Shugui sneered in her heart. The Empress wanted to see some fun, but she also wanted to see if she was willing to act out this drama. What was a mere formality? The real thousand-year-old fox was the one sitting at the top.

The tea served by the palace maids was the latest tea from the Palace Department. The concubines of lower rank could not even get a handful of tea leaves, but the Empress used it to entertain guests. It was not known whether she had ulterior motives or was just being generous.

"Your Majesty, the tea here is really delicious." Concubine Xian took a sip of tea and praised it highly.

Zhuang Luoyan blew away the tea foam on the water, watched the tea stems floating in the water, and curled her lips. Concubine Xian has always been of the same lineage as the Empress, so the flattery sounded as if it were true. Although this tea is expensive, it is not rare. Could it be that Concubine Xian does not have some in her palace?

"You have always loved tea. Let Heyu bring some to you tomorrow so that you won't be thinking about me all day long." The Queen did not hide her closeness to Concubine Xian in front of the concubines. She just changed the subject and turned to Zhuang Yuyan.

"I heard that Ma Cairen offended Zhao Chongyi yesterday, and I have asked the Palace Department to suspend her salary for half a year. You have always been kind, so you don't have to be so calculating and lose your status." The Queen wiped the corner of her mouth with her hand and smiled again, "Although everyone here is a sister, there are still some rules that cannot be avoided. It is a taboo in the harem to offend the superior and take advantage of the favor to be arrogant. Ma Cairen's behavior yesterday is absolutely unacceptable, and you should remember it."

Being arrogant because of being spoiled?

Where did Ma Cairen get his favor?

The concubines knew clearly that the Queen was not referring to Ma Cairen when she said this. Who knows who she was talking to? Although they thought so in their hearts, they all agreed with her. No one looked at Ma Cairen who was looking pale in the corner.

Zhuang Yuyan sighed at the Empress's behavior of bringing hatred upon herself. Her words were obviously referring to Concubine Ma, but inwardly she was accusing her of taking advantage of her favor and becoming arrogant. As for reminding everyone not to commit crimes against their superiors, that's just a matter of opinion. Anyway, the Empress is the master of the harem, and apart from the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, no one is above her.

The Queen Mother had rarely shown up in the harem since the last lightning incident, so as usual she was exempted from the greetings from everyone. So when she came out of the harem, her daily work was completed.

"Sister Zhao Chongyi was wronged yesterday." Concubine Shu Gui held the hand of the palace maid and smiled lightly, "I have a hundred-year-old ginseng in my palace. I will have someone send it to you to replenish your blood and qi later."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. I am not wronged as Your Majesty and Your Majesty love me." Zhuang Yuyan knelt down to express her gratitude, sneering in her heart. She was afraid that the more she ate this hundred-year-old ginseng, the more she would get irritated.

"It's naturally good to have the emperor's favor," Concubine Shu Gui sighed softly and sat on the sedan chair, "but some flowers are like fireworks at night, dazzling when they are in full bloom, but silently when they wither. Sister Zhao Chongyi, don't you agree?" After saying this, she raised her hand lightly, and the sedan chair was lifted steadily. Concubine Shu Gui closed her eyes and didn't look at the group of women kneeling behind her.

Zhuang Yuyan held Tingzhu's hand and stood up straight, looking in the direction where Concubine Shu Gui left, looking at the magnificent procession of Concubine Gui, and slightly lowered her eyelids.

Ting Zhu looked at his master worriedly, but when he saw a hint of smile on the corner of her mouth, his heart suddenly felt cold for some reason.

In the cold season, only withered lotus leaves were left in the lotus pond. Zhuang Luoyan stood beside the lotus pond, looking at the withered lotus leaves in the water. She refused the cloak offered by Yunxi, sat down on a stone bench nearby, pointed at the water and said, "This lotus pond is beautiful in summer, but it's just like this in winter."

Yun Xi smiled when she heard this and said, "My Lord, although the lotus cannot bloom all year round, it does become more beautiful every year. Tomorrow I will have someone clean up the dead leaves and stems, and next year's bloom will surely be more beautiful than this year."

"Yes, although this flower is beautiful when it blooms, fortunately it is not a delicate flower. It is better for a flower not to be too delicate." Zhuang Yuyan sighed in her heart. After the delicate flower bloomed for a season in this palace, it might not be possible for it to bloom again.

"I have seen Zhao Chongyi."

When Zhuang Yuyan heard someone paying respects to her, she turned around and saw a woman who looked familiar. She seemed older than her and was not dressed like a high-ranking concubine. She felt a little puzzled. What was the purpose of this person coming to pay respects to her?

"There's no need to be so polite, Ms. Kong," Yun Xi was very good at observing people's words and expressions. In addition, she and Ting Zhu were the favorites of Zhao Chongyi, so extending a hand to help Ms. Kong actually showed Zhuang Luyan's courtesy to her.

When Yun Xi opened her mouth, Zhuang Yuyan remembered who this Concubine Kong was. On the night when the Third Prince passed away, Concubine Kong begged for mercy for most of the night, but she did not get to see the Third Prince for the last time. Instead, she was punished by the Emperor to kneel for three hours. She remembered that when she left that night, Concubine Kong's eyes were terrifyingly silent, but at this moment, she did not show any trace of the madness she had that night, and seemed extremely docile.

"Xie Zhao Chongyi." Concubine Kong looked to be no more than twenty years old, which was still the best age in later generations. Even now, she was about the same age as Concubine Shu Guifei. However, Zhuang Yuyan could not see any vitality in her eyes at first glance. She looked dull and pale.

After Kong Cairen stood up, she said, "I thought no one would come to this pond of withered lotus, and I didn't expect to disturb Zhao Chong's elegant mood."

"Even a withered lotus has its own unique beauty. Kong Cairen is an elegant person, but I'm sorry to indulge your interest." Zhuang Luyan smiled indifferently and motioned Kong Cairen to sit on another stone bench.

Kong Cairen sat down on the cushioned stone bench and scanned the face of the gentle Zhao Chongyi. This person was a legend in the harem. She was originally forgotten by the emperor and hated by the empress, but she unexpectedly regained favor, even less than the popular Concubine Yan Guipin. She heard that Zhao Chongyi was beautiful but lost the emperor's favor because of her arrogance. Now it seems that the rumor is not true.

"Since Zhao Chongyi knows that withered lotus has its own beauty, I think she is also an elegant person," Kong Cairen's eyes moved, falling on the withered leaves on the water, "I am a vulgar person, but my sister likes cool things, so I just took a few glances on her behalf."

Zhuang Yuyan never thought that Kong Cairen would suddenly mention her sister. She was slightly surprised: "You two sisters have a very good relationship."

Kong Cairen smiled when she heard this, "I and my sister are born from the same mother. My father sent me to the palace when the emperor was still a prince. My mother was born in a lowly family and was a concubine. The emperor took pity on me and my sister and gave me the title of a talented woman. Only when my mother passed away could I be buried in the clan tomb..." She paused, as if she had thought of something, and smiled bitterly, "I am rude to say this in front of Zhao Chongyi."

Zhuang Yuyan thought of the emperor's indifference to Kong Cairen that night, and somewhat understood the meaning of Kong Cairen's wry smile. She smiled and said, "It's okay. There's nothing wrong with sisters talking about personal matters."

The woman in front of him smiled dignifiedly and generously, with an indescribable charming beauty. Kong Cairen's heart trembled. With such an attitude, it was no wonder that she regained the emperor's favor. He wanted to speak again, but he heard three claps of hands coming from not far away.

Holy Driving?!

Kong Cairen was startled and quickly stood up and knelt down obediently, not even daring to raise her head. As the footsteps got closer, she saw a pair of bright yellow shoes stopped not far to her left.

"It's so cold, why are you here, my beloved? What if you catch a cold?" The emperor's voice was very gentle, so gentle that it seemed unreal. Even when she had just entered the palace and received the emperor's favor, she had never heard the emperor speak to her in such a tone.

"How could I be so delicate? Does Your Majesty think of me as a delicate flower that cannot be touched?"

"My beloved concubine has the appearance of a delicate flower, but she doesn't behave like a delicate flower. I am very pleased with her."

It turns out that the emperor can be so easy-going sometimes. How many concubines dare to speak to the emperor like this? Is Zhao Chongyi really ignorant or has she forgotten her duty by relying on the emperor's favor?

"Since you like lotus, I have a jade lotus with me. Let Gao Dezhong take it to Xihe Palace, so you don't have to sit in front of the withered lotus in the cold." Feng Jin stretched out his hands to hold the pair of soft hands in front of him. The slightly cool body temperature made him frown, but he did not let go. He turned to look at Kong Cairen who was bowing to the side, and said in a calm tone, "You can leave. I have Zhao Chongyi to serve you here."

"I'll take my leave." Kong Cairen lowered her head and retreated, walking behind a rockery. Through the gaps in the rockery, she saw the emperor, who was high above, being pulled on the sleeve by Zhao Chongyi, and the tassels on the emperor's crown shook because of this action.