Jingqiu Pavilion is located in a remote place, giving people a gloomy feeling all year round, and it is even colder in winter. Therefore, for the concubines in the harem, it is a veritable cold palace.

The day Ye Shurong was demoted to a noble, she was moved here. She stood by the dusty window, and even when Ye Ronghua stood in front of her, her face showed no expression. Without her pearl hairpins and jade rings, she looked more fresh and beautiful than usual, but it was a pity that no one appreciated her beauty anymore.

Ye Ronghua looked at her mockingly and sneered, "You are used to acting like you don't care, but you forget that I have been your sister for many years, and I naturally know that the calmer your expression is, the more you care. You are used to acting. You have been a good daughter in the eyes of your parents since you were a child. After entering the palace, you also put on a virtuous appearance. Even when you plotted against me, you were so innocent and virtuous. I am really disgusted by your behavior over the years."

Lady Ye's expression finally changed. She looked at Ye Ronghua's mocking face, and her eyes were filled with anger. "Yes, I have been sensible and well-behaved since I was a child, but even so, my father and mother still favored you. Later, when I entered the palace, you still wanted to compete with me for favor. Even the emperor favored you more. I am not inferior to you, so why should I be inferior to you?!"

"So you used the miscarriage to plot against me. You are not only jealous of me, but also jealous of other favored concubines in the harem. Unfortunately, no matter how much you love the emperor, the emperor doesn't like you," Ye Ronghua raised his chin and sneered, "What do you compare with others? You always look like a wooden man. Even if I am a man, I don't want to look at you more. Even if you framed me and demoted me to Ronghua, it's a pity that you are still lower than me now, Mr. Ye!"

"Yes, I caused you to be demoted, but you treated the palace ladies harshly and were arrogant and domineering. Even if I didn't frame you, how long do you think you could stay in that position?" Lady Ye took off her virtuous mask, her face full of dissatisfaction with Ye Ronghua, "The emperor didn't like the child in my belly, and I was not favored, so the child was destined to die. I used a child who was destined to die to exchange for your defeat, why not?"

"How clean do you think you are?" Ye Ronghua snorted. "I don't know how Wangpin died, but I do. Wasn't it because she happened to see you framing me? How could she die of illness not long after? You should know that the Ye family's connections in the palace are not only for you, but also for me."

"My hands are not clean, but did you ever think of the Ye family when you framed me this time? You dare to push the crime of harming the royal heir onto me? What if the emperor gets angry and involves the Ye family?" Noble Ye pointed at Ye Ronghua, "You have been willful and reckless since you were a child. You have been in the palace for so many years but you still haven't changed your bad habits."

"You didn't think about the Ye family when you framed me," Ye Ronghua sneered, "We are just friends, so what can you do if you are jealous of me? In the end, I won this game."

Ye Guiren was irritated by Ye Ronghua's contemptuous look and raised his hand to hit him, but was pushed aside by Ye Ronghua. She leaned over and whispered in Ye Guiren's ear: "You said that I was willful and reckless, and hated me for using the relationship between Mu Yue and Xiao Ju to frame you, but do you know why Mu Yue admitted to it?"

"Because...she is mine. I already knew about your plot against me. Do you think I don't know that the emperor no longer likes us sisters? I just used your hand to retreat in order to advance. So today, I am a fifth-rank Ronghua and you are only a seventh-rank noble. Your status is still lower than mine."

"You!" Mr. Ye's eyes widened suddenly, as if he was meeting this person for the first time.

"The one who couldn't see clearly from the beginning to the end was you, not me." Ye Ronghua stood up and adjusted the silver hairpin in her hair. "It's getting late. I'll take my leave, sister."

Ye Ronghua walked out of the side hall and heard the sound of utensils being thrown on the ground. She turned around with a smile and glanced at the dark door behind her. She touched the jade earring on her earlobe and said, "Sister, you couldn't beat me when you were a child. Why do you think you can beat me now that you are in the harem?"

How could the emperor be sincere? Sister, you are foolish enough to fall in love with him, so you are doomed to fail.

"Master," the palace maid waiting outside saw Ye Ronghua walk out of the door and stepped forward to hold her hand.

"Let's go back to the palace," Ye Ronghua strode out of the gloomy palace and never looked back.

In Xihe Palace, Zhuang Yuyan sipped black chicken and white pheasant soup, letting Ting Zhu beside her angrily guess the reason why Noble Ye harmed her.

"This noble lady Ye is really sinister. She couldn't save her own child, so she wants to harm the master." Ting Zhu looked at Zhuang Yuyan, whose face was still a little pale, with concern. "What do you mean it's just the jealous palace maids? It was obviously her who instigated it. Fortunately, the emperor was wise enough to demote her position. Such a sinister person is not worthy of holding a high position."

Zhuang Yuyan put down the bowl, took the handkerchief from Yunxi's hand and wiped the corner of her mouth, "Everyone in the harem is sinister, so be careful in the future."

"Master is right," Yunxi glanced at Tingzhu, "Master's tonic is being stewed in the small kitchen, go and see if it's ready."

After Tingzhu left, Yunxi looked at Zhuang Yuyan with some confusion, "Master, why didn't you let Tingzhu know about this?"

"I brought her from the Zhuang family, so I can trust her," Zhuang Luyan looked at the steaming soup in front of her, "her mind is still a little simple, and she is not suitable for doing these." Ting Zhu followed the willful master of the previous owner, so her mind and methods are still a little immature. She didn't want such an important matter to be ruined in her own hands.

"But some of what Tingzhu said makes sense. I never thought that it would be Lord Ye who plotted against the master," Yunxi said with some emotion. "I have been in the palace for many years, but I never realized that Lord Ye was such a person."

"I don't know what kind of person she is, but this matter is not that simple," Zhuang Yuyan lazily put Mrs. Tang in her arms, "but I am satisfied with the result."

Yun Xi smiled when she heard this, "It has only been a year since my master entered the palace, and she has already been promoted to Xiuyi. This is extremely rare. It shows that the emperor has a deep affection for me."

It would be a joke for an ambitious emperor to have a woman in his heart. Zhuang Yuyan saw it clearly in her heart, and a hint of secret joy appeared on her face, "Yunxi, don't say that. The emperor is busy with all kinds of affairs, and there are countless concubines in the harem. How can I dare to hope for anything?"

Yun Xi added: "Master, you don't know that even Consort Shugui's promotion was not as fast as yours." She could see clearly that although each of her master's promotions was not particularly eye-catching, the frequency of promotions and the titles given by the emperor were enough to prove that the emperor valued her. "Master, although you have not been able to sleep with him in the past month, the emperor has never forgotten you and has been rewarding you continuously. Isn't that enough to show how much the emperor values ​​you?"

Before the master and servant could continue their conversation, Fubao walked in and said, "Master, Concubine Jiang Xian and Concubine Kong are here to pay their respects to you."

"Please invite them in quickly." Zhuang Yuyan stood up and took a few steps towards the door, then saw Concubine Jiang Xian and Concubine Kong walking in together.

She held out her hand to stop the two people who were greeting her. After they sat down, Zhuang Yuyan smiled and said, "It's cold, why are you two here?"

"The emperor ordered a few days ago not to disturb your rest, so we only came to visit you these few days," Jiang Xianpin glanced at Zhuang Luoyan's face. It had been more than half a month since the miscarriage. Her face had some color and she was in much better spirits, but her smile still carried some loneliness and reluctance.

Knowing how important children are to women, Concubine Jiang Xian said to comfort her: "You look much better. You need to take good care of yourself. I heard that the emperor asks about your health every day. Don't waste his love and care."

"Sister Lao was worried," a genuine smile appeared on Zhuang Lu's bare face, but her spirits were still a lot worse than usual.

Concubine Jiang Xian smiled bitterly in her heart. She was not valued by the emperor in the harem. Although Zhao Xiuyi and Xiaochan were pitiful, the women who had no favor were the truly pitiful. She came to visit Zhao Xiuyi today, and she couldn't tell what she was thinking. But now that she saw her, she realized that the women in the harem were all pitiful. They were just looking for someone to look good.

"My two masters, these are the snacks made by our new nanny a few days ago. Please try them and see if they suit your taste." Tingzhu came in with snacks and tea, bowed to the two of them, and then served them the snacks.

"But the food that the emperor specially gave to Zhao Xiuyi to nourish her body was made by the gourmet nanny?" Concubine Jiang Xian tasted a piece and nodded in praise, "It melts in your mouth, sweet but not greasy, and has a hint of jasmine. It really is a skillful hand."

"I am really benefiting from Zhao Xiuyi's help," Kong Cairen also praised, "Your Majesty is so concerned about Zhao Xiuyi's health, Xiuyi must take good care of her. A woman can't get back her health if she loses it now."

Zhuang Luoyan then twisted a piece of snack and swallowed it, "Sisters are so worried about my sister's health, and my sister understands in her heart, but she just can't let it go. Originally I was thinking..." She paused and showed a wry smile, "That's all. There’s nothing to mention, I just can’t let it go.”

"I told you that you will have our child. Why do you have to be depressed and hurt yourself?"

A deep male voice sounded at the door, and the three of them hurriedly stood up and said, "I have seen the emperor."

"No need to be polite," Feng Jin stretched out his hand to help Zhuang Yuyan up, "Why do you look so bad? Have you not eaten well these past few days?"

Zhuang Yuyan followed Feng Jin's hand and stood up straight. "Madam's cooking skills are very good. It's the emperor who is too worried about me."

"You also know that I am worried about you, so you should take good care of yourself and not think about the past," Feng Jin took Zhuang Yuyan's hand and sat down, looking at Concubine Jiang Xian and Concubine Kong, "You two should sit down too, are you here to visit Zhao Xiuyi?"

"Your Majesty, I just happened to meet Concubine Kong while watching the snow, and she invited me to come visit Zhao Xiuyi together," Concubine Jiang Xian answered carefully.

"Well, she's feeling better recently, so you guys can chat with her," Feng Jin nodded, and then said to Zhuang Yuyan, "I'm going to stop writing today, and the New Year will come in two days. There will be a palace banquet at that time, and I'm very busy. I'm afraid I can't take care of you all the time. You should take care of yourself and don't catch a cold."

"Your Majesty, you think I am a child," Zhuang Yuyan and Feng Jin intertwined their fingers and said with a smile, "Yunxi and Tingzhu are both considerate, so they would never treat me coldly. Your Majesty, please don't delay your meals and rest because of your busy schedule. You have lost some weight in the past few days."

"As long as you relax your mind, I won't worry about losing weight." Feng Jin pinched Zhuang Yuyan's cheek, his face full of doting.

Zhuang Luoyan glanced at Kong Cairen and Jiang Xianpin who were sitting on the other side and asked, "Emperor, is it really okay for you to flirt with another concubine in front of the other two concubines?"