In the Queen's Jingyang Palace, concubines of all sizes sat together, all talking and laughing happily. However, in those smiles that were more beautiful than flowers, there were sharp cold needles.

If there was any difference in being a concubine, it was that she had less time to perform formalities in the harem. She found that although there were many women in the harem, not many of them were of high status. Emperor Chengxuan ascended the throne very early, and it had been nearly ten years since he ascended the throne at the age of eighteen. If you counted them carefully, the total number of women who had been favored by him in the harem was not that many.

Think about Liu Ziye in history. Within just two years of becoming emperor, he had tens of thousands of concubines in his harem. Compared with him, Emperor Chengxuan was simply the ascetic monk Liuxia Hui.

However, although there are not many women in the harem, each of them is absolutely a masterpiece with rare looks and temperament. No wonder her male colleagues in her previous life envied her for being an emperor. Not to mention the men, even she, as a woman, felt pleasing to the eyes when looking at this group of beautiful women.

The seats in the room were arranged in order of seniority, with Zhuang Yuyan sitting above Concubine Wang. Although both of them were concubines and Concubine Wang had more seniority than Zhuang Yuyan, Zhuang Yuyan had a title, so on this occasion, she had to be more respectable than other concubines.

Concubine Wang was a woman of few words. Even though she was ranked below Zhuang Yuyan, she did not show any dissatisfaction. She just sat there obediently, making it easy for people to ignore her.

On the other hand, Concubine Jiang Xian, who sat above Zhuang Yuyan, was more active and occasionally would pick up other women's conversations, which could be considered as a good maneuver. This woman seemed to be innocent.

However, sometimes women who seem to be innocent can be more ruthless than anyone else. Zhuang Yuyan has suffered at the hands of such people in the workplace, and since then she has developed the habit of no longer looking down on anyone.

"I haven't spoken to Sister Zhaopin since I came in. Are you all satisfied with the tea you are drinking now?" The Queen picked up the teacup. "Yesterday, a servant from the Palace Department came and said that this is the new tea produced in the spring. If it suits your taste, I will bring it to you later."

Is this a warning to herself? Even if she is favored temporarily, she is the master of the harem. Does she have to go through her hands no matter what? This tortuous thought really consumes her brain. Zhuang Yuyan smiled back, "I never thought that I would taste this year's new tea at the Empress's place today. This is really a blessing." She would not challenge the authority of the Empress without thinking. Not to mention that she is just an ordinary concubine who pleases Emperor Chengxuan in his eyes. Even if Emperor Chengxuan has some feelings for her, she will not be the first to speak out.

"Look at how sweet you are. Since you like it, just ask the servant beside you to take it away. It's only right to drink the tea. It would be a pity if it becomes stale tea," the queen smiled when she heard Zhuang Yuyan say this.

"Since the Empress has given it to my younger sister Zhaopin, she must not forget me. I will also be bold enough to ask for some today." Concubine Yan's smile was full of surprise. She was born in a humble family, so even if she was favored by the emperor, she could only be a third-rank concubine. But Zhuang Yuyan, because of her father's status in the court, was favored for only a few days and she climbed to the position of a concubine?

I thought he was just a fool, but he turned out to be a threat to me.

Consort Shugui was the most noble woman besides the Empress. She picked up the teacup with her fair and delicate hands and gently blew away the mist on the water. She took a sip and put the cup down. She wiped the corners of her mouth with her hand and said with a half-smile, "Your Majesty is still the best. I still have last year's Qingluo aged tea."

Zhuang Yuyan had no memory of Qingluo, but seeing the faces of the concubines who were filled with hatred and jealousy after hearing the word Qingluo, she knew that this tea must be very precious. This Concubine Shugui seemed to be enjoying herself, but in fact she was just showing off. She was also happy to watch these women compete with each other, which was better than being an actor in this play.

While the Empress was interacting with Consort Shu and Consort Yan, Ye Shurong, who was originally sitting next to Consort Ning, suddenly fainted, leaving all the women in the room pale with fright.

Doctor Yu was called in to take the patient's pulse, and the faces of the women in the room became even uglier, because Ye Shurong was already two months pregnant.

If a concubine of a lower rank was pregnant, the Empress and others would not be so embarrassed, because even if these women gave birth to the child, they could not raise it themselves.

But Ye Shurong was different. She was a second-rank official lady, and she had the right to raise her own child. There were only three princes and four princesses in the palace, and the status of the mothers of these princes and princesses was not high. If Ye Shurong gave birth to a prince, her status would be the highest, and the emperor would inevitably pay some attention to her. If...

"What do the people in the Imperial Hospital do? Ye Shurong is pregnant with a prince, and you take her pulse every two days. Don't you realize such an important thing?!" The Queen was upset and couldn't help but take it out on the doctors.

Everyone present knew that if Ye Shurong had not fainted today, this matter would have been kept secret for some time. It was also fitting that Ye Shurong was in bad shape, otherwise how could she be discovered at this time?

The two doctors who came to take the pulse were so frightened when they heard the Queen's accusation that they knelt on the ground. They knew very well the struggles in the harem, and today they were implicated innocently without even the chance to make excuses.

The empress did not really want to punish the imperial physician. She knew in her heart that it was Ye Shurong who concealed the matter. In the end, she fined the imperial physician two months' salary and then let the matter go. She also sent someone to inform the emperor about the matter.

Feng Jin had just returned from the morning court when he heard that Ye Shurong was pregnant. After hearing the eunuch's report, he showed some joy on his face, but it was not ecstasy. He ordered the reward to be given, but did not go to see Ye Shurong immediately.

When Gao Dezhong saw the emperor's expression, he knew that the emperor didn't care much about Ye Shurong. He followed him quietly without mentioning the matter at all.

After reading several memorials, Feng Jin suddenly looked up and said, "Little Gaozi, take the high-necked jade vase in my storehouse to the Queen, and tell her that I remember the hard work of managing the harem, so I gave it to the Queen to enjoy."

"I obey your order," Gao Dezhong had no idea what the emperor was thinking, so he just did what the emperor wanted. As a servant, he wasn't supposed to know anything else.

After Gao Dezhong left, Feng Jin put down the red seal in his hand, without any trace of joy on his face.

Since Ye Wange entered the palace, he neither doted on her nor neglected her deliberately, because there could not be another prince of Ye family blood in the palace. However, he did not expect that Ye was pregnant.

After writing a comment on a greeting letter, Feng Jin raised his voice and said, "Pass on my order to light the lights at Linyuexuan tonight."

According to regulations, the emperor should have gone to Ye Shurong's residence tonight, but he went to Yan Guipin's residence that night. This was undoubtedly a slap in Ye Shurong's face, and naturally made the women in the harem even more jealous of Yan Guipin.

Gao Dezhong outside the palace even wondered whether the emperor was really that fond of Concubine Yan.

If she was not favored, how could the daughter of a minor official climb to the position of a third-rank imperial concubine in just one or two years?

If it comes to favor, why should she be favored so ostentatiously? When her beauty fades and the emperor's grace is no longer there, how will Concubine Yan cope with the situation?

Gao Dezhong felt that he was thinking too much, and was startled, and retreated quietly.

"Your Majesty is going to Noble Concubine Yan's place tonight?" Zhuang Yuyan narrowed her eyes slightly when she heard Fubao's report, then smiled and said, "I know, please leave."

The drama in the harem is really exciting.