The ivory plaque representing Zhuang Yuyan's identity had long since changed from wood to white jade. This thing alone represented her promotion in the harem.
The old eunuch in charge of making ivory plaques in the Palace Department took the water-white jade sent by her superiors, stroked the surface of the jade, and said with some emotion: "In just a short period of time, the white jade has been changed to water-white jade. This master is really the most favored concubine in the harem?"
"Shui Baiyu, doesn't this require a master of the rank of Zhaorong or above to use?" The old eunuch's apprentice was a little surprised, "Could it be that another lady in the harem is going to be promoted to a concubine?"
"Besides that person, who else has this ability?" The old lady eunuch looked in a certain direction, and seeing that the young apprentice seemed to want to say more, she said with a sullen face, "Why are you curious about these things? Why don't you do anything?"
"These days, I feel that the harem is getting more and more deserted," Concubine Shugui sat on the vermilion corridor, looking at the autumn scenery in the garden nonchalantly, "I don't know if the people in the harem have changed, or if my mood has changed."
"Sister, why are you so sentimental?" Su Xiuyi peeled a longan nonchalantly, "In my opinion, there are fewer people in the harem. Because of some people, the harem is filled with smog and miasma."
Just as Su Xiuyi finished speaking, she heard a gentle voice behind her.
"I have met the Empress Shugui and Su Xiuyi."
"Hey, isn't this Qian Wanyi, the new lady from Changtian Building?" Su Xiuyi threw the half-peeled longan aside and put her hands into the clean water brought by the palace maid. While washing her hands, she said, "A few days ago, I saw that the rash on your face was very scary. Now you look like a lotus flower emerging from the water. It seems that you have recovered well."
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. The doctors at the Imperial Hospital have brought me back to health with their amazing skills. I am now fine. Moreover, tomorrow is Zhao Xianrong's birthday, so how can I miss her?"
"So, you can be absent from Concubine Shugui's birthday?" Su Xiuyi snorted coldly, looked at Qian Wanyi's confused expression, looked away and raised her voice, "Or, in your heart, Concubine Shugui is not as noble as Zhaoxianrong?"
"Well, we are all sisters serving the emperor, so what's so noble about it?" Concubine Shu looked at Qian Wanyi who wanted to explain, "Qian Wanyi didn't come to my birthday, probably because she hasn't recovered yet. Now that Da'an is back, it's natural for her to go and celebrate Zhao Xianrong's birthday."
"Your Majesty, please be wise," Qian Wanyi bowed to Concubine Shu Gui, "I have no intention of offending you."
Concubine Shu Gui glanced at Qian Wanyi carefully and smiled gently: "Okay, I know, you can go down."
Watching Qian Wanyi leave, Su Xiuyi said unwillingly, "Sister, why did you let her go?"
"If I don't let her go, will I punish her?" Concubine Shugui's face was no longer smiling. "Let's not talk about how much favor she has in the Emperor's heart now. Tell me why I would punish her, because she wants to go to Zhao Xianrong's birthday banquet?"
Before Su Xiuyi could speak, Concubine Shu Gui sneered, "Do you think Zhuang Yuyan is still the same Zhuang Yuyan? Take a look at how the Empress and Concubine Xian Gui treat her, and you will understand what position she holds in the Emperor's heart."
"But sister, you are the most favored one in the harem, why do you have to give in to her?" Su Xiuyi was a little unwilling, "Who is Zhuang Yuyan?"
"The most favored?" Concubine Shu Gui's eyes dimmed slightly, and then she sneered, "Maybe."
Only she knew that the emperor's treatment of her now was not as good as before.
The two had not sat there for long when they saw a group of people slowly walking towards them. When they got closer, they found that it was So Hyun-yong whom they had just talked about.
After the greetings, Zhuang Yuyan sat down on the right side of Concubine Shu Gui, looking at the vermilion pillars on the corridor, smiling without saying a word.
"Tomorrow is Zhao Xianrong's birthday. How do you still have time to go out?" Concubine Shugui looked at Zhuang Yuyan lazily. She was wearing a soft silk dress with dark flowers. The color was not bright, but it did have an indescribable exquisite taste.
"Although it is my birthday, I am free because the Emperor and the Empress love me," Zhuang Yuyan said with a genuine smile, "The Empress even said that I have been feeling unwell lately and I need to walk around more."
On the eve of her birthday, she said that her health was so poor that she needed to walk more. The empress really cared about all the concubines in the harem without any taboos.
Concubine Shugui looked at Zhuang Yuyan who was smiling with complete ignorance. Could it be that it was her ignorance that the Emperor liked?
Zhuang Yuyan seemed not to notice the look in Concubine Shu Gui's eyes and just smiled gently.
When Su Xiuyi saw her like this, her eyes changed, but this time she did not deliberately say anything embarrassing to her. It was rare that she could see the situation clearly and endure it.
"The Emperor has arrived!"
Zhuang Yuyan stood up and saw that the emperor had changed out of the dragon robe he wore in the court and was wearing a Sichuan embroidered gold dragon robe with auspicious patterns on it and a nine-dragon gold crown with pearls on his head. He looked a little less dastardly than when he was wearing the dragon robe.
The three of them saluted, and the emperor stepped forward to support Concubine Shu Gui and Zhuang Yuyan, "Why are the three of you together? I rarely see you together."
"Your Majesty is very busy with government affairs, so why would you care about such trivial matters?" Concubine Shu Gui took the teacup from the palace maid and handed it to the emperor personally. "I just didn't expect to meet your Majesty here."
The emperor took a sip of tea and put the cup aside. "My beloved concubine, what you said makes me bury myself in government affairs all day long."
"Your Majesty is busy with all kinds of affairs every day. This is a blessing for the people of the world." Concubine Shugui continued with a smile.
Zhuang Yuyan quietly watched the interaction between the emperor and Concubine Shu Gui, which made her discover an interesting phenomenon: Concubine Shu Gui seemed to be somewhat sincere to the emperor.
It was really surprising that someone as smart as Concubine Shugui could have such thoughts.
Or is it that any woman will inevitably fall in love with a man after a while?
It’s just the opposite for men and women. After a long time, the person you were originally attracted to will only become bland and tasteless old tea, and you will wish to replace it with new tea immediately.
"My beloved, what are you thinking about? Why are you so silent?"
When Zhuang Yuyan heard the emperor's voice, she raised her head and smiled at him, "I was just thinking about tea."
"The Palace Department just received some new tea a few days ago. If you like it, just ask someone to get it." Feng Zhen laughed. "I see, this is not what you are thinking about?"
"Since the emperor said no, I can only say no," Zhuang Yuyan tilted her head slightly, as if unconsciously revealing a coquettish and intimate look, "Anyway, the emperor is my heaven, so whatever he says is fine."
Feng Jian stood up, walked to Zhuang Yuyan and sat down, reaching out to hold her hand: "I find this very pleasing to the ear."
Zhuang Yuyan raised her head and happened to meet the emperor's eyes. The other's eyes were full of smiles, and her eyes were also filled with smiles.
But who knows whether it is true or not?
Concubine Shugui looked at the two people's hands holding together, and the smile on her face became a little cooler.
That night, when everyone thought that the emperor had met Shu Guifei and Zhao Xianrong by chance in Yu Garden and would go to Shu Guifei's Anqing Palace, the emperor went to Zhao Xianrong's Xihe Palace.