Chapter 162 Consort Ru 2
Her voice had a bewitching magic, and her fingers gently traced the furrowed brow of his face, trying to smooth out the wrinkles.
Her body temperature was low, and when she pressed against his hot body, it was like a cool piece of jade in the summer, making him want to absorb more of her.
Pei Yan felt a surge of warmth in his heart from her teasing. He lowered his head and placed a kiss on her smooth forehead, mumbling, "Okay... I'll listen to you, Nu'er. With you here, I feel more at ease."
Meanwhile, at Weiyang Palace.
Under the candlelight, Empress Xiao Fengyi sat upright in front of her dressing table, letting her personal maid remove her elaborate phoenix crown and hairpins.
The woman in the mirror still had a dignified and beautiful face, but she couldn't hide the lingering sorrow between her brows.
"Your Highness, the tea has gone cold. Shall I get you a hot one?"
Lanxin asked cautiously, her voice very soft.
She could sense that the Empress was extremely downcast tonight.
Xiao Fengyi didn't speak, but looked at her slightly pale face in the mirror after removing her gorgeous clothes and jewelry. Her fingertips unconsciously traced a fine line at the corner of her eye.
She was only in her early thirties, but life in the deep palace seemed to have drained all her vitality.
"Your Majesty... are you staying at Yuntang Palace again tonight?" After a long while, she asked in a low voice.
Lan Xin paused, a troubled look on her face, but still responded softly, "Yes... Eunuch Desheng sent word that His Majesty is troubled by state affairs and can rest better at Consort Ru's place."
“Government affairs worries…” Xiao Fengyi chewed on these four words, feeling bitter. “Yes, His Majesty’s worries can probably only be relieved by that one in Yuntang Palace…”
Since Consort Ru, Xie Nu'er, entered the palace, or more precisely, since she gained favor, His Majesty has only set foot in Weiyang Palace a handful of times.
At first, His Majesty would come four or five times a month, then it became once every ten days or half a month, and now... Xiao Fengyi thought carefully, the last time His Majesty stayed at Weiyang Palace was a month ago.
What's even more terrifying is that it's not just her situation.
The days His Majesty spends with Consort Xian, Consort Shu, and several other concubines who have given birth to princes are becoming fewer and fewer.
It seemed as if Yuntang Palace was the only place left in the entire harem!
It was as if Xie Nu'er had cast a spell on His Majesty, keeping him firmly by his side.
"Your Majesty, please don't worry..." Lanxin whispered, her voice weak and feeble. "His Majesty... His Majesty may truly be preoccupied with state affairs..."
"busy?"
Xiao Fengyi abruptly interrupted her, her usually dignified eyes unusually tinged with anger. "No matter how busy he is, doesn't he even have time to choose a concubine? The emperor's favor should be distributed equally among all women in the harem. It's an ancestral rule! It's the cornerstone of maintaining stability in the court! Look at the situation now, how much criticism is there in the court? The memorials from those old stubborn men in the Censorate are almost piling up on His Majesty's desk!"
This is what truly worries her.
As empress, she could endure being out of favor and enduring loneliness.
But she couldn't stand by and watch the harem fall into disarray, or see a single concubine gain exclusive favor and threaten the very foundation of the nation!
His Majesty's long-standing favoritism towards Consort Ru, neglecting the other concubines, especially those with princes by their side, what will their maternal families think? Will the balance of power in the court be broken? If someone seizes the opportunity to impeach Consort Ru for bewitching the monarch, the consequences... Xiao Fengyi dared not think too deeply about them.
Moreover, Xiao Fengyi always felt that Xie Nuer was not right.
The faint fragrance emanating from her, and her seemingly gentle and harmless gaze, often made her feel uneasy and terrified.
The imperial physicians couldn't find the problem, but the fact that they couldn't find the problem was the biggest problem!
How can a living, breathing person be like a medicine, precisely soothing an anxious and irritable emperor?
“Lanxin,” Xiao Fengyi’s voice lowered, “tomorrow… no, tonight, find a way to send a message to my father. Make sure he secretly investigates everything about that woman from Yuntang Palace before she entered the palace, especially her relationship with Xie Sangning! Is she truly just a pawn Xie Sangning used as a shield? Also, has the Divine Physician Yin Bai really left…”
She had to do something; she couldn't just sit and wait to die.
"Your Majesty!" Lanxin was shocked. Investigating the background of a concubine, especially one of His Majesty's most favored concubines, was a major taboo!
"What if His Majesty finds out...?"
"So what if I know?"
Xiao Fengyi abruptly stood up, a cold glint flashing in her phoenix eyes—the majesty that had settled from her long tenure as Empress. "I am the Empress! I hold the Phoenix Seal and rule the six palaces! The concubines in the harem have unclear origins and suspicious behavior. Do I not even have the right to investigate? If Your Majesty asks, I will take full responsibility!"
She took a deep breath, suppressing the sorrow in her heart, "Compared to His Majesty's health and the stability of the court, what is my little bit of responsibility?"
She walked to the window and pushed open the window frame.
The night breeze was cool, carrying the faint fragrance of flowers and plants from the Imperial Garden, but it couldn't dispel the gloom in her heart.
Xie Nu'er... that seemingly weak woman, used her gentle charm to build an invisible cage, trapping Pei Yan firmly within it, while she, the empress, didn't even have the chance to get close to that cage, and could only watch helplessly, her heart burning with anxiety.
The next morning, Xie Nuer helped Pei Yan change his clothes for court, her movements gentle yet efficient.
Her fingers deftly fastened the buttons on the dragon robe. Pei Yan looked down at her focused profile, her gentle, lowered eyelashes bringing back memories of her tender and considerate appearance from last night.
"Nu'er looks quite well today."
Pei Yan casually said, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
This intimate gesture was a rare sign of affection between the emperor and his concubines.
Xie Nuer raised her face and gave a perfectly timed smile: "It's because Your Majesty slept well last night. Nuer is happy to see that, so her complexion is naturally better."
In short, she both praised Pei Yan and attributed all her good fortune to him.
Pei Yan was extremely pleased and pinched her cheek before setting off for court at Desheng's urging.
After Pei Yan left, Yuntang Palace returned to tranquility, and Xie Nu'er's gentle smile vanished instantly.
She stood before the bronze mirror, slowly and meticulously tidying her makeup, ensuring that every strand of hair was perfectly styled and every shade of color was just right to accentuate her captivating beauty.
"Your Majesty, the weather is lovely today. Would you like to take a stroll in the Imperial Garden?" Zhi Xia asked softly.
Xie Nu'er's eyes shifted slightly: "Yes, it's time to go out for some fresh air."
Birds trapped in cages must eventually fly out to let everyone see who is the most favored one in the gilded cage.
More importantly, she needed some activity to solidify, or rather, to test, her results.
In the Imperial Garden, spring was in full bloom, a scene of wealth and prosperity.
With Xia and Rendong by her side, Xie Nuer walked slowly along the flower-lined path.
Today, she wore a sky-blue palace dress, which was elegant and simple. Among the concubines who were vying for beauty, she stood out and exuded a kind of charm that was not competitive and pitiful.
To some people, this attitude is seen as blatant showing off and affectation.
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