A beautiful woman stood by the main door of Lan Zhao Palace. She might have been more beautiful if her pretty almond-shaped eyes had less coldness and loss.
It's so heartbreaking to see her like this.
The wind on a summer night is a bit hot and dry, which makes people feel upset.
"It's late at night, my lady. It's not good for your health to stand in the wind like this."
Sufang always sees things more clearly. All the empresses in every palace have to go through this psychological hurdle.
Zhu'er couldn't bear it so she didn't step forward to dissuade her. Last time, the young lady just stood there like an idiot, but she waited for the emperor to come.
It's midnight now, the emperor should be resting.
"Zhu'er, I don't know what I'm expecting. The emperor's equal treatment is good for me, the Hua family, and the Xue family. I shouldn't feel disappointed."
"Miss..."
Zhu'er was so disappointed that her eyes welled up with tears as she saw the young lady so sad but unable to make her happy.
Since ancient times, beautiful women have had unfortunate fates. She actually hoped that the young lady would not be so beautiful, not have such a high position, and would only marry a man who would love her wholeheartedly.
But in this world, how many women can truly be so lucky?
Qiao Yu patted the back of Zhu'er's hand and smiled softly, like a night-blooming cereus, beautiful yet fleeting:
"I'm fine, I just want to sit for a while."
The next day, when the empress came to Lanzhao Palace to pay her respects to Qiao Yu, she saw the dark circles under her eyes and couldn't help but smirk in her heart.
Although the emperor did not favor me yesterday, it was a step forward from favoring Concubine Hua alone. Maybe it will be my turn tonight?
Seeing her haggard appearance, Liu Xinyao was so happy. She finally let this woman understand the taste of the long night:
"Sister, are you bruised because it's too hot this summer night? The Imperial Household Department is really something. They didn't realize that Sister was afraid of the heat and sent her some ice."
Because all the newcomers were newly sent in, the chief steward of the Imperial Household Department was smart and treated no one badly, for fear of offending any future empress.
Liu Xinyao's father was a third-rank official, so the Ministry of Internal Affairs was giving her some face and did not let her down in the palace.
After hearing Yao's sobbing, Hua Yunya forgot that he and Qiao Yu were on the same front at this time, and followed suit, saying:
"Sister, it's not that you're bored because of the lack of ice in Lan Zhao Palace. Even the Imperial Household Department wouldn't dare to do that. I'm afraid Sister is thinking about the Emperor last night."
"Sister Jin, what are you talking about? How can Concubine Hua be a petty-minded woman?"
The two of them chatted endlessly, as if they had figured out Qiao Yuwan's gentle and easy-going nature, and kept making subtle sarcasm towards Ming Chao.
Qiao Yu remained silent until the eunuch in the hall shouted:
"Ms. Huang is here—"
The beautiful Huang arrived late, her fair face slightly flushed. It was not difficult to tell that she was a virgin, as tender and tender as a flower bud about to bloom.
"I am a little late because I am not feeling well. I hope Your Majesty Hua will forgive me."
Concubine Huang bowed and saluted, seemingly apologizing sincerely, but her words implicitly reminded all the concubines in the hall that they had visited her last night, which was why she got up late.
Qiao Yu was not annoyed and did not immediately ask her to stand up. Sure enough, at this time, the Concubine Wang, who was not satisfied with what she saw, spoke up:
"Miss Huang is quite arrogant. If everyone in the harem were like you, wouldn't the harem be in chaos?"
Although Concubine Wang did not like the favored Qiao Yu, she could not bear to see Concubine Huang showing off her power. After all, she was still worried about the last time she was carried out of Jinhua Palace.
But she is a bold and straightforward person, so why is she so timid?
"Sister Wang naturally doesn't understand my discomfort, and I naturally won't blame you, but Concubine Hua can always understand me, right?"
Isn't this just hinting at the fact that he was being dragged out? Wang Guiren was so angry that he slammed the table and stood up:
"How dare you! The daughter of a mere fourth-rank scholar like Zhan Shi dares to bully me!"
Lady Huang still bent her knees slightly when she saluted. She felt a little impatient in her heart, but she still looked harmless.
Although her father was only two ranks lower than Concubine Wang, not to mention how many fourth-rank officials would be killed by a brick thrown at the emperor's feet, there was no comparison between Shao Zhanshi and the powerful Minister of Personnel.
Just like Hua Bocheng, although he was the third-rank Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, if he were to be compared with the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, he would actually be a step lower than the other officials of the same rank:
"How can you say that I'm bullying you, sister? I'm just discussing the matter. We sisters are all concubines of the Emperor. How can you confuse right and wrong based on our father's official position? According to your logic, isn't Concubine Hua even inferior to you?"
Noble Lady Wang was no match for Lady Huang, so she quickly looked at Qiao Yu and knelt down.
"I dare not."
Qiao Yu hadn't seen enough of the drama yet. Everyone's attention was focused on her. If she didn't do something, she would become a laughing stock:
"How dare you! Without me saying anything, you two sisters are getting even more excited!"
The woman in the main seat usually looks very easy to talk to, but when she gets angry, she is really irresistible, mainly because of the natural aura of a superior she exudes.
All the concubines in the hall stood up from their seats and lay on the ground.
"Empress Hua, calm down."
"Beauty Huang, Noble Lady Wang is a noble lady, and you are only a beauty. If I don't punish you, it means I haven't been able to discipline you properly. Beauty Huang, for your insubordination, I will punish you by making you kneel in front of Lan Zhao Palace for two hours."
After kneeling for two hours, and the sun was so strong, wouldn't she faint from heatstroke?
Didn't Lady Huang expect Qiao Yu to be so brazenly blamed and envied by the Emperor? She stared wide-eyed and was speechless for a moment.
Qiao Yu knew what she was thinking but was not afraid at all. Yan Fu could not believe that she was punishing his concubine out of jealousy because he knew that she did not love him.
"But you feel resentful and think that I shouldn't punish you?"
"I dare not."
Lady Huang gritted her teeth secretly, making up her mind to take revenge and teach Qiao Yu a lesson.
"As for your indiscretion in front of the noble lady, I will punish you by making you copy the Buddhist scriptures ten times in front of the Buddhist beads in the ancestral hall. You must control your bad temper."
Qiao Yu's tone was not so much anger as helplessness towards Concubine Wang's irritable temper. Compared to Concubine Huang's punishment, hers was more like the eldest sister inflicting a slight punishment on her younger sister.
Did Concubine Wang suddenly feel that Qiao Yu looked more and more pleasing to the eye?
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will definitely keep your teachings in mind."
"Alright, I'm getting a headache from all your noise. If you're wasting your time on me being so sarcastic, it would be better to focus on pleasing the Emperor. You all should leave."
"I'll take my leave."
Before leaving, Qiu Ziheng glanced at the woman in the main seat. Hua Yunlan's punishment today was a bit too domineering. It turned out that people with backers have the right to be a little stupid.
Anyone with a discerning eye could see that Qiao Yu was using her as an excuse to commit insubordination, but in reality, she was punishing the Emperor for being jealous because he had visited Concubine Huang yesterday.
This backer is Hua Yunlan's capital, but it is also a thorn in Fu Lang's heart that he hates.
It's better this way. Although she is beautiful, at least with her personality, Fu Lang will never like her.
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