"What a waste of that phoenix robe you're wearing!"
Consort Shu's sharp, sarcastic, and extremely humiliating words were like a boulder crashing into the calm surface of the Imperial Garden, stirring up huge waves.
The air seemed to freeze in that instant.
All the palace servants present, whether brought by Lin Wanwan or Consort Shu, were terrified, their faces turning deathly pale, and they dared not utter a sound.
To openly humiliate the Empress is an outrageous crime in the strictly hierarchical imperial harem!
However, Consort Shu seemed completely unaware of the shocking things she had said. Looking at Lin Wanwan's instantly darkened expression, a morbid sense of pleasure welled up within her.
This is exactly the effect she wanted.
She wanted to trample this woman's dignity underfoot in front of everyone, to let her know who the real, undisputed mistress of the harem was!
The commotion quickly attracted the attention of other palace servants in the Imperial Garden.
Some of the palace maids and eunuchs responsible for sweeping and pruning the flowers stopped what they were doing and cast curious, inquisitive glances in their direction from afar. They dared not approach, but instead gathered in twos and threes, whispering and gossiping among themselves.
"Aren't those the Empress and Consort Shu? Why does the atmosphere seem... off?"
"Didn't you hear? Consort Shu is reprimanding the Empress!"
"Good heavens! Consort Shu has such audacity! She is, after all, the Empress..."
"So what if she's the Empress? Have you forgotten who Consort Shu's aunt is? Besides, this Empress... doesn't come from a high social standing. I heard she was married off to bring good luck, so her foundation is very shallow."
Those whispers, filled with speculation and malice, were like countless tiny needles; though separated by a distance, they could still faintly reach Lin Wanwan's ears.
She could feel countless gazes, like searchlights, focused on her. Among those gazes were sympathy, curiosity, schadenfreude, and even more so, anticipation of seeing a good show.
Today, at this moment, she, the empress, has become a laughing stock for everyone to watch.
Lin Wanwan's face darkened completely.
A chilling glint finally ignited in her usually calm and unwavering eyes.
She knew that things could no longer be resolved peacefully.
Taking a step back doesn't lead to boundless horizons, but rather to an abyss.
If she were to allow Consort Shu to humiliate her in front of everyone today without daring to retaliate, then from tomorrow onwards, she, the Empress, would become a laughingstock of the entire harem. She would lose all prestige, and the label of "weak and incompetent" would be firmly attached to her until she was deposed or died.
She cannot back down.
There was no way to retreat.
Just as she took a deep breath, preparing to completely tear off that docile mask and launch a thunderous counterattack, an extremely subtle and unusual sight suddenly entered the corner of her eye.
Not far from where they were confronting each other, there was a rugged artificial mountain made of Taihu stones.
Behind that artificial hill, a very familiar, bright yellow hem of clothing seemed to... flash by.
Lin Wanwan's heart skipped a beat.
Bright yellow?
In this palace, who, except for one person, would dare to wear this color?
Her heart leaped into her throat. It was him?! What was he doing here?!
An absurd thought uncontrollably popped into her mind.
Without making a sound, she subtly shifted her gaze and stared intently at the artificial hill.
The rockery was crisscrossed with cracks, completely obscuring the view, so she couldn't see if anyone was hiding behind it.
but!
But she saw it!
Above that artificial hill, in that familiar area within her sight, a pixelated "display screen" that she knew all too well suddenly appeared there!
It was as if that artificial hill had come to life and had emotions.
Lin Wanwan's heart almost stopped beating at that moment.
She saw a pixelated figure on the screen, wearing a pair of comical red and blue 3D glasses, and holding a large bucket... of popcorn?!
The little man was watching with great interest, his body swaying slightly to some rhythm, as if he were enjoying a magnificent play.
Next to this visually striking animated image, there is a huge line of text, flashing with neon lights, as if afraid no one would miss it—
[Challenge her! Don't be a coward! Go for it!]
Lin Wanwan: "…………"
In that instant, the string of "reason" in her mind almost snapped on the spot.
It took her a full three seconds to process the surreal scene before her.
so……
That damned emperor, he didn't just happen to be passing by.
He had been hiding there all along?!
He treated the tense, volatile power struggles among the concubines in the imperial harem as...a 3D movie?!
It even comes with its own popcorn?!
Not only that, but this director and sole audience member seemed to think the plot wasn't intense or exciting enough, and was even secretly cheering on one of the "actresses"—herself—like crazy!
This realization struck Lin Wanwan like a thunderbolt.
She felt that her understanding of this emperor had been refreshed to a new level.
It turns out that what he wanted to see was not a harmonious harem or brotherly love at all.
What he wanted to see was a "live broadcast of palace intrigue"!
He's a real fun-loving guy!
Once she understood this, all of Lin Wanwan's previous concerns, forbearance, and struggles vanished instantly.
What is she still worried about?
Worried that if they retaliated too fiercely, they would be branded as "jealous" or "unvirtuous"?
They were worried that offending Consort Shu would mean offending the Empress Dowager behind her.
Was she worried that she, as the empress, was not dignified or proper enough?
In retrospect, those worries were utterly ridiculous!
Because the biggest "referee" in this harem doesn't care about any of this! He just wants to watch the show! A show that's exciting enough, thrilling enough, that will make even the popcorn in his hand taste better!
OK.
Since you want to see it.
Since you're working so hard to "cheer me on,"
Well then, today I'll put on a big show for you!
They'll put on a show that will leave you speechless!
Lin Wanwan slowly, very slowly, raised her head.
In that instant, her entire aura underwent a dramatic transformation.
The weak, submissive expression on her face, like a mask, was completely torn away. The last vestige of gentleness in her eyes vanished without a trace.
Instead, a cold, mocking, and chilling smile appeared.
Her gaze, like a sharp blade tempered with ice, shot straight at Consort Shu, who was still immersed in the joy of victory and had a smug look on her face.
Consort Shu was taken aback by her sudden gaze, and a strange unease arose in her heart.
She saw Lin Wanwan's lips slowly curve upwards into an extremely beautiful, yet endlessly sharp, arc.
Then, she heard the sickly empress speak softly in a voice she had never heard before—clear, composed, and with a touch of languid laughter.
"Sister Shufei," she called out, "have you finished speaking?"
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