The autumn sky is high and blue.
After Xiao Che "reserved" dinner that day, Lin Wanwan's "confinement" ended without a clear conclusion.
Although no one said it outright, the gates of Kunning Palace were no longer guarded, and she could come and go freely.
Having been cooped up in the palace for nearly a month, Lin Wanwan felt like she was about to rot. So, taking advantage of the fine weather today, she took Chuntao and strolled into the Imperial Garden to relax.
The Imperial Garden was a riot of color. Chrysanthemums were in full bloom, golden, snow-white, and vibrant red, swaying gracefully in the gentle autumn breeze. The air was filled with their sweet fragrance, a truly delightful sight.
Lin Wanwan took a deep breath and felt that the fatigue she had accumulated from copying books and studying recipes over the past few days had dissipated considerably.
She walked slowly along the cobblestone path, admiring the rare scenery of this royal garden.
However, she was unaware that while she was enjoying this moment of peace, a wave of "malice" filled with jealousy and resentment was sweeping towards her.
Chengqian Palace.
"What did you say?! His Majesty went to Kunning Palace again? He even had lunch there?!"
A sharp female voice, accompanied by a crisp "snap," shattered the tranquility of the hall.
On the ground, a beautiful famille rose teacup was smashed to pieces.
Consort Shu, Wang Cai'er, had her eyebrows raised and her almond eyes wide open. Her beautiful face was slightly distorted with jealousy, and her usual charm was nowhere to be seen.
She stared intently at the trembling eunuch kneeling on the ground, her voice filled with venomous resentment.
"That vixen! That lowly vixen! What kind of sorcery did she use to make His Majesty visit her cold palace every day!"
After paying her respects at Cixi Palace last time, she thought that the sickly empress would be completely rejected by her aunt and would live out her days in Kunning Palace.
But who could have imagined that things would develop in a way that completely exceeded her expectations?
The emperor not only did not distance himself from that woman, but instead, under the guise of "supervision," he stayed at Kunning Palace every day!
At first, Wang Cai'er comforted herself, thinking that this was just His Majesty keeping an eye on the empress who had made a mistake, and it was a disguised form of humiliation.
But gradually, she realized something was wrong.
Every day, the small kitchen in Kunning Palace wafts with novel and exotic aromas. Nine out of ten of the rare and precious ingredients newly delivered from the Imperial Kitchen end up in Kunning Palace. Even His Majesty now reviews memorials there!
This isn't supervision; it's clearly... a favor!
An unprecedented and unique grace!
On what grounds?!
Wang Cai'er's heart felt like it was being gnawed at by countless venomous snakes.
She was of noble birth, the Empress Dowager's niece, and in terms of family background and appearance, no one in the palace could match her. She had always thought that the position of Empress would be hers sooner or later.
But then Lin Wanwan suddenly appeared out of nowhere!
A mere daughter of a minor official whom she had never even heard of not only stole her position as Empress, but now she has even gained the Emperor's special favor!
How could she possibly tolerate this?!
"Your Majesty, please calm down! Your Majesty, please calm down!" Her trusted maidservant hurriedly stepped forward to comfort her, "Perhaps... perhaps His Majesty is just looking for something new and will get tired of it in a few days."
"Tired of it?" Wang Cai'er sneered. "I think if I don't take action soon, His Majesty will be completely bewitched by that vixen!"
Just then, a young palace maid rushed in from outside and reported, "Your Majesty, I just saw that Her Majesty the Empress... went to the Imperial Garden."
"The Imperial Garden?"
Wang Cai'er's eyes lit up instantly.
A calculating glint flashed in those eyes, burning with anger from jealousy.
She slowly stood up, smoothed her magnificent palace dress, and a cold, malicious smile curled at the corner of her lips.
"Well, she's really like someone who has a path to heaven but chooses to walk into hell when there's no way out."
She looked in the mirror and rearranged her head full of jewels, making sure she appeared in her most radiant and superior state.
Then, she waved her hand arrogantly at the palace servants behind her.
"Prepare the carriage! I'd like to take a stroll in the Imperial Garden. Perfect opportunity to 'bump into' our reclusive and 'delicate' Empress."
...
Beside the artificial hill in the Imperial Garden, Lin Wanwan was watching the koi swimming in the pond with great interest.
Just then, a series of hurried and chaotic footsteps came from behind, accompanied by the deliberately raised sounds of the palace servants bowing.
"This servant greets Your Highness, Consort Shu!"
Lin Wan-wan frowned slightly and turned around.
Not far away, at the moon gate, Consort Shu, Wang Cai'er, was being escorted by a large group of palace maids and eunuchs, walking towards them in a grand procession. The pomp and circumstance were even greater than those of the Empress herself.
It's truly... a clash on a narrow path.
Lin Wanwan's gaze was calm as still water.
She stood there quietly, watching Consort Shu and her entourage walk up to her.
According to palace rules, Consort Shu should perform a grand ceremony when she sees her.
However, Wang Cai'er acted as if she hadn't seen her at all. She simply covered her mouth with a handkerchief and said with feigned surprise, "Oh my, who do we have here? It's the Empress! Weren't you feeling unwell and resting in the palace? Why are you out enjoying the breeze today?"
She didn't bow, spoke frivolously, and every word she uttered was offensive.
Chun Tao, who was behind Lin Wanwan, changed her expression instantly. She was about to reprimand Lin Wanwan, but Lin Wanwan stopped her with a look.
Lin Wanwan simply looked at her calmly, her tone even and unwavering: "Thank you for your concern, Consort Shu. I've been cooped up in the palace for too long, so I came out for a walk. But you, sister, with all this fuss, I wonder where you're headed?"
Instead of arguing about etiquette, she threw the question back at her, implying that her entourage was too extravagant and had broken the rules.
Wang Cai'er's face stiffened, then she let out a cold laugh.
She looked Lin Wanwan up and down, her disdain growing stronger.
"Sister is joking. I'm just taking a stroll because I have nothing better to do. But you should take care of your health, sister. After all, your background is different from ours, which has been raised in luxury in the capital since childhood. I'm afraid your body might not be able to handle the riches in the palace."
She's here again.
They brought up her background again.
These words were even more blatant and harsh than the last time at Cixi Palace. She practically pointed her finger at Lin Wanwan and said: You are a lowly girl from a humble family, unworthy of enjoying this immense wealth.
The surrounding air froze instantly.
The palace servants on both sides were so frightened that they held their breath and dared not utter a sound.
Lin Wanwan's eyes turned cold.
She wanted to let the matter drop. After all, arguing with someone deemed a "fool" by the emperor would be beneath her dignity.
But the other party was aggressive and repeatedly challenged her bottom line in public.
She knew that things were unlikely to end well today.
She simply smiled calmly, her tone remaining composed: "Our birth is not something we can choose. But as royal consorts, it is our duty to be cautious in our words and actions and to fulfill our responsibilities. Don't you agree, sister?"
Instead of directly retaliating, she subtly countered with the word "duty" (meaning "one's duty").
However, in Wang Cai'er's eyes, Lin Wanwan's forbearance and indifference were nothing more than utter weakness and insecurity.
She thought that Lin Wanwan was too intimidated to argue back.
This realization emboldened Wang Cai'er instantly.
She let out a sneer, her voice rising to a crescendo, filled with undisguised mockery and disdain, making sure everyone present could hear it clearly.
"Duty? Ha!"
She seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, covering her mouth with a handkerchief and laughing uncontrollably.
"I thought she had used some amazing seductive tricks to entice His Majesty to linger there day after day. Turns out, she's just a quiet, unassuming woman who doesn't even dare to speak loudly... a real jerk!"
She put down the handkerchief, her beautiful eyes filled with malice.
She stepped forward, almost touching Lin Wanwan's face, and said, word by word, with utmost humiliation:
"What a waste of that phoenix robe you're wearing!"
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