148 Chapter 148: Get Me

A few moments before, on Jiang Yu's side...

"Niang Niang, why did you go to the empress' courtyard alone again?" Xie Yu's momo, old servent Gu said in a helpless tone. Xie Yu wanted to stroll around for unknown reasons. Taking the servants with her, Gu Momo followed after her mistress.

"The empress called me to discuss something," Xie Yu lied with a straight face. In small and unnoticed movements, she secretly touched her stomach. She has eaten too much and her food belly is now bulging like a small hill.

Thankfully, she wore a high fitted skirt.

"Since it is her majesty that invited mistress, is it not rude for the invited guest to come in lacking? What if the empress took it as Niang Niang not taking her seriously?"

"This consort knows what Momo means. However, we are not in the palace. There is no need for lavish greetings nor show of might."

'But we are also not at home for you to come in and out as if you own it. What more? That is the empress' dwelling place!' Gu Momo though. She's afraid that the old master will reprimand her mistress once he gets wind of this.

"Niang Niang..."

Xie Yu raised her hand and Gu Momo stopped talking immediately.

"What Momo intend to say, this consort knows them all. There is no need to educate me outside."

"Understood. This old servant apologizes for being improper."

"En."

Xie Yu, with a long trail of servants following her, walked a bit more before returning to Luminous Courtyard.

'It must be time.'

She thought, that around this time, the empress must have returned to her courtyard already.

Yes, she was estimating the proper duration of a visit and counting the time that it will take the empress to finish her business.

Upon reaching the gates, Xie Yu saw the emperor.

When their eyes locked with each other, they both know there is no getting around from greeting each other.

"Chenqie greets his majesty," Xie Yu approached and curtsy.

"You may raise, my dear consort," Jiang Yu lend a helping hand.

"Many thanks," Xie Yu gracefully accepted the emperor's concern. "Is his majesty going for a stroll?"

"No," Jiang Yu answered truthfully.

"Is that so? Then his majesty must have something else important to do. This consort will not inquire further. Please be on your way, Emperor. Chenqie will now excuse herself."

"En. Be careful."

Xie Yu once again curtsy before walking back on her track. However, when Jiang Yu escorted her with his gaze, he noticed that she was taking a different path.

Jiang Yu stopped her. "Are you visiting the empress again?" He asked. Unconsciously emphasizing the 'again'.

'Isn't she with Wei Yi Yi just a few hours ago?'

"En," Xie Yu said. "Chenqie would like to see if there is something she could do to help the Empress with," she reasoned. "Even if it just accompanying her."

"Lady Xie appears to be getting along with the Empress."

"The Empress is magnanimous and virtuous. Us, concubines, have nothing but good feelings towards the Empress."

Hearing his empress being praised, even if it might just be lip service, Jiang Yu felt happy. What more, they are getting along just fine. "The Empress is not in her courtyard."

Xie Yu expressed her disbelief. "Eh? Was she not with Lady Shen just now?"

She was not able to stop herself from questioning it instantly. Xie Yu is still inexperienced on adapting to Wei Yi Yi. She still has a long way in gaining the ability to accompany Wei Yi Yi.

"She's not," the emperor answered quite irritated. "Zhen was just about to fetch her."

It because of that brother of his! Jiang Liu is definitely starting to be a bad influence on his empress! Wei Yi Yi indeed has to learn a thing or two about etiquettes but now she also start disappearing. It definitely Jiang Liu who kept dragging her!

Turning white to black, a bit innocent Jiang Liu just got labeled as guilty by his elder brother.

Xie Yu think for a moment then said, "May this consort accompany the emperor?"

Seeing as the emperor is on his own, she better accompany him. If by chance that there are young maidens who delusion to present themselves to the emperor, Xie Yu will prevent them immediately from getting close.

Since they are here as his majesty's consorts, they cannot let the emperor fancy anyone while on the trip nor bring back a concubine.

Right now, the harem hasn't been as messy as it was back then.

The Empress' authority is untouchable, followed by the consorts who maintain certain influences between them. And then the concubines that cannot be allowed to advance any further.

For her and for the empress, it's better to maintain this status quo. They are peaceful like this. As long as the empress could retain her hold on power, the others have no choice but to put their ambitions to sleep.

"Was it too much for Chenqie to ask?" Xie Yu said, testing the waters.

Thinking about her good relationship with the empress, Jiang Yu gave his permission. "That would be alright. You can follow Zhen."

"Thank you, your majesty." Xie Yu smiled towards the emperor.

Thinking about it, she can simply excuse herself if it seems that she's in the way between her majesty and the emperor.

"Why didn't you said so immediately! Now I don't know where she is!"

A whining voice took both of Jiang Yu's and Xie Yu's attention. When Xie Yu looked towards the owner of the voice, she saw Su Mei Fan's glassy eyes looking towards them as well. She seems taken aback and almost ready to cry. Looking pitiful as always.

Xiao Xiu almost hit her mistress when Su Mei Fan stopped on her tracks. Peeking at the side, she notices sparks flew as Su Mei Fan stare at Xie Yu.

Su Mei Fan eyes jumped from Xie Yu to Jiang Yu then back to Xie Yu.

'This btch is going around the empress' back!'

"You--your majesty, Fan'er greets you." She immediately curtsy towards Jiang Yu. Then with a sweet yet pitiful act of asking for attention, she asked, "Is the emperor busy? Fan'er wants to be with his majesty. Can this be allowed?"

'How shameless!'

Xie Yu wanted to shout. Just because the empress picked her up as a pet, she thinks she could soar to the sky and be a phoenix?!

Like a small harmless maiden, Su Mei Fan grabbed Jiang Yu's arm and blinked her eyes in a cute begging manner.

Jiang Yu reaction was cut in the middle as Xie Yu grabbed his other hand. In a disappointed tone, Xie Yu called out, "Your majesty..."

Before Jiang Yu noticed it, he was caught between two concubines who, for unknown reasons, are both very presumptuous and wouldn't let go.

He was flanked on both sides without any chance of escaping.

Contrary to belief, things are not going the right way. And it's starting to scare him.

At that very moment, he thought, 'Yi Yi! Come get me out of here!'