Chapter 241: Doubting the Concubines 01

Chapter 241

That day, the Empress and Song Zhao parted unhappily,

to the point that she, as the Empress, was instead oppressed by Song Zhao's aura.

The Empress should have been annoyed,

but when Shuang Ruo entered to serve the Empress after Song Zhao left, she saw the Empress sitting leisurely on the phoenix chair,

a calm smile lingering at the corners of her mouth, her hand playing with a string of honey wax Buddhist beads.

Shuang Ruo did not understand, "The Yi Consort offended you, why didn't the Empress use your status as the Empress to punish her?"

"Offended? Who saw it?"

The Empress raised her eyebrows at Shuang Ruo and said slowly, "She was only favored as a consort today, she's still the Emperor's favorite. While I have aroused the doubts of the Emperor and Empress Dowager, if I quarrel with her now, who do you think will suffer?"

Shuang Ruo thought about it and said, "Speaking of today's events, I really don't understand... before, you were worried that the Yi Consort would think the plum garden incident was done by you, and take the opportunity to retaliate against you. So you asked me to apply for leave from the Emperor, saying that you were unwell and might not even be able to attend the New Year's Eve banquet. But today the Yi Consort was favored, why did you give her such great face and personally hold the ceremony?"

The Empress sneered, "If I didn't come, she would always have doubts in her heart. I came and acted out a play with her to make her even more convinced that this was done by me. That way, the more she suspects me, the easier it will be for those lurking in the dark watching her to slander her easily."

Shuang Ruo suddenly realized, and quickly said, "So just now... did the Empress deliberately keep the Yi Consort to make things clearer to her, just to make the Yi Consort even more convinced that all these things that are unfavorable to the Crown Prince were done by you, so that she focuses on dealing with you and overlooks other things?"

The Empress laughed quite smugly, unconsciously straightening her back and sitting more properly.

"As the mother of the world, I have to weigh the six palaces. There are many intricacies in this. Although the Noble Consort is arrogant, she is just a talisman for the Emperor to restrain the Ning family. To be blunt, she can't compare to the useless embroidered pillow. On the contrary, this Song Zhao is my biggest threat."

She took a breath, lowered her eyes and fixed them on the complex phoenix patterns on the sleeves of her phoenix robe, her smile becoming more and more sinister,

"So what if she has the favor of the Emperor? She's the birth mother of the noble son, so what? No matter how arrogant she is, as long as she falls, I, the birth mother, will of course take good care of her child, so she won't feel cold down in the Yellow Springs."

"How will she feel cold?" Shuang Ruo covered her mouth and chuckled, "The Empress's status is so noble, if the Yi Consort's child can be raised under your knees, it would be a great blessing that their mother and child couldn't gain in several lifetimes!"

"Haha~" The Empress was pleased by Shuang Ruo's words. She waved her sleeves to help her up, and added,

"Then let's prepare for me to pray to the Buddha. I have to pray to all the gods and Buddhas in the sky to bestow this boundless blessing on her as soon as possible."

*

Everyone entered the main hall laughing and talking.

As soon as they entered the door and sat down, Li Changzai said:

"It’s really warm in the Yi Consort’s palace!"

Song Zhao smiled, "There is a child being raised in the palace, of course I have to worry about everything for him - fearing that he will be cold or hot. It really gives me a headache."

Consort Hui said, "Sister Song, is Chengyu asleep? I haven't seen him for a long time."

Song Zhao looked at her with a smile, "He just fell asleep. But his nap is only half an hour. When he wakes up later, I’ll have the wet nurse bring him over for you to coax him, okay?"

Consort Hui nodded again and again, also smiling happily.

After chatting for a while, the chill they brought in from outside had been completely dispelled by the warmth inside the hall. Instead, it became quite hot.

Rongyue waved her kerchief to wipe away the thin sweat on her temples, and casually said:

"When we went out, we noticed the temperature had dropped, so we specifically went back and changed into thicker clothes to pay respects to Consort. I didn't expect it to be so warm in Consort’s palace."

Song Zhao saw that her flushed face was red, so she said, "If you feel hot, you can take off your outer garment. We are all sisters here, no need to stand on ceremony in my palace."

Rongyue quickly said, "Then I’m being rude."

She eagerly took off her outer garment. Li Changzai next to her was also unbearably hot and echoed Rongyue, also undoing the big button on her padded jacket.

Consort Hui on the other hand...

She was drinking cow's milk hotter than tea, and her clothes were no thinner than Rongyue and theirs.

But not only did she not take off her clothes, she didn't even want to take off the fox fur scarf wrapped around her own neck.

Seeing Consort Hui with sweaty bangs stuck to her skin, Rongyue asked caringly, "Doesn't Consort Hui feel hot? See, you're sweating. Why don't you take off your outer clothes too?"

"Ah? No... not hot. I've always been afraid of the cold. Sister Song’s palace is just right for me!"

Consort Hui stuttered, looked awkward, pursed her lips and shook her head.