C52

Luo Ninghai woke up from her dreams. A few sparrows spread their wings and flew past the eaves, chirping away noisily. The four corners of the sky above the Zhongcui Palace had just begun to light up, and the palace servants were still unconscious.

She put on her clothes and walked out of the room. The Great Qi at the beginning of autumn was still warm, and the only cool thing was that every morning. If the sun shone brightly at noon, she would be trapped indoors.

This was the third month since Luo Ninghai moved to the Zhongcui Palace, and with a command from the Noble Consort Ru, he had somehow brought her here. Fortunately, the was a very warm and generous concubine, and thus she was spared the trouble of staying in the s every day as she was close to the Huayang Palace.

After walking west through the bamboo forest for six or seven steps, there was a vague silhouette of a person in front of him. Luo Ninghai took a few steps closer to take a closer look and saw that the woman was dressed in royal blue palace attire.

"Greetings to the Consort Xian Empress." Luo Ninghai hurriedly bowed.

Consort Xian took a look and discovered that it was the Worthy Lady Shen from the palace. She gently smiled and said: "Worthy Lady Shen doesn't need to be this polite, why aren't you sleeping in your room this early? What are you doing in the courtyard?"

Luo Ninghai hurriedly said: "My concubine woke up early today, and was unable to fall asleep, so I could only come out and take a walk."

Consort Xian smiled, "Coincidentally, I can't fall asleep either, why not travel with Worthy Lady Shen?"

Luo Ninghai replied "Yes."

The two strolled around the courtyard for a while, passing by a small pond. Withered branches and fallen leaves were scattered all over the place, making the place seem extremely desolate.

The Consort Xian said: "This is all a result of blooming lotus flowers in summer, I never thought that they would be defeated so early."

Luo Ninghai laughed, "Since it's autumn now, naturally, Lotus was defeated early as well."

"Fortunately, the women of this harem have a longer time than the lotus flowers, otherwise they would have lost so quickly and have to rush the emperor to go pick a show."

Consort Xian and Luo Ninghai looked at each other and smiled, but when they thought of Picking Girl Zhou, they could not help but feel sad.

The Consort Xian sighed in disappointment, "For a bright, lively little girl like Picking Girl Zhou to disappear in a hurry, it's also due to heaven's will that is unpredictable. However, what exactly happened in the Donghua Palace that day?"

Luo Ninghai was also a bit sad, "Picking Girl Zhou is still too young and indulgent, she actually started mocking the previous Empress in front of the former empress's memorial tablet in the Donghua Palace, and was also heard by the Eunuch Chen behind him, causing him to immediately report it to the Emperor."

Consort Xian's face turned white. "No wonder it was so serious, to actually have the Emperor say 'never see each other again'. So it was because of such a thing."

Luo Ninghai was still confused by this matter. After thinking about it for a moment, she asked the Consort Xian, "Big sister, didn't the previous Empress Mu Langhua commit this crime …."

Consort Xian hurriedly brought her index finger up to her mouth and lightly shook her head, "The entire imperial harem knows about this, but no one dares to bring it up."

Luo Ninghai said as her brows knitted together, "If the Emperor does not allow others to mention it, it must be because he feels that Mu Langhua has caused the imperial harem to become a disgrace, why did he still keep her Donghua Palace to himself and allow her concubines to pay respects?"

"Sacred will is not something to be reckoned with," the Consort Xian said softly. "You and I are concubines, so no matter what the emperor says, you can do it."

Luo Ninghai was puzzled: "Why are you not letting us say anything, sister entered the palace and came into contact with Mu Langhua?"

Consort Xian was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded her head.

Luo Ninghai said: "Then does Your Majesty love Mu Langhua deeply?"

"Consort Xian turned her face away," If she doesn't love Mu Langhua deeply, how can she have the position of Empress?

"Could it be that the emperor is still thinking of Mu Langhua?"

Consort Xian frantically covered her mouth, "Worthy Lady Shen, don't speak nonsense, be careful of the wall with ears."

Luo Ninghai asked in bewilderment, "I really wonder what is going on between the Emperor and Mu Langhua?"

"Qianyu doesn't need to be entangled with this, she only needs to serve the emperor on normal days," Consort Xian immediately laughed, "I heard that Qianyu's older brother, General Luo, is a famous war god who has even pacified the Mu’s Army rebellion."

Upon mentioning her brother, Luo Ninghai felt an inexhaustible pride in her heart. "It is our Luo Family's blessing for Big Brother to protect the mountains and rivers, to pacify the traitors and vassals, and to help the Emperor to shoulder his burdens."

Consort Xian laughed: "Being able to have a heroic and loyal sage like Luo Family is our Great Qi's good fortune."

Luo Ninghai gave a sweet smile, "Big sister's maternal family seems to also be the door to general."

The Consort Xian paused for a moment, then said slowly, "It's gone. It's not the time for the Worthy Lady Shen to have such a glorious life."

Luo Ninghai comforted her: "Things change. Seeing her family's tall buildings collapse, that kind of thing, no one can say for sure."

Consort Xian said in a relaxed manner, "Astonishing is right. After walking for half a day, I am also tired. Let us return to my room first."

At noon, precisely at the time when the sun was at its hottest, the other palaces were all extremely hot. Only the Huayang Palace was cool and refreshing, and the fragrance coiled around one's nose.

Su Rushuang looked at the melted ice in the middle of the hall and laughed softly, "Why is it so hot after putting so much inside?"

Chen Xiang fanned herself and smiled. "Empress, do you still think it's hot? Your majesty sent so many ice cubes over, and this servant still feels a chill from it."

Su Rushuang narrowed her beautiful eyes, "It's still chilly. Don't tell me that you're going to find cotton clothes in the middle of the night?"

"The emperor has given us ice cubes. Our Huayang Palace alone is enough. Your majesty's heart is so thick and warm, why would this servant need cotton clothes."

Su Rushuang was extremely pleased and retorted: "Your fan isn't that good, but you sure have a sharp tongue."

Chen Xiang hastily dodged a few times before saying, "Talking can also quell the heat, so long as the Empress is at ease."

Su Rushuang then turned around on the Noble Consort's chair, "How is the Worthy Lady Shen doing at the Zhongcui Palace? Have the people I sent you to look after her properly?"

Chen Xiang replied, "There is. Empress, you just need to rest assured."

"Picking Girl Zhou won't be able to come back. Consort Xian lives alone in such a big palace, so it's better for me to accompany her and relieve her boredom."

Chen Xiang laughed while covering her mouth: "If the Empress knew that Worthy Lady Shen's brother, the General Luo, was the person the Emperor had sent to kill the Mu’s Army back then, I don't know if it would be to relieve my boredom or to keep my head in suspense."

Su Rushuang's mouth curved into a cold smile, "I'm afraid that Consort Xian already knew, Worthy Lady Shen is a very rich and powerful person, even though Consort Xian lives in her own palace, she would still know that she is General Luo's younger sister."

"Then doesn't that mean that Consort Xian hates her so much that he wants to kill her?"

"The Consort Xian is a good friend of Mu Langhua and her father is also a deputy general of the General Mu. Her own father was killed on the battlefield by the elder brother of the Worthy Lady Shen, so of course she hates the Worthy Lady Shen."

"Empress, your thoughts are truly thoughtful," Chen Xiang said happily. "Putting Worthy Lady Shen and Consort Xian together is much better than putting Zhou Picking Girl there."

"I originally wanted to let Picking Girl Zhou cause a ruckus for a while before letting him off with a heavy blow. It's just that Picking Girl Zhou is too useless."

Chen Xiang laughed: "Picking Girl Zhou dares to disgrace himself in Donghua Palace, he deserves it."

"To be able to disturb Mu Langhua from her restlessness in the Underworld is also a great contribution that I have made."

Chen Xiang laughed sinisterly, "Ten thousand arrows piercing the heart. I'm afraid that even without Picking Girl Zhou, we would not be able to live a peaceful life in the Underworld."

"That's only natural," Su Rushuang said with a smile. "But I'm really annoyed looking at that Consort Xian right now."

"Empress, don't worry," Chen Xiang exhorted. "The total number of times the Emperor reached the Zhongcui Palace is less than the Empress' amount in a week."

"She doesn't have the right to compete with me in this kind of matter. I only saw her and thought of that sinful woman Mu Langhua."

"The Empress has already brought the Worthy Lady Shen to the Zhongcui Palace. There is no need for the Empress to do anything, the two of them will start a ruckus by themselves."

Su Rushuang sighed slightly, "I only hope that we can take care of Consort Xian properly after she kills her father with the help of General Luo."

"The Consort Xian values friendship, it is impossible to get too close with the daughter of an enemy. If you are truly upset with the Worthy Lady Shen, you can take this opportunity to say that the Consort Xian thinks highly of the criminal and denounce her in front of the Emperor."

Su Rushuang facepalmed, "I regret that I did not ask the Emperor to remove Consort Xian along with me when we eliminated Mu Langhua that year."

"Although Consort Xian is also the daughter of a sinful subject, the emperor spared her life when she remembered that her mother was from the imperial family. Who would have thought that she would act so brazenly and not know what was good for her?"

"Hmph," Su Rushuang sneered, "I will definitely get rid of her. Chen Xiang, you must watch out for my spies in the Zhongcui Palace.

"Yes."

Just as Luo Ninghai stopped at the door, she smelled the alluring aroma of delicious food.

"Big Sister Consort Xian is so amazing," Luo Ninghai clapped her hands and laughed, "Your cooking skills are so good, no wonder the Emperor always mentioned that the food in Big Sister's palace was the best."

Consort Xian pursed her lips and smiled, "Sister likes it the best, quickly sit, sit."

Luo Ninghai impatiently picked up a piece of East Slope Meat, and started to chew with relish. "Isn't this meat only available on Qin Nation?

"There's a chef in my kitchen who came here with Qin Nation. This East Slope Meat was learned from him."

"Elder sister is smart, she can learn it easily," Luo Ninghai praised. "Unlike me, I can only practice sword dance to bring joy to the emperor."

Consort Xian was puzzled: "Sword Dance?"

"Yeah, this is what big brother taught me."

Consort Xian smiled, "General Luo knows how to dance swords."

"Brother feels that a woman should have a profound skill, but I am also very stupid, so I cannot learn anything. So, brother, that is why you taught me this."

"Sword Dance is also not simple," Consort Xian's gaze was gentle like water. "If Your Majesty likes it, then you must be a peerless beauty."

"Some other day, I'll give my sister a dance as well."

"Alright, I would rather not," Consort Xian laughed, "Where is General Luo now?"

"Big brother, he's at the northwest border with Qin Nation, why would big sister ask this?"

Consort Xian's eyes were filled with tears, "I no longer have any family members in this world, so I can only ask other people's family to resolve the pain of falling in love."

Seeing Consort Xian's depressed look, Luo Ninghai said caringly: "Big sister is not without relatives, in this palace, the emperor and I are big sister's family."

Consort Xian laughed while holding back her tears: "I am also very relieved to have you as my sister."

Luo Ninghai gave her a sweet smile, then extended her chopsticks into other bowls.

"Is big sister familiar with Noble Consort Ru?"

Consort Xian was startled for a moment before she smiled and said, "Naturally, she entered the palace a few years later than me."

Luo Ninghai bit her lips: "Noble Consort Ru doesn't seem to like me that much."

"It's nothing," the Consort Xian comforted, "The Noble Consort Ru is a cold and kind person, I just need to go to the Huayang Palace to keep her company."

After dinner, Luo Ninghai and Consort Xian chatted for a long time before reluctantly returning to their own room.

Consort Xian watched as her figure disappeared into the backyard, waved for the palace maids to retreat, and went inside the Bedchamber alone.

After passing through two to three screens, she reached out her hands to take off a piece of wallpaper, revealing a painting, and the person on the painting, was the previous Queen Mu Langhua of Great Qi.

Consort Xian clasped her hands together and bowed slowly. Then, she looked at the portrait with her bright eyes and said, "I will wait for sister's return."