Chapter 83

Consort Rong's expression was weary as she yawned. "I'm truly exhausted. I'll have to take my leave. Sister Concubine Zhen, let's get together another day."

Jiang Xinyue pretended to look at the late-arriving Concubine Li, but from the corner of her eye, she was watching Consort Shu.

Seeing her feign drunkenness and quietly slip out for some air, Jiang Xinyue also frantically spilled a cup of wine on herself.

The Xuanwu Emperor saw her hurriedly stand up, patting the wine stains on her skirt, and telling Xique with a red face that she needed to go change her clothes.

He looked at his own hand intertwined with the Empress's, thinking to himself that Concubine Zhen's feelings for him seemed to be growing deeper.

Such a beauty-loving person, yet she would knock over her wine cup and soil her own clothes because he was holding hands with the Empress.

"Wang Dequan, Concubine Zhen is afraid of the dark. Take one of the new crystal lamps from the Internal Affairs Department to light her way back to Hexi Palace."

Wanting to comfort Concubine Zhen and let her know he was thinking of her, he used the gesture of sending a lamp as a subtle way to express this.

The new crystal lamps from the Internal Affairs Department were exquisite and luxurious. In the imperial harem, only the Empress's Yikun Palace had them; the other consorts and concubines did not.

Jiang Xinyue followed Consort Shu all the way to a palace corridor outside Baohe Hall. Wang Dequan pursued closely behind, but seeing Concubine Zhen acting suspiciously, he didn't make a sound. It wasn't until Jiang Xinyue noticed him and raised her index finger in a "shush" gesture that he lightened his footsteps as he approached.

The palace servants trained in Chengqian Palace had footsteps that were nearly silent. When he reached Jiang Xinyue, he didn't make even the slightest noise.

The dark palace corridor was illuminated by a few lanterns hanging from the eaves. There should have been nowhere to hide, but the corner of the corridor that Consort Shu had her back to happened to be an uninhabited palace. She pulled Wang Dequan to hide behind the door with her.

"Concubine Zhen, you..."

"Shh!"

Jiang Xinyue extinguished the crystal lamp and pointed in Consort Shu's direction.

Wang Dequan poked half his head out. In the dim lamplight, Consort Shu and Consort Rong stood facing each other, the atmosphere seeming tense and confrontational.

Consort Shu would just be a sister wanting to avenge her younger sister. The blame would fall on Consort Rong for always crying and complaining to her.

Consort Rong cried until her eyes were red. Consort Shu frowned: "Alright, wipe your tears clean for me. Don't let anyone see anything amiss. If you want children, once I've eliminated Concubine Zhen and Concubine Li, I'll naturally recommend you to the Emperor. The Emperor is in his prime; are you afraid you won't have children?"

The two sisters parted ways. After Consort Shu had gone far, Consort Rong's frightened gaze turned venomous.

The moment the child flowed out of her body, she had forgotten the meaning of fear. She was now just a walking corpse, only wanting revenge.

But this Concubine Zhen really could bring her surprises.

She had thought that after warning her tonight, it would take at least half a year for Concubine Zhen to bring down her sister. But less than half an hour after she finished speaking, she had brought Wang Dequan here.

The speed was so fast, she had barely had time to arrange the words she wanted to say.

Jiang Xinyue and Wang Dequan stood stupidly in the weed-overgrown palace, staring at each other, not knowing how to react.

If Jiang Xinyue knew of Consort Rong's admiration for her, she would certainly be embarrassed.

This was entirely Consort Shu's own misfortune, running into the Emperor sending Wang Dequan to deliver a palace lamp to her!

At most, she had merely extinguished the crystal lamp, allowing Wang Dequan to find an excuse to reveal tonight's secret to the Emperor upon his return.

"This... this..."

Wang Dequan's mouth gaped wide enough to fit an egg. He pointed at Consort Shu, then at Consort Rong, and finally looked at Jiang Xinyue with a panicked expression. "Concubine Zhen... what... what exactly is going on here?"

As the Emperor's personal chief eunuch, he was more aware than anyone of how much the Emperor favored Consort Shu.

Although Concubine Zhen had now entered the picture, Consort Shu...

After all, she was the Emperor's first love, and that affection was unique!