15

"Your Majesty, Miss Xiuyu seeks an audience." Yuan Bao spoke humbly.

"If Your Majesty has important matters, Sisi can..."

The girl he was hugging struggled lightly. The cloak covering her neck slid down to reveal ambiguous red marks.

Eunuch Xiao Yuan had a quick glance.

Oh, the battle was quite fierce.

The shy lady hid in Wei Chen's arms. "I can walk by myself," she said in a quiet voice.

"Walking? Can your body stand it? Don't act brave!" Wei Chen raised his eyebrows and managed to see her cheeks redden. Feeling pleased, the corner of his mouth ticked up.

What a cute little one.Please read this at onemachineshow.blogspot.com

Why didn't he find Feng Sisi this interesting before?

Thinking of her sounds that catered to him when she was under his body, Wei Chen only felt that half of his heart had gone numb. The passion in his eyes couldn't help but ignite.

"Your Majesty..." She bit her lip pitifully in the style of begging him to let her go.

The emperor laughed and stepped inside the tent.

"Your Majesty, Her Highness—Her Highness wishes to see you!" Yuanbao called out anxiously from behind.

"Zhen will go there later!"

"But..."

Wei Chen's tone was a little impatient. "But what?"

After saying this, he didn't wait for his personal eunuch's response. He hugged the person into the bright yellow tent exclusively reserved for the emperor.

Eunuch Xiaoyuan stood outside, his lips curling slightly as he listened to the movements inside.

The matter was progressing much more smoothly than Her Royal Highness said.

"You mean to say His Majesty is not willing to come over?" Linlang's hand slipped and broke her favorite teacup painted with lotuses from Lake Yuhu. His Majesty had seen how much she liked the flower and ordered to have the set made for her overnight.

There was no other replica in the entire palace.

Xiuyu didn't care about the teacup. What worried her the most was the imperial consort's condition.

"Does His Majesty—*cough cough cough*"

Linlang covered her mouth with her handkerchief from the sudden fit of coughs. Xiuyu hurriedly stepped forward and soothed her back.

When she pulled it away, the clean cloth had drops of blood. Linlang hurriedly covered the handkerchief in her hand and smiled at Xiuyu with some difficulty, "Ben Gong is a little tired and would like to lie down. You should withdraw."

The head palace maid who had already seen the sight couldn't bear to expose her. Left with no choice, she excused herself.

On her way out, she heard the imperial consort murmur, "The crab apple flowers may have withered by the time I return."

Xiuyu turned her head to see the woman sitting quietly on a carved chair covered with a soft white blanket. Her fine black was loose, and the sapphire-blue brocade dress matched her translucent skin. She looked like Luo Shen standing by the water edge.

Even though Xiuyu was a woman, she couldn't help but lose her breath over the scene.

His Majesty...really has no vision, she thought.

What's so good about Feng Sisi that can make His Majesty make an exception for her?

Does she have Her Highness' beauty?

Or was she an extraordinary talent?

This man who ate from the bowl while eyeing the pot1 thought of someone else. As the saying goes, a concubine is better than a wife, and a lover is better than a concubine.

The imperial consort believed her affection would be reciprocated but could not escape the fate of 'her youth had not yet waned when the king's love was abstained'2.

How can there be any genuine feelings in this harem?

Favor was a momentary scene.

Xiuyu really felt he was unworthy of Her Highness. It was the first time this loyal servant felt dissatisfied with her master.

Compared to His Majesty, she was more inclined towards the gentle consort.

Whenever she fell asleep on the chair from exhaustion, that person would quietly add a piece of clothing on top of her. Occasionally, when she returned late from a day of hard work, there would always be a warm meal and porridge left over in the kitchen.

Xiuyu liked the imperial consort's soft hands and felt content whenever Her Highness touched her head.

At times she even said, 'Yu'er, don't try to be brave, Ben Gong can still withstand everything."

How can anyone bear to hurt her Royal Highness?

The expression in Xiyu's lowered eyes was difficult to describe.

This head servant who controlled the movements in the harem had some calculations in her heart.

Once certain thoughts materialized, they could no longer be restrained.

Linlang watched the person leave then immediately rubbed her stiff face. Having to act all day was a strenuous task.

The imperial noble consort sat in front of the bronze mirror. As she removed her jewelry, she noticed some blood on the corner of her mouth. She stuck out her tongue and licked it clean. Oh, tastes sweet.

She couldn't wait to taste other people's blood.

Who should she perform surgery on first?

The beauty in the mirror was smiling. With her red lips, white teeth, and bright eyes, she looked like a calamitous enchantress brought here to ruin the nation.

Linlang's smile was particularly charming whenever she wanted to do something bad.

That was because she knew she would definitely win.

Since it was a given, it was okay to be happy in advance, right?

The next day was supposed to be a regular hunt, but Wei Chen suddenly ended the trip.

Linlang sent someone to find out what was going on and learned that his new flame had suddenly fallen ill.

Could it have been caused by the excessive bed activities?

Your Majesty, are your kidneys still okay? Linlang thought badly to herself.

On the surface, she had to make a heartbroken expression. Forcing out a smile, she said, "Since...Sister Feng is ill, we should return soon. After all, the hunting ground is in the wilderness. The place is not suitable for Sister's recovery."

The emperor's gaze on her was profound. "Ai Fei is discerning."

Seeing her pale face and thin body, Wei Chen felt a pang of guilt. But his mind was now mostly preoccupied with Feng Sisi. When all is said and done, Feng Sisi was the only one who stood up for him during the critical moment of life and death.

Being part of the heartless royal family meant he had grown accustomed to the behavior of hurling stones at a person who had fallen into a well3 and being a bystander that weighed the pros and cons for everything. However, he never expected there to be someone willing to die for him!

What affection is this?

Feng Sisi's decisiveness shocked Wei Chen.

He decided to be responsible for her and give this person who liked him a special position.

Of course, Linlang will always be the woman he loves the most. He will never let Feng Sisi surpass her identity.

It was just, he could only wrong her for the time being.

Wei Chen stretched out his large palm to touch her face when the person behind him suddenly coughed rather painfully. The emperor quickly turned around to look after her.

The imperial consort's expectant gaze gradually died out.

Those bloodless lips quivered slightly but were unable to say anything.

In the end, she let out a self-deprecating laugh, as if resigned to her fate. "Yu'er, let's go. His Majesty must be preoccupied with attending to the new sister. We ought to mind ourselves."

The gorgeous brocade skirt swept across the ground, and the jade around her waist tinkled from the movement. When she turned to enter the carriage, she happened to meet Wei Chen's gaze.

The powerful man had unspeakable distress and guilt in his eyes. Her cold treatment made him uncomfortable.

Linlang's eyelashes trembled slightly, looking particularly tender.

What, is he feeling sorry for her?

Really, it wasn't necessary because she was going to be more ruthless and sinister than them.

After returning to the palace, Emperor Wei spent the next few days by Feng Sisi's side. He bestowed her the title, Consort Zhen, a name that meant 'to cherish'.

At the same time, the Wei Manor reported news of Princess Wei's sudden death. The funeral was very simple and while not many people attended, no one from the Zhou family raised any objections.

The parties in the imperial court were alarmed as they made conjectures.

It's been said that the pampered noble imperial consort had fallen out of favor.

Consequently, there was a sudden change in the wind.

What the officials worried the most about was that His Majesty... had not appeared at the imperial court for several days.

It was not a good image for a sovereign to mingle with women of the harem.

Wei Yu seized this opportunity. After eliminating some saboteurs, he inserted his own people inside. He was a very cunning man; he just never had anything to strive for in the past. He had only wanted to protect himself back then and rarely confronted his half-brother.

But things were different now.Please read this at onemachineshow.blogspot.com

He felt that ungrateful and treacherous man no longer deserved that high seat, let alone that woman his heart ached for to the point of insomnia!

Since he sought a new lover and cared nothing for Linlang's life or death, there was no need to be emperor anymore. He may as well stay together with Feng Sisi and live miserably ever after in the underworld!

The corner of Wei Yu's mouth had a back-chilling smile. His aides immediately lowered their heads.

It was better not to pry further into certain matters.

For example, His Highness' apparent obsession with a certain noblewoman in the palace.

While Wei Yu sped up his plans to seize the throne, Linlang's body deteriorated by the day. The grand palace maid's eyes were full of anxiety.

If this continued, she was afraid Her Highness would not be able to survive the spring.

"Your Highness, this is a tonic soup specially prescribed by the old physician Lin. Have some," she consoled.

"Yu'er, place it down first, Ben Gong will drink it later." Linlang tugged the corners of her mouth in a smile and gently stroked the beads in Xiuyu's hair. "These few days have been hard on you. You must be tired from going back and forth to acquire medicine for Ben Gong. Be sure to rest. Don't tire yourself."

"I am not tired, Your Highness." She hastily shook her head.

Linlang smiled said with a strained breath, "Ben Gong's Yu'er is always so capable."

"Your Highness, if you feel tired..."

"No, Ben Gong is not yet tired. Yu'er, there's something you need to know... In fact, I prepared a dowry for you and stored it in the golden lacquer box. When I pass—"

"No, Your Highness will always be here. Didn't Your Highness say you would personally place a wedding veil on Yu'er? So Your Highness cannot miss the appointment. As long as Your Highness gets better, Yu'er will do anything..." She was already crying by the end of her words.

"Foolish child..."

Linlang pulled the person into her embrace and kissed her face. Her tone was full of doting.

Awesome, she won over another admiral.