This malicious fellow, knowing he would do such a wicked deed last night, should have been stripped bare and hung from the beam of the Vermilion Phoenix Tower during the day. Would everyone still find Young Master Chu handsome when he was naked?
Mu Qingyao thought groggily, before finally falling asleep.
Mochou and Moyou stood guard outside the palace doors, forbidding anyone from disturbing her.
Inside Weiyang Palace, chaos reigned.
The normally placid Imperial Consort had smashed many valuable antiques. Her personal maid, Qiuyue, cried out repeatedly in distress, "Your Highness, please stop! These were brought from the Chu family."
This statement only enraged Chu Yuyan further. She scanned the great hall, her eyes landing on a blue porcelain vase. Grabbing it, she hurled it to the ground.
Qiuyue's small face grew even more worried. What had stimulated Her Highness to the point of such a frenzy, smashing things nonstop since she returned last night until dawn?
If it was because the Emperor had not summoned her, that was a common occurrence, and she had never seen her throw such a tantrum before.
Qiuyue was bewildered, not knowing what had happened that she was unaware of.
"Your Highness, please do not be angry. Harming yourself is not worthwhile. What exactly happened? Tell this servant, and we can discuss it with your father and eldest brother?"
"Discuss what? Discuss what? They only make things worse. It's all his fault," Chu Yuyan stopped mid-sentence, her breath catching. She sat down exhausted, her beautiful face contorted in an expression of extreme displeasure.
Qiuyue quickly approached, poured a cup of tea for her mistress, and gently persuaded her.
"No matter what happens, Your Highness, getting angry like this will not solve anything, will it?
"We should use our brains more. Little Qiao and the others say that Ximen Xinyue has been frequenting the Emperor's presence these days.
"I heard that a few days ago, she even gave a pill to the Empress. Apparently, the Emperor was very pleased and wanted to bestow gifts upon her, but she refused. From this, it's clear the Emperor has a favorable impression of her. Since she can do it, so can we."
Imperial Consort Chu Yuyan drank her tea with a darkened expression, gulping it down. She was always proud and arrogant. The thought of having to curry favor with that woman filled her with bitter resentment. More importantly, the thought that the Emperor cherished her like a treasure while treating her like a weed made it impossible for her to remain calm.
"Your Highness, don't just stay angry. What's important now is the Emperor's heart."
"Otherwise, if that Ximen Xinyue enters the palace and the Emperor continues to ignore you, that woman will surely step on you and bully you.
"She is not like the Empress. While that woman is cold, as long as you don't provoke her, she won't bully us. But Ximen Xinyue is different; she will surely seek revenge on Your Highness."
After Qiuyue finished speaking, Chu Yuyan's furious temper subsided somewhat. Although her expression remained displeased, she was able to calm down.
"Alright, I understand. Let me think."
Chu Yuyan put down her teacup, resting her chin on her hand, contemplating her current predicament with great distress.
The great hall fell silent.
At that moment, a graceful and elegant figure walked in, accompanied by a voice as crisp as an oriole's.
"Oh dear, what's happened? Why is Imperial Consort Sister angry? Goodness, even such valuable items are being smashed! Truly, the Prime Minister's household is unlike ordinary families; they are so extravagant, casually losing thousands of taels without batting an eye when angered."
The speaker was Ximen Xinyue, who resided in Weiyang Palace. She was dressed in a pink long skirt, embroidered with wisps of white clouds along the hem. Her waist was cinched with a white silken sash tied into a large butterfly knot, her slender waist impossibly narrow, exuding a soft, charming allure.
She stood at the entrance of the great hall, a delicately embroidered silk handkerchief in one hand, covering her mouth as she chuckled. She slowly bent down, picking up the fragments from the floor, sighing again.
As soon as Imperial Consort Chu Yuyan saw the woman's schadenfreude, her anger flared. She glared at her coldly.
She couldn't compare to the Empress, but why should this woman come to gloat? She was nothing, merely a show girl, and would likely be expelled from the palace in a few days even if she wasn't favored.
"Ximen Xinyue, what are you doing here? Are you here to watch a joke? What right do you have to laugh at me? Don't forget your status."
As soon as Chu Yuyan finished speaking, Ximen Xinyue's face instantly turned cold, her eyes flashing with sparks.
The bewitching smile vanished. She glared at Chu Yuyan with a dark expression. Chu Yuyan was not afraid of her and continued with a cold snort.
"You come to watch my joke, why don't you go watch the Empress's joke? Do you know the Emperor favored the Empress yesterday? He didn't let her leave Liuli Palace all night. What great favor that is! Do you have that? Do you?"
Chu Yuyan sneered, repeatedly questioning her.
Upon hearing Chu Yuyan's words, Ximen Xinyue's face turned pale, partly from anger and partly from heartache, making her appear even more pitiable.
However, in the great hall, no one besides her personal maid felt pity for her, for this was Weiyang Palace, the Imperial Consort's territory.
The hall fell silent. The two women glared at each other like fighting cocks.
Qiuyue, the Imperial Consort's personal maid, glanced at them and suddenly spoke.
"Your Highness, why quarrel with Miss Xinyue? Miss Xinyue, please don't anger our mistress. In truth, don't both of you wish to gain the Emperor's favor?
"If that's the case, why not coexist peacefully and work together to please the Emperor? As long as the Emperor bestows his grace evenly, what is there to fear? More women will enter the harem in the future.
"This servant thinks that if Miss Xinyue does not cooperate with our mistress, it is likely that the sole favor will fall upon the lady of Fengluan Palace. By then, the Emperor will favor no one, and all your efforts will be in vain."
Both Chu Yuyan and Ximen Xinyue listened to Qiuyue's words, realizing they made sense.
However, both women were proud and found it difficult to swallow their pride.
Ximen Xinyue shot Chu Yuyan a cold glare and spoke in a low voice.
"Don't think your Chu family still controls half the empire of Xian Yue. Your aunt doesn't know what she did to anger the Emperor. Now she can't even leave Guangyang Palace."
After Ximen Xinyue finished speaking, she flicked her hand and turned, her slender waist swaying as she left the great hall.
Inside the hall, Chu Yuyan seemed distracted. She raised an eyebrow, her eyes clouding with worry.
"Qiuyue, what does she mean? What happened to my aunt? What exactly happened? Immediately send someone to Guangyang Palace to check why my aunt is confined. If that's the case, we must inform my father at once."
"Yes, Your Highness. This servant will send someone to Guangyang Palace now."
"Mmm," Chu Yuyan suddenly felt a tightness in her chest, as if something bad was about to happen. What could it be?