The Empress was quite pleased with Feng Tianlan's concession. At this moment, Yu Wan'er stepped forward: "Your Majesty, the Grand Tutor requests an audience."
"I will not see him," the Empress said slowly, a smile playing on her lips. "Today, I will see no one."
"Shall I draw lots?" Yu Wan'er asked, glancing at the sky.
The Empress shook her head. "The main guest has returned; why bother with those imposters? From today onward, I no longer need to draw lots. Issue an order that tonight, I will be going to Tantai Palace."
"Yes."
Tantai Palace was the residence of the imperial consorts throughout the dynasties. The sudden occupation of the usually vacant palace stirred unrest among the men in the harem. One by one, they pretended to pass by Tantai Palace, hoping to investigate. However, they were all turned back by the heavily guarded attendants at the entrance.
The men of the harem gathered together, exchanging information.
"Young Master Ye, I heard someone has moved into Tantai Palace. Do you know about it?"
Ye Fei's hand paused in the midst of copying the Book of Songs. "I do not."
"Tantai Palace has been empty for so many years, and Your Majesty has always forbidden anyone from entering. Why has someone suddenly been allowed to reside there?" Another man leaned closer. "Young Master Ye, you have been by Your Majesty's side the longest. You don't know?"
Ye Fei stopped writing, his brow furrowed. A character on the exquisite paper appeared crooked, ruining the entire page.
Ye Fei put down his brush and tore the completed page, tossing it into the nearby wastebasket.
"Perhaps Young Master Ye knows but simply does not wish to tell us."
Ye Fei picked up his brush again and continued writing. "I truly do not know. Believe it or not, it's up to you."
"I heard that the person residing in Tantai Palace is a childhood companion of Your Majesty, and their bond is extraordinary."
"Tantai Palace is where the imperial consort resides," another chimed in. "We always thought it would be you, Young Master Ye, who would reside there. We did not expect someone of unknown origin to snatch it away. Young Master Ye, we feel you have been wronged."
"Tong Xia, Your Majesty has her own plans. As Your Majesty's male attendants, we only need to serve Your Majesty well. As for who resides in Tantai Palace, it has nothing to do with us."
The others nodded in agreement, smiling on the surface but not taking it to heart. Everyone knew that Ye Fei had always considered himself the imperial consort. Coupled with the fact that the Empress entrusted him with managing the affairs of the harem, it was clear she intended to elevate him to the position of imperial consort. Who would have thought that someone would suddenly appear and directly displace him? It would be a miracle if he were content!
"Young Master Ye, do you truly not know who resides in Tantai Palace?"
"I do not!" Ye Fei said calmly. "Instead of idle chatter here, it would be better for you to go back and think about how to keep Your Majesty in your own rooms."
Hearing this, the men rose and took their leave. Since they could not gather any information from Ye Fei, there was no point in staying.
After everyone had departed, the usually composed Ye Fei suddenly swept everything on the desk onto the floor. The Empress had called him a "dead fish eye" a few days ago, and now she had allowed a newcomer to move into Tantai Palace. This was clearly a direct insult!
"My Lord, please calm your anger," the attending palace servants said, kneeling.
Ye Fei's face contorted for a moment before regaining its composure. "Clean this up."
"Yes, my Lord."
Ye Fei sat aside, watching the servants frantically tidy the mess on the floor. The mess on the floor could be cleaned, but what about the turmoil in his heart?
From the moment the Empress called him a "dead fish eye," his heart had become a desert. Before he could even begin to heal, the Empress delivered another fatal blow.
"My Lord, a message has arrived from the Eldest Princess."
Ye Fei took it and opened it. His handsome brows furrowed even more deeply. He then quickly ignited the paper in the candlelight, reducing it to ashes.
"My Lord, please do not be angry. Your Majesty has always doted on you. His Majesty is simply experiencing a novelty; once the novelty wears off, he will cast it aside. " The attending servant tried to console him. "After all, you have been with Your Majesty for ten years. A decade of affection cannot be compared to anyone else."
Ye Fei remained silent. The message from the Eldest Princess contained only a single name. Even if he was unaware of this person's background, the surname alone told him that unless this person died, the position of imperial consort would inevitably belong to him!
"All of you, leave. Let me be alone for a while."
"Yes, my Lord."
Ye Fei stood and walked to the window, pushing it open. From here, he could see Tantai Palace. The usually quiet Tantai Palace was ablaze with lights tonight. Although no voices could be heard, Ye Fei knew that the Empress was undoubtedly in Tantai Palace at this very moment.
"Feng Moran," Ye Fei murmured the name. He was not unfamiliar with Feng Moran, not just because of his surname but also because of Empress Yue Xian's refusal of marriage. To the court officials, Feng Moran was a joke, being the only Feng family member to have had a marriage proposal rejected.
"Someone."
"What are your orders, my Lord?"
"The master of Tantai Palace is named Feng Moran. Do you know him?"
"Replying to my Lord, this servant does not know."
"If you don't know, then go ask others. See if anyone else knows. In this vast imperial palace, surely someone has heard of this person."
"This servant understands." The servant immediately withdrew. When their master instructed them to inquire, it was not for actual information but to spread the news. There were so many male attendants in the harem; surely someone would be unable to resist investigating this person's background. And in this harem, there were no secrets. Once discovered, it would soon be known to everyone.
When the news of the Empress staying overnight in Tantai Palace reached them, the male attendants in the harem were somewhat disheartened. They had initially hoped that Ye Fei would cause trouble for the newcomer, but Ye Fei remained unmoved.
"My Lord, a new person has arrived, isn't that a good thing? It will prevent Young Master Ye from having sole dominance and always looking down on us."
Tong Xia's face showed concern. "Fool, why would a newcomer immediately reside in Tantai Palace? This shows that Your Majesty is very fond of him. While Your Majesty favors Ye Fei, it's not exclusive favoritism, and he has never been allowed into Tantai Palace. Yet, upon arrival, this newcomer is immediately housed in Tantai Palace. This person is certainly not simple. Ye Fei's background is humble; he gained Your Majesty's appreciation, which led to his current position. Compared to me, he is far more uneasy. If I lose Your Majesty's favor, I still have the support of my family. If he loses Your Majesty's affection, he will have nothing." Su Dan Novel Network
"Will Young Master Ye make a move against the person in Tantai Palace?"
"He certainly will," Tong Xia said with certainty. "His ability to maintain Your Majesty's favor for ten years shows he has considerable means. What I'm curious about now is who this person residing in Tantai Palace is."
"My Lord, we have news," a servant hurried in. "We've inquired, and the newcomer residing in Tantai Palace has the surname Feng and is named Feng Moran."
When Tong Xia heard this name, his complexion immediately changed, and a hint of fear flickered in his eyes.
"My Lord, are you alright?"
"Are you certain?"
"Absolutely certain, the person who has moved in is indeed named Feng Moran."