Two palace maids replenished the incense in the censer, then softly withdrew, the pearl curtain they lowered rendering the figure inside indistinct. “Your Majesty, have you come here because you know I have the best delicacies?” Consort Dong chided with a smile, simultaneously offering a lidded bowl before her to the Emperor.

The Emperor, clad in a simple, plain black Songjiang cotton robe, did not take the bowl, instead drawing her slender waist toward him. “Indeed.

I am like a kitten, drawn by the scent of fish.” He chuckled, then leaned down to deeply inhale near her chest, “Such fragrant, pale great steamed buns…” The chamber echoed with the woman's delicate laughter. The serving maids standing outside were accustomed to this, their expressions unchanging.

“Your Majesty, try this.” After a round of playful banter, Consort Dong leaned against the Emperor, solicitously offering him dishes. “I am truly famished.

The court nearly erupted into a brawl today; the noise gave me a headache. And there are stacks of memorials.

I haven’t even had breakfast.” The Emperor smiled and picked up his chopsticks. Outside the pearl screen, a palace servant hurried toward them but abruptly stopped her steps, appearing to have urgent news yet daring not to enter due to the Emperor’s presence.

Consort Dong felt a surge of displeasure. She recognized this maid as one bestowed by the Empress Dowager.

Just as expected, whenever things went her way, someone would come to cause a stir. Yet, she couldn't pretend not to see; while she might enjoy the Emperor's favor, the Empress Dowager was someone a mere consort could not afford to offend.

There could only be one Empress Dowager, but consorts were countless. “Yujuan, has the dish I requested not yet arrived?” she inquired.

The maid outside, upon receiving a response, hurried in. “Your Ladyship, Madam Chen has arrived and has been invited to the Hibiscus Pavilion to rest.” Madam Chen?

Consort Dong was surprised, and the Emperor too showed a flicker of astonishment. Which madam comes to see her and dares to be seated without prior permission?

And this is while knowing the Emperor is here! Considering the court hierarchy— There really was no such person… No, wait, there was one!

Consort Dong realized, her expression growing complex as she involuntarily glanced at the Emperor. “Your Majesty, I did not know she was coming,” she hastily said.

The Emperor naturally knew who it was, lowering the hand holding his chopsticks. “Of course, you wouldn’t know; you can’t just let anyone in when they arrive.” He remarked, with a smile.

“I shall go to the Jade Green Pool first. You bring people to set up the meal here later.” This clearly implied he would not meet Lady Chen and wished for her to be dismissed quickly.

Crucially, the Emperor was neither angry nor suspicious of her. Consort Dong’s face lit up with joy.

She quickly instructed someone to lead the Emperor out through the back door, then turned and ordered Chen Shi to be admitted. “This subject pays respects to Your Ladyship.” Lady Chen stepped into the room, bowing with her head lowered.

“Sister, please, don’t be so formal; I am not worthy of such deference.” Consort Dong quickly said, walking forward rapidly while reaching out a hand as if to support her. The delicate, short woman before her dared not reveal the slightest hint of displeasure over the rare intimacy with the Emperor being interrupted.

This woman was truly a peculiar existence. Observe the Emperor’s attitude just moments ago.

Though he said he wouldn't see her, he showed not a shred of annoyance toward the woman. On the contrary, there was a familiarity, a closeness unique to those who have known each other since childhood.

The Emperor had few full sisters; Lady Chen was treated almost like a princess. Even better than a princess, in fact.

Lady Chen still completed her bow before standing straight and raising her eyes to look at Consort Dong. “Sister, you haven’t changed at all…” Consort Dong examined her, speaking with visible emotion.

Lady Chen also smiled. “Your Ladyship grows ever more beautiful.” She replied.

Consort Dong let out a soft sound. “Sister, you still love to tease me.” She laughed, her gaze drifting to behind Lady Chen.

Her entire focus had been on Lady Chen until this moment, when she finally noticed a woman following behind her. A young woman, her features obscured by her lowered head, but her figure alone suggested great beauty… This was hardly the appearance of a mere maidservant.

A beauty! Her eyes paused, a look noticed by Lady Chen.

“This is Yueniang,” Lady Chen stated. Yueniang?

Consort Dong felt a slight shock internally. What kind of introduction was this?

“The last time I asked for your favor, it was for her sake.” Lady Chen said with a smile, reaching out to pull Qi Yue forward, “Come, thank your great benefactor.” Hearing these words, Consort Dong suddenly understood. She clearly remembered the previous matter.

Although Lady Chen was generally favored in the palace, she had never used her standing to demand anything. The person for whom she would seek such a major favor must be someone extraordinary to her.

By this time, Qi Yue had already bent into a curtsy. “I pay respects to Your Ladyship, and thank Your Ladyship for your great kindness.” She spoke, hesitating whether to kneel.

This was perhaps the second time she had knelt since arriving here. Qi Yue could not help but recall the first time: kneeling alongside Chang Yuncheng.

And this time, it was for Zhou Maochun, for the Qianjintang, and also for Chang Yuncheng, who would surely cause trouble by following her secretly. It seemed their fates were truly intertwined.

A smile couldn't help but curve her lips. Consort Dong was not so foolish as to let her kneel.

If Lady Chen truly intended for this woman to kneel, she would have made her kneel upon entering; she wouldn't have waited until now for such a deliberate introduction. Surviving in the palace required understanding such subtleties, or one would have died eight hundred times over.

“Rise quickly, we are all family here, no need for formalities.” She laughed, reaching out to steady Qi Yue. Qi Yue assumed it was politeness and tried to insist on kneeling, but Consort Dong held her arm tightly, making it seem far from mere courtesy.

“Yueniang, why don't you wait outside for a moment? I need to speak with Your Ladyship.” Lady Chen spoke up.

Both Qi Yue and Consort Dong were slightly taken aback, but neither could object. In any case, they both silently agreed that Lady Chen could do as she wished.

“Someone come,” Consort Dong said with a smile, releasing Qi Yue’s arm. A palace maid stepped forward.

“My Lady, please follow me,” she said, proactively stepping aside before Consort Dong could issue an order. Qi Yue bowed thankfully once more and followed the maid out.

“My Lady, this way,” the maid said, leading the way. “I’ll wait just outside,” Qi Yue said hesitantly.

“How can that be? It’s quite cold,” the maid chuckled, then considered.

“My Lady, there is a small warm chamber over here; it’s warm and very close by. If you call out, you can certainly hear us.” It should be fine; otherwise, Lady Chen wouldn't have been so relaxed letting her go out alone.

Qi Yue nodded her thanks and followed the maid around a corner into a room adjacent to the main palace hall. The room was small, furnished with exquisite warmth.

The maid quickly went to the center and pulled open the thick drapes, causing Qi Yue’s eyes to gleam momentarily. It turned out the warm chamber opened onto a small, exquisitely designed garden.

It was the beginning of spring, still quite mild, and the little garden faintly radiated vitality. “My Lady, please be seated,” the maid said with a smile after securing the drapes.

“My Lady, you aren’t cold, are you?” Qi Yue quickly shook her head, saying she wasn't cold, and sat down on the railing chair, looking outside. The maid brought over tea.

Then, she glanced out the window, as if spotting something, and swiftly moved toward the railing, gripping it. “Xiao Weizi, what are you doing catching our fish?” she called out in a crisp voice.

Qi Yue couldn't help but follow the sound and indeed saw a small eunuch by the pond in the garden, holding a net. The little eunuch snorted, glanced at the maid, and completely ignored her.

The maid felt thoroughly slighted and stomped her foot. “Xiao Weizi, are you trying to steal our fish to eat?

I’ll tell Your Ladyship!” she threatened. Qi Yue watched the little maid and the little eunuch bickering, offering a faint smile before turning her gaze away.

But at that very moment… In a small pavilion across the way, a gaze was cast over. The Emperor sat upright while a small eunuch meticulously arranged the charcoal stove, wire implements, and other tools.

He frowned upon hearing the noise from outside. The eunuch immediately understood and rushed to the side.

“What are you shouting about? Don’t you know…” he hissed sharply.

Before he could finish, an object was thrown from behind him, striking his head, causing him to yelp. At this moment, only one person could possibly hit him.

The eunuch, ignoring the pain, immediately dropped to his knees with a thud. The Emperor paid him no mind, his gaze still fixed outside, his expression one of surprise.

In the chamber opposite, the woman leaning by the window was listening to what the maid was saying, a slight smile playing on her lips. The Emperor couldn't help but stand up, squinting, a hint of a smile gradually spreading across his mouth.

The eunuch kneeling on the ground trembled, but he heard no scolding. He dared to raise his head slightly and saw that the Emperor was actually smiling.

The Emperor’s moods were mercurial; sometimes he smiled when he was angry, and sometimes he was secretly smiling when outwardly angered. Those eunuchs close to him best knew the difference between the Emperor’s genuine and false smiles.

At this moment, the Emperor was genuinely smiling. What could have pleased him so much?

The eunuch couldn't help but try to follow the Emperor’s line of sight outward, but the Emperor merely raised a foot. “Let’s go,” he commanded.

The eunuch dared not be distracted and quickly scrambled up. The Emperor had already departed with swift, long strides.

The eunuch hurried to follow. The eunuch who had been catching fish returned, still holding a lively, flapping fish in his net.

“Hey? Are we still eating this?” he asked after seeing the others leave.

“Eating what?” The little eunuch glared at him and quickly chased after the Emperor, who was already out of sight ahead. “Your Majesty has left?” Hearing the maid’s report, both Consort Dong and Lady Chen were somewhat surprised.

Consort Dong secretly resented Lady Chen for arriving at such an inopportune time; she hadn't seen the Emperor for days, and now she was being thwarted by this intrusion. Lady Chen secretly resented that the Emperor was indeed ruthless, knowing why she had come yet refusing to grant an audience.

Though their feelings differed, both sighed with disappointment. Since the Emperor was not present, Lady Chen rose to take her leave.

Consort Dong also saw her off listlessly. She called for Qi Yue, and Lady Chen seemed to casually glance at the maid who had escorted her.

The maid subtly shook her head at Lady Chen. Lady Chen’s look of disappointment deepened visibly.

Qi Yue watched the two women; although their smiles remained, the underlying weariness was apparent, startling her. It seemed the matter was not concluded!

Lady Chen had entered her sedan chair, and Qi Yue sighed internally before bowing to Consort Dong and taking her leave. Watching the two women depart slowly, Consort Dong could no longer conceal her frustration.

“Your Ladyship, what did Madam Chen come to ask you for?” her personal maid inquired. Consort Dong shook her head with a scornful smile.

“What would she want with me? When has she ever sought me out?

I am merely a stepping stone, an excuse for her purposes. She has no need of my help.” She stated.

She hadn't known when the visitor arrived, nor could she keep her when she left; she couldn't even control this small matter. That woman truly didn't need her assistance.

The maid fell silent. “When did His Majesty leave?” Consort Dong asked, something suddenly occurring to her.

“He left quite early. Just a short while after Madam Chen arrived, His Majesty departed.” A palace maid quickly reported.

Consort Dong nodded, banishing a flicker of suspicion from her mind, and turned to go inside. Meanwhile, Lady Chen sat in her sedan chair as it moved slowly along the palace wall, one hand resting on her head as if she had fallen asleep.

“Aunt, if it doesn't work out, perhaps we should just let it go. Don’t take it too much to heart,” Qi Yue whispered.

“I believe good fortune favors the kind-hearted.” Lady Chen opened her eyes, about to speak, when she saw two eunuchs approaching hurriedly from the opposite direction, smiling and bowing from afar. “Madam, His Majesty summons you,” they announced.

It truly was a case of ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way’—a moment of unexpected turnaround! Lady Chen sat up straight in her sedan chair.

This little rascal truly knows how to torment people! I actually didn't want to leave the house either.

Since I started writing, I cut off all recreational activities, but the summer vacation is nearly over. I couldn't bear to see the child's disappointed expression, so I agreed to take her to the seaside.

Going out should have been relaxing, but I couldn't refuse the warm hospitality of old friends and classmates from the local area. It was both tiring and enjoyable, a weekend vacation.

Now that I’m back, I will make up for the missed chapters and resume updating twice a day. My apologies, please bear with me.

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