Five years after her death, she awoke on the dragon bed.

Chapter 39 The New Emperor's Selection
"This... this servant doesn't know why, it's His Majesty's decree," Ji Qing replied.

Lou Suyi didn't feel sorry for Madam Ma. After all, Madam Ma had committed evil first, but judging from Madam Ma's fate, serving the emperor was a thankless and arduous task, and one could easily lose one's life if one was not careful.

"I understand. Go back and report." Lou Suyi didn't ask any more questions.

Ji Qing thought Lou Suyi had softened her heart, so he said, "It was Madam Ma who was wicked and framed you first. His Majesty's severe punishment was probably to set an example for others. It was not the Fourth Miss's fault."

"It wasn't my fault to begin with." Lou Suyi said calmly, then suddenly felt a pang of sadness. "I was clearly a victim too."

Ma deserved to be punished, but seeing Ma's fate, she couldn't help but feel a sense of sorrow, like a rabbit mourning the death of a fox.

She had only been in the palace for half a month when this happened. There were still two years to go, and who knew what would happen next.

What if something unexpected happens and she loses her life in the palace?
Lou Suyi likes to sleep when she's feeling down. In her opinion, there's no problem that sleeping can't solve.

Sure enough, she woke up fully recovered after a good night's sleep.

Consort De actually came again; Yan Hui said she had been there for a while.

"Why didn't you call me?" Lou Suyi gritted her teeth inwardly.

She's not the mistress of this harem, so how could she make Consort De wait for her? That's against the rules of the palace.

She was afraid that Consort De would think she was deliberately delaying her departure.

"I saw that you were sleeping very soundly, so I couldn't bear to wake you." Yan Hui then realized that her actions were inappropriate.

Although His Majesty dotes on the young lady, others are unaware of the truth, and the young lady currently has no official title. It is truly unreasonable to ask Consort De to wait for the young lady.

"Let's coordinate our story. We'll say that I was frightened by the Ma family's affair and was having nightmares," Lou Suying whispered.

Yan Hui quickly agreed.

Upon arriving at the palace, Lou Suying appeared, looking haggard, supported by Yan Hui.

She clasped her hands together in greeting to Consort De: "I was unaware of Consort De's arrival. I have failed to greet you properly. Forgive me."

Yan Hui then explained, "When I went to call the master, he was having a nightmare, so he was a little late. I hope Consort De will not be offended."

Consort De glanced at the anxious Yan Hui, then at Lou Suyi, whose face looked somewhat haggard, and generously replied, "Master, there's no need to blame yourself. It was my bad timing. Please sit down."

Lou Suyi took her seat as instructed. After Jinshu served tea, Consort De began to speak: "I heard that Madam Ma committed a crime in Xianfu Palace. His Majesty was so angry that he banished Madam Ma to the Cold Palace and... even had her tongue pulled out. Is the Abbess worried about this?"

Based on her understanding of Murong, this man was cold-hearted and indifferent. Apart from doting on her, he regarded the other concubines in the harem as strangers. Even Consort Li, the niece of Empress Dowager Chen, was not taken seriously by Murong.

This major commotion is still related to Xianfu Palace, and she suspects that Lou Suying is involved.

If Murong didn't care about Lou Suyi, why would he be so ruthless because of this nun?

This incident inevitably cast a shadow over her heart, which is why she came here specifically to sound out Lou Suyi's opinion.

“Indeed. Madam Ma once came to Xianfu Palace and confessed that she wanted to kill me. I was just a passerby and shouldn't get involved, so I sent her away. Who knew that I would soon hear that His Majesty had banished Madam Ma to the Cold Palace? I am a layperson, and I never expected to suddenly get involved in the palace intrigue. His Majesty is always grateful for my saving his life, and perhaps that's why he punished Madam Ma so severely. In the end, this matter was caused by me, and I am filled with fear…”

Lou Suyi spoke a long string of words, seemingly true but actually false.

Consort De smiled enigmatically: "His Majesty treats the nun very differently." Murong never took the initiative to get close to any woman, Lou Suying was the only exception.

"Your Highness Consort De, the Master has saved His Majesty twice, and His Majesty has always held the Master in high regard," Jinshu replied.

Consort De glanced at Jinshu and Yan Hui, then at Lou Suyi, and smiled faintly with her eyes lowered: "If His Majesty did not value the Abbess, he would not have allowed the two of you to serve by her side."

She was still trying to get information out of Lou Suyi when Blueberry suddenly rushed in and whispered in her ear.

Consort De's expression changed upon hearing this: "His Majesty is going to hold a selection of concubines?"

After her confinement was lifted, she thought she could recuperate and serve the emperor, but Murong suddenly held a talent show at this time.

She subconsciously looked at Lou Suyi, only to see the nun with a joyful expression: "His Majesty's harem is empty, with very few noble ladies. The selection of concubines is a good thing."

She had initially suspected that Lou Suyi was restless and wanted to seduce Murong, but seeing Lou Suyi's delighted expression, she realized that she had misunderstood.

"What's so great about the talent show?" Yunmei found Lou Suyi's smile particularly irritating.

Her master hasn't even been to the emperor's bedchamber yet. If another batch of new women were to be brought in, wouldn't her master be competing with many young and beautiful ladies for His Majesty's favor?

Lou Suyi then remembered that Consort De was also one of the concubines in the harem, and she immediately suppressed her smile: "This humble nun misspoke."

Blueberry whispered to the pale-faced Consort De, "It is the Empress Dowager's decree."

Consort De felt a little better after hearing this.

Lou Suyi also heard Blueberry's words and felt that it was nothing but self-deception.

As the emperor, Murong could refuse even an imperial edict from the Empress Dowager if he didn't want to hold a selection of concubines. However, if he decided to hold a selection, it must be because he wanted to add more new women to his harem.

Aren't all men fickle and prone to getting bored with the old and seeking the new?
Ever since she said she wanted to leave the palace, Murong has not asked her to serve him in bed again. He probably felt that as the emperor, he could have any kind of beauty he wanted, and she was not indispensable.

She actually hoped that more beauties would enter the harem, which would divert Murong's attention.

She felt that waiting two years was too long, and perhaps she could secretly leave the palace if given the chance.

However, the three attendants of Xianfu Palace kept a close watch on her, and she never had a chance to be alone, which was a bit of a hassle.

When Consort De heard that Murong was going to hold a talent selection, she immediately left Xianfu Palace, which relieved Lou Suyi.

The new emperor's selection of concubines was of paramount importance. For a time, the concubines in the harem stopped visiting Xianfu Palace, and the matter of Lady Ma being banished to the Cold Palace was no longer mentioned. Everyone's focus was on how many beauties would be selected this time.

That evening, Consort De fainted again.

When Murong arrived at Changqiu Palace, Consort De slowly woke up. The moment she saw him, her eyes reddened, and she looked incredibly delicate and pitiful.

"Your Majesty hasn't come to see me lately. Has he grown tired of me?" Consort De struggled to her feet, looking delicate.

Because of her vigorous movements, her thin clothing revealed half of her breasts, creating a truly breathtaking and stunning sight.

Murong, however, ignored her beauty, stepped forward, pressed her shoulder to make her lie down, and softened his tone: "My beloved consort is frail, you must not catch a cold again. My beloved consort is fine in every way, except that she worries too much, how can she recover like this?"

(End of this chapter)