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

Chapter 83: Consort Lou Rises to Power...

Lou Suying stared intently at Lou Suyue, her eyes harmless, but Lou Suyue felt a chill run down her spine from her cold gaze. Still, she stubbornly insisted, "Fourth Sister always says she's a nun, doesn't that mean she should be compassionate? I'm clearly Fourth Sister's sister, yet she won't help me. On the contrary, a single word from the Empress Dowager is enough to make Fourth Sister go through fire and water..."

"Is it possible that in my heart, there is no such thing as a younger sister?" Lou Suyi replied indifferently.

Lou Suyue was surprised that Lou Suyi was so impolite in front of Tao Zhaoyi. She lowered her eyes and looked at Tao Zhaoyi, saying, "It's my fault. I've made things difficult for Fourth Sister."

Upon seeing Lou Suyue's pitiful state, Tao Zhaoyi was immediately filled with righteous indignation: "How can you be so heartless, Master? No matter what, Lou Suyue is still your sister, and she has the blood of the Lou family flowing in her veins. Even if you have become a monk, you cannot be so cold-blooded..."

Before she could finish speaking, Lou Suyi suddenly flung the teacup in her hand away with a loud "bang," shattering it into pieces and spilling tea everywhere.

Tao Zhaoyi and Lou Suyue were startled and couldn't believe that Lou Suyi would dare to turn against them.

Lou Suyi said casually, "This humble nun's hand slipped."

Under the watchful eyes of Consort Tao and Lou Suyue, she clasped her hands together and said, "This humble nun still has to perform her morning prayers, so I will not keep you two any longer. Please!"

Without waiting for their reaction, she walked away leisurely.

Tao Zhaoyi wanted to step forward to defend Lou Suyue, but Lou Suyue quickly pulled her back and said, "Forget it. His Majesty values ​​Fourth Sister, so Fourth Sister is fearless. His Majesty even sent Granny Fan to Xianfu Palace to serve Fourth Sister. Even if Fourth Sister is a nun, she is still better than us sisters. That's why Fourth Sister dares to ignore us sisters."

Tao Zhaoyi was immediately enraged: "On what grounds?!"

"Perhaps it's because Fourth Sister is favored by the Empress Dowager, and His Majesty also favors her? Times have changed. Fourth Sister doesn't care about anyone in this harem anymore." Lou Suyue's smile was bitter. "In this harem, His Majesty's favor is more important than anything else. Even though Fourth Sister is a nun, she can easily steal His Majesty's favor. It's incredibly difficult for us to see His Majesty, but Fourth Sister can freely enter and leave the Qianqing Palace. That's the difference between Fourth Sister and us sisters. I'm alright, but even with Sister Tao's noble birth, His Majesty..."

As if realizing she had said something wrong, Lou Suyue immediately stopped talking.

Consort Tao's pretty face darkened slightly: "I'm going to find His Majesty!"

Lou Suyue was worried about not being able to see the new emperor, but she was delighted to hear this: "Sister, accompany Sister Tao."

Consort Tao stormed off to the Qianqing Palace.

When Ji Qing saw Consort Tao, he didn't dare to stop her, after all, her stepmother was Princess Guangyi, and she had been raised by the princess since childhood.

Although His Majesty and Princess Guangyi are not siblings born of the same mother, His Majesty holds Princess Guangyi in high esteem. Princess Guangyi also played a role in His Majesty's success in standing out from the other princes and seizing the throne.

Rather than saying His Majesty values ​​Consort Tao, it would be more accurate to say that His Majesty values ​​Princess Guangyi, which is why he holds Consort Tao in such high regard.

Tao Zhaoyi was an outspoken person, and seeing that Jiqing did not stop her, she became even more smug.

She didn't believe that Lou Suying held a more important place in His Majesty's heart than she did.

Murong was reviewing memorials in the imperial study when Consort Tao suddenly burst in. He looked at Ji Qing, who had followed him in.

Ji Qingxin was startled and quickly said, "This servant did not dare to stop Consort Tao. This servant knows her mistake."

At this moment, Lou Suyue also came in. This time she finally saw the new emperor's noble and handsome appearance clearly, and was immediately amazed.

Murong looked at Lou Suyue and saw the shadow of Lou Suyi in her features, so he couldn't help but glance at Lou Suyue a few more times.

Lou Suyue felt that the new emperor's eyes were deep and captivating, and that he looked at her with deep affection, which made her blush and her heart race.

Seeing that Murong's gaze was focused on Lou Suyue, and that Lou Suyue's face was flushed, Consort Tao teased with a smile, "Sister Lou said that His Majesty values ​​Abbess Kongchen the most, but in my opinion, His Majesty doesn't value me at all." Murong shifted her gaze from Lou Suyue's face and calmly asked, "Is there something you need?"

He was always imposing and dignified, and at this moment his face was expressionless and looked very stern. Even Tao Zhaoyi, who considered herself to be of noble status, felt intimidated by Murong's unsmiling demeanor.

Consort Tao blurted out, "I heard from Sister Lou that His Majesty values ​​Abbess Kongchen very much, and Sister Lou also said that Abbess Kongchen is different from me..."

Realizing she had said something wrong, she quickly stopped talking.

Lou Suyue's expression changed slightly upon hearing this. Was Consort Tao deliberately implicating her?

Upon hearing this, Murong's gaze fell on Lou Suyue's face: "You are Kong Chen's sister?"

"Indeed, Your Majesty, I pay my respects." Lou Suyue replied shyly.

Murong Shen glanced at Lou Suyue, then said directly to Consort Tao, "Consort Tao, step down. Lou..."

Knowing that His Majesty did not know Lou Suyue's rank, Ji Qing stepped forward to remind him: "This is Consort Lou."

"Lou Cairen, please stay." Murong said calmly.

Tao Zhaoyi seemed surprised that she would be driven away, while Lou Suyue was able to stay. Her expression froze slightly, but she did not want to linger any longer, so she hurriedly took her leave.

Jinse, seeing that the new emperor had left Lou Suyue behind, immediately disliked Lou Suyue. The women of the Lou family were all restless and ambitious; seeing the lustful look on Lou Suyue's face, she knew she had fallen for His Majesty.

She scoffed inwardly; not just anyone could withstand His Majesty's favor.

She quickly spread the word that His Majesty had fallen in love with Lou Suyue at first sight. Lou Suyue had even snatched the Emperor's favor from her good friend, Consort Tao, and might soon be serving him in bed.

This matter naturally reached the ears of Consort Liang and Consort De.

Consort Liang was already wary of Lou Suyi, but unexpectedly Lou Suyue suddenly appeared. Instead of being angry, she smiled and said calmly, "I want to meet this Lou Consort and see what kind of beauty could make His Majesty fall in love at first sight."

Mo Lan immediately understood the deeper meaning behind Consort Liang's words and went to inquire about Lou Suyue's every move.

Lou Suyue did not emerge from the Qianqing Palace until late that night.

When she returned to Chuxiu Palace, Consort Qiao immediately came forward to greet her and asked what she had done in Qianqing Palace.

Lou Suyue looked shy and hesitant, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't. She hadn't said anything, yet it seemed like she had said everything.

The next day, after having breakfast, Lou Suyue specially put on a bright and beautiful dress and went to the Imperial Garden to admire the flowers, only to bump into Consort Liang.

She was only a little slow in paying her respects, and was scolded by Consort Liang for being unruly.

"Your Highness, I didn't mean to..."

Lou Suyue had barely opened her mouth when Mo Lan slapped her several times across the face, leaving her completely disoriented.

Mo Lan sneered, "When did it become your place, a mere concubine, to interrupt Her Highness the Empress Dowager?!"

(End of this chapter)