Selling wife for fame? Kick out the scumbag and marry the new emperor to enjoy the harem of favors

Chapter 229

"In short, it won't be me."

Inside Ninghua Palace, Consort Xu gazed out the window, her face filled with bitterness.

Magpie, a maid who accompanied her in her dowry, was making her bed and comforting her.

"Don't say such discouraging things, Consort Cai. Although we have no hope of winning first place, there is a saying that the latecomer can surpass the former. Consort Cai was chosen by the Empress Dowager to stay. Now there are few princes and many princesses in the palace. The Empress Dowager thinks that Consort Cai is good at bearing children and will definitely give her some support. When Consort Cai gives birth to the imperial heir, she will become noble because of her son. This is something that others can only envy!"

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Xu Cainu sighed. “What if I don’t have such good fortune and disappoint the Empress Dowager? Wouldn’t that make me even more disliked? Look at the other newcomers, some have good family backgrounds, some have beauty. Although I know I can make it to the final selection and my appearance is not bad, I am still inferior to them.”

Moreover, she has a body type that is prone to weight gain, and her current figure is just the right amount of plumpness, which means she is already slightly controlling her diet. If she were to eat freely, she would easily become overweight.

Xu Cainu worried that she wouldn't be considered voluptuous and beautiful anymore, but would be disliked by others.

“This servant thinks Lady Cai is the most beautiful.” Magpie immediately came over. “Those concubines are all as thin as bamboo poles. How can they compare to you, who looks so blessed, like a female bodhisattva?”

Actually, the maid wasn't lying.

Xu Cainu had fair and smooth skin, was in good health, and had a rosy complexion. When the sunlight shone on her, her skin glowed brightly. It was no exaggeration to describe her skin as smooth as cream. Although she was plump, she had a very good figure. At this moment, she was wearing a Xiangfei-colored Qixiong Ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) and a jade bracelet on her wrist, which made her look both rich and gentle.

Of all the beauties, she was the quintessential former.

"You have the sweetest tongue."

After being coaxed by the magpie for a while, Xu Cainu's mood improved considerably, and she then asked the question.

"Where does Sister Lu live now? If it's convenient, I'd like to go and see her."

The two lived together quite harmoniously when they were in the imperial palace.

"Then this servant will go and inquire about it." Magpie bowed and then left.

He returned shortly afterward and told Consort Xu that Consort Lu had moved into Consort Zhuang's Yanqing Palace.

Upon hearing this, Xu Cainu frowned. "Well, it's not good to bother her. I've heard that Consort Zhuang is a feisty and difficult person to get along with. If I go, I'll have to pay my respects to her first. I don't want to offend her and cause trouble for Sister Lu."

“That makes sense. Why don’t you rest today, Lady Lu? You can talk to her after you go to Weiyang Palace to offer tea and pay your respects to the Empress tomorrow morning,” said Magpie.

Xu Cainu nodded and said nothing more.

Fortunately, she was sensible and did not go to Yanqing Palace, otherwise she would probably have been implicated by Consort Lu.

Inside Yanqing Palace, Consort Lu was kneeling on the ground, weeping.

Before her lay a shattered celadon cup with lotus leaf design.

"I haven't even cried yet, why are you crying!" Consort Zhuang was furious.

This tea set is made by a master craftsman and is one of a kind. Once it breaks, it cannot be repaired. It was given to her by Zhao Xingjin when she entered the palace and was made a concubine. Because she liked it, she used it every day.

Just now, when Consort Lu served tea to Consort Zhuang, she used this cup. Unexpectedly, Consort Zhuang did not make things difficult for her. Instead, Consort Lu was too nervous and tripped over her long skirt while walking, breaking the teacup and burning her hand.

Fortunately, the tea was intended for Consort Zhuang and wasn't too hot, otherwise she might have been scalded.

Consort Zhuang loved the tea set and was about to lose her temper, but Peizhu persuaded her to suppress her anger and comfort Lu Cainu, saying that she didn't blame her. Unexpectedly, Lu Cainu was terrified and cried sobbing, and kept apologizing.

That's when Consort Zhuang lost her patience.

"I don't know where you've learned your manners. You can't even walk properly, let alone serve tea. Are you out of your mind? My tea set is more valuable than yours!"

"Your Majesty, I know I was wrong, but I didn't mean to, sob sob sob." Consort Lu choked back tears, her eyes red and swollen like a rabbit's. But Consort Zhuang had no intention of pitying her; her mind was only focused on the fact that her beloved teacup had been smashed, and she angrily rubbed her forehead.

"Alright, alright, go back to your room. All you do is cry, it's bad luck!"

After speaking, he gave Peizhu a wink.

Peizhu immediately stepped forward to help Lu Cainu up, coaxed and persuaded her, and pushed her out, handing her over to the maid she had brought into the palace as part of her dowry.

When they returned, they saw Consort Zhuang taking a deep breath, looking quite agitated.

"Look at her stupid appearance. She's only good-looking, her brain is completely useless. How can I expect her to win the emperor's favor? Do you think the emperor would like her!"

"Your Majesty, please calm down," Peizhu advised. "Women may find it displeasing, but all men in the world like delicate and weak women, like little birds clinging to each other, right? It's even better if she's a bit clumsy, so Your Majesty can easily control her."

Consort Zhuang pursed her lips and frowned. "Fine, I'll teach her more in the future."

“Yes, with Her Majesty’s guidance, Consort Lu will surely excel,” Peizhu comforted her.

The atmosphere inside Yanqing Palace was not very harmonious, but Consort Guo and Consort Sun in Yihe Palace got along very well.

Guo Cai's family was well-off, and although Sun Cai had children, her rank was the same as Guo's, so she didn't act arrogantly. Guo Cai didn't look down on Sun Cai either, and they lived in harmony.

In the Xiefang Palace, Consort Chen and Consort Hu had a pleasant first meeting.

Chen Meiren was adept at acting, and Hu Baolin was a lively person, so they naturally got along well, at least on the surface.

The story of Consort Lu being scolded and crying for half a day for breaking a teacup in Yanqing Palace quickly spread throughout the harem. For a time, many people gossiped behind her back, saying that Consort Zhuang was too harsh.

So much so that when Consort Zhuang went to Weiyang Palace to pay her respects the next morning, the Empress reprimanded her about the matter.

"You too, it's just a cup, why are you making such a fuss? Lady Lu is new to the palace, it's inevitable that she's nervous and careless. Just teach her more, she certainly didn't do it on purpose."

Consort Zhuang's eyes widened in anger at the Empress's words.

"It's just a cup? That's a gift from the Emperor himself, unique and priceless! Besides, I didn't make things difficult for her at all. I just said a few words to her, telling her to learn proper manners. She can't even walk properly without being told how. She went back and cried for half a day. What does that have to do with me!"

“How can outsiders know what’s going on in Yanqing Palace? Consort Lu was perfectly fine, why did she cry for so long? She must have suffered some other injustice that we don’t know about,” Consort Chen said quietly.

Consort Zhuang immediately shot her a glare, "Don't talk nonsense! Don't think that just because you're pregnant you can spout off whatever you want!"

After speaking, he looked at Lu Cainu.

"Tell them, did I make things difficult for you?"

When Lu Cainu was called out, she immediately shrank her shoulders in fright and then stammered out her words.

"No, no, Consort Zhuang didn't make things difficult for me. It was all my fault. I was clumsy and made Her Highness angry, sob sob sob."

She started crying again after saying only a few words, making it seem as if she had been wronged but dared not speak out.

"Why are you crying? Did I hit you or scold you? I was just asking you a question!" Consort Zhuang was so numb that she wished she could stand up and cover Consort Lu's mouth.

Upon seeing this, the Empress immediately shouted in a deep voice, "Enough, Consort Zhuang! You've gone too far! Consort Lu has just entered the palace. What doesn't she understand? As her mistress, you should be teaching her. How can you be so harsh? Today, considering that Consort Lu broke the imperial gift first, I will not punish you. But you must not make things difficult for the concubines again!"

After speaking, he dismissed the crowd.

Consort Zhuang was seething with anger and nearly exploded, but in the end she could only suppress it and return to Yanqing Palace first.