Returning after a three-year escape from death, the tyrant has turned evil.

Chapter 240 Has Consort Ning ever served the Emperor?

And it seems obvious who was behind these ambiguous traces.

The man sitting behind Song Yi was dressed in a meticulously tailored, dark brocade robe, with his belt neatly tied around his waist. He was engrossed in reviewing memorials, and the morning light cast a cool shadow on his sharply defined profile.

He seems exceptionally ascetic and untouched by worldly affairs.

It's hard to associate the marks on Song Yi's body with him as a person.

"You two, is there something you need?"

Consort Meng felt somewhat embarrassed, staring at the red marks on her neck, and asked a question she would later regret: "Does the Imperial Concubine always reside in the Golden Palace?"

Song Yi paused, thinking that the fact was already obvious.

"Yes, you should have seen my palace, but I don't usually live there."

Consort Shen bit her lip. Only now did she finally understand the meaning behind the portrait of Song Yi hanging in the Golden Palace.

No wonder many people tried their best to dissuade her when she wanted to enter the palace, but she still insisted on going her own way, hoping to climb up to the man with the highest status in the world.

Consort Shen gritted her teeth: "Your Majesty, I came here to ask if the Imperial Household Department has prepared the nameplates for both of us?"

Song Yi paused for a moment: "It's all done. You came here just to ask this?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, I just wanted to confirm something; I am indeed feeling somewhat uneasy."

Now that it's confirmed, I feel even worse.

Their nameplates should have been put up long ago, but Jiang Lanye hasn't even glanced at them once since they entered the palace.

Consort Shen couldn't help but have some doubts. Given Song Yi's continued residence in the Golden Palace, in the future, no matter whose name the Emperor chooses, he can only go to that person's palace and cannot bring them back to the Golden Palace.

Song Yi then asked, "Is there anything else?"

Consort Shen glanced at Jiang Lanye, then mustered her courage and asked, "Your Majesty, may I ask if His Majesty is alright? That day, I was reckless and made His Majesty feel even worse. If His Majesty needs me, I would like to come and take care of him."

Song Yi: "."

Yesterday, someone vented almost all their rage on her. How could it not be good? She was exhausted, so why would Jiang Lanye need anyone else to take care of him?
"The imperial physician said that His Majesty's health has improved significantly, but he still needs to rest carefully, so he should not be disturbed."

She spoke tactfully, but Consort Shen pretended not to understand, looking at her with innocent eyes: "Your Majesty has borne all of this alone, and we concubines also want to share Your Majesty's burdens."

As Song Yi was pondering how to respond, a noise suddenly came from behind him.

Jiang Lanye put down the memorial, stood up, walked around the large table, stood behind her, and leaned slightly forward. His unique, cool scent instantly swept over her, completely enveloping her.

His voice was very soft and faint, but Song Yi knew that Jiang Lanye chose to speak to her at this moment specifically for the two of them to hear.

His fingers gently rested on Song Yi's waist, and even through the fabric, the heat still burned Song Yi through her clothes.

"My dear consort, you must have had a long night. Are you still feeling sore?"

Song Yi froze.

His voice was ambiguous, deliberately low and husky, yet the two people could still hear it.

"If I have recovered my strength, I would like to continue."

Although Jiang Lanye often said flirtatious things, he had never said them so directly in front of others. At most, he would tease Song Yi in private. Consort Shen and Consort Meng were immediately embarrassed, and two blushes appeared on their cheeks.

So, is this how His Majesty is?
For a moment, they felt both ashamed and jealous.

Song Yi opened her mouth, unable to tell whether Jiang Lanye's words were sincere or just something he was saying on purpose for them to hear.

He smiled and said, "I'll wait for you to rest and recuperate. You two may leave now. Consort Yun and I have important matters to attend to."

As for what this "important matter" is, it seems self-evident.

When Consort Meng led Consort Shen out, she was still somewhat dazed.

After a long pause, she gasped, "My God, didn't you see those marks on the Imperial Concubine's clothes? His Majesty still said those things. This is too much of a hassle!"

Consort Shen felt a pang of jealousy and was already feeling unwell. Hearing Consort Meng's lament, she became even more irritated: "His Majesty's words are clearly an attempt to get rid of us, aren't they? We've been in the palace for so long, and we haven't even had a single night with the Emperor. And yet you still care about such trivial matters."

Her tone wasn't pleasant, and after saying all that, Consort Meng was a little annoyed: "What's the point of taking your anger out on me?"

Shen Zhaoyi choked up, then rolled her eyes: "I'm too lazy to talk to you."

Inside the hall at this moment.

Even though the two had already left, Jiang Lanye hadn't let go of Song Yi. Not only that, he even pulled Song Yi onto his lap and gently nibbled on her soft earlobe.

Song Yi couldn't help but want to hide, but then she thought that if she hid, Jiang Lanye would only want to punish her, make her remember this feeling, and thus intensify his punishment.

So she stiffened, forced to feel the warm, moist sensation coming from her earlobe.

"Jiang Lanye, what you just said was probably just to get rid of them, wasn't it?"

Jiang Lanye smiled: "These are my true feelings. They can tell you and drive them away at the same time, killing two birds with one stone."

Song Yi felt a chill run down his spine: "Spare me, do you really want me to die on your imperial bed?"

"No, how could I bear to?"

He finally released Song Yi's earlobe, and seeing that it had become unusually rosy, he was in a good mood. He gently blew on it, causing the person in his arms to tremble slightly again.

"Your attitude just now was too mild. Since you don't want to waste any more words with them, these marks on your body are a ready-made reason. You can say that you are tired, your back is so sore, you can't sit still, and you need to rest. A sensible person will not stay any longer."

Song Yi couldn't help but ask, "What if someone is tactless and deliberately stays behind?"

Jiang Lanye replied seriously, "Then just tell them to get lost."

Song Yi: "."

In fact, what Jiang Lanye said was not wrong at all.

Inside Yiyue Palace.

Consort Shen cautiously entered, where Consort Ning was sitting to the side brewing tea.

Seeing her arrive, Consort Ning was not surprised at all, and her reaction was indifferent: "The Empress Dowager said that I should guide you more. You are still a newcomer and do not know many things. If you have any questions, ask them."

Consort Shen bit her lip. Her relationship with Consort Ning was arranged by the Empress Dowager. Although she didn't know much about Consort Ning, she wasn't afraid and asked directly:
"Your Highness Consort Ning, you've been in the palace for so long, have you ever served the emperor?"

(End of this chapter)