A middle-aged emperor, childless, was blessed with a beautiful and pregnant concubine who entered th

Zhou Mingyi glanced at Consort Lan, whose expression was surprisingly sincere.

She was completely baffled.

But as the saying goes, you can't hit someone who's smiling.

Consort Lan praised her whenever she saw her, so she couldn't keep a straight face.

She smiled and said, "Your Highness, Consort Lan, you flatter me."

Consort Lan hurriedly replied, "I am not talking nonsense."

"I have grown up by the Empress Dowager's side since I was a child, and I have seen many beauties, but there are very few like Consort Zhen."

Zhou Mingyi smiled and said, "Your Majesty, did you come to see me today to praise me?"

Consort Lan was taken aback, but Zhou Mingyi made her laugh.

"Sister Zhenfei, you're really joking!"

"I came today to see if my sister is as gentle and kind as the palace servants described."

Zhou Mingyi lowered her eyes, then raised an eyebrow again, "What does Your Majesty think?"

Consort Lan said, "If our Emperor could have an heir, I certainly wouldn't believe it."

"Given the current situation, I think we should just enjoy a life of wealth and luxury together."

Zhou Mingyi thought to herself, Consort Lan is indeed a rare honest person.

If it weren't for the system and the hatred from her past life, Zhou Mingyi would agree with her statement.

Most of the concubines in the harem originally had no enmity with each other.

To say that all the feuds stemmed from a fight over a man is a one-sided view.

Looking beyond the surface, it all boils down to a struggle for interests.

However, Emperor Qianwu had no heir.

There's not much to fight over between them.

In any case, no one gets anything out of the argument.

If the new emperor is kind-hearted and considers the feelings of these concubines after Emperor Qianwu passes away, they can find a quiet place in the palace to live out their old age.

However, if the new emperor is ruthless, it's not impossible that they could be hanged and buried with Emperor Qianwu.

Unfortunately, Zhou Mingyi entered the palace with a specific purpose in mind.

"Your Highness Consort Lan is frank; I have learned much from your words."

Consort Lan's eyes lit up immediately. "So, you agree with what I said?"

Zhou Mingyi smiled faintly and said, "Since entering the palace, I have been fortunate to receive the care of His Majesty and the Empress Dowager, and I have no intention of opposing anyone in the palace."

"However... if it's for self-preservation, then I cannot guarantee it."

Consort Lan waved her hand, "Don't worry, I have no conflict of interest with you and would never make things difficult for you."

Reborn into this world, Consort Lan has come to a realization.

All she wanted was a life of wealth and luxury.

My brother, the emperor, is very important.

Compared to the life I had in my previous life, sharing my emperor brother with someone else is nothing.

She targeted Consort Chen out of jealousy.

A woman's jealousy is uncontrollable, so it's better to adjust your mindset from the beginning.

While the emperor's favor and exclusivity are certainly enviable, true wealth and glory are what matter.

However, Lanfei couldn't help but tremble when she thought of Consort Rong and the Xue family's fate.

"It is said that Consort Chen complained to the Empress Dowager..."

Zhou Mingyi glanced at her, "It is a serious crime for concubines to exchange goods with those outside the palace. It depends on whether His Majesty wants to investigate."

"Even if Consort Chen doesn't complain to the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager and His Majesty will find out sooner or later."

Consort Lan was immediately startled.

She had a vague feeling that Consort Zhen wasn't quite what she thought...

She is a smart person.

"Yes, Consort Rong is morally corrupt. She had an affair with the Xue family, which is a capital offense. His Majesty is only sparing her life because of our past relationship."

Consort Lan said with some lingering fear.

Thinking about it that way, she also committed a serious crime.

That would be murdering a royal heir!

Now that I'm out here, I should cherish this opportunity!

Consort Lan cherished it very much.

Upon leaving Weiyang Palace, Consort Lan's good mood vanished.

She must be careful, careful, and even more careful; she absolutely cannot make another mistake.

If she makes another mistake, even the Empress Dowager and her brother, the Emperor, won't be able to protect her... just like Consort Rong.

However, there is one more important matter.

She needed to think carefully about how to help her brother, the emperor, avoid the hunt three years later...

"Your Highness, how credible do you think Consort Lan's words are?"

After Consort Lan left, Lianwu couldn't help but ask.

Zhou Mingyi looked up at the outside of the hall, where the Ruyi Purple Flower sent by the dog emperor was in full bloom.

A few days ago, the edge of one of the petals started to wilt, so Zhou Mingyi simply peeled off the outermost petal.

She shook her head.

"I don't know."

wax apple:……

"Then Your Highness should make the necessary preparations."

Zhou Mingyi said, "She only came to test my strength and didn't do anything. Why should I make any preparations?"

Just then, Shiliu returned, fuming.

Seeing this, the wax apple couldn't resist teasing her, "Who made you unhappy?"

"Why are you like this?"

Shi Liu immediately said, "Your Majesty, this servant is truly furious!"

"The people in Consort Chen's palace have really gone too far."

Lianwu glanced at Zhou Mingyi and hurriedly asked, "What's wrong?"

"The golden osmanthus tree in the Imperial Garden is probably over a hundred years old. I see that the flowers are in full bloom and the fragrance is strong, so I want to shake some of them down so that I can make sachets and desserts."

"As a result, she encountered Qingluan from Consort Chen's palace. She was clearly just passing by; she wasn't initially heading for that golden osmanthus tree."

"I was watching carefully, but when she saw me shaking the flower branch, she came over and shook it too."

"Nothing much in itself, the osmanthus trees in the Imperial Garden don't belong to our Weiyang Palace."

"This servant cannot do something like stop her from shaking."

"But she deliberately trampled all the flower petals that the servant had worked so hard to shake down."

"That tree was so big, I shook it for ages, and it's all gone!"

"If I don't leave, she won't leave either! It looks like she's going to stick with me like this!"

"I thought that Consort Chen was currently enjoying great popularity, so I didn't want to lower myself to her level and went to the lotus pond."

"The lotus flowers in the lotus pond have faded, so we can pick some lotus pods and peel fresh lotus seeds for Your Majesty to eat."

"And then she followed me. I finally managed to reach two lotus pods, but she snatched them away, and I almost fell into the pond!"

"I was so angry I left!"

"But I was on my guard and watched from a distance. Qingluan didn't want the lotus pod at all. As soon as I left, she threw it away and stomped on it twice!"

"Your Highness, look, isn't she doing this on purpose? She just can't stand to see our Weiyang Palace doing well!"

Zhou Mingyi's eyes flashed.

Because of her meritorious report, Consort Rong was demoted to a commoner and banished to the Cold Palace, while Consort Chen regained her power in the palace.

She was riding high for a time, and it wasn't impossible that her servants would take the opportunity to cause trouble.

Upon hearing this, the wax apple also said, "That's going too far..."

She paused, then subconsciously looked at Zhou Mingyi, "Your Majesty, there's also the matter of the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet. You and she are clearly now jointly in charge of the palace, yet no one has come to Chang Le Palace, nor have they invited you to Chang Le Palace for any meetings..."

The wax apple phrase was phrased rather tactfully, but Zhou Mingyi understood.

Consort Chen did not want to discuss the Mid-Autumn Festival palace banquet with her.

Although Emperor Qianwu asked her to help manage the harem, some of the palace power is now in the hands of Consort Chen.

She held a higher rank and was the birth mother of Princess Chaoyang, so naturally she didn't take Zhenfei, who had only been in the palace for a few months, seriously.

What could she do?

She could only endure it.

"Consort Chen is the birth mother of Princess Chaoyang, a meritorious official of the state, and His Majesty's beloved. Moreover, she has been in charge of the harem for many years and is already experienced."

"What could I possibly do if I went?"

The wax apple and pomegranate exclaimed simultaneously, "Your Majesty!"

Shi Liu couldn't help but say, "Wasn't His Majesty appointing you to assist in managing the harem also to give you experience?"

"But the Imperial Concubine is too capable, leaving you with no opportunity to use your talents. What should we do?"

Zhou Mingyi couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips slightly. Her voice was soft and gentle, revealing a hint of girlish satisfaction.

"Consort Chen's handling of the affairs of the inner palace is also a way to relieve His Majesty's burdens."

"Since it's about relieving His Majesty's burdens, what does it matter who does it?"

Lianwu couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty, you are so understanding."

"Those who don't know any better might think that Weiyang Palace is easy to bully!"

Zhou Mingyi said earnestly, "Don't say such things anymore. How can we, the Weiyang Palace, be easy to bully? We are all His Majesty's women, so naturally we are all thinking of His Majesty."

"Why bother distinguishing between them so clearly?"

……

Outside Weiyang Palace.

Emperor Qianwu frowned slightly and subconsciously looked at Fuquan.

"Regarding the Mid-Autumn Festival palace banquet, did the Noble Consort prevent Consort Zhen from helping?"

Fuquan was startled.

That Consort Chen is really something. She complained to His Majesty that Consort Zhen was young and didn't understand palace affairs, and she didn't offer any help.

They portrayed Consort Zhen as a weak and helpless younger sister!

On the one hand, he held onto power in the palace and forbade Consort Zhen from participating.

Isn't this deliberately trying to embarrass Consort Zhen?

Fortunately, His Majesty likes to eavesdrop, otherwise Consort Zhen would have been wrongly accused and killed.

"Your Majesty, you heard everything..."

He whispered.

Consort Zhen was still inside the palace and unaware that His Majesty was outside, so naturally she couldn't complain to His Majesty.

What they said was definitely the truth.

In fact, Fuquan saw it all.

After regaining her power in the palace, Consort Chen immediately began to make grand preparations for the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet.

The annual Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was a major event in the palace.

If it is done well, it will be thanks to Consort Chen.

How could she possibly let such a good thing slip away?

Consort Chen values ​​her reputation, a fact His Majesty surely understands better than he does.

However, Consort Chen was, after all, the birth mother of Princess Chaoyang. As long as the Consort did not commit any serious wrongdoings, even His Majesty could not easily do anything to her...

Even if she had done something truly terrible, with Princess Chaoyang around, His Majesty wouldn't completely disregard their past relationship.

For example, the exchange of goods with people outside the palace was something that others didn't know, but the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and Fuquan all knew.

If the Empress Dowager and His Majesty don't care, who would bother to make trouble for Consort Chen?

However, the Imperial Concubine was a bit too arrogant and didn't take Consort Zhen seriously at all.

At this moment, the empress inside changed her tone and began to get angry.

"Alright, I won't pretend anymore. His Majesty has asked me to help manage the inner palace. This shows His Majesty's high regard and trust. If His Majesty does not allow me to get involved, I will naturally not say anything."

"Your Highness, this is far too domineering and shows no respect for His Majesty!"

Fuquan's eyelids twitched as he listened.

He subconsciously looked at Emperor Qianwu.