Favored concubine deposed empress? I'll seize your throne and marry you to a powerful minister.

"Greetings to Your Majesty."

The palace servants in her palace gave a slight curtsy and reluctantly greeted her.

Everyone knows that Wei Rong is now practically a deposed empress, while their Noble Consort is the one who enjoys the utmost favor. What difference does it make if they don't go through with this formality?

It was indeed the Imperial Concubine who was kind-hearted.

This spot happens to be the entrance to the former dynasty's capital, and it's bustling with activity today, attracting many visitors.

Shen Mingxiu's behavior clearly showed that she intended to humiliate Wei Rong and avenge the day she was wronged by Guanyin who gave her a child.

"Is the Imperial Concubine unwell?" Wei Rong asked her softly with a smile on her face.

"Thanks to Your Majesty, I am in good health."

"Why are you sitting in a sedan chair to pay your respects to me, Wu Yang?" Wei Rong's voice rose slightly. "Has the Imperial Concubine changed the rules of etiquette because I haven't been managing the affairs of the inner palace for two months?"

When such a huge hat was placed on her head, Shen Mingxiu's expression changed instantly.

She originally thought that with so many people around, if she deliberately humiliated Wei Rong by paying her respects in the sedan chair, the other party would only swallow her anger.

After all, her current popularity is incomparable to his own.

This will also let passersby see that no matter how many generations of famous generals the Wei family has, Wei Rong now has to give way to her step by step.

But Wei Rong actually questioned her so loudly!

"That's not what I meant at all. It's just that I still need to confirm the details of the palace banquet. If there's any delay and His Majesty and the officials are neglected, I would be guilty. Your Highness has been through this before, so you naturally know how much effort and worry is involved in a palace banquet, right?"

No wonder Xiao Heng liked her; Shen Mingxiu was indeed not as good as those ordinary women who stayed in their boudoirs.

The commotion was quite significant; even though they were at a corner of the palace, it attracted the attention of passing officials and concubines.

He wanted to come over and pay his respects, but was intimidated by Wei Rong's imposing aura and dared not approach.

Wei Rong wasn't actually angry; she was still smiling. "The palace banquet is imminent, and even if there was a mistake, it's already a done deal. Since the Noble Consort is aware of the oversight in etiquette, then she should follow the correct procedure to avoid offending the Empress Dowager in the future."

"..."

Shen Mingxiu's smile completely vanished.

She hadn't expected that even though Wei Rong had no shame, she still wanted to maintain her empress's airs.

She brought up Xiao Heng herself, and then she brought up the Empress Dowager!

Shen Mingxiu gave Zhu Lu a look, signaling him to go find Xiao Heng, but when she looked up and saw a figure not far away, she paused slightly, her gaze becoming more complicated.

Wei Rong was perceptive; in that brief moment, she followed Shen Mingxiu's gaze.

—Ling Xianru.

For nearly a month, Wei Rong's impression of him was still that of his crimson official robes and that seemingly indifferent attitude.

Outsiders are always calm and collected.

Looking at Shen Mingxiu again, it was clear that her attitude had changed.

She reached out to have a palace maid help her down from the carriage, hurried a few steps to Wei Rong, and knelt down with a thud: "Your Majesty, please forgive me!"

"......"

Silence reigned.

Wei Rong stepped aside to avoid her knee touching her instep, and looked down at her with a leisurely air.

"Your Majesty, I know I was wrong," Shen Mingxiu wiped away a tear, and her sleeve was indeed wet. "I was confused just now. I was just too busy with trivial matters lately, which is why I neglected etiquette. Please forgive me, Your Majesty!"

This made it appear as if Empress Wei Rong was deliberately making things difficult for the concubines.

She was still a concubine who devoted herself to the palace.

"Your Highness, perhaps we should just let it go," Qiaoyu whispered. "She seems to have gone mad."

If His Majesty sees this kneeling, it will be time for him to punish his concubine again.

"If Your Majesty does not forgive me, I will kneel here forever."

Wei Rong sneered, "It seems the Imperial Concubine hasn't knelt enough before the statue of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy who grants children?"

A cacophony of voices rang out all around, mostly saying that Wei Rong was being petty and had forced the Imperial Concubine to act so subserviently.

It is also said that Wei Rong fell out of favor, which must be because she was too domineering in the harem.

They want to calculate everything and get everything.

"Didn't the Imperial Concubine just send someone to inform His Majesty? He must be arriving soon," Wei Rong said as she passed by Shen Mingxiu, her skirt swaying in the breeze. "Then we'll wait for His Majesty to wake us."

As she spoke, she entered the inner hall without turning her head.

No one expected that Wei Rong wouldn't even be afraid of the emperor.

The remaining people looked at each other for a moment, and when they passed Shen Mingxiu, they all hurriedly bowed and said, "Greetings to the Imperial Concubine."

The scene was quite comical, with the kneeling imperial concubine receiving greetings.

As the crowd dispersed, the figure who had been watching from the periphery finally moved slightly and stepped forward.

Ling Xianru stood in front of Shen Mingxiu, looking down at her.

Dressed in a magnificent, rose-pink palace gown adorned with gilded gold, the noble concubine tilted her head back, tears still wet at the corners of her eyes, her pupils reflecting that handsome yet devilish face.

Wei Rong looked away. They were too far apart to hear what the two were saying, or perhaps they weren't saying anything at all.

But she was certain that Ling Xianru knew Shen Mingxiu from the beginning.

When the moon was high in the sky, the main hall was already packed.

In the Great Jing Dynasty, there was no tradition of men and women sitting separately; seating was arranged by the individual, and even the hierarchy of official positions was not strictly observed.

It was simply to pray for a harmonious family relationship between the ruler and his subjects at the beginning of the new year.

Even so, the empress should be by the emperor's side.

But today, Shen Mingxiu is sitting next to Xiao Heng, while Wei Rong's seat has been placed next to Feng Zuyi.

Although they were all in the same row, this arrangement was nothing short of a slap in the face to Wei Rong.

Xiao Heng, with Shen Mingxiu in his arms, gave Wei Rong a cool look: "I have heard about the grievances the Imperial Concubine suffered outside the palace just now. As the Empress, when will you be able to display the demeanor of an Empress?"

Wei Rong didn't care where she sat, and she was even more pleased if she didn't sit next to Xiao Heng.

But before she could speak, Feng Zuyi slammed down her teacup and scoffed, "I've heard that the Imperial Concubine greeted Wei Rong from her palanquin? She just happened to run into me. If she had, would I have to stand and receive her greetings?"

Shen Mingxiu's face changed, and she was about to cry again: "Mother, what are you saying? I already know I was wrong."

"Now that they've admitted their mistake, why is the emperor still pressing the issue?"

Feng Zuyi didn't want to help Wei Rong; she just found Shen Mingxiu's behavior even more repulsive.

Last time, regarding the matter of the Guanyin Bodhisattva who grants children, Xiao Heng even came to her specifically to plead for mercy. In the past, before Shen Mingxiu entered the palace, Xiao Heng had never been so attentive to any concubine.

Shen Mingxiu is a vixen.

Xiao Heng was humiliated in public, and her face turned very ugly.

"Your Majesty, please don't be angry. It was indeed Xiuxiu who made a mistake. Tomorrow, I will go and apologize to the Empress Dowager and the Empress again," Shen Mingxiu patted Xiao Heng's chest. "Your Majesty, please don't get angry and harm your health."

Wei Rong, seemingly unconcerned, took a sip of tea and put down the cup: "Thank you, Mother."

Feng Zuyi sneered: "You even know to bring up my name to target her, what kind of good person are you?"

"..." Wei Rong chuckled softly.

It was a genuine, joyful laugh.

Compared to Shen Mingxiu's sarcastic and unsettling methods, Feng Zuyi is straightforward in her dealings with people and things, showing neither dislike nor liking without making people angry.

She looked up and found Xiao Heng staring at her face, gripping the wine cup tightly in her hand.

Oh, so you were so angry you wanted to strangle me.