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

The people who came to pay their respects knelt on the ground. With Qiaoyu's help, Wei Rong managed to get down and give a curtsy: "Greetings to Your Majesty."

Shen Mingxiu also wanted to perform the ceremony, but Xiao Heng stopped her, saying, "You're just fully recovered, why bother with these formalities?"

After speaking, he glanced at Wei Rong, who was wrapped in a red fox fur cloak, with a thin figure and a pointed face.

So he really was sick.

After that night, Xiao Heng decided to distance herself from Wei Rong because of her little schemes in front of Grand Tutor Nian.

He wanted her to understand that he was the emperor, and even if she was wronged, she had no right to challenge his authority.

He had not set foot in the Phoenix Palace for three months.

When Wei Beimu was alive, he needed the Wei family's influence, so he would take time out of his busy schedule to come and visit.

Even if he didn't come, Wei Rong would send people to deliver soup to Chengqian Palace every day, and the imperial kitchen would update the dishes according to the season, making dishes that suited his taste.

Last year, during the imperial concubine selection, several new concubines were added to the harem. Everyone said that trouble often arises in the harem, but Wei Rong kept things under control, and there were never any disputes that came to his attention.

Just the last two days, two concubines got into a fight over the palace's favorite pet and asked him to judge the matter. He replied irritably, "Such a trivial matter, where is the Empress?"

The two concubines, feeling wronged, said that the Empress was ill and had refused to pay her respects or receive guests.

He took it as Wei Rong's excuse, a pretext for throwing a tantrum because of what happened that day, trying to make him back down.

Moreover, Shen Mingxiu had been unwell for days, so he couldn't care less about anything else. He only felt that Wei Rong had become increasingly immature since Wei Beimu passed away.

Just now, after returning to Jinxiu Palace from court, a palace servant told him that Shen Mingxiu had come to Fengluan Palace to pay her respects. Fearing that Wei Rong would be in a difficult position, he hurried over.

It turns out he was really sick.

"Your Majesty, the Empress is unwell. I brought Imperial Physician An to examine her, but it seems that this has upset her. It is my fault. If I hadn't been ill the past two days, Your Majesty wouldn't have been able to spare your attention and would not have neglected the Empress. I deserve to die."

"What's it to you? Isn't this just the Empress not recognizing a kind heart?" Xiao Heng's gaze remained fixed on Wei Rong.

She swayed slightly after bowing and standing up, and was helped to her feet by Qiaoyu.

I saw her frown when she heard me say that she didn't appreciate kindness, and then she turned her face away and coughed violently.

"Your Majesty! You're pinching me too hard!" Shen Mingxiu mumbled aggrievedly, "It hurts a lot."

Xiao Heng suddenly let go.

After a while, Wei Rong said, "Your Majesty, I just didn't want to waste the resources of the Imperial Hospital. Since the Consort is unwell, why not prioritize her care?"

They won't back down.

Why won't Wei Rong back down?

Xiao Heng thought to herself that she was taking herself too seriously.

Did she think that the Wei family was still at its peak and that she needed to rely on her family's influence?

Does she think she's still that powerful young lady in the general's mansion, someone who can command the wind and rain, and that others have to be subservient to her?

Shen Mingxiu burst into tears again: "Your Majesty is blaming me for diverting manpower from the Imperial Hospital. I already know I was wrong, but if Your Majesty doesn't recover, how can we manage the New Year's banquet a month from now?"

New Year's Eve Banquet.

So that's where they were waiting.

Wei Rong smiled faintly.

Sure enough, Xiao Heng said, "New Year's banquet? Since the Empress is unwilling to accept this, then you should take good care of yourself in Fengluan Palace. I'll take care of the Imperial Concubine and manage the six palaces for you."

This is a clear separation of powers!

Although Wei Rong had been neglected in the past, she still held the power of the Empress. She always took the lead in large-scale events like palace banquets, with others assisting her.

But isn't Xiao Heng's statement a blatant attempt to strip him of his power?

In an instant, the expressions of everyone in the hall changed drastically.

The Phoenix Palace was filled with trepidation.

Shen Mingxiu and Physician An couldn't hide their smugness, yet they pretended to be flattered, their expressions changing in a captivating way.

"Your Majesty!" Shen Mingxiu covered her lips and exclaimed, "How can this be? You mustn't make fun of me!"

"My word is law. You can proceed with the preparations without any further ado. The Imperial Household Department will be at your disposal." Xiao Heng finished speaking and glanced at Wei Rong.

I expected to see her show surprise and disappointment, but Wei Rong's expression was too calm.

This is not what Xiao Heng wanted to see.

Why does Wei Rong never break down or beg for help?

Aside from the day the news of Wei Beimu's death arrived, he had seen a similar emptiness in her face, as if someone had removed her spine.

After that, whether he suppressed the Wei family or promoted Shen Mingxiu, he never saw her suffer another defeat.

The same is true now.

Xiao Heng thought that it was because he had given too much that Wei Rong remained calm and unfazed by his authority.

"Okay," Wei Rong readily agreed without asking any further questions, "Then I'll trouble you, little sister."

She agreed so readily!

If it were someone else, since they couldn't gain the emperor's favor, they would do everything they could to hold onto power, even if it was just a little.

The New Year's banquet is such a grand occasion; if it's well-organized, it will be witnessed by thousands of eyes.

In previous years, Wei Rong personally handled the annual banquet, and there had been no mistakes in the past three years.

But if it were Shen Mingxiu, a mere imperial concubine, who had arranged the New Year's banquet properly, then Wei Rong would have had even less to do.

She couldn't possibly be unaware of these principles, yet she offered no argument and simply relinquished them.

Even Qiaoyu couldn't help but wink at Wei Rong, afraid that Wei Rong might lose her temper because of her anger with Xiao Heng and regret it later.

On the contrary, Wei Rong, seeing Xiao Heng's face pause for a moment, calmly said, "Is there anything else, Your Majesty? If all the honors bestowed upon the Consort have been granted, may I rest?"

She spoke of honors, secretly mocking the irregularity, yet she didn't utter a single word in her defense.

Seeing her like this, Xiao Heng angrily flung her sleeves and said, "Then let the Empress rest in the Phoenix Palace. Without an imperial edict, she should go out as little as possible!"

While it's not quite a complete stay-at-home order, it's no less severe.

Before leaving, Shen Mingxiu glanced back at him.

That glance revealed undisguised smugness and superiority, as if to say to Wei Rong, "Look, with just a little effort, you've lost everything."

Wei Rong did not respond, and the door closed completely, without showing any disappointment or embarrassment on her face.

She had only been sick for a few days, and her body had become increasingly thin. Sitting at the table, a section of her slender white neck was visible in the light and shadow.

Qiaoyu said worriedly, "Your Majesty...why don't you argue at all? I think His Majesty just wants you to back down."

In terms of looks and talent, Shen Mingxiu couldn't catch up with Wei Rong even if she were ten streets ahead.

Even if Xiao Heng were to grow tired of the old and crave the new after three years of marriage, she would still have some regard for their past relationship.

They had either witnessed or heard of the power struggles within the inner quarters of the palace; it was simply a matter of which woman could humble herself the most to receive some rewards and favor.

But Wei Rong's attitude made it seem as if she was completely indifferent to the matter.

"Qiaoyu, have you ever seen the dogs that those ladies keep?"

Qiaoyu nodded, stunned.

One year, it became fashionable in Yunjing to keep dogs, not large guard dogs, but small, curly-haired dogs that could be held in one's arms.

The ladies used this as a competition, always carrying their pets when they went out, comparing whose fur was better, whose eyes were brighter, and whose tail wagged the most enthusiastically.

"Madam Luo used to keep two dogs. Once, when she came to visit the Wei family, she brought both of them with her. She would hug the dog that cried the most pitifully and the dog that received the most praise from the guests."

Qiaoyu was stunned: "Yes, that's definitely true. Aren't all cute pets vying for attention?"

As soon as she finished speaking, she understood what Wei Rong meant.

No wonder Wei Rong disliked these little dogs and their methods of vying for favor even before she was married—she thought Shen Mingxiu was one of those little dogs vying for favor.

"The favor gained through beauty and submission will one day be replaced by even more beautiful and docile submission," Wei Rong said with clear eyes. "Besides, I am not a dog, and Xiao Heng is not my master."