That Imperial Concubine is both wicked and cunning! Your Majesty, wake up!

Song Luowei seemed to be frozen in place. The voice was like a bucket of cold water poured over her head, instantly bringing her back to her senses.

Xiao Yan entered with his men, his brows furrowed with anger, his face so dark it seemed to drip ink.

"Isn't Consort Song ill? She seems perfectly fine to me."

His tone was icy, laced with suppressed anger. Song Luowei was instantly terrified, and her hand slowly fell to her sides: "Your Majesty..."

Xiao Yan ignored Song Luowei and focused his gaze on Song Shuangning, who was kneeling on the ground. She was kneeling with tears on her long eyelashes and face, her eyes filled with fear.

He had just agreed to have breakfast with her an hour ago, but when he arrived, the palace maid said that she had gone to the main hall to pay her respects and had not yet returned.

He immediately sensed something was wrong and rushed over to check. Sure enough, the fool had been bullied again.

"Hurry up and help your master up," Xiao Yan said to Tingyu.

"Yes." Tingyu helped Song Shuangning stand up, but Song Shuangning stumbled when she stood up, and Xiao Yan reached out to support her.

Song Shuangning then leaned weakly against Xiao Yan's chest.

Upon seeing this scene, Song Luowei clenched her clothes, her eyes seeming to want to gouge out Song Shuangning.

"What did Consort Song do wrong this time that made you resort to such ruthless measures?"

The word "again" not only fully expresses the Emperor's impatience with Song Luowei, but also confirms that Song Luowei is being unreasonable again.

Song Luowei hesitated for a long time, unable to utter a single word. She couldn't very well say that she suspected that the vile woman Song Shuangning had deliberately intercepted His Majesty last night.

Xiao Yan gradually lost patience.

Tingyu looked aggrieved on Song Shuangning's behalf and replied, "Your Majesty, my mistress heard that Consort Chongyi was unwell and, fearing to disturb her rest, planned to first pay her respects to the Empress at Fengyi Palace before proceeding to the main hall to pay her respects to Consort Chongyi. However, she did not expect that Consort Chongyi would misunderstand and think that she was disrespectful and deliberately not attending the morning prayers. Later, Consort Chongyi even said... that Consort Chongyi deliberately stopped Your Majesty last night..."

At this point, Tingyu swallowed her words, not daring to continue, and only added, "Your Highness has shown absolutely no disrespect to Consort Chongyi."

Xiao Yan glanced coldly at Song Luowei, who lowered her head guiltily, but her expression still suggested that she had done nothing wrong.

"Consort Song is kind and respectful to you. She never holds grudges against you and has swallowed countless grievances to save your face. But what about you? You're so demanding and unreasonable. Where is even a trace of the grace of an elder sister?"

Song Luowei trembled. The Emperor's voice was devoid of warmth, each word chilling and piercing her heart.

"It was my will that you stayed overnight at Cangdong Pavilion last night."

Xiao Yan's tone was icy and chilling: "You are so mean and jealous, and you never learn your lesson. You are hereby demoted to the rank of Jieyu. From now on, behave yourself and rein in your temper."

"Your Majesty...you cannot be so cruel to your concubine." Song Luowei knelt on the ground.

Xiao Yan ignored her and left, holding Song Shuangning's hand.

Back at Cangdong Pavilion, Song Shuangning handed Xiao Yan a cup of tea, saying, "Your Majesty, please don't be angry."

Xiao Yan raised his eyes, seemingly displeased with her cowardice: "You're still going to speak up for her?"

Song Shuangning shook her head.

"I am not defending Consort Song. I am also deeply disappointed in her. I have always remembered my father's teachings, respected her, and put her first in everything. But it seems that she has no sincerity towards me. I just did not want Your Majesty to be troubled by trivial matters." Her voice was tinged with a barely perceptible sob.

Xiao Yan reached out and gently wiped away her tears, his movements unusually tender.

"How about I get you a new palace?"

Song Shuangning nodded gently: "Then this concubine thanks Your Majesty."

After having breakfast with her, Xiao Yan returned home.

Xiao Yan sat on the imperial carriage, his eyes closed in deep thought. After a while, he said to Chief Steward Li, who was accompanying him, "Go and tell the Empress to have Yaohua Palace cleaned up, to be as meticulous and proper as possible, and to get it ready as soon as possible. Ideally, it should be after the autumn hunt so that Consort Song can move in."

Upon hearing this, Li Fuquan froze, his expression instantly replaced by astonishment.

Xiao Yan glanced at him sideways: "What?"

"Your servant obeys the decree." Li Fuquan hurriedly lowered his head, his heart filled with turmoil.

That's Yaohua Palace!

This palace was built by the late emperor specifically for his favorite concubine, Consort Chen. The main hall alone boasts vermilion walls and glazed tiles, a magnificent structure with upturned eaves inlaid with gold and painted decorations. Inside, the beams and pillars are carved with dragons and phoenixes, the floor is covered with Persian carpets from the Western Regions, and the walls are adorned with the "Five Blessings Lotus" embroidery, a masterpiece by Jiangnan embroiderers that took three years to complete. Even the carvings on the window frames were meticulously crafted by skilled artisans over several months.

Even the side halls are far superior to ordinary palaces.

Outside the palace, exotic flowers and rare herbs abound, and the water from the Jade Spring flows around it, maintaining a constant temperature throughout the year.

Since the late emperor's passing, Yaohua Palace has remained sealed and no one has ever dared to use it. Now, the emperor is going to bestow such a noble palace upon Consort Song.

This is absolutely shocking!

Consort Song, you have a bright future ahead of you!

The Empress was surprised for a long time when she heard the news, but then she chuckled softly, her laughter sounding both mocking and knowing.

"Back then, Consort Su hinted to the Emperor several times that she should move into Yaohua Palace, even going so far as to bring out the Second Princess, but the Emperor never agreed. Now, this place of such prestige has been given to Consort Song."

She paused, a deep glint in her eyes: "It seems that the harem is truly about to undergo a major change."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Outside the palace, at the Song residence.

Clutching the letter sent from the palace, Gong Yerong stormed into the study, shouting at Song Mingyuan, who was reading, "Good! Good for Song Shuangning! We sent her to the palace hoping she would take care of Luowei, but who knew she would be so treacherous, scheming against her own sisters time and time again! Only half a year has passed, and Luowei has been demoted from a concubine to a low-ranking lady. I told you long ago, Song Shuangning looks weak, but she has a knife hidden in her bones, just like her aunt. Bah!"

Upon hearing this, Song Mingyuan's face was filled with disbelief: "Impossible! Shuang Ning is gentle and obedient, and has always been kind to others. How could she do such a thing?"

"How could this be?" Gong Yerong slammed the secret letter onto the table, her chest heaving. "Master, open your eyes and look carefully! It's clearly written in the letter Luo Wei sent, how could it be fake?!"

Song Mingyuan unfolded the paper, his brows furrowing more and more as he read.

The letter was filled with Song Luowei's tearful complaints. Every word and sentence described how she was schemed against by Song Shuangning and how she was neglected and disliked by the emperor. Her words were full of grievances and resentment. She ended by saying, "Kill Aunt Su to prevent future troubles."

Gong Yerong said, "That bitch Su, Song Shuangning must have learned her lesson from her, which is why she's been scheming against Luowei at every turn! I'll go kill her right now to prevent future troubles."

Song Mingyuan quickly grabbed her hand, his expression grave: "Are you crazy?"

Gong Yerong impulsively shook off his hand: "Am I crazy? Master, that little brat is lawless in the palace, and our daughter will continue to be bullied by her, with no hope of ever getting ahead!"

"Enough!" Song Mingyuan snapped. "Have you forgotten what Shuang Ning said in front of us before she entered the palace? Her aunt is her bottom line, and I won't allow you to act recklessly!"

He took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and said in a deep voice, "I will find a way to enter the palace during this year's Mid-Autumn Festival banquet and talk to Shuang Ning in person."

"master!"

"There's no room for discussion on this!"

Song Mingyuan was also afraid that if something happened to Aunt Su, and the Emperor was currently in favor of Shuang Ning, the family might take their anger out on Luo Wei or even the entire Song family, which would be unbearable for the whole family.