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

Xiao Yan's birthday is three days before Lunar New Year's Eve.

With half a month to go before her birthday, Song Shuangning had already prepared her birthday gift.

The most important thing about gift-giving is the sentiment behind it. If all the gifts are presented at once on the emperor's birthday, the emperor, who is busy with many affairs of state, will not be able to remember who sent them and may simply put them somewhere and forget about them.

This time, the birthday gift she prepared for Xiao Yan was a hat.

To finish making this gift, she stayed up all night for half a month, and her eyes became bloodshot.

Song Shuangning went to the Hall of Diligent Governance with congratulatory gifts, and Li Fuquan went in to announce her arrival.

Xiao Yan responded without looking up, then said to Li Fuquan, "From now on, Consort Yuan need not announce her arrival; let her in directly. If I am in a meeting, take her to a side hall to wait."

"Yes," Li Fuquan replied, and as he turned around, he couldn't help but slowly widen his eyes.

Song Shuangning tiptoed into the hall and saw Xiao Yan leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed, looking tired.

She didn't make a sound to disturb him, but simply walked behind him, stretched out her slender fingers, and gently pressed his furrowed brow.

"Ningning is here." Xiao Yan didn't open his eyes, his voice carrying a hint of weariness.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I have come to deliver your birthday gift."

Birthday gift? His birthday isn't even two weeks away! They really have a whole set of ideas.

Xiao Yan opened his eyes and couldn't help but laugh, "Half a month in advance?"

"Yes," Song Shuangning walked up to him and said shyly, "That's right. I was worried that Your Majesty wouldn't have time to think about giving me a birthday gift when the Emperor's birthday arrives, so I sent it in advance so that Your Majesty would be the first to see it."

Xiao Yan pinched her cheek in displeasure: "What are you thinking about?"

Song Shuangning handed over the hat in her hand: "This concubine made a hat for Your Majesty."

Xiao Yan put on the hat; it was just the right size. A warm feeling spread across his scalp.

"not bad."

"Just not bad?" Song Shuangning pouted and began to whine, "I stayed up several all-nighters."

Xiao Yan glared at her: "Ningning is getting more and more spoiled. I dare not say anything more."

Song Shuangning suddenly leaned closer, her cheek almost touching his, carrying a faint fragrance.

Xiao Yan lowered his eyes and met her bright, reddish eyes. His heart skipped a beat, then began to pound uncontrollably.

He looked away first, praising her somewhat absentmindedly: "Yes, Ningning, you've worked hard."

Song Shuangning chuckled and stretched out her body, finding Xiao Yan's innocent appearance quite amusing.

She wasn't exactly a seasoned player in love, but she was certain that Xiao Yan, despite his seemingly passionate nature, actually had very little experience.

Just then, Li Fuquan reported from outside the palace: "Your Majesty, Consort Rong is requesting an audience. She seems rather anxious, saying she has important matters to report."

At this moment, Xiao Yan didn't want to see anyone and frowned, intending to send her back.

But then he recalled that during the morning court session earlier that day, Grand Tutor Su had personally requested leave for a few days due to his father Su Yuan's serious illness.

He paused for a moment, then said, "Let her wait."

Song Shuangning suddenly looked up and asked softly, "Your Majesty, don't you think my features are somewhat similar to Consort Rong's?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. "Who has been spreading rumors about you?"

"No one," she lowered her eyes, concealing the fleeting light in them, "it was just that I happened to meet Consort Rong that day, and Consort Rong herself brought it up."

"I don't think so."

He subconsciously compared the two women's appearances. Consort Rong's beauty needed to be carefully sculpted, like a peony blooming on a branch, needing to be held up and carried with pride.

Song Shuangning, on the other hand, was like a narcissus reflected in the water, beautiful and ethereal, yet possessing a delicate fragility that could not withstand a cool breeze. Flawless as white jade, cool to the touch.

That gentleness and timidity made her stunningly beautiful face even more pitiful.

The two people look completely alike.

He said calmly, "Ningning doesn't need to pay attention to these things."

Xiao Yan didn't take it seriously or pay it any mind.

At that moment, he did not realize that it was precisely this "carelessness" that would make him deeply regretful in the near future.

Of course, this is a story.

Song Shuangning wisely took her leave, and just as she reached the palace gate, she bumped into Consort Rong who was coming towards her.

When Consort Rong caught sight of her, she immediately let out a soft snort through her nose.

Why do I always seem to run into her wherever I go?

Consort Rong then raised her head and puffed out her chest, striding arrogantly past Song Shuangning.

The Emperor eventually allowed him to enter.

The Emperor chose her.

To the Emperor, Song Shuangning was nothing more than a source of amusement, someone he could summon and dismiss at will.

Song Shuangning gazed at Consort Rong's retreating figure and gently curled the corners of her lips.

Consort Rong's eyes were red and her voice choked with sobs: "Your Majesty, my grandfather Rong Yuan is seriously ill. The imperial physician says he may not survive the winter. I beg Your Majesty to grant me permission to leave the palace to see my grandfather one last time."

Consort Rong's grandfather, Su Yuan, was the powerful prime minister during the previous emperor's reign. He was shrewd and calculating, and in his early years, he was the most capable strategist under the emperor's uncle.

After he ascended the throne, he gave Su Yuan the official position of Grand Academician of the Hanlin Academy.

This is actually a nominal title without any real power.

Xiao Yan said, "That's natural. Old Master Rong was once a trusted advisor to the late Emperor, and he has shown you and me some kindness. You should leave the palace to see him off on his final journey."

Consort Rong was taken aback by the Emperor's quick acceptance and froze on the spot. When she came to her senses, she hurriedly knelt down to express her gratitude.

She was even more certain that the Emperor treated her differently after all.

The Empress has been in power for so many years and has never left the palace to visit her family. Yet, she only mentioned it casually, and the Emperor granted her request so easily.

After she left, Xiao Yan lowered his eyes to look at the memorial in his hand, his fingertips tapping lightly on the table, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

It's time to close the net.

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.

The Fengyi Palace was exceptionally lively on the day Consort Rong left the palace to visit her family.

The concubines in the palace also heard the news that the Yuan Shuo Kingdom was going to send a princess to the palace under the pretext of celebrating the emperor's birthday.

When everyone paid their respects, they couldn't help but bombard the Empress with questions about the truth.

The Empress listened, but simply nodded slightly, neither denying nor confirming.

Upon seeing this, the concubines' hearts sank instantly; the Empress had tacitly agreed.

Princess Yunshuo is of noble birth, and her rank after entering the palace will certainly be high, at the very least a Zhaoyi, and she might even be promoted to a concubine.

It is said that every woman in the Yuan Shuo Kingdom is exceptionally beautiful.

The princess who came to offer her birthday wishes was only sixteen years old and was absolutely stunning.

The concubines began to worry about the days to come.

Song Shuangning didn't take it to heart.

She has never liked to worry about things that haven't happened yet.

After she paid her respects, several concubines pulled her aside and whispered warnings, telling her to be careful and not let the emperor be seduced by the princess from the neighboring country.

Song Shuangning thought to herself: A group of elegant ladies.