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

This year's New Year celebrations were rather dull.

Song Shuangning, along with Tingyu, Tinglu, and Quanlu, got together to cut some festive paper-cuts for the window and played a few rounds of leaf cards. That marked the end of the year.

She gazed out the window, and Tingyu whispered beside her, "My lady, another year has passed."

Song Shuangning said calmly, "Time really flies."

It's so fast that it leaves you with no chance to fight back.

In previous years, with my aunt by my side, it was always lively and bustling, unlike this year, which is cold and quiet.

During the busiest month after the New Year, the Emperor hardly ever set foot in the inner palace.

When he had some free time, the new concubine entered the palace, and the emperor visited her once each time, as was customary, thus fulfilling his imperial duties.

However, from then on, Consort Rong was the one who served the emperor the most. For a period of time, the emperor even stayed at Zhaohua Palace for several days in a row.

For a time, Zhaohua Palace became the most eye-catching focus of the six palaces, and rewards poured in like a flowing river.

The winds of change swept through the entire harem, and even the greeting cards sent from the various palaces were much thicker than usual.

Everyone tacitly agreed that the power in the harem ultimately belonged to Consort Rong.

On this day, Consort Rong did not go to Fengyi Palace to pay her respects.

Consort Rong was looking at a box of luminous pearls the size of pigeon eggs that the Emperor had just sent over.

Each round, lustrous pearl made Consort Rong's face even more radiant and beautiful.

She stretched out her slender fingers and stroked the luminous pearl, her eyes filled with pride and self-satisfaction.

Just as she expected, to the Emperor, Consort Yuan was nothing more than a temporary pastime, a substitute.

Once the novelty of imperial favor wears off, nothing remains.

Just as he was feeling pleased with himself, he suddenly felt a strange sense of unease.

"Has there been any news from home lately?"

Xia Yun bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, there is no letter from home."

Consort Rong frowned slightly, her smugness replaced by doubt.

In the past, my father and mother would send me a letter every two weeks without fail.

An ominous premonition crept into my heart.

"Never mind..."

She murmured to herself, "Perhaps it wasn't anything important, so my father and mother stopped writing."

That day, she had advised her father in that way, and he must have listened to her and stopped associating with Prince Rui.

Consort Rong subconsciously touched her still flat stomach, feeling a growing sense of anxiety.

Why hasn't she gotten pregnant yet?

If she could have given birth to a prince, she wouldn't be living in constant fear and anxiety like she is now.

"Your Majesty, Consort Jiang requests an audience."

"Consort Jiang?" Consort Rong was somewhat surprised to hear the announcement.

Consort Jiang and Lady Yun were close friends. After Lady Yun was banished to the Cold Palace, Consort Jiang also became an "invisible person" in the palace and did not show her face for a long time.

What is she here for?

A hint of disdain flashed in Consort Rong's eyes, which quickly turned into a faint smile.

"Let her in."

Consort Jiang gracefully bowed, "This concubine greets Consort Rong."

"Consort Jiang, what brings you to Zhaohua Palace?" Consort Rong asked in a languid tone, with a hint of condescension.

"Your Highness, Consort Rong. I am as close as sisters with Lady Yun, and I think about avenging her every moment."

She took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind.

"But I alone cannot shake her in the slightest."

Consort Jiang adopted an extremely humble posture and went straight to the point, saying, "Therefore, the reason I have come here today is that I would like to join forces with Your Majesty on something."

"Join forces?" Consort Rong scoffed as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world.

Consort Jiang, however, remained neither servile nor arrogant, and continued, "Your Majesty and I share a common enemy—"

"Consort Yuan".

Consort Rong's contempt was undisguised. "Has Consort Jiang been exposed to too much cold wind? Do I need to join forces with you?"

"Your Majesty naturally does not need it."

Consort Jiang changed the subject, "But has Your Majesty considered whether Consort Yuan is really that easy to deal with? She has Her Majesty the Empress behind her. No matter what, the Empress will protect her."

She smiled and threw out the real bait.

"To tell you the truth, although the Second Prince is registered under the Empress's name, Lady Yun is not at ease with him. If Consort Rong trusts me, I am willing to lend you a hand and have the Second Prince adopted into your name."

Admittedly, this offer was an irresistible temptation for her.

If the Second Prince could be registered under her name, she would no longer need to worry about not having a son.

With a prince by her side, she could legitimately rival the empress and threaten her position as empress.

It would also be easy to remove Consort Yuan, this thorn in one's side.

This move achieves three goals at once.

-

Inside the Hall of Diligent Governance, candlelight shone brightly.

Xiao Yan put down his vermilion brush, looked at the Prince of Chu opposite him, and said in a deep voice, "What do you think of the Marquis of Zhenbei's sudden request to return to the capital?"

The King of Chu said, "I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing."

He changed the subject, his tone becoming more serious: "In addition, there is something I have never dared to tell Your Majesty."

"This matter... concerns Consort Yuan."

Xiao Yan raised his eyes, his deep gaze falling on him, signaling him to continue.

"When I first saw Consort Yuan, I felt that she resembled someone."

The King of Chu spoke clearly and deliberately, "The late wife of the Marquis of Zhenbei. The Marquis of Zhenbei's request to return to the capital may be related to this matter."

Xiao Yan frowned slightly.

He had heard a little about the family affairs of the Marquis of Zhenbei. The general was of a fierce temperament. Back then, for the sake of his wife who died young and his daughter who died prematurely, he almost broke with his entire family. He was a complete romantic.

"But didn't the Marquis of Zhenbei's daughter die shortly after birth?"

"Yes, that's why I felt this matter was too strange and didn't dare to report it to Your Majesty."

Xiao Yan fell silent.

He tapped his fingertips lightly on the imperial desk unconsciously, his gaze deep and unfathomable, lost in thought.

After a moment, he slowly spoke, "Go and investigate. You must get to the bottom of this."