Consort Yun was well aware of Consort Chen's decisive and uncompromising nature. If she didn't go along with this matter, she would be left with no way out but death. However, if she went along with it and Consort Chen was also involved, then even if Consort Chen acted to protect herself, she wouldn't let Consort Yun get into trouble.
After careful consideration, Consort Yun had no choice but to take the risk and accept this task.
"Give me the fragrant powder, and I will follow your arrangements," she said.
Upon hearing this, Consort Chen playfully toyed with the emerald bird feather on Consort Yun's hairpin and smiled silently.
*
In early July, as the selection for the imperial harem was about to begin, if the Empress continued to claim illness and neglect her duties in the harem, someone else would have to attend the selection on her behalf.
Naturally, she wouldn't allow anyone else to steal the limelight. Therefore, she resumed her greetings to the concubines in the harem.
Considering her history of experiencing dangerous situations such as premature birth and excessive bleeding, today's appearance in front of the other concubines was the first time the Empress had shown herself.
Song Zhao discreetly observed the Empress, noticing her simple and elegant attire. Despite the light application of cosmetics, he could still faintly see traces of her weakened state after recovering from a serious illness.
Later, the other concubines expressed their congratulations to her one after another.
"Congratulations to the Empress for the birth of the princess," Consort Yin was the first to speak. She took out a gold-engraved safety button from her bosom and presented it to the Empress.
"This is a safety button I personally made for the princess. I hope the princess will be safe and prosperous."
The Empress smiled and accepted it. Consort Yun then spoke, "I'm not as skillful as Consort Yin in such matters. Your Majesty knows that about me. Besides being knowledgeable in fragrances, I'm useless in other things. However, since Your Majesty doesn't like using perfumes, I have extracted some fruit essences to make a fruit-scented oil for you. When you recite Buddhist scriptures, you can drop a few drops in the Buddha shrine to calm your mind."
The Empress received the porcelain bottle presented by Consort Yun and, as soon as she opened it, the fragrance of fruit filled the air, causing everyone to marvel.
As for Consort Chen, she made quite a bold move today.
She clapped her hands, and someone brought in a statue of Guanyin covered in purple cloth.
With a charming smile, Consort Chen walked to the side of the statue and personally removed the purple cloth.
Only then did everyone see that the statue she had given to the Empress was actually a statue of Guanyin associated with fertility.
The entire hall of concubines seemed to hold their breath simultaneously, and the Empress's expression became extremely unpleasant.
But Consort Chen smiled and said, "This statue of Guanyin symbolizes having many children and much happiness. I present it to you, Empress, hoping that you will have many heirs for the Emperor."
"Consort Chen! Have you gone mad?"
Consort Yun was the first to step forward and retort, "By giving the Empress this statue of Guanyin, are you intentionally trying to provoke her?"
"Ridiculous! I am not provoking the Empress in any way," Consort Chen's phoenix eyes flew, and she became even more unrestrained. "The imperial physician only said that it would be difficult for the Empress to conceive in the future, but he didn't say she definitely couldn't. In such matters, we can only do what is humanly possible and leave the rest to fate. By presenting this statue of Guanyin to the Empress, I am offering a sincere blessing for her well-being. Why are you so upset? Hehe."
She suddenly covered her mouth with a silk handkerchief and emitted a mocking laugh. "What's wrong? Could it be that you think the Empress will never have another chance to conceive in her lifetime?"
"You..." Consort Yun couldn't argue with her words, so she quickly walked to the statue of the Goddess of Mercy for childbirth and covered it back with the purple cloth. "Someone! Move this thing out!"
Later on, it was just Consort Chen and Consort Yun quarreling, and the Empress intervened.
This was the scene that Song Zhao had seen the most during her time in the palace, after her entry as a concubine, so it was not surprising.
However, when Consort Yun passed by her earlier, Song Zhao clearly smelled a familiar fragrance.
Why was it familiar?
Because before the Empress became pregnant, Consort Yun used this scented powder every day, flaunting it in front of the Empress.
But after the Empress became pregnant, Consort Yun's scent changed.
And now that the Empress safely gave birth to a daughter, this fragrance had returned?
Song Zhao turned her head slightly, with one hand holding a jade bi to converse with Consort Huiping, and the other hand subconsciously covering her nose with a handkerchief.
During today's greeting, Consort Yun defended the Empress and had a dispute with Consort Chen, leaving a favorable impression on the Empress.
In the following days, Consort Yun behaved just like before, constantly fawning over the Empress.
The Empress also appeared very close to her, even breaking the rules in private and calling her "sister."
On this day, Consort Yun accompanied the Empress in paying respects to the Buddha for half a day.
After she left, Shuang Ruo brought a plate of chilled watermelon to the Empress.
She smelled the fragrance emanating from Consort Yun's body, which almost overwhelmed the scent of sandalwood, and said,
"Your Majesty, Consort Yun's fragrance has indeed returned."
The Empress didn't think much of it and instead took a deep breath, saying contentedly,
"Yes. But this scent is pleasant. I haven't smelled it for a long time, and I've missed it."
Shuang Ruo chuckled and said, "Consort Chen thought that this scented powder could cause Your Majesty's heart condition to relapse. How could she know that Your Majesty never had any heart condition in the first place? It was just a means for you to adapt to changing circumstances and play tricks on her."
The Empress's heart condition had always been her tactic to vie for favor.
With a heart condition, Xiao Jingheng would naturally treat her more gently,
And even if she didn't have one, which man could resist the affection of a woman who risked her life to bear his offspring?
The harem was filled with women who could bear children, so the Empress naturally had to become the most outstanding one to make Xiao Jingheng remember her favorably.
Indeed, she had succeeded.
Although she only gave birth to a princess and could no longer bear children due to premature birth and postpartum hemorrhage,
There were regrets, but Xiao Jingheng's guilt and pity towards her were genuine.
Sometimes, a man's guilt towards you was enough to ensure your prosperity for the rest of your life.
And by pretending to have a heart condition, if any concubines wanted to harm her, they would undoubtedly focus on this matter.
But what was the use of their scheming?
A healthy person, even if they were being plotted against, would only be a waste of others' calculations.
The Empress was originally smiling,
But somehow, the smile on her face suddenly froze, and she spoke with a very anxious tone:
"Consort Chen is well aware of my heart ailment, yet she conspires with Consort Yun, using such despicable means to harm me! It was because I used to be close to Consort Yun in the past, constantly exposed to the scent of her perfumes, that I suffered such severe consequences, resulting in premature birth and hemorrhaging! I can never conceive again in this lifetime!"
She fiercely guarded her lower abdomen with her right hand, her eyes filled with determination. "Consort Chen's maternal family offended the Emperor in the previous dynasty, and she has committed malicious acts in the palace, plotting against the Empress and harming the imperial successor! How can the Emperor rest assured and let her remain by his side?"
With just a few words, the Empress effortlessly shifted the blame onto Consort Chen, tarnishing her with all the accusations.
Once matters unfold as she described,
Even if Consort Chen possesses extraordinary abilities, she will have no chance of turning the tides.
The Empress reached out to Shuang Ruo and allowed her to assist her to the bedside.
She removed her shoes and socks before lying down unhurriedly,
Then she gave Shuang Ruo a sinister smile and gestured with her hand.
"My heart ailment is about to act up again. Go and inform the imperial physicians. Remember, make as much commotion as possible, no matter the consequences."
As she finished speaking, the smile on her face instantly vanished,
And she tightly clutched her chest, starting to groan in pain...
[It's Friday tomorrow! I'll bring all of you to watch a grand drama tomorrow night!]
