Chapter 1, Spring Rain in Disarray

Your Highness, you may issue a decree to eliminate Consort Huyan Mei at an opportune moment." Granny Li made a gesture of cutting her throat.

"Mother, how could I possibly kill a second-rank consort over such a trivial matter? What would the Emperor think of me?"

Your Highness! Yu Xiang opened her eyes wide, unable to believe it

Oh. At this moment, Yuxiang finally came to her senses, "Your Highness, your smile is truly beautiful, it has left Yuxiang in a daze. I have heard that the Imperial Concubine was once known as the most beautiful woman and the most talented lady in Jingxuan, but I believe that no matter how beautiful she is, she cannot compare to you, Your Highness. Moreover, the Emperor has praised your unparalleled talent, so I think you need not worry about the Imperial Concubine."

"What you mean is ... ... " Du Gu Yuan Feng glanced at Li Mama, who had taken care of her since childhood

Mu Zhaowen came to his senses; Yuxiang, being a native of ancient times, naturally could not understand his thoughts. "I was just joking," he said.

"Nanny, if she does not return, I cannot lower myself to deal with Consort Zhao. Given the current situation, she will inevitably become the Empress. I will never allow another woman to be the Emperor's wife, so it is better to bring back the previous one. She knows things she should not know, and the Emperor is wary of her. Once she deals with Consort Zhao, when I take care of her, the Emperor will not blame me for it." The brightness in Du Gu Yuanfeng's smile does not match the nature of her heart.

It is said that Xu Xiaoyi has been summoned to serve in the bedchamber

As for this matter, I am unaware. The noble consort left the palace in haste on the third day after being conferred the title of noble consort, which puzzled everyone. However, no one in the palace dared to speak up about it.

"Yuxiang, Yuxiang, what are you thinking about? You are being too heavy-handed," Mu Zhaowen frowned.

Oh, this is just a common scenario in the harem. Let those women fight over that cucumber; I am quite at ease. Perhaps in the future, I can even leave the palace, roam the world, and enjoy a carefree life. Mu Zhaowen did not take Yuxiang's words to heart, nor did he pay any attention to the favored concubine she mentioned.

This humble servant does not understand the meaning of Your Highness

Old Lady Li remained silent. Although she had great faith in her master's wisdom, she still felt uneasy about that imperial concubine.

The emperor's consort naturally has to return to the palace, what is so strange about that? Mu Zhaowen picked up a candied cherry and placed it in his mouth, closing his eyes to savor the wonderful sweet and sour taste

"Your Highness, if you do not kill her now, it will be too late when she grows powerful. If she gives birth to a prince and wins the Emperor's heart, what will you do then? At that point, it will be too late to call for help." Li Mama began to feel anxious.

"Aunt, I know you mean well, but if our family was able to deal with her the first time, we can certainly handle her a second time. Didn't we successfully drive her away last time?"

Mu Zhaowen, following Yu Xiang's words, thought of Emperor Huangfu Yan, and his face involuntarily flushed slightly

Mu Zhaowen smiled faintly, but a trace of gloom flashed through her heart. She came from the modern era and could not agree with the system of polygamy from the bottom of her heart; she deserved a love that was exclusively hers

"Your Highness, I have heard that the favored concubine is returning to the palace," said Yuxiang, the personal maid of Consort Zhao, as she massaged her legs with a beauty hammer while reporting the gossip from the palace.

It has already been three years since the imperial concubine left the palace; with her capabilities, dealing with Consort Zhao should be more than sufficient, right? Du Gu Yuanfeng said playfully.

Yu Xiang gazed blankly at Mu Zhao Wen

In this palace, there are some maidens who tremble at the mere mention of the words "noble consort". Yuxiang's words are becoming increasingly mysterious

Originally, this matter would be considered trivial in other dynasties, but in the Tianzheng Dynasty, since the ascension of Emperor Tianzheng, there has never been a precedent for summoning concubines to the bedchamber for two consecutive days. This is why Granny Li made such a statement

"The Emperor would not treat me this way," said Du Gu Yuan Feng, though her tone lacked confidence

Still, the Empress has considered everything thoroughly, but this old servant...

Yu Xiang let out a soft "oh" and said, "Your Highness, how can there be no competition in this palace? If you do not compete, others will come to compete with you, especially since the Emperor favors you so much."

"Mother, do you still not understand? He has said that he likes my purity the most. Look at my hands; they have never been stained with a drop of blood. If I deal with Concubine Zhao this time, everything will be ruined." Although Du Gu Yuanfeng's cleverness is not as great as that of Li Mama, she is never ambiguous when it comes to important matters. She understands very well what attracts him to her.

Entering the palace as a noble of the fifth rank and rising to the rank of imperial consort within a year is not a common occurrence for any dynasty

"That is not the case. Nurse, do you think there is a better way to deal with a woman in this palace than to use a borrowed knife to kill?" Du Gu Yuan Feng smiled with a purity that resembled the untouched white snow on the Tianshan Mountains, completely free of any dust.

Then, what should we do?" Du Gu Yuan Feng began to feel uneasy

Mu Zhaowen smiled again. Having spent a year with Huangfu Yan, she naturally understood his character; he was an absolute and resolute monarch who would never confuse household matters with court affairs. The favored concubine's loss of favor would not affect her father; perhaps Huangfu Yan would even feel more at ease in employing her father, without the worry of the maternal relatives wielding power.

Since she is so formidable, why would she want to leave the palace? The imperial concubine would not easily leave the harem unless forced to do so by the emperor. These young ladies may not see it, but Mu Zhaowen's heart is clear as day; it is likely that this concubine is not favored by the emperor

Mu Zhaowen could not help but smile, yet she felt confident in her heart. After thousands of years of cultural accumulation, how could she lose to the ancients? "Where is Your Majesty resting today?" she could not help but ask.

Your Highness, since the Emperor ascended the throne, he has treated all equally, and the concubines of the various palaces take turns serving him. Even when the previous favored one was in her prime, she did not surpass this boundary.

Your Highness, these seductive women each possess their own cunning tricks. Didn't the previous one fall for it? My foolish Your Highness, you must not be so naive. I have heard that the Zhaofei is quite adept at pleasing the Emperor in matters of the bedchamber.

Dugu Yuanfeng furrowed her brows and remained silent. Granny Li continued, "Today, the Emperor summoned her again; this marks her second consecutive night in his presence. This is a sign of special favor, and we must be on guard."

Imperial Concubine? ! '' Li Mama was taken aback, not expecting that the Empress Dowager had this in mind. This individual is indeed a unique flower in the harem of the sixth generation Emperor of the Jingxuan Dynasty, Emperor Tianzheng.

Your Highness, please think twice; is this not inviting wolves while repelling tigers?" Granny Li strongly disapproved of this approach

Let it be, I will find an opportunity to speak with His Majesty, we just need to wait and watch the good show unfold

Mu Zhaowen smiled and asked, "Is the concubine's father an official in the court?"

The empress has only been in the palace for one year and has not yet seen this noble consort. According to those outside, this noble consort is quite formidable; she was granted the title of noble consort within just one year of entering the palace. The entire harem has been nearly purged by her, leaving only a few concubines, most of whom were selected last year. It was only after the empress and others entered the palace that this place became lively again

Does that mean the Empress doesn't care anymore?" Granny Li was so anxious that she wanted to jump up.

Although Yuxiang did not know why her master suddenly asked about this, she answered without hesitation. "The Empress's father is Lord Linghu, the Minister of Personnel. Although the Empress has left the palace, her father has been steadily promoted. He was previously only the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, but now he has already become a Minister of Personnel (the Minister of Personnel is also referred to as a Heavenly Official), so everyone does not think that the Empress left due to losing favor."

Changxin Palace

"What did you say? The Emperor has summoned Consort Zhao again tonight?" Empress Dowager Dugu Yuanfeng's palm slammed down on the small table, and her long, green onion-like nails were brutally broken.

Your Highness, this Zhaofei is not an ordinary person. In just one year, she has risen from a seventh-rank beauty to a second-rank Zhaofei. Although she cannot be compared to the previous one, she is indeed the most capable one in recent years.

Zhaoyang Palace