Glory

  All of this thought, however, benefited from the dying words of Emperor Wu of Han's Li Furen. Li Furen was favored by Emperor Wu for her stunning beauty, but before she died, Emperor Wu wanted to see her one last time, and she covered her face with a silk scarf until death, refusing to be seen again. Because beauty fades and love loosens, it is the eternal nightmare of every woman in the harem, only what is forever lost will remain beautiful in memory.

  When it comes to my hands, the thoughts change, but I feel that what can't be easily obtained will be better. So I spend all my energy every day politely declining, just for the four words "desire to capture and then release". The so-called "desire to capture and then release", the ultimate goal is still on the word "capture", and "release" is just a means, therefore the effort of "release" must be good, and it's not possible to release too much. And "capture" must be captured at the right time, otherwise it will all be in vain again. Just like a spider weaving a web, the web is big, but also needs to be collected well, in order to capture what you want and put it in your pocket.

  It's been more than half a month since then. On New Year's Eve, he couldn't come because of the sacrificial ceremony and the gathering at the palace gate the next day. After the sacrifice was completed on the first day of the new year, he arrived early in my Qinglu Pavilion.

  The sunlight is good, shining on the accumulated snow and reflecting a crystal clear light. The sunlight and snowlight are mutually reflected, and the bright paper inside is even more transparent. At that time, I was sitting diagonally under the window, embroidering a fragrant sachet, wearing a shallow purple string of beads with dark patterns on my body; because it was a dark pattern, from a distance, it looked like only one color of light purple; paired with a moon-white bottom color embroidered with starry dots and yellow flowers welcoming spring, small flower buds on the hundred-fold long skirt. In order to avoid the color being too plain, I added a rose-purple satin fox fur trim cloak on my shoulder as a lining, lightly applied rouge, and only inserted one purple jade inlaid pearl flowery hairpin on my head, with a casual home-style dress, also having a bit of dignified elegance, elegant but not at all showy, even the smile between eyebrows was calm like a pearl glow, only seeing warmth without any sharp edges.

  He came in and stood beside me, not making a sound. I knew he had arrived, but pretended not to know, focusing solely on embroidering the sachet with silk thread. After a moment, he coughed, and I showed three parts joy, getting up to greet him: "Your Majesty has arrived." Then I feigned annoyance: "You came without saying a word, making me seem rude."

  He smiled: "In the first month of the lunar year, why are we still stuck on this etiquette? I see you lowering your head and being serious, so I don't want to disturb you."

  I brought the tea up and smiled: "Your Majesty, I was just idle and doing some small things to pass the time. Where did you come from?"

  "I just came from the empress's place and met An Xiaoyuan, who was also there. I exchanged a few words with her before coming over." She then asked: "What were you just embroidering?"

  I smiled and took out the sachet, saying: "Originally wanted to embroider a sachet for the emperor. Unfortunately, I'm slow with my hands and feet, only embroidered the dragon on top, haven't thought of what color to embroider the auspicious cloud yet."

  He said: "It doesn't matter what color it is, your heart is the most precious."

  I bowed my head and said, "Every single thing on Your Majesty's body is not to be taken lightly, let alone the sachet which, as you mentioned, was a token of my sincerity. I would not dare have it even slightly improper."

  He also smiled when he heard the words, concentrated for a moment, his eyes fell on my clothes, and said with a smile: "The light purple color on you is very good, and the colors of auspicious clouds and golden dragons are also suitable."

  I said "yes", and laughed with a clear voice: "The purple air comes from the east, the golden dragon flies around, it is indeed an extremely auspicious omen."

  Then, with a leisurely tone, she embroidered the sachet with flying needles and threads. Xuan Ling praised it repeatedly, but didn't accept it. Instead, he took the bright pearl from my hairpin and put it into the sachet, saying: "This bright pearl is what you wear by your temple every day; from now on, I'll carry this sachet with me every day, never leaving it for a moment, okay?"

  I muttered under my breath and turned red with anger, refusing to talk to him anymore.

  "I have been sitting here for some time, and this house with three or four charcoal basins is not as warm as the main hall. I was just about to ask you, why don't you live in the Yingxin Hall anymore?"

  I bowed slightly and said softly: "I like the serenity of Qing Jing in Green Xuan."

  He murmured and said, "That night when I played chess with you, the bamboo shoots behind the pavilion were either broken by the snow or rustled by the wind. How can it be called peaceful? How can one sleep soundly on such a cold and windy night?"

  A faint glimmer of tears appeared in her eyes, and she forced herself to say: "I... I am ashamed that I could not protect the imperial heir and have no face to see Your Majesty again. The Jingxin Palace is where you and I once lived together; now that I have failed, how can I still live alone in this high palace? I am willing to move to the Qinglu Xuan, a cold and bitter place, and every day, with a quiet heart, pray for Your Majesty to have many children." After finishing speaking, she herself was moved. Saying these words was not entirely sincere, but the two words "children" made me think of my unborn child and those cool and bitter days after losing my child.

  In such a tone, he was naturally moved and his hands were placed on my shoulders. "Xuan Xuan, you're being so hard on yourself, doesn't it make me even more heartbroken?" His expression had some bewildered pain, "Because I wasn't there, unwilling to live alone in the palace where we used to live together." He gently stroked the tear stains on my face and softly said: "I've come back, how about staying with you in the Ying Xin Palace again? Just like before."

  He deliberately emphasized the two words "in the past", I raised my face with tears and a smile, nodding, but in my heart, it was suddenly desolate. Even if he is still the same person as before, living in the palace of the past, but my heart can no longer be as ordinary and unremarkable as it used to be.

  That night, I didn't ask him to leave again. The passion and expectation he had accumulated for a long time finally burst out, with the urgency and impulsiveness of a young man. And I just slowly endured his tidal wave-like caresses and fiery tremors.

  Waking up in the dead of night. The clock has just struck four, and the world is hushed in silence.

  The red silk canopy and golden phoenix-shaped candle holders in the Yingxin Hall are as luxurious and beautiful as before, shining brightly. Under the west window, a pair of red candles are still burning high, shining like starlight. Special purple copper carved with flying clouds and phoenixes is used for the candle holder, and after the candle has been lit for a long time, the cold copper surface is covered with coral-like wax tears, which are bright red. There is no sound of wind outside the window, and in the silence of the world, only the soft and crisp sound of snow melting can be heard.

  The room was warm and I was slightly sweating. I lay quietly on the wide bed, he slept soundly, his hands tightly wrapped around my shoulders, unable to move. The muscles of his arms and the skin on my chest were stuck together with the undried sweat, hot and sticky, making me feel uncomfortable deep down.

  His desire was palpable, pleasure flowed over his body like water, but all he felt was exhaustion of both body and mind. It was as if he had just entered her body, in contrast, her physical response was awkward and dry. His lips were hot and dry, kissing urgently, his body also urgent, entering so abruptly that it brought her a coarse and wordless pain.

  Still smiling on the surface, but his heart has already started to wander.

  I don't know if the woman's body and heart are together. When her heart is distant, her body becomes an empty container, silently and lonely bearing his passion, but unable to give out true delight, as if she were an outsider. She just smiled and endured, without fusion or joy.

  The cherry-red silk gauze curtain hangs quietly like a huge wing, and suddenly remembers that on such a New Year's Eve night, even the moonlight is almost invisible. The wind whispers, the snow rustles, the sky and earth are covered with a net, everything is in the midst of the swirling ice and snow.

  My life can only be like this, I suppose!

  At the family banquet in the second month, I was already sitting on the right side of Xuan Ling, toasting and chatting. Everyone knew that Xuan Ling had stayed overnight in my palace until noon before coming to the family banquet with me. After that night, I was no longer the depressed and dejected Consort Guan that I used to be. On the left side, the seat of honor still belonged to the dignified Empress, while Concubine Jing and Concubine Murong sat at the lower seats below her, followed by the first of the nine consorts, Lu Zhaoyi, and Li Xiurong who sat below her. Since it was a family banquet and also a celebration for the entire palace, all the consorts with ranks were present, regardless of whether they were in favor or not. The grand hall was filled with consorts, their soft voices and gentle laughter filling the air as they chatted incessantly. I smiled faintly as I sat beside Xuan Ling, looking at the beautiful women below me, and suddenly felt that life was unpredictable. Just last spring, I had been proud and arrogant, shining brightly in the palace, but the summer rain had brought down my child and also my disappointment. The long autumn had been cold and quiet, with everyone in the palace thinking that I had fallen out of favor for good, even the lower-ranking consorts daring to humiliate me. Yet before the winter snow had melted, I was once again sitting beside Xuan Ling, laughing and smiling as before.

  It's been a long time since I've seen Murong Fei, her beauty has faded somewhat. I heard that she had repeatedly petitioned Xuan Ling to pardon her and clear her name, with words that were extremely sincere and moving. Xuan Ling sighed after reading them, but did not issue an edict to pardon her. She couldn't help but feel a bit depressed, yet she sat upright in her seat, dressed in luxurious clothes, with an air of pride and beauty that had not dissipated. This was no surprise, as her father and brothers still held power in the court, and behind them stood the even more powerful Prince of Runan. Although Xuan Ling did not pardon her, he also did not heavily punish her, showing that if she were to rise again, she would still have opportunities.

  I tilted my head and drank the grape wine in the cup, the cool liquid slid over the warm throat with a refreshing and sobering sensation. As for losing the child, I have come to understand more clearly that as long as King Yunnan does not fall, the Murong clan will not fall, so no matter how great an offense Murong Shilan commits in the palace, Xuan Ling will not, cannot, and dare not kill her to vent his anger.

  I glanced at Xuan Ling, imperial power surpassing royal power, as the ruler of a country, he must also be secretly harboring sorrow and indignation.

  I quickly turned my head, and my gaze swept past each of them from the empress. Jing Fei has always been on the same side as me, so she was naturally delighted at my resurgence, and we could also lend each other a helping hand. Mei Zhuang was truly happy for me too. Ling Rong's expression was warm and humble, with a faintly shy smile on her face, holding my hand, her eyes innocent and bright: "Sister has finally turned her luck around, it's been worrying me to death."

  I responded with a calm smile, "An, you're being too serious." Whether it was my own bitterness or her concern, I knew the difference in my heart. Her smile then became somewhat awkward, but her demeanor remained humble and courteous.

  That day, in the Yuanyuan Temple, I heard words that were like a fishbone stuck in my throat. The meaning of her words, which seemed to be both advancing and retreating, was not something I didn't understand. Even if she was doing it for self-protection, for the sake of being favored, in our hearts, we had already become estranged. The world is unpredictable, and people's hearts take a long time to reveal themselves. It's just that what we saw was beyond what you and I could have predicted.

  When my eyes met Lu Zhaoyi's, she was extremely unnatural and quickly avoided my gaze. I smiled calmly and slightly, while Qin Fangyi became increasingly restless, like sitting on pins and needles. I smiled and took in her unnatural behavior, not intending to tell Xuan Ling about the matter of her embarrassing me. She also didn't know how I would deal with her after regaining power, becoming even more uneasy. I just ignored her, only revealing a bright, friendly smile at her fear. And she just kept her head down, too afraid to look at me again.

  A few days later, I returned to the Tongli Palace from the Empress's palace in the Upper Forest Garden. The snowy road was slippery, and I didn't take a sedan chair, but instead held a hand warmer and slowly walked back with Xiangyu's hand. The Upper Forest Garden, which was like an ice and snow crystal world on winter days, did not wither or fade away. Apart from the red plum blossoms, wax plum blossoms, and white plum blossoms that dotted the area, the skilled palace people used bright silk to create flower-like shapes and leaves, sticking them onto the dry branches, as if spring had never left.

  I took a few steps and turned into the Suichan Pavilion beside the road to leisurely admire the snowy view of the Taiye Pool. This was the necessary route for Qin Fangyi and Cao Jieyu to return to their respective palaces after leaving the imperial palace.

  As expected, they two came over in sedan chairs one after another and saw me standing aside. They had to stop their steps and greet me.

  There are windows on three sides of the pavilion, one side is a door, and there is also a roof to shelter from wind and snow. The only problem is that the pavilion is too small, and with me and Tongtai standing inside, when Qin and Cao came in as well, it became rather crowded.

  Their palace attendants all stood outside the pavilion, and Xianyun brought a goose-down cushion to invite me to sit down. I also ordered them to sit. I lowered my head and used the long protective sleeve to gently lift the small lid of the painted enamel hand warmer with flowers and birds, where a piece of pine resin was burning, filling the narrow space with a refreshing fragrance.

  Cao Jieyu's expression was calm and composed, as if nothing was wrong, chatting with me about everyday things. Qin Fangyi, on the other hand, looked uneasy. I deliberately ignored her and turned to Cao Jieyu: "I've been unwell for a while and haven't seen either of you sisters in a long time. Why don't we take this opportunity to admire the snow together and have a chat?"

  Cao Jieyu smiled and said: "I was supposed to go back and accompany the princess, but it's been a long time since I saw Your Majesty, so I should come and pay my respects."

  Qin Fangyi had no choice but to say: "Your Majesty has given an order, and I dare not disobey."

  I slightly raised the corners of my lips and smiled, "This sounds like I'm forcing you." She was startled and wanted to explain, but I continued, "Actually, it's great for us sisters to see each other often, chat about trivial matters, deepen our affection, and naturally eliminate misunderstandings and grudges."

  Cao Jieyu was slightly puzzled but didn't ask any questions. Qin Fangyi could only respond with a series of yeses and nods.

  Looking out from the pavilion, the entire imperial palace is already covered in a silver veil, with white snow stretching far and wide. Amidst this, the green pines are even more vibrant, the red plum blossoms even more radiant, their colors even more vivid.

  "I gazed afar at the silvery white garden and slowly said: 'This season, it reminds me of a winter story.'"

  Ts'ao Chi-yü said: "Your Majesty is widely read and knowledgeable; I wish to hear more about it."

  "It seems like a human wolf's story. Human wolf, also happened in such a winter."

  Cao Jieyu's smile froze, slightly uncomfortable, she obviously knew this story. Qin Fangyi, on the other hand, was completely bewildered, coming from a local grain official's family, not well-educated, and only fond of operas but not history books, naturally didn't know.

  I smiled and said: "Where is the extensive knowledge? In fact, I don't remember it very clearly either. Why not take out the book and ask Xie Xi to read it for us sisters?"

  Lü Zhi, the Empress Lü, was the wife of Emperor Gaozu during his humble beginnings. She gave birth to Emperor Hui and Princess Yuan of Lu. When Emperor Gaozu became the King of Han, he favored Concubine Qi, who bore him a son named Liu Ruyi. Emperor Hui was a kind and weak person, and Emperor Gaozu often thought of deposing him as crown prince and replacing him with Concubine Qi's son, Liu Ruyi, because Liu Ruyi resembled him more. Concubine Qi was favored by the emperor and often accompanied him on his trips to the east, weeping day and night in an attempt to persuade him to replace Emperor Hui with her own son. Empress Lü was older and usually stayed behind to guard the palace, rarely seeing the emperor and becoming increasingly distant from him. After Liu Ruyi was made the King of Zhao, there were several attempts to depose Emperor Hui as crown prince, but thanks to the efforts of the senior officials and the strategy of Zhou Bo, Emperor Hui was not deposed... Empress Lü deeply resented Concubine Qi and her son, the King of Zhao. She ordered eunuchs to arrest Concubine Qi and summon the King of Zhao. The empress then cut off Concubine Qi's hands and feet, blinded her, burned her ears, gave her a poisonous medicine to drink, and forced her to live in a toilet, renaming her "Human Pig".

  Qin Fangyi listened to the beginning, still calm and composed, but gradually turned pale, her body also slightly trembling. I gazed at her expression, as if nothing was wrong, slowly explaining: "During the Han Gaozu period, Liu Bang favored Consort Qi of Dingtao, neglecting Empress Lü. Consort Qi repeatedly seized favor, disregarding seniority and despising Empress Lü, also wanting to replace Crown Prince Liu Ying with her own son, Liu Ruoyi. With such deep hatred for seizing the emperor's affection and position, Empress Lü naturally harbored resentment. After Gaozu's death, Empress Lü hated Consort Qi and Zhao Wang Ruoyi, first imprisoning Consort Qi, forcing her to wear prisoner's clothes and grind grain daily in Yongxiang, a place where she had never suffered such hardships before. As a result, every day she sang: 'My son is the king, I am a captive, grinding thin gruel all day, always with death as my companion! Separated by three thousand miles, who will tell you?'". When I reached this point, I smiled and said: "Consort Qi was truly foolish. At this point, the lonely mother and weak son were like drifting duckweed without support, yet she still sang such a song, thinking to rely on her young son for protection, not knowing that it would harm her own son." Then I continued: "Empress Lü again sent an envoy to summon Zhao Wang Ruoyi from Handan into the capital. Although Liu Ying strongly protected this half-brother, he was still poisoned by Empress Lü. As for Consort Qi, who was a thorn in her eye and a stab in her flesh, Empress Lü cut off her hands and feet, gouged out her eyes and ears, fed her dumbing medicine, and threw her into the toilet to let her roll around and wail, calling her 'human pig', a truly pitiful sight. The downfall of Consort Qi, a beauty of her generation, was really too regrettable!"

  I smiled slyly and said to Qin Fangyi, "Although Empress Lü's methods were cruel, Concubine Qi also got what was coming to her. She dared to try to usurp the empress's position and favor with just a temporary advantage, humiliating those above her. It's only fitting that she should suffer the consequences. This also shows that as a woman, Empress Lü holds grudges very deeply. Fangyi, don't you think so?"

  She was stunned, suddenly hearing me ask, her hands shook, and she fell to the ground involuntarily. I gestured to Cao Jieyu to help her sit up, and Cao Jieyu said, "What's wrong with Qin sister? She was listening to the story just fine."

  I also said, "That's right, Fang Yi isn't the kind of person who is ignorant and arrogant, why bother with unnecessary thoughts?" My smile became even more gentle: "Just now I made a mess of explanations, afraid that it would only confuse Fang Yi even more. Why not let Xun Xi read it again? Sima Qian's writing is truly timeless, every word is precious, don't waste your talent." The tone was one of discussion, but the underlying meaning was not to be doubted.

  Qin Fangyi was forcibly supported to sit up, her body trembling. The room was quiet, only hearing her urgent and uneven breathing, her face as pale as a piece of high-quality rice paper.

  Her voice rose and fell in a mournful cadence, the highs and lows perfectly modulated. Even when she reached the most terrifying parts, her tone was tinged with a faintly husky sadness, as if the tragic fate of "Ren Hou" was unfolding right before our eyes, leaving us shaken and chilled to the bone. Qin Fangyi listened for a few sentences, then looked at me with a pitiful expression, pleading: "Your Majesty, please forgive me! I know I was wrong, I won't dare do it again."

  I said calmly, "This is strange. Fang Yi has always been straightforward and confident, what crime could she have committed? Besides, I just wanted to hear Xun Qi tell us a story." I casually plucked a purple flower from my hairpin and gazed at her with shining eyes, carelessly tearing the silk flower in my hand. The sound of the silk ripping was a harsh, jarring noise that seemed especially piercing in the sudden silence.

  She stared at me with a terrified expression and said: "Concubine... Concubine was just following Lu Zhaoyi's orders! Your Ladyship..."

  I smiled faintly, not raising my head, and only said: "Is that so? Whatever it is, let's talk about it later. Now I just want to hear the story of 'Ren Zou'. But although Sima Qian's writing is divine, I don't know what a real 'Ren Zou' looks like. I'm quite curious."

  I deliberately emphasized the word "Ren Huang", my gaze swept across Qin Fangyi's face, scaring her so much that she leaned against the pillar, trembling and shrinking. I didn't pay attention to her, but instead signaled to Shi Cui to continue reading. Just as he was reading for the second time, I suddenly heard a blood-curdling scream of "Ah", and Qin Fangyi fainted and fell to the ground.

  I glanced at her indifferently and said, "So you're that timid, I thought she had a bigger temper. She's just a weak and timid person!" I used my handkerchief to wipe the powder on both sides of my nose, and casually threw the broken handkerchief flowers on her body, saying calmly, "Qin Fangyi is not feeling well and has fainted, take her back."

  Everyone in the palace kept a safe distance outside the pavilion, hearing the call, but not knowing what had happened, hastily took Qin Fangyi away. Ji Suo also took advantage of the situation to bid farewell and leave.

  Cao Jieyu saw that everyone had left, leaving only the two of us. She smiled deeply and said: "Kill the chicken to scare the monkey - the chicken has been killed, what does Your Majesty want to say to me, a bystander?"

  The corners of his lips rose gently: "It's great to talk to someone as clever as Sister Cao, it doesn't take any effort at all."

  Her complexion was as usual, and she said: "Your Majesty is not a cruel and cunning person. Even if Qin Shi has offended Your Majesty, you can send her to the 'Violent Room' for punishment. Why bother with this trouble? It's just to intimidate the concubines. Please speak directly, Your Majesty."

  I adjusted the tassels on my cloak and smiled quietly, saying: "Elder Sister Cao has always been one to love taking detours and beating around the bush, so it's a bit unaccustomed for her to speak directly and straightforwardly with you." I paused for a moment: "Some days ago, when I was suffering from a cold, I repeatedly recommended that the Emperor visit Elder Sister Cao's palace. Did Elder Sister Cao find it agreeable?"

  She said: "The queen's kindness, the concubine has accepted it. However, the emperor is in the concubine's place, but his thoughts are always in the queen's palace, often restless."

  I said, "Sister Cao is intelligent and naturally knows whether the Emperor comes or goes to your palace, it's all due to my words. Actually, Sister Cao doesn't need to be too concerned about where the Emperor's heart is, as the saying goes 'three points of affection when meeting', as long as the Emperor is willing to go to your place from time to time, with your intelligence, the Emperor will naturally favor you more." I thought for a moment and said, "Because of Concubine Murong's demotion, it also implicated Sister Cao and made Consort Wenyi even more neglected. The Emperor seems to have not gone to your palace for half a year. Actually, it's okay if Sister suffers some grievances, what's important is the Princess, if she loses her father's favor from a young age, how will she plan for the future?"

  Cao Jieyu's expression changed, and she said: "It was the concubine who was short-sighted that day, without learning from the good birds to choose a tree to perch on, so that today is desolate, with nothing to complain about."

  I smiled and said, "Sister, don't be too hard on yourself. The future of the princess still needs you to fight for it. In the past, things were like that, and sister choosing to follow Murong Niangniang wasn't a short-sighted decision either. It wasn't easy to follow her back then, was it? Now, however, sister is still seen as part of Murong's faction by the people in the palace. What can be done about it? But it's also good that the Emperor is someone who values old relationships. He didn't do anything to Murong Niangniang, did he?"

  "Cao Jieyu's gaze was clear and bright, she looked at me for a long time before saying: 'Your Highness is clearer than anyone else in her heart, it's only a matter of time before Murong falls. The concubines are also worried about their own future, they just hope not to be implicated.'"

  "I said with a sigh: 'Princess Murong is hot-tempered and decisive, and Sister Cao's life hasn't been easy either. On that day, the cassava flour incident was clearly known to be a misunderstanding by me, so she must have also known who used the emperor's daughter for her own purposes... Poor Emperor's daughter, suffering such hardships at such a young age, it really tugs at one's heartstrings...' My heart softened, 'As a mother, watching your child suffer such hardships, I suppose it's even more unbearable for you?'"

  Cao Jieyu's eyebrows slightly moved, and her expression changed. She raised her head again, and there was already a hint of tears in her eyes. She sighed: "But if it weren't for her help, the concubines would not have had the chance to give birth to the princess that year."

  I nodded and continued: "Mufeng Fei naturally has a favor to you, but later on, she used the emperor's daughter born by Cao sister to seize the emperor's favor for herself. She even took the emperor's daughter with her and didn't let you, the birth mother, raise her yourself. In fact, sister is very intelligent and not inferior to Mufeng Fei. Following her was just to protect herself."

  She sighed endlessly: "What a pity..."

  "I said: 'Sister Cao is a very intelligent person, insightful about the world. She knew early on that Murong Fei was not reliable and was willing to help me in private. On the day when Murong Fei searched Xingju Hall, if Sister had spoken out to stop her, I wouldn't have been able to scheme against her and make her lose favor. And as for Chun's fall into the water, it was also because of Sister's reminder to me - I am not an ungrateful person.'"

  She said: "The concubines are also obedient to fate, how can they have the heart to disobey the current Princess Murong? It's just that Concubine Chun is beyond salvation."

  I was just about to ask this long-standing question, so I said: "What happened to Queen Sunwon back then?" She wanted to speak but hesitated, and I felt anxious in my heart, but had a nonchalant expression on my face, saying: "If sister doesn't want to say it, not saying is also fine."

  She hesitated for a moment, then said: "Murong Fei is just jealous of Chun Bin's youth and favoritism, and also because she is with you on the same path, so she wants to cut off your wings."

  "So she's in such a hurry? Isn't she afraid of the Emperor's pursuit?"

  "Murong Fei always looked down on everyone, killing a few concubines was nothing to her, let alone this way of dying that left no trace." She paused for a moment, looking at my expression carefully and said: "Actually, that day when Hsun Pin went to pick up the kite, she accidentally saw Murong Fei secretly meeting with the King of Yunnan, and it was then that Murong Fei wanted to silence her."

  I took a deep breath, and the golden earrings on my ears trembled slightly in shock. It was common knowledge that Princess Murong had the support of King Runan, but it was astonishing that they were secretly communicating with each other within the palace, and forming alliances with foreign ministers was no small crime.

  Cao Jieyu saw me spacing out and tentatively asked: "Your Highness?"

  I came back to my senses and smiled as usual: "Sister Cao was forced by her position in the past, and she had no choice but to be an enemy of mine. This is understandable. Sister Cao gave birth to the imperial princess, and her merit is not small. No matter what, she should be on an equal footing with Xin Gui Bin. However, after being by the side of Murong Fei for many years, she is still inferior to Li Gui Bin, who is ignorant and arrogant and has no children. It's really a pity." I continued: "Now, even if Murong Fei is willing to help you, it would be an effort in vain. Do you want to end up so disheartened in the palace? Moreover, the rank of one's mother greatly affects the future prospects of her children." After finishing speaking, I turned my head to gaze at the snowy scene, leaving her to ponder slowly.

  In an instant, Consort Cao heavily bowed down and said in a loud voice: "The concubine is willing to be a cow or horse for Your Majesty, and serve you diligently. The only thing the concubine asks is that Your Majesty can protect the concubine and her mother, the concubine will be eternally grateful."

  I couldn't help but smile from the bottom of my heart, having such a wise and knowledgeable advisor by my side gave me even more confidence. So I personally bent down to help her up, "Actually, I have long admired and appreciated Sister Cao, today I'm delighted to be close to her, why not return to the palace with me and have a good chat?"

  Cao Jieyu let out a long sigh of relief, with a smile all over her face: "Your Majesty's kindness is more than we concubines could ask for."

  I turned back calmly, outside the Sui Han Pavilion the winter chill was still thick, but who knows if it's not the time when spring is about to arrive?