The queen had promised on that day to advise the emperor, but she did not take action.

  The imperial consorts saw it with their own eyes, but due to the empress's accumulated prestige, they didn't dare say anything. However, in their hearts, they were all secretly dissatisfied. Now, whether it was the matter of serving ice or the matters related to the Chu sisters that arose from serving ice, everything made the entire Xuan Yue Yao Tai gloomy and dismal.

  Yu Guifei was summoned again two days later.

  It seems to be a strong support that refuses to give up, Chu Hua stands in the grand hall of Jiuzhou Qingyuan with a beautiful and elegant appearance, but she never wants to mention a word like "Please, Your Majesty, let the rain and dew moisten". She is always thinking, what did Xiang Fei do at this time? That woman would never bow her head to anyone, including the Empress Dowager. Three years ago, after Xiang Fei gave birth to Princess Zhaochun, she was a bit weak in body, and during her confinement, she became so capricious that she demanded the king's company day and night...

  At first, even the imperial censor couldn't bear it and wrote a memorial saying that Shangguan was the reincarnation of Daji. In the end? In the end, Zhang Censor was praised by the emperor, but later he was transferred out of the Imperial Censorate and expelled from the capital, appointed as the magistrate of a remote and impoverished county in Sichuan where even the roads were not connected.

  Xiang Fei's exclusive favoritism continued until she was satisfied with her own efforts, and only then did the emperor have the opportunity to bestow his favors on others.

  Xiang Fei's reputation was not good, and the people of the capital would mention her as a femme fatale. Fortunately, the emperor was diligent in his governance, and although he doted on her, it was impossible for him to spend all thirty days of the month with a woman - at most, he would spend ten or so days with her, and the rest of the time would be spent alone in the Jian Zhang Palace. No matter how excessive Xiang Fei was, the emperor had self-control, and the people of the world did not have much to criticize him for.

  But if she were to be impeached by the imperial censor, would she have the guts to fight back? And did she have the ability to coax the emperor into dealing with the imperial censor? Yun Guibao's heart was a little panicked.

  "What's on your mind, Huaxin?" Tuoba Hong leaned in close to Chu Huaxin's ear, smelling the fragrance of osmanthus from her clothes.

  Chu Hua Xin suddenly came back to her senses, hurriedly smiled and said: "I was thinking that Your Majesty seems thinner than the previous few days. Tomorrow I will make a bowl of dried tangerine peel carp soup for you."

  "Still loving you, Empress." Emperor Taizong of Northern Wei smiled gently: "Sleep now."

  Chu Hua's fingers, which were clutching the quilt, loosened. No, it's not possible to push the emperor away now! Even if she is forced to kneel on the ground by those women when visiting the empress tomorrow, she cannot give up the imperial favor... After finally getting exclusive favor for once, how can she abandon it halfway and still compete with Shang Fei? And since her children are not as good as Rong Fei's eldest son, what qualifications does she have to contend for the position of empress?

  At least, at least leave one child behind, whether it's from your own belly or Huashang's belly, as long as one person is promising enough. If Huashang gives birth, she will also be holding her own. Listening to those old women who have been married say that having children still relies on the art of the bedroom, three days fishing and two days drying nets are not easy to conceive, and consecutive luck is even more secure. Just wait another two or three days... a whole month has been pampered, and if you haven't conceived due to bad luck, who knows, maybe in a few more days?

  No words were exchanged for the entire night. On the second day, Chu Huaxin personally cooked a nourishing soup and brought it to Jiuzhou Qingyuan with her sisters Hua'er and Liang'er.

  However, this time the eunuchs in front of the palace did not directly ask them to enter, but said that the emperor had just finished his morning court and still had some trivial matters to deal with. Chu Huaxin and her sister had no choice but to go to the side hall to wait, and after waiting for a while, they heard a woman's voice coming from inside the main hall.

  The two sisters exchanged a glance, and both saw malice in each other's eyes. Chu Huaxin grabbed her sister's hand and asked, "Can you tell who it is? Outside, Yuanyang should not be Xiangfei, I don't know which person has the ability to steal our thunder. Last night, I was still here serving the emperor, but during the emperor's early morning court session, I went back to the palace to make a bowl of soup and returned, only to have someone take advantage of my absence?"

  The palace of the Jiuzhou Qingyan was extremely large, and in the side hall, they stood with their ears perked up to listen, but it was still unclear. The two couldn't make out what was being said inside, only that the woman's beautiful voice was particularly piercing to the ear.

  Chu Hua Xuan stomped her foot and stood up indignantly, saying: "This palace had thought that the emperor was busy with government affairs, so he called us to wait in the side hall... Who would have thought it was to make way for a fox spirit! That's the emperor's diligent governance hall, not the back hall where the concubines sleep. She actually dares to break the rules inside!"

  "Eldest sister, calm down." Tian Liangdi advised her own sister. Her sister always liked to call herself "Ben Gong" in front of her, she understood her sister's thoughts and also understood her own identity, so she often called her sister "Eldest Sister". The way these two sisters got along with each other, outsiders saw mutual support, but what was inside could only be known by themselves.

  "How dare I calm down, in this palace one by one they all want to climb over my head! Although this place is not the capital city, it is also the emperor's study room for discussing politics, what a big rule. She even dares to indulge in debauchery during the day!"

  "Elder sister, perhaps it's not as you think." Tian Liangdi was a woman with a bookish air about her, and she spoke in a soft and gentle voice that put people at ease: "Our emperor is a wise and just ruler, how could he possibly take advantage of a woman in the Imperial Study? That woman was probably just someone who shared an interest with the emperor, chatting with him for a bit, pouring tea or something. The emperor is currently so fond of us sisters, and elder sister, you are so beautiful, no one can compare to you except for perhaps Consort Shang's palace... Even if that seductress tried to entice the emperor, he probably wouldn't even notice..."

  Tan Liang's wife was well-read from a young age, having read many books, but she didn't have the slightest bit of bookish elegance - on the contrary, she was extremely skilled at currying favor and speaking flattering words to deceive people, and her interactions with others were always smooth and insincere. In Confucius' eyes, this was the behavior of a despicable person, but in her opinion, it was a necessary way to survive.

  Chu Hua Xian is the eldest daughter of the Chu family, and she is the most valued by her parents. Her temperament is somewhat arrogant and overbearing. Fortunately, she has always listened to her younger sister's advice, and now she suppressed her anger and sat down, saying: "You're right. I'm just talking to you from the heart, complaining a bit in front of you, but when facing the Emperor, I still have to be a sensible person." She said with a cold smile: "Later, when we go in, let's see who that person is. I won't openly make things difficult for her, but I'll remember her and wait for another chance to make her fall."

  Chu Huashang let out a slight sigh of relief.

  Just then, the door curtain of the side hall was lifted, and a woman in a yellow palace dress with a delicate face came in. She was holding a yellow pear wood food box, and she bowed to Yu Guifei and said: "Yu Guifei pays her respects to the noble lady, and also pays her respects to Liang Di Xiaozhu."

  Yu Gui Bin raised her eyes and looked at the woman, a hint of disgust appearing on her face before she quickly covered it up: "Lin Xiao Huan, what brings you here?"

  Lin Wan placed the food box on the small table, stroking a string of agate beads around her neck, and smiled: "I heard that Concubine Gui is here to deliver food to the Emperor today? I also brought some food, but unfortunately, Bai Liangdi was talking to the Emperor inside. I couldn't see the Emperor, so I had to ask the eunuch to bring it to the side hall to wait."

  "Who's Bai?" Chu Hua Xing pondered the name in her mind. She raised her head again and took another look at the woman in front of her, then suddenly burst out laughing: "How did you know that the person inside is a Bai?"

  "Pin Qi had bad luck and offended Bai Liangyi many times, so she was scolded by her many times..." Lin Yan said with a smile: "After all, Pin Qi can recognize her voice now."

  Chu Hua Xing listened, a faint, inexplicable smile appearing on her face: "Then you've come at the wrong time today. Not to mention it's you, even if it were us two, we'd have to wait here until White Liang Fei and the Emperor finish their conversation before we can go in."

  Chu Huaxin didn't like Lin Yuan. Women who competed with her for favor, she always looked at with disgust; seeing Lin Yuan's behavior today, Chu Huaxin felt even more annoyed by her. She eagerly came to the Jiu Zhou Qing banquet to compete for favor, and even learned from herself how to personally cook for the Emperor, who knows if that culinary skill is worthy of being shown off! She was no different from that Bai Shi who chatted with the Emperor in the Qīn Zhèng Temple, both were obstacles on their own path.

  Lin Wan heard Chu Hua Xin say this, first exclaimed in surprise: "The noble concubine is highly favored, how could the emperor not let you enter..." Then she awkwardly covered her mouth and changed the subject, saying: "I don't know what important matter Bai Liang Fei was discussing, but we weren't even allowed to go in and see the emperor." Her tone was quite resentful.

  Yu Guifei's anger began to surge up. What was it that was so urgent? These days, she had been favored and pampered, but now a woman from the Bai clan could surpass her and be summoned by the Emperor alone, leaving Yu Guifei waiting in this side hall?

  Lin Yanxiang smiled as she looked at the anger on her face, and continued to say: "Although Concubine entered the palace late, in the past six months, except for Sheng Fei Niangniang, I haven't seen any concubine who can stay in the emperor's study for so long. Bai Liangyi was also favored before, and the emperor is so serious about having a private conversation with her, it's likely that he will believe what she says." As she spoke, she lowered her head to fiddle with her clothes, putting on a worried look: "Concubine and Bai Liangyi have old grievances, if she frames Concubine in front of the emperor, how can that be good..."

  Chu Hua Xian's face suddenly turned pale. Framing? Now all the women in the entire harem are framing themselves and the Hua sisters!

  It's uncertain whether Bai Shi is really spreading rumors! No wonder the Emperor doesn't allow himself to enter.

  Chu Huaxin felt that she could no longer wait. She stood up and tidied her clothes, saying to her sister: "I'm going to see the Emperor."

  "Elder sister! The Emperor said he won't see you!" Chu Huashang hastily advised her.

  "So we'll kneel at the gate of the main hall and beg for forgiveness." Chu Huaxin's face was very determined: "Have you forgotten that two days ago someone plotted against us to arrive late? And because of the ice block incident, the two of us were forced to kneel on the ground and apologize in the Empress Dowager's palace. Today, Bai Shi had a secret conversation with the Emperor, and the Emperor didn't see us, it must be aimed at us too. This palace can't hide anymore, I want to go in and take a look, let's see what tricks Bai Shi has up her sleeve."

  "Eldest sister!" Chu Huashang couldn't hold back her own sister, and if she pulled any harder, she would be shaken off. In her heart, she secretly resented her eldest sister for being so reckless and impulsive, wanting to go beg the Emperor on her knees. She hated that she had no choice but to accompany her, as her own birth mother was of lowly status, and her only value lay in entering the palace to support her eldest sister. If she were to act alone, her eldest sister would surely hold a grudge against her, not to mention their family's concubines would be dealt with by the first wife... No, she still had to follow her eldest sister!

  Even if she crashes into a wall, I'll follow her and crash too.