That noble lady felt as if she had asked something she shouldn't have as soon as she opened her mouth, because the people around her looked at her with strange eyes.

  "Haha!" Shu Fei elegantly sat down beside Empress Dowager Liang, smiling slightly at the somewhat tense and anxious Fang Guiren. "Fang Guiren, do you know what crime it is to spy on the Emperor's movements?" This newcomer really was a newcomer, not even knowing what words should or shouldn't be spoken! Today, everyone in the entire Forbidden City knew that the Emperor had gone to the Imperial Study, except for the Empress Dowager, no one else had the right to ask why!

  The noble lady's face turned slightly pale, seeing others keeping their mouths shut, she hastily stood up and knelt down with a thud, repeatedly apologizing: "Your Majesty the Empress, please be aware! I didn't mean it that way! What Consort Shu said was not my intention!" Even though she knew the Empress didn't like her either, at least she wouldn't let Consort Shu feel smug!

  Empress Liang raised her eyes, gazed at the gentle and delicate Shu Fei, then looked at the trembling Fang Guiren kneeling below, and couldn't help but feel annoyed in her heart. Shu Fei's daily gentle and amiable appearance had unknowingly 'bewitched' many people, while this Fang Guiren had long since defected to Liang Guifei - not a single one of them was a simple character!

  Just as she was about to speak, a long, drawn-out announcement came from outside the door: "The Honorable Consort has arrived——"

  This is where Liang Guifei's power lies, in the harem besides her there was another old woman who had served Emperor Wu since his early years and also held the rank of Guifei, she had given birth to a son and a daughter but unfortunately none of them lived past five years old.

  That Zhuang Guifei had been bedridden with a lingering illness since the waist was broken, and she did not go out of the palace in the past. The slaves in the palace saw that Liang Guifei was favored and directly called her Guifei, dropping her surname.

  "Heh heh…… How did I not hear the commotion inside from the entrance? You're actually showing some manners today?" The woman, dressed in a deep orange-red cross-collared water skirt with intricate pleats, glided into the room. Her smooth and delicate dress accentuated her slender figure, with the long hem of her skirt trailing on the ground. She slightly lifted her refined face, smiled faintly, and curtsied slightly, "Greetings, sister."

  The other consorts and concubines, though inwardly annoyed by Empress Liang's blunt words, had long been intimidated by her power, so they all rose to their feet and paid their respects, "Your Ladyship is at peace."

  Empress Liang watched as Consort Liang naturally accepted the greetings of the other consorts, her neatly trimmed long fingernails tightly gripping the armrests of her chair. A smile still elegantly adorned her face: "If you're not feeling well, then just stay in your residence, why bother making this trip?"

  Liáng Guì Fēi's appearance was stunningly beautiful, with a sharpness that was almost intimidating. She sat down casually in front of Shū Fēi, her posture lazy yet with an unspoken intensity, and smiled slightly as she raised an eyebrow: "Sister is also the Empress after all, it wouldn't be good for me to not come and pay my respects just because Miao Miao didn't invite me?"

  The others present also lowered their heads and didn't dare to speak, not because of anything else, but because the "Miao Miao" in Liang Guifei's mouth was her beloved pet, a rare breed of Persian cat from abroad. And every time Liang Guifei asked An Sheng to come and pay respects, she would always be late, using Miao Miao being unwell as an excuse.

  Empress Liang's smile didn't change, but her fingers were clenched so tightly that they ached to the fingertips. She nodded slightly: "It's good that you're being sensible, Consort Liang, and sparing the Emperor from embarrassment." It was well-known in the six palaces that Emperor Wu had laughed at Consort Liang for not understanding things, and when he said it, it was a sign of affection, but when the Empress said it, it was a rebuke.

  Empress Liang noticed that as soon as the Empress spoke, others couldn't help but cast mocking glances. She looked at each of their faces until they lowered their heads. Then she turned to Empress Liang and slightly raised her chin: "Sister's words are indeed correct, but since Brother-in-law, no, Second Brother likes me this way, why must I change?"

  Empress Liang gazed at her, her eyes slightly sinking, and after a long while, she smiled faintly: "Let's just say the palace was being too talkative." Her rules were merely a playful exchange between them; why bother mentioning it?

  Others are trying to minimize their presence, it's really like the Queen and the Imperial Concubine sisters, they don't dare to speak much.

  Only Shu Fei still smiled and said casually, "I don't know when the evening banquet is more suitable to go?" She may not be as favored as Liang Guifei, but she also has more qualifications than others to speak.

  Empress Liang glanced at her and said lightly, "You all go back first, it's time to go. I'll go back and change my clothes."

  The others all rose and bowed their way out.

  The woman who had been kneeling on the ground all along, Fang Gui Ren, saw Liang Huang Hou leave the inner chamber before looking at Liang Gui Fei: "Your Ladyship, just now it was Shu Fei who said that I..."

  Before the words had fallen, a soft and gentle voice like water was heard from the entrance: "Is Fang Guiren still not punished? Or does she think that kneeling for a while is not enough? Why don't you kneel outside instead, it's just right to let others take warning." She simply looked down on Fang Guiren, such a brainless person, who didn't understand what punishment meant!

  Otherwise, how could the legitimate daughter of a third-grade official become a noble lady? If not relying on Consort Liang, I'm afraid someone with her temperament would not survive three days in the harem!

  Fang Guiren didn't expect Shu Fei to still be there, and immediately stiffened her body. Seeing Liang Guifei's nonchalant expression made her feel a sense of reliance in her heart, and she wasn't as afraid anymore.

  Liáng Guì Fēi saw Fang Guì Rén's appearance, then saw Shū Fēi coldly hum a sound and turn to leave. No matter how she looked at Fang Guì Rén, she felt that it was very annoying. She stood up and said lightly: "You still don't understand what 'disaster comes from the mouth'. You can't control your own mouth, Ben Gong can't help you anymore." What she wanted was a loyal chess piece, not just a fool who would cause trouble!

  The noble lady stared blankly as she left, and after a while, she furrowed her brow in confusion. Did the Empress mean that she would no longer care about her from now on?

  "Bang!"

  Empress Liang stormed into the inner chamber, sweeping her hand across the table and sending porcelain cups and vases crashing to the floor. Ignoring the kneeling palace maid, she clenched her fists and exclaimed in a venomous tone: "Liang Yu'er! You really are too much!"

  She was born and favored as the eldest daughter of the former Grand Minister, she had a wealth of knowledge, gentle and elegant, and married to Emperor Wei as his wife. The two were also harmonious, but everything changed when she became pregnant with Nan Ke.

  Since she was a child, her cousin from her uncle's family has been close to her and was sent to accompany her. She looked at her silly cousin who had grown up in just a few years and became more and more beautiful, and joked that she should find a good husband for her. But what she never expected was that during her pregnancy, the cousin she trusted would elope with her husband!

  When she inadvertently discovered that her younger sister was often absent-minded and didn't know what to think, she asked the people around her to pay more attention. Unexpectedly, she found that her younger sister would often secretly meet with her husband on the treetops at night, and angrily questioned her in surprise and indignation.

  But the only response she got was her younger sister's scornful smile, still as lovely as a blooming peony, yet the words that came out of her mouth were so hurtful: "Now that you're not feeling well and can't attend to Erlang's side, it's better to let me take care of him instead of letting someone else steal the show? Besides, if I weren't here in Fengluan Palace, what do you think Erlang comes here for every time? Could it be to see your big belly?"