Volume One, Chapter Fourteen: This Lady Lin Yu Is Not One to be Taken Lightly

Page 1/3

Pei Yueshu slept deeply through the night. When she opened her eyes again, it was already the next morning.

“Your Majesty, His Majesty stayed by your side all night and has just gone to the morning court. He said he would come by around noon,” Iris said as she dampened a handkerchief to help her freshen up.

Pei Yueshu responded softly. From now on, no one in the palace would dare openly humiliate her again.

“Any news from the Empress?”

If she thought back to her previous life, among all the concubines in the harem, the one she hated most was the Empress.

Ji Yiling embodied both the grace and dignity of a noblewoman from a powerful family and a nearly pathological cruelty.

She did not enjoy tormenting her enemies directly; she preferred to torment those her enemies cared about most.

Most of the women who had died at the hands of Du Momo and Iris had suffered under her.

Looking at Iris, who was still alive and well, a trace of moisture shimmered in Pei Yueshu’s eyes.

“There’s no news. Even the palace maid of Consort Xue is still kneeling outside the gate of the Kunning Palace begging for help, but the Empress has not summoned her, nor has the Cining Palace.”

Iris found it strange. Yesterday, her lady had broken so many palace taboos, yet everyone acted as if nothing had happened.

“It concerns the Emperor’s dignity, so no one dares to speak of it anymore,” Pei Yueshu lowered her eyelids.

Most importantly, she had not done anything to Empress Ji or Consort Xiang, and soon they would have no time to keep watching her.

Consort Huo was about to reveal her pregnancy. In the last life, this child did not survive, dying in the womb after only four months.

Pei Yueshu suspected that Huo Chi had deliberately caused the families of Ji and Xiang to intervene, to force Consort Huo into submission.

So, even though Consort Huo’s mother and brothers had all died by Huo Chi’s hand, she did not question him further but clung tightly to this half-brother, and after two years, she safely gave birth to the Emperor’s fifth son.

Huo Chi’s ambition to seize the throne indeed required this child.

But this time, Huo Chi had clearly told her he would not support Consort Huo.

Whether he was telling the truth or not, at this critical moment, he would likely act as he did before.

Without the backing of the Huo family, wouldn’t Empress Ji and Consort Xiang have torn Huo Yuanyao apart alive?

Pei Yueshu bore no great enmity toward Consort Huo, unlike Consort Xiang.

If the Empress liked to torment those around her, Consort Xiang enjoyed tormenting Pei Yueshu herself.

Once, Consort Xiang went too far and nearly ruined her face, and the Emperor had, for once, lost his temper with Xiang Jiashan.

Since then, Consort Xiang’s methods became more covert and more excruciating.

Pei Yueshu gripped her bedding tightly until her fingertips turned white.

If Consort Huo’s child were to be lost, who would be to blame? It could not end as it had in her last life, without cause.

Consort Xue had knelt outside Jingyang Palace for three days and nights. Without the Emperor’s orders, no one even brought her water or food.

Page 2/3

When she fainted, she had lost several pounds, and then a few eunuchs appeared and dragged her away from the gate of Jingyang Palace. No one knew where she was taken.

Empress Ji and Consort Xiang did not care in the slightest. The other concubines were terrified, especially Xie Jieyu, who had unwittingly agreed with Consort Xue’s words that day. She fell ill soon after and had yet to fully recover.

“Abi, there’s a swing here! Come push me!”

Lin Shuang, having been stifled inside the palace for half a month, held a low rank and had not yet earned the Emperor’s favor, so the others treated her as nothing.

But last time, she had nearly died. When the Empress glanced at her, she miraculously recovered, which scared the scheming palace servants who thought she was under the Empress’s protection and that the Empress had saved her.

Lin Shuang was smart; after understanding the palace situation, she used the Empress’s name to intimidate the servants, so she had been living quite well these days.

Not only was her complexion rosy, but she had also gained some flesh.

However, Lin Shuang knew this was no long-term solution. Her maternal family was obscure, and to survive in the ruthless harem, she needed the Emperor’s favor.

So Lin Shuang ventured out. Coming from the modern world, knowing so much, and having watched countless palace drama series, plus her original appearance was not bad, she refused to believe the Emperor would not fall deeply in love with her after meeting her.

She spent all her savings and learned from a young eunuch close to the Emperor that he had recently taken to strolling in the Imperial Garden.

But today her luck was bad. She did not meet the Emperor in the garden but instead ran into Consort Xiang.

“Who’s making noise here in the Imperial Garden? Oh, it’s just you, the sickly girl who can’t even perform a proper salute. No wonder His Majesty never summons you,” Consort Xiang said, covering her mouth with a handkerchief. She had been suffering from the Empress’s open and covert ridicule and was frustrated with nowhere to vent.

Regardless of whether Lin was truly the Empress’s ally, she decided to punish her anyway.

“Kneel here for me. Later, I’ll send a female officer to teach you proper palace etiquette. Don’t learn those unruly ways from Pei Yueshu!”

Lin Shuang endured the humiliation and knelt. “Your Highness, I... your humble servant knows her mistake.”

Concubines below the fourth rank could only refer to themselves humbly.

Such a cruel feudal society!

“Hmph, at least you know your place. Yes, you don’t have the fortune of being protected by the Emperor like Pei Yueshu.”

Consort Xiang’s sharp nails grazed Lin Shuang’s delicate chin, causing her maid Abi to tremble in fear.

Fortunately, Consort Xiang maintained her dignity and did not disfigure Lin Shuang’s face publicly. After venting her rage, she left with her retinue.

Lin Shuang’s once-straight back collapsed utterly.

Consort Xiang was terrifying. Lin had been basking in her own beauty, even forgetting where to place her hands while saluting, only to be nearly scratched by this deadly beauty.

She was truly a venomous enchantress!

Lowering her head, Lin Shuang became even more determined to gain favor. Having just offended Consort Xiang, she knew her future days would be unpleasant.

But she had spent all her money. How could she meet the Emperor?

“Your Majesty, just now in the Imperial Garden...” Iris whispered in Pei Yueshu’s ear.

Page 3/3

“It seems this Lin Yu girl is not easy to deal with. I suppose Consort Xiang heard the rumors and knew she was waiting for the Emperor in the garden, so she went there to punish her harshly.”

Pei Yueshu nodded. She indeed feared Lin Yu might be a troublemaker.

“Where is Xiao Xuanyu?”

“He is still in Ganlu Hall reviewing memorials. Just now, Eunuch Zhang came by, saying His Majesty is busy today and will visit you tomorrow. He also brought a gift, quite mysterious, saying it is to be seen when you go out.”

During this time, Xiao Xuanyu did not lavish her with exclusive favor as when she first entered the palace, coming only every few days.

But Zhang Shun often went back and forth to Jingyang Palace, either delivering items on Xiao Xuanyu’s orders or giving advance notice.

Over time, everyone in the palace considered Zhang Shun practically a Jingyang Palace servant.

Pei Yueshu wanted to speak, but her stomach churned. She hunched over for a long while before suppressing the nausea.

“Your Majesty!” Iris patted her back, her face full of joy.

This meant she was surely pregnant.

Pei Yueshu frowned. Though she had never given birth, she knew the first three months of pregnancy were very fragile. She was not even two months in yet.

Because of the previous incident, she had feigned melancholy and stopped tending to the flower house outside.

Xiao Xuanyu was anxious but thought he was close to warming her heart, so he had restrained himself from touching her.

But since they shared the same bed, trouble was inevitable.

She had to devise a plan.

“Tell Xiaoluzi to quietly spread the news that Consort Huo is pregnant.”

Iris’s eyes widened. Her lady hadn’t been outside; how could she know Consort Huo was pregnant?

Yet she trusted Pei Yueshu implicitly and hurried to carry out the order.

Pei Yueshu did not know what Xiao Xuanyu was plotting again but still went out to meet Zhang Shun.

“Your servant pays respects to Your Majesty. May you be blessed with great fortune and health.”

Zhang Shun bowed, then, as if by magic, two Persian cats with beautifully patterned fur and striking mismatched eyes dropped from him.

The two half-grown cats were extremely beautiful and lively. Upon landing, they immediately scurried around but were soon picked up by Jin Lu and Jin Ju, who presented them to Pei Yueshu.

“Your Majesty, these are two raccoon dogs from Lin Xigong. His Majesty worries you would be lonely alone, so he specially ordered me to bring them, hoping to bring a smile to your face.”

Pei Yueshu did smile—not at Xiao Xuanyu’s gesture, but because of the words “Lin Xi.”

---