Volume One, Chapter 16: Why Did She Use Chen Baolin to Cause You to Fall into the Water?

For several consecutive days, Consort Huo, relying on her pregnancy, insisted that the Emperor remain with her in the Shangyang Palace. Empress Ji remained steadfast and, unusually, had many nourishing supplements sent from the storeroom. Meanwhile, Consort Xiang was furious in the Guangyang Palace; among the three of them, she clearly enjoyed the most favor, so why was it that sickly Huo Yuanyao was the first to conceive?

By the time Consort Xiang’s anger subsided somewhat, the palace maid Xian Shu whispered in her ear, “Your Highness, the Ji family has already begun selecting eligible young women to enter the palace. Should we send a letter to the family head as well and have some women sent in to assist you?”

Consort Xiang sneered coldly. “Send whom? Do you think I’m blind? The Emperor’s entire focus is on Jingyang Palace now. Anyone who comes here is just to fulfill formalities with the previous dynasty. Has he ever favored anyone else here? No matter how many more are sent in, it’s futile. Such humiliating things, my Xiang family would never stoop to. Let Ji Yiling deal with it herself.”

Xiao Xuanyu finally managed to break away from Shangyang Palace. Realizing he hadn’t visited Consort Chen in Jingyang Palace for several days, he immediately changed course. Upon arriving at Jingyang Palace, Pei Yueshu was nowhere to be found.

A young attendant knelt and reported, “Your Majesty, the Consort has been in good spirits these past few days. Jin Lu said that the wind and rain orchids in the Imperial Garden have bloomed, so she took some attendants to enjoy the flowers.”

Pei Yueshu seldom ventured out, so Xiao Xuanyu felt relieved but also worried that the powerful ladies in the palace might take advantage of the opportunity to bully her. He hurried to the Imperial Garden as well.

It had rained the night before, and today was not as scorching as before. Normally, in summer, Xiao Xuanyu would take his consorts and ministers to the summer palace to escape the heat. But this year, with the turmoil in the Huo family and many changes among the court officials, as Emperor, he had to stabilize the realm and balance the factions. He was so busy he had no heart for such pleasures.

Sitting in his dragon carriage, pondering the recent events surrounding the Huo family, Xiao Xuanyu was troubled. Suddenly, he heard a clear, carefree laugh—unrestrained and lacking the usual modesty of palace women.

He raised his hand and gestured to see who it was. The eunuchs carrying the sedan paused; only Zhang Shunlai accompanied him, approaching slowly.

A woman in emerald green sat on a swing. Because of the heat, she had rolled up her wide sleeves, revealing two delicate arms like white lotus stems. Her face, fair and slightly flushed with a thin layer of sweat, looked even more flawless.

Lin Shuang, eyes closed, was enjoying the post-rain sunshine, completely unaware that the man she longed for was so close.

Only when Abi exclaimed did she open her eyes. At a glance, her heart raced wildly.

How could such a handsome man exist in this world?

Moreover, his attire’s color and pattern were reserved only for imperial family members. The man beside him wore the uniform of an imperial eunuch, confirming his identity beyond doubt.

“May I ask... who might you be?” Lin Shuang’s heart pounded, but she feigned innocence and timidity.

“Impudent! Not kneeling and paying respect upon seeing His Majesty!” Zhang Shunlai flicked his dust whisk, drawing a disapproving look from Xiao Xuanyu, who made him shrink back silently.

Lin Shuang froze momentarily but was pulled down by Abi to kneel.

“Greetings, Your Majesty. I... I have never seen you before, so I...” she said, bravely lifting her head to look at him.

Xiao Xuanyu found her intriguing. Moments ago, she looked quite frightened; now she boldly scrutinized him without a care. He couldn’t tell if she was brave or timid.

At that moment, Hu Guangfu hurried over and whispered in Xiao Xuanyu’s ear. The Emperor’s expression changed drastically. Ignoring Lin Shuang, he swept his sleeve and left immediately.

Lin Shuang hurriedly rose but knew chasing after him was useless. She lowered her head, a shy smile curling at her lips.

Unexpectedly, the Emperor was so handsome and had such an admirable bearing. Today was a pleasant encounter. She believed that with a few more meetings, the Emperor would surely take notice of her.

“Abi, follow quietly and see what’s happening,” she instructed.

After the last incident, Lin Shuang had grown wiser. She assigned a young eunuch to keep watch on Guangyang Palace’s comings and goings. Whenever Consort Xiang appeared, she immediately returned to the palace.

Moreover, the etiquette tutor sent by Consort Xiang last time also proved useful—at least now she had no faults in her manners.

Still, Lin Shuang wondered: the Emperor must be tired of those well-mannered women in the palace. Otherwise, why would he favor a widow afflicted with madness?

She had never met the famed Consort Chen herself; these were just rumors she had heard from palace servants.

When Xiao Xuanyu arrived, Xie Jieyu had already been rescued from Ming Lake, but she looked pale and frail.

“Qingqing, are you alright?” Xiao Xuanyu had initially misunderstood, thinking the one who fell into the water was Pei Yueshu. Seeing her safe, a great weight lifted from his heart.

Unconsciously, worry filled his face, and his eyes brimmed with concern—a stark contrast to the usual inscrutable and composed Emperor.

Pei Yueshu shook her head and looked toward Xie Jieyu. The latter was drenched and collapsed in a palace maid’s arms, breathing faintly and in a sorry state.

“What exactly happened?” Xiao Xuanyu glanced at Xie Jieyu, then turned to the other consorts, his gaze sharp.

Chen Baolin and Lady Lu, timid, immediately knelt and begged for forgiveness.

The higher-ranked Li Jieyu apologized while explaining, “Your Majesty, just now, I and Sister Chen happened to pass by and saw Sister Chen from Consort Chen’s side here, so we approached to pay respects. Unfortunately, the ground was slippery. Chen Baolin slipped, and Xie Jieyu went to help. But the railing, old and broken, gave way, causing Xie Jieyu to fall.”

What Li Jieyu said was true enough, but she deliberately concealed that Pei Yueshu was almost knocked into the lake by Chen Baolin. Had Xie Jieyu not lunged forward, it would have been Pei Yueshu who fell.

Yet these were events yet to unfold. Li Jieyu was unafraid of any complaints from Consort Chen.

“So this was merely an accident?” Xiao Xuanyu’s eyes darkened with anger.

Consort Chen came out rarely and immediately encountered such danger. To call it coincidence was simply unbelievable.

Li Jieyu nodded, and Chen Baolin, realizing her near-disaster, begged the Emperor repeatedly for pardon.

Pei Yueshu glanced at the palace maid holding Xie Jieyu, who was crying, then suddenly tugged at Xiao Xuanyu’s sleeve.

“Send Xie Jieyu back to the palace first.”

Taking the opportunity, Xiao Xuanyu grasped her hand, intertwining their fingers.

This act caused Lady Lu, who had been lurking in the corner, to scowl deeply.

“As you wish,” Xiao Xuanyu said, pleased by Pei Yueshu’s initiative. His earlier anger vanished into thin air.

He arranged for Xie Jieyu to be sent back and instructed the imperial physicians to care for her well.

As for the others, he merely ordered Chen Baolin to be confined for a month. Only those in the palace’s internal affairs bureau truly suffered the consequences.

Holding Pei Yueshu’s hand, Xiao Xuanyu returned to Jingyang Palace. They had just finished dinner when Consort Huo sent someone requesting his presence, claiming she was unwell.

Though a trace of impatience showed on his face, mindful of the watchful Kunning and Guangyang Palaces, he went.

After he left, a smile appeared on Pei Yueshu’s face.

“Iris, did you notice Lady Lu’s expression just now?”

At the waterside pavilion, upon seeing the four women approach, Pei Yueshu instructed Iris to keep a close eye on Lady Lu and told Haitang and the others that even if Xie Jieyu did not come today, Haitang and Yinqiao would protect her firmly, making it impossible for her to fall into water.

“I noticed. But we haven’t offended her. Why would she use Chen Baolin to harm you?”

Lady Lu had never been favored in the palace. It made no sense that she would deliberately harm her lady for favor.

Also, how did her lady always foresee trouble before it happened?

Pei Yueshu said nothing, recalling that in the previous life, she was the one who fell into the water.

Xiao Xuanyu even ordered Chen Baolin to be flogged to death for that incident.

She had thought it was the work of the Empress or Consort Xiang and paid little mind. Only when the Ji and Xiang families were successively defeated, and that person emerged, with her son appointed Crown Prince by the Emperor, did she realize a wolf hid within the harem.

Pei Yueshu touched her abdomen. In this life, she was determined to claim that position. Anyone who stood in her way would be eliminated.