Chapter 540 - Entering the Palace, the Empress Hostility (1/2)

In the main hall, the Empress sat high up with a dignified look on her face, and Consort Su, Consort Wen, Consort Zhao, Consort Yu, and other beauties were seated on either side of her. It could be said that all the n.o.ble consorts in the imperial harem gathered in the hall. The entire hall was filled with beautiful women of different charms and sweet fragrance. Some of the women were fat, some thin, but all were charming.

Mo Xuetong walked into the hall, looking straight ahead. Even though she was still young, she behaved in an elegant manner and remained a calm att.i.tude. In the face of so many consorts, she did not look nervous at all. Instead, she seemed to have the disposition of a n.o.ble lady, as if she did not care about them at all. The consorts seated high all landed their eyes on her. As they saw her half-angry, half-happy, pretty face, a few of them, who had always thought of themselves as young and beautiful, immediately grew jealous.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.” Standing in the middle of the hall, Mo Xuetong curtsied respectfully to the Empress.

“Consort Xuan, there’s no need for that. I heard that you were in poor health and could not even manage the matters of the inner yard. How are things going after such a big scene?” the Empress asked friendly with a smile, sounding as if she was caring about Mo Xuetong. However, smart as everyone here was, they knew that the Empress was very displeased with Consort Xuan.

The fact that so many concubines of the inner yard in King Xuan’s Manor had been beaten to death had already been spread through the palace. Mo Xuetong realized that the Empress implied that she failed to manage the inner yard. Some of those dead concubines were the Empress’ people, but she did not dare to vent her anger on Feng Yuran, so she blamed Mo Xuetong.

The corners of her lips curled into a gentle smile as Mo Xuetong replied, “Your Majesty, you are right. His Highness’ child had been killed by those concubines in the back yard. I was indeed in the wrong. I apologize, and want you and His Majesty to punish me.” She had intentionally brought up Emperor Zongwen so that the Empress would understand that Emperor Zongwen had already made the decision about this matter.

Her words were neither humble nor arrogant, but she had pushed all the blame to the concubines in the back yard. If the Empress pursued the matter, then the matter that there were the Empress’ people among the concubines who were beaten to death would be exposed. It was reasonable for the whole family of the one who killed the descendants of the royal family to be destroyed, not to mention that the murderers were beaten to death.

Furthermore, the Emperor had already issued edicts. If the Empress continued to pursue the matter, she might anger the Emperor. The Empress who knew Emperor Zongwen well immediately shut her mouth. Her eyes grew cold as she looked at Mo Xuetong, a trace of anger flas.h.i.+ng through her eyes.

“Consort Xuan, you are really a fluent talker. I won’t say any more. You live your own life. Although you are members of the royal family and have extraordinary n.o.ble status, you should give people a chance to live sometimes. You should know that there is a cause and effect in everything. Otherwise, no matter who you are, you can’t avoid the retribution.”

Her words meant that Mo Xuetong was vicious and that she didn’t give others a chance to live when she fought for Feng Yuran’s favor in the back yard. She pushed all the things that Feng Yuran had done to Mo Xuetong.

Mo Xuetong was clear that the Empress was very dissatisfied with her. Considering the matters about the Fifth Princess and King Yan’s Manor, she guessed that the Empress had reached the end of her forbearance. Mo Xuetong put on a gentle smile and pretended not to understand what the Empress was saying. She raised her childish face and said, “Many thanks for your guidance, Your Majesty. I think so, but His Highness said that there were people who wouldn’t remember if you didn’t teach them a lesson. You might as well beat them all up and scare them, and then no one will bully you again.”

The Empress felt stifled when she heard what Mo Xuetong said. However, she knew that Feng Yuran might be the one who said that. As she thought that because the s.l.u.t gave birth to Feng Yuran, the Emperor was still protecting him, but had married off her daughter, the Fifth Princess and even imprisoned King Yan, who was under her protection, the Empress wanted to vent her anger on Mo Xuetong.

However, as the Empress of the country, she knew that what she had said just now had been a little improper. She nodded lightly, a vicious glint in her eyes. It was not time yet. She had to let Mo Xuetong off the hook for the time being and get the maid to lead her to a seat by the side.

Consort Wen sat at the Empress’ right side and was not far from Mo Xuetong’s left. As she watched Mo Xuetong sit down, she said with a gentle smile, “King Xuan is really arrogant. Consort Xuan, you have to advise him not to do things as he wants, or His Majesty will worry about him again. Look at how things have gotten out of hand this time. His Majesty was really furious. I wonder if he has angered His Majesty again.”

Even though she was also talking about the matter that Feng Yuran had asked his people to beat his concubines to death, there was no aggressiveness in her tone unlike that of the Empress. Instead, there was concern in her words, and it made a good impression on people.

Mo Xuetong smiled slightly, and her gaze landed on Consort Wen who was said to be the most popular woman in the imperial harem. She replied softly, “Many thanks for your concern, Your Highness. I will definitely tell His Highness when I return.”

Consort Wen nodded and just smiled, without saying anything else. She was indeed the most popular consort in the imperial harem.

“Since Consort Xuan is too weak to manage the back yard, Your Majesty, you might as well give King Xuan a marriage with a few young and capable ladies. Then they can help Consort Xuan manage the back yard in King Xuan’s Manor. This will prevent something like this from happening again.” Charming laughter could be heard from the side. Consort Yu sat by the side with her hand on her belly and said to the Empress with a smiling face.

Her words were full of hints, which meant that she wanted to send some women to King Xuan’s Manor. Mo Xuetong’s smiling eyes were filled with coldness. As expected, Consort Yu was a restless woman. Now, depending on her unborn baby, she was so arrogant that she dared to answer the Empress’ words at will.

“Something like this has just happened in King Xuan’s Manor. Consort Yu, you had better not ask Her Majesty to make things difficult for them. It’s not good to have too many concubines in the inner yard. They have to clean up the mess,” Consort Wen said with a smile before the Empress could answer.

Her position was above Consort Yu’s, and she was usually kind to others and only had a daughter. As such, even though it was inappropriate for her to answer before the Empress at this moment, no one tried to pick on her. Even Consort Su, who had always been at odds with the Empress, only raised her brows and looked at her, without saying anything.

Mo Xuetong smiled at Consort Wen gratefully. It was more suitable for Consort Wen to say that.

“Alright, I don’t have the heart or energy to deal with the affairs in Old Eight’s yard. I’ll have His Majesty to make decisions in a few days. Let’s not talk about this today. Since Consort Xuan has just recovered, she can’t take care of all these by herself, not to mention these matters. It’s rare for you to come to the imperial palace, so you’d better have fun.”