Chapter 89 (2/2)

Jun Huang gave the desolate garden a look before shutting the door. ”The consort was once the empress. Are you really willing to stay in this poor excuse of a palace?” She walked to the table, on which were leftover dishes from yesterday evening. They looked crude and plain. ”If this gentleman remembers right, you used to be served by an army of maids. You ate only the finest cuisine and wore the finest clothes.”

Jun Huang's words had struck a nerve. Consort Ping was the emperor's wife. And yet she had fallen from grace and ended up in this unpleasant place. Her life had been a joke.

Now the only consort holding any substantial power in the court was Consort Zhen. Consort Ping had no place in the palace.

”This gentleman's power is limited,” said Jun Huang. ”I cannot get the consort out of this situation, but I can help you get revenge.”

Consort Ping narrowed her almond-shaped eyes, watching Jun Huang with great interest. Jun Huang seemed to be genuine. She let out a quiet laugh. ”Go on.”

”Who you hate the most now are Qi Chen and Consort Zhen, aren't they?” Jun Huang said calmly, keeping her eyes on Consort Ping to take in every nuance change. ”If not for Qi Chen, the former crown prince would not have pa.s.sed away. Then there's Consort Zhen, who took everything from you. Don't they deserve your hatred?”

Before giving Jun Huang's words a consideration, Consort Ping asked, ”Whose side are you on exactly?” She couldn't figure out what Jun Huang's agenda was. Why would Jun Huang act this way?

Jun Huang chuckled. Her eyes betrayed none of her thoughts. ”You don't have to know what this gentleman is trying to achieve. Just know that I can help you avenge your son and yourself.”

”Why would I believe you?” she demanded. She wasn't willing to trust Jun Huang just yet.

”Does the consort truly believe that what you did here is enough to harm Qi Chen? This gentleman knows that the consort must have cultivated your own people after staying in the palace for decades. You are, however, trapped in the Cold Palace. How would you contact them? This gentleman has a plan to pull Qi Chen off the seat of the crown prince. You can't afford to turn me away.”

Consort Ping fell silent. The mere thought that she would be able to take what Qi Chen valued the most away from him sent a rush through her body. She could imagine how Consort Zhen would react if she lost her son. She would be even more in pain than Consort Ping had been.

However, she couldn't help feeling a little unsettled. Jun Huang was not someone who could enter the palace freely. How did she know about what the consort had done by bribing the maids who delivered meals to her? It sent a s.h.i.+ver down her spine. This man was not to be underestimated.

Jun Huang waited patiently for Consort Ping's answer. Consort Ping had been staying in the palace. No matter how much infighting she had been engaged in, she was never part of any serious conspiracies. Jun Huang's offer was too tempting. She could think of no reason for her to turn the offer down.

After a moment of hesitation, Consort Ping took out a delicate box from the makeup table. Inside was a bronze token with some patterns etched into it.

”This is the token for my brother's manor – he's still the royal uncle of Northern Qi. You will be able to contact him with this token. This is all I can offer you, though. I'm sure you will be fine with that silver tongue of yours. Even I cannot win in a verbal duel with you, let alone my brother.” Consort Ping's words were mocking, but Jun Huang didn't take offense.

The royal uncle must have been her trump card. After all, she had made her son the crown prince and garnered many supporters for him. This woman was no ordinary woman. Actually, all of the women who had engaged in mind games in the palace for years had to be taken seriously. This was a lesson Jun Huang had learned through experience.

When Jun Huang was about to leave, Consort Ping said, ”I will talk to the emperor. You can focus on your own plan.”

That surprised Jun Huang. She had thought that the best case scenario would be having the support of Consort Ping's people. She didn't expect Consort Ping herself to be so devoted to helping her as well.

Noticing Jun Huang's surprise, Consort Ping huffed and said, ”Don't pull that face. I'm offering my help for my own reasons. You must avenge my son, or I – ”

”Of course,” Jun Huang said with a laugh. Without wasting a moment, she walked out of the desolate Cold Palace.

The Cold Palace was surrounded by grey walls. Concubines inside either lived their life aimlessly, or they remained trapped in a dream that would never become a reality. How many beautiful women had had their youth waste away here?

Preoccupied in her thoughts, Jun Huang ran into a maid who looked awfully familiar. Once she got close, Jun Huang realized that the woman was the maid that used to serve Consort Ping. She must have been a.s.signed to some unimportant n.o.ble lady now.

The maid didn't recognize Jun Huang. She frowned and said harshly, ”Where are you from? Don't you know officials aren't allowed to wander around the back of the palace?”