Chapter 223 - The Unusual Consort Tao (2/2)

“En, There hasn’t been any problems but from the looks of Old Madame today, she likely won’t be so peaceful!” Hua Mu Qing said, not feeling afraid at all.

“Say, will His Majesty bring that Consort Tao here?” Yu Liu Li asked curiously. This was a birthday of the family of an official. A consort was unlikely to attend.

Feng Xia Qi took a sip of the tea, answering, “He will definitely bring that woman!” Because he and A’Xuan deliberately caused a ruckus in the palace to harm Consort Tao. Imperial Father must know about it. Imperial Father won’t be reassured about leaving that woman in the palace alone so the best way was to bring her along.

Not long after, a sharp voice sounded, “Announcing his Majesty!” Everyone ceremoniosly performed a greeting. Lan You Nian looked at Consort Tao beside the Emperor.

Consort Tao wore an auspicious cloud patterned brocade jacket. Underneath was a pleated flowery skirt. A pair of gold jeweled half-winged butterfly hairpins were inserted in her hair. a pair of monolid phoenix eyes contained a smile. Skin like fat, face fair, smiling without words, a smart calculation between the eyebrows. With one glance, one would know this was a shrewd person but this wasn’t what caught Lan You Nian’s attention but rather, though clearly Lan You Nian has never seen this woman, she kept feeling an inexplicable familiarity.

“Rise!” Emperor Feng Xuan said.

Feng Yi Xuan who was standing beside Lan You Nian frowned. Beause Feng Yi Xuan was holding her hand, Feng Yi Xuan’s grip tighted which made Lan You Nian feel pain. Lan You Nian turned her head to see Feng Yi Xuan’s eyes brimming with a frightful rage. This rage was directed at Emperor Feng Xuan and Consort Tao.

Lan You Nian’s eyes turned towards Feng Xia Qi. Sure enough, Feng Xia Qi’s face wasn’t looking any better. The gentle smile he always wore on his face was replaced by the a livid expression. Beside him, Yue Bai Lian looked worriedly at Feng Xia Qi.

“Xuan?” Lan You Nian softly murmured. Feng Yi Xuan’s enraged expression instantly became indifferent. Looking at the little hand held in his was already starting to bruise, his heart ached. He didn’t expect to cause Nian Nian’s hand to turn into this.

Feng Yi Xuan immediately stroked Lan You Nian’s bruising little hand, his voice filled with self-blame, “Does it hurt? I…”

“I’m fine!” Lan You Nian broke off Feng Yi Xuan’s apology. She can tell Feng Yi Xuan was in a bad mood. They’ve known each other for so long. Besides towards anything concerning her, Lan You Nian has never seen Feng Yi Xuan so enraged.

“Imperial Father, who is this young lady?” Yue Bai Lian asked, regarding Feng Xia Qi’s expression. She deliberately said this to let Feng Xia Qi retract his expression. This wasn’t in their manor. They couldn’t show any weakness in front of this woman of unknown origins.

Feng Xia Qi recovered his gentle appearance as Yue Bai Lian was asking her question. He glanced at Feng Yi Xuan. Both their gazes displayed a merciless rage but both person were elusive so besides Lan You Nian and Yue Bai Lian, no one noticed the strangeness of the two.

Emperor Feng Xuan looked at the woman, eyes gentle, “This is this emperor’s beloved consort Consort Tao!”

With these words, everyone performed a greeting, “Respects to Consort Tao!” They all understood this Consort Tao’s position in the emperor’s heart. For many years, the Emperor hasn’t favored any consorts. This woman looked like another person. Based on these looks, she was able to obtain the Emperor’s love.

Consort Tao smiled charmingly and wrapped her arm around Emperor Feng Xuan’s arm saying coquettishly, “It looks like this is Lan manor’s eldest young miss. You sure are unparalleled in beauty. I’m afraid there is no woman in this world who can compare!”

Though Consort Tao’s words were not wrong, this provoked many women’s jealous hearts at the banquet. Who would like a girl who looked prettier than them? And this was a girl who had the background and the looks. If it wasn’t because of Lan You Nian’s identity, who knew how many young ladies who look for trouble with her?

“Many thanks for the consort’s praise. This humble girl thinks consort is extraordinarily beautiful, like…” Lan You Nian seemed to not be able to find the word to describe her, her voice carrying the sincerity of a praise but Feng Yi Xuan took over for her, “Like a woman from the redlight district!”

With Feng Yi Xuan’s words, everyone quieted. No one expected Prince Ming to compare the Emperor’s consort to a postitute and even dared to say it out loud. Everyone lowered their heads, not daring to utter a sound, afraid something horrifying would happen.

“A’Xuan, imperial thought you usually were bad with words but this comparison is really fitting!” Feng Xia Qi laughed, his gaze filled with murderous intent looking at Consort Tao, instantly letting those officials who wanted to fawn over Consort Tao to know the strife between Consort Tao and the two princes.

“You, “Consort Tao’s eyes filled with tears as she looked at Feng Xia Qi and Feng Yi Xuan as she wept to the Emperor, “this concubine knows she has no right to be a consort but this concubine only wishes to serve by His Majesty’s side. No matter how lacking this concubine is, the two princes shouldn’t shame this concubine!”

Emperor Feng Xuan’s heart ached as he held Consort Tao, his gaze towards his two sons were filled with a slight displeasure. Feng Yi Xuan had no feelings towards the Emperor’s gaze. Whether the Emperor was displeased or hated him, he didn’t care, but Feng Xia Qi was different. Feng Xia Qi had expectations for this Imperial Father, so Emperor Feng Xuan’s gaze made Feng Xia Qi’s eyes hurt. Closing his eyes, once his eyes reopened, they have already recovered, but the last of the feelings between father and son was broken by Emperor Feng Xuan’s very own hands.

“Eh, old four and old sixth usually speak without thinking. Beloved consort shouldn’t mind them!” Emperor Feng Xuan pat Consort Tao’s hand, saying tenderly. Then he said to Feng Xia Qi and Feng Yi Xuan, “You two aren’t little anymore. Old four already has an official consort and old six is already engaged. There are some things you shouldn’t say!”

Feng Yi Xuan remained silent. Imperial brother was much better at battling with words, not that he didn’t know how, but that he didn’t have any good feelings for the Emperor nor did he want to fight over anything. In Feng Yi Xuan’s eyes, he hasn’t had an Imperial Father in a long time. He only had his Consort Mother who has passed.

“Imperial Father has misunderstood subject son. Subject son is merely stating the truth!” Feng Xia Qi pulled on Yue Bai Lian’s hand, “It’s fine if a small consort follows Imperial Father out of the palace but to act so improperly with the empire’s emperor out in public, if this isn’t a brothel woman’s style, what is it?”

Hearing this, everyone looked towards Consort Tao. Sure enough, they saw Consort Tao stickily hugging the Emperor’s arm. This posture, if this was in a normal official’s family, it was allowable, but as an empire’s Emperor, this was inappropriate. As His Majesty’s consort, she should lead by example. Maybe she act like this in the palace but now she’s in an official’s home, to do this in front of the martial and scholarly officials, isn’t this a brothel woman’s style?

Consort Tao knew her attitude made many of the officials dissatisfied, as she hastily dropped the arm wrapped around the Emperor and knelt, “It is this concubine in the wrong. This concubine considers His Majesty this concubine’s sky, this concubine’s husband, but has forgotten His Majesty is Feng empire’s Emperor. This concubine has overstepped. Please ask His Majesty for punishment!”

Consort Tao’s words were measured just perfectly and put herself in the position of a woman. Lan You Nian’s lips curled. This Consort Tao was indeed not a good one. Looking at the Emperor’s even more sympathetic expression, one would know this Consort Tao’s words have worked.

At this time, Jing manor’s marquis Jing Leng stood up, looking at Consort Tao, “A small consort can say the Emperor is her husband? The only one who can say so is the Empress. Does this Consort Tao wish to be the Empress?”

Jing Leng’s words confused many because most of the time Jing Leng didn’t say much concerning these matters, but Lan You Nian glanced at Consort Tao’s face and then remembered the other’s sudden rage and had a suspicion in her heart and felt even more heartache for Feng Yi Xuan.

Lan You Nian’s hand in Feng Yi Xuan’s big hands shifted slightly as her eyes looked towards him. At a glance, they were filled with heartache and worry. Feng Yi Xuan’s heart warmed. His bad mood instantly became better.

“I’m fine!” Feng Yi Xuan comfortingly smiled. He was only enraged the moment he saw Consort Tao but it was only for a moment. He now had Nian Nian. He was already very happy.

“Marquis Jing!” Emperor Feng Xuan lowly reprimanded, dissatisfied with Jing Leng’s accusation. Additionally with Consort Tao’s greivious and dependent gaze, it made Emperor Feng Xuan feel more pity for Consort Tao. He wasn’t unaware why everyone had such hostility towards Consort Tao, but remembering Consort Tao was only a young woman of twenty, she didn’t know anything yet she had to endure all this, this was unfair for Consort Tao.

“What’s wrong, Imperial Father?” Feng Xia Qi stood up, the smile unchanged. “Uncle’s words aren’t wrong at all. Since she is Imperial Father’s consort, Imperial should have a mama teach her. This is Feng empire. If she was in front of the delegates of other empires, she’ll lose the face of our Feng Empire!”

Emperor Feng Xuan looked at his son, knowing his son wasn’t feeling so well in his heart either and suppressed the rage inside. To the General Lan who didn’t say a word he said, “Eunuch Lu, put down Lan manor’s Old Madame’s gift. This emperor still has affairs to handle in the palace and will be returning!”

Under everyone’s respectful departing words, he headed out of Lan manor but before leaving, he said to Feng Yi Xuan, “Old six, come tonight to the palace!”

Once the Emperor left, everyone relaxed and the previous atmosphere disappeared. The several princes and others recovered their usual appearance. Some older officials already understood what has happened but some younger officials were still confused.

As for the Old Madame, she angrily looked at Lan You Nian and the others. In Old Madame’s eyes, for the Emperor and the consort to come to her birthday banquet, it was the greatest honor, but it was ruined by the princes this granddaughter of hers was good friends with, making it so that she the host was forgotten. Old Madame remembered her mouth that would hurt every day and grinded her teeth with hate at Lan You Nian. If she wasn’t afraid, she would have thought of a way to kill this granddaughter. She really was an unlucky star!

The atmosphere of Lan You Nian’s table as a little quiet. No one knew what to say. A birthday banquet ended with such unclarity…