Chapter 430: Everyone admires, envies, and hates (2/2)
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After Han Yunxi and Long Feiye left, the Heaven and Earth Palace devolved into a series of hushed whispers. But even Empress Dowager Li and Chu Qingge were too preoccupied to stop them. Empress Dowager Li’s plan had been to leave Han Yunxi and Chu Qingge both for a dinner feast, but there was no need for that now. After a few false shows of affection, the dowager dismissed everyone in the hall.
As soon as Chu Qingge left the Heaven and Earth Palace, she was approached by Mu Liuyue.
“Noble Consort Chu, please wait a moment.”
Chu Qingge didn’t stop, but significantly slowed her steps until Mu Liuyue was walking by her side. In a low voice, Mu Liuyue said, “Noble Consort Chu, may I speak to you for a bit?”
Chu Qingge remained silent for a long while before she replied, “Alright!”
Behind them both. Empress Dowager Li and Noble Consort Ning stood leaning on the railing to stare at their retreating forms.
“Imperial Mother is truly wise and brilliant. It’s just as you predicted,” Noble Consort Xue flattered.
After her meeting with Mu Liuyue failed to secure an alliance, she went back to report the news to Empress Dowager Li. But instead of raging over Mu Liuyue’s stupidity, the dowager was very happy.
“Heheh, as long as Chu Qingge doesn’t reject that Liuyue girl, we’ll have a chance!” Empress Dowager Li’s eyes were sinister and ruthless. Both Chu Qingge and Mu Liuyue bore grudges against Han Yunxi. As long as Mu Liuyue could gain Chu Qingge’s trust and become her ally, then she and Noble Consort Xue would save themselves a lot of trouble. When the time came, they could use Mu Liuyue to force Chu Qingge to stumble!
Compared to fighting their rival outright, using an idiotic girl like Mu Liuyue was much better.
“Imperial Mother, suppose Chu Qingge has the same idea…?” Noble Consort Xue trailed off. After all, a grudge with Han Yunxi and vying for the empress’s seat were two completely separate matters. If Chu Qingge ended up using Mu Liuyue to deal with them, then the situation would slip out of their control.
Empress Dowager Li laughed coldly. “Judging from that Chu Qingge girl’s heart, hehe, she won’t be interested in the throne for a year and a half at least.” She had lived in the imperial harem for half her life now, so she was fully qualified to see through any and every young court lady and concubine.
Chu Qingge’s personality and her previous behavior both showed that her short-term goals were to face off against Han Yunxi, not fight for the empress position. Of course, in order to make the girl loathe Han Yunxi completely, she’d have to do some work on Mu Liuyue as well.
“Imperial Mother is wise and brilliant!” Noble Consort Xue rejoiced.
Empress Dowager Li looked at her but didn’t say a word. In the end, she was still thinking about the empress. If the empress was here, she wouldn’t need to expend so much effort now. After Noble Consort Xue departed, Empress Dowager Li found one of her trusted subordinates and asked, “Any news from Medical City?”
Although no less than ten famous doctors to diagnose the empress’s insanity as incurable, neither Empress Dowager Li nor the crown prince had ever given up looking for a cure. They had been in touch with Medical City constantly, hoping to invite out the head elder or even the head of the Cloud Realm Medical Academy.
“They’re still pushing. It’s possible that….” the subordinate sounded a little helpless.
Empress Dowager Li knit her brows in thought. A long time later, she murmured, “Keep pushing, then. And don’t let Noble Consort Xue know of this, no matter what!”
Relationships between the members of the imperial harem were vast and complex. Even Empress Dowager Li and Noble Consort Xue had their own differences. The latter stood on the same side as Chu Qingge when it came to the ailing empress. If that woman returned, Noble Consort Xue would have even fewer chances of gaining favor!
In truth, Empress Dowager Li should trust Mu Liuyue the most. As the crown prince’s consort, this granddaughter-in-law of hers was also the empress’s daughter-in-law. Unfortunately, Mu Liuyue wasn’t strong enough to hold down the fort.
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By now, Long Feiye had already brought Han Yunxi out of the palace. She had no idea that news of him tearing his sleeve to tie her head had already spread throughout the palace. Soon enough, it would spread across the entire Tianning capital and create a sensation. Long strips of white brocade ribbons would then become a sold-out product!
Moreover, the term ‘tearing one’s sleeve to coil up the hair’1 became an expression for a love confession, and a new way for men to propose to their prospective wives. Countless males vied to imitate the Duke of Qin’s actions.
But before all that, the main couple headed home. Sitting inside the carriage, Han Yunxi stole a peak at Long Feiye’s torn up sleeve…
1. tearing one’s sleeve to coil up the hair (撕袖绾发) – sixiu wanfa, long story short, HYX and LFY’s anecdote became so famous that it turned into an idiom in the Chinese language. At least in this universe. xD