Chapter 1117: Chapter 1114 - The Fate of Noble Consort Xiao
Chapter 1117: Chapter 1114 – The Fate of Noble Consort Xiao
Leng Shuqing hurriedly paid her respects, “This concubine greets the empress.”
Su Yingxue waved her hand, “Rise, there’s no need for such formalities.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Leng Shuqing, with a smile on her face, was unparalleled in the palace in her appearance, demeanor, and even the intonation of her voice.
Su Yingxue felt that she was like a snow lotus blooming at the edge of a cliff, pure and untouchable.
Every concubine in the palace who did not get to see Chu Yihan came to her with their grievances, except for Leng Shuqing. She paid her respects daily but never mentioned Chu Yihan at all.
Sometimes, Su Yingxue found it a pity that a beauty like Leng Shuqing should waste her years in the palace.
However, she noticed that Leng Shuqing’s maidservant was carrying a food box.
She casually asked, “Is it for the emperor?”
.comThe palace maid panicked and quickly hid the food box to one side.
Everyone knew of Su Yingxue’s exclusive favor in the harem.
The other queens and consorts were there to compete for the emperor’s affection, but Su Yingxue sat in the palace, and Chu Yihan would wish he could pluck the moon from the sky for her.
If she discovered that Leng Shuqing was sending delicacies to Chu Yihan, who knew how she would target Leng Shuqing.
Leng Shuqing slightly bent her knees, abiding by the rules as she answered, “When at home, I would often make pastries for grandfather and the elders. Though it is a humble offer, if Your Majesty does not disdain them, please allow me the honor of having you taste them.”
Su Yingxue shook her head, “There’s no need, I… Her Majesty needs to return for the evening meal. The emperor is currently in the imperial study; you could go ask him if he would like to have some.”
Su Yingxue mentioned Chu Yihan with such ease, as if she were commenting on the day’s beautiful blossoms.
Leng Shuqing’s heart sank and her face darkened a bit.
Su Yingxue did not realize what she had said wrong, as Leng Shuqing seemed unhappy.
Without another word, she headed directly back into the palace.
After she left, Leng Shuqing stood in the same spot for a long time.
The maidservant behind her gently reminded her, “Your Majesty, let’s hurry to the imperial study. If we are late, I’m afraid the emperor might not be there anymore.”
Her words were subtle and didn’t directly say that if they were late, Chu Yihan would go to Su Yingxue’s palace for the evening meal and they would miss seeing him again.
Leng Shuqing hummed softly and took a deep breath before heading towards the imperial study again.
But just like her prior visits, Chu Yihan said he was too busy with state affairs and did not meet her.
Just like her, Imperial Consort Mei and Zhao Yi had also come, and Chu Yihan refused to see them all.
Imperial Consort Mei and Zhao Yi left together, dejectedly saying as they walked, “Ah, we are just here to fill out the numbers for Her Majesty. It sounds nice to be called consorts in the palace, but I haven’t even gotten a clear look at what the emperor looks like.”
“Isn’t that the truth? We’ve been to Her Majesty’s place several times, but the emperor just doesn’t meet us! How long will these boring days in the palace last!”
“Haha, you shouldn’t say that. Our families aren’t that prominent; it’s fine if the emperor doesn’t meet us. That one behind… she’s a legitimate daughter from the Prime Minister’s Estate, immediately made a consort upon entering the palace, far outranking us. In the palace, she’s second only to the empress! Yet she doesn’t see the emperor either. It just shows that our family backgrounds, our statuses, are useless! Our emperor’s heart is entirely devoted to the empress!”
“Hahaha! That’s true. Keep it down, don’t let her hear you!”
The two, good friends, quickly walked off, leaving Leng Shuqing behind.
The palace servants around Leng Shuqing heard this and became disheartened.
Leng Shuqing’s maidservant, brought from the Prime Minister’s residence, was very indignant, “Your Majesty, they are too much. You should teach them a lesson! How dare they compare themselves with you?”
“What they said is not wrong.”
Leng Shuqing’s hands were clasped within her long sleeves, having already pinched her palms to bleed.
But she was not reconciled!
She would not be reconciled no matter what!
Just one year’s time proved nothing.
Chu Yihan had loved Su Yingxue, but only for a year; her life was still long. As long as she maintained her beauty and figure, Chu Yihan would surely see her one day!
Seeing Su Miaoyan and the little monster happily playing and after having dinner, Su Yingxue stayed to rest in her palace, and Su Miaoyan, tired, fell into a deep sleep. However, Xiao Yu came late at night requesting entry to the palace to take Su Miaoyan away.
Seeing the healthy and tall Xiao Yu, Su Yingxue’s mouth twitched slightly, “Eldest Young Master Xiao, you really keep a close watch, don’t you?”
Fearing that the palace would devour Su Miaoyan.
He had to take her away all night.
Xiao Yu covered Su Miaoyan with his outer robe, and his gaze, indifferent with a trace of fervor, fell upon her. “My wife is mischievous; I wouldn’t want to trouble the empress.”
Pfft.
What a lame excuse.
Was it just because they were newlyweds, and he couldn’t bear to leave her?
“Brother Yu…”
Su Miaoyan turned over, half awake. She climbed onto Xiao Yu like an octopus clings to its prey, mumbling dreamily.
Xiao Yu responded to each utterance, drawing on all his patience to soothe her, until he lulled her back to sleep and handed her over to the two maidservants he brought.
Su Yingxue, propping her elbow on the table, watched the drama unfold, stuffing a handful of melon seeds into her mouth.
She knew that Xiao Yu’s late-night entry into the palace sure wasn’t just to fetch Su Miaoyan.
Xiao Yu brought her several boxes of gold, claiming it was an account due for division. The branches of the Tongchang Medical Center had spread from Jiang Du City all the way to Jiangnan, operating smoothly. The female doctors trained by Saint Ruan were all skilled and continued their advanced studies.
“A year ago, I recruited a female doctor whose skills are comparable to the empress. I had her stationed at a major pharmacy in Jiangnan where she also taught many outstanding students,” Xiao Yu disclosed to Su Yingxue.
Su Yingxue’s forehead twitched, “Sister Rong Sheng?”
So she hadn’t returned to the modern era but had gone to Jiangnan?
Chu Yifeng acting like a widower had really disgusted her.
Xiao Yu nodded, “Doctor Rong asked me to send her regards. She’s living well now and her daughter is also growing up lovely.”
“Sister Rong Sheng… she got married?” Su Yingxue was astonished. Upon leaving Chu Yifeng, she even had a daughter.
Xiao Yu chuckled softly, “I haven’t seen Doctor Rong marry. When she arrived, she was already pregnant. Anyone who knows the empress well is indeed extraordinary.”
Those words!
Su Yingxue faintly sensed the irony in them.
But since Xiao Yu was her brother-in-law, she decided not to take issue with it.
After a long chat, Su Yingxue didn’t hear him mention Imperial Consort Xiao even once. Finally, when he left, he handed Su Yingxue a list to pass to Chu Yihan.
Su Yingxue opened it and saw it was an account of the food and supplies the Xiao family had provided to support Su Hao’s army over the past year; the sum was so considerable that the list could circle around her.
Su Yingxue didn’t understand Xiao Yu’s intentions, so she gave the list to Chu Yihan, who glanced at it and set it on the desk.
He said indifferently, “The Xiao family wants to exchange these for Imperial Consort Xiao’s life.”