Chapter 331

Chapter 331 Upon hearing this, she said with a calm expression: "The Emperor appointed Consort Wen as Fei out of respect for the Empress, and also because he doesn't want to give in to the Xia Dynasty's wishes." "Then it's fine that Princess Chenghuan only got the position of Lady of Handsome Fairness, but do you know why her title is 'An'?" Xie Run smiled. "Sometimes when the Emperor gives titles, he can be a bit mischievous." For example, Jiang Baobao's 'Duan' and Fang Yuan'er's 'Gong.' They really looked like sarcasm no matter how you viewed them. Xiaoshu nodded repeatedly: "This servant remembers now." Dantao and Xie Run both glanced at her. Xiaoshu then said: "This Princess Chenghuan was extremely fierce and domineering during the Yu Dynasty. Because her mother consort was favored, she looked down on other princesses, scolding them at every turn, and sometimes even resorting to physical violence." "But this person is clever and shrewd, and quite beautiful. She was one of the Yu Dynasty Emperor's most beloved daughters, which is why she could always be spoiled." "The Emperor bestowing her the title 'An' may well be a warning for Jieyu An to stay in her place in the harem and not stir up trouble." The two maidservants had also spent several years with Xie Run in the prince's residence, and knew that the Emperor hated those who caused trouble the most. Jiang Baobao was a prime example. Xie Run smiled: "Now is not the era of the Retired Emperor's reign. If this Princess Chenghuan doesn't restrain her temper a bit, she'll likely end up keeping company with Beauty Duan in the future." Of these three, Xie Run was actually least worried about Jieyu An. "What about this Consort Li..." Xie Run shook her head: "Few people in the harem probably know about the Luosha Kingdom's diplomatic mission. I'm afraid the Emperor has other arrangements." Xie Run was more inclined to believe that the Emperor was preparing for military action, possibly some cooperation with the Luosha Kingdom. Unfortunately, she had been confined to the rear courtyard for too long and didn't have enough eyes and ears to probe into deeper matters. Just as they finished speaking, someone reported that Lady Lu had come to seek an audience. Xie Run had her brought forward. Lady Lu seemed to have just gotten news from somewhere and couldn't wait to share it with Xie Run. "Sister Xie, I just learned that it was Consort Li who voluntarily proposed moving into Chonghua Palace." Xie Run put down the needle in her hand and couldn't help furrowing her brows: "Consort Li voluntarily proposed living in Chonghua Palace? Why is she so fond of Chonghua Palace?" "Could she have some connection with Fang Yuan'er?" At this moment, Xie Run suddenly understood why the Empress had arranged for her own sister to be placed in Ritualist Hui's Yongming Palace. If Consort Li had requested to live in Chonghua Palace, then Consort Wen could only be placed in Yongming Palace. Lady Lu shook her head: "I just found out this news from Ritualist Hui." "Consort Li is a princess of the Luosha Kingdom and has never been to the Yu Dynasty before. Suddenly wanting to compete with Xiurong Gong for Chonghua Palace—there must be some reason behind it." Most importantly, among the Six Palaces, aside from Fengyi Palace and Zhaohua Palace, the best should be Yongning Palace. That was the Zichen Hall where Noble Consort Chen had once resided, converted. If Consort Li truly wanted to fight for a good palace, she should be contending with Consort Jing, not Fang Yuan'er. Lady Lu had a wild imagination. As soon as she sat down, she leaned close to Xie Run and whispered: "Sister Xie, do you think Consort Li could be Concubine Wan?" Fortunately, Xie Run wasn't embroidering at this moment, or she would have pricked her finger and drawn blood. "Don't talk nonsense like that." Although Xie Run was stopping Lady Lu, she couldn't help but think about the similarities between Consort Li and Wan Linlang. After thinking for a long while, she shook her head: "This Consort Li has a graceful and slender figure, with an inherently seductive charm. Her aura doesn't resemble Wan Linlang's in the slightest." "And haven't we heard that Wan Linlang knows how to perform Luosha Kingdom dances?" Lady Lu said subconsciously: "Aura can be changed, and dances can be learned..." Before she could finish speaking, the two locked eyes, and the atmosphere fell into an eerily quiet silence. Xie Run: "It probably isn't her, right?" She didn't want to say that she actually had some suspicions about Noble Lady Xian's younger sister, and was waiting for the imperial beauty selection to probe into that person's background. Moreover, as she recalled Wan Linlang's appearance in her mind, it didn't match this Consort Li at all. Lady Lu gave an awkward laugh: "Actually, I also think these two have nothing in common. I was just saying it offhandedly." Xie Run lowered her gaze in thought. "Let's wait and see." "If she truly is targeting Fang Yuan'er, the first thing she'll do upon taking over Chonghua Palace is cause trouble for Fang Yuan'er." Lady Lu hesitated: "But even if she causes trouble for Fang Yuan'er, that doesn't prove she's Concubine Wan, does it?" Xie Run said helplessly: "Then what do you think—is she Concubine Wan or not?" Lady Lu shook her head and gave an embarrassed smile: "I was just guessing blindly earlier." Xie Run: "..." No sooner had the two finished their wild guesses than news arrived that Xiurong Gong had offended Consort Li and been disciplined by her. Xiaoshu received the news and came immediately to tell Xie Run: "I don't know how the conflict started, but I only know that Xiurong Gong offended Consort Li and was slapped twice across the face by her." "Right now the two of them are at Fengyi Palace asking the Empress to arbitrate the dispute." Xie Run asked directly: "Who was it that suggested going to Fengyi Palace?" Xiaoshu: "Consort Li." Xie Run was surprised. "I wonder if Consort Li is genuinely aggrieved or if she's the villain striking first." Lady Lu suddenly interjected: "Sister Xie, I think based on Consort Li's style of conduct, she really couldn't be Concubine Wan." After all, Wan Linlang wouldn't have been capable of doing such things in either of her two lives. Lady Lu said, "I really shouldn't have made wild guesses next time—I nearly scared myself." Xie Run glanced at her, unable to put her own feelings into words. In truth, she felt the same as Lady Lu—that Consort Li and Wan Linlang had no connection whatsoever. Now that they were suddenly linked together, the more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed. That evening, word came from Fengyi Palace that Xiurong Gong had been fined one month's allowance for disrespecting Consort Li. Only later did Xie Run learn that the two had clashed over moving palaces, and it was indeed Fang Yuan'er who had lost her temper first, speaking rudely and provoking Consort Li's anger. When only the last sliver of daylight remained, word came from the Bureau of Bedchamber Affairs. The Emperor had not gone to visit any of the three new arrivals that night, but instead stayed at Fanghua Palace. Upon receiving the news, Xie Run merely smiled and shook her head, looking as if she had expected it all along. She turned over, pulled up the covers, and went to sleep. Over the next three days, the Emperor called for Hua Yu's company every single night. After staying at Fanghua Palace for three consecutive nights, the winds of the harem shifted, and everyone began to fawn over Lady Hua. Yet a question lingered in everyone's minds. Though Lady Hua had always enjoyed the Emperor's regard, she had never received much of his favor before—and now she had served him for four nights in a row. She was monopolizing the Emperor, leaving all three newly arrived princesses neglected. Whether it was the Emperor's urging or the Xia envoys' hurried schedule, they took their leave after barely two days. No sooner had they departed than troops began to be reinforced along the Yunzhou border. That day, the morning audience ran a little long, and on the way back the sun was too harsh, so Xie Run decided to get down and take a stroll, stopping by the neighboring Cool Breeze Pavilion to enjoy the shade. She leaned against the pavilion, watching the lotus flowers, with quite a few attendants following her both inside and outside the pavilion. It happened that the lake was stocked with many fish, so Xie Run had Dantao bring fish food and began to feed them. She leisurely picked up bits of fish food and tossed them into the water, watching the fish race toward the food, her heart unusually calm. Before long, she suddenly heard some commotion. "Eleventh Sister, I really have underestimated you!" "Before, you were such a pathetic sight, cowering with your head down, not daring to let out so much as a fart. Now that you've come to Yu Dynasty, relying on the Empress to back you up, you've grown quite arrogant!"