A sudden deep voice sounded behind Imperial Consort Qin and she choked. Being the favored concubine, there is no mistaking that authoritative voice. Turning around, her eyes widened in fear at the sight of the luxurious golden robe.
Dropping onto her knees, she lowered her head as she trembled. Imperial Consort Lan snorted internally as she kneeled as well to pay her respects.
"Imperial Consort Lan greets the Emperor," the Emperor went to her side and held her arm gently. As he helped her to her seat, he asked. "I heard you are sick, how are you feeling now?"
Imperial Consort Qin gashed her teeth as the Emperor ignored her. She remained kneeling on the cold floor as she faced the Emperor who is now seated beside Imperial Consort Lan, showering her with care and attention. How can this be? Imperial Consort Lan had never been favored before. Why the sudden change of heart?
"This Consort is having a cold, it would not be good if your Highness fell sick because of me so I had to reject your invitation. This Consort hopes that your Highness would not blame me," Imperial Consort Lan's tone was even as she replied.
Her indifferent tone made the Emperor frown but seeing her gaze on Imperial Consort Qin, he understood. Pointing his fingers at Imperial Consort Qin, he glared as he admonished her.
"I had always thought that Imperial Consort Qin is graceful and had always gotten along with the other concubines so why is it that I am seeing you exhibit such disgraceful behavior?" The Emperor rebuked Imperial Consort Qin with a stern voice.
"Emperor, your Highness, this is a misunderstanding." Imperial Consort Qin mumbled incoherently as she scrambled for ways to escape this situation. If the Emperor decides to punish her, so be it but what she is scared of is losing favor. The moment she is cast aside, her family would abandon her after deeming her not useful. She would then wait alone in the cold palace and then die a lonely death.
Imperial Consort Qin shook her head vehemently. No, she cannot allow that to happen.
"It was that maidservant at sister's side who laughed at this Consort. Your Highness, this mere maidservant dared to mock me so I wanted to punish her but who knows that sister would shield her maidservant. Does this mean that Sister Lan approves her maidservant's behavior? Your Highness, please give this Consort the justice that I deserve." Imperial Consort cried pitifully. Indeed, tears are the woman's greatest weapon. A crying beauty can bring down cities, a truly befitting phrase.
The Emperor turned to his Imperial Consort Lan sitting calmly by his side, an eyebrow raised. Imperial Consort Lan clear eyes met his gaze, unfazed by the words uttered by Imperial Consort Qin. Lowering her eyelashes, she held onto her sleeve and took a deep breath as though steadying herself before she spoke.
"Sister Qin might have thought that I am an easy target, a pushover since I have never gotten involved in the Harem's politics and had never received the Emperor's favor so she barged into my palace without prior notice to stir up trouble. She says that my maidservant laughed at her but as I see it, she just needs a reason to undermine my authority to show everyone that I am easy to bully." Eyeing Imperial Consort Qin with a slightly annoyed expression, Imperial Consort Lan flicked her sleeves and leaned back into her seat.
"Now she is saying that she wants to punish my maidservant because she laughed at her. Next time, she is going to say she wants to behead me just for breathing. Am I not right, Imperial Consort Qin?" Resting her head on her palm, Imperial Consort Lan looked down on the kneeling Imperial Consort Qin.
"Nonsense! Since when did I- Your Highness, this Consort swears that I have never and will never do such things. She is accusing me in broad daylight, your Highness!" Imperial Consort Qin widened her eyes at her words.
"Why are you begging the Emperor so desperately? This Consort has ears and the words you uttered before the Emperor came still ring clearly in my ears. Didn't you say that you are the most favored and the next-in-line to be Empress? Even if the Emperor does not have that intention, his Highness still needs to listen to what your family says?" Imperial Consort Lan cut her words off quickly.
Turning to face the Emperor, Imperial Consort Lan's face had an unsightly expression. "Your Highness had also heard her words when you came in. You should be clear on whether this Consort is lying or not. Saying such words in front of everyone, what exactly is Imperial Consort Qin's intention? Is she implying that the Emperor of our glorious Kingdom needs to bend his knee to suit Imperial Consort Qin's maternal family's demands? In the end, who exactly is the Emperor of our Kingdom?" Imperial Consort Lan stood up and kneeled.
"Imperial Consort Qin coming to my palace to stir trouble is a small matter. It was this concubine's ability that is lacking that allowed her to create a disturbance in the Emperor's harem. However, her words against the Emperor is no small matter. This Imperial Consort was going to punish her when your Highness arrived. It is this Consort's slow wit that allowed the Emperor to suffer such humiliating remarks. This Consort begs the Emperor to punish me," and with those words, Imperial Consort Lan bowed till her forehead touched the floor.
The Emperor was feeling a mixture of shock and anger. He is no idiot and knew what Imperial Consort Lan was trying to imply. He was just shocked that she can keep her cool in front of a crisis and be levelheaded. He had never known the expressionless Consort of his has such an ability. His anger is naturally directed at Imperial Consort Qin.
It is as Imperial Consort Lan said, he had warned the servants not to say a word as he sneaked into Imperial Consort Lan's palace just to see Imperial Consort Qin making a scene. It was rare to see the usually gentle and peaceful Imperial Consort Qin act this way so the Emperor decided to watch the show till the end. He had heard everything and was furious.
How dare an Imperial Consort make such remarks? Next-in-line to be Empress? The Emperor scorned at her words and wanted to barge in and kick her but at the same time, he wanted to see how Imperial Consort Lan would handle such a situation. When he saw her standing up against her opponent, the Emperor felt the urge to applaud her courage. Hearing her words now, he wants to applaud her wits.
The Emperor helped the kneeling Imperial Consort Lan up and back to her seat with a gentle smile. He is beginning to like her more.
"There is no need for punishment. You were sick and could not bear such an aggressive assault so suddenly. It is me that did not do well. I will assign more guards and servants to serve you so that you won't get sick so easily. Someone, go to the kitchens and get them to prepare a tonic for Imperial Consort Lan for her cold. Has an Imperial Physician been called?" The Emperor patted her shoulders softly as though comforting her.
"Replying to your Highness, mistress said that her cold is not that bad so there is no need to bother an Imperial Physician but this servant did not listen and went to fetch an Imperial Physician. Imperial Physician heard that this servant belongs to Imperial Consort Lan and said that unless the mistress is about to die, there is no need for him to come." The maidservant replied and vented on behalf of her mistress.
The Emperor narrowed his eyes and shouted for his head eunuch angrily. "Tell that damn Imperial Physician that since he doesn't want to do his work then there is no reason to keep him! Give him 50 paddles and sack him immediately," the head eunuch bowed and accepted the order before retreating.
"Don't get so angry over a small cold, it's not worth it." Imperial Consort Lan sighed.
"How is this a small matter? It concerns your health, you should pay more attention to it." He retorted before returning to the main issue.
"It seems like the favor I bestowed upon you has made you arrogant. This Emperor will make you the Empress because I favored you? Because your maternal family tells me to do so? It seems like Imperial Consort Qin has forgotten about the rules of the Imperial Harem. I will tell you now that you will never be Empress and I can even tell you the reason. It's because you don't have the ability to become one or act like one." The Emperor heaved a sigh before he continued.
"Just with what you said about me is enough to sentence you to death but since you have given birth to an Imperial heir, I shall give the third prince face and sentence you to be confined to your palace for 6 months and confiscate a year's worth of your salary. This mercy is wasted on you," the Emperor gestured for some servants to escort the pale Imperial Consort Qin back to her palace.
Turning his attention back to Imperial Consort Lan, he asked. "Is my Consort satisfied with the punishment?"
Imperial Consort Lan shrugged. "It doesn't matter, she will come back again. Punishment will not deter her from getting what she wants."
The Emperor laughed at her reply and nodded. "Indeed, with her personality, she won't back down so easily. But in the end, she is still the biological mother of the third prince so I cannot be too harsh on her."
"Why is your Highness explaining to this Consort? How your Highness wishes to manage your harem, it doesn't concern this Consort." Imperial Consort Lan waved off his words before she stood up.
With an apologetic face, she asked the Emperor to leave. The Emperor frowned at her actions. He came in and helped her vent her anger, treat her well and cared for her but why is she still so indifferent?
"Do not misunderstand. I am sick and the cold is contagious. If your Highness is to be infected by me, this Consort cannot afford to shoulder the blame." Imperial Consort Lan's words seemed to be concerned for the Emperor on the surface but somehow the Emperor feels like she is saying she does not want to be implicated if he was to fall ill because of her.
"Xuan-er, are you perhaps angry with me?" The Emperor was curious about her cold attitude and could not help but ask.
"Why would this Consort be angry with you?" Imperial Consort Lan raised an eyebrow at the sudden question.
"Then why are you treating me like this? The first time I visited you, you also treated me indifferently. If I do not know better, I would think you were trying to deliberately make me dislike you." The Emperor remembered his first visit to her palace and at that time, he had found her boring. If not for that incident and today, he would have just given her an empty title for appearance's sake and continue ignoring her.
"This Consort- I…" Imperial Consort Lan stumbled on her words but it was not because she was feeling nervous or lost for words. It was because her world is starting to spin and her headache is worsening. She felt faint and her body swayed dangerously. The Emperor saw her furrowing her brows and clutching her head and he quickly reached out just in time to catch her before her body went lax.
"Xuan-er! Xuan-er! Someone, get an Imperial Physician here!" The Emperor shouted anxiously as he cradled Imperial Consort Lan to his chest protectively.
"I was just trying to protect myself and those dear to me," Imperial Consort Lan muttered to her hazy self before her vision went black.