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"About that..." my maid continued on.
It seems she knew the reason?
"Imperial Consort Ye, the morning you woke up after the Emperor had spent the night and left early after being called by the head eunuch... It was actually because of complaints from the ministers and other consorts... that Your Highness is being favored too much. You were given all sorts of cloths and jewelry, moreover, all your kitchen personnel were rewarded silver taels, and His Majesty also spent two consecutive nights in your palace. And, not just visited, but even stayed the night. Those have never happened before. Word travels fast, as many people are eyeing His Majesty because it's common knowledge that the Empress isn't being favored. So, everyone wants to be the first one to bear the Emperor his child and perhaps secure the Empress seat thereafter."
"So it's like that..." I muttered.
"System, is that true?"
The furry white ball appeared in front of me.
"Yes. All those are true."
If it's like that, then...
Wouldn't there be a chance I'm being monitored if the Emperor does favor me that much?!
"Ji Zhen Tian did send someone to monitor host, but not in a 24-hour surveillance. Ji Zhen Tian just sends people to check up on host from time to time. It just happened that at that time when host decided to sneak out, the Emperor's spy had just left to come report to him."
"Then that's great." Huu, I feel a little relieved.
Still, I most definitely should not let my guard down now that I know that.
"System, please tell me next time when Ji Zhen Tian sends someone to monitor me."
"...I understand."
"Why didn't you tell me that earlier?" I asked my maid.
"That..." my maid kneeled and started kowtowing. "I didn't want Imperial Consort Ye to lash out and be angry. I didn't want Your Highness to get involved with the court struggles even more. The master from the old house left Your Highness in my care. Should someone came to trouble Your Highness but can be ignored, I should just do so. Master just wants Imperial Consort Ye to be live comfortably in the palace, away from its affairs. I'm sorry for not reporting earlier. I'm sorry"
"Stop. Stand up. I'm not angry. But, you should report these things earlier next time. I won't lash out." I won't, but the old Imperial Consort Ye probably would have. No wonder she didn't report it earlier.
It's true that Ye Ling had been cared for well in her family, to the point that her personality became selfish and self-centered. She had been pampered and spoiled so much that she aspired to be Empress, standing atop all but one person, thinking she should be the one to be so. Hence, her schemes in the past.
I'll still make "Imperial Consort Ye Ling" be the Empress, but I'll change my ways to achieve being so.
"Mistress, I'm sorry. So sorry." My maid cried.
"You don't have to be that sorry. You have done nothing wrong. Rather, I'm impressed by your intelligence gathering. Thank you for your hard work." I smiled at the maid, and she cried even more.
"I-I'll be good next time. I'll do better serving the mistress." I wiped her face with a handkerchief. That seemed to make her want to kowtow even more, but before she was able to do so, I held her up.
"You shouldn't cry anymore. A crying face doesn't suit your beautiful face. Smile."
She wiped her tears with her sleeve, and
"Thank you, Your Highness. I'll vow to devote my whole life serving you." She showed a crooked smile. How cute.
"Hidden quest "make somebody devote their life to you" accomplished."
"What?! Accomplished?! So sudden?!" I screamed in my head.
"The development was so sudden that this system wasn't able to prompt host immediately before it was accomplished."
"..... Well, isn't that fine. At least I accomplished it. I'm glad it wasn't some collect essence from someone hidden quest. That would have been a disaster. Who knows when the Emperor will realize and I'll be sent to execution or something." I shuddered a little.
Going back to reality,
"You don't need to go that far. I just want you to be loyal to me as long as you serve me. You'll eventually get married. You don't have to waste devoting your whole life to me. Okay?"
Her eyes gets teary again, but she held back her tears and bowed.
"This servant thanks Your Highness for the concern."
"Un." I nodded. "You may be excused now. It's getting late. Please tell them that I want dinner as soon as possible."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Another maid knocked and said,
"Your Highness, the Emperor chose to eat dinner here and will visit this palace tonight."
With that announcement, the maid who was crying just now seemed to be happy right now.