After the morning greetings, the empress made Consort Li stay behind for a brief moment. She used her handkerchief to disguise her disgusted expression when she saw the consort's ugly face but still asked in a concerned tone. "Junior Sister Li, how do you feel?"
Consort Li touched her swollen cheeks gently and winced. Tears of resentment and anger gathered in her eyes as she said. "Your Majesty, the Noble Consort....she has gone too far!"
Han Yaling revealed a helpless look. "I know Junior Sister Zhan was too ruthless this time but she had a very good reason to behave this way. You should have taken better care of the emperor's imperial body."
"But...." Consort Li lifted up her head, crying. "The emperor was fine when he left my palace. How could he have caught a cold so suddenly?"
Both of them became quiet, not daring to speak their true thoughts about the matter. They both knew that Noble Consort was just using the emperor as an excuse who didn't know that the emperor favoured her? No matter what they said or how much effort they tried to topple her, the emperor would find a way to sweep the matter aside like it was nothing important. Most of all, even the emperor's grandmother like her. That was the reason Zhan Yanhui had stayed as the Noble Consort for so long.
A maid came in right when they were immersed in their thoughts and bowed hastily before she reported. "Your Majesty, I just saw Noble Consort being summoned by the emperor on her way back. The eunuch confided in me that His Majesty has heard of the matter today and is very displeased with her."
The empress and Consort Li smiled with joy. Both of them had already guessed that Zhan Yanhui had angered the emperor in some way to make him spend the night with another concubine so abruptly. Both of them wanted to see the emperor reprimand her and possibly even punish her. The empress said. "I think it's best to let the emperor hear both sides of the story before he makes any judgement. Consort Li, let's go and meet the emperor."
Meanwhile, Zhan Yanhui had already arrived in the emperor's study and she curtised. "Your Majesty, you summoned me. May I know.... what's the purpose?"
When she saw that emperor, Yi Wenkui had no intention of replying to her greeting she decided to risk it and cast a glance at him. He was really ignoring her as he flipped through the memorials, working through them in a calm manner which made her narrow her eyes. Without his response, she couldn't stand up and could only continue to bow. Did he really plan on punishing her this way?
After a while, she swayed a little and and held her head before she exchanged glances with her maid. Xue Li immediately caught her mistress before she could fall and wailed. "Your Majesty, please have mercy! Her Highness spent all night regretting the argument she had with you so she embroidered a screen....."
Zhan Yanhui pushed her aside and glared at her as she fell on the floor. "Xue Li, keep quiet! How dare you interfere in your mistress's affairs?"
Xue Li put on a wronged expression. "But Mistress, your wound...."
Although the emperor had no change of expression when he heard their discussion, his hand that was holding the brush trembled slightly. He seemed to be caught in an internal struggle before he eventually said. "Guards, take the maid away."
The guards took Xue Li away and left, leaving the emperor with his noble consort. He looked at her sitting on the floor and said. "Have you had enough pretending, Hui'er?"
Zhan Yanhui was not afraid of his cold look nor his stern tone as she got up and dusted her dress, nodding. "Yes, I am. It was tiring staying on the floor." She walked up to him and sat on his lap, smiling. "Are you still angry?"
The emperor clenched his fist as she wrapped her hands around his neck. He felt that his noble consort was really something. At least in the past, she was transparent and always showed her real feelings but now, she seemed to be able to pretend now. "How can I be? This emperor just wanted to give you some space so I spent some time in Consort Li's place yesterday. I heard you punished her this morning?"
Zhan Yanhui smiled as she played with the collar of his imperial robe. "Yes, I did. When I heard you went to her palace, I was overcome with jealousy and couldn't control myself. Yi Wenkui...."
She paused for a moment, unable to speak her true feelings. She was not the kind to speak such things. How was she supposed to tell him that she had reincarnated and wanted to start a new life with him? Would he believe her? She said seriously, looking into his eyes. "I...know that I had been different in the past but I want to change. I will do my best to be a good Noble Consort to you. No matter what happens, I will always be by your as side."
She silently added, it was a pity that we couldn't be an ordinary couple in this life like you had promised me...
Yi Wenkui felt the sincerity in her words and for a moment, his heart was moved. He told himself that as long as she stayed by his side, it didn't matter if she was his ally or his enemy. He would always do his best to protect her. He raised his hand and stroked her cheeks softly. "My noble consort is a good person, I will surely believe you."
Zhan Yanhui could hardly respond before the emperor kissed her. He was so gentle with her and she could sense his true feelings in everything he did for her. She felt her heart soften and the couple embraced each other passionately.
At that moment, the empress and Consort Li arrived at the emperor's study with high expectations to see the noble consort punished in good spirits only to see Zhan Yanhui hugging the emperor in a passionate embrace. The emperor eunuch, Zhu Bo who had tried to stop them quietly retreated when he saw what had happened. Consort Li who had seen the scene felt so angry that she couldn't hold back anymore and spat out blood before she fainted....