The empress suppressed the anger churning in her heart and cleared her throat in order to interrupt the scene. She suddenly felt better when she saw that the couple had separated. "Greetings, Your Majesty."
Zhan Yanhui tried to untangle herself from Yi Wenkui when she saw them but the emperor stubbornly placed her on his lap and stared at the two women before him. "I wonder what brings the empress to my study at this time? Is something wrong?"
The empress felt her face burn at his words. She could hear the servants whispering about their cold relationship and once again, he didn't bother to even give her face. When Consort Li saw that the empress was tongue-tied, she decided to stand up for both of them. She knelt down tearfully and said. "Your Majesty, you have to enact justice for me! I was wrongly accused and punished by the noble consort. You have to help me."
Zhan Yanhui could feel the emperor's gaze on her but she instead leaned into his embrace and acted very demure not saying anything. She looked unperturbed about the situation and for good reason. Everyone in the room could guess that the emperor would surely find a way to protect her and the whole case would be pushed aside.
But Zhan Yanhui decided to speak first before the emperor could say anything. "Sister Li, do you really think I have accused you falsely? Look at how pale the emperor is. He has been coughing for so long, it makes my heart hurt. I thought I was even being so lenient....Your Majesty! You have to say something."
The Empress and Consort Li, "..."
They had just witnessed them kissing passionately, which part of him was unwell?
Her deft fingers secretly pinched the emperor's shoulders when she finished saying that. Yi Wenkui stayed silent for a while before he started coughing. He looked very awkward but he managed to say. "There is no need to fuss over me. This emperor is just having sore throat and a little cold, I have been so busy I forgot to pay attention to my health...."
The empress and Consort Li, "....."
What kind of situation was this? The emperor was too biased!
Zhan Yanhui tapped his back lightly before she said. "Your Majesty has been working hard for the country, it is normal to forget about yourself. However, as your consorts, it is our duty to take care of you. Consort Li, aren't you going to admit your mistakes?"
Although she should have known better, Consort Li still had high expectations to see her rival punished. After seeing the emperor supporting her, she almost fainted out of anger but she was supported by her maid. The empress who was more sensible stepped forward. "Please forgive us, Your Majesty! This kind of incident happened under my watch and I failed to control the harem."
Zhan Yanhui could feel the tense atmosphere in the room once Han Yaling uttered those words. On the surface, it looked as if she was asking for forgiveness as the empress but everyone knew that she was also forcing the emperor to let the matter go. After all, the reason he had married both of them was to keep the balance between both prominent families. He could not afford to be partial to only one side.
Yi Wenkui replied. "The empress has also been hardworking these days, how can I blame you? This matter is trivial, Consort Li will not be punished for this...."
Han Yaling smirked at the Noble Consort. So what if she was highly favored by the emperor, no matter what she was still his empress. Before she could thank the emperor, he said. "But there are other matters I cannot spare her for. She sent her maid to my bed without my permission. She will be put under house arrest and demoted one rank. This is this emperor's decree."
The two women paled at his words, especially Consort Li who immediately fainted after the emperor had spoken. Zhan Yanhui didn't even bother to hide her smile when she glanced at the empress. They all knew how much the emperor hated them sending unknown women to his bed but most of them still did it in hopes that they would gain an ally in the harem once he favoured their people. The harem was full of tricks and schemes and everyone did their best for two things: survival or power.
Han Yaling suddenly didn't feel like saying behind after the guards carried Consort Li away so she quickly took her leave and left. The Noble Consort who was previously acting very demure suddenly stood up and bowed, surprising the emperor. "Your Majesty, this Noble Consort thanks you for helping her. Because of me, you have punished one of your consorts...."
Although she knew that the emperor was not the kind of person to fawn over women neither did he like to excessively spoil them, she was the only exception to that perception. She felt that she had taken advantage of him in many ways but he was her only support in this palace. She had no friends and no family, that was the price she had to pay as a powerful Noble Consort. She could trust no one...
Yi Wenkui narrowed his eyes at her apology. "There is no way to behave like this. Consort Li really offended me so I decided to punish her? Is there any need to be polite between ourselves?" He grabbed her and placed her back in his lap as he continued. "Since we have decide to be sincere with each other, we can only depend on each other. We...must never betray each other."
Zhan Yanhui stiffened at his words and didn't dare look at him to read his expression. For a moment, she wondered if he knew of her relationship with General Wen but she quickly shook it off. She had been very careful not to be caught and that person had always been very meticulous as well. It was impossible for him to know about this. She decided to change the topic. "Your Majesty, I know you dislike women in the harem talking about political affairs but there is something I must say. The last time my father visited me, I heard him talking to his subordinates about the Rudaks. He said some of the barbarians have infiltrated into the country..."
Her heart pounded as she told him. Her father had just won a battle against those barbarians but they had somehow managed to sneak into the country. She definitely wouldn't have told him this if it didn't affect his safety because she knew that there was a possibility he would punish her father. She only hoped he could be lenient on account of her own merits of warning him.