Once Li Wen left, all eyes turned to Ning Shu. She could keenly sense the mix of envy, jealousy, and even outright hatred in their gazes.
Her attention was drawn to a woman clad in night haze violet silk, her expression haughty and stern, eyes brimming with uncontainable jealousy and loathing. Ning Shu recognized her as Noble Consort Du. The resentment between Noble Consort Du and the original host stemmed from the Empress. The original host had only ever acknowledged the Empress as her sister-in-law, looking down on all the other women.
In terms of power, the Empress and Noble Consort Du were evenly matched. However, the original host's actions had tilted the balance in the Empress's favor, leading to Noble Consort Du's animosity towards Princess Jiahui. Her visit to Orchid Garden Palace was merely a façade; she had to appear cordial since all the other consorts were present, and she couldn't risk being left out, especially with Li Wen so fond of his younger sister.
Ning Shu felt a headache coming on. Was it really wise for an unmarried daughter to meddle in her older brother's affairs? The original host had entangled herself in palace intrigues as well as the rivalries among the residences. Staying out of it would have been the best choice.
The circumstances surrounding the original host's marriage had partly been fueled by Noble Consort Du's encouragement.
Simply put, the original host had been naive about relationships. While her intentions were pure, her arrogance and conceit often got in the way.
"Is Noble Consort Du glaring at me because Imperial Older Brother spoke to me but not to you? Is that why you look so angry?" Ning Shu asked bluntly.
Noble Consort Du's expression froze. Ning Shu's straightforwardness was shocking; in the palace, one had to navigate conversations carefully, and this bluntness was disarming for everyone present.
The other consorts exchanged awkward glances, their discomfort palpable. One by one, they excused themselves, clearly put off by Ning Shu's frankness.
As Noble Consort Du stormed out, Ning Shu couldn't help but smile. The rift between them was irreparable; better to discard the pretense of cordiality and make these women think twice before plotting against her.
After some thought, she decided to visit the Empress, her sister-in-law. The original host had usually confided in her, so their relationship was relatively good. But in the Inner Palace, true friendship was hard to come by, especially between a wife and her husband's younger sister.
Ning Shu made her way to the Phoenix Waters Palace. Upon entering, she saw the Empress seated on a serpentine, gem-adorned fragrant rosewood couch, with a four-section primrose-colored cedar screen woven with glass behind her.
When the Empress spotted Ning Shu, she quickly stood and walked over. Ning Shu curtsied. "My respects, Imperial Sister-in-law."
The Empress stopped her, taking her hand with a warm smile. "You look wonderful! Jiahui, you really gave Sister-in-law a fright. Your Imperial Older Brother even urged me to look after you."
"Thank you, Imperial Sister-in-law. Jiahui is almost fully recovered," Ning Shu replied.