Chapter 434 - A Close Examination and Consort Zhao’s Plots (2/2)
It could be said that Ling Rui’er’s days were sweeter than honey. When she heard that the Empress Dowager wanted to send women into her manor, she immediately grew angry. No wonder her father had told her to beware of the Empress Dowager. He had said that the Empress Dowager was a daughter of the Ling family and would not make things difficult for her. However, Ling Rui’er only knew now that the Empress Dowager had never truly treated her as a niece.
Hatred bubbled in her heart.
“You are too kind, Your Majesty!” You Yue’e immediately stood up and bowed to the Empress Dowager.
Mo Xuetong, however, seemed a little insensible. She only reacted when she saw how You Yue’e behaved. She immediately stood up, curtsied, and thanked the Empress Dowager.
Ling Rui’er stood up unwillingly when she saw the two stand up. She curtsied to the Empress Dowager and looked like she did not even bother to speak.
The Empress Dowager took note of their behavior. When she saw the obvious disregard Ling Rui’er was showing, a flash of anger appeared in her eyes. However, she immediately hid it behind her benevolent smile. She said, “Sit down and talk. Why did you all stand up? Let’s not stand on ceremony today. We are all family, and we can just talk casually.”
“Your Majesty truly dotes on the consorts. I and Consort Zhao are so envious.” Consort Yu said with a sweet smile.
“That’s right, Your Majesty is so biased.” Consort Zhao complained as well. She glanced at Mo Xuetong. Consort Zhao had been watching her from time to time since Mo Xuetong entered.
Was she trying to find out if she and Feng Yuran were having problems?
Mo Xuetong laughed coldly to herself. However, she did not show this outwardly. She looked as if she was listening to them speak. Her eyes were clear and had the innocence of a child. It was as if she still had not understood what happened. The others could not help but exclaim that she was still very young and insensible.
Consort Yu patted her protruding stomach and smiled. She said, “The three consorts are young and it must be difficult to handle the back courtyard of a large family. Your Majesty, why don’t you bestow some second consorts to the three princes. They would be able to help the consorts take care of the princes and also help with the matters of the back courtyard. Consorts, what do you think?”Read more chapter on v ip novel. com
Indeed, that was the goal of today.
“Ah…” Mo Xuetong seemed not to understand what Consort Yu meant and she made a small sound. Then, she flushed and immediately covered her mouth, as if aware that she had made a mistake.
The yelp had disrupted Ling Rui’er’s peace. She looked at Mo Xuetong’s confused expression and the scheming look on the Empress Dowager’s face. She did not know how this could happen to her and immediately felt enraged.
Without waiting for the Empress Dowager to say anything, Ling Rui’er could not hold it back anymore. She turned to look at Consort Yu and said with a smile, “Consort Yu, I am not very tired. There are not many people in the King’s Manor, unlike the palace where there is a bunch of consorts. My aunt, the Empress must be very busy every day. However, there are still disobedient consorts who are full of themselves and so she doesn’t even have time for anything else.”
She was being rather impolite at this time.
Ling Rui’er truly disdained Consort Yu. In the past, Consort Yu had worked with them to plot against Mo Xuetong. But in the end, she had been rebuked and embarra.s.sed and even almost destroyed Ling Rui’er’s future. The woman was incompetent, and so what if she was pregnant with a little prince?
The Emperor’s adult sons were already so old. Would the son in her belly be able to change the tides!
Ling Rui’er looked at how Consort Yu was fawning over the Empress Dowager and then thought of how she used to b.u.t.ter up to the Empress. Ling Rui’er was almost as good as saying that Consort Yu was full of herself and sowing discord.
She called the Empress her aunt and addressed the Empress Dowager as such. It could be seen who she was closer to!
Consort Yu’s expression froze. She did not expect Ling Rui’er to embarra.s.s her so and did not know what to do.
“Rui’er, how could you say that!” The Empress Dowager slammed the cup of tea in her hands onto the table and yelled angrily.
“Your Majesty, you are right. I was wrong.” Ling Rui’er did not dare to argue with the Empress Dowager. She lowered her head and admitted that she was wrong. She continued, “I just wanted to say that there are only a few concubines in King Chu’s Manor. It is not difficult to manage.”
She could be considered to have refused the suggestion grievously. Coupled with what she said earlier, and if one thought about it carefully, they would feel uneasy. Consort Yu was in an uncomfortable state right now.
She wanted to rage but could not. Ling Rui’er might have been wrong, but she was the Empress Dowager’s niece. Furthermore, she was also King Chu’s consort. King Chu was the one who shone the most in court recently. As such, Consort Chu was not someone she could rebuke even if she wanted to. Consort Yu touched her stomach and lowered her head, hiding the viciousness in her eyes. When she had a royal son, she would have a chance to stomp on Ling Rui’er.
Consort Zhao turned to look from Mo Xuetong to Ling Rui’er. She examined the girl carefully and frowned imperceptibly.
She did not know Ling Rui’er’s temperament. She thought that the focus today was Mo Xuetong. As long as Mo Xuetong agreed, she would be able to send He Yufen into King Xuan’s Manor. She already knew that a chasm had appeared between Feng Yuran and Mo Xuetong because of the tea leaves. When He Yufen entered King Xuan’s Manor and did her work, she would make Feng Yuran grow tired of Mo Xuetong. Or she might even take Mo Xuetong’s life.
Anyway, she definitely had to make sure He Yufen would become King Xuan’s legal consort so that she could better control Feng Yuran.
She did not believe that Mo Xuetong would dare to disagree in front of the Empress Dowager.
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