The Daily Life of a Concubine

Chapter 83 - The Demonic Wen Xiuyi

Wen Xiuyi entered in her full court dress, fitting for her rank, looking both luxurious and dignified. Her abdomen was noticeably swollen, clearly showing that she was pregnant, and it appeared she was about six months along.

"Greetings to the Empress. Wishing Your Majesty peace and good health." Wen Xiuyi performed a grand bow upon entering.

The Empress was perplexed. Wen Xiuyi's full dress and such a formal greeting left her baffled. "Rise. You are with a child, and the weather is cold. Why venture out?"

With so many pregnant consorts in the palace, the Empress had long exempted them from attending to her in person. Moreover, since the Empress Dowager returned to the palace, the Emperor had declared that for the sake of the royal offspring, none of the consorts were required to make appearances. He assured that he would handle matters with the Empress Dowager himself.

As a result, few visited the Empress's quarters anymore. Even those who came were quickly dismissed. Over time, everyone settled into this new routine.

"Your Majesty, I have come to report on Lan Guifei." Wen Xiuyi's face twisted unpleasantly as she spoke.

The Empress was startled by her words. What was Wen Xiuyi planning?

The Empress clearly had no desire to listen further. "Wen Xiuyi, with the New Year approaching, any issues can be addressed after the festivities. Both His Majesty and I are preoccupied this year, as you surely understand."

Wen Xiuyi's family had recently reported on the Prime Minister's corruption, resulting in Wen Xiuyi's father receiving a promotion. It was likely that after Wen Xiuyi gave birth, she too would be elevated in rank. While she might not yet be vying for the title of Imperial Consort, the rank of Zhaorong was certainly within reach. After all, she hadn't held the title of Jieyu for very long.

She had been promoted from Jieyu to Xiuyi, leaping three ranks in a short period—an honor typically reserved for palace consorts with significant backing from powerful families.

Wen Xiuyi was about to speak again, but the Empress interrupted her. "This is His Majesty's will." The matter of the Tan family was still unresolved, and regardless of what Lan Guifei had done in the past, she had just lost a child and was currently in the Emperor's favor. Now was not the time to act.

The Empress wasn't particularly fond of Wen Xiuyi. The woman was far too transparent in her ambitions. Yet someone still viewed her as a loyal ally. How naive.

Wen Xiuyi hadn't expected the Empress to be so indifferent to the downfall of Consort Gui. "If Your Majesty misses this opportunity, who knows when the next one will come? Do you truly not care?"

Watching Wen Xiuyi's foolishness, the Empress just wanted to dismiss her. However, given that Wen Xiuyi was pregnant, it wouldn't be appropriate to have her forcibly removed.

"Lan Guifei's situation is tied to matters of the court. This isn't something you or I can decide. Despite any past mistakes she may have made, she has just lost a child and His Majesty is compassionate towards her. Wen Xiuyi, it would be best for you to wait." The Empress had to explain patiently.

It was exhausting.

Wen Xiuyi was speechless. If the Emperor wasn't currently favoring her, she wouldn't have come to the Empress in the first place. The Empress, in her eyes, seemed utterly useless—outwitted by Lan Guifei.

"Then I've disturbed Your Majesty. I shall take my leave." She still wasn't willing to give up. If the Empress wouldn't help, there were others who hated Lan Guifei. "I shall retreat for now."

"Very well. You're already showing. Be sure to prioritize your unborn child above all else."

As Wen Xiuyi left Kunning Palace, she glanced back at the palace plaque, her thoughts hidden from those around her.

"Where to now, Your Ladyship?" asked Hua Zhi, the maid who attended Wen Xiuyi.

Wen Xiuyi was unsure herself. She had assumed the Empress would be eager to bring down Consort Gui, but the rejection had thrown her plans off course. She had worn her formal attire just to make a point, but it had all been for nothing.

The Empress simply didn't want to make enemies until the matter with the Tan family was settled. But Wen Xiuyi was unafraid. Her family had sent word that the Tan family was on the verge of collapse. Lan Guifei was no longer a threat.

Since entering the palace, Wen Xiuyi had aligned herself with Lan Guifei's faction, but she had always been waiting for this moment. Now that it had finally arrived, the Empress had refused to cooperate.

No matter. If the Empress wouldn't help, she would find someone else.

"Let's go to Yangchun Palace." If she remembered correctly, the lady there held a deep grudge against Lan Guifei, stemming from their days before entering the palace. With Lan Guifei in trouble now, surely she would be eager to take advantage of it.

Inside Kunning Palace, the Empress sighed. "Must there be such chaos, especially around the New Year?" she murmured after hearing that Wen Xiuyi had gone to Yangchun Palace.

Yangchun Palace housed Liangfei. Despite her normally gentle demeanor, the Empress knew that Liangfei harbored deep hatred towards Lan Guifei.

In the early days, Liangfei had once been on par with Lan Guifei in terms of favor from the Emperor. But Lan Gufei, being jealous by nature, couldn't tolerate anyone outshining her. Having the Empress above her was already difficult enough, let alone Liangfei, who had entered the palace as a consort.

The rivalry between the two had escalated when Liangfei suffered a miscarriage. The imperial physicians had found that she had ingested safflower in large quantities, rendering her permanently infertile. This pushed Liangfei to the edge. She had repeatedly tried to destroy Lan Guifei, thinking that if she could no longer bear children, then Lan Guifei shouldn't be able to either.

But what Liangfei didn't know was that Lan Guifei had been made infertile long before entering the palace.

Their bitter feud had been intense, but eventually, the Emperor intervened, forcing a truce. From then on, Liangfei gave up on competing for favor, but she buried her hatred deep inside.

Liangfei's bitterness extended not only towards Lan Guifei but also towards the Emperor. From that moment, she began avoiding his attention, and over time, the Emperor stopped visiting her altogether. She lived in a limbo, neither advancing nor retreating.

Her only remaining hope was to avenge her lost child, but Lan Guifei was still under the Emperor's protection, and she hadn't found an opportunity yet. When Liangfei learned that LAN Guifei was unable to bear children, she felt a sense of satisfaction and became much more amiable.

But that didn't mean her hatred had lessened.

It was smart of Wen Xiuyi to approach her.

The Empress now only hoped that there would be no scandal during the New Year festivities. After all, if anything went wrong, even she would be implicated. It would be disgraceful for the imperial family.

Inside Yangchun Palace, Wen Xiuyi didn't waste any time and revealed her intentions to Liangfei.

Liangfei's smile faded. "Oh? You intend to use me as a weapon." It wasn't a question, but a statement. "You're not qualified. Do you really think I'm unaware of the court's affairs?"

Wen Xiuyi's foolishness astounded her.