*The pic above is Hui Lei and the snake is her beast, Ling while the dragon is Bai.*
THIRD PERSON POV
When the sun had risen, Huang Longwei, Feng Liqin, and their beast went back to the palace by riding on Bai. Xiaoli refused to ride Bai as she doesn't like flying but Feng Liqin made her change into her kitten form to make it easier for her. She agreed under one condition. He promises to make her his favorite dish that was only made during the New Year Festival. Feng Liqin did not want to agree at first since there was one ingredient that was hard to find but he did eventually after Huang Longwei gave a confirmation that the ingredient can easily be obtained within the palace.
Arriving at the palace, Huang Longwei was whisked away by Feng Liqin's father to see through the paperwork that he missed. Feng Liqin stood there dumbfounded. He wasn't sure where he has to go from there and asked Bai for help. Bai transformed into his small sized form and lead Feng Liqin away to his courtyard.
While they were on their way there, they bumped into one of the three Concubines that Huang Longwei has but was never interested in. Feng Liqin did not want to meet them. He knew they were trouble so he thought that it would be better to ignore her. Unfortunately for him, she stopped him.
"Good afternoon, Imperial Consort Feng. I don't think you know me but I'm Concubine Hui Lei." Hui Lei greeted as she stopped in front of him. Unlike other people that bowed when they see Feng Liqin, Hui Lei chose to greet him with her head held high as if she was above him. It was considered disrespectful but Feng Liqin ignored it.
"Oh, good afternoon to you too Concubine Hui. I'm sorry but I didn't know you were a Concubine. Please excuse me for not greeting you." Feng Liqin said while bowing his head down. Bai was furious as he sees this. He knew that Hui Lei was disrespecting the soon to be Empress and he was not pleased with how she was treating him. He became even angrier when she didn't bow back when he did to her. Bai stayed quiet and in his invisible form a little while longer to see what would happen next.
"Oh, my. You don't need to apologize. Besides, you were never interested to meet with us concubines when you came here. So it's not really your fault that you didn't notice me." Hui Lei said ignorantly.
Feng Liqin did not take her insult to heart. He knew what she was doing so he chose to be nice. "Umm, really? You think I did not want to meet you? I actually did want to but Emperor Huang Longwei did not let me. I'm sorry that you felt insulted or anything. I did not mean it."
Hui Lei smiled evilly. "If you did not mean it. Then why don't you follow me to one of the concubine's room to have tea? We would gladly have you with us." Hui Lei invited.
Feng Liqin was not sure about the invitation so he turned it down. "Again, I'm sorry Concubine Hui. Emperor Huang Longwei told me to go to my courtyard immediately. He told me not to leave or let anyone in as wanted me to prepare for an event tomorrow. I'm not sure what the event is about. He didn't say."
"I see. If that's the case, I'll see you soon. My sisters and I might come to meet you. So, be prepared. You wouldn't want to make a fool of yourself. " With that said, Hui Lei walked ahead without bowing in respect.
Once Hui Lei reappeared, Bai appears again. He growled. "How disrespectful of her. Who does she think she is? The Empress? If I could, I would bite her head off."
"Don't say that, Bai. Let her be for now. We shouldn't cause trouble when someone else would be doing it." Feng Liqin reassured Bai. The dragon nodded. They continued their way to the courtyard without meeting anyone.
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In one of the concubine's courtyard, Hui Lei and two more concubines were having tea. As they chatted with one another for a while, Hui Lei brought up Imperial Consort Feng into the conversation. Of course, it wasn't of pure intent.
"Sisters, what do you think of Imperial Consort Feng?" Hui Lei started.
The two concubines looked at each other with curiosity. Then, turned back to Hui Lei. "I don't really know what to think of him. I have neither seen nor been invited to meet with him yet. So, I'm not sure what to think of him." Said Li Mei. The white lotus concubine that was forced to enter the palace by her father, the finance minister.
"Well, I think that consort is just one of those arrogant young masters. Just because he enters the palace as an Imperial Consort, doesn't mean that he has the authority of an Empress. He doesn't show himself, he doesn't invite us to meet with him nor does he take the initiative to come and see us." The other concubine, Yi Xing says angrily. "If you want to know what I think, I think that he is a selfish, bratty young master." Hui Lei bowed down as if showing a sad figure when she was actually smiling wickedly.
"What's wrong, sister Hui?" Li Mei asked in concerned.
Hui Lei looked up with a sad look. "Well actually, I met Imperial Consort Feng just now. When I was on my way here." She paused for a while then, continued. "Imperial Consort Feng saw me but didn't make a gesture of wanting to greet me so I greeted him thinking that maybe it's he didn't know who I was. But when I greeted him, he ignored me. I stopped him to greet him again but he just glared at me. I didn't know why he didn't want to acknowledge me. Maybe it's because I didn't introduce myself clearly and when I did he rolled his eyes and said mean things to me." Li Mei gasped and Yi Xing became furious. "Before he left, his beast growled at me. He didn't even stop his beast from provoking me. He instead just smiled and laughed." Hui Lei continued her act with fake tears.
BAM!
Yi Xing slammed her fist on the table making the cups rattle and fall. Li Mei looked at Yi Xing's angered face and tried to console her. "Yi Xing, please calm down."
"How dare HE!?" Yi Xing screamed. "Who does he thinks he is!? The Empress!? I will not accept that a sister of mine was ridiculed as such!"
"Ah! Calm down please, sister Yi." Li Mei continued to calm Yi Xing that has a bad temper.
Watching Yi Xing's expression, Hui Lei secretly smirked to herself. Her plan was coming to a start and she would make sure that Imperial Consort Feng loses his status to the point of being banished.
"Sister Yi. Please don't be angry. I think that he must be in a bad mood. Maybe that's why he acted as such towards me." Hui Lei continued her pitiful act.
Yi Xing scoffed. "I don't believe that he would do that to you even if he was in a bad mood." Yi Xing then stood up. "I'm not tolerating this at all. I'm going to see him and give him a piece of my mind."
Li Mei gasped and tried to pull Yi Xing down. Before Yi Xing could step out, Hui Lei caught her attention. "Sister Yi! Please don't do it. I have a better idea." She smiled at Yi Xing with a glint.
Yi Xing returned the smile and walk back to sit opposite Hui Lei once she understood Hui Lei's gaze. They sat there talking with each other as Li Mei left after hearing bits of it.
At the end of the day, Hui Lei went back to her room. As she sat by the window watching the night sky, she smiled happily. She thought of the coming days where she will see someones downfall.
Suddenly, something slithered into her room. A hissing sound could be heard but she paid no mind to it. "What's gotten mistress looking so happy, hmm?" It said once it wound its way on Hui Lei's body.
"Oh, Ling. I met that stupid Consort today and managed to Yi Xing on my side on destroying him. All I need now is your poison as a last resort if what I plan does not happen in a few days." She said nonchalantly to her snake beast, Ling.
It chuckled evilly. "You and your dark heart. Whatever you wish, you will get. But, remember the price you must pay for it."
"Yes, yes. I know. I must pay its price once I no longer need you. I've collected a lot of gold for you already. So, don't worry." Hui Lei said without much thought in what Ling meant.
Ling chuckled darkly and went to its bed. Before sleeping, it looked at its mistress and watched her with a mischievous glint. Ling was pleased that he had a black hearted mistress. He can finally add something new to his collection after so long. Now, he is a waiting for outcome of his mistress with glee.
*Oooookaaaaaayyyyy..... I managed to finish up two chapters ðð  so please vote and comment if you like it or not satisfied and want to vent. I'll do some alterations according to what you want me to fix. ð*