Chapter 434 - A Close Examination and Consort Zhao’s Plots

“You’ve learned how to coax me as well.” The Empress Dowager laughed. She looked at Mo Xuetong as if she was waiting for her to speak.

Mo Xuetong fiddled with her sleeves uneasily. She looked nervous as she said, “Your Majesty, I used to celebrate Father’s birthday with Mother. Mother sewed Father a painting and he liked it very much.”

Even though she did not manage to complete her statement, everyone understood her idea.

“Giving His Majesty an embroidery? His Majesty is a man, what would he need an embroidery for?” You Yue’e said coldly. She had not spoken as well earlier. When she heard what Mo Xuetong had to say, she immediately retorted sarcastically.

“Then I truly do not know. Please forgive me, Your Majesty.” Mo Xuetong appeared to look as if she was relieved as she gave the Empress Dowager a small smile.

Gifting an embroidery was the most innocuous gift. Even if the Empress Dowager were to make use of her suggestion, the embroidery would be provided by various families. Even if there were truly an issue, it would have nothing to do with Mo Xuetong. Even if the Empress Dowager wanted to take the opportunity to make trouble, she would not be able to implicate Mo Xuetong.

Furthermore, gifting an embroidery as a birthday gift was something ordinary folks would do as well.

Embroidering a longevity picture or a picture of a hundred sons celebrating at a birthday banquet and gifting them to the person celebrating a birthday was good luck. Of course, it would not be as bad as You Yue’e made it out to be. Fortunately, she had already made a suggestion today. If the Empress Dowager still had any ideas on how to make things difficult for her, she just had to deal with them. Furthermore, it seemed that Mo Xuetong was not the only person the Empress Dowager wanted to deal with today. She did not have to go up against the Empress Dowager now.

However, You Yue’e’s distaste for her had grown. She did not know what was wrong with the brother and sister pair from the You family. They all seemed to go crazy whenever they saw her. They would charge at her and growl at her menacing each time. The enmity between them had really been sown in their past lives for Mo Xuetong had not done anything to them!

“Even though Consort Xuan’s suggestion is ordinary, it’s not bad either. Rui’er, note it down first and we can pick later. There should be more ideas so we can pick the best to satisfy His Majesty.” The Empress Dowager said while looking at You Yue’e.

You Yue’e flushed after being disregarded by the Empress Dowager. She immediately realized that she had crossed the line. She lowered her head and did not dare to say anything else.

King Yan’s predicament was not much better than King Ning’s. He was still locked up in the manor and You Yue’e was still mad about that.

She had always been the best among all the other noble ladies. She thought that she would be of even higher status after marrying King Yan and becoming Consort Yan. However, not only did her status not become higher, she had been played as well. She had been locked up in King Yan’s manor. When she saw Mo Xuetong, she could not help but unleash the anger she felt.

Everyone had gotten married on the same day. Why should Mo Xuetong’s life be better than hers and be getting better every day?

“Your Majesty is so thoughtful. There should indeed be more selections so we can choose the better ones. These young ladies are all as beautiful as flowers. I think that they are all great.” Consort Yu covered her mouth with a handkerchief and looked up with a smile. She gestured with her fingers, intentionally twisting the Empress Dowager’s words.

Many young ladies lowered their heads shyly when they heard that.

“You’re right, I think so too. You ladies are beautiful. The younger sisters that His Majesty brought to the back of the palace are all very beautiful. Her Majesty had picked them out especially for His Majesty. She had put in so much effort. His Majesty rewarded Her Majesty handsomely because of this.” Consort Zhao picked up the fan and waved it as she sighed and added on to what Consort Yu had to say.

Mo Xuetong lowered her eyes. A hint of a cold smirk appeared on the side of her lips. She did not believe that the Empress Dowager would gather people to praise the Empress.

Indeed, the Empress Dowager laughed and said, “The Empress is a virtuous and gracious woman. The Emperor rewarding her and respecting her is normal. A woman should be more gracious to ensure peace in the family. Then, she would be able to bring good fortune to her husband and teach her sons well. She would then be able to receive love and respect from her husband...”

Then, the Empress Dowager nagged on about how a legal wife should be as kind and gracious as the Empress. She praised the Empress wildly and even spoke as if the Emperor was deeply in love and indebted to the Empress. She nagged on for a while, and with Consort Yu and Consort Zhao chiming in from time to time. They made the whole thing sound realistic.

Mo Xuetong lowered her head and pretended to listen while she thought to herself. The Empress Dowager was behaving very weirdly today. Why was she so free? She spoke about the Empress as if they were sisters. If she wanted to promote what the Empress had done, she did not need to mention it over and over again in front of Consort Yu, Consort Zhao, and so many young madams and young ladies.

Mo Yu, who was standing behind Mo Xuetong, poked Mo Xuetong slightly. Mo Xuetong looked up and saw the He sisters in the crowd of young ladies with a look of excitement on their faces. They could not hide the excitement in their eyes as if something good would happen today. Mo Xuetong had a sudden epiphany. She thought of what the Empress Dowager, Consort Yu, and Consort Zhao said earlier and immediately understood.

No wonder they wanted some young ladies to come to the palace today. The young madams were probably here so that they could give Mo Xuetong a reason to come as well!

However, when did the relationship between Consort Yu and Consort Zhao become so good!

Was it because He Yuxiu was going to marry Yu Mingyong? It was a pity. If Consort Yu knew that Consort Zhao had secretly plotted against her, would she still laugh so exuberantly?

“Your Majesty, don’t keep praising your daughter-in-law here. Your other granddaughters-in-law are also all tolerant and gracious. Don’t only look at your daughter-in-law, look at your granddaughters-in-law.” Consort Yu said with a smile. She managed to easily turn the topic to the three young consorts.

“Of course, they are great too.” The Empress Dowager smiled and then turned to look from Ling Rui’er to You Yue’e and Mo Xuetong.

Ling Rui’er’s face turned pale at that.

They were all intelligent people who understood what the Empress Dowager was implying. Ling Rui’er looked at the crowd of young ladies who all shyly acknowledged what the Empress Dowager had said. She opened her mouth and found that she could not reply.

She could not be compared to You Yue’e and Mo Xuetong. She had only been married for slightly more than ten days and was at the honeymoon period with Feng Yuxuan. Feng Yuxuan had gone to her room every day in order to placate the Ding General Manor. Even though he had a few bed maids and concubines, he had learned from Feng Yuran and left them to the side. He did not allow them to make trouble for Ling Rui’er.

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 embarrassed 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 butter 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 embarrass 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.