Having walked out of the bedroom, Gu Yunxi saw five women in the hall. Two were sitting and three were standing, talking about something in a low voice.

On hearing gentle footsteps approaching, they all looked in the direction of the sounds and saw Gu Yunxi.

Suddenly, it was silent in the hall.

In front of them, it was the Emperor's favorite concubine who was only about eighteen or nineteen years old. She had fair skin and a lovely face, looking as beautiful as a lotus in snow.

There wasn't much makeup on her small face. She was poised and was as charming as a woman who had just been in the Emperor's favor.

Her pretty eyes were shiny and bright, looking like a pool of spring water, shining with knowledge.

She had a delicate nose, pink lips, a slender neck, and a trim waist.

She had changed into a bright silk royal outfit with less obvious patterns. On top of that, she wore a white tunic with large sleeves. Her black hair was tied into a ruched side bun, decorated with begonia-shaped emerald and pearl hair clasps.

This refreshing and simple style showed her beautiful shape, gorgeous and dazzling.

Looking at the five faces with their awkward expressions, Gu Yunxi found it very funny.

Approaching closer to them with small steps, with both her hands beside one hip, Gu Yunxi curtsied.

"Greetings, sisters."

“Oh, Yunxi, you are being too polite. Please get up.”

The woman sitting on a rosewood stool on the east side of the hall stood up first, quickly walked in front of Gu Yunxi, and reached out her hands to hold her.

Having seen this, the other four followed the woman, walking towards Gu Yunxi.

The chief maid of Jingyang Palace, Dong Zhu, walked to Gu Yunxi's side, smiling and speaking in a low voice.

"Your Grace, these ladies are Concubine Liang of Chuxiu Palace, Concubine Xian of Yongning Palace, Lady Wan of Hanxiang Hall, Jieyu Jiang of Feihong Hall and Meiren Qi of Shuangyi Hall."

The woman, who spoke to Gu Yunxi first, was Concubine Liang.

She wore a multicolored silk blouse with chrysanthemum patterns and a water-colored skirt decorated with clouds and eight treasures. She had Ruyi-shaped double buns. The jewelry pinned on them was gold with hints of silver and pearls from the North East. There were also a couple of hollowed-out orchid-shaped hairpins with tassels, gleaming radiantly as she walked.

She was delectable, brimming with the liveliness of spring. She was dressed in a glamorous fashion, beautiful as the moon in autumn, looking proud.

Concubine Xian next to her wore a light pink silk blouse with a design of falling orchids and drifting clouds, and a long dark yellow pleated skirt. She had her hairstyle a Duoma Bun (a bun that falling to one side). Although there were many accessories on it, it didn't look as flamboyant as Concubine Liang's.

The other three concubines had lower status, so they didn't dress up as finely as the two consorts of the Emperor.

Seeing Gu Yunxi, Concubine Liang felt incredibly jealous, but she had to fight back her jealousy, forcing a smile.

"We know you are delicate, and we wanted to come and visit you a long time ago. However, we were worried that we might disturb you. Today I heard that you had been out of Jingyang Palace. I thought you must have recovered, so I quickly came here.

I didn't ask for your permission before having sat down. Please don't take any offense at it."

Gu Yunxi's lovely eyes shone brightly, smiling gently, and saying.

"Sister Concubine Liang, there is no need to say that. It is nice that you treat me as someone you are familiar with. I entered the palace later than you, so I don't know the rules of the palace very well. Please bear with me."

"You are being too polite. All of us serve His Majesty, so we should support each other anyway. If you are bored, you should come and visit me in Chuxiu Palace."

Concubine Liang smiled meaningfully. She seemed cunning but immediately, she was looking into Gu Yunxi's pretty face.

"Thank you, sister." Gu Yunxi only smiled faintly and raised her head slightly.

"Let's go sit at the table. Dong Zhu, serve tea."

Everyone sat at the square table. Four exquisite snacks, cheesecakes, sweet nutty pancakes, rosy hawthorn jelly and creamy mung bean cakes, were served up one by one.

Concubine Xian supped some fragrant tea, holding a carved teacup of pure white jade and looking at it closely. Then, her jealous eyes roamed to every corner of the hall.

"His Majesty really loves you, Yunxi. Look, compared to my Yongning Palace, every brick and tile of your Jingyang Palace looks finer."

Gu Yunxi smiled gently.

"You are being too kind. The previous owner of this palace, Imperial Mother Yu, and I grew up together in the Garden. His Majesty is kind to me. He thought if I lived here for the moment, I would recover more quickly by thinking of the past."

Concubine Liang took a bite on a creamy mung bean cake, looking at Concubine Xian, smiled and said.

"That is true. Despite all the furniture here being plated either with gold or silver, it is beautiful here with pavilions and an artificial lake outside. If there should be a small boat on the lake, this place would be like a small version of the imperial garden!"

"I heard that Imperial Mother Yu was the former Emperor's favorite concubine. In the time of Emperor Chengxi, Jingyang Palace was also given to his favorite Noble Concubine Lan to live in."

"Only the most favored concubines, like you, Yunxi, could have such exquisite food and drink and live in such a beautiful palace!"

Concubine Liang deliberately spoke very slowly. Seemingly, she had casually finished her words, but she secretly peered at Concubine Xian, trying to see her expression.

Concubine Xian looked upset, realizing that Concubine Liang was belittling her by complimenting Lady Yun.

Concubine Xian, Meng Jingqi, was the daughter of Meng Fang, the Hussar General of the Heavy Defense Camp of the Capital Army. She usually liked martial arts and rarely behaved like a lovely woman, so Huanan Xin didn't like her very much.

Her and the Emperor's marriage was nothing more than a political marriage. Since the marriage, the Emperor had only visited her two or three times. The moment she had been promoted to be a consort, she had gained the Emperor's disfavor.

And now, in front of everyone, Concubine Liang seemed to be praising Gu Yunxi, but actually, it was her laughing at Concubine Xian for being in disfavor. This was just like sowing discord between Gu Yunxi and Concubine Xian.

Concubine Xian's face turned pale. She furiously glared at the smiling Concubine Liang and then coldly looked at Gu Yunxi who looked calm.

Gu Yunxi's white hand was fiddling with a handkerchief. She was holding a piece of cheesecake and savoring it. She pursed her full lips, putting on a faint smile.

Having just swallowed a piece of the cake, she was interrupted. Meiren Qi was looking down, tutting and laughing aloud.

"Alas, I am happy that I could come here to visit Yunxi's palace with you, Sister Concubine Liang. I won't hope for anything more from now on.

Everyone has a different fate. But speaking of such an unlucky person, there is absolutely no need to compare her with a concubine who can live in Jingyang Palace despite only being a third rank concubine. Although she is a consort, she will never get anything like those favors of Yunxi's in this life!"

"You..."

Concubine Liang became speechless and angry at those words. Her fair-skinned face immediately blushed, and the smile disappeared.

The hall was deadly silent for a moment.

Gu Yunxi knew too well the horrible tricks and schemes played out amongst all the women here.

It seemed like the five of them were actively chatting with each other, being complimentary of the favor Gu Yunxi had gained and how much more well treated she was than the others.

In fact, this was their trick to destroy Gu Yunxi by overpraising her, making Gu Yunxi the target for everyone to attack.

No matter during which dynasty, all the women in the imperial harem always competed for the same man. Who didn't want the Emperor to love her only and to become the Emperor's favorite?

The newly favored newcomer was beautiful and charming. Naturally, the other concubines would envy and attack her.

There were cute dimples near Gu Yunxi's small pink mouth. She looked graceful, not showing any annoyance or embarrassment.

She looked at Concubine Liang with her clear and bright almond-shaped eyes, gently putting her hand on the back of her hand, saying calmly.

"Sisters, you are flattering me. When I was small due to misfortunate in the family, I was adopted by the former person in charge of the Garden. I haven't seen much. I will never be a person from a noble background and will never be as proper and cultured as you.

I can have what I have now because of His Majesty's generosity. I only hope that you will not dislike me and will give me some advice."

Gu Yunxi's tone was gentle, and she looked respectful and humble. Her lovely and fragile look instantly calmed Concubine Liang down and made her have more compassion for her. She held Gu Yunxi's slender fingers, saying while looking down and frowning.

"Ah, poor you. Why are you so thin? You are just recovered so you should have some nutritious food. There is good quality ginseng and cubilose in my palace. They are nutritious and mild. I will get someone to send some to you tomorrow."

"Thank you, sister." Gu Yunxi smiled softly.

On the opposite side, Jieyu Jiang tidied dessert crumbs off her ten fingers, smiling cunningly.

"Yunxi, I'm often told by people in the palace that people from the Shanggong Bureau deliver things to you from time to time. What nice things did His Majesty give you? Since we have come here together today, how about showing them to us?"

"Er..." Gu Yunxi smiled awkwardly.

Jieyu Jiang's voice sounded sweet, but there was a trace of unkindness, steadily striking towards her opponent.

Gu Yunxi couldn't help but secretly sigh, thinking these evil women knew everything!

In less than half a year after returning to the palace, to please her, Huanan Xin had frequently told people in Shanggong Bureau to deliver many exotic treasures to the Jingyang Palace.

If she refused Jieyu Jiang's request, word would get out that she, Gu Yunxi, was stingy.

If she fulfilled Jieyu Jiang's request, she would get the reputation of someone who liked showing off and was arrogant.

The women, who had just been squabbling, were surprisingly united at this moment. They gazed at Gu Yunxi with a contemptuous sneer, having no intention of letting her go.

On one side, Lady Wan was holding a hairpin inlaid with shells on her hair, giggling and trying to provoke Gu Yunxi.

"Never mind. Never mind. Why do you have to make things difficult for Yunxi? Those things show His Majesty's affection for her. Why would she just take out her private treasures, that carry their love, to show everyone?"

Gu Yunxi suddenly got up, looking gentle.

"It's all right. Since you have done me a great honor by coming to visit me today, how could I be so stingy? I will show what you want to see and take out all the interesting things in the Jingyang Palace to share them with you."