Liu Zhi walked carefully to Honored Consort Deng and whispered, "The little young master has hurt his knees, and the Empress is very worried. Therefore, she temporarily went over to have a look at him, and now she is on her way back."

Wei Changying did not know which little young master she was talking about, but Honored Consort Deng immediately snorted and said, "The people in the Eastern Palace are getting more and more ridiculous! How do they do their works? A'lin is less than three years old now so that they should pay more attention to a child at such a young age! I can't believe that they let the imperial grandson hurt his knees! Were wet nurses and maidservants all dead?"

Hearing what the Honored Consort said, Wei Changying suddenly realized that the so-called little young master was the youngest son of the Crown Prince. According to the system of the Great Vi, all the daughters of the Crown Prince would be titled to be Infantas and the sons of the Crown Princess would be titled to be Dukes. Yet the sons of the concubines had to wait until the Crown Prince took the throne to be titled as Dukes with the identity of Princes.

Of course, there were exceptions to those who were particularly favored. But now the Crown Prince was not yet married, so these children born by the concubines had not met the Crown Princess. Regardless they were favored or not, it would be hard for them to be titled.

Without titles, even if they were Princes, they could still be called as young masters according to the rules among the common people.

When Wei Changying heard that Empress Gu would leave her adopted daughter's birthday party for this grandson, she couldn't help but felt grateful for Song Zaishui. No matter what happened to the other children of the Crown Prince, at least the imperial grandson, whom Honored Consort Deng called A'lin, gained Empress Gu's love. Honored Consort said that he was not yet three years old. Even if the Crown Princess got pregnant as soon as she married into the Eastern Palace and gave birth to a boy, he would still be four years younger than A'lin.

Who could be certain about the future dispute between these two boys?

Just thinking about this, it would make people worry a great deal!

Since she thought of Song Zaishui, Wei Changying felt that Liu Ruoyu was too pitiful. Thinking in this way, she subconsciously looked around the hall but was surprised not to find Liu Ruoyu. She wondered, "Just now in the Qianqiu Pavilion, I saw Liu Ruoyu and Liu Ruoye together. But it seemed that Liu Ruoyu was already gone when I left the Qianqiu Pavilion. Why hasn't she come back yet? Isn't she afraid of offending Princess Linchuan or the Empress?"

While she was thinking of this, she heard the laughter of the Empress Gu from the back of the screen. She said, "Why is the hall so quiet now?"

When everyone heard the voice of the Empress, they all became serious.

The Empress, who had changed her dress, stepped out with a smile, lifted her hair, looked around, and said, "I was thinking that maybe it was because I had been gone too long, you were angered by my neglect that you all left me!"

Honored Consort Deng was still holding her cheek and leaning against the case. She answered lazily, "I just heard from Liu Zhi that A'lin was hurt, which startled everyone! The people in the Eastern Palace are so careless. I don't know how they take care of A'lin!"

Empress Gu raised her sleeves and said to the people who were getting up to salute, "You don't have to be restricted by rules. Have a seat." It was only then that she answered Honored Consort Deng, "It was A'lin himself who was naughty, and the nurse coaxed him out of climbing on the chair, but he wouldn't listen. This time he didn't fall hard. I hope he can learn a lesson from this so that he can remember that there are some things that can't be done. If he does, he will inevitably get hurt. In the end, he will still be the one who gets hurt."

Honored Consort Deng said faintly, "You are right, Sister Empress. I am worried that A'lin is still young and may not be able to understand the good intentions of you so that in the end he will not live up to your expectations."

Empress Gu’s eyes glisened. She smiled and said, "Sister Honored Consort, please rest assured. Although there are always some people in this world who would not turn back until they hit the south wall and do not turn back even if they have hit the south wall, smart people take the majority. And I think A'lin is very smart that he won't let me down."

"Since this is your wish." Honored Consort Deng sipped Lychee Green slowly and said, "I hope it will come... huh?" She broke off in mid-sentence. Honored Consort Deng suddenly put down the wine cup and said a little angrily, "What's in here?"

The palace people who served her hurriedly bowed her body and replied carefully, "Madam, it seems to be a hair."

"It's filthy!" Honored Consort Deng pushed the wine cup away in disgust and said, "How careless you are! Hurry up and change everything on this table!"

… After the war of words between the Empress and Honored Consort, the hall was already very quiet. Now the Honored Consort sounded as if she wanted to wish the Empress a "dream coming true," yet in the middle of the conversation, she turned the topic to the hair in the wine cup. It could be seen that she had the meaning of cursing or laughing at the Empress's wishes that were just a dream.

The imperial madams all sat still and did not make a sound.

Empress Gu's face was a little livid, and she looked down. If she didn't take such a look, Wei Changying would almost forget that there were more than two consorts in the hall today. Before, Wei Changying was worried about being questioned by the Honored Consort, and she then observed the imperial madams. Unexpectedly, she ignored the two new favorites in the hall who had attracted many discussions in recent years.

The woman who was looked by the Empress was a woman in a pale yellow dress, wearing a bun with only a gem and pomegranate flower hair clasp on it. A string of coral beads hung down to her sideburns which added an air of joy against her snowy skin.

The woman was beautiful, and her eyebrows frowned slightly even when she smiled so that she had a melancholy beauty all the time like a bluegrass weeping in the wind. Though the bluegrass was plain and light and was inconspicuous in silence, once it was noticed, it was so melancholy and beautiful that it was easy to arouse people's desire to explore more of it.

… This was Lady Zhong, who entered the palace as the daughter of the common people in Qingzhou because of her poor family. Later, due to Honored Consort Deng's introduction of Jieyu Miao, Empress Gu's single favored status for many years was shaken. As a result, she had to recommend Mrs. Zhong as the imperial concubine to divide Jieyu Miao's favor from the Emperor.

The reason that the Empress Gu chose Mrs. Zhong must be her humble origins that without the support of a well-known family, she would be easy to control, but Mrs. Zhong's unique beauty of melancholy must also be another reason for Empress Gu to choose her.

Wei Changying subconsciously took a look at the direction above her. Mrs. Zhong got promoted from a palace maid to an imperial concubine and directly divided Jieyu Miao's favor from the Emperor. But Jieyu Miao directly shook the position of Empress Gu, who could be considered as both indescribably beautiful and cunningly tactical.

Even though there were the means and help from the Honored Consort, the ability of Jieyu Miao could be imagined. Jieyu Miao actually didn't let Wei Changying down: she was about 18 or 19 years old and had a beautiful face. Her fascinating eyes looked like lake waves. Empress Gu's eyes, which looked like spring water, had been very intoxicating, and Wei Changying almost suspected that the Empress had especially practiced to have such a pair of eyes. But the expression in the eyes of Jieyu Miao was different from that of Empress Gu.

Perhaps because of her age, Jieyu Miao's expressions were more lively and flexible than the Empress. Especially when she smiled, her eyebrows were moving, and the whole person looked in high spirits. After all, the brilliance of youth was not the same as the grace and tranquility after years of experience.

The Emperor was over sixty. Since ancient times, which emperors did not look forward to having immortality and youth? The beauty of the Empress was still the same, but Jieyu Miao, who was young and had the same intoxicating eyes as the Empress, would make the Emperor feel more rejuvenated and happy, wouldn't she?

No wonder that even with Lady Zhong, Jieyu Miao not only was still in her status but also had a peaceful relationship with the adopted sixteenth and seventeenth Princes.

Wei Changying lowered her eyes and thought, "Empress Gu must hate the Honored Consort a lot." No matter whether the Empress was born with bright eyes, or trained this pair of watery eyes with painstaking effort and perseverance, Honored Consort Deng introduced a new person, who had the proudest aspect of the Empress Gu. And all of a sudden, she struck down the Empress...

This strike from the Honored Consort was ruthless enough.

She was thinking of other things. And when she got back her attention again, Lady Zhong was already halfway through her words and was saying, "… This is also what His Majrsty instructed me in front of you last time."

Honored Consort Deng's color was not good. When she was about to speak, Jieyu Miao already smiled, with a pair of eyes sweeping past like autumn water, and said fawningly, "Sister Zhong's words are so disturbing to people's good moods! Today is Her Royal Highness's birthday! Why do you have to mention Sister Deng's Health? Isn't Sister Deng here all right? Should not she get mad...? Sister Deng always has a good temper, and today she only said several words when she saw that there was hair fallen in the wine cup. In Sister Zhong’s opinion, we will not be allowed to say anything when we see unpleasant things in the utensils that the servants give to us?"

At this point, Miao Jieyu said apologetically to the Empress, "Your Highness, please don't mind. I didn't mean that your servants are bad. I only mean that the palace people who help pack things for Sister Deng were a little careless. After all, it is the princess's birthday today. How can she be so careless? Thanks to Sister Deng's good temper, if it was me, I'm afraid I wouldn’t be able to eat for a few days. Oh, watch my mouth. In a word, Sister Zhong, what you just said has gone too far. Although the Emperor instructed you in front of Sister Deng to remind her to take care of herself, isn't Sister Deng fine now? Isn't it unwise for you to remind her of this now?"

She then raised her sleeve to cover her mouth, smiled and bent her eyebrows, and said, "Sister Zhong, you know it, I don't learn to read many words so that I speak bluntly. His Majesty also praises me for this, so please don't mind." She smiled lovingly at the Empress again, "What do you think, Her Highness?"

Her eyes were intoxicating and her voice was sweet and mellow, which would surpass that of the Empress Gu. She talked like a lark, but her tone was naive and funny, which made it seem to have no bad intention or malice at all.

Empress Gu took an expressionless look at her. Lady Zhong took a side way glance with the corner of her eyes at the Empress's face. Suddenly, she bit her lower lip and said in a low voice, "Sister Miao is wrong. I truly care about the Honored Consort! Even if Sister Miao thinks that I speak out of turn, I still want to say it for the good of the Honored Consort!"

She said solemnly to Honored Consort Deng, "Last time the Emperor said that the Honored Consort is aging, and she’s not as healthy as when she was young. Therefore, he asked me to pay more attention when I would get along with her and don't let the Honored Consort damage her body without knowing it! I dare not go against the Emperor! The Honored Consort just got angry because there was hair in the wine. In my opinion, it's better to withdraw from the table first and get a diagnosis from the imperial doctor!"

Wei Changying saw it very clearly. When Lady Zhong said that "the Emperor said that the Honored Consort is aging," Honored Consort Deng's facial expression turned unpleasant. And when she heard she said that "her health is not as good as when she was young," there was already obvious anger in the eyes of Honored Consort Deng. After hearing "damage the body without knowing it," Honored Consort Deng's breath became hard all of a sudden!

Seeing that the Honored Consort was about to break out on the spot, Empress Gu raised the corner of her mouth, while Deng Wanwan grabbed her aunt's sleeve with force. After all, Miao Jieyu was promoted by the Honored Consort. She cried out in a fuss, "Sister Zhong! You've gone too far! Today, Empress Dowager Wang and Old Madam are here. Although they are all elderly according to what you said, which one of them is not aglow with health? Is it not right to be a little older than you? If this is true, how can the Empress deal with everything?"

... It was now Empress Gu's turn to have a dirty look on her face!