Chapter 176: Heartless - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter

 Chapter 176: Heartless

Upon hearing the mention of the Emperor, Eunuch Wang's expression tightened before he calmly said, "In front of the palace, His Majesty personally conferred the title of Consort Shu upon the Qinglei's Goddess. Now, he is accompanying her to change into ceremonial attire in Zichen Hall. Thus, His Majesty has instructed that the consorts need not wait for him and may proceed to the banquet on their own."

"What!"

Consort Wei was so shocked by this news that her face turned pale. She looked as if someone had stolen her most cherished possession, glaring fiercely at Eunuch Wang, she said, "The Qinglei's Goddess? Isn't she an envoy? How could His Majesty confer her the title of consort? Doesn't this violate the laws of our Jin Dynasty? Is the Emperor out of his mind?"

Her words were so rushed that she even neglected the basic courtesies of addressing the Emperor.

Eunuch Wang secretly shook his head. Indeed, they were a family; even their way of speaking was similar. But the Emperor’s mind was the most difficult to fathom. Duke Wei had already angered the Emperor by overstepping once. If Consort Wei were to add fuel to the fire, wouldn’t the entire Wei family incur the Emperor’s wrath?

Not wanting to add to their woes, Eunuch Wang sighed. This matter would eventually come to light, so he might as well say it plainly, "Consort, this is already a settled matter. Duke Wei attempted to intervene and has been demoted to guard the imperial tomb. You must be cautious with your words."

"My father has been demoted to guard the imperial tomb? Eunuch Wang, you must be joking!"

"Matters of the court are not to be joked about. The decree has already been delivered to Duke Wei, and he will be departing in a few days."

Consort Wei staggered back, collapsing into a chair, her previous arrogance completely gone. She was now consumed with worry, "How could the Emperor do this? My father is old; how can he endure the hardship of guarding the tomb? No, I must see the Emperor and beg for his mercy!"

She was about to rush outside when the Empress sharply reprimanded her, "Insolent! Everyone is waiting at the banquet to start the feast. If you go to see the Emperor now and delay the proceedings, what then? Do you wish to lose your title as consort?"

"You!"

Consort Wei was seething with anger, ready to lash out.

The Empress and the Crown Princess must be overjoyed, thinking that with her father gone to guard the tomb, their power would be weakened, and they could take advantage of the situation. Turning back to look at the Empress, she saw that she stood firm, every word imbued with the authority of her position, and laughed coldly, "Empress, don’t speak too soon. Who will have the last laugh is still uncertain. Are you so eager to condemn me now? Dream on."

She had always been at odds with the Empress and would not back down at this moment. Pushing aside the palace maids blocking her way, she headed straight for Zichen Hall.

The Crown Princess, displeased with her arrogance, spoke to the Empress, "Mother, how can you tolerate her attitude? You are the mother of the nation, the head of the harem. Consort Wei’s actions are too presumptuous."

The Empress smiled faintly, "Why worry? She is rushing to anger the Emperor. She will face the consequences soon enough. Just watch, there will soon be a decree dealing with her."

Speaking with confidence, the Empress regarded Consort Wei as nothing more than a beautiful fool. For years, she had relied on her looks and family background to be rude to everyone in the harem. Now, with the arrival of the even more beautiful Consort Shu, a clash was inevitable. Why should the Empress get involved?

After the dust settled from their fight, she could clean up the mess. How delightful!

For a moment, all her long-held grievances dissipated. Taking the Crown Princess’s hand, she said, "Let's go. The Crown Prince is waiting for us at Ninghui Hall."

When certain things are put into perspective, they seem less important, like the Emperor's favor.

In Zichen Hall, Emperor Qi watched as the palace maids dressed and adorned Consort Shu, transforming her appearance. She was even more stunning, her beauty now enhanced.

The light purple palace attire made her skin look even fairer, and her originally breathtaking beauty was now even more prominent.

Seeing her smiling sweetly, the Emperor felt as if he had been transported back thirty years.

"No flower can match the beauty of my beloved consort and the fragrance of her adornments fills the palace. My love, your beauty is truly the most exquisite in this world!"

The Emperor couldn't stop praising her. If not for the envoys waiting at Ninghui Hall, he might have neglected his duties altogether.

Consort Shu looked at the Emperor, her expression as serene and elegant as a chrysanthemum in September, "Your Majesty flatters me. I heard that Consort Wei is also renowned for her beauty. I wonder how I compare to Sister Wei?"

Before the Emperor could respond, an angry voice came from outside, "How dare you compare yourself to me? Look in the mirror and see what you are!"

The Emperor frowned at the interruption and turned to see Consort Wei storming in. Her usual charm had turned into bitterness, "Consort Wei, mind your manners!"

The man who had always been obedient to her now seemed like a different person. With tears in her eyes, Consort Wei looked at him, "Your Majesty, I have served you for twenty years, and now you repay me with this insult?"

With his new beloved by his side, the Emperor couldn't bear to see the anguish on the face of the woman who had accompanied him for so long. Softening his tone, he said, "Consort Shu has come from afar. From now on, you are sisters. Why speak so harshly?"

"Sisters? I don’t have a sister who seduces other women’s husbands!"

The Emperor was taken aback by her retort, nearly losing his composure.

What was wrong with the Wei family today? Had his previous tolerance led them to dare challenge him now? Where was the Emperor's authority?

"Enough. Consort Wei, if you still wish to attend the banquet at Ninghui Hall, curb your arrogance. If not, return to Hanzhang Hall!"

His impatient tone cut through Consort Wei like a knife, "Are you abandoning me for this woman?"

Now, she was like a resentful wife, accusing the Emperor of infidelity and hating the new consort.

If her eyes could spew fire, she would burn Consort Shu for seducing the Emperor.

"Consort Wei! You are getting more and more out of line. Take her back to her palace. Without my decree, she is not to step outside!"

The Emperor's order was ruthless. Since entering the palace, she had enjoyed exclusive favor for so many years, but this was the first time she had been treated like this.

Consort Wei laughed bitterly as she stood up. The palace maids assigned to escort her didn’t dare approach, trembling where they stood.

"My father has been demoted to guard the tomb. What difference does it make if my palace is locked or not? If His Majesty’s anger remains unsatisfied, take my title of consort too."

She turned and left, completely disregarding the Emperor.

The palace maids in the hall all lowered their heads, fearing they might become the targets of the Emperor's wrath.

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