Chapter 17

Consort Chen's face immediately darkened when she heard this.

She glared at Consort Yun, and her vicious eyes fell on Consort Shu's bulging belly again, a fleeting loss flashing through her brows.

However, she soon straightened her back again and resumed her usual arrogance, coldly laughing:

"Consort Shu's belly is so round and plump, clearly a fortunate person. How could she run into the same misfortune as I did?"

Song Zhao already knew before entering the palace that Consort Chen was the first to spread the good news about her belly.

However, she had bad luck. She fell at the door of her own palace when she was six months pregnant, and the good child was lost just like that.

I heard that because of this, Xiao Jingheng always felt indebted to her. After her body recovered, his favor for her was even greater than before.

What she just said to Consort Shu were actually not kind words.

There was a folk saying that a woman with a round belly will give birth to a girl, while a woman with a pointed belly will give birth to a boy. Consort Chen saying that Consort Shu's belly was round and plump implied that even if she gave birth this time, it would most likely be just a useless princess.

Consort Shu naturally understood her implied meaning, and the smile on her face froze as well.

Consort Chen glanced at her disdainfully, then lazily bowed to the Empress and said,

"The Emperor has invited this concubine to share lunch with him, afraid of being late and delaying the time, so I'll take my leave first."

After saying that, she left without waiting for the Empress to dismiss her.

"How arrogant!" Consort Yun said indignantly as she watched Consort Chen's back: "Consort Chen is so rude, and Empress does not discipline her?"

The Empress maintained her graceful demeanor with a faint smile, not ashamed or annoyed.

She just ignored Consort Yun's complaint and said to Consort Shu, "You haven't met the new concubines who just entered the palace. Let me introduce you to everyone today."

Hearing this, Song Zhao and Noble Consort Li got up and paid their respects to Consort Shu,

"This concubine pays respect to Consort Shu, may Consort be forever peaceful." Consort Shu's gentle gaze swept over them and asked, "Which one is Noble Consort Li?"

Noble Consort Li stepped forward and said, "Replying to Consort Shu, this concubine is Noble Consort Li."

Consort Shu smiled, "The wild mountain ginseng you gave me is really excellent. I like it very much."

Noble Consort Li bowed deeply again, unable to conceal her joy, "As long as you like it, Consort. Actually, if I may say, Consort's slightly bulging belly is blunt, not round, most likely it's a prince!"

"How can you tell the gender when the birth chart is not even completed?"

Although Consort Shu said this, seeing her trying to stifle her laughter, she was also cheered up by Noble Consort Li's words.

Later, she chatted with Concubine Xiao and Concubine Liu for a while. When it was finally Song Zhao's turn, the smile on her face faded a little as she stared at her face for a long time before saying,

"Song Zhao is indeed very beautiful."

Song Zhao respectfully responded, "This concubine's looks are vulgar, how can they compare with all the Consorts? Cough cough....."

She had been coughing ever since she came to pay respects today.

After Consort Chen left earlier, her coughs became even louder.

The Empress asked caringly, "What's wrong with you?"

Song Zhao said timidly, "Cough cough... This concubine caught a cold, my throat is dry and itchy, losing etiquette in front of the Empress. I beg the Empress not to blame me."

The Empress said, "It's fine. The weather has been fickle lately, we all have to be more careful."

Everyone said in unison, "This servant/concubine thanks the Empress for her care."

Seeing that Song Zhao's cough was really severe, the Empress said, "There's nothing else today, go back to the palace and rest early since you're unwell."

Song Zhao bowed and said apprehensively, "This concubine's status is the lowest, leaving early after paying respect is improper. But this cold sickness is contagious, this concubine is also afraid of passing the sickness to the Consorts. This concubine will take her leave today and ask for forgiveness from the Empress another day."

Her words were logical and coherent, leaving no loopholes for others to pick on.

After Song Zhao bowed and retreated, only Noble Consort Li and Concubine Xiao whispered about her a few words. Consort Shu said to the Empress,

"This Song Zhao is quite knowledgeable about etiquette and also pleasing to the eye. Why does she only have the title of a Lower Concubine?"

Unexpectedly, before the Empress could speak, Noble Consort Li suddenly interrupted,

"Consort Shu must not know yet? Song Zhao is not like us sisters here who are legitimate daughters, she is a daughter of a concubine. The illegitimate have no place in the spotlight, it is already her blessing to be able to enter the palace."

When Consort Shu heard this, the hand on her belly tightened slightly.

The illegitimate can never stand in the spotlight? Noble Consort Li had just insulted the unborn child in Consort Shu's belly as well.

The atmosphere in the hall was slightly embarrassing. Nobe Consort Li was stupid and did not realize she had said the wrong thing.

Seeing Consort Shu's displeasure, the Empress had no choice but to make excuses for Noble Consort Li, "Actually, it doesn't matter whether one is legitimate or not, the most important thing is to gain the Emperor's favor. The late Emperor's Empress Zhaoding was also an illegitimate daughter, but she was still loved by all the ministers and people under heaven. Noble Consort Li, you went too far."

Noble Consort Li lost face and panicked, quickly bowing down and said, "This concubine spoke recklessly, I beg the Empress to forgive me."

The Empress told her to rise. The concubines no longer held it against her.

But who knows what everyone was thinking privately?

Song Zhao, who had left this storm early, also stopped coughing after leaving Feng Luan Palace. She almost ran to catch up with Consort Chen's procession.

"Consort Chen."

The procession stopped, and Consort Chen looked back in surprise, "It's you?"

Song Zhao walked up to her with quick steps and bowed deeply to Consort Chen,

"This concubine is most grateful for Consort Chen's guidance."

Yesterday, Song Zhao was able to attend the Emperor thanks to Consort Chen's arrangements behind the scenes.

She originally just wanted to frustrate Noble Consort Li a bit, thinking that with Song Zhao's appearance, even if she was sent to the Emperor, she wouldn't cause much waves.

But unexpectedly, Song Zhao turned misfortune into blessing, gaining imperial favor instead.

"What are you thanking me for? Didn't the Empress reward you with Purple Gold Blood Activating Ointment? You accepted her favor, but still come to thank me when you know I don't get along with her?"

Song Zhao lowered her voice and said, "Who is truly kind to this concubine, who pretends to be perfunctory, this concubine can tell clearly. This concubine has been in the palace for a month, if the Empress really wanted to help this concubine, this concubine could have met His Majesty early on. If it wasn't for Consort Chen, I'm afraid this concubine would have sunk into obscurity in this deep palace."

Consort Chen looked closely at Song Zhao's seductive face.

Selfishly, she thought, this woman is so beautiful, beautiful enough to make her jealous, beautiful enough to make her want to tear her face off.

But this woman was also really stupid.

This was her first time serving the Emperor. She had not even finished paying respects to the Empress, yet dared to blatantly follow her out like this after seeing her leave first?

Anyone with eyes could see her intentions. She was anxious to sever all her back routes?

But this was also good. With more and more women in the harem, she would also need some useful people around her.

Thinking of this, Consort Chen glanced at Song Zhao with the corner of her eyes and said lightly,

"Aren't you sick? Don't be restrained by etiquette, get up."