Noble Lady Yuan had entered the palace earlier than Consort Li, and she was a few years older. Although they were sisters, Consort Li did not have many memories of her time in the Liu manor. In addition to this, Noble Lady Yuan had entered the palace earlier, thus she did not have too much of an impression of this elder sister.
But while Consort Li could not remember, Noble Lady Yuan was able to recall many things, including that Consort Li liked to watch plays. She said to Consort Li: "I still remember when I was just about to enter the palace, the family held a banquet and invited a theatrical troupe. After the final play was finished, the theatrical troupe received their reward and was about to leave; however, you cried and refused to let them leave. You wanted to stay for a few more days. For this reason, you were even punished by father. Later on, a stage was set up in the palace, and I could see that you liked it, but how could the plays in the palace be something that we can listen to whenever we want, much less over the past 20 years. Forget it, let's not talk about these things. The third gift that elder sister was talking about is a small theatrical troupe. The day before yesterday, I mentioned it to His Highness the eighth prince, and His Highness the eighth prince specially found a troupe from the South to send into the palace. Doesn't Zhang Ning Palace have a small stage? Younger sister, just use it for a few days and listen to it in your own palace! "
Consort Li did indeed like watching plays. She could remember the few times that her family had invited a theatrical troupe when she was young, and she could not get enough of it no matter how much she listened. Today, Noble Lady Yuan's gift had truly been delivered to her heart. Not only was there money, but there was also a play to listen to. She no longer cared about the fact that it was His Highness the eighth prince who had helped to choose a troupe, as she quickly called for the servants to begin preparing. At the same time, she extended an invitation to Noble Lady Yuan: "I will be preparing to hold a small banquet in the palace the day after tomorrow. Elder sister must come."
Noble Lady Yuan naturally complied and sat for a while. Seeing that the stage had been set up, she bid farewell. Consort Li invited her to watch it together; however, she found an excuse to leave. No matter what was said, she did not stay. But before she left, she reminded Consort Li, "Younger Sister, why don't you invite more sisters from the palace? The banquet will be held the day after tomorrow, so we can still have some fun in advance. Of course, don't forget to invite Her Highness the Empress. After all, Zhang Ning Palace is so close to Jingtsu Temple. Her Highness the Empress will definitely be able to hear your opera. It won't be good if you don't invite her. "
Consort Li also felt this was reasonable, so she sent a few palace servants to invite the other concubines, and she personally went to invite the Empress.
At first, the Empress did not have any intention of getting involved with Consort Li's matter, but after thinking a bit more, she felt that it was the Emperor who had decided to restore Consort Li's position as imperial concubine. Zhang Ning Palace was also arranged by the Emperor to move in. Although she had already analyzed that the Emperor was doing this for the sake of angering Noble Lady Yuan, she was the Empress. No matter what was said, she needed to stand on the Emperor's side. Since the Emperor wanted to put on a play, she would play along! Thus she accepted this invitation and told Consort Li to go ahead first. She would go over later.
As for Noble Lady Yuan, who had returned to Cun Shan Palace, her palace maid Yue Xiu asked her: "Master is treating Her Highness Consort Li too well. Even if it's for the sake of His Highness the eighth prince, there's no need to arrange for a play troupe. It's a little too considerate. It's not that this servant does not want to see you and your sister reconcile. It's just that I'm worried that master will feel wronged. "
Noble Lady Yuan heard this and laughed sinisterly, "It's not wronged. Doesn't she want some liveliness, so I will help her. I need to have her understand that even if she has moved into Zhang Ning Palace, even if she has the position of imperial concubine, this inner palace is not something that she can do as she pleases. Moreover, I need to have that old thing the Empress understand that there are some people that have climbed up but are not of the same mind as her. "
Yue Xiu naturally did not understand what Noble Lady Yuan meant, but after noon, the Empress, who was seated below the stage in Zhang Ning Palace, understood. Ever since the Empress had taken her seat, the play on the stage had changed. It was actually a play of a concubine fighting the head wife. It was said that the head wife of a large family was not favored, and the master favored the concubine, placing her on a pedestal higher than the heavens. The head wife was unreconciled and thought of all sorts of ways to pressure the concubine; however, in the end, she was unable to gain any power, which caused the master to feel even more annoyed.
There were quite a few people that had come to watch other plays. The imperial concubines and noble ladies in the inner palace were all bored. Perhaps Consort Li's small banquet could not pique their interest, but having a play to watch caused them to feel restless. Thus with this invitation, many of the masters of the palaces arrived in their palanquins.
At this very moment, this play caused everyone to feel awkward. Aside from Consort Li, who was a muddle-headed person, who was still listening with great interest, everyone else secretly looked toward the Empress' side. They saw that the Empress' expression was extremely poor, as she stared at the performers on stage with eyes that were practically spitting fire. Her hands, which had been resting casually on her chair, were tightly clenched. Even her palace maid, Fang Yi, who was standing behind her, had a sunken expression. She had even glared at Consort Li.
Head wife and concubines, when placed in the palace, were they not the Empress and a group of imperial concubines. Had Consort Li gone crazy?
A palace maid quietly reminded her master: "Let's go back. Otherwise, when the Empress gets angry later, you will also be implicated."
These words could be considered a reminder to many people. In front of the Empress, they were all concubines. Regardless of their position, they were not as high as the Empress. If they continued to sit here, that would mean that they were supporting Imperial Concubine Li, and the matter of supporting Imperial Concubine Li would clearly offend the Empress.
Even though Consort Li had suddenly been reinstated and moved to Zhang Ning Palace, people didn't feel that with the relationship between the Emperor and Consort Yun clearly improving, Consort Li's favor could still be inserted. None of them were stupid. They all understood that this was a fight that the Emperor had purposefully started. But no matter who fought who, it had nothing to do with them. They just obediently stayed in the inner palace and didn't need to get involved in this mess.
Thus, someone stood up and had a servant quietly say something to the palace people of Zhang Ning Palace. They found an excuse to leave. When one person left, a second person followed. In a short while, more than half of the people in the small theater had left. At this time, Consort Li was completely unaware of this and was still immersed in the play.
But the palace maid standing behind her, Zuo, became alert. She originally didn't pay much attention to the play. After all, as a servant, she had to pay attention to her master's needs at all times. She couldn't ignore her master when she was immersed in the play. That would be a big mistake. So even now, she still didn't understand what was going on in the play.
But seeing these concubines and concubines leave one by one, she began to panic. She felt that the situation was not right, so she went out to ask around. A servant girl from another palace that she was familiar with secretly told her about the play. Only then did Zuo 'er panic.
When she returned, she carefully listened to the rest of the play. The more she listened, the more frightened she became. The more she listened, the colder her back became. It wasn't until the Empress angrily got up and left that she realized that something big was going to happen. Thus she quickly tugged at Consort Li's sleeve, trying to pull Consort Li out of the play.
Unfortunately, Consort Li was too immersed in the play and did not understand what Zuo was trying to do. Without even turning her head, she said: "Don't disturb this One from watching the play."
There was nothing that Zuo could do and anxiously ran out to send the Empress off; however, she heard the Empress say: "Go back and tell your master that if you want to peacefully live in Zhang Ning Palace, you should know what your status is. Don't forget your roots."
Zuo kneeled on the ground in fear and repeatedly kowtowed. It was only after the Empress left that she collapsed to the ground. In her mind, however, a thought suddenly popped up: "Oh no, I fell for Noble Lady Yuan's trick!"
But the Empress did not care who had arranged for this troupe or who had allowed this play to be performed. She only knew that it was Consort Li that had invited her, and the contents of the play caused her to feel very unhappy. Fang Yi knew what the Empress was angry about. She was also angry; however, she also felt that it did not seem like something that Consort Li would deliberately do. She could not help but remind her: "As Your Highness sees it, is there something fishy going on here?"
The Empress snorted coldly, "It would be odd if there wasn't. Did you not hear? Noble Lady Yuan went to Zhang Ning Palace at noon today. Consort Li has rarely interacted with people over the years, and she has just left Jing Si Palace. Where would she find the ability to invite a troupe in from the outside? But the day before yesterday, a palace servant from Cun Shan Palace came to ask this One. It was Noble Lady Yuan who wanted to invite a troupe into the palace to perform. Thinking about it, this play was specially arranged by Noble Lady Yuan for this One to see. "
"She's threatening Your Highness." Fang Yi faintly sighed, "This time, His Majesty has restored Consort Li to her position. I fear that Noble Lady Yuan will be so worried that she won't be able to sleep."
"Don't think of Consort Li as too simple." The Empress had clearly included Consort Li in this account, "Only an idiot would be used like this. Consort Li may have a weak personality, but she's not an idiot. She also has her own plans. Today's play was definitely arranged by Noble Lady Yuan at the start, but it's possible that Imperial Concubine Li went with the flow and pretended to be ignorant to go along with this play. "
Fang Yi was slightly shocked. Thinking about Consort Li again, she recalled how she had made a voodoo doll to harm people many years ago. She could not help but believe the Empress' words a little more.
At this time in Zhang Ning Palace, after the Empress left in a huff, the remaining people that did not see through the situation at the beginning and were too embarrassed to leave were no longer able to sit still. They all got up and left. Only when there were no longer any outsiders in the performance hall did Consort Li raise her hand and have the performers that were still singing leave.
Zuo returned to her side. Upon seeing her like this, how could he not understand what was going on. He could not help but sigh and say: "Why bother, Your Highness? Noble Lady Yuan used this sort of play to harm you. Just have them not perform this play. Why do you insist on having them perform it despite knowing that something will happen? "
At this time, Consort Li's expression was a little twisted. She stared fixedly at the stage, and her teeth nearly shattered from gritting so hard. Only after a long time was she able to speak, as she said: "What sister? Even if we are related by blood, she would be all too eager for me to die! But I need to live well. I need to live for her to see and for everyone to see! I need to let them know that even if it's the Empress, I don't think much of her! There will come a day when my Feng will inherit the throne. When that time comes, the entire world will belong to us mother and son! That old woman, the Empress, don't think that I don't know who she favors. Wasn't there someone that sent word yesterday, saying that the Empress went to beg His Majesty and wanted to claim credit for the Eighth Prince. However, who knew that His Majesty would give this credit to me! Zuo, tell me, why is this? "
How could Zuo know why. He just wanted to advise Consort Li not to go to such extremes, but Consort Li continued: "That's because my Feng helped Imperial Daughter! My Feng performed a meritorious service, thus His Majesty sympathized with me. It has nothing to do with that Zhu Kongshan! "
The matter of the Empress angrily leaving Zhang Ning Palace very quickly reached Cun Shan Palace. Noble Lady Yuan curled up the corners of her lips into a smile, saying: "Offending the Empress, even if she is an imperial concubine, it will be difficult for her to maintain her position. In this inner palace, only by relying on her elder sister can she live a good life. "
In the inner palace, everyone had their own thoughts, and everyone had their own plans. At this time, in the Imperial Palace Yu, a certain person had been lying in bed for an entire day. Even when it was time for dinner, she still could not get up …
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