Chapter 34
"The Emperor has again bestowed Concubine San with a bowl of sugar water."
"The Emperor has again bestowed Madam Liu with a platter of pig's trotters..."
It went on and on, like a listing of dishes.
A eunuch came from the direction of the imperial banquet.
Another one came soon after.
Yet another one came.
"The Emperor has again bestowed Concubine Liu..."
The entire Kunning Palace was stunned, all setting down their bowls and chopsticks.
All eyes turned to Madam Liu, who was normally unassuming among the official consorts, as well as Concubine Liu who had just been promoted, and the little princess being held by the wet nurse.
They had surpassed the Empress, surpassed the Imperial Noble Consort!
How dare they?
What merits did the Liu family possess?
Everyone was seething with jealousy, watching the imperial dishes with golden ribbons appear on the Liu family's table.
The Empress's fingers were now tightly digging into the wooden table in front of her!
She was so furious she was about to vomit blood!
Just a moment ago, she had still thought Concubine Liu was obedient, but now she had been slapped in the face by the Emperor!
Did the Emperor still have any regard for her, the Empress?
Or for her maternal clan, the Tong family?
The Empress was inwardly disgusted, but she had to maintain a dignified smile towards the eunuch Wei Zheng who brought the imperial dishes.
She was almost twitching at the corners of her mouth, "Wei Gong Gong, you have worked hard, please have a seat and have some tea."
"No need, I still have other tasks. To deliver the other imperial gifts to Old Madam Liu, Concubine Liu, and the little princess, I need to go to the treasury."
What!
Other imperial gifts?!
Kunning Palace was almost frozen.
You could hear a needle drop.
The Empress could no longer smile at all. On such an important Awarding Gold Festival, why was the Emperor paying so much attention to the Liu family?
But she took a deep breath, only able to swallow it down with her blood!
She could not display the slightest jealousy or anger in front of others, she could not lose the dignity of an Empress.
Xiao Chuchu was leaning sideways in the wet nurse's arms, and she clearly saw the Empress's forced smile, [The Empress must be jealous of our Liu family~]
[The Empress has always been jealous, and she also wants her eldest prince to succeed. Ah, the Imperial Noble Consort just calmed down, and now the Empress has to resent the mother-in-law again.]
Concubine Liu and Old Madam Liu became alert upon hearing this.
[But it's fine, let's just eat our fill~ I can't even taste the imperial golden swallow's nest tart, Mother, Grandmother, you two quickly try it for me~]
[What does the golden swallow's nest tart without preservatives taste like? And the bear paws... oh, we couldn't even eat bear paws back then, they've become very scarce, we must protect them.]
As Concubine Liu and Old Madam Liu listened, their expressions became strange.
Are there no such delicacies in the immortal realm?
How adorable is the little princess?
In the face of a major crisis, their mindset is much better than theirs, still thinking about eating.
At the moment, they also became calm and began to enjoy the imperial gifts.
Concubine Liu took a bite and told her little daughter, "Mm, this dish is quite good, sweet, soft and juicy."
Xiao Chuchu immediately started smacking her little lips.
Even Consort Min's neck was raised, drooling.
After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the second wave of imperial dishes for the Empress and the official consorts finally arrived.
But even so, it could not overshadow the brilliance of the Liu family tonight.
"Your Highness, Concubine Liu seems to be no ordinary person."
The personal palace maid next to the Empress whispered with squinting eyes.
The Empress looked at the composed Concubine Liu using the imperial dishes, and then at the also unfazed Old Madam Liu, falling into bewilderment.
The Liu family was never considered a major household in the capital before.
But the women from this Liu family, how can they be more dignified than the official consorts who received the imperial dishes, not affected by the gifts?
The Empress pondered, "The Liu family is about to rise."
Her expression darkened. If the Liu family rises to prominence, what will happen to her eldest prince?
Could he be overshadowed by the Fifth Prince?
Just a moment ago, she thought she could control Concubine Liu, but it turned out she couldn't at all!
The Emperor was too outrageous!
"Send someone to pass the news of Concubine Liu being awarded imperial delicacies by the Emperor to Imperial Noble Fu Cha."
The Empress narrowed her eyes and said, "And have someone tell her that when she was punished with house arrest, Concubine Liu and the Third Princess just happened to be in the Emperor's side chamber."
The Empress gently put down her wine cup and smiled.
She wanted to use others to kill!
Concubine Liu and Fu Cha, let them fight to the death!
The Empress hid the cruelty in her eyes and smiled as she toasted the consorts and official consorts.
*
"What! That vile woman received a full six imperial dishes from my brother the Emperor?"
Imperial Noble Fu Cha, who had feigned illness to avoid the imperial banquet, angrily threw the teacup to the ground upon hearing the news.
Although she had once thought that if the Emperor, her brother, did not enthrone her son in the future, and instead enthroned the Empress's eldest prince, she would just grit her teeth and have someone poison her brother.
After all, the imperial physician said that emperors who take elixirs never live long.
But that doesn't mean Fu Cha has never loved her brother the Emperor.
All these years, the Emperor has always treated her as the most special, even after he took up cultivation, he would still often come to her place to sit and frequently care about her food and living.
Every year during the Awarding Gold Festival, the Emperor's gifts to her were no less than the Empress's.
Imperial Noble Fu Cha has always felt that she is the most esteemed woman in the harem.
But today -
"How dare she! What is this Concubine Liu?!"
"Brother Emperor, why did you honor her like this? I haven't even received that many imperial dishes!"
"I was placed under house arrest, and that vile Concubine Liu dares to step on my head and climb up?"
It must be Concubine Liu who made the Emperor today not think of her.
It must be!
Imperial Noble Fu Cha became angrier and angrier.
"Your Highness, it is said that when you were under house arrest, Concubine Liu was by the Emperor's side!"
"What!" Imperial Noble Fu Cha was shocked and furious.
"Vile woman, I'm going to see the Emperor now!"
Ignoring the resistance of the palace maids and eunuchs, Imperial Noble Fu Cha angrily rushed out with her entourage!
She had been wondering all this time why the Emperor had suddenly become so ruthless towards her after the house arrest.
She had thought about harming him, but how could he have known?
It must be Concubine Liu slandering her to the Emperor for the Fifth Prince!
Yes, that's exactly what happened.
Imperial Noble Fu Cha immediately shifted the blame to Concubine Liu.
"I'm going to tell the Emperor brother! It's all this vile woman's slander!"
The eunuch by Imperial Noble Fu Cha's side lowered his voice, "Also, our spy near the Empress said that she just saw Sir Liu from the Liu family secretly leaving the imperial banquet and heading towards the Qianqing Palace which is currently undergoing renovations."
"What is he doing there? He's just an ordinary Imperial Censor..."
Imperial Noble Fu Cha frowned, "Could it be that Concubine Liu has already meddled in the Qianqing Palace before?"
The eunuch next to her continued, "Sir Liu had not been gone for long when he was seen coming out of the renovating Qianqing Palace with the Emperor's personal guard Pang Rusong."
Imperial Noble Fu Cha's eyes lit up!
The Liu family dares to collude with the Emperor's guard.
She will go tell the Emperor brother!
It is the Awarding Gold Festival today, so Imperial Noble Fu Cha was able to go out without much obstruction.
Soon after the imperial banquet ended, Imperial Noble Fu Cha had already rushed to the door of Chonghua Palace where the Emperor was resting.
"Your Majesty, I want to accuse Concubine Liu! I also want to accuse the Fourth-Rank Imperial Censor Sir Liu!"
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou was resting. After a night of scheming, he was tired, but now he heard the unrelenting clamor of Imperial Noble Fu Cha.
"Your Majesty, the Liu family wants to harm you! Concubine Liu wants to harm you!"
"Someone saw the Imperial Censor Sir Liu Wenchang sneaking around the renovating Qianqing Palace and discussing with the personal guard Pang Rusong."
Fu Cha's shouts almost made Xiao Yunzhou pass out.
He was preparing to ambush Prince Liao when he found an excuse to send Cavalry General Zhang Chen to Youzhou to capture the bandits.
In reality, he had the Imperial Guards arrest Prince Liao.
Then he had Sir Liu and Pang Rusong secretly go to Yanzhou to lead the troops to attack Prince Liao.
All of this was secretly ordered by him.
Now that Fu Cha had exposed it, it would ruin his grand plan!
"Your Majesty, how can Sir Liu, the Imperial Censor overseeing the officials, be meeting with the imperial guards in private?"
The Imperial Noble Fu Cha exclaimed, "The Liu family is harboring sinister intentions and plotting rebellion!"
Xiao Yunzhou's face turned green!
"Guards, take this wicked woman back to me," the Emperor commanded.
"Silence her!"