Chapter 62 – We Were All Deceived by the Emperor

Xuan Yuanling didn’t take Lady Lin—no, now downgraded to Lin Liangren—to heart. After giving the order, he left the matter aside.

The next day, Xuan Yuanling instructed someone to pass a message: he would dine that evening at Zhongyu Palace.

Although he no longer favored Consort Yu as he once had, she was still Consort Yu. She had given birth to a prince and a princess; the respect she was due, he wouldn’t deny her.

So, after happily watching Lady Lin being punished during the day, Consort Yu received the notice from the Household Department that His Majesty would dine with her in the evening.

She was overjoyed. The entire Zhongyu Palace was swept up in delight. Wenqiu couldn’t hide her smile.
“Your Ladyship, shall we use the scented dew tonight?”

“Use it.”

That scented dew was originally a formula given by Shen Qing. After all, Consort Yu was a woman too. Once she realized Shen Qing’s beauty and skincare recipes were truly effective, although she disliked Shen Qing, she still couldn’t resist using them.

The scented dew in question—whenever she used it, her whole body seemed to emit fragrance. Surely the Emperor liked it too?

That night, Consort Yu dressed herself with particular care. She looked into the mirror for a long time, making sure she looked absolutely perfect, then waited for Xuan Yuanling to arrive.

Consort Yu had been favored by Xuan Yuanling for many years; otherwise, she wouldn’t have developed such a domineering temperament. Yet in front of Xuan Yuanling, she always remained delicate and charming, never daring to show even a hint of arrogance.

She waited quietly. Sure enough, by the time dinner came around, Xuan Yuanling arrived, and the evening meal was served.

Consort Yu was always attentive when serving Xuan Yuanling during meals.

Seeing her behave so diligently lifted Xuan Yuanling’s mood somewhat. But as she leaned closer, he couldn’t help but catch a different scent.

“What’s that smell?” She never used to smell like this—especially this particular fragrance. It felt… oddly familiar.

Consort Yu shyly lowered her head. The Emperor really had noticed.
“This is a new scented dew I’ve acquired. It leaves the body fragrant,” she said.

Xuan Yuanling didn’t ask further, but his thoughts couldn’t help drifting to Shen Qing. He immediately felt like he was losing his mind. It was just a similar scent—why had he thought of her?

Unaware, Consort Yu continued serving him attentively.

After the meal, Xuan Yuanling had the two children brought in to play for a while. After a bit of playful noise, he had them taken away, and then it was time to retire.

Having served Xuan Yuanling many times before, Consort Yu was very familiar with the routine. Xuan Yuanling, used to her presence, relaxed and rested after his bath.

Content, Consort Yu lay in Xuan Yuanling’s arms. Though she had just shared intimacy with him, a hint of bitterness still lingered in her heart as she looked at his face.

This feeling crept up now and then—something she couldn’t control. After all, her husband had so many other women.

Consort Yu had imagined more than once: wouldn’t it be wonderful if she were the only one? But that wasn’t possible.

Soon, both fell asleep. In the middle of the night, heavy rain began to pour outside. A clap of thunder startled Consort Yu awake. Alarmed, she turned to check on Xuan Yuanling, who was also sleeping uneasily from the storm. Perhaps because he had thought of Shen Qing earlier, and the scent now clung to the person in his arms, in his drowsiness he pulled her closer and muttered,
“Stop fussing.”

Consort Yu’s heart softened. Thinking he was awake, she gently said,
“Your Majesty.”

Still deep in sleep, Xuan Yuanling was annoyed by the noise and responded in a harsher tone:
“Shen Qing, stop fussing.”

Another clap of thunder crashed outside. Consort Yu’s face turned deathly pale.

She stared at Xuan Yuanling in disbelief—this man, lying beside her, had just called her… Shen Qing?

In truth, Xuan Yuanling, half-asleep and confused, didn’t think much of it. It was just that the scent reminded him of her, and in his daze, the name slipped out.

But to Consort Yu, that single sentence was like a bolt from the blue.

She didn’t dare cry out loud, but tears streamed down her face. Lying next to Xuan Yuanling, her mind kept replaying that name—Shen Qing—over and over like a knife cutting her heart.

At that moment, her hatred toward Shen Qing even surpassed her resentment toward the Empress.

What a humiliation! What could be more degrading than lying next to a man who, in his heart, was thinking of another woman?

Consort Yu never imagined she’d ever experience such a thing. She and Shen Qing didn’t even look alike!

Then she suddenly realized in anguish—it was because of that scented dew? Just an ordinary beauty product—how could she have paid it any mind? A woman using some fragrance to look and feel better—what was wrong with that?

But had that fragrance reminded the Emperor of Shen Qing?

Oh, Shen Qing! What a schemer! To have calculated so deeply! To humiliate her like this through the Emperor! She would never forgive her!

Xuan Yuanling had no idea what a storm he’d stirred in his sleep. Shen Qing, meanwhile, was sleeping soundly, completely oblivious that the dog Emperor had once again made her the target of another woman’s hatred.

That night, while the storm outside raged, the room appeared harmonious on the surface, yet underneath, the undercurrents were no less intense.

The next morning, Xuan Yuanling left for court as usual. Consort Yu still helped him dress in his court robes. After sending him off, Wenqiu, thinking the Consort was in a good mood, was shocked to find her ladyship’s eyes red and swollen.

Consort Yu had barely slept all night. Once Xuan Yuanling was gone, she turned to Wenqiu.
“Throw all of those things away. All of them. Get rid of them!”

Wenqiu was momentarily confused.

Consort Yu gritted her teeth and growled,
“From now on, nothing left behind by Shen Qing is allowed in Zhongyu Palace!”

Wenqiu turned pale. What had happened? Could it be…?

She dared not think further. She immediately gathered all the scented dew and facial masks and threw them out.

Even after Wenqiu reported back, Consort Yu still burned with rage.
“I’ll never forgive her. Never!”

“She, that lowly woman, knows no respect. Go. Bring her here. I’m going to teach her a lesson!”

“Your Ladyship?” Wenqiu was startled and cautiously reminded her,
“Your Ladyship, the Emperor has posted people to watch Zhaohua Palace.”

Consort Yu suddenly realized—of course. The Emperor had stationed people at Zhaohua Palace to protect that bitch?

Everyone had been fooled by the Emperor’s act. They were all deceived!

This wasn’t neglect—this was indulgence. This was protection. The Emperor still cared about that woman.

So what if she had a green tag? If the Emperor wanted to favor her again, all it took was a single word.

Consort Yu’s heart ached. At this moment, one thought consumed her:
“I am a consort! To see a mere Liangren who’s committed a crime—must I ask permission?”

Her eyes brimmed with hatred.
“Bring her here. We’re going right now.”

Wenqiu, seeing the look in her eyes, dared not oppose her.

She was afraid Consort Yu might faint from fury.

Without delegating the task, Wenqiu personally led people to Zhaohua Palace.