Chapter 22

In the past few days, Jun Zechen had unexpectedly not summoned any of the new concubines.

During this time, he had only visited the Crown Princess’s Qiluan Palace.

Su Jingyao casually played with the newly delivered peonies in the greenhouse. The flowers bloomed beautifully, their layers of petals resembling the glowing clouds at sunset—she loved them.

“Master, An Liangdi is here,” Miaoyun softly reported.

Su Jingyao chuckled. “She really can’t sit still.”

With that, she gently put down the scissors, patted the water droplets off her hands, and walked unhurriedly toward the main hall.

“Concubine greets Side Consort Sister.” An Jinyan bowed slightly, her voice carrying a hint of unease.

Su Jingyao smiled warmly. “Sister, please rise. Come and sit.”

As she spoke, she gestured kindly for An Jinyan to come closer, her movements graceful and gentle.

An Jinyan, feeling a little uneasy at Su Jingyao’s familiarity, slowly walked over and sat lightly on the other side of the couch.

“What brings you to my Xiyan Palace today?” Su Jingyao asked with a smile, her voice as melodious as a flowing stream.

“It has been five days since we, the new concubines, entered the Eastern Palace, yet none of us have met His Highness. Even the Crown Princess has not mentioned us to him. I had no choice but to come and disturb you today, Sister.”

A trace of anxiety and unease appeared on An Jinyan’s face.

Su Jingyao sighed softly, lowering her gaze. Her thick eyelashes fluttered slightly, like small fans, carrying a hint of helplessness and sorrow.

Then, she looked at An Jinyan with concern and spoke gently:

“Sister, you don’t need to worry. When I first entered the Eastern Palace, His Highness ignored me for a long time as well. His Highness, he…”

An Jinyan’s heart tightened with urgency. She couldn’t help but ask, “What about His Highness?”

“Did you know, before entering the Eastern Palace, that His Highness personally requested to marry the Crown Princess? With new concubines arriving, it’s only natural for the Crown Princess to feel upset. His Highness spending time with her these past few days is understandable.”

Su Jingyao’s tone was calm and steady.

“So, Sister, you shouldn’t overthink things.”

Her gentle gaze rested on An Jinyan.

An Jinyan furrowed her brows, her smile becoming stiff. “His Highness loves the Crown Princess so much… Sister, don’t you feel jealous?”

“When I first entered the Eastern Palace, His Highness told me directly that he and the Crown Princess were deeply in love and that I shouldn’t have any unrealistic expectations.”

Su Jingyao’s voice carried a faint trace of melancholy.

“Now, I only hope to give birth to an heir under His Highness’s limited favor, fulfilling the Emperor and Empress’s expectations.”

She raised her head slightly, gazing into the distance, her expression full of helplessness and resignation, as if carrying endless emotions within her heart.

An Jinyan’s emotions surged like crashing waves. She clenched her teeth in frustration.

This Su Side Consort is utterly useless!

She has such a stunning face, yet she’s so weak!

What a waste of beauty!

So it turned out the Crown Princess was truly the one His Highness cherished the most.

Not only had she refused to introduce them to His Highness, but she had also been monopolizing his attention all this time!

How could An Jinyan accept this?!

She forced herself to calm down.

“Sister, you really have a peaceful mindset. But we younger sisters can’t just sit around and do nothing. If the Crown Princess continues to keep His Highness all to herself, isn’t that unbecoming of a proper wife?”

Her Hidden Resentment

A faint trace of resentment and unwillingness flickered across An Jinyan’s face.

Su Jingyao slightly furrowed her delicate brows, her expression filled with deep sorrow.

“Sister, don’t say such things… Where His Highness chooses to go is not something we can control. We have no right to interfere.”

Her voice carried a sense of helplessness and sadness.

However, An Jinyan was firm. Her eyes shone with determination. She had entered the Eastern Palace to serve His Highness, and she couldn’t just sit back and let the Crown Princess have him all to herself.

“Sister, I came today with a request. Only you and the Crown Princess are allowed to enter Yude Hall, while the rest of us can only wait. Please, persuade His Highness—if this continues, we newcomers will keep waiting in vain, our hearts filled with sorrow.”

Her voice was full of pleading.

Since both the Crown Princess and Su Jingyao had received official royal marriage decrees, they were the only ones permitted to enter Yude Hall. Without a summons, anyone else who tried to enter would be treated as an intruder by the palace guards.

Su Jingyao hesitated, looking troubled.

“Sister, even though I can enter Yude Hall, His Highness doesn’t easily accept advice… Besides, only his official wife has the right to speak on such matters. I… am not in a position to do so.”

Her face was full of hesitation and helplessness.

“Sister, you are His Highness’s side consort, and your marriage was granted by the Emperor himself. If the Crown Princess is being overly possessive, it is only right for you to advise His Highness. A few days from now, when I meet Her Majesty the Empress, I will be sure to speak well of you.”

An Jinyan spoke eagerly.

Because of her relatively high status, once she spent a night with His Highness, she would have the right to visit the Empress and pay her respects.

Su Jingyao sighed deeply.

“When His Highness returns tonight, I will go to Yude Hall and see him. But my words carry little weight in his heart. I fear he may not listen—and worse, he might even be angered by my interference.”

Her face was filled with worry.

“Sister, even before you entered the palace, I knew you were a true noblewoman—gracious and understanding. No matter how things turn out tonight, at least His Highness will finally remember that there are other concubines waiting for him.”

An Jinyan said earnestly.

“Alright, I will try.” Su Jingyao finally made her decision.

“Thank you, Sister. I shall take my leave now.”

After An Jinyan left, she couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.

Although the Crown Princess had His Highness’s favor, she wasn’t well-liked by the Empress, and she still hadn’t given birth to an heir.

She didn’t seem very intelligent either.

As long as An Jinyan could win His Highness’s favor, she was confident she could take the Crown Princess’s place.

As for Su Jingyao, despite her breathtaking beauty, she was just as kind-hearted and weak as the rumors said—easily manipulated.

But after An Jinyan left, Su Jingyao’s lips curled into a small smile, and her eyes sparkled with amusement, as though she was enjoying a clever joke.

Her bright eyes glowed with mischief and triumph.

On the day the new concubines entered the Eastern Palace, it was she who had whispered in Jun Zechen’s ear, suggesting that he spend a day or two with the Crown Princess.

After all, everyone knew the Crown Princess would feel upset about the newcomers.

So, Su Jingyao had subtly encouraged Jun Zechen to go and comfort her.

But she had only suggested a short visit.

Who would have thought that Ling Yue would be so foolish? Instead of being satisfied with a day or two, she had kept His Highness by her side for five whole days—far longer than necessary.

It played right into Su Jingyao’s hands.

An Jinyan was clearly ambitious. Now, Ling Yue would have to deal with her.

At the same time, An Jinyan would speak against Ling Yue in front of the Empress, subtly turning the Empress against her.

And next year, when Jun Zechen ascended the throne and the Empress became the Empress Dowager, she would play a key role in blocking him from making Ling Yue his Empress.

“Master, are you really going to advise His Highness tonight?” Miaoyun asked.

“Of course.”

Her eyes sparkled with joy.

---

In Yude Hall

As the sunset faded, the sky was draped in a soft veil of twilight. A warm glow cast a mysterious aura over the palace.

Inside Yude Hall, Jun Zechen had just returned from the Imperial Study and had barely sat down when An Shun, his personal attendant, carefully entered the hall.

“Your Highness, the Crown Princess sent someone to ask if you will be having dinner at Qiluan Palace tonight.”

Hearing this, Jun Zechen frowned slightly.

His eyebrows tightened into a deep knot, and his lips pressed into a firm line.

He said nothing.

An Shun stood still, barely daring to breathe, let alone look directly at Jun Zechen.

His Highness’s reaction… Did this mean he didn’t want to go?

The silence in the hall was heavy.

The air felt so still that if a pin dropped, it would be painfully loud.

Even An Shun’s heartbeat felt like it was echoing through the quiet hall, making the tension even more unsettling.

Just then, a small eunuch entered.

“Your Highness,” he said, bowing low.

Jun Zechen’s voice was cold and deep. “What is it?”

The eunuch kept his head lowered. “Side Consort Su requests an audience.”

A flicker of light flashed through Jun Zechen’s dark eyes.

“Let her in.”

An Shun immediately understood.

The Crown Princess would be waiting in vain tonight—His Highness wouldn’t be going.

Without a word, An Shun withdrew quietly, his back carrying a faint trace of helplessness.

He had served His Highness for years and thought he understood him well.

But now…

He could no longer tell where His Highness’s heart truly lay.

Anshun didn’t even know how to respond to the people at Qiluan Palace.

Today, Su Jingyao was wearing a light-colored, fitted gauze dress. The fabric was soft and flowing, swaying gently as she walked.

Her outer shawl draped over her shoulders like floating clouds, barely covering them, perfectly revealing her fair, snow-white neck and delicate collarbones.

This dress made her look both enchanting and elegant, like a mix between a celestial fairy and a seductive beauty.

Su Jingyao gracefully bowed and spoke in a soft, charming voice, “Greetings, Your Highness.”

“Rise. Why have you come today?”

Prince Jun Zechen’s tone was calm, and his handsome face remained indifferent, showing no reaction to her arrival.

Su Jingyao laughed inwardly—this man was always so good at pretending.

She walked forward gracefully, step by step.

Jun Zechen remained seated, creating a natural height difference between them.

She slightly lowered her head, her gaze filled with tenderness and affection.

At first, Jun Zechen didn’t want to look at her, but her warm gaze made it impossible for him to ignore her.

Their eyes met.

Su Jingyao pouted slightly and said in a sweet, delicate voice, “I haven’t seen Your Highness for days, and I miss you so much.”

Her slender fingers, painted with soft pink nail polish, gently brushed across his palm, moving slowly and teasingly.

The light touch sent a tingling sensation through his hand.

Jun Zechen could feel the warmth spreading through his palm, and his gaze darkened.

“Wasn’t it you, Yaoyao, who told me to visit Qiluan Palace? I went to comfort the Crown Princess, and now you’re upset?”

His voice was still calm and unreadable, like a still lake with no ripples.

But in reality, he was testing her.

He wanted her to be upset. He wanted to see her jealous.

Su Jingyao gently bit her lips, which were as soft and delicate as rose petals.

“I’m not upset. Your Highness likes my sister, and I’ve always known that.”

Her voice carried a playful sweetness, soft and alluring, as if it could pull at one’s heartstrings.

“Then why have you come today?”

Jun Zechen’s expression suddenly darkened. His brows furrowed slightly, and his sharp gaze locked onto her, cold and piercing like two blades.