At a single glance, Pei Jinxu truly had a great many consorts, and every one of them was as beautiful as a flower, young and delicate.
Then again, that didn’t seem quite right. Pei Jinxu himself was only in his twenties, a young and promising emperor. Age aside, his devilishly handsome face alone was enough to make thousands of young women swoon.
Here, aside from Chan Meiren who dared to glare at her, emboldened by her pregnancy, all the other consorts lowered their heads, not daring to meet Ning Wanwan’s gaze.
In truth, Ning Wanwan was still a little shocked, and a little afraid. With such family status and position, standing so high, she feared the fall would shatter her to pieces.
It was said that when her brother, Ning Yuanzhou, returned with military honors, he would be rewarded even further. With such vast power, wasn’t Pei Jinxu worried that his own position would be threatened?
According to the plot of the story, the emperor should be very wary of her family. Why was he so indulgent toward her and the Ning Family?
Could it be that he wanted to ruin them through excessive praise and favor?
Ning Wanwan’s Dai eyebrows furrowed slightly, a hint of curiosity entering her eyes as she looked at Pei Jinxu.
Having had a little to drink, Pei Jinxu noticed Ning Wanwan beside him and couldn’t help but turn his head. His deep eyes were full of gentleness and doting affection as he asked her in a low voice:
“In a few days, once I’m done with my work, how about I take you for some Qi She?”
Ning Wanwan blushed a little under his gaze and nodded.
The man’s hand holding hers never let go, but Ning Wanwan suddenly felt the urge to relieve herself and couldn’t help but struggle a little.
“What’s wrong?” Pei Jinxu asked.
“Um, Your servant needs to relieve herself,” Ning Wanwan said, so embarrassed she wished she could find a hole to crawl into.
The man chuckled softly and released her hand.
Only then was Ning Wanwan free, and she left in a great hurry.
Watching Ning Wanwan’s departing figure, an imperceptible trace of coldness flashed through Pei Jinxu’s eyes before vanishing.
After taking care of her business, Ning Wanwan was just about to return when she bumped into a woman.
“How audacious! To dare to collide with Guifei Niangniang,” Lüqiu scolded, her voice sharp but her courage failing her.
Ning Wanwan raised a hand to block Lüqiu, who was about to step forward, and shook her head.
Lüqiu was confused, but she didn’t dare to advance further.
“You are?” Ning Wanwan asked.
Unlike the magnificent and ornate Feng Pao Ning Wanwan wore, the woman was dressed in a simple and elegant moon-white robe that made her seem frail. Her features were not exceptional, but she had the fresh air of a pale chrysanthemum. Her doe-like eyes were moist, as if she had just been crying.
“Cairen Lin Xi greets Guifei Niangniang.” After speaking, she bent low to curtsy, her posture appearing somewhat fearful and awkward.
Ning Wanwan smiled faintly and reached out to help her up. “There’s no need for such ceremony.”
“This lowly one did not know the Guifei was here and collided with you. I beg for the Guifei’s forgiveness.” As she spoke, the woman was about to kneel again, her willow-like fragility inspiring pity.
Just then, Pei Jinxu arrived, having come from who knows where. Seeing this, his brows furrowed tightly together.
“Guifei, what is the meaning of this?”
Ning Wanwan lifted her beautiful eyes and explained, “Cairen Lin just accidentally bumped into—”
Before she could finish, Pei Jinxu cut her off with a somewhat angry shout:
“Insolence.”
Ning Wanwan froze, only to hear the man continue, “Cairen Lin collided with the Guifei, showing no respect for her superiors. Starting tomorrow, she is to be confined for one month.”
Ning Wanwan: “?”
The woman was so frightened she knelt on the ground, trembling.
“That’s not necessary, Your Majesty. Cairen Lin didn’t do it on purpose. Let’s just forget it,” Ning Wanwan couldn’t help but say.
Only then did Pei Jinxu seem to let out a breath of relief. “Since the Guifei has said so, then we shall let it be.”
With that, Pei Jinxu intimately wrapped an arm around Ning Wanwan, and the two walked away in an embrace.
Only after they were far away did the woman lift her head, her face calm.
“Cairen, please rise quickly.” The eunuch by Pei Jinxu’s side respectfully helped her up.
“Eunuch Li, tell me, when will days like these finally end?” Beneath the woman’s calm expression, the flames of jealousy had already burned her beyond recognition.
“Cairen, you must endure a while longer. The Ning Family is at the height of its power in the imperial court, and the Imperial Noble Consort has committed no fault. We cannot bring them down for the time being. You may need to be patient for a while more,” Eunuch Li said.
The woman said nothing more, merely turning to look at Eunuch Li in silence. A dark tide surged in her eyes, yet not a trace of it showed on her face.
Eunuch Li’s scalp tingled under her gaze.
“Don’t let him get caught up in the act and actually fall in love with that woman,” Lin Xi said coldly, then turned and left.