“The masters are talking. What are you doing?”
Chun Hua saw Qiu Shi seemingly heading toward the inner room.
“I’ll go ask the masters if they want some food served.” Qiu Shi quickly looked at her and explained in a low voice.
“Her Majesty didn’t eat much this morning, and now that the sun is high in the sky, I think she must be hungry.”
Chun Hua, however, remained stern: “When the masters want to eat, they will call us. Don’t go in and disturb them.”
Chun Hua and Qiu Shi grew up together and had a very good relationship, but after Nanny Zhang reminded her, she began to pay attention to Qiu Shi.
She noticed that Qiu Shi paid special attention to the Emperor.
So she became wary.
In Chun Hua’s heart, Xu Lingyi would always be number one.
After all, it was Xu Lingyi who saved her when she was a child; without Xu Lingyi, she wouldn’t exist.
Qiu Shi lowered her head slightly and stopped speaking. She could sense that Chun Hua’s attitude toward her was not as good as before.
She was actually feeling guilty, afraid that her thoughts might have been too obvious and that her master might have noticed them.
***
“Your Majesty, I’m worried that Gui Fei will be unhappy with you here. The Princess mentioned these things to me last time as well. I…”
Xu Lingyi pretended to be in a difficult position.
The Emperor shook his head: “My affection for you has nothing to do with Gui Fei. Gui Fei is not capable of interfering in my affairs. As for the Princess, she listened to Gui Fei’s complaints and felt sorry for her mother. I will not allow her to act recklessly again.”
Xu Lingyi nodded: “Thank you, Your Majesty. Actually, I didn’t want to push you away. To be favored by Your Majesty is a blessing I’ve accumulated over many lifetimes. I don’t want to give you up. Just now, I was only worried about affecting Your Majesty’s relationship with Gui Fei and the Princess.”
The Emperor held her with satisfaction and took her hand, saying, “If only Gui Fei were as understanding and reasonable as you. She’s already quite old, yet she’s become even more and more mischievous.”
Xu Lingyi certainly wouldn’t complain about Gui Fei. She said, “Perhaps Gui Fei cares about His Majesty and wants you to visit her, which is why she acted this way.”
The Emperor, however, was even more displeased.
“If she truly cared about me, she should make me happy, like my beloved consort, instead of gossiping with my Princess and instigating her.”
In the Emperor’s eyes, the Princess seems to be blameless; the fault lies entirely with Gui Fei.
The Emperor was already very dissatisfied with Gui Fei, and with only one last opportunity left, it was estimated that all his dissatisfaction would reach its peak.
Xu Lingyi was notoriously vengeful. Last time, when she was punished by kneeling, one reason was Princess Minghua, and the other was Gui Fei herself.
Even after the Princess warned her last time, the Emperor still favored her exclusively. He never visited any of the other concubines in the harem.
Furthermore, because of Xu Lingyi’s subtle and overt influence over this period of time, the Emperor had become quite disgusted with Gui Fei.
The Emperor also wanted her to manage palace affairs, replacing Gui Fei. Xu Lingyi didn’t immediately agree, but two days later, the Emperor brought it up again.
Gui Fei also noticed this, and she began to get anxious.
She knew that it was time to deal with Xu Lingyi. Even if the Emperor was angry, as long as she ruined Xu Lingyi’s face, she would have no leverage. The Emperor’s anger was only temporary. She had the princess, and no matter what, the Emperor would give her face.
She was ready to take a gamble.
Xu Lingyi sneered inwardly, thinking that this big fish was about to take the bait.
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wannaberecluse On SRTT Chapter 98.2