Palace Fighting Naive Concubines’ Ascent to Power
Chapter 541 Whom Are You Helping?

Chapter 541: Chapter 541 Whom Are You Helping?

The figure outside approached, his expression turning cold. This damnable Xu Rongying was setting a trap for his Little Concubine.

Lian Hua’s expression was focused, nodding repeatedly, "Really, really, sister, if someone speaks ill of you in the future, I will stand up for you too." She almost vowed with a thump on her chest.

"In that case..." Consort Xu De’s voice trailed pensively before leaning closer to Lian Hua, changing the subject abruptly, "Then if your Brother Zhao and I have a verbal fight, whom will you support?"

The figure outside immediately halted, no longer advancing.

"Ah?" Lian Hua was stunned. "Sister, why would you argue with His Majesty?"

She couldn’t imagine the two quarreling.

Ever since she was young, she excelled in physical strength. When words failed, she resorted to overpowering her opponents. None of the children or classmates dared to curse after she beat them.

If all else failed, she could turn to her brother, but she preferred to handle things on her own, avoiding outside help whenever possible.

Consort Xu De found her adorable and couldn’t resist pinching her face, forcefully saying, "Don’t worry about it, just tell me whom you would support?"

She secretly chuckled, catching a glimpse of the darkening face outside the door, clearly impatient with her actions, yet restraining himself, curious about his sister’s answer, looking rather deflated.

Oh, this was too amusing. Her sister was indeed the Emperor’s Achilles’ heel.

The feeling of teasing someone was really quite pleasant, especially teasing the Emperor, a rare sight to behold in a thousand years.

Anyone who dealt with the Emperor ended up demoralized; this time, seeing the Emperor deflated gave her great joy, well worth it.

"But His Majesty doesn’t curse at people," Lian Hua scratched her head, feeling the question was very strange and illogical. "Sister, do you have some misunderstanding with His Majesty?"

To be honest, she had never seen His Majesty curse someone, nor even use a swear word. Every gesture of his was elegant and pleasant.

When she got angry, she would curse, calling someone a ’brat,’ but His Majesty never did, not even once, no matter how angry he got. At worst, he had only argued with her calling her oblivious, oh... why did that come to mind.

However, she had heard from Consort De about verbal altercations, where Military Generals cursed fiercely, swear words spewing like fireworks, cursing vigorously as if the walls and the enemy troops could hear, provoking the enemy to the point of spewing blood.

Consort Xu De was annoyed, realising it was indeed love that made beauty appear in the lover’s eyes. The Emperor never cursed at people?

Her sister was the one who misunderstood, idealizing the Emperor too much!

The Emperor was incredibly cunning, said to be the most scheming person under the sky, cursing people without swearing, killing without bloodshed, each sentence a strike to the heart.

Her father had been rebuked by the Emperor, causing her father to doubt his own life, the letter he sent filled with depression and guilt towards heaven and earth.

Even if he didn’t swear, it was still cursing. They, born of military officials, simply lacked the finesse to curse in such a manner.

She resolved to set Lian Hua straight: "Hey, sister, your Brother Zhao..."

Before she could continue, the figure outside coldly huffed, "Xu Rongying, it’s time for you to leave."

Lian Hua turned towards the sound, her eyes brightening, immediately breaking into a smile, "His Majesty, you’re back?" She rose to greet him.

The Emperor walked toward Lian Hua, his expression softening, "Yes, I’m back."

Consort Xu De regretted not having said more; as soon as the Emperor returned, her sister’s eyes were only for him. Alas, she would have to correct her sister’s misguided thinking later.

She stood up, patted her clothes, and dusted off the melon seed shells: "Sister, your pouch for melon seeds is quite handy. Give me a few; I’ll take them to use."

Lian Hua walked up to the Emperor, couldn’t resist taking his hand, and touched it; it was warm, and only then did she feel reassured. She couldn’t help but tuck her hand into his large palm, and the Emperor grasped it naturally.

Upon hearing this, she turned her head toward Consort Xu De, "Sister, take them if you want, and take some more seeds with you. It just so happens the ones I sent you last time are finished. These seeds, I grew and picked them myself, each one is plump. I seasoned them with a secret blend of spices and fried them myself; they’re very aromatic, much better than those found outside."

"Then thank you, Sister," Consort Xu De responded with a hearty laugh and bowed slightly to Lian Hua.

"What formalities between you and me, Sister?" Lian Hua chuckled, thinking that if Consort De were a man, she would certainly be a forthright one.

She turned and called outside: "Xiao Jizi, find a few clean melon seed pouches, and pack a big bag of seeds to send to Auntie Ming Jing."

"Servant obeys," came a voice from outside the door.

After having arranged everything, Lian Hua felt at ease and was just about to say a few words to Consort Xu De.

But the Emperor was not pleased. Since he had entered the room, most of his attention had been on Xu Rong Ying.

He freed one hand, turned Lian Hua’s face straight, placed his hand on her cheek, gently caressed it, and pinched it as usual, "Have you been waiting long in the hall?"

Indeed, much had happened, and many arrangements had been made, taking quite some time, and he had only just returned.

Lian Hua’s attention immediately returned, she shook her head, and said with a smile, "Not at all, I didn’t feel it was that long. I had a great time chatting with my sister."

Consort Xu De twitched the corner of her eye; she realized that whenever her sister was involved, the Emperor could be exceedingly petty, even more so than the tip of a needle or a blade of grass.

Just now, she couldn’t resist the itch to pinch her sister’s cheek, and look where the Emperor’s hand was now, precisely where she had pinched, still caressing, as if trying to erase her mark, truly petty!

She said lightly, "I and my sister were happily chatting about everything under the sun. There was no time to think about anyone else or anything else, Your Majesty needn’t worry about it."

Lian Hua’s heart skipped a beat; this felt somehow familiar.

The Emperor gave her a cold look, not bothering with more words, he directly dismissed her: "You should leave; choose a time for your duties. Managing the harem is not like commanding troops in battle."

Consort Xu De immediately lost her temper, for who else was to blame for her sister’s mishap after she took charge of the harem?

She understood the underlying meaning in the Emperor’s words; he was saying she hadn’t fulfilled her role adequately.

This incident indeed proved she had been too slow in managing the harem. The administrative sections truly lacked competent people, and she had been bogged down in trivial matters for too long, her foundation still too shallow.

Previously, she thought to take it step by step, having already asserted her authority once before; a repeat might lead to backlash. But now, waiting was no longer an option. The Emperor’s words meant for her to go back and clean house once this is done, to install capable people.

She pushed aside her previous frivolity, considered for a moment, then said solemnly, "What should be my response?"

The Emperor, without looking at her again, wrapped one hand around Lian Hua’s hand and kneaded her face with the other, speaking softly, "Come as you are, and go as you came, do no more than wait."

"Eh?..." Lian Hua’s eyes rolled about, pondering. Was this to say that His Majesty still had secrets to keep from her?