Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved
Chapter 426 We Will Collaborate from Inside and Out, Nothing Will Go Wrong

Chapter 426: Chapter 426 We Will Collaborate from Inside and Out, Nothing Will Go Wrong

"Consort Jing probably never dreamed that things would go this way."

Even Jun Yuyan couldn’t help but sigh.

Murong Jiu laughed and said, "Our Consort Jing expects too much. Her life has been too smooth, so she’s become arrogant."

She arrogantly believed that Master Mei would remain unmarried for her, and that he would definitely agree to help her and The Third Prince.

"Husband, what shall we do then?"

"Naturally, we agree to it and lend him our support."

What Master Mei asked for was simple: he just hoped to protect every member of the troupe but not himself.

He was willing to go to his death in order to drag Consort Jing down with him.

However, since he was prepared to go to that extent, Jun Yuyan thought about doing his best to save him too, leaving the Emperor to focus on punishing only Consort Jing.

Master Mei had taken Consort Jing’s plan and made another plan out of it.

He and Murong Jiu were discussing it together, perfecting the plan.

In the palace.

Consort Jing found the Emperor, tenderly brought him a nourishing soup, and casually mentioned Consort Qi’s upcoming birthday.

In the back of the palace, besides the Empress Dowager and Empress, no concubine could have a grand celebration. However, concubines of consort rank would have their families and Imperial Court women come to the palace to celebrate their birthdays, which was also quite a sizable banquet.

The Emperor never worried about these matters, and it had always been organized by the Empress in previous years, but this year, the responsibility had fallen on Consort Jing.

Consort Jing said, "The Empress has just passed away, and by rights, we shouldn’t be organizing anything. But Consort Qi Eldest Sister has been in the palace for many years and had been favored for a long time. Besides, she is Prince Ling’s mother, so not to arrange a proper celebration would be inappropriate. However, didn’t Your Majesty say that the treasury of the Western Regions Nation was drained recently? So I thought we should not be extravagant or wasteful, and it’s best to keep everything simple."

These words were pleasing to the Emperor’s heart.

He himself could live extravagantly, but the women of the harem had to be frugal. If everyone was extravagant and wasteful, it would set a bad example, and would easily invite criticism.

Moreover, if the women of the harem were simple and frugal, setting an example with their conduct, it would be good for showing the common people how to behave.

"Li Defu, did you hear that? Spread the word, everyone should follow Consort Jing’s example. Extravagance is not permitted in the palace."

News of the frugality of the palace women, with Consort Jing as the Third Prince’s mother, would surely elevate The Third Prince’s reputation even higher.

Thinking of this, the Emperor’s mood became even more cheerful, and he praised Consort Jing several times.

Consort Jing smiled sweetly, then said:

"It’s all due to Your Majesty’s good teaching. I have only learned a little from Your Majesty. Since we won’t be extravagant, I won’t dismiss the troupe for now; they’re ready to perform. Consort Qi Eldest Sister has always loved listening to operas, and that young male lead in the troupe has a voice even more moving and melodious than a woman’s, which completely bewitches Consort Qi Eldest Sister. Once her birthday is over, I will dismiss the troupe, and in the future, ah, when the treasury is full again, I will let Consort Qi Eldest Sister listen to her heart’s content."

The Emperor was somewhat displeased: "They’re all actors with powdered faces and rouge lips, chirping about love and affection. I don’t understand why you women are so fond of this."

Consort Jing laughed: "Your Majesty, you know well that women of the harem enjoy these diversions just to pass the time. However, I prefer to spend my free time copying Buddhist scriptures. It not only calms my mind but also allows me to pray for blessings for Your Majesty."

Upon saying this, a smile appeared on the Emperor’s face: "Buddhist scriptures are good. I like them too. Compared to those noisy women, I only like someone like you."

Consort Jing’s smile was shy, but there was no genuine mirth in her eyes.

The Emperor liked Buddhist scriptures? Hardly. He clearly preferred Daoism, intent on becoming an immortal, and the Alchemy Furnace in the palace was still in constant use.

The Emperor’s partiality is nothing more than because of the unattainable favor of the Empress Dowager.

After coming out from the Emperor’s presence, Consort Jing took a deep breath, a harsh cold gleam flickering in the depths of her eyes.

Just endure a little longer, after getting rid of Prince Ling, with no one left to threaten the Third Prince, the Emperor can pass away.

Then she would no longer need to suppress her disgust in front of the Emperor.

The preparations for Consort Qi’s birthday celebration actually started half a month ago; by Consort Jing stepping in on the pretext of frugality, she cut the scale of the celebration in half, causing Consort Qi to throw a tremendous tantrum in her own palace.

Hearing of this, Consort Jing couldn’t help feeling smug, "This is just the beginning, has she not been able to control her temper? Does she really think she is still the favored consort?"

Su Jin also laughed, "It’s precisely because Consort Qi has fallen out of favor that she has such a big temper. She originally wanted to demonstrate her power at the birthday banquet, but with your interference, the imperial women who attend will probably laugh at her, no wonder she is angry. Besides, think about it, how long has it been since Your Majesty visited Consort Qi’s palace?"

"Seems like it’s been over half a month," she said, also laughing proudly.

"See, Your Majesty isn’t planning to give Consort Qi any face, not even bothering to visit her palace; the palace is good at discerning the way the wind blows. I heard that the palace maids and eunuchs in Consort Qi’s palace have become quite slack. Yet Your Majesty visits you most frequently and most dearly."

The purpose of Su Jin’s words was actually to remind Consort Jing to stay calm; with the Emperor backing her, Consort Jing’s glory was the greatest in the harem, none could surpass it.

It was a sure thing for Consort Jing to become the Empress.

But if she could not keep her cool, she would be sabotaging herself.

However, Consort Jing simply would not listen, and Su Jin’s words only made her despise the Emperor even more.

The more frequently the Emperor visited, wasn’t that an indication of how important the Empress Dowager was in his heart?

Ever since the Third Prince was born, the Emperor treated him as his own child with the Empress Dowager, so everything he did was to pave the way for the Third Prince, and she, was merely honored enough because she was the Third Prince’s birth mother!

What if... she meant just what if.

What if the Empress Dowager were moved by the Empress and willing to spend the rest of her life with the Emperor, she was certain the Emperor would kill her to make the Empress Dowager the new "Consort Jing".

She had contemplated this scenario a long time ago.

Yet she also knew that someone as proud as the Empress Dowager, how could she ever do such a disgraceful thing?

What she feared was the Emperor growing impatient and forcibly making the Empress Dowager become the "Consort Jing".

The higher one’s position, the deeper the worry.

So why couldn’t she strike first?

"Su Jin, after Consort Qi’s birthday feast ends ’perfectly’, I will give you that set of ruby headdress; make sure you keep a close watch for me, we cannot afford any accidents."

Su Jin’s heart leaped with joy; she knew which set Consort Jing was referring to, and it was valuable, so of course, she liked it.

"Rest assured, with Master Mei helping us inside and out, there is absolutely no chance of any mishaps this time."

In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

In the morning, members of Consort Qi’s family entered the palace to give their congratulations, but since the birthday banquet was in the evening, it was not until the afternoon that the imperial women began to enter the palace one by one.

The theater stage had also been set up early.