Handing the matter to Worthy Consort Xi also meant Consort Shu would lose face over it, which satisfied Huo Xianrou well enough. Although she wasn’t certain who exactly had drugged her, being able to take a bite out of Consort Shu and knock down her arrogance a little wasn’t a bad outcome either.

It was just a shame about the wonderful chance at the Emperor’s favor she’d lost last night.

Blinking, Huo Xianrou tugged at the sovereign’s sleeve and asked quietly, “Can Your Majesty stay with this concubine tonight too?”

Yuwen Jie shook his head. “I have many memorials to deal with tonight. I can’t keep you company.”

Slightly displeased, Huo Xianrou pouted.

Huo Zichong kept shaking his head at her from the side—it was already a good thing that the Emperor had come to see her at all during this busy period; did she expect to be chosen again on top of that? One shouldn’t be so greedy, and the Emperor had always disliked greedy people.

“Very well, Your Majesty, do take care of your health.” Huo Xianrou relented.

She technically ought to call Huo Zichong “Elder Brother,” but because he had entered palace service so early, their sibling bond wasn’t especially deep—at most, they nodded to each other when they crossed paths. But their father had said that Elder Brother was, at least, someone in the Emperor’s good graces, so listening to him could never hurt.

Thinking it over, she supposed that was true—in this palace, where no one could really be trusted, she could only rely on her own brother.

“You rest well too,” the sovereign said, standing. “I’ll head back first.”

“See Your Majesty off respectfully.”

After leaving Yongfu Hall, Huo Zichong deliberated for a long while before carefully speaking up. “Your Majesty.”

Yuwen Jie paused mid-step and turned to look at him.

“This subject thanks Your Majesty for the affection shown to my younger sister.” Lifting the hem of his robe, Huo Zichong knelt halfway. “My sister is delicate and has something of a spoiled child’s temperament. This subject has seen with his own eyes how tolerant and indulgent Your Majesty has been toward her.”

The sovereign spoke half-jokingly. “If I stopped favoring her one day, would you resent me for it?”

His heart lurched, and Huo Zichong hastily said, “Never! This servant swears his undying loyalty to Your Majesty! If my sister can serve at Your Majesty’s side, it is her good fortune. If she cannot, this servant is still grateful for Your Majesty’s kindness toward the Huo family.”

“No need to be so tense. I was merely speaking casually.” Reaching out to pull him up, Yuwen Jie said, “I actually dislike favoritism built on family connections within the palace.”

“Your Majesty…” Huo Zichong panicked.

“But you’re different. You’ve followed me for many years and have kept many secrets in strict confidence.” The sovereign looked at him with a benevolent expression. “You deserve my partiality.”

A warmth spread through his chest, and Huo Zichong was deeply moved.

He was, at heart, a straightforward military man—how could he outmaneuver the Emperor’s calculating mind? In that moment, he only felt the urge to serve with everything he had to live up to His Majesty’s trust; his mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.

“By the way.” The sovereign turned and continued walking, speaking offhandedly as he went. “Consort Hua has been quite helpful with state affairs. I no longer really think of her as a consort, so the people of Zichen Hall may as well treat her as a court official. There’s no need to pass certain information on to the rear palace.”

Slightly startled, Huo Zichong looked a bit lost. “Treat her… as a court official?”

“I’m merely making a comparison,” Yuwen Jie said. “Any information concerning her doesn’t need to be told to others.”

“This subject understands.” Huo Zichong cupped his hands, thinking to himself that this explained it—he’d always assumed the Emperor had a special fondness for Consort Hua, often summoning her to Zichen Hall, but it seemed there was another reason behind it.

Still, to be fair, he did think Consort Hua was better than his own sister—clever, sensible, and able to actually help His Majesty with matters. So whenever Huo Xianrou pressed him for news about what happened in Zichen Hall, he’d cover for Consort Hua a little. Now that His Majesty had spoken so plainly, he naturally wouldn’t tell Huo Xianrou anything about Consort Hua’s comings and goings in Zichen Hall, to keep her from doing anything unwise.

The tainted incense in Yongfu Hall naturally stirred up quite a storm in the rear palace. Consort Shu loudly protested her innocence, while Worthy Consort Xi seized the opportunity to wrest away the authority over distributing goods to each palace, reporting to the Emperor all manner of injustices since Consort Shu had taken charge.

“Your Majesty, they’re ganging up to bully this servant!” Hua Xunyue looked at the sovereign aggrievedly. “Are you just going to watch this happen?”

Closing the book in his hand, Yuwen Jie said gravely, “I’d very much like to favor you in this, but Consort Huo has suffered a grievance this time. I can only treat everyone fairly.”

“What grievance could she possibly have suffered?” Hua Xunyue said discontentedly. “She’s just scheming up new ways every day to draw Your Majesty’s attention.”

The sovereign said nothing.

Hua Xunyue complained quietly for a while, and seeing that the Emperor paid her no mind, she understood well enough where his attitude lay.

Who told her that Huo Zichong was in the Emperor’s good graces—a few words from him carried more weight than anything she could say until she wore her mouth out. Having backing really did make a difference.

Rising to take her leave, she was seething inside. Did she not know exactly what sort of person Huo Xianrou was? Back when they’d been allies scheming together, Huo Xianrou hadn’t held back on advice for how to catch the Emperor’s attention—and now that she was jealous of her, wasn’t she just using the very tricks she herself had once taught her?

She’d originally wanted to live out her days peacefully in this palace, but since someone insisted on not letting that happen, she wouldn’t blame herself for being ruthless!

With Worthy Consort Xi joining forces with Consort Huo, they wrested away half of Consort Shu’s authority. Consort Huo then fell gravely ill—the imperial physician first said it was from too much sedating incense, but upon further diagnosis, a shocking piece of news came to light.

“Consort Huo is with child!” the elderly imperial physician said, feeling her pulse and confirming it once more, then kneeling to offer his congratulations. “Congratulations, my lady!”

With child? Huo Xianrou was stunned for a moment before coming back to herself, overjoyed. “Is that really true?”

“Based on this humble physician’s many years of medical experience, there can be no mistake!”

This threw Yongfu Hall into an uproar. The Emperor was leisurely watching Hua Chun revise memorials in Zichen Hall when Eunuch Qin came stumbling in excitedly. “Your Majesty, Consort Huo has been diagnosed with child!”

Her vermillion brush jerked, drawing a long streak across the memorial. Hua Chun paused for a moment, then looked up at Yuwen Jie.

“Oh? With child?” Not a trace of expression crossed his lifeless face; he merely nodded. “Once it’s confirmed, have gifts sent over.”

“Yes!”

This was the second child to appear in the palace—why wasn’t the Emperor the least bit excited? Eunuch Qin couldn’t quite understand it, but a glance at Consort Hua’s expression made things click into place, and he hurriedly kept his mouth shut and withdrew.

The hall fell quiet, and Hua Chun lowered her head, continuing to revise memorials while muttering under her breath.

The sovereign raised an eyebrow, and seeing her sour expression, leaned over in good humor to listen to what she was muttering.

What he heard was her gritting out through clenched teeth, “One tael… two taels… thirty taels, good, today I’ll earn two hundred taels off that dog of a man too!”

The sovereign: “…” Such resentment.

Reaching out to pull her into his arms—where she made a small, delicate bundle—he looked down at her. “You don’t have to get involved in these rear-palace matters.”

Hua Chun said, straight-faced, “This concubine truly didn’t want to get involved.”

His eyes flickered, and Yuwen Jie said, “What I mean is, there are some things you needn’t take to heart.”

Not take to heart? Hua Chun ground her teeth—how in the world was she supposed to not take it to heart? He’d gotten someone else pregnant and she wasn’t even allowed to be bothered about it?!