A middle-aged emperor, childless, was blessed with a beautiful and pregnant concubine who entered th

The old woman beside the Crown Princess's brow twitched slightly. "You mean...?"

The Crown Princess couldn't quite put her finger on it either, "I always feel that she didn't look like this when she first came from the palace..."

Granny: ...

If that's the case, could Aoyagi be a monster in disguise?

The old woman couldn't quite put her finger on it either. "Perhaps... this girl is a vixen. After entering the Eastern Palace, she deliberately disguised herself to seduce His Highness?"

Actually, the nanny thought the Crown Princess was overthinking it. Once a woman enters the Eastern Palace, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, she cannot succeed without His Highness's favor and without children.

They naturally had to put in their best efforts to attract His Highness's attention.

The last time His Majesty betrothed Qingliu to the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince was impeached...

Logically speaking, the Crown Prince shouldn't have touched Qingliu.

Now that they've entered the Eastern Palace, whether they're molded or not is entirely up to His Highness and the Crown Princess to decide.

Surprisingly, Qingliu gained favor with the Crown Prince in just three days after entering the palace…

It is said that... she climbed into His Highness's bed while he was drunk...

The maids around the Crown Princess were already used to this kind of thing.

The Eastern Palace has more women than His Majesty's harem.

With more women, there will naturally be more gossip and disputes.

People will use any means necessary to win favor.

The old nanny had served the Crown Princess for a long time and was quite experienced, so she understood everything.

Qingliu's ability to gain His Highness's favor is due to that little hussy's skill.

However, receiving a few days of favor in the Eastern Palace is not enough.

There are far too many women in the Eastern Palace!

So many that the Crown Princess was angry every day.

Moreover, most of those women came from powerful and influential families in the court.

However, the situation is unclear now, and Emperor Qianwu is still young, so his position as crown prince is not very secure.

Except for a few court officials who were betting heavily on the crown prince and would marry their legitimate daughters to him, most families sent their illegitimate daughters.

If the crown prince ascends the throne in the future, it will not be too late for them to send their legitimate daughter.

If not, sacrificing a concubine's daughter is not a pity.

That's the logic.

That's precisely why concubine's daughters become even more ruthless in their quest for the emperor's favor...

The Crown Princess is the legitimate daughter of the Xiao family, and her father is considered a direct descendant of the Crown Prince.

After all, as the Crown Princess's father, he was already inextricably linked with the Crown Prince.

If he were to make a concubine's daughter the Crown Prince's consort, wouldn't that mean he didn't take the Crown Prince seriously at all?

If the crown prince were to actually ascend the throne in the future, he would certainly be purged.

Therefore, the old nanny always felt in private that the Crown Princess was taking the women in the Eastern Palace far too seriously.

Compared to herself, most of them are illegitimate daughters. As long as His Highness isn't confused, he will only pamper them, not love them.

The Crown Princess has two legitimate sons. If she is still not at ease, she might as well seize the opportunity to have a few more.

Why waste time and energy on those women?

However, the nanny did try to persuade her, but the Crown Princess not only ignored her, but also scolded her severely, believing that her words were an insult to her.

What's wrong with her giving her heart to her husband?

The nanny naturally dared not say anything more.

At this moment, in a secluded courtyard of the Eastern Palace.

Qingliu was sitting in front of the bronze mirror, doing her hair.

She was just a concubine, so she only had one maidservant by her side.

She has now won over this maid.

"My lady, let me apply some hair conditioner for you and massage your scalp to help relieve fatigue."

Aoyagi nodded.

Zhou Mingyi told her that the Crown Prince liked slender waists, flowing black hair, and fair, jade-like skin.

The men in the Xie family are all born in the Year of the Dog.

During lovemaking, he likes to pinch a woman's slender waist and nibble on her body.

Zhou Mingyi knew this better than anyone.

The maid gently combed Qingliu's hair, complimenting her, "Madam, your hair looks beautiful."

"It's plentiful, soft, and as dense as clouds."

Qingliu chuckled softly; she had thought the same way before.

But after meeting Consort Zhen, I realized what "as dark as ink and as cloud-like" truly meant.

"That's because you haven't seen Consort Zhen's hair. Compared to her, I'm far inferior."

The maid exclaimed somewhat exaggeratedly, "Really? Madam, you're not joking, are you?"

Aoyagi, her eyelids slightly closed, said lazily, "Do I look like I'm joking?"

"And then there's Consort Yun in the palace. His Majesty was drawn to her long, black hair, which is why he bestowed upon her the title 'Yun'."

"However, compared to Consort Zhen, she is still somewhat inferior."

The maidservant flattered, "It was my ignorance."

"However, in my opinion, your hair is already extremely rare, my lady."

"At least I've never seen anyone in the Eastern Palace with more hair than you."

She quietly leaned closer and said, "One of my fellow villagers serves Consort Chen. It's said that Consort Chen's hair often falls out, and she's even bald in one spot..."

Aoyagi herself was a palace maid, so she naturally knew that her maid was saying this to curry favor with her.

Back when she was in the palace, she had considered climbing up to the Emperor to avenge her father.

But it's too difficult.

His Majesty has no heir. How could she, a palace maid who is not particularly beautiful, possibly bring down the Crown Prince with His Majesty's help?

It would be more direct to go to the Eastern Palace.

After all, if she could become the Crown Prince's woman, she could even strangle him to death.

However, Xie Jing was far too vigilant.

He never spent the night in a woman's palace.

Of course, Qingliu had just arrived and knew that this was because Xie Jing did not trust her.

Xie Jing appears gentle and refined, but in the past few days, Qing Liu has successfully climbed into his bed. Coupled with the information provided by Consort Zhen, she is certain that Xie Jing is not as simple as he seems.

It is said that he only spends the night with a few regular women.

For example, the Crown Princess, and three concubines.

And several concubines who had been in the Eastern Palace for a long time and had gained his trust.

Qingliu was a palace servant, and she knew that gaining Xie Jing's trust would not be easy.

However, Consort Zhen has already provided an idea.

Aoyagi is willing to do anything to avenge his family.

After applying the hair conditioner, Qingliu said, "You can go now, I need to rest for a bit."

The maid was about to reply "yes" when she suddenly remembered something.

"My lady, you haven't had dinner yet. Would you like me to bring you some?"

It's well past dinner time now.

As a concubine, Aoyagi's residence did not have a small kitchen.

However, if you want the people from the main kitchen to deliver things, you have to give them some benefits.

But Consort Zhen said that His Highness prefers slender waists.

Aoyagi shook his head. "No need."

The maid bowed and withdrew.

A green bird flew over and chattered away to Qingliu.

Aoyagi did not speak.

His brows furrowed even more deeply.

"Did Consort Zhen really say that?"

"Chirp chirp chirp..."

Aoyagi: "...Okay, I understand."

Qingliu didn't rest immediately. She somehow got hold of a book on the Five Animal Frolics and was practicing the movements in it.

However, after practicing for only a short while, he was already covered in sweat.

Consort Zhen's words were indeed effective.

Just then, a slightly deep voice suddenly came from behind.

"Do you like practicing the Five Animal Frolics?"

Xie Jing's eyes were deep and unfathomable as he stared intently at the woman's graceful figure.

He originally didn't want to touch Aoyagi.

That was a person bestowed upon him by Emperor Qianwu; it was a disgrace to him.

But he couldn't very well tell Emperor Qianwu, "The woman I look like is actually your woman."

The palace maid was pulled out of the fishpond on the spot, and he had no choice but to accept it.

Having an affair with a palace maid is at most a moral issue, but getting entangled with a concubine is a capital offense!

Xie Jing could still tell the difference.

But who would have thought that this woman would take advantage of his drunkenness and climb into his bed...

Since I'm already asleep, I don't feel guilty anymore.

But after sleeping with her twice, Xie Jing felt that this woman really did resemble Consort Zhen somewhat...

I can't say what their appearance is like, but I can say that their spirit is somewhat similar.

For example, she was wearing a sky-blue dress today, with fair, jade-like skin and hair as black as clouds. With a turn of her head, Xie Jing had the illusion that the person in front of him was that bold woman...

This suddenly ignited a fire in Xie Jing's heart.

The fire grew stronger and stronger.

"Perfect timing! I also practiced the Five Animal Frolics when I was young. Shall I teach you?"

Aoyagi's eyes flashed. "Oh?"

"Your Highness also knows the Five Animal Frolics?"

Xie Jing: "I know a little bit about it."

Qingliu stopped, and a faint fragrance of plum blossoms immediately wafted from her body.

Xie Jing had smelled this fragrance on Consort Zhen before.

In a daze, he seemed to see that ethereal face...

He grabbed the woman's slender waist, "How dare you! You dare to have an affair in the temple!"

Aoyagi was startled. "Why can he do it, but I can't?"

Qingliu then noticed that Xie Jing's eyes were slightly red, indicating that he was somewhat drunk.

She couldn't tell for a moment whether he was really drunk or pretending.

"Your Highness, you've hurt me!"

Aoyagi is skilled at taming animals, so she can learn animal language. Similarly, she can also learn how to speak other people.

Upon hearing this, the prince clenched his fist even tighter.

She couldn't help but gasp in surprise, and then the Crown Prince swept her up in his arms.

"I don't care! If that person can do it, so can I!"

As she spoke, she walked towards the bed...

Weiyang Palace.

This was the first time Zhou Mingyi had met Consort Lan.

It is said that Consort Lan was the Empress Dowager's adopted daughter, only because she looked like the deceased Princess Chang Le.

She was previously the daughter of Emperor Qianwu's wet nurse.

She looks like Princess Chang Le, and naturally, she also resembles the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager was a beauty in her youth, and Consort Lan was no less beautiful.

She lost her composure when she saw Zhou Mingyi.

There is such a beautiful woman in the world!

Consort Lan suddenly became wary.

This was her instinctive reaction.

Having escaped the cold palace in this life, she never wanted to go back. She craved the emperor's favor and desired wealth and glory.

But then I thought, if Consort Zhen isn't a bad person, it's not impossible to get along with her.

However, there was no Consort Zhen in the palace in her previous life, so Consort Lan specially ordered people to inquire about her. But after inquiring for a long time, they only found out some superficial information.

For example, Consort Zhen was beautiful, gentle, and disliked fighting.

It is said that her craftsmanship is excellent, and the flowers she embroiders can attract butterflies.

Consort Lan didn't want to wait until Mid-Autumn Festival, so she came to Weiyang Palace on her own initiative.

Now that she had met the person, Consort Lan was shocked to realize that what she had inquired about was quite off-topic.

How could these people describe Consort Zhen as beautiful?

If she is only beautiful, then what are the others in the palace?

Consort Lan immediately made up her mind.

She wants to befriend Consort Zhen!

"Your Highness Consort Zhen is as beautiful as a celestial being. I was so captivated by your beauty that I have acted improperly."