Chapter 162: Palace Scheming

"Lady Liu requests an audience."

The palace maid entered to report. She had lost count of how many times she had made this announcement today, and the attendants in Consort Fu’s palace were kept constantly on their feet.

"Send her in!" Consort Fu replied nonchalantly, sitting regally as she admired a piece of jade in her hand.

The palace maid welcomed Liu Qianqian inside. Liu Qianqian wore a mask of forced smiles; though her expression lacked true warmth, her disguise was remarkably well-maintained. The moment she crossed the threshold, she hurriedly offered her congratulations and presented the gift she had prepared.

"Congratulations to you, Sister, on your elevation to Noble Concubine. Please accept this meager token of my sincerity."

With Liu Qianqian's prominent family background, the treasures at her disposal were certainly no worse than anyone else's. Even though she inwardly despised Consort Fu, in order to ingratiate herself and maintain proper etiquette, she had to ensure the gift was lavish enough not to cause her to lose face.

"Thank you, Sister. Lately, I've had quite a few visits from our sisters. These are all gifts sent by the consorts of various palaces; everyone is simply too courteous."

After the palace maid took the gift, she placed it directly onto the pile of congratulatory offerings. Consort Fu did not stand on ceremony with her, speaking bluntly to reveal that other imperial concubines had already sent gifts much earlier.

"The sisters in the palace are all coming to congratulate you on your elevation to Noble Concubine to share in the good fortune, but I have arrived a bit late, and all the good fortune seems to have been snapped up by others."

Catching the teasing undertone in those words, Liu Qianqian felt a surge of irritation, yet she could only maintain a pleasant expression and chide herself with a smile.

In truth, she could hardly be blamed for arriving late. Consort Fu's quarters were the closest to the Emperor's, allowing the concubines living nearby to seize the opportunity and come fawning first. Liu Qianqian lived the farthest away and lacked a sedan chair for transport, which was why she was tardy.

"Sister's words are not entirely so. I have spoken with the Empress Dowager, saying that His Majesty should not bestow his exclusive favors upon any single consort. Consorts of all ranks in the palace are here to serve His Majesty, and for the sake of extending the imperial lineage, His Majesty still ought to grow closer to all our sisters."

Having previously put on an act of pure and intelligent virtue before the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, Consort Fu had indeed uttered such words. They had won her widespread praise, adding yet another glowing mark to her reputation.

"For Sister to cultivate such virtue truly commands my respect. Even those high-ranking Ladies of Bright Deportment are not as sensible as you, always considering His Majesty and the Great Li Dynasty."

Though this flattery laid it on a bit thick, such words that elevated Consort Fu while putting others down were very well received. Feeling quite pleased, Consort Fu decided to bestow another piece of empty kindness upon Liu Qianqian.

"I have indeed mentioned you before His Majesty. How wonderful it would be if he were to remember you." While her previous remarks were true, this latter claim was entirely fabricated—she certainly knew how to gild her own lily.

Liu Qianqian, unaware of the truth, was overjoyed. Treating Consort Fu practically like a great benefactor, she immediately bowed to express her gratitude.

"Thank you, Sister, for your recommendation. I shall never forget your kindness."

"There is no need for that. No matter what, we are sisters who have known each other since childhood, and it is by fate that we now serve His Majesty together."

On the surface, Consort Fu made herself sound virtuous and magnanimous, though her words bore a rather hypocritical ring. Yet Liu Qianqian, anxious to advance and trying every possible avenue, gave no deep thought to the matter; overjoyed, she took Consort Fu's empty words completely to heart.

Consort Fu was merely seizing the chance to play the benevolent benefactor. Having long heard from the Empress Dowager about plans to arrange for consorts who had not yet attended the Emperor to do so, she was simply using this opportunity to buy Liu Qianqian's favor on the cheap.

"Yes, indeed. We grew up together, and Sister has always taken good care of me."

Liu Qianqian was now trying her utmost to forge a connection, dragging in whatever she could find, real or imagined. Yet she quite forgot that their relationship in the past had never been particularly warm—though they shared similar temperaments, they had never naturally gravitated toward each other as kindred spirits.

That was because both of them were fiercely proud and strong-willed. However, Consort Fu now possessed far superior cunning, having made an even more dazzling comeback after suffering a severe emotional blow.