Although Lyuyou said so, Tang Xia was reluctant to eat humble pie.

Zui Linglong had always said to her in a sarcastic tone that she would regard Tang Xia as HelloKitty if Tang Xia could not bear any insults. After taking a look at Chu Tiankuo, who was enjoying the show, Tang Xia wore a sly smile.

Tang Xia then put on an aggrieved look and jumped on Chu Tianku.

“Your Majesty, how could you tell the other imperial concubines about our conversation?”

“It is all right that your imperial concubines are making jokes about me, but what if your people regard your empress as a fool who is a hypochondriac.”

“It will definitely do damage to our national prestige. How could you do such a thing, Your Majesty.” Tang Xia paused and looked at Chu Tiankuo as if he was quite ignorant.

As Tang Xia involved Chu Tiankuo in this matter, Chu Tiankuo could not find a reason to vindicate himself within such a short time.

“Tang Xia is such an interesting woman!” Chu Tiankuo felt rather happy but pretended to say reluctantly,

“Alright, it is my fault that I wronged you” Then Chu Tiankuo held Tang Xia in his arms to comfort her.

The other imperial concubines felt quite disappointed as if they had fallen into an ice cellar at the sight of the deep love between the emperor and the empress.

As the matters in the imperial harem were under the charge of the empress, it would be fine for them to hit her when she was down, if Tang Xia was truly out of favor with His Majesty,

But they could tell that His Majesty still favored Tang Xia, which meant that they would not lead a good life in the imperial harem. So one imperial concubine said hurriedly,

“I propose a toast to Your Majesty and Your Grace for your eternal love.” Other imperial concubines repeated the words. Then Tang Xia raised the glass and drank it all even before Chu Tiankuo drank his wine.

“Can’t you wait for me to drink the wine, my empress?”

After hearing what Chu Tiankuo had said, Tang Xia realized that she should have waited for him to drink the wine.

“I forgot, Your Majesty.”

Tang Xia smiled in embarassment. “You are so frank, don’t worry about it. Let’s have another drink.”

Tang Xia drank the wine so fast that her cheeks turned pink because of the alcohol, which gave her quite a certain charisma. Chu Tiankuo wanted to see what she would be like if she had another drink.

After hearing what Chu Tiankuo said, Tang Xia was quite pleased as she thought the fruit wine was sweet and wanted to have another drink.

“Sure, let me refill your glass, Your Majesty.”

At this time, the more Tang Xia did, the other imperial concubines would become more frightened. Tang Xia did not mind that she was doing something for His Majesty to frighten those imperial concubines. Then Tang Xia took the wine pot from the servant and refilled Chu Tiankuo’s glass.

As Tang Xia was ready to drink the wine after they both raised their glasses, Chu Tiankuo pulled her hand. Then they drank “cross-cupped wine” from each other’s glasses.

“This wine tastes good.”

Chu Tiankuo raised his head and smiled at Tang Xia. Although Tang Xia knew Chu Tiankuo was a handsome guy, she was enraptured by his charisma for a moment. “Calm down, Tang Xia. His good looks is ordinary.”

Tang Xia thought so in her mind. Other imperial concubines would be so pissed off if they knew that Tang Xia regarded Chu Tiankuo’s good looks as ordinary as they thought no one was more charismatic than Chu Tiankuo was. Tang Xia said this to herself and then raised her glass and drank it all.

As the alcohol content of the fruit wine was not high, Tang Xia did not feel dizzy. However, her face became hotter and she had to put the back of her hand on her face to cool it down.

Anran, standing aside,noticed Tang Xia’s looks, so she presented the handkerchief to Tang Xia immediately. However, Chu Tiankuo took it before Tang Xia could get it.

“Look at you, you are almost like a little drunk cat.”

Although Chu Tiankuo’s voice was not loud, the other imperial concubines around them could hear what he said. Then Chu Tiankuo wiped Tang Xia’s face gently. As the night breeze swept by, Tang Xia felt refreshed but hot again.

“Are you in love with me?”

Tang Xia whispered to Chu Tiankuo.

“You think too much. I just want my people to see the emperor and the empress in deep love and harmony.”

This reason convinced both Tang Xia and Chu Tiankuo. However, they forgot that what the common people wanted to see most was any interesting episodes among the imperial harem rather than the harmony between the emperor and the empress.

Such a reason was the tool for them to avoid their true feelings.

While Tang Xia and Chu Tiankuo enjoyed conjugal bliss, Zui Linglong was grinding her teeth in anger.

It never occurred to her that Chu Tiankuo still favored Tang Xia.

“Damn it! Nowhere is she better than me! How dare Tang Xia strive for His Majesty’s favor with me?” No one noticed that Linglong’s face was twisted with jealousy as everyone was paying attention to Chu Tiankuo and Tang Xia.

However, Zui Linglong could not lose her temper for the moment. As one imperial concubine after another, took a look at her, Zui Linglong calmed down and behaved herself well and comforted all the restless imperial concubines.

As it was getting late, Tang Xia yawned.

She took a look at Chu Tiankuo who was still energetic and waited for him to dismiss the banquet. “Beauty sleep is quite important for women, why doesn’t he dismiss the banquet?”

As Tang Xia felt restless, she had an impatient look on her face.

Chu Tiankuo tittered in his mind at the sight of Tang Xia’s face.

After Chu Tiankuo stood up, Tang Xia thought he would announce the end of the banquet and straightened her clothes to sit properly. Unexpectedly, Chu Tiankuo said,

“My beloved imperial concubines, it is such a beautiful night with a clear moon and few stars. Let’s have another drink.”

All the other imperial concubines raised their glasses on hearing Chu Tiankuo’s words.

After Chu Tiankuo raised his glass, he took a glance at Tang Xia secretly—her lowered head and down-turned lips indicated her sulkiness.

“Never mind. Why do I bother taking offense at her?” “That’s enough. Let’s call it a night.”

As soon as he finished his sentence, the servant standing aside, asked immediately,

“Which palace do you want to spend your night, Your Majesty?” All the imperial concubines turned to stare at Chu Tiankuo obsequiously, upon hearing the servant’s words.

“My joke angered my empress. I’ll spend the night in her palace to comfort her.”

On hearing what Chu Tiankuo had said, Tang Xia froze for a moment, “Can’t I have a good rest tonight?” She had no choice but to reply,

“Welcome, Your Majesty.”

As the emperor would be going to the empress’s palace, the other imperial concubines had nothing to do and went to Zui Linglong’s palace.

Zui Linglong was quite restless, but she had to stay calm at this moment.

“No matter how powerful the empress is, she is alone. I can get help from the other imperial concubines so that I will definitely gain His Majesty’s love someday.” Zui Linglong had her palace maid serve tea and cakes to the other imperial concubines.

“I have nowhere to go if I cannot stay in your palace, my sister.” One imperial concubine wiped her tears.

“His Majesty only favors the empress, he does not care about us at all. Why should I become the imperial concubine if I don’t love His Majesty’s good looks?”

“Right! If I did not happen to see His Majesty’s charisma, I would not have asked my parents to let me become the imperial concubine.”

As the topic turned to how they fell in love with His Majesty, Zui Linglong said, “We all know well about His Majesty’s charisma.”

“We don’t expect that His Majesty loves us like the empress. We have to be satisfied as long as His Majesty can think of us sometimes. However, he only favors Tang Xia…”

“I agree with you. Although the harmony between the emperor and the empress should be guaranteed, it is crucial for the emperor to treat his imperial concubines fairly. As the empress, she should persuade His Majesty rather than solely enjoying his favor.”

“She is a woman. Who wants to share her husband with others?”

“But her husband is the emperor, not any ordinary man!”

“In the view of the ministers, His Majesty may be the emperor. But we regard him as our husband!”

“We? I’m afraid that only the empress can treat His Majesty like her husband.”

“Yep, His Majesty is so kind to the empress tonight. We have never enjoyed such preferential treatment. ”

“I thought the empress has lost His Majesty’s favor. Why is His Majesty so good to her today?” An imperial concubine asked.

“Right. Who spread the news? It really does us a disservice.”

“Save it. You were all active participators in hitting Tang Xia when she is down.” Zui Linglong thought so in her mind, but she said,

“It is not the time for internal strife. We should work out together how we can gain His Majesty’s favor.”

One imperial concubine said,

“I don’t know if I got it right. Now that His Majesty only favors Tang Xia, we should deal with the empress together if we want to gain His Majesty’s favor. Or His Majesty will never pay attention to us.”

“You are right. His Majesty only favors the empress, he hardly notices us. I cannot submit to such humiliation.”

“You have to eat humble pie as the empress is more favored by His Majesty than you are. As far as I’m concerned, His Majesty’s favor to Tang Xia will not last long. Although the empress can be regarded as unique among the imperial concubines, the freshness will fade away eventually.”

“I understand that, but when will the freshness fade away?”

“It is OK for us to wait for one or two years. What if we need to wait for eight or ten years? We will be old and ugly by that time. Besides, new women will continuously be introduced into the imperial harem, how can we compete with them? So in my view, we should find a way to deal with the empress.”

“I know of one medicine which will do damage to the body and disable the person, if she uses it on frequently to get pregnant. If we let the empress use this medicine…”

“Tampering with her diet in the long run? It is quite difficult as you will definitely die if you are caught. In my view, we should use poison as all troubles end when the main trouble ends.”

“But His Majesty will sometimes dine with the empress without advance notice. What if we poison the emperor…”

So as they discussed all this for a long time without one useful advice, Zui Linglong felt quite restless.

“Enough.”

Zui Linglong said in a heavy tone. However, the imperial concubines were talking so fiercely among themselves that they did not hear what she said. So Zui Linglong raised her voice and said again,

“That’s enough.”

Her voice was so serious that all the imperial concubines froze.

“You have discussed this for such a long time without one useful advice. Don’t forget that it will be useless to do anything if His Majesty favors her. The emperor favors her so much.”