In mid-June, an urgent report of the flood in Jiangzhou, which had caused countless casualties among the common people, reached the imperial palace. Jun Wuyuan flew into a rage and issued several imperial edicts in succession.
The most eye - catching one among them was that he bestowed the title of imperial envoy on Wang Yanli, ordering him to go to Jiangzhou with the "disaster relief" funds to help the victims as a way to atone for his crimes.
Once this edict was issued, it stirred up waves in the court. But faced with the emperor's thunderous anger and a series of edicts, Wang Yanli, who had just been released from prison, was suddenly entrusted with a great responsibility and didn't even have the right to refuse.
Wang Yuyao gritted her teeth in hatred. Unfortunately, Jun Wuyuan was no longer the powerless puppet without a say as he used to be.
One wrong step led to another.
After Wang Yuyao returned to her courtyard in the imperial palace, she couldn't help but smash her favorite set of porcelain utensils.
From the very beginning, that wolf cub had been pretending. All those traits like tyranny, moodiness, cruelty, restlessness, and being good - for - nothing...
It was all a show of weakness and deception by that wolf cub, aiming to make them relax their guard.
Looking back on the past month, the Wang family, a powerful force in the court, had been retreating step by step, while Jun Wuyuan had quickly gathered power in his hands.
Now, nearly half of the military power in the imperial capital was in Jun Wuyuan's control, and so was the power in the court.
Wang Yuyao looked at Wang Yanli, who had lost a lot of weight and whose eyes and actions had become sluggish and a bit timid. She was filled with both anger and hatred.
Thinking about those fools in Jiangzhou who had caused a mess in the name of the Wang family, and now her son had to take the family fortune to clean up the mess.
Wang Yuyao's full - fledged anger and hatred were all directed at those "pigs". The wolf cub on the dragon throne couldn't be touched for the time being, but couldn't she deal with others?
One day later, Wang Yanli set off in a grand manner for Jiangzhou with his father's earnest instructions, a group of highly skilled attendants, and the family head's order to mobilize the wealth of the prefectures near Jiangzhou.
In Yuhua Palace, even the concubines' eagerness to gain the emperor's favor subsided a bit. Messages were sent from their families in the court.
They were afraid of offending the moody tyrant by being over - zealous and inappropriate, which would be a great loss.
As for Ling Shan, who was still in favor after the "miscarriage", the concubines in the harem were restless, but the harem temporarily fell into a calm.
However, no one expected that this calm would be broken by Consort Zhao, who was supposed to be resting.
The concubines in Yuhua Palace were being very well - behaved and trying not to wander near Jiuzhou Qingyan. Unexpectedly, Ling Shan left Jiuzhou Qingyan.
Coincidentally, she stayed on Qingyun Terrace on Mingyue Lake for two days in a row, always at the same time each day.
Naturally, the concubines in the palace were restless and started to act secretly.
Not to mention anything else, if they could get on good terms with the emperor's current favorite, they might easily catch the emperor's attention.
Would they still need to compete for the emperor's favor then?
This Miss Ling Shan, the current Consort Zhao, couldn't monopolize the emperor's favor forever, could she?
As for love, these noble ladies from aristocratic families valued power and status more.
They were confident that Ling Shan would not reject their kindness.
On Qingyun Terrace, Ling Shan, who seemed melancholy and delicate, leaned against the white jade railing, her dull eyes fixed on the sparkling lake.
Banchun sent away another concubine who came to show concern with a look of apology on her face. As soon as she turned around and entered Qingyun Terrace, the apology disappeared.
Ling Shan leisurely leaned on the rocking chair, her eyes full of relaxed pleasure. There was no trace of melancholy at all.
"Your Ladyship, do you think they will really fall for it?"
Ling Shan's lips curled slightly. "Whether they do or not, they will make their own choices based on what they see with their own eyes."
The smart ones would surely not get involved in this mess. But if those with sinister motives fell into the trap, it was only because they were out - matched.
Banchun seemed to half - understand as she brewed a cup of jasmine jade tea and gently fanned with a palm - leaf fan.
She guessed that the emperor and her ladyship were setting up a big game. Now that the bait had been cast, they could only wait and see how the game would unfold.
In this way, another two or three days passed, and the same scene was played out on Qingyun Terrace every day.
After three such days, there was an unspoken understanding hidden beneath the initially calm lake.
It was the hour of si on another day. Several concubines came together by appointment. The leading one was Concubine Yang, a former follower of Wang Chengbi and a member of the Wang family's faction.
When these concubines arrived at Qingyun Terrace, they found that the waiting maids were nowhere to be seen.
They thought it was strange. Although Ling Shan didn't like to be served, there had never been such a deserted situation before.
A speculation flashed through Concubine Yang's mind. They exchanged glances and walked in.
Sure enough, Ling Shan, immersed in her own world and full of melancholy, was alone, leaning against the railing. Her dark and bright almond eyes were staring at the lake in an abnormal way.
Concubine Yang tentatively called out to her twice, but there was no reaction at all.
This state made a secret smile flash across the eyes of Concubine Yang and the others.
"Your Ladyship Consort Zhao, it's dangerous by the lake. Why are you here alone? Come over quickly."
"Yes, Your Ladyship Consort Zhao, we're very worried about you. The water in Mingyue Lake is very deep, and there are many wronged souls in it. Come over quickly."
"Your Ladyship, do you think of the innocent and tragic little prince? Look, the little prince is smiling at you..."
"Your Ladyship Consort Zhao, come here quickly. I'll help you... Ah, help!"
No one in Qingyun Terrace knew what had happened. Banchun had gone to get clothes. As soon as she reached the door of the hall, she heard panicked cries for help.
She was suddenly alarmed and quickly rushed in. From afar, she only heard shouts like "Your Ladyship Consort Zhao has committed suicide by falling into the water!" and "Something's wrong. Someone come quickly!"
She angrily shouted, "Your Ladyship! What are you doing!"
Concubine Yang and the others didn't expect that just as they had pretended to accidentally push Ling Shan into the water and were about to act as if they had just come in and found the scene of her suicide, Banchun, this maid, came just at this moment.
"Banchun, how did you serve Your Ladyship Consort Zhao? When we came, there wasn't a single waiting person on Qingyun Terrace. No one protected Your Ladyship when she wanted to jump into the lake. I think all of you waiting maids are courting death!"
"You're talking nonsense! Our ladyship is fine. How could she commit suicide?"
Banchun's face was full of tears. In a short time, the lake had become so calm that it was hard to tell if someone had fallen into it. She threw herself in front of the railing in pain and shouted loudly.
The belated maids and eunuchs jumped into the water like dumplings to search for the person. The whole Qingyun Terrace was in a complete mess.
Concubine Yang and the other concubines wore expressions of deep grief and self - blame on their faces, but the hidden glances they exchanged from time to time in the depths of their eyes flashed with the light of success.
It was an unexpected surprise.
They didn't expect that even God was helping them.
The favored concubine?
She would just be buried in the belly of the fish.