lcionline Chapter 287 The Legendary Couple's Harmony
Chapter 287 The Legendary Couple's Harmony
Upon hearing Su Mowan's words, the palace maid quickly lowered her head and led the way. Su Mowan adjusted her fox fur coat and followed.
The two halls were not far apart, and it only took a minute to circle around to the hall where Emperor Moyao was staying.
Su Mowan looked up and saw a golden plaque hanging above, with the three large characters "Lianyun Palace" written on it.
Several palace maids and eunuchs stood in front of the hall, and they all bowed when they saw Su Mowan approaching. They bowed silently, without uttering any words.
After all, these palace servants had always been in the imperial palace and had never seen Su Mowan before, but just by looking at Su Mowan's demeanor, they knew that her identity was not simple.
The palace maid who was leading the way said something to a leading eunuch, and then the man glared at her and quickly sidled up to Su Mowan.
He bowed and scraped, saying, "This servant greets Consort Su! Consort Su, are you here to see His Majesty? This servant will show you the way!"
Before Su Mowan could even utter a sound, he turned around and made a 'please' gesture.
Su Mowan found this person's overly attentive attitude a bit strange. Could it be that Emperor Moyao had given some instructions beforehand?
Unbeknownst to her, Yinshuang, who was lagging behind, knew the reason behind it.
Now, who in the entire capital doesn't know the rumor that His Highness Prince Qin dotes on Consort Su?
These servants would naturally find out the situation beforehand, since His Highness the Prince of Qin actually came to participate in the autumn hunt this year, but he didn't come last year.
Therefore, it was natural to carefully serve Consort Su, who was favored by the King of Qin.
The Lianyun Palace was indeed spacious and grand. As soon as I entered, I saw Emperor Mo Yao sitting in the high seat in the distance, as well as two imperial concubines who were slightly below him.
There was no sign of the Empress.
The King of Chu, the King of Jin, and the King of Qin, all seated below Emperor Mo Yao, turned to look upon hearing the commotion.
Su Mowan is usually very thick-skinned, but now she felt a little embarrassed. After all, she arrived later, and being watched by so many people made her feel awkward.
Fortunately, Emperor Moyao's words resolved her awkward situation.
Emperor Mo Yao chuckled in a good mood, then said in a strong voice, "You child, why did you take so long to arrive?"
This seemingly kind and benevolent remark caused a flicker of displeasure to cross the faces of Consort Shen and Shen Muyue.
When Shen Muyue followed Murong Jing in, Emperor Mo Yao didn't ask her a single question.
They're both daughters-in-law, but this differential treatment is too obvious!
Consort Xiao, however, smiled and chimed in, "Your Majesty, it's obvious that His Highness Prince Qin doesn't want your daughter-in-law to come out in the freezing cold."
Upon hearing Consort Xiao's words, Consort Shen's expression darkened further. She forced a smile and said to Emperor Mo Yao, "Your Majesty, you are being too biased. Mu Yue is also your daughter-in-law, so why don't you ask her about this or that?"
Emperor Mo Yao's smile vanished instantly upon hearing Consort Shen's words. He coughed and was about to speak when Consort Xiao spoke up again.
“Consort Shen is mistaken. Consort Su is carrying the Emperor’s own grandson. How could the Emperor not care? When Consort Shen becomes pregnant, the Emperor will naturally care as well. It’s too early now.”
As Su Mowan walked in, she thought to herself, "So the old saying that a mother's status depends on her son is really true."
However, although that's what Consort Xiao said, Su Mowan always felt that Consort Xiao was exceptionally friendly to her, a friendliness that surprised her.
Wherever Consort Shen was, Consort Xiao always sided with her.
This puzzled Su Mowan. Su Mobai had said that the reason why the King of Chu abandoned her and married Su Huayue was because of Consort Xiao's idea.
In other words, Consort Xiao looked down on her.
How should we explain these subsequent attitudes? Is it because she is now more favored by Murong Jing, so it carries a sense of ingratiation?
Regardless, Su Mowan was quite happy to watch Consort Xiao and Consort Shen go back and forth.
Su Mowan entered and first gave a polite bow to Emperor Moyao. Just as she was hesitating whether to also bow to the two imperial concubines, she heard Murong Jing say, "Sit down next to me."
So Su Mowan excused herself from the formalities with the two imperial concubines and sat down next to Murong Jing under Emperor Moyao's smiling gaze.
Sitting on Murong Jing's other side was Shen Muyue.
At this moment, Shen Muyue tried every means to make her presence felt. As soon as Su Mowan sat down, Shen Muyue poured a cup of tea and handed it to Murong Jing, about to speak.
Su Mowan tilted her head and said, "Consort Shen, you should drink it yourself. His Highness has caught a cold recently and cannot drink tea."
As if to confirm the phrase "caught a cold," His Highness the Prince of Qin clenched his fist and covered his mouth, coughing lightly.
"..."
Shen Muyue had no choice but to withdraw the teacup she had raised.
Yin Shuang, standing behind Su Mowan, and Feng Yue, standing behind Murong Jing, both had the same thought: This is the legendary "husband and wife in harmony".
Now Consort Xiao had something to say. She glanced at Emperor Mo Yao and said with a smile, "It seems that Your Majesty has not spoiled this daughter-in-law for nothing. Consort Su is always concerned about His Highness Prince Qin when he is not feeling well."
These words were a veiled criticism of Shen Muyue, implying that she was unaware that His Highness the Prince of Qin was unwell and that she had offered the wrong kind of favor.
Consort Shen, who had been repeatedly offended by Consort Xiao's words, said somewhat unhappily, "Consort Xiao's words are not fair. Mu Yue returned to the Prime Minister's residence a few days ago and has only just come back. It is only natural that she would not know that His Highness Prince Qin is not feeling well."
Consort Xiao glanced at Emperor Mo Yao through the corner of his eye and said, "Oh right, I had forgotten that Consort Shen had gone back to her parents' home. No wonder I didn't see Consort Shen at the palace banquet the day before yesterday. But it's fortunate that Consort Shen wasn't there."
That's a very thought-provoking statement.
Fortunately, Consort Shen wasn't there, so His Highness Prince Qin and Consort Su could show off their affection.
Or perhaps it was fortunate that Consort Shen wasn't there, otherwise Consort Su would have stolen the spotlight that night?
Either one of them was enough to completely suffocate Consort Shen.
Seeing her aunt at a disadvantage, Shen Muyue chimed in, "Indeed, Muyue is unlucky. Such a lively occasion must have been very interesting, but who knew that Ruirui would suddenly have an accident at this time..."
This explains why she went back to her parents' home.
Emperor Mo Yao, unusually, spoke up, "What happened?"
He knew that the Empress had brought Shen Muyue's half-sister into the Qin Prince's mansion.
Shen Muyue lowered her head, gathering her emotions, when she heard Consort Shen above sigh softly and say, "Your Majesty probably doesn't know yet, does he? Muyue and Murui were on their way to Huian Temple to pray for blessings, but they encountered assassins on their way back. Poor Murui fell off a cliff and her fate is still unknown."
While it was said that his fate was uncertain, Consort Shen had already concluded that he was gone, because the Left Prime Minister's residence had sent her a message: falling off such a deep cliff meant certain death, with no possibility of survival.
Even the Left Prime Minister's residence had given up on the idea of continuing the search.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Mo Yao looked at Murong Jing, frowned, and asked, "Is that so?"
Su Mowan had a gut feeling that Emperor Mo Yao would probably say "little brat" again in the next moment, and looked at Murong Jing with some sympathy.
Murong Jing met Emperor Mo Yao's gaze and said calmly, "That is indeed the case."
Emperor Mo Yao slammed his hand on the armrest of the chair. Su Mowan's heart skipped a beat, and she looked at Murong Jing with a guilty conscience.
It's likely that Emperor Moyao will say something like, "He can't even protect his own woman," and Murong Jing will become the scapegoat.
Who would have thought that Emperor Mo Yao would say, "Are assassins so rampant lately? Daughter-in-law, you must be extremely careful when you go out in the future. My grandson cannot be allowed to suffer any mishap!"
There was no mention of Shen Murui in these words; instead, he showed even more concern for Su Mowan.
Consort Shen was so angry that she choked on a mouthful of blood, and her resentment towards Emperor Mo Yao's favoritism deepened.
Consort Xiao seemed afraid that she was too mild in her anger, so she chimed in with Emperor Mo Yao, "Yes, yes, Consort Su should be careful. His Majesty cherishes this future grandson of the emperor very much. Although His Highness Prince Qin probably won't let you leave the palace alone, one should still be wary of others."
This last sentence is clearly a veiled reminder to Su Mowan to be wary of the people in the manor.
The only person in the manor was Shen Muyue.
Consort Shen was so angry that her face turned ashen, but Consort Xiao's words were so utterly unassailable that she had no choice but to swallow her anger.
Shen Muyue wasn't stupid; she knew that Consort Xiao's words were a veiled attack on her. Yet, she had actually considered it, and for a moment, she lowered her head guiltily, pretending not to understand the unspoken meaning.
Su Mowan took Emperor Moyao and Consort Xiao's earnest instructions to heart, nodding obediently and saying that she would pay attention.
As soon as she finished speaking, Murong Jing looked over and asked if she was feeling better, his voice unusually gentle.
Su Mowan was momentarily stunned, but then realized that this guy was doing it on purpose, so she nodded in agreement, "Much better."
The interaction between the two was quite pleasing to Emperor Mo Yao.
He immediately laughed twice and instructed Murong Jing, "You may be busy on weekdays, but don't neglect your daughter-in-law. Now is the time when she needs someone to accompany her. No matter how busy you are, you must make time to be with her."
Su Mowan wasn't embarrassed by Emperor Mo Yao's words. Instead, she thought of how busy Murong Jing was—he was truly busy!
Immediately, he felt that Emperor Moyao was too unfair. They were both his sons, so why did he treat Murong Jing like a beast of burden?
Although it's said that the capable should do more, Murong Jing is so busy he's spinning like a top!
However, considering Emperor Mo Yao's sons, it seems that none of them can share the burden of Murong Jing.
Moreover, Murong Jing probably wouldn't want anyone else to share the burden, especially the King of Chu.
Thinking of this, Su Mowan secretly glanced at the King of Chu opposite her and found that the King of Chu was no longer the same as before.
That fleeting glimpse of the King of Chu under the willow tree years ago made her think that he was truly a handsome and elegant young man.
His gentle and elegant smile always lingered in Su Mowan's mind.
In just three months, the image of the King of Chu had become so faint that it was almost impossible to recall.
The King of Chu before her frowned slightly, and the gentle smile on his face disappeared. His cold expression made Su Mowan momentarily dazed.
The King of Chu before her was no longer the one she knew.
Just as Su Mowan was about to come back to her senses, a cool hand touched her forehead, and then she heard Murong Jing say, "Mowan is not feeling well, so I will accompany her back to rest."
As he spoke, he grasped Su Mowan's hand, which was exposed outside her fox fur coat.