"What, aren't you happy that you've lost a competitor?" You're an ambitious person, Jing Fei silently added in her heart.
"I'm just feeling sorry for Sister," Shu Fei said sincerely. She really felt sorry for Jing Fei, as Jing Fei was the first person to show kindness to her after she entered the palace.
"Didn't you get closer to me only after you knew I couldn't conceive?" Jing Fei couldn't understand this Shu Fei. Why was she feeling sorry for her?
"At first, I was afraid Sister had some ulterior motives for approaching me, so I was cautious. But now that I know Sister really has my best interests at heart, I have no more concerns," Shu Fei said with a beaming smile at Jing Fei.
Jing Fei indicated that she was a bit confused. "Weren't you very ambitious before?" Why was her personality so different from what it used to be?
"Ah? You mean before. I was ambitious because at that time my rank as a concubine was low. I didn't have access to any delicious food, fun things, or nice clothes. I was often bullied, so I wanted to climb up the ranks," Shu Fei thought. Otherwise, if she was always bullied, how could she live? Her mother had told her when she entered the palace that she didn't need to support the family. She just hoped that her daughter could live well in the palace.
Well, she had been very obedient to her mother. She was living well, and her food, clothing, and daily necessities were all very good. She hadn't let her mother down.
After hearing Shu Fei's words, Jing Fei was completely stunned. Did she hear wrong or misunderstand? This girl was ambitious just to have better food and living conditions? For a moment, Jing Fei didn't know what to say.
She didn't know what to say at all.
"Sister, don't worry. I won't conceive either because I don't want to," Shu Fei said, seeing that Jing Fei had been silent for a long time, so she started the conversation herself.
"Why?" Jing Fei said she didn't understand.
"Because giving birth is very painful." She once heard her elder sister giving birth outside the delivery room. Maybe because she was young, it left a psychological shadow on her. So at that time, she had secretly sworn that she would never give birth in the future.
Fortunately, she had entered the palace now. Even if she didn't give birth, there would be other women giving birth to the emperor's children in the future, so they didn't need her.
After hearing Shu Fei's reason, Jing Fei was completely stunned. She had thought that this little girl had been forced into the palace by her family, but it seemed not. Why did she feel that this little girl had come to the palace just to avoid giving birth?
Jing Fei was right. It was Shu Fei herself who had proposed to enter the palace.
"You... as long as you're happy," Jing Fei really didn't know what else to say. This girl was really tough.
"By the way, Sister, will you go to the Mid - Autumn Festival palace banquet in a few days?" Shu Fei asked curiously, looking at Jing Fei.
"Yes, I will," Jing Fei replied. The emperor had sent someone to inform her earlier, asking her to go with Flower Noble Consort.
"Ah, I see," Shu Fei said, lowering her head disappointedly. If she had known earlier, she would have also fought for the chance. Wuwuwu...
"Why didn't you tell the emperor at that time?" Usually, it was the queen and a high - ranking concubine who would attend such an event together. But since there was no queen at present, they had to choose from among the concubines. Flower Noble Consort was the first choice because she had the highest rank among the concubines in the palace.
"Because I thought it would be too troublesome, so I didn't want to go," Shu Fei replied. Who knew that Sister would also go? Wuwuwu, she regretted it. She didn't know if the emperor would agree if she went to him now.
After separating from Jing Fei, Jupiter Rou immediately found Mu Fengqie and gave him the four - hundred - tael silver note. And she said, "If Mu Rendong can't return to the palace today, I won't spare you!"
At this moment, Jupiter Rou didn't show any trace of the cowardice and pity she had shown in front of Jing Fei. She was completely in a domineering position. Mu Fengqie twitched the corner of his mouth when he saw Jupiter Rou like this. He was just... quite speechless.
However, Mu Fengqie didn't argue with her. He took the money and left. Mu Rendong should come back today. It wasn't good to keep eating and drinking for free in the casino. So it was better to come back and bother Jupiter Rou.
After Mu Fengqie left, Jupiter Rou sat alone in a corner, thinking quietly. A word Jing Fei had said in the pavilion had inspired her. She must conceive as soon as possible, but the emperor hadn't come to her since that drunken night.
Instead of helping Flower Noble Consort gain the emperor's favor, she might as well fight for it herself. Then she wouldn't have to look at anyone's face. Jupiter Rou's mind was spinning fast. Finally, she gritted her teeth and took out a hairpin from her jewelry box.
This hairpin was a reward from the emperor after her first night with him. She had always kept it, and unexpectedly, it came in handy today. Jupiter Rou disguised herself and went to the Imperial Hospital.
Jupiter Rou was very confident that no one would recognize her because she had put some moles on her face and painted a black birthmark on her hand. She had escaped from the landlord's mansion by this method before.
After arriving at the Imperial Hospital, Jupiter Rou bribed a young medicine boy with that hairpin and asked him to get some strong aphrodisiacs for her.
In the afternoon, Jupiter Rou personally brewed a bowl of ginseng soup and brought it to Yuan Yuchuan. The senior eunuch guarding the door immediately went in to report when he saw Jupiter Rou approaching.
Yuan Yuchuan frowned. Why did she come? Jupiter Rou was just a dancer, and she had been with his third younger brother. If she hadn't bled on their wedding night, he would have thought she was a used item that others didn't want.
What Yuan Yuchuan didn't know was that he was absolutely right. She was indeed a used item, and not just by one person.
"Let her in," Yuan Yuchuan thought that the woman had been quite good in bed that night. As expected, someone from a small place didn't have the dignity of a woman from the capital.
"Your servant pays respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be in good health," Jupiter Rou said, bowing respectfully to Yuan Yuchuan. Then she quietly looked up at him. She had prepared carefully for this visit, especially her appearance.
She looked pure and charming at the same time. Sure enough, when she looked up, Yuan Yuchuan was indeed attracted to her, but he quickly regained his composure and lowered his head to review the memorials.
"What are you here for?"
Jupiter Rou wasn't discouraged when she saw Yuan Yuchuan like this. Instead, she said softly, "Your Majesty, your servant is here to bring you ginseng soup. Your Majesty has been busy with official business. You must be tired, right?"
As Jupiter Rou said, she opened the ginseng soup. A strong fragrance soon filled every corner of the main hall. Yuan Yuchuan could naturally smell this fragrance.