Chapter 296: The Balance Tilts

"Hui Guifei?" Chu Yunzheng's face unexpectedly showed a look of anticipation.

Then he looked at Wan Tang.

Although the fervor in his eyes had not faded, the previous impulse was gone.

The gaze slowly fell on Wan Tang's belly, and he said softly, "Tangtang, your body is heavy now, just rest well!"

After Chu Yunzheng finished speaking, he rose and put on his clothes.

The sound of footsteps gradually faded away.

Wan Tang's hanging heart not only failed to settle, but rose further to her throat.

Why?

Hui Guifei never liked competing for favor; regarding the Emperor's demands, she would ignore them whenever possible.

She just returned today; why is it like this?

【Angry, the original work doesn't have any segment where Hui Guifei goes on a campaign, leaving us with an unknown blank.】

【But saying that Hui Guifei would vie for favor with Wan Tang, I would never believe such a thing.】

【It's hard to say, Hui Guifei does this only to protect Wan Tang? After all, we saw the situation at the palace banquet. The last two descendants of the Mo Family are both extremely dangerous. So…】

Is it protection?

Wan Tang felt an indescribable feeling inside.

She always sensed that something remained unclear.

The palace rumors spread silently like drifting willow catkins.

"Did you hear? The Emperor belongs to Chen Guifei as Empress."

"Who doesn't know? Nowadays Chen Guifei's status has long changed from before, and the court ministers all vie to support her."

"I see the vacant Central Palace seat; it's most likely Chen Guifei's now."

"But the strangest is Hui Guifei; she is usually silent. Unexpectedly, when the Empress position is mentioned, she panics."

"Look, for three consecutive days she has been inviting the Emperor over."

"Don't be fooled by how favored Lihua Niangniang looks; that's because Hui Guifei hasn't acted. Right now Lihua Niangniang can only stand aside, so angry she breaks things in the palace, feigns illness and delivers porridge, yet still cannot keep the Emperor."

In the Yuhuayuan.

A few palace servants were gathered, gossiping.

From afar, they saw Wan Tang leading Minghui Princess, and immediately fell silent and dispersed.

Wan Tang's expression remained normal as she handed the freshly picked magnolias to the attendant Xiao Luzi.

It seemed she asked casually, "What has the Emperor been asking you about lately?"

Xiao Luzi lowered his voice, "Your Majesty, the Emperor inquired how many silver taels are in your private treasury, and which outsiders you have recently dealt with."

"How did you answer?"

"I, the servant, reported truthfully: the private treasury currently holds about fifty thousand taels."

"Recently, I have not seen any outsiders."

Wan Tang nodded lightly, a hint of understanding flashing in her eyes.

She gently won a round, "With you saying that, the Emperor will surely find it even harder to sleep."

The Emperor's current biggest worry is exactly where the troops Hui Guifei brings originate.

If it were merely Wan Tang's private treasury funding, at most one would guard against the financial situation of the women around her.

The Emperor already doesn't believe Wan Tang could have such ability.

Xiao Luzi's words undoubtedly cemented that Wan Tang could not get involved.

So where do these troops come from?

Has the Mo Family been secretly raising troops for over twenty years?

Or Yan Wang…

Wan Tang, too lazy to speculate, bent down and lifted Minghui, asking softly, "Does Minghui want Hui Niangniang?"

The little girl nodded vigorously.

"Then tonight, Mother Consort will take you to Hui Niangniang's palace for a meal, okay?"

Upon hearing she could go to Hui Niangniang's, Minghui naturally danced with joy.

Palace of Eternal Joy.

The dusk deepened.

Hui Guifei leaned on a lounge chair, unusually not practicing swordplay in the courtyard.

It was as if the battlefield had stripped away her fury; her hair was loosely tied, and her attire was simpler.

The side profile, with the waning daylight outside the window, showed a trace of melancholy in her brows.

This appearance was the first Wan Tang had ever seen.

There must be something inside; Wan Tang led Minghui into the hall.

Ning Daying was naturally enthusiastic.

He was already a chatterbox, yet he happened to meet Hui Guifei's cold temperament.

Not to mention, Hui Guifei's current state was completely off.

"Ah, Sister Consort finally arrived. If you hadn't come, I would have been suffocated to death..."

Upon seeing her, Ning Daying began babbling.

"Sister," Wan Tang called softly, "Since we're crashing a meal here, is there anything good to eat tonight?"

Hui Guifei's peripheral glance swept over her, her mouth curved upward, and the tightly knit brows finally relaxed a bit.

She nevertheless said coldly, "Not welcome."

Wan Tang was not annoyed; she gently pushed Minghui forward.

She laughed, "Whether I'm welcome is your business; whether I eat is mine."

"The more sister acts like this, the more she says the Duke has sent you some fine ingredients."

Little Minghui, with his short legs, scurried to the lounge chair and softly called "Hui Niangniang."

Hui Guifei's body was slightly stiff; she reached out and cradled the child in her arms.

Wan Tang said no more, turned and walked toward the small kitchen.

She tied her apron, washed rice and chopped vegetables, moving briskly.

Faintly, one could hear Minghui's crisp giggling laughter coming from outside.

The person who said they were unwelcome still reminded Minghui, "Tell your mother."

"In that orchid lattice, there are mountain delicacies just delivered to the palace."

The dinner atmosphere was harmonious.

Whenever Wan Tang cooked herself, it was always a large table of sumptuous dishes.

Not to mention the fine ingredients sent from the Duke of Ning's Residence.

Ning Daying ate with satisfaction and couldn't help exclaiming, "If the Emperor found out that the Noble Consort, pregnant with the dragon heir, is still smoking and frying in the kitchen, he'd surely be angry."

Wan Tang picked up a chopstick of stir‑fried seasonal vegetables, her tone flat: "I'm afraid his thoughts are not on this side right now."

Her gaze, half‑present, fell on the opposite Hui Guifei.

Hui Guifei lowered her head, took a bite of sweet‑and‑sour fish, and did not lift her eyelids at the words.

She said lightly, "It's not here in my palace either."

Ning Daying blinked, with a teasing smile, "The Emperor may not know how much he dotes on sister; if sister wishes, the Emperor could come daily—it's not impossible."

"Do not speak of food," Hui Guifei abruptly cut her off, her voice carrying a chill, her brows and eyes sinking.

Ning Daying fell silent at once, awkwardly scooping a mouthful of rice.

The hall fell quiet for a moment, leaving only the faint clink of bowls and chopsticks.

The emotions, which had barely eased, seemed to settle further because of that sentence.

Minghui took a bite of fish meat.

Tilting his head, with a curious face, he asked, "Hui Niangniang, do you not like the Father Emperor?"

Hui Guifei's face was full of grievance, muttering, "I never said that."

"Mother never said it," Minghui's bright eyes affirmed, "but later, Mother also stopped liking the Father Emperor."

Wan Tang's complexion changed drastically.

She hurriedly raised her voice, scolding, "Minghui, you must not speak such nonsense again."

Minghui stuck out his tongue, lowered his head, and ate his meal obediently.

Hui Guifei looked at Wan Tang, her eyes much more complex.

In a low voice she said, "The position of Empress, I have no interest at all."

"Now, the one who needs this position is the Mo Family."

"Those loyal to the Mo Family already occupy thirty percent of the court; now that the Mo Family is in trouble, those who favor the Mo Family already make up more than half of the court."

"The scales have been tilting ever since the Mo Family first appeared."

"The Mo Family's redress was already too late; they shouldn't have taken over Xu Chengyuan's military command afterwards…"

Wan Tang's face instantly darkened, "I understand sister's meaning."

"Understanding is enough."

"Only…"

Wan Tang looked at Hui Guifei, about to speak but stopped.

These were insufficient to explain Hui Guifei's recent behavior.

Hui Guifei seemed to see Wan Tang's thoughts and said lightly, "What I want is already enough."

"The Emperor has arrived."

A sharp voice announced, and Chu Yunzheng had entered the hall.

His gaze swept over the dishes, and he inhaled deeply, "From afar I can smell the fragrance; it has stirred the hunger insects in my belly."

His eyes fell on Wan Tang, with a hint of nostalgia and expectation, "Is this really Tangtang's cooking?"

"I have not tasted this in a long time."

He came, without questioning why Wan Tang was here.

It seemed he knew the Imperial harem's movements as well as the back of his hand.

Wan Tang rose, gave a gentle smile, and hurriedly performed the bow.

Those beside her also fell to their knees.

"Rise!" Chu Yunzheng raised his hand.

Wan Tang was about to speak, Chu Yunzheng had naturally taken the empty seat beside her.

Her smile was very faint, "Her cooking is just so‑so, barely edible."

"If the Emperor tastes it, don't be disappointed."

"It seems Tangtang's cooking has earned Hui Guifei's high approval!" Chu Yunzheng's smile was profound.

He had just picked up the silver chopsticks, seized some mushrooms, and had not yet brought them to his mouth.

"Emperor…"

Pear Blossom Concubine's hair was in disarray, her eyes reddened as she rushed in, directly throwing herself at Chu Yunzheng's feet.

In her hands she still cradled a stiff, lifeless snow‑white rabbit.

"Emperor, the Snowy you gave to me has died!"

She lifts her face, her voice mournful to the breaking point, "Is it that you no longer want me either?"

"Snowy knows it will never see the Emperor again, and that is why…"

Wan Tang watches coldly, once again affirming that this foolish woman.

A rabbit can also be turned into a grand story.

But in this harem, methods have never needed to be sophisticated; if they work, that's enough.

Chu Yunzheng furrows his brow slightly, puts down his silver chopsticks, and his tone remains fairly gentle: "Lihua, stop fooling around."

"It's only a rabbit; I will have someone send you another one."

"Leave."

"I don't want to…" Consort Lihua clings to his leg, sobbing uncontrollably.

Hui Guifei, who had been watching coldly, suddenly places her chopsticks on the table, producing a crisp sound.

Her face is veiled with frost, her tone icy and without a hint of emotion: "Disgusting."

"Emperor, you have come here several times, and this place is not exactly a clean one."

"It makes it hard to eat."

"From now on, Emperor, you need not come again."

Chu Yunzheng's complexion changes; he looks at Hui Guifei, a flash of urgency in his eyes: "Hui'er, I…"

"My mind is already made up," Hui Guifei interrupts him, turning her face away, no longer looking at him.

Consort Lihua, at his feet, continues to weep mournfully, tugging at his dragon robe.

Chu Yunzheng's irritation and fury surge suddenly; he leaps to his feet and roars, "How dare you!" "Servants, drag her down to me!"

"If you do not understand the rules, then stay in your own palace from now on; without my decree, you may not step beyond the palace gates even a single step!"

Consort Lihua panics, still trying to beg for mercy.

But Chu Yunzheng has already waved his hand.

"Alas!" Chu Yunzheng sighs, looking at Wan Tang: "Since Hui Guifei is not welcome here, let's go to Palace of Eternal Joy instead!"

He grasps Wan Tang's hand.

Wan Tang's expression changes; he presses hard, and her wrist aches…