After the three-selection ceremony was over, Shen Qingwan felt dizzy. Her body had not yet recovered and she had to sit in the imperial garden for several hours. Even though the heater was constantly supplying heat, she still had no warmth at all.
When Lianyun helped her back, she felt that she was cold, and she couldn't stop worrying, "Madam, how about I ask the imperial physician to come and see you?"
"No need." She raised her hand to refuse, looking a little tired, her face pale and weak, "I need to go to the imperial study."
Lianyun saw that she was weak and wanted to persuade her to go to the garden to rest, but she insisted on going to the imperial study. She had no choice but to follow her.
Sun Ning looked at Shen Qingwan who was being supported by Lianyun and sighed helplessly. Why did the virtuous concubine do this? Wouldn't it be better for her to organize the selection for the emperor
Seeing the person approaching, Sun Ning bowed and saluted, "Your servant greets the virtuous concubine."
The coldness of the past seemed to have faded a little due to her illness. Shen Qingwan raised her hand and said, "I want to see the emperor."
She was allowed to enter the imperial study, and Sun Ning would not stop her.
After letting her into the imperial study, Shen Qingwan left Lianyun waiting outside, as there were some things she needed to resolve personally.
The door of the central hall of the imperial study was opened, revealing a ray of light, but the man sitting above never raised his eyes, but his hand paused.
Shen Qingwan's hoarse voice revealed a clear taste, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you."
Fu Yuheng's sword-like eyebrows slightly frowned, but he still suppressed the throbbing in his heart, and his black eyes turned, "Get up."
"I came here today to tell the emperor something." Her voice was a little weak but very firm, and the tone she used was not one of negotiation but of notification.
"What?" He didn't look up.
Shen Qingwan lowered her eyes, looking somewhat empty. She didn't know why she felt uncomfortable. "I am a concubine with no talent or virtue. I am afraid I cannot continue to host the beauty pageant." Thinking of what those concubines said, her nose suddenly felt sour for no reason. "I beg the emperor to choose another wise man."
"You..." Only then did he look up at her.
"I beg the emperor for permission!" Shen Qingwan interrupted him and even knelt down, but her determination was even stronger.
Fu Yuheng's dark eyes flashed with displeasure for a moment, but he suppressed it in a moment, "The three selections have ended, and you know the affairs of the concubines best. I am relieved to leave it to you."
"Rest assured? Is Your Majesty really reassured?" Shen Qingwan's voice sounded like she was mumbling to herself, and also like she was mocking, "I myself am not reassured, and Your Majesty still..."
"I believe in you." He interrupted her firmly, "Don't think too much. I believe in your ability to do things."
Believe? Shen Qingwan couldn't help but feel sad. She really believed that Xiao Shushen didn't explain a word for her in front of her and just watched her kneeling in the snow!
"I am ill."
"I'll let the imperial physician take a good look at you. You'll be in charge of the selection." This is the emperor's order, the royal decree. Who dares to disobey
Shen Qingwan's eyes were red. She didn't like to cry, but at this moment she felt that her heart was full of grievances and sadness. Why did she end up in this situation? "Your Majesty..."
"No need to say more, I have made up my mind."
This one sentence rejected all her hopes. She thought that even if he didn't care about her own health, he would still think about not making things difficult for her. However, she didn't expect that he would not show her any mercy at all.
She was punished to kneel for such a long time, and all the concubines saw it. Now that her dignity is gone, who would obey her
Shen Qingwan knew that she could not persuade him, and she couldn't help feeling sad, so she left the imperial study without saying anything else.
As expected, she shouldn't have had such inappropriate fantasies about the king of a country. She had a cold face all the way until Lianyun helped her back to the palace, when she finally couldn't hold it anymore.
Along the way, Lianyun noticed that something was wrong with her but did not dare to ask more questions. She just glanced at her a few times in fear and trepidation. When she saw her, she couldn't help but burst into tears.
"Empress, what's wrong with you?" Lianyun asked worriedly. She leaned on the beauty couch and a tear flowed down her face. She remained silent, but her eyes became more stubborn. She didn't want to show her vulnerability even if she cried.
"Your Majesty, you are going to make me die of anxiety!" The more she didn't speak, the more serious Lianyun felt. She must have thought that the emperor had said something to the other emperor.
Shen Qingwan didn't know how to tell her the complicated emotions in her heart, and Lianyun was already jumping with anxiety.
"Did the emperor bully the queen?" Seeing her eyes relaxed a little, Lianyun felt that she had guessed right, "I will go to the emperor to seek justice!"
How could she watch her own queen being bullied? She had devoted all her heart and soul to organizing the selection, and had never been dissatisfied even when she was pushed to the forefront. She had no complaints even when she was punished to kneel in the snow for several hours. How could the emperor still have the heart to bully the queen!
"Lianyun!" Shen Qingwan was shocked to see that she really took action, and she grabbed her and said, "Don't do this!"
"But I can't let you be bullied!"
Shen Qingwan wiped the tears from her face and stared at her seriously, "Who are you to question the emperor? I will take care of the matter."
Lianyun bit her lip in embarrassment. She had not thought it through carefully enough and had forgotten who she was. She stomped her feet in annoyance.
At this time, a greeting came from outside the palace, "Hua Zhaoyi is well."
Shen Qingwan couldn't help but frowned. Her heart, which had just softened, was instantly buried. She closed her eyes and adjusted her emotions.
When she opened her eyes again, Hua Xiangwei had already walked in. She glanced at the pale-faced Shen Qingwan and couldn't help but sneered.
"Your servant pays respects to Her Majesty the Concubine." Her voice was filled with contempt, her eyes were full of disdain, and any trace of fear she had previously had was gone.
What if a concubine whom the emperor doesn't favor has a higher rank than himself
"I allow you to come in?" Shen Qingwan forced herself to cheer up, "Does Hua Zhaoyi still have any manners?"
"I don't know the rules, but I still have time to learn!" She joked with a smile, but there was no regret in her voice.
"But isn't the Empress Xianfei just so-so? I thought the Empress was so favored, but I didn't expect it to be like this." A look of disdain passed over her, and he smiled with his hands covering his mouth.
Shen Qingwan snorted coldly, not wanting to waste any more words with her, "Hua Zhaoyi, please don't say too much, Lianyun, please send us away!"
"You! How dare you chase me away?" Hua Zhaoyi stared at the woman in front of her in disbelief. "Don't forget that you are now an unfavored concubine!"
"So what? Even so, I can still trample you under my feet!" After saying that, she did not give Lianyun any chance to drive her out.
Hua Xiangwei, who was kicked out, had a livid face. "How dare she treat me like this! I will make her pay the price!"
If she couldn't handle her, there was still Xiao Shushen! Thinking of this, she prepared to go find Xiao Shushen.