Steal my marriage? Turn around and marry the tyrant to take the throne

Looking at what Han Dan was holding, Shen Zhinian asked, "What's in the basket?"

Han Dan said, "It was needlework made by Consort Kang herself, who said it was for the unborn prince."

After all, they were former allies, and Shen Zhinian knew that Consort Kang's needlework was still quite good.

"Let Imperial Physician Tang examine it. If there are no problems, then put it into the storeroom."

She could accept the gifts, which would fulfill the public courtesy to Consort Kang, but she would not see her.

"Yes."

……

Consort Kang sat in the palanquin returning to Chuxiu Palace, her face looking rather pale.

She wasn't particularly favored to begin with, and since many new women entered the palace, Chuxiu Palace had become even more deserted.

Even though His Majesty rarely favored her, he would occasionally visit the Fifth Prince at Chuxiu Palace or bestow gifts upon him. Seeing this, the servants dared not neglect her.

But lately, His Majesty has not only not visited, but has also stopped bestowing gifts, as if he has truly forgotten about Chuxiu Palace...

In addition, the Fifth Prince was in poor health, and everyone knew he would not live past twenty. The palace staff felt he had no future, so they naturally became increasingly neglectful of Chuxiu Palace.

Therefore, Consort Kang urgently needed to befriend the Imperial Noble Consort.

but……

As the palanquin landed, she took Caiju's hand and walked inside.

Looking up, the stone steps in front of the Chuxiu Palace were fairly clean. However, the two eunuchs on duty were standing rather slackly, and only when they saw Consort Kang return did they hurriedly straighten their backs, their bows revealing a perfunctory attitude.

Consort Kang said nothing and walked straight into the palace gate.

The fallen leaves in the courtyard had not been swept away.

Caiju followed beside Consort Kang, moved her lips, but ultimately said nothing.

The interior furnishings remained the same, yet they exuded an air of desolation.

The ornaments on the display cabinet hadn't been replaced in a long time, and the silk gauze on the window frames was covered with a light layer of dust.

Consort Kang sat down on the soft couch by the window, and Caiju brought over hot tea: "Your Highness, please moisten your throat first."

Consort Kang took the teacup, her expression bitter.

Looking at Consort Kang's pale profile, Caiju couldn't help but say, "Your Highness, our Chuxiu Palace is becoming more and more deserted..."

“Look at those servants outside, those on duty are slacking off and doing a sloppy job, those cleaning are just going through the motions…”

"The allowances sent by the Imperial Household Department are not lacking in anything obvious, but those trendy fabrics and exquisite trinkets are always the leftovers from others, which are then sent to us?"

"Yesterday you wanted to stew a pot of bird's nest for the Fifth Prince, but the head of the Imperial Kitchen claimed that there was not enough stock and asked you to wait."

“But I clearly heard that, not to mention Yongshou Palace, even for the other concubines, the bird’s nests sent to them are all the best blood bird’s nests.”

“Those servants are the most snobbish. Seeing that the Empress has no favor, and that the Fifth Prince is...and weak, they feel that the Chuxiu Palace has no future, so they all started to neglect it…”

Consort Kang said bitterly, "I know that Sui'an is still so young and weak. If I, his mother, am not in favor, how will he grow up in this cannibalistic palace?"

"But if His Majesty doesn't come to Chuxiu Palace, am I supposed to go to Yangxin Hall and kneel down to beg for an audience?"

Caiju wiped her eyes and said, "This servant knows that Your Highness is suffering... but life must go on!"

"If even our own palace people are treated so disrespectfully, what will become of us in the future?"

"It's clear that going to Yongshou Palace today, and getting through to the Imperial Noble Consort, is also impossible..."

Consort Kang said, "How could I not regret it?"

"I shamelessly tried to curry favor with the Imperial Noble Consort, sending gifts and speaking softly. But who is the Imperial Noble Consort? What can't she see through?"

"She's probably seen right through my indecisiveness. That's why she doesn't accept my advances and won't bother playing along..."

If she hadn't gone astray and fallen out of favor with the Imperial Noble Consort, even without the Emperor's favor, she could still rely on their past relationship to receive some protection from Yongshou Palace.

The Imperial Noble Consort is very protective of her own and has always been kind to those around her. How did Chuxiu Palace end up in such a state?

But now... it's too late to say anything.

Caiju understood; Consort Kang's words made sense.

The Imperial Noble Consort certainly had no obligation to continuously help the Chuxiu Palace.

Consort Kang seemed to have thought of something, and hatred flashed in her eyes: "And Zhuang Yumin... she's the one who harmed my child!"

"If it weren't for her, how could I have miscarried, and how could I have developed all these health problems?!"

"But what about her? She's done so many evil deeds, yet she still holds the high position of Imperial Concubine, supports the eldest princess, and has Consort Mei helping her out!"

"In the past few years, I haven't been able to find a single piece of evidence. How am I supposed to take revenge?!"

Caiju knew that the hatred she harbored for Consort Zhuang over the years had tormented Consort Kang, and she called out with heartache, "Your Majesty..."

Consort Kang's tears finally fell: "I have nothing left..."

"The favor is gone, the support is gone, and there's not even a glimmer of hope for revenge."

"Master Xingchen is dead, Sui'an is sickly, and Chuxiu Palace is like a cold palace..."

"Caiju, tell me, what else can I do?"

Seeing Consort Kang in this state, Caiju felt an overwhelming pang of heartache, and tears streamed down her face: "Your Highness, please don't be like this..."

"There will always be a way... Let's think about it slowly and plan carefully... We have a long way to go..."

But she was also completely lost.

What can be done?

In the palace, the Emperor's favor is an immense source of wealth and the only ladder to heaven.

Without the emperor's favor, a concubine is like a rootless duckweed. No matter how much scheming or plotting she has, it's all just castles in the air.

As for Chuxiu Palace, it has been far too long since they have seen the Emperor's face...

Consort Kang lowered her head, her eyes dark and unfathomable: "If this continues... I'm afraid that before I can find a chance to avenge that child who died unjustly, life in Chuxiu Palace will be unbearable..."

Seeing Consort Kang's expression gradually turn somewhat ferocious, Caiju's heart suddenly skipped a beat: "Your Highness... what... what do you intend to do?"

Consort Kang said quietly, "Since we can't get through to the Imperial Noble Consort, then let's go and seek refuge with Consort Zhuang!"

"what?!"

Caiju's eyes widened, thinking she had misheard: "Your Majesty, what... what did you say? You're going to side with Consort Zhuang?!"

"Your Majesty, have you lost your mind in anger? Consort Zhuang is the enemy who caused your miscarriage! Isn't she the person you hate the most? How could you... how could you want to side with her?!"

Seeing Caiju's panicked appearance, Consort Kang suddenly chuckled softly and said coldly, "Of course I hate her to the bone! I wish I could eat her flesh and sleep on her skin, and watch her fall from the position of Noble Consort and be doomed forever!"

"But that's precisely why I need to 'rely' on her."

Caiju's mind was in complete disarray: "You mean..."

Consort Kang did not answer directly, but asked, "Caiju, are you saying that Consort Zhuang knew that I had already seen through the truth of what happened back then?"

Caiju was taken aback, then shook her head and said, "The Empress kept it to herself back then and never revealed it later, so she should not know."