Quick Transmigration: The Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character's Revenge

Chapter 16 Cannon Fodder Concubine's Counterattack to Become Empress Dowager

For the next month or so at the palace, Qi Ning spent most of his time with Chu Yiyao.

However, Chu Yiyao wasn't always free. During this period, she went out for trips with the emperor in private several times.

After several such incidents, the emperor failed to detect that Chu Yiyao had any intention of escaping, and thus gradually relaxed his guard.

On days when Chu Yiyao wasn't looking for Qi Ning, she would either go out for a walk, soak in a hot spring, or tinker with her medicinal herbs in her own courtyard. In her spare time, she would also embroider sachets.

After that day, Xiao Yu never came to see her again. Even when they occasionally met outside, he would greet her politely.

After only a few meetings, he had indeed visibly lost a lot of weight, and his gaze toward Qi Ning was quite complicated.

Qi Ning wasn't entirely unmoved, but she had more important things to do.

Time flies, and before we knew it, it was time to return to the palace.

Qi Ning returned to the palace, estimated the time, and took her pulse.

When she felt the smooth, flowing pulse, like pearls rolling on a jade plate, a smile instantly appeared on her lips.

The system asked, "Host, are you pregnant?"

"Mmm," Qi Ning replied lazily.

After more than a month, the pulse is barely detectable.

"We can proceed to the next step."

The system seemed confused: "Host, how can you be so sure you'll get pregnant on the first try? What if you don't?"

"I'm not sure. Pregnancy is a matter of chance. If I get pregnant, it will naturally be better for my future plans, but if I don't get pregnant, it's okay. I can change my plans."

From the moment Xiao Yu stepped into the waterside pavilion, Qi Ning's plan was already in place.

"What plan?" the system eagerly pressed.

Qi Ning didn't elaborate, only saying that it should observe its own actions.

The system has gotten used to being kept in suspense by its host, but it's not as nervous as it was at the beginning.

Qi Ning did not tell Qiu Lu that she was pregnant. After all, an affair could be hidden, but pregnancy could not, and Qi Ning was afraid of scaring her.

She called Qiu Lu in: "Let's go to Chang Le Palace and deliver that sachet to Consort Yao."

"Yes."

Qiu Lu quickly found the sachet that had been made long ago, and soon the master and servant took the sachet to Chang Le Palace.

When they arrived at Chang Le Palace, Chu Yiyao came out to greet them.

"Sister is here?"

The two were already quite familiar with each other, and they sat down together and started talking as soon as they got together.

This time, Qi Ning chatted with her for a few minutes with a smile, and then took out the sachet from her sleeve.

"This sachet was made a long time ago, but I forgot to give it to you. I remembered it today, so I quickly brought it to you."

"I thought my sister didn't want to see me off anymore."

As Chu Yiyao spoke, she immediately took the sachet and saw that it was a white sachet embroidered with red plum blossoms.

"Sister, you have such skillful hands. This sachet is exquisitely made, and I love the fragrance."

Qi Ning smiled and said, "I'm glad you like it. It wasn't for nothing that I clumsily worked so hard to make this sachet."

As she spoke, she gestured for Chu Yiyao to look at her waist, where a blue sachet was hanging: "Look, I'm wearing one too. Although the embroidered pattern and the color of the fabric are different from yours, the spices inside are the same."

Upon seeing this, Chu Yiyao immediately put on the sachet: "I will wear your kindness every day."

Qi Ning looked at the sachet hanging from Chu Yiyao's waist, and the smile in her eyes became even more genuine.

That evening, the emperor came to Chang Le Palace, and the first thing he noticed when he saw Chu Yiyao was the sachet she was wearing.

Xiao Jin pulled Chu Yiyao into his arms and looked down at the sachet at her waist.

"Where did this sachet come from? It doesn't look like your embroidery."

When Xiao Jin was recuperating in Red Leaf Town, he couldn't go out every day and could only watch Chu Yiyao embroider at home. He was extremely familiar with her embroidery skills and could naturally see the clues at a glance.

At first, Chu Yiyao didn't realize something was wrong and said to the emperor in a good mood, "This was given to me by Sister Ning."

"is it?"

As Xiao Jin spoke, she reached out and took off the sachet, then brought it to her nose and sniffed it.

"What is Your Majesty doing?" Chu Yiyao frowned in displeasure.

Xiao Jin lowered his eyes and examined the sachet: "You usually have nothing to do and make quite a few sachets, so why did you accept the sachet given to you by Consort Ning?"

"What's so strange about that? It was made by Sister Ning, and it's a token of her affection. Is it wrong for me to like it?"

Xiao Jin's expression remained wary: "What kind of spices are in here? The fragrance is rather peculiar."

Without waiting for Chu Yiyao's permission, he tore a hole in the sachet.

"Oh!" Chu Yiyao was too late to stop it and could only watch helplessly as the sachet Qi Ning had given her was torn open.

"what are you doing?"

She glared at Xiao Jin, her tone instantly changing, and she threw aside all the formalities of address.

Xiao Jin took out some spices from inside and examined them in his palm: "Let me see what's inside."

Chu Yiyao stood up from his arms in anger: "What else could it be? Sister Ning said that these are just some calming and soothing flowers and plants."

Xiao Jin looked up at Chu Yiyao: "You believe her just because she said that?"

"Why can't I believe it?" Chu Yiyao retorted.

"Innocent!"

Xiao Jin chuckled and called in Eunuch Wu: "Go, summon a royal physician to examine the spices in here."

Eunuch Wu quickly replied, "This servant obeys the decree."

The sachet was left with a tear in it, and Xiao Jin casually tossed it onto the coffee table until the imperial physician arrived.

The imperial physician took the sachet, examined the spices inside carefully for a while, and then bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, the spices in this sachet are made from several wild flowers and herbs that have been dried and ground. Wearing it will have a calming and soothing effect, and there is nothing wrong with it."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jin finally put aside his suspicions.

He waved for everyone to leave, then looked at Chu Yiyao, who was sitting to the side sulking.

Chu Yiyao's tone was somewhat sarcastic: "Are you satisfied now?"

Xiao Jin softened his voice and said, "I'm just worried that you'll be deceived and hurt. These kinds of things are the easiest to tamper with, so you can't be too careful. No matter how good your relationship with her is, you still have to be cautious."

As he spoke, he picked up the sachet and handed it to Chu Yiyao: "I've checked it now, and since there's no problem, you can wear it if you want."

Chu Yiyao snatched the sachet from his hand, but her expression did not soften at all; instead, she became even more furious.

“What do you mean by being cautious? How could Sister Ning possibly harm me? Besides, those flowers and plants were picked by Sister Ning and me together, and she was wearing the same sachet as me.”

She glared at Xiao Jin: "On the contrary, you are suspicious and controlling. I even have to get your permission to wear any sachet. What do you take me for?"

Xiao Jin had already tried to coax Chu Yiyao and explained the reason to her, but he didn't expect her to react this way.

In an instant, Xiao Jin's expression also turned cold.

"Are you going to argue with me over a mere sachet?"

"What do you mean 'just a sachet'? This was given to me by Sister Ning. Can't I even make my own decisions about my own things? How dare you tear my sachet without my permission?"

Xiao Jin did indeed tear open the sachet without Chu Yiyao's consent, but in his opinion, it was nothing. On the contrary, Chu Yiyao's attitude made him very unhappy.

"Consort Ning, Consort Ning..." Xiao Jin sneered, "Is the sachet Consort Ning gave you so important that I can't even touch it?"

Chu Yiyao retorted loudly, "What do you know? This isn't about the sachet at all! It's about you being arrogant, controlling, and disrespectful to me!"

With that, Chu Yiyao turned around and said, "You can leave now. I want to sleep alone tonight!"

"Alright, alright! I'm leaving!"

Xiao Jin stood up and immediately turned and left.

Even from the doorway, Eunuch Wu could hear the heated argument inside.

Originally, thanks to Consort Ning's mediation, the relationship between His Majesty and Consort Yao had improved considerably, but unexpectedly, they started arguing again, just like before.

Just as Eunuch Wu was pacing anxiously, Xiao Jin walked out of Chu Yiyao's bedroom with a cold face.

"His Majesty?"

Xiao Jin didn't stop walking at all, so when Eunuch Wu saw this, he had no choice but to chase after her.

Once outside the gates of Chang Le Palace, Xiao Jin boarded the imperial carriage. Through the curtains of the carriage, Eunuch Wu asked, "Your Majesty, shall we return to Qianqing Palace now?"

Unexpectedly, Xiao Jin remained silent for a moment, then asked him, "Which palace does Consort Ning reside in?"

Wu Gonggong was caught off guard by this question. He paused for a moment before replying, "Your Majesty, Consort Ning resides in Yongning Palace."

"Then let's go to Yongning Palace," Xiao Jin instructed.

Eunuch Wu stared in surprise, and after a moment, he quickly replied, "Yes."

He called out loudly, "Let's proceed to Yongning Palace!"

Even after the emperor's carriage headed towards Yongning Palace, Eunuch Wu was still secretly marveling to himself, thinking that the sun had truly risen in the west today, as His Majesty was actually going to visit the palaces of other concubines.

However, His Majesty had just had a quarrel with Consort Yao and was clearly still holding a grudge. It was unclear whether this was a blessing or a curse for Consort Ning.

Xiao Jin, sitting on the imperial carriage, still looked grim.

He felt that Chu Yiyao could no longer be described as naive; she was simply foolish, actually treating other concubines in the harem as confidantes.

Didn't Chu Yiyao have a good relationship with Ning Zhaoyi? Didn't she value her highly? Didn't she disobey him for her sake?

He wanted to see how Chu Yiyao would react if he favored Consort Ning.

Yongning Palace and Changle Palace are not far apart. Before long, Eunuch Wu said, "Your Majesty, we have arrived at Yongning Palace."

Xiao Jin responded, dismounted from the imperial carriage, and went directly into Yongning Palace.

Because the incident happened so suddenly, no one in Yongning Palace received any news. No one expected His Majesty to come so suddenly. The courtyard was filled with kneeling maids and eunuchs.

Xiao Jin didn't even glance at them, and walked directly towards Qi Ning's bedroom.

Qi Ning was already preparing to go to bed, having removed her makeup and hair. When Xiao Jin arrived at the entrance of the bedroom, she was wearing a cloak and came out to greet him with a look of panic.

"Your Majesty, why are you here?"

Xiao Jin glanced at her: "You stay and serve, everyone else get out."

Upon hearing this, everyone withdrew and dared not approach the bedchamber, including Eunuch Wu.

His Majesty was clearly in a bad mood, and no one dared to offend him.

Qiu Lu was the only one who didn't go out immediately; she looked at Qi Ning with concern.

Is Your Majesty going to have the Empress serve you in bed?

But her mistress is already with Prince Yu... What if this is discovered?

Qi Ning gave Qiu Lu a reassuring look, signaling her to go out without worry.

Qiu Lu then retreated, turning back every few steps, and slowly closed the door.

Qi Ning turned to look at Xiao Jin. She had already learned what had happened at Chang Le Palace through the system, but she pretended not to know.

She came up behind Xiao Jin and asked, "Your Majesty, would you like some tea?"

"No need." Xiao Jin stretched out his hand with his back to her. "Help me undress."