The Flourishing Era of Female Merchants

"Consort Rong, you don't need to worry. I just asked the Emperor to come and see you, but when he saw that you had lost your child and your face was stung by wasps like this, he didn't come. Alas, maybe the Emperor would have already taken advantage of you then. So, you don't need to worry, the Emperor won't come to see you." Empress Feng's tone became even sharper.

“You…” Consort Rong realized that Empress Feng was deliberately trying to hurt her. She gritted her teeth, her previous forbearance and pleading completely gone, replaced by resentment. She sneered, “Empress Feng, don’t be too smug. Once my injuries heal, the Emperor will eventually turn his attention back to me, unlike you, who are old and will only get older.”

Empress Feng hated Consort Rong the most for being young and beautiful and mocking her age. Now that Consort Rong was so fearless, Empress Feng felt even less inclined to show mercy.

"Haha... Consort Rong, do you really think you can get better? Don't you think that with all these scars all over your body, even if the imperial physicians use the finest tissue-regenerating medicines, it's not guaranteed you'll heal? Besides, even if you did get better, when would that be? By then, you'd no longer have a place by the Emperor's side. You know, in this harem, if a disfigured concubine dies, it's just a common occurrence; no one will care much." Empress Feng laughed loudly, seemingly mocking Consort Rong's naivety without any attempt to hide it.

Consort Rong thought she would let her live until her wounds were healed.

Consort Rong, you can't navigate this harem with your limited cunning!

Thinking of Consort Rong's scheming and injustice against her, Empress Feng's eyes grew even darker. This woman, she would make her lose all her life in agony.

"You..." Consort Rong was startled, and suddenly felt that Empress Feng in front of her was more terrifying than ever before. Yes, the Empress Feng of the past, even if she was scheming and plotting behind the scenes, always had a smile on her face in front of outsiders. In other people's eyes, even if they knew her ruthlessness, they also knew her gentleness and virtue. She never thought that when Empress Feng was truly ruthless in front of her, it would be so terrifying that she had never imagined it.

She completely believed what Empress Feng said; Empress Feng could very well prevent her from ever recovering during this period of recuperation.

However, despite Empress Feng's confidence, she was unwilling to accept her fate. She was newly pregnant and carrying the child in her womb. Her future seemed bright, but everything came so unexpectedly. It was all because of Empress Feng, all because of this woman!

"I can tell the Emperor everything. It was you who harmed me, it was you..." Consort Rong shouted, her voice sounding particularly shrill.

"I harmed you? Heh, Consort Rong, I'll say it again: if you have evidence, go ahead and tell the Emperor. No, I can summon the Emperor for you. You can tell him to his face how I harmed you. I want to see if the Emperor will listen to you and punish me!" Empress Feng looked at Consort Rong triumphantly. Sure enough, she saw the look in Consort Rong's eyes change. She knew that Consort Rong wouldn't dare let the Emperor see her like this.

"Well? Have you made up your mind? Should I summon the Emperor?" Empress Feng urged when Consort Rong remained silent. The fear in Consort Rong's eyes intensified considerably.

"no, do not want……"

"The Emperor has arrived!"

Consort Rong shook her head, muttering in a panic. But as soon as she finished speaking, she heard the eunuch's voice outside the door reporting that she was startled and curled up in fear, wishing she could just disappear.

The wickedness in Empress Feng's eyes intensified, and she smirked, "Consort Rong, now it's not up to us anymore!"

The door was flung open with a bang. Consort Rong, ignoring her pain, immediately turned around, her eyes darting around anxiously. She didn't even notice the bronze mirror in her hand fall to the ground and shatter. She had wanted to be overjoyed that the Emperor had come to see her, which proved that the Emperor and Empress Feng were wrong. She wanted to tell Empress Feng loudly that even though she was injured, the Emperor would remember her and care about her. However, she didn't dare to.

She was afraid, afraid that the Emperor would see her in this state, which confirmed Empress Feng's other words. Even she would find her appearance disgusting, let alone the Emperor.

In that instant, countless thoughts flashed through her mind, but in the end, only one thought remained: the Emperor must not see her in this state, absolutely not!

"What happened?" Emperor Mingde entered the room. He was reluctant to come over, but thinking of Consort Rong's appearance before she was sent back to her palace, he couldn't help but frown. It was too frightening. However, after hearing the imperial physician's report, he finally decided to come.

The imperial physician clearly said that Consort Rong's wounds had been completely treated, but... what about the pile of gauze scattered on the ground?

Empress Feng, having shed the sharp edge she had displayed when alone with Consort Rong, now reverted to her dignified and elegant demeanor, showing utmost care for the concubines of the harem. "Your Majesty," she said, "Consort Rong insisted on removing the gauze after waking up, and I couldn't stop her. What if this wound worsens?"

Consort Rong, who had her back to everyone, froze, almost grinding her teeth in anger. This Empress Feng was truly lying through her teeth. Wasn't it Empress Feng herself who had removed the gauze? She wanted to refute, but considering her current appearance, Consort Rong dared not utter a sound, lest she cause any trouble.

"You've already injured yourself, and you're not even taking good care of yourself. Even if it gets worse, it's your own fault," Emperor Mingde said coldly, his face darkening. He was already displeased that Consort Rong hadn't protected the child in her womb properly, and now she was adding to the trouble. This woman had been spoiled all these years and had always been like this. She needed to be taught a lesson before she could restrain herself.

Consort Rong's mind went blank. Had she brought this on herself? The Emperor had always doted on her; when had he ever spoken to her so harshly? Just moments ago in the main hall, he had showered her with affection, but in the blink of an eye…

She couldn't help but think of what Empress Feng had just said: he had seen her covered in wounds, yet he hadn't even glanced at her...

A wave of irony washed over her. Consort Rong bit her lip and whispered, "Your Majesty, I was wrong. Your Majesty, please go back. I want... I want to rest..."

Empress Feng smiled smugly upon hearing her words. Consort Rong's attitude pleased her greatly, but this was not the result she was satisfied with. If the Emperor hadn't come, so be it, but now that he had come, how could she let him come for nothing?

"Sister, what are you saying? The Emperor has been thinking of you and came all the way here to see you, but now he hasn't even seen you. How can you send him away?"