A Crossover of Film and Television: Miao Miao's Life Transmigration

The next day, when paying her respects, Zhen Huan's face showed weariness that even her makeup couldn't conceal. Nian Shilan mocked, "Why does Consort Wan look so haggard? Did you not sleep well last night? Could it be that His Majesty didn't stay at your place last night and went to Xianfu Palace, so he couldn't sleep?"

Consort Jing felt uncomfortable upon hearing Nian Shilan's words. How long had it been since the Emperor visited Jingyue at Xianfu Palace? Why was Consort Wan dissatisfied after just one visit? However, she did not show it on her face, nor did she speak up for Consort Wan.

Consort Li quickly retorted, "I heard that it was Consort Wan who drove the Emperor away. I wonder if that's true?"

Upon hearing this, Empress Yixiu naturally inquired, "Consort Wan, did you drive the Emperor away?"

Zhen Huan couldn't say it directly, as she wanted to play hard to get, but she had gone too far in the end. She immediately made a pretext: "Your Majesty, it's not that the weather has been cold these past few days and I'm not feeling well. I was worried about Your Majesty's health, so I didn't let Your Majesty stay at Suiyu Pavilion."

Having lived for so many years, did Yixiu not know Zhen Huan's tricks? Her tone suggested she believed Zhen Huan's words: "It is right for you to care about the Emperor, but remember, do not displease him."

Zhen Huan replied with humiliation, "Yes."

The next day, when the Emperor returned to Suiyu Pavilion, Zhen Huan no longer played the game of feigning indifference and successfully regained the Emperor's favor.

Just a few days after Zhen Huan regained the Emperor's favor, the Emperor arrived at Jingren Palace with bad news.

The Emperor walked into Jingren Palace in a rage. The concubines were paying their respects to the Empress. The Emperor had just finished the morning court session when he arrived.

Yixiu led the concubines to rise and pay their respects, then asked with concern, "What happened to Your Majesty that made you so angry?"

The Emperor irritably tossed his eighteen-piece set aside, ordering his concubines to rise. His face was contorted with anger as he said, "The Dzungars have submitted a memorial requesting to marry a princess of the Qing Dynasty."

Consort Jing, Noble Lady Cao, and Consort Xin were startled, their palms turned icy cold and trembled uncontrollably. They expressed their sorrow, saying, "Although Jingyue is your own daughter, she is still young. How can she be sent on a marriage alliance?"

Consort Xin and Consort Cao echoed, "Yes, Shuhe (Wenyi) is still young!"

The Emperor said coldly and ruthlessly, "If Jingyue were a full-year-old, I wouldn't be so troubled!"

Yixiu felt it was time to help the Emperor, so she spoke up to remind him, "The Dzungars only said they were asking to marry the Emperor's own daughter, but they didn't say it was the Emperor's biological daughter."

The emperor feigned seriousness and said, "Is that so?"

Yixiu spoke the words the Emperor had not spoken: "The late Emperor's youngest daughter, Princess Chaogui, is of beautiful age and is not yet engaged, making her the most suitable candidate for a marriage alliance."

The Emperor sighed, and Yixiu offered a few more words of advice. The Emperor hesitated and said, "The Empress is right."

Zhen Huan, of course, would not thwart the Empress and Consort Hua's opportunity, and couldn't help but speak up: "Preparing the dowry is quite simple. Although the Imperial Household Department is overseeing it, there can't be any mistakes. After all, it concerns the face of the Qing Dynasty. Moreover, there are many things to do. I think Sister Cao is the most meticulous. Why don't you let Sister Cao help with the preparations?"

In the end, Zhen Huan chose Consort Cao to give her a warning. Consort Jing and Consort Hua were both of higher status than her. By recommending Consort Cao, she could both undermine the Empress's decision and diminish Consort Hua's prestige, thus demonstrating her own presence and letting the people in the harem know that she was not someone to be manipulated.

Upon hearing Zhen Huan's words, Su Yunyi couldn't hold back any longer. Zhen Huan was truly wicked. Who were the people in the Imperial Household Department? To let a mere noblewoman handle the dowry of a princess sent for a political marriage, what valuable things could possibly be there?

Su Yunyi quickly interrupted Zhen Huan: "Consort Wan, your words sound nice, but Consort Cao is just a consort. How can she be in charge of the dowry for a princess sent for a political marriage? If word gets out, the court and the Dzungars will think that there is no one left in the harem. I don't know why Consort Wan came up with such a bad idea?"

Upon hearing Su Yunyi's words, Zhen Huan could only look at the Emperor and offer an explanation: "It was my mistake that I forgot about this matter. Your Majesty, please do not misunderstand me."

Su Yunyi sneered. The Emperor looked at Su Yunyi and said, "What does the Imperial Concubine think?"

Su Yunyi continued, "Since the Dzungars said it was to marry their own princess, it would be most appropriate for the Empress to handle the princess's dowry. However, Princess Chaogui is marrying as a Gulun Princess, and it will take the Imperial Household Department quite a while to handle her dowry. In addition, the New Year is approaching. Otherwise, let Princess Chaogui spend her last New Year in the Qing Dynasty. As for the Dzungars, they are just a small place that depends on us. We need to make them understand that our Qing princesses are precious and we cannot let them marry just because they want to."

The Emperor twirled the eighteen-piece dowry in his hand and said seriously, "What you say makes sense. In that case, the Empress shall arrange the dowry."

Yixiu quickly expressed her gratitude and said that she would definitely make proper arrangements for Princess Chaogui's marriage.

After saying this, the emperor left.

After the greetings were finished, Consort Jing sent someone to say that she had something to visit and that she would come over in the middle of the night.

Consort Cao was not so composed. After the meeting was dismissed, she came to Chengqian Palace to thank Su Yunyi.

Su Yunyi reminded Consort Cao a few times, saying that the Emperor disliked ungrateful people, and that the Emperor had feelings for Consort Hua, so Moyaqi probably wouldn't be sent to a political marriage.

Cao Qinmo didn't understand what Su Yunyi meant, so she could only thank her with a puzzled look on her face.

Zhen Huan was not a docile person either. Not long after, she found Cao Qinmo, said a few words, and used Wenyi as leverage to persuade her to join Zhen Huan's side.

Cao Qinmo would certainly not side with Zhen Huan. Although Zhen Huan was favored by the emperor, his favor was superficial. Consort Yi, Consort Hua, and Consort Jing were all of high status and had children. Wouldn't it be better to side with them?

Moreover, she is now under the command of Consort Hua, who has Mo Yaqi and Nian Gengyao, so no matter what, she will not be disliked by the Emperor.

Cao Qinmo is a very clever woman, otherwise she wouldn't have become the "strategist" by Consort Hua's side. In order to find out what Zhen Huan was going to do, Cao Qinmo pretended to be frightened by Zhen Huan and said suggestive words that implied that she wanted to follow Zhen Huan. Zhen Huan's eyes revealed a sense of pride.

In the middle of the night, Consort Jing, dressed as a palace maid, came to Chengqian Palace through a side gate.

Upon seeing Su Yunyi, he immediately knelt down: "Your Majesty, please save Jingyue. She is my only child. I have watched her grow up little by little. Now that this has happened, isn't it like tearing my heart out?"

Consort Jing cried as she spoke. Although she knew that the marriage alliance was a policy, she did not expect the Emperor to be so heartless. Jingyue was still young, but if this happened when she was fifteen or sixteen, wouldn't she be forced to marry into a desolate place and never see him again?

Su Yunyi quickly helped Consort Jing up and said, "Marriage alliance is a national policy, and there's nothing I can do about it!"

Consort Jing said sadly, "I thought the Emperor was a man of feeling, but I never expected him to be so heartless. He even allowed his own sister to be married off. I heard that the Prince of Dzungar is over sixty years old. How could the Emperor be so cruel?"

Consort Jing continued, "If Your Majesty dares to harm Jingyue, I certainly won't..."

Consort Jing paused here, her eyes filled with ruthlessness.

"Although the Third Prince is the eldest son, he is not favored; the Fourth Prince comes from a poor background and may only ever be a Beile; the Fifth Prince is in poor health and is currently recuperating; the Sixth Prince is good in every way. If there is anything Your Majesty needs, I will do my best. I only hope that Your Majesty will take care of Jingyue."

Consort Jing is a rare intelligent person in the harem. The Emperor is already old, and who knows what will happen to the children born later? Besides, the Emperor has had very few offspring in recent years.

At this time, she sought refuge with Su Yunyi for Jingyue's sake. She simply couldn't bear the sight of Jingyue being forced into a political marriage. What would Jingyue do without a suitable backer?

Su Yunyi smiled faintly and said that Jingyue was Hongxi's older sister and both were royal children. She would definitely take good care of Jingyue and also said that she could not reveal their alliance.

Consort Jing knew Su Yunyi's self-preservation and reluctance to take the lead, and expressed that she understood.

Su Yunyi and Consort Jing reached an agreement, and Consort Jing, dressed as a palace maid, quietly left Chengqian Palace.

Because of the events of the previous dynasty and Princess Chaogui's marriage, a brief period of peace emerged in the harem.