Demoted from wife to concubine? Reborn, the mistress of a noble family plots another high-status mar

Chapter 168

"Xiyue, get up quickly. There's no need to be so polite when we're alone." Consort Pei came over with a smile and pulled her aside, inviting her to sit down like a good sister.

The table was laden with a variety of fruits and snacks, small and exquisite, a dazzling array.

Even a fruit platter is made of gold and inlaid with jade and gemstones—how extravagant!

Normally, her attire already seemed extremely luxurious, but since she was a concubine, Yun Xiyue felt it was alright for her to dress more exquisitely and elegantly.

But I never expected that the food and things in her palace were so luxurious. No wonder Murong Yu was short of money. In just one night, he asked her for ten million taels of silver. It turns out that he needed to spend money to support such a luxurious concubine!

"These snacks were just made by the Imperial Kitchen, please try them," Consort Pei said warmly.

Yun Xiyue took a piece of golden, crispy cake and ate it, saying, "Thank you for your generous gift, Your Majesty."

"Xi Yue, you don't need to be so polite with me. My brother came yesterday; he saved you, didn't he?"

I almost forgot, she is Pei Shang's younger sister.

Yun Xiyue nodded. "Yes, it was dangerous at the time. I am very grateful to Young Master Pei for saving me."

"It was nothing, don't worry about it."

If it were truly a small favor, she wouldn't have brought it up.

Yunxi Yue immediately became extremely alert.

Consort Pei took a sip of tea and chatted with her about this and that before getting to the point, "I heard that the Empress Dowager asked you to make a scar-free ointment for Miss Zhou, and only gave you half a month. Now seven or eight days have passed. How is the ointment coming along?"

Yun Xiyue understood immediately, and said with a bitter expression, "Your Highness, you may not know this, but it was all at the request of the Zhou family. I know that the Empress Dowager only asked me to prepare the scar-free ointment because of Madam Zhou. But as you know, I am just a merchant, how would I know how to prepare ointments!"

"That's right, the Zhou family is going too far. They're just taking advantage of the fact that they helped my aunt when she was young to demand repayment. What kind of noble family is that? They're nothing but dogs relying on their master's power. Don't be afraid. If you can't hand it over, just tell the Empress Dowager, and I'll help you." Consort Pei said indignantly, scolding Old Madam Zhou.

Yun Xiyue said gratefully, "Thank you, Your Highness. But if I can't hand it over, the Zhou family won't let it go. They will still try to find a way to heal Miss Zhou's face."

"I think the plaster still needs to be prepared."

A cold glint flashed in Consort Pei's eyes. "Then can you concoct a scar-repairing ointment similar to the Scarless Cream?"

Yun Xiyue shook her head. "I can't guarantee that."

"Xi Yue, you don't need to be afraid of the Zhou family. I will protect you from now on."

Consort Pei chatted with her for a few minutes, and then someone came to report that the imperial merchants had sent over some goods. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Now that the Yun family is an imperial merchant, is your eldest brother in charge of sending things into the palace recently?"

Yun Xiyue said, "Yes, but my elder brother was injured in a wrestling match with the Emperor, so he rested for a few days."

"Your Majesty, if you are busy, I will not disturb you any longer."

Consort Pei had someone escort her out of the palace with a gentle smile.

"Your Highness, what should we do if Yun Xiyue manages to concoct the ointment?" the trusted nanny asked upon returning.

Consort Pei leaned against the couch, rubbed her temples, and said wearily, "Didn't she say she couldn't guarantee it? I think since she plotted to ruin Zhou Zhilan's appearance, she wouldn't genuinely want to cure her."

"We'll make a decision when she delivers the medicine to the palace."

"If I gain the Emperor's favor and become pregnant before her face is healed, my aunt will help me secure the Empress's position."

Therefore, she herself had to put in more effort to get the emperor to come to her palace, otherwise all her efforts would be in vain.

When the Emperor initially agreed to let her enter the palace, he only granted her the position of Imperial Concubine. The Empress Dowager tried to secure the position of Empress, but the Emperor disagreed, fearing that the Pei family would become too powerful and that the maternal relatives would interfere in politics.

The Empress Dowager was also worried, which is why she did not insist on the position of Empress, but she put forward a condition: if she gained the Emperor's favor and became pregnant with the Emperor's child, the Emperor had not yet established an Empress.