Black Myth: The Legend of Tianpeng Seeking Demons

Consort Wu Hui's face instantly darkened, as if a blooming peony had been struck by frost. Her eyes, which usually held a touch of allure, were now as sharp as knives, staring directly at Zhu Rong. A heavy atmosphere seemed to fill the air, causing everyone to involuntarily hold their breath.

"Consort Zhu," Consort Wu Hui spoke coldly, each word seemingly squeezed out from between her teeth, "where did you learn this method of chilling lychees? Did you secretly consult someone outside the palace?"

Although her voice was calm, it was filled with a threatening undertone. The other concubines present all lowered their heads in unison, afraid of being drawn into this undercurrent of conflict.

Zhu Rong was startled; she keenly sensed the trap in Consort Wu Hui's words. The charge of "colluding with forces outside the palace" was enough to condemn her to eternal damnation. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. She knew that every reaction, every expression at this moment could become a weapon for Consort Wu Hui to use against her.

“Replying to Consort Hui,” Zhu Rong replied respectfully, her voice soft yet firm, “this method I stumbled upon in an ancient book. I’ve always enjoyed studying ancient texts, and finding this method interesting, I gave it a try. I never expected it to be so effective.”

As she spoke, her eyes remained lowered, but her back was ramrod straight, displaying an attitude of neither servility nor arrogance.

Seeing this, Consort Yang's eyes flashed with admiration. She knew Zhu Rong was a clever girl, and now she saw even more clearly her ability to handle a crisis. Consort Yang gently raised the corners of her mouth and said elegantly, "Yes, Consort Zhu has always enjoyed studying ancient books; this time she has truly broadened our horizons."

Her voice was soft and languid, as if she were just chatting casually, but anyone with a discerning eye could see that she was trying to help Zhu Rong out of a difficult situation.

Consort Wu Hui snorted coldly, clearly not believing this explanation. Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the handkerchief in her hand, a flicker of jealousy and anger flashing in her eyes. Just as she was about to say something more, a figure suddenly rushed in from outside the palace.

"Your Majesties, the Emperor has arrived!"

The sound was like a thunderclap, instantly shattering the tense atmosphere in the hall. Everyone stood up abruptly and bowed towards the hall's entrance.

A tall figure in a bright yellow dragon robe appeared at the doorway; it was none other than Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji. His gaze, sharp as a hawk's, quickly swept across the faces of everyone in the room, finally settling on Yang Guifei. Instantly, his eyes softened, and a doting smile unconsciously appeared on his lips.

"What are you ministers doing here?" Li Longji's voice was deep and magnetic. "I've heard that someone is researching a new way to eat lychees?"

Upon hearing this, a sly glint flashed in Yang Guifei's eyes. She rose gracefully, moved lightly to the emperor's side, and said softly, "Your Majesty, it is Consort Zhu who has developed a method for chilling lychees. The taste is refreshing and sweet, and I find it quite novel."

As she spoke, her gaze inadvertently drifted towards Consort Wu Hui, a hint of smugness playing on her lips.

Upon hearing this, Li Longji's eyes flashed with interest. He strode to the table, picked up a crystal-clear, chilled lychee with his slender fingers, and, under the watchful eyes of everyone, put the lychee into his mouth.

In an instant, Li Longji's eyebrows twitched slightly, and a look of delight appeared on his face. "Excellent! Excellent! This chilled lychee truly has a unique flavor!" His voice was full of praise, and when he turned to Zhu Rong, his gaze even held a hint of admiration. "Consort Zhu, your thoughtfulness is truly commendable. I hereby grant you permission to enter the palace tomorrow to personally instruct the imperial chefs on how to make this chilled lychee."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Rong was both surprised and delighted. She knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She immediately knelt down, her voice trembling slightly with excitement: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your great favor!"

Consort Wu stood to the side, her expression shifting between anger and resentment. A flicker of unwillingness and jealousy flashed in her eyes, but she quickly suppressed it. Forcing a weak smile, she said softly, "Your Majesty, while these chilled lychees taste good, they may be harmful to the spleen and stomach. I suggest we proceed with caution."

Upon hearing this, Li Longji frowned slightly. He turned to look at Consort Wu Hui, his gaze carrying a hint of displeasure. "Consort Hui is overthinking it," his voice remained calm, but his tone carried a warning undertone. "These chilled lychees are refreshing and perfect for this sweltering summer. Besides," he gave Consort Yang a meaningful look, "Hasn't Consort Yang been longing for the lychees of her hometown? These chilled lychees will at least ease her yearning."

Upon hearing this, Consort Yang's eyes flashed with emotion, and she said softly, "Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty." Her voice was as gentle as water, yet it caused Consort Wu Hui a sharp pain in her heart.

Li Longji then instructed, "From today onwards, I permit Consort Zhu to present chilled lychees daily. If the Consort likes them, she may eat more."

These words struck Consort Wu Hui like a heavy hammer blow. Her face turned deathly pale, and she even swayed slightly. She knew that her carefully planned scheme had not only failed to harm Consort Yang, but had instead brought Zhu Rong into the Emperor's favor. This was undoubtedly a huge blow to her position in the harem.

Just then, a palace maid rushed over and whispered a few words in Consort Wu Hui's ear. Consort Wu Hui's face immediately turned even more ashen. She hurriedly took her leave from the Emperor and left in a panic. Her retreating figure looked somewhat flustered, completely lacking her usual elegance and grace.

Seeing this, Li Longji frowned slightly, but said nothing more. He exchanged a few more words with Yang Guifei, his eyes filled with tenderness and affection. Then, he turned and left, leaving behind a room full of fragrance and lingering charm.

After the emperor left, Consort Yang held Zhu Rong's hand and said gratefully, "Thanks to your wisdom, you not only relieved my lovesickness but also thwarted Consort Wu Hui's plot. Sister Zhu, you are truly my good sister!"

Zhu Rong was a little embarrassed by Yang Guifei's enthusiasm. She said softly, "Your Highness is too kind. This is what I should do." Her voice was gentle, but it was firm.

Yang Guifei smiled and shook her head, her eyes sparkling with sincerity: "You don't need to be so reserved. From now on, just call me Sister Yang."

Zhu Rong felt a warmth in her heart, as if she had finally found true friends in this complicated harem. Just as she was about to agree, she suddenly remembered something, and her expression turned serious.

“Sister Yang,” she said in a low voice, a hint of wariness flashing in her eyes, “I have a feeling that Consort Wu Hui won’t let this go. We still need to be careful.”

Consort Yang nodded, a hint of wariness flashing in her eyes: "You're right. Consort Wu Hui has always been ruthless; after this defeat, she will definitely find a way to retaliate. We must remain vigilant at all times."

Just then, a familiar voice rang in Zhu Rong's mind: "You idiot, be careful. I sense a powerful force approaching, and it seems quite interested in you."

It was Xiaobai's voice. Zhu Rong was startled; she knew Xiaobai's intuition was never wrong. However, she couldn't show anything unusual in front of Consort Yang. Forcing herself to remain calm, she said to Consort Yang, "Sister Yang, it's getting late, I must take my leave."

Consort Yang nodded and said kindly, "Alright, go ahead. Remember to be there on time tomorrow to teach the imperial chefs how to make chilled lychees."

After leaving Yang Guifei's palace, Zhu Rong hurried towards her own chambers. Night had fallen, and moonlight, like water, spilled across the palace walls, casting a veil of mystery over the magnificent palace. Zhu Rong's heart was filled with questions and worries: What was that power that Xiao Bai sensed? How would Consort Wu Hui retaliate? How could she survive in this treacherous inner palace?

Meanwhile, in a secluded corner of the palace, a mysterious figure dressed in a cassock was gazing at a crystal ball in his hand. Within the crystal ball, Zhu Rong's figure appeared and disappeared, her slightly immature yet intelligent face shimmering faintly in the crystal.

The mysterious man revealed a meaningful smile, muttering to himself, "Interesting, very interesting. It seems this little girl is hiding a remarkable secret..."

His voice was deep and hoarse, as if it came from a distant time and space. As his words fell, the image in the crystal ball suddenly blurred, and a strange light flashed, as if foreshadowing some unknown fate about to befall them.

And so, an even greater storm was quietly brewing. Zhu Rong would face even greater challenges and opportunities. In this treacherous imperial harem, could she rely on her wisdom and courage to gain a foothold in the vortex of power? And what kind of unpredictable changes would that mysterious person bring her?

Night deepened, and the palace fell silent. But beneath this surface calm, undercurrents surged; a storm poised to change the fate of the entire Tang Dynasty was quietly brewing...