Consort Zhuang doesn't want palace intrigue; she just wants to raise her child and live a caref

"Third Brother is so thoughtful! Look at this, it's the same!" Su Nuannuan stared happily at the cloth bag in her hand, which was filled with kingfisher feathers, their vibrant colors almost dazzling.

She gently stroked the soft feathers, and couldn't help but sigh, "It seems that Third Brother also likes the beautiful colors of the kingfisher's feathers as much as I do."

Filled with anticipation and curiosity, Su Nuannuan turned her gaze to the neatly arranged cloth bags below. "I wonder what kind of surprises are hidden inside?" she murmured to herself, then reached out and took one out from among the many bags.

When she opened the bag, a bright smile immediately bloomed on her face.

The bag was filled with the upper part of peacock tail feathers.

Su Nuannuan carefully picked up the feathers that were temporarily useless, gently placed them into the box, and arranged them neatly.

Next, she placed the cloth bag containing the kingfisher feathers on top of the first box. After doing this, she gently closed the lid of the box.

"Finally found the kingfisher feather! Now I feel much more at ease and can fully concentrate on my jewelry setting work." Su Nuannuan nodded in satisfaction and clapped her hands, as if she had completed a difficult and important task.

As soon as she finished speaking, she walked lightly to the workbench and took out a part of the jewelry that needed to be set.

Then, with graceful movements, she opened the wooden box filled with various dazzling jewels, her gaze intently searching for a gemstone that matched the piece in her hand. For a moment, a dazzling array of colors shimmered and sparkled, a breathtaking spectacle.

Su Nuannuan was completely absorbed in her own world, oblivious to the passage of time. Sometimes she frowned in thought, sometimes she smiled, and her hands never stopped moving as she carefully selected and compared each piece of jewelry, striving to make them blend together perfectly.

After an unknown amount of time, Jinse's voice reached my ears.

"Your Majesty, Consort Li has arrived."

"Hmm? Why did she suddenly come to find me?" Su Nuannuan muttered to herself, full of doubt, but quickly stopped what she was doing.

She first stood up slowly, then lowered her head to straighten her slightly disheveled clothes and skirt, making sure she was dignified before taking graceful steps and slowly walking towards the door.

Stepping out of the east wing, Jinse bowed to Su Nuannuan and then followed her toward the main room.

"This concubine greets Your Majesty," Consort Li said softly, bowing slightly. She wore a light pink brocade gown, its hem flowing like clouds, and her hair adorned with exquisite pearl and jade ornaments, which made her face as beautiful as a peach blossom and her eyes sparkling.

When she saw Su Nuannuan slowly walk in, she quickly stood up and gave a graceful bow.

"Consort Li, please rise. What brings you to my Youlan Courtyard today?" Su Nuannuan smiled and gestured for Consort Li to rise, then gracefully sat down in the main seat, looking at Consort Li with a hint of doubt in her eyes.

It should be noted that both the Cuiwei Palace in the palace and the Youlan Courtyard in this imperial palace have always been deserted, with very few people taking the initiative to visit.

After bowing slightly to thank Su Nuannuan, Consort Li carefully sat down. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and she said softly with a hint of shyness, "Your Majesty, I dare to speak frankly, and I hope Your Majesty will not blame me. To be honest, I have always had a wish in my heart, which is to raise the little princess."

Upon hearing this, Su Nuannuan frowned slightly, as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world. She stared directly at Consort Li and asked in confusion, "You mean you actually want to raise the little princess?"

Consort Li seemed oblivious to Su Nuannuan's unusual expression and continued speaking as if nothing had happened: "Your Majesty, you may not know this, but after my miscarriage last time, my body was severely damaged, and I'm afraid I'll never be able to have my own child again. Whenever I think about this, I can't eat or sleep, and I feel like the future is bleak. After much thought, I've decided that only by raising the little princess can I find some support in this deep palace."

However, Su Nuannuan's face was full of displeasure at this moment, but Consort Li seemed not to notice and continued to talk on and on.

"Consort Li, you've got quite the clever plan! Unfortunately, the little princess isn't someone you can just covet. From the day Princess Jingyao was born, His Majesty has already decreed that she be entrusted to my personal care. Are you trying to openly defy His Majesty's decree?" Su Nuannuan angrily questioned Consort Li.

Upon hearing this, Consort Li's face turned pale. She hurriedly stood up, bowed, and shook her head repeatedly, denying, "This concubine would never dare to do such a thing. Please calm your anger, Your Majesty. This concubine had no such intention."

Seeing this, Su Nuannuan snorted coldly and asked in an increasingly icy tone, "Since that's the case, Consort Li, if you really want to find someone to rely on, you can raise Prince Jinghan or Prince Jingyu. Why do you have to try to take advantage of my little princess? Do you think I would agree to that so easily?"

Su Nuannuan sat upright in the main seat, her beautiful face now covered with a layer of frost, and her beautiful eyes flashing with a sharp light.

She slightly raised her chin and said in a contemptuous yet authoritative tone, "I don't care who you want to raise, nor do I want to know what you're planning! If you want to raise the little princess, then have the Emperor come and tell me personally."

You are nothing more than a lowly concubine, yet you dare to come to my door and shamelessly ask for my child!

"Hmph, I really don't know who gave you such audacity!"

Although Su Nuannuan's voice was gentle, the imposing aura it carried sent chills down everyone's spine. The entire palace fell into a deathly silence, as if even the air itself had frozen. The palace maids and eunuchs present were all trembling with fear, lest they inadvertently anger Consort Zhuang.

"I just want a child, a loving child to keep me company. But Your Majesty, you already have your own flesh and blood, so why not grant me this wish and let me raise the little princess?" As Consort Li spoke, tears welled up in her eyes like a burst dam. Through her teary eyes, she looked at Su Nuannuan sitting above her, her tone full of pleading.

Upon hearing this, Su Nuannuan felt a surge of anger. Her eyebrows furrowed, her eyes widened, and she shouted angrily towards the outside of the hall, "Li Quan!" Her voice was so loud that it seemed to shake the entire palace.

"Your servant is here!" Li Quan was waiting outside the door when he suddenly heard his mistress shouting so loudly. He was so frightened that he trembled and hurriedly ran into the house.

"Li Quan, go to the Emperor immediately and report to him the truth: Consort Li has asked me for the little princess!" Su Nuannuan ordered coldly, her face grim.

"Yes, Your Majesty! This servant will go right away!" Li Quan knew that this matter was of utmost importance and dared not delay in the slightest. He got up and was about to rush out the door.

"Wait! And... get Consort Li out of here!" Su Nuannuan pointed at Consort Li sitting below, a hint of disgust flashing in her eyes.

"Your Majesty, why are you doing this? You already have the Fifth Prince, why can't you show some compassion and entrust the little princess to me to raise? This is just a trivial matter for Your Majesty, it's just a matter of talking, why do you have to make a fuss about it before the Emperor?" Seeing Su Nuannuan's resolute attitude, Consort Li became furious and stood up abruptly, questioning her sharply.

"Li Quan, are you deaf? Hurry up and do as I say!" Su Nuannuan ignored Consort Li's questioning, turned her head and glared fiercely at Li Quan, and scolded him again.