MCSCPM -Chapter 121 Consort De’s Act of Watching from the Sidelines

“Your Ladyship Consort De, something terrible has happened.” A palace maid slowly walked in. She still remembered the last incident vividly—because she had been too anxious in Consort De’s palace, she had ended up angering Consort De.

“What is it?” Consort De, dressed in a pink gown, stood by the window trimming excess branches from a plant. These superfluous branches—utterly useless—had no reason to exist, so it was better to cut them off entirely.

“Reporting to Your Ladyship, the Empress has fallen unconscious and has not awakened.” The young maid spoke neither quickly nor slowly.

“You dare report something like this so calmly? Are you courting death?” Consort De stopped her scissors, nearly cutting the maid’s face.

“This servant would not dare. It was Your Ladyship who taught that one should not panic when handling matters.” The maid hurriedly knelt down.

“How bold! You dare talk back to me? It seems you no longer wish to live.” Consort De’s face was filled with fury. If Nangong Lin saw her like this, he certainly would not call her a virtuous consort.

“Guards, drag her away and slap her face. Let’s see if she dares talk back to me again.” Consort De slowly stepped forward, a faint smile quickly appearing at the corner of her lips. If the Empress’s coma continued like this, not only could she eliminate an obstacle, but she could also implicate that so-called divine female physician.

“Yes, Your Ladyship.”

“Your Ladyship, please spare me! I won’t dare again!” No matter how the maid cried and begged before her, Consort De did not even spare her a glance. The Empress’s coma was what truly concerned her. If she gained something from this, she would have done nothing at all—simply sitting in her own palace and reaping the benefits.

“Stop.” Consort De smiled. “I’ll spare you this once today. But remember—this is my mercy, and it happens only once. If there’s a next time, don’t blame me for not warning you.”

“Thank you, Your Ladyship! Thank you, Your Ladyship!” The maid kowtowed repeatedly, as if even offering her entire family’s thanks would not be enough.

“I keep you because you’re useful. Don’t betray my trust.” Consort De’s eyes were filled with resentment. “Go keep watch near the Yangwei Palace. I want to see what happens to the Empress.”

“This…” The maid hesitated.

“What? You were just thanking me with your head on the ground, and now that I ask you to do something, you’re unwilling?” Consort De looked as if she were about to devour her.

“This servant wouldn’t dare. It’s just that His Majesty already knows about the Empress’s coma.”
The maid raised her head, knowing her life hung on this very moment.

“I only told you to observe the Empress’s condition near Yangwei Palace. Did I ever say you should do anything shady?”

“No, Your Ladyship. Your concern for the Empress is only proper. This servant was overthinking.” The maid spoke carefully.

“That’s more like it. Report to me immediately if anything happens.” As she spoke, Consort De’s fingers dug deeply into her palm. Physical pain could no longer compare with the torment in her heart.

“This servant will go at once.”

“Remember—act according to circumstances. You’re from my palace, so you shouldn’t be that foolish.” Consort De’s face was expressionless, but her sharp gaze was terrifying.

“This servant understands. Even if discovered, I won’t reveal whose person I am.”
The maid lowered her head, hoping she hadn’t said anything wrong.

As soon as the maid finished speaking, Consort De turned and left, leaving behind only a pink silhouette.

“That was close…” The maid sighed in relief. It felt as if she had just walked through the gates of life and death—one wrong word, and her life would have been gone.

“What use is it to keep these useless branches?” Consort De picked up her scissors again, carefully trimming the potted plant before her, pouring all her hatred into it.

“Your Ladyship, if this time succeeds, then…” The attendant beside her slowly uttered those words.

“Success is inevitable.” Consort De clenched the scissors tightly. Her son had been sent by Nangong Xiao to manage flood control in Jiangnan, while her daughter was utterly disappointing—she had actually carried on an affair with a guard in the harem, completely disgracing her.

Since the incident of Nangong Wan’s affair with a guard, the Emperor had been extremely cold toward her. Consort De remembered every bit of it. Now, it was time for all of this to come to an end.

“If the Empress doesn’t awaken for a long time, then the position of Empress…” The matron beside her revealed a sinister smile, matching her heart. Like master, like servant.

“Is that something you can say so casually?” Consort De smiled, but her words struck like needles.

“This servant spoke out of turn. The Empress is blessed with good fortune and will surely recover.” Though the matron said this aloud, she secretly wished the Empress would die soon so her mistress could take the Empress’s seat—and she could enjoy prosperity as well.

“There are eyes everywhere in this palace. If someone’s spy sees us, who knows what might happen.” Consort De spoke calmly, though her heart was unmoved.

“Useless branches should be cut off early. Just like people—what use is it to keep someone useless alive? Isn’t it the same when people grow old?” Though she spoke of the plant before her, she was clearly referring to the undercurrents of the palace. Everyone sought their own benefit—especially her. Even with a son and a daughter, maintaining her current position was no easy task.

“Your Ladyship is right,” the matron echoed repeatedly, unaware that Consort De was actually referring to her.

“Enough. Take this potted plant away. I don’t want to see it—it’s an eyesore.” Consort De said unhappily.

“Prepare things for me. I’m going to the Emperor’s bedchamber—and naturally, to the Empress’s palace as well.” She spoke lightly, already plotting something else in her heart.

“Yes, this old servant will prepare at once.”

In the Emperor’s bedchamber, Nangong Lin lay on the bed with a pale face, completely lacking vitality.

“Your Majesty, your spirit is weak. It’s not suitable for you to go to Yangwei Palace to visit the Empress,” the old eunuch beside him said worriedly.

“Do I need your permission to visit the Empress?” Nangong Lin spoke angrily. One by one, the women around him had left. Now only the Empress and Consort De remained by his side. If even the Empress were to leave him, he didn’t know how he would live out the rest of his life.

“Someone come—take me to Yangwei Palace!” His emotions suddenly surged.

“Cough, cough, cough!” Nangong Lin began coughing violently.

“Your Majesty, what’s wrong? Why are you coughing so badly? How are they taking care of you, letting you get so upset?” Consort De, dressed in light pink, quickly appeared in his sight.

In Nangong Lin’s eyes, Consort De had always been obedient and well-behaved. If not for his recent illness, she wouldn’t have come so often.

“There are fewer and fewer people in this harem,” Nangong Lin sighed, thinking of how his consorts had indirectly “died” by his own hand.

“What are you saying, Your Majesty? Isn’t this concubine here?” Consort De pretended to be displeased.

“My beloved doesn’t like to compete and prefers staying in her own palace. As for Noble Consort Sun…” When Nangong Lin mentioned Noble Consort Sun, he stopped short. He still thought of her—her soft, sweet voice—but when he remembered the Empress being poisoned, disgust rose within him again.

“Your Majesty, didn’t you send this concubine to check on the Second Princess? Everything is fine. Is there still something Your Majesty is worried about?” Consort De began acting a little petulant.

“Is my beloved jealous?” Nangong Lin smiled, his coughing easing somewhat.

“Yes. Your Majesty always worries about the Second Princess. I also have children—why doesn’t Your Majesty worry about my children too?” Consort De gently rubbed Nangong Lin’s back, trying to ease his throat.

“If not for this breadth of heart, how could you be Consort De?” Nangong Lin said approvingly.

“Your Majesty, don’t tease me. This concubine is merely fulfilling her proper duties.” A faint blush appeared on Consort De’s face. Nangong Lin loved this about her and nodded in satisfaction.