The Virtuous Consort had been unsettled when she saw how Lu Liangwei and His Majesty behaved during His Majesty’s birthday banquet.
However, believing His Majesty to be pure of heart and without desire, she thought it would be impossible for him to fall for the young runt. She did not think further of it.
It was until His Majesty personally set foot in the Grand Duke Mansion to propose marriage, that she realized that her odd feelings before were not without reason.
His Majesty had really felt something for Lu Liangwei.
It was now too late.
She clenched tightly onto the handkerchief in her fist at this thought.
She had never expected for someone as reserved as His Majesty to fall for a young girl like her.
Her gaze brushed across the women in her room as she was thought this.
In the room were four concubines, including her. Even though they might not have faces that could launch a thousand ships, they were still rare beauties. Did they not have more feminine charms than that young wretch, Lu Liangwei, who was practically still a child?
Lu Liangwei may have been born with breathtaking beauty, but she was still young and still looked like a kid. How could she compare to the four of them, who were mature and possessed the graceful bearings of regal women?
His Majesty had never shown interest and left her hanging for years upon years without touching her even once. Now, his gaze had suddenly fallen upon someone unlikely.
Lu Liangwei almost became the Crown Prince’s wife. Did that not bother His Majesty? Did he not find that disgusting?
He had fallen for a young girl who had almost become his niece-on-law.
The Virtuous Consort found this quite ridiculous.
She had hoped every day and night for it, but her hopes of His Majesty giving her even one brief look were now dashed. All she had gotten from her patient wait was the news of him conferring someone else the title of Empress. The grievance and dissatisfaction from this felt like it was about to crush her.
However, the more serious the situation, the more she should not panic.
Even though the marriage had been proposed, anything could change before she entered the Palace.
No one would be able to predict any ‘accidents’ or surprises, right?
She suppressed the thought and picked up the tea on the table to have a sip before looking at Ji Linghui again. “Prudence Consort, do you feel the same way too?”
Ji Linghui was a little distracted and slightly heartbroken.
His Majesty was actually marrying Lu Liangwei and appointing her as the Empress.
A girl younger than her by a few years had caught His Majesty’s eye.
The few of them seated together here were picked by officials from the Ministry of Rites. They were picked for His Majesty, including… her. She was just the same. She had paid a high price to enter the Palace.
His Majesty had given all his attention to governing state affairs and never had the intention of expanding his imperial harem. It was the court officials who had pestered him about it, making him simply bring a few women into the imperial harem just to shut the annoying officials up.
His Majesty had never bestowed his attention upon any of them.
On the other hand, she had been attracted to him the first time she saw him. She knew he was the one she had to marry in this lifetime. She begged for her father’s help.
Her father initially disagreed as His Majesty was much older than she was, but she was adamant about marrying into the Palace. He had no choice but to request this from His Majesty himself after failing to change his daughter’s mind on it.
Perhaps His Majesty thought her presence would make little difference on the harem, because he actually agreed to her father’s proposal.
She still remembered how delighted and nervous she felt when she first entered the Palace.
However, reality had poured a whole basin of ice-cold water on her. His Majesty never stepped into the imperial harem, much less gave her any special treatment or attention.
She guarded her heart, which only beat for His Majesty, but he never cared for her in return.
If not for the fact that sometimes she would appear here and there, His Majesty would probably already have forgotten who she was.
Just like the other time in the imperial garden, all she wanted was to be a little closer to His Majesty. In the end, all she got was punishment by standing in the cold wind atop the man-made hill for a whole day.
She already had a frail and delicate body. After suffering in the cold wind that day, she had been in downward spirits afterward. Then something worse happened.
During this time, she received news of His Majesty marrying Lu Liangwei.
She cried for the entire night, and her eyes were still puffy red from it.