In the Empress's sleeping quarters.
The Empress was helping Liang De Kuai change, preparing for bed.
Liang De Kuai felt invigorated today. He turned and scooped the Empress into his arms, carrying her to the bed.
He had been so busy with state affairs lately that he had truly neglected the Empress.
The two of them slowly lay down on the bed, their clothes peeling off piece by piece.
"Your Majesty, urgent matter!" a palace maid suddenly called from the door.
Liang De Kuai was immediately displeased.
"What is it?" he asked, frowning.
"Those two esteemed seniors... have barged into the rear palace..."
Liang De Kuai froze.
He suspected he had misheard.
But thinking of those two imposing figures, the Emperor could only believe it...
Liang De Kuai hurriedly put on his clothes and walked to the door.
"Your Majesty..." the female guard from before stammered, kneeling on the ground. "Just now, those two esteemed seniors suddenly barged in, saying they wanted to examine Consort Li. This subordinate..."
"There's no need to say more," Liang De Kuai said, feigning composure. "This is my will. You may withdraw."
As he spoke, his hand hidden in his sleeve trembled slightly...
So that's why they said my forehead was glowing green today.
They were hinting at me, weren't they???
Even though he knew those two powerful figures wouldn't truly cuckold him, he still felt as if he had swallowed a fly...
Not long after, Liang De Kuai and the Empress arrived at Consort Li's residence.
"Greetings, Your Majesty..." a group of palace maids and eunuchs knelt on the ground, trembling. "We are deserving of death, we are deserving of death..."
The two esteemed seniors had already entered Consort Li's room. Their lives were forfeit.
But what could they do...
They were utterly incapable of stopping them...
"Rise, all of you," the Emperor beckoned. "The two esteemed seniors are here by my arrangement to examine Consort Li."
Despite his inner turmoil, Liang De Kuai had to act as if everything was within his plan...
Liang De Kuai's heart was heavy...
But he could not speak of it...
Nor could he express it...
Dismissing the palace maids and eunuchs, Liang De Kuai and the Empress entered Consort Li's room.
Consort Li was lying on the bed, her face devoid of all will to live...
The sudden intrusion of the two elders had truly startled her.
She had wanted to cry out, but no sound came.
She was thus forced to gaze at the two elders for a long while.
Then, something even more terrifying happened...
The bald old man chuckled and reached his hand into his crotch...
The Emperor glanced over.
Consort Li's clothes were intact, but she now had several silver needles inserted into her.
Master Xie Yan, while twirling the silver needles, channeled true qi into her body.
The Second Elder placed his hand on her forehead, assisting Master Xie Yan.
The Emperor secretly breathed a sigh of relief and stood quietly by, watching.
What else could he say at this point?
Accuse or punish the two elders?
He certainly wouldn't dare!
Moreover, the two elders were too crucial to the Great Liang Dynasty; he was unwilling to let them go...
In short, his heart was a jumble of emotions, more uncomfortable than having swallowed a fly...
A quarter of an hour later, Master Xie Yan withdrew the silver needles from his crotch.
"Your wife's illness is no longer critical," Master Xie Yan said with a kind smile to the Emperor. "After a period of recuperation, she will be completely well."
"Thank you, esteemed seniors," Liang De Kuai replied quickly.
Despite his heart's turmoil.
He still had to force a smile in response...
Consort Li found she could move and tried to rise to pay her respects.
Liang De Kuai waved her off and whispered a few words in the Empress's ear.
The Empress nodded and left.
Only the four of them remained in the room.
Consort Li lay on the bed, too nervous to even breathe.
Regardless of the reason, with two men in her room now, she was doomed...
Liang De Kuai glanced at the two elders, but the words at the tip of his tongue would not come out.
"Your Majesty the Emperor, is there anything else?" the two elders asked, puzzled. "If not, we shall take our leave."
"Esteemed seniors..." Liang De Kuai was forced to speak. "I wish to discuss something with you."
"Speak freely," the Second Elder smiled slightly.
"As long as it is within our power, we will not refuse," Master Xie Yan added.
"It's like this, I wish to bestow Consort Li upon the two of you," Liang De Kuai said, gritting his teeth, finally revealing it.
Although he had publicly claimed he arranged for the two elders to see the Consort, any discerning person could tell it was nonsense.
These two elders had barged in forcefully...
At this point, Consort Li could no longer remain...
Otherwise, people would always feel he had a green hat.
Such was the custom in the Great Liang Dynasty.
If the Emperor bestowed a concubine or similar upon another person, that concubine would have no further relation to the Emperor.
And no one would feel the Emperor was wearing a green hat, so to speak.
When Liang De Kuai said this, the other three were stunned.
"We do not want her," the two elders refused decisively. "Also, please send away those young girls you arranged for us later."
Young people nowadays were too unreliable.
They were always overthinking things.
Didn't you see those young girls were scared unconscious by themselves?
Having a bunch of young girls around was simply too troublesome!
Compared to that, Ye Fan was much more reliable!
Speaking of which, it had been many days since he had seen Ye Fan. He missed him.
He needed to find time to go back and see him.
Liang De Kuai began to have a headache...
Originally, he had thought of bestowing her upon the two elders. Even if she stayed to serve tea or pour water, it wouldn't matter, as she would have no relation to him anymore.
Now that the two elders refused, and he couldn't force her upon them.
"Consort Li," the Emperor looked at Consort Li on the bed. "Effective immediately, your status as Noble Consort is revoked, and you are demoted to commoner. You are henceforth forbidden from using your given name, and you shall never again set foot in the Imperial City in this lifetime."
"This humble subject accepts the decree and expresses gratitude," Consort Li quickly bowed, her voice filled with emotion.
She was indeed extremely excited at this moment.
She had not wanted to enter the palace in the first place; it was her father and daughter who had forced her to participate in the imperial concubine selection.
She had a sweetheart back then, and they were cruelly torn apart.
Although she lived in luxury and abundance after entering the palace, she was never happy.
Now, it was good; she was finally free.
"You should be thanking these two esteemed seniors, not me," Liang De Kuai gestured faintly.
"Thank you, esteemed seniors," Consort Li turned and bowed to the two elders.
"Get up quickly," the two elders hastily helped her up.
Initially, they had been somewhat displeased.
They felt that it was not the act of a true man for the Emperor to suddenly give up his wife.
However, seeing how happy the young girl was, they felt they might have misunderstood something.
As for what exactly they had misunderstood, they did not know.
The twists and turns of the imperial family were too complicated for them.
They couldn't figure it out, nor did they bother to.
Since the young girl was so happy now, it must be a good thing.
The next day.
News spread throughout the Imperial Palace.
Consort Li had fallen gravely ill and passed away, and a funeral was held.
The passing of a concubine was not a significant event; everyone continued with their usual lives.
The Second Elder continued to scold Master Wang and the others harshly every day, but their alchemy skills also improved rapidly under his constant criticism.
The only one who was a bit special was Yan Ru Yu.
This female cultivator was also scolded daily like the others, but her gaze towards the Second Elder was becoming increasingly strange...
Master Wang and the others felt a pang of sadness in their hearts.
It's over...
We're going to lose our junior sister forever...
My heart aches so much...