Chapter 143 You're Dressed Like a Steamer Cloth

The annual autumn hunt was a grand event in the Great Xun dynasty, personally presided over by the emperor, with all imperial relatives, nobles, and court ministers required to participate.

Securing top honors in the autumn hunt not only brought generous rewards but also presented prime opportunities for career advancement and sudden wealth. Although Great Xun was a patriarchal society where men were revered over women, female participation was not prohibited on such occasions. Many female family members attended, though most merely gathered to chat, while a few bolder young ladies would venture out to watch the men hunt.

Due to Qin Zhiyi’s poisoning in previous years, the event had been suspended. With the opportunity restored this year, many people were eager and itching to try their skills.

However, with so many women in the imperial harem, it was obviously impossible for everyone to follow along.

Jing Lanxi claimed she was feeling unwell and did not accompany the entourage.

The Noble Consort had to manage the affairs of the six palaces and was forcibly left behind in the imperial city.

Consort Hui, being less than two months pregnant, was unsuited for the hardships of long-distance travel and was also kept in the palace.

Consequently, the concubines accompanying the emperor this time were: Shen Fuyu, Cui Yingsu, Zhaoyu Zhao, Beauty Xie, and Talent Chu.

"His Majesty is the boss!"

Faced with such occasional random declarations from their mistress, the servants of Xianyue Palace had already grown quite accustomed to them.

Yet Shen Fuyu was exceptionally happy. It was hardly surprising that Jing Lanxi wasn't coming, but the Noble Consort must be furious to the point of dying, and deeply regretting why she had volunteered to temporarily manage the six palaces!

In short, it felt simply wonderful! Seeing others unhappy brought her immense joy.

"Your Ladyship, please stop being so picky. When has a pregnant woman ever gone to the hunting grounds just to ride horses! It’s already a miracle that the Bureau of Fine Apparel managed to rush-make you a wearable set of equestrian gear!" Silver Bell was roaring, brandishing the riding habit as she yelled.

Shen Fuyu was not particularly pleased.

Because of her medication, fat had accumulated primarily around her waist. At four months pregnant, she was truly beginning to look plump.

Still, that could not excuse the Bureau of Fine Apparel for failing to make her a decent outfit!

Upon closer reflection, it was undoubtedly the Noble Consort who had secretly ordered them to do so!

After all, considering reason and circumstance, having the clothes turn out this way was somewhat justifiable; the only unhappy person was herself.

In that case, she could hardly be blamed.

On the night before departure, Shen Fuyu had once again shaved off another finger-width of the Noble Consort’s hairline.

That earth-shattering scream, the guilty and evasive figure during the farewell ceremony—Shen Fuyu smiled sweetly beside the emperor and said, "Your Majesty, you must never give Noble Consort so much work to do again in the future! Just look at her, she’s practically gone bald!"

Everyone's gazes instantly shifted to the Noble Consort. As if on cue, a gust of wind swept by, directly lifting the Noble Consort's bangs and instantly making her wish a crack would open in the ground so she could crawl into it!

Damned wretched bitch!

It was once again Shen Fuyu's handiwork!

The crowd held back their laughter, casting looks full of mockery toward the Noble Consort. The Noble Consort's face turned livid, her entire body trembling; never in her life had anyone dared to humiliate her like this, over and over again!

"The palace cannot be left without someone in charge." Qin Zhiyi glanced at Shen Fuyu, secretly rolling his eyes at her in his heart. You're the one who caused all this trouble, yet you still have the nerve to bring it up here!

She was simply asking for it!

The Noble Consort gritted her teeth, gave a slight curtsy, and said, "This concubine manages the six palaces for Your Majesty, and all this is nothing more than my duty."

"Noble Consort is truly sensible, unlike this concubine, who simply insists on getting whatever she wants!" Shen Fuyu coquettishly linked her arm through Qin Zhiyi's. "Then we leave the palace in Noble Consort's capable hands! Your Majesty, let's hurry and go! This concubine is dying to go play!"

Noble Consort: Who wants to be sensible?!

She was practically dying of anger because of Shen Fuyu! The Noble Consort's expression was already extremely unsightly, and the atmosphere began to grow increasingly strained. Qin Zhiyi gave a slight cough. "You don't even have the capability to manage the six palaces, stop running your mouth about nonsense."

Naturally, this remark did not offer the Noble Consort much comfort.

Having harvested a fresh crop of anger points, Shen Fuyu laughed wildly as she accompanied Qin Zhiyi outward. The carriages were already prepared, and Shen Fuyu very consciously boarded the second one.

"Consort Xian, the journey ahead is long and arduous. I wonder if Your Ladyship requires company?"

Beauty Xie and Talent Chu stopped right in front of Shen Fuyu's carriage.

"Do you two wish to ride in my carriage?" Shen Fuyu paused before boarding to cast a glance at them.

Talent Chu nodded first, offering a flattering smile. "Yes. We feared Your Ladyship might feel lonely along the way, and the journey is arduous, so having the few of us around allows us to attend to Your Ladyship at all times."

"I suppose that's fine, then you may come up." Shen Fuyu was quite generous, especially since her carriage was rather spacious.

Hearing this, Talent Chu was overjoyed and, assisted by her servants, climbed into the carriage. Beauty Xie hesitated for a moment and prepared to follow.

"I only said Talent Chu could come up. Beauty Xie, I never took you for such a shameless social climber?" Shen Fuyu lightly raised a hand, her smile ambiguous. "Are your ears broken, Beauty?"

Beauty Xie was naturally timid. Publicly interrogated like this by Shen Fuyu, her face instantly turned pale, and she opened her mouth, completely at a loss for what to say.

"It seems this concubine misunderstood Your Ladyship's meaning..." Beauty Xie said timidly, though anger inevitably surged in her heart!

"It's just..." Beauty Xie bit her lip, unwilling to let it go. "Why did Your Ladyship only invite Talent Chu?"

Shen Fuyu blinked. "You're dressed like a steamer cloth; I'm afraid you'll bring bad luck to the imperial heir in my belly."

Beauty Xie's expression darkened. Quite a few people had overheard Shen Fuyu's loud and boisterous remark. Calling pristine white garments a steamer cloth... this...

Though harsh, it did look uncannily similar.

Several servants couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Without saying anything further, Shen Fuyu smiled impolitely at Beauty Xie and turned to board her carriage.

"Beauty Xie, please hurry. If you delay the schedule, you needn't bother going to the hunting grounds at all." Changfu reminded her considerately.

Amidst the jeers and laughter of the crowd, Beauty Xie covered her face with her hands, her eyes red, and climbed into her own carriage.

White was the most elegant of colors, yet Shen Fuyu actually compared it to a steamer cloth! This was simply bullying people too far!

The more she thought about it, the harder Beauty Xie wept. Originally, there was no place for her on this trip to the hunting grounds, but with Consort Hui pregnant, her own people naturally needed to fill the vacancy. If Talent Ji were still alive, she surely would have handled these matters far better than she could...

Talent Ji had also died because of Shen Fuyu. Had Shen Fuyu not mocked and ridiculed her repeatedly, Talent Ji would never have taken such desperate risks and lost her life. She had heard from palace servants that before Talent Ji was ordered to commit suicide, Shen Fuyu had even subjected her to brutal torture, and when she was on the verge of death, had people force-feed her poisoned wine to finish her off...

Shen Fuyu was quite simply the most venomous and wicked woman under heaven!

"Does Your Ladyship dislike Beauty Xie?" Inside the carriage, Talent Chu smiled slightly. "Beauty Xie is attached to Consort Hui, yet she hasn't amounted to much even after attending the imperial couch."

"You haven't even attended the imperial couch yourself, what on earth are you feeling smug about?" Shen Fuyu widened her eyes in disbelief. "Truly unreasonable."

Talent Chu was momentarily stunned; she never expected Shen Fuyu to speak so bluntly!

"But His Majesty has never summoned this concubine..." Talent Chu lowered her head, looking somewhat aggrieved. "Consort Xian, this concubine wishes to be like Your Ladyship—not asking for His Majesty's affection, but merely hoping he might remember me! This concubine is willing to shatter body and soul in service to Consort Xian!"