"Whether you meant it that way or not, this Palace doesn't know, nor do we care."
Li Xuanyue didn't give Lin Yue the slightest chance to explain, standing up on her own initiative. "However, since you care so much about my good younger sister, why don't you go serve her in Chaoren Hall once she comes out of confinement?"
In short, she could no longer keep him here.
"Eldest Princess!"
Lin Yue stared at Li Xuanyue in utter disbelief.
Did he mishear, or had Li Xuanyue misspoken?
Back when she brought him into the Phoenix Clan to become her consort, Li Xuanyue had gone against all advice and defied the objections of the Empress Consort and others just to keep him by her side.
How could she let him go so easily?
Li Xuanyue's decision not only shocked Lin Yue, but also surprised the five consorts inside the hall as well as Yinxin, who had served by her side for many years.
Who among the people of the Phoenix Clan didn't know that Li Xuanyue had doted exclusively on this Consort Lin for many years?
She had always treated him as if she feared he would melt in her mouth or shatter in her palm.
Over the years, many consorts had come and gone from her side, but only this Consort Lin had always been singled out for special treatment by Li Xuanyue.
To this day, the two of them had still not consummated their marriage, the reason being that Consort Lin was not yet ready.
"It was this Palace's mistake back then. Knowing full well that you were unwilling, I still forcibly kept you by my side as my consort. After going through so much, this Palace has finally come to her senses."
Li Xuanyue once again let her gaze fall upon Lin Yue.
"A forced melon is not sweet. Since you aren't happy staying by this Palace's side, then go to the side of the person who makes you happy."
Upon hearing these words, Lin Yue ought to have felt happy and relieved.
Yet for some reason, a trace of bewilderment washed over him.
The five consorts sitting nearby all exchanged glances with one another.
How could they still fail to understand what was happening?
Li Xuanyue pulling this stunt was simply a matter of beating the grass to frighten the snake.
If they were to act like this Consort Lin in the future—always keeping their hearts in Cao Cao's camp while staying in Han—their fate ahead would likely be even more miserable than his.
"Step down."
In the end, Lin Yue didn't even know how he had left Fenghe Hall.
He had originally thought that since Li Xuanyue and Li Qinghe were sisters, asking her to put in a good word for Li Qinghe wouldn't hurt. Never had he expected that it would end up with him being given away by Li Xuanyue to Li Qinghe.
By the time he came to his senses, he had already walked out of Fenghe Hall.
*
"Consort Jun, don't you find our Eldest Princess a bit different from the rumors outside?"
After the five consorts filed out of Fenghe Hall one by one, they began chatting among themselves along the way.
"The Hundred Clans all say that our Eldest Princess lacks foresight and has a fiery temper. Yet looking at everything that happened from last night until today, do you still think she is someone without foresight?"
The one speaking was Consort Lang, sent by the Fox Clan.
He wore a red robe, his deportment was free and elegant, his brows and eyes held a smile, and the corners of his lips were slightly curved.
He was the very picture of a refined and noble young gentleman.
The several consorts lowered their gazes without speaking.
What Consort Lang had said was precisely what was on their minds.
Ever since the Princess had asked them to cooperate with her little game last night, they had already sensed that this Eldest Princess was no simple person.
To be able to turn a crisis into safety in such a short span of time, while leaving the other party with no opportunity to fight back and no flaws to exploit—
This was definitely not something a person without foresight could pull off.
Better to continue watching and waiting, to see what other surprises this Eldest Princess had in store for them.
In less than half an hour, the news that Consort Lin had been given to Li Qinghe by Li Xuanyue on the grounds that she was not his match spread throughout the entire Phoenix Clan.
"My child, you've finally come to your senses."
Inside Xihe Hall, Hua Shan, serving as the Empress Consort, looked at his daughter and pulled her into a heartache-filled embrace.
"Look at you, you've lost weight recently. Come, keep your Imperial Father Consort company and have a proper meal."
After releasing Li Xuanyue, Hua Shan hurriedly picked up the chopsticks on the table and placed food into her bowl.
"Your Mother Emperor has already told your Imperial Father Consort about what happened last night."
"In the future, when nothing is going on, you'd better not get too close to that girl Qinghe."
Hua Shan instructed while continuously adding food to her bowl. "Your Imperial Father Consort can tell that the girl Qinghe is no good."
"It's just that you've always valued the bond between you two sisters. It's only that... acting this way makes it very easy for you to get taken advantage of."
Hua Shan sat across from Li Xuanyue, chattering on endlessly.
He looked every bit a mother hen worried to pieces.
This vivid and worried appearance of his suddenly made Li Xuanyue's heart ache with bitterness.
"Imperial Father Consort."
In the end, she could not hold back the bitterness in her heart and dropped to her knees before Hua Shan.
How could she have been so foolish in her previous life?
Her Imperial Father Consort had wholeheartedly planned and plotted for her, yet she had listened to Li Qinghe's slander and mistakenly believed that her Imperial Father Consort harbored ambitions of usurping authority, failing utterly to understand his well-intentioned efforts.
Instead, every word she spoke had pierced his heart like a knife. At that time, her Imperial Father Consort's heart must have grown bitterly cold.
Hua Shan was stunned. "My child, what is the matter with you?"
He hurriedly stood up and pulled her into his arms. "Why are you crying all of a sudden for no reason?"
"Alright, alright, alright, Imperial Father Consort will never nag again, and will never speak of that girl Qinghe in front of you ever again, okay?"
The thing Hua Shan regretted most in this life was not taking the life of that wretched girl Li Qinghe with his own hands.
Otherwise, why would his daughter go against him time and time again because of that wretched girl?
"Imperial Father Consort, from now on, this child will definitely protect you well."
As if having made some sort of resolute decision, Li Xuanyue raised her head from Hua Shan's embrace and made her promise.
Hua Shan was taken aback.
He hadn't taken Li Xuanyue's words to heart at all.
"Alright, alright, alright, from now on you can protect Imperial Father Consort."
He replied to Li Xuanyue with doting indulgence.
Although this daughter of his liked to go against him most of the time, deep down she was still very filial.
It was precisely because he saw this in her that Hua Shan was unwilling to give up easily.
"Empress Consort, Xiao Han has arrived."
Just as the two of them were talking, Xiao Ce, Hua Shan's trusted aide, walked in from outside the hall.
"Greetings to the Empress Consort, greetings to Her Royal Highness the Princess."
Hua Shan straightened his robes. "Rise."
His face was entirely devoid of the gentle paternal image from just moments ago; his brows and eyes were cold, and his words carried the full imposing aura of a tribal head looking down upon subordinates.
"From now on, you will follow closely by Princess Xuanyue's side."
"Protect her well on this Palace's behalf."
"Imperial Father Consort!"
Aside from shock, Li Xuanyue felt even more incomprehension in her heart.
Both Xiao Han and Xiao Ce belonged to Hua Shan's inner circle of trusted aides.
They had pledged their allegiance to him for a lifetime.
Unless it was an absolute last resort, it was impossible for them to leave their former master.
"My child need not be so surprised. Imperial Father Consort is doing all this for your sake."
Hua Shan took Li Xuanyue's hand and said with a solemn expression, "Having gone through so many things, Imperial Father Consort has also thought it through. Xiao Han is decisive in his actions and meticulous in his thinking; having him by your side is the only way Imperial Father Consort will feel at ease."
Moreover, last night's events were no accident. If Li Xuanyue hadn't possessed the experiences of her past life, she might truly have fallen into the trap.
Therefore, she did not voice any refusal to Hua Shan's kind intentions.