Palace Intrigue?: I Make the Emperor Cry by Rewinding Time!-Chapter 141 - 123:

Upon hearing Yun Jiao praise her flute playing, Consort Ji felt a twinge of jealousy.

Raised under her stepmother’s care, she was treated as a legitimate young lady until marriage. She should have had a regular marriage, married up to be a concubine, or married down to be a wife, but Lady had not conceived for a long time. Her family decided to send in another girl to the palace as a surrogate to maintain favor, and she stepped up without hesitation.

The Ji Family’s hope was all on her elder sister, who was also their pride.

Serving her sister in the palace, she had no complaints and had also hoped to win favor, to gain some leverage for her family in front of the Emperor. But her legitimate sister belittled her and trampled her, and when she asked if it was because of their different statuses or if she was hated for being sent in to divide the emperor’s favor, Lady laughed it off, denying it, "I have never hated you. On the contrary, you hold quite a position in my heart. Otherwise, why would I only command you and not others? As for dividing favor... if you could really win some favor, it would please me."

Consort Ji felt bewildered.

She felt her existence was worthless.

But when it came to seeking death, she dared not, so she kept thinking about how to repay Concubine Xi, who saved her from her elder sister’s hands. After being mentally tormented by her sister, looking at Concubine Xi was like breathing fresh air, purifying her mind and body.

"Do you truly think I play well?"

Receiving an affirmative answer from Yun Jiao, Consort Ji’s lips curled into a faint smile: "Next time... if Lady doesn’t require me to attend to her, I’ll come and teach you."

How splendid, this was the friendship she longed for.

Unexpectedly, Yun Jiao replied, "I only want to listen, not to learn."

"If you learn well, you can play for the Emperor."

"Why would I learn from you just to play for him?" Yun Jiao failed to understand this logic. The Emperor could summon a troupe to play anytime: "It would definitely be to play for you."

Did it imply that in Concubine Xi’s words, she was more important than the Emperor?

Consort Ji blushed and turned away: "It’s all unimportant stuff, you should practice the piece for Lady first! I... I need to return to Yanxi Palace!"

With that, Consort Ji fled as if escaping.

If she had stayed a little longer, she would’ve encountered the Emperor coming to Xianfu Palace.

"If the Emperor had come a bit earlier, he could have met Consort Ji," said Yun Jiao casually after being excused from courtesy.

"Does she have something to say to me?"

"Not really, just to greet you."

Xie Zhixing chuckled upon hearing this; how could the presence of the Emperor be casually approached, just for a greeting! It was too casual!

"Consort Ji’s flute playing is delightful; it’s a pity the Emperor hasn’t heard it."

A thin layer of snow covered the ground, and as the boots crunched over, it crackled, making Xie Zhixing frown: "The people in your palace aren’t diligent in sweeping the snow." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"It was just swept, but it’s snowing now. Please, Emperor, don’t be too harsh."

Xie Zhixing snorted, "Mind you don’t wail if you fall down."

She was relying on her ability to reverse time and had been careless about such small things.

Yun Jiao mumbled, "I’ve never fallen before."

Xie Zhixing instinctively wanted to mention the first time they met when she rolled over twice after falling, such was her skill; just a bit of oil on the bricks and she’d tumble helplessly. But recalling that she had erased that memory, he felt a trace of regret.

Nonetheless, she obviously wasn’t an adept liar. Her face was full of guilt, lips slightly pursed, ready to plead innocent. A ruler’s word should not be taken lightly, yet she seemed to have made light of everything.

"Why are you laughing, Emperor?"

When he curled his lips, he looked exceptionally handsome, his smile clearer than the moonlight.

Nearby, a eunuch held a yellow silk umbrella, preventing snow from landing on his head. Under the shelter of imperial power, he looked down at her: "I was thinking that if you fell, it would be quite cute."

Yun Jiao: ...?

A rascal appeared in the crowd!

Yun Jiao huffed, remaining silent.

"You’re not convinced?"

"When a sovereign wants submission, one must submit," she stretched out the ending, clearly unconvinced.

Xie Zhixing told her to speak her mind, pardoning her from the death penalty.

"I was pondering, what’s amusing about me falling? It would be far more amusing for the Emperor to fall. Maybe it could even spawn a famous dish called ’Dragon Rolling’, passed down and overshadowing ’Rolling Donkey’."

She intended to speak earnestly, yet the corner of her mouth retained a lingering upward curve.

Unexpectedly, he wasn’t angry but rather showed a touch of curiosity: "What is ’Rolling Donkey’?"

"Has the Emperor never tasted it? It’s abundant in the Capital City, made by steaming glutinous millet dough, filled with a brown sugar syrup filling, rolled in soy flour, resembling the yellow dust a wild donkey kicks up when frolicking outside the city; hence, people call it ’Rolling Donkey’."