夜如墨，宮中燈火闌珊，淳貴妃獨坐在暢和宮的窗前，遠著朦朧的宮燈，心中卻是一片紛擾。雨后的空氣彌漫著清新的泥土味，讓的心也跟著些許舒緩。

“娘娘，陛下似乎并未因今日之事惱怒。”柳涵輕聲細語，似乎在為淳貴妃擔憂。

淳貴妃輕輕搖頭，的聲音低沉而堅定：“陛下若真的怒，也不會如此沉得住氣。他心中有數，自然不會輕易發作。”

柳涵微微一怔，知道淳貴妃深諳宮廷之道，但卻沒想到能如此冷靜地面對。

“娘娘，您真的要這樣照顧商悅涵？”柳涵忍不住問道。

淳貴妃沉默了片刻，最終還是緩緩開口：“這后宮之中，哪能只顧眼前一隅？商悅涵雖是陛下寵之人，但若是真要對付，不是沒有反駁之力。我不過是留幾分余地，以免日后生變。”

柳涵聽后，心中暗自佩服，知道娘娘的智慧遠超自己，只是始終不明白，為何娘娘要如此費心。

眼見夜深，淳貴妃起走向寢室，柳涵跟其后。輕輕打開門，卻發現門外站著一名影，正是蘇芷悠。

“蘇姐姐，這麼晚了，你怎麼還沒休息？”淳貴妃詢問道。

蘇芷悠微笑著道：“淳貴妃，我聽說了您今日的行為，心中有些不安。特來向您請罪。”

淳貴妃微微一笑，道：“蘇姐姐哪裏話，我不過是盡一份責任。陛下寵商悅涵，我自當照顧一二。”

蘇芷悠微微點頭，道：“娘娘的懷，小子佩服。”

夜深了，淳貴妃安然睡。而宮中另一，商悅涵正躺在床上，臉蒼白。

翠攏見醒來，忙上前詢問：“娘娘，您覺好些了嗎？”

商悅涵搖了搖頭，道：“我沒事，只是有些困倦。”

翠攏見狀，心中擔憂，知道商悅涵自弱，又經此一事，定是心俱疲。

“娘娘，您還是先休息吧，我來照顧您。”翠攏勸道。

商悅涵點了點頭，閉上眼睛，不多時便進了夢鄉。

這一夜，宮中風雨加，而淳貴妃的暢和宮中，卻顯得格外寧靜。

翌日，天剛蒙蒙亮，淳貴妃便早早起床。著素雅的宮裝，手持一把油紙傘，緩緩走出暢和宮。

此時，宮中的宮太監們已經開始忙碌起來，紛紛為今日的早朝做準備。淳貴妃走過他們邊，臉上帶著淡淡的微笑。

“娘娘，您這是要去哪裏？”柳涵見如此早便出門，不好奇地問道。

淳貴妃停下腳步，回頭一笑：“去膳房，看看近日的食材。”

柳涵恍然大悟，原來娘娘是想去膳房了解宮中況。

淳貴妃來到膳房，正巧遇見了負責膳的杜太醫。

“杜太醫，近日宮中的食材可還如意？”淳貴妃問道。

杜太醫連忙回答：“娘娘放心，近日的食材都是上等的，定能讓陛下滿意。”

淳貴妃微微點頭，道：“那就好。”

conversation to a story chapter:

In the serene aftermath of the rain, the palace was cloaked in a quietude that belied the complex emotions within the heart of Lady Chun. Seated by her chamber window, gazing out at the dimly lit lanterns enveloped in mist, her mind was a whirl of turmoil.

"Madam, His Majesty has not yet shown any anger over yesterday's incident," Juen, her maid, said softly, her tone laced with concern.

Lady Chun shook her head, her voice deep and resolute. "If His Majesty were truly angry, he wouldn't have remained so composed. He has his reasons, and he knows how to keep his temper."

Juen was taken aback by her serene demeanor. She knew that Lady Chun was well-versed in the ways of the royal court, but she couldn't help but feel amazed at her calmness.

"Madam, really, are you going to be so lenient with Miss Shangxia?" Juen asked, her voice filled with a mix of admiration and confusion.

Lady Chun fell silent for a moment before speaking. "Because no one truly knows what His Majesty thinks in his heart. For this reason, one must always leave room for maneuver."

Lady Chun held great respect, almost reverence, for Jin Xu, the emperor. This was why she had been able to rule the six palaces. If her balance were to tip, the power of these six palaces might fall into someone else's hands.

Jin Xu had given women in the palace honor and wealth, but not love! She had once believed that a ruler with aspirations of the heavens wouldn't indulge in youthful sentiments, but his enigmatic attitude towards Shangxia had left her with many doubts.

Because of his favoritism towards Shangxia, she couldn't afford to be overly harsh towards others who reminded her of her. Even though she disliked the similar-minded Ni Chang, she couldn't go too far.

"_OK."

Juen didn't fully understand her arrangements, but she knew that her "sirina" always had her own set of rules. She hurriedly nodded in agreement.

Shangxia had been kneeling at the palace gate for two hours, the rain pouring down from the heavens without a moment's rest. The palace maids had been helpless, but it was only after Lady Chun's order that they had hurriedly helped her back inside.

Not far away, Su Bai Lian watched the whole scene unfold. Her once hurried steps eventually slowed.

"Madam, are you still heading to the Dragon's Roar Pavilion?" Su Bai Lian asked.

"No, back to Chang He Palace," Lady Chun replied.

Su Bai Lian glanced at the rain-soaked sky, then, with the aid of her maids, she walked back the way she had come, as if she had never appeared at all.

Shangxia had been vomiting constantly lately and was even more confused after being soaked in the rain. Fortunately, a maid named Yu Quan, who had some knowledge of medicine, managed to get her through the night.

"How is Qing Long doing?" Shangxia asked, drinking the medicine Yu Quan handed her while inquiring about Qing Long's condition.

Yu Quan smiled and reassured her, "Madam, your貴妃 is a kind-hearted person, and she has already had someone apply medicine to Qing Long sister. She has recovered significantly."

Shangxia nodded, her attention shifting to the medicine in her hand. It seemed to her that the medicine was not as bitter as usual.

"Who prescribed this medicine?" she asked.

"It's from Doctor Du, but since you dislike the bitter taste, I secretly added a drop of honey. I hope you won't blame me," Yu Quan explained, her tone light.

She, young as she was, had a little knowledge of medicine since she was young, and with the tutoring of Hong Niangzi, she could handle some minor illnesses. She extended her hand outside the curtain to let Du Taiyi feel her pulse, proving that her "madam" was still a virgin.

"Why are you so lenient with Miss Shangxia?" Juen asked again, unable to help but worry over her.

Lady Chun sighed softly, her voice full of regret. "In this palace, one can't afford to look only at the present. Miss Shangxia may be favored by His Majesty, but if someone were to target her, she wouldn't be defenseless. I am just leaving some room in case things change in the future."

Juen was secretly impressed by her wisdom, but she still couldn't understand why Lady Chun would go to such lengths.

As night deepened, Lady Chun fell soundly asleep. Meanwhile, in another part of the palace, Shangxia lay in bed, her pale complexion reflecting her exhaustion.

Qing Long, who had been beaten to the brink of death, seemed to have recovered her vitality despite the injuries. When Shangxia approached, Qing Long wanted to pay her respects but was stopped by her in time.

"You are injured, and your body should not move unnecessarily," Shangxia said, examining Qing Long's wounds with a somber expression. The red stains on the white inner garment of Qing Long's dress were a stark reminder of the suffering she had endured.