Transmigrated Canon Fodder, Please Calm Down! Chapter 463

When Xuanyuan Mo arrived at the site of the flood, countless citizens expressed their deep gratitude and reverence for him personally coming to console and support them. Later, they heard that Honorable Consort An proposed reducing the palace concubines’ allowances, using the saved funds to aid the people in overcoming their disaster.

For a time, Honorable Consort An’s virtuous nature was widely praised throughout the Tianqin Kingdom.

Despite this, An Ningxiang remained humble and unassuming, dressing more plainly than before and eating increasingly simple meals.

Even when in the disaster area, eating coarse grains, she did so with evident enjoyment, as if savoring the finest delicacies in the world.

Many accompanying officials nodded in approval upon seeing her demeanor. Such a virtuous consort, they thought, ought to be elevated to the position of Empress. Each of them began calculating how to propose this without offending the Emperor.

Tang Guo sat upright, delicately eating her meal of corn porridge, a steamed cornbread, and a small plate of salted vegetables. Her elegant manner was only marred by a slight furrow of her brow.

Noticing this, An Ningxiang clenched her fists inside her sleeves and remarked, “This kind of coarse food—could it be that Your Grace, the Imperial Concubine, is unaccustomed to it?”

“What?” Tang Guo looked up, glanced at An Ningxiang, and chuckled softly. “Why would I be unaccustomed? Though it’s indeed not very palatable, it’s still edible. When there’s a choice, I can afford to be picky. But when there isn’t, if it’s only about filling one’s stomach, I wouldn’t stop at corn porridge or cornbread—even tree roots would suffice.”

An Ningxiang was silent for a moment before saying, “I never expected someone as lofty as the Imperial Concubine to be aware of such things.”

“I enjoy reading, all kinds of books—dynastic histories, unofficial records, and popular tales. They’re all full of such accounts,” Tang Guo said.

An Ningxiang said nothing further. She knew it was best to keep a low profile and avoid crossing paths with the Imperial Concubine.

Over the years, despite knowing a certain secret, she couldn’t understand why Xuanyuan Mo had yet to deal with Tang Guo. Did he merely see her as a shield?

As a woman, An Ningxiang didn’t think it was that simple.

Her hand involuntarily brushed against her lower abdomen. She was with child.

Tang Guo noticed An Ningxiang’s action and looked down with a faint smile. An Ningxiang was going to have a double blessing.

Consorts Meng De and Yin Shu remained silent. Years ago, they had already realized that An Ningxiang held a unique position in the palace. Though the Emperor did not openly show his favor, as women, they could sense his different attitude toward her.

Especially Consort Meng De—she knew a secret more terrifying than anyone else. Observing the events of these years, she had come to understand why Xuanyuan Mo treated the Imperial Concubine as he did.

It was all for An Ningxiang—the former An Meiren, An Guiren, and An Pin, now Honorable Consort An. The Emperor truly was deeply devoted. For the one he loved, he had pushed another woman who loved him into despair.

Consort Meng De felt a twinge of bitterness in her heart, leaving her without much appetite. The Imperial Concubine was such a wonderful person—she couldn’t understand.

But what could she do? In past years, the Imperial Concubine had already taught her what it meant for an emperor to be cold and unfeeling, guiding her into an entirely different realm of understanding.

As for whom Xuanyuan Mo favored, she couldn’t care less.

She only felt a hint of regret in her heart. How unfortunate it was that someone as insightful as the Imperial Concubine would face such a fate.

Tang Guo caught the pitying gaze from Consort Meng De and couldn’t help but laugh. Indeed, the original Tang Guo had been pitiful. As a woman, after so many years with a man who didn’t love her, could she truly have not sensed something amiss?

Perhaps she had noticed but remained trapped in a dream of her own making.


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