Palace Harem is Messy (4): Your Older sister is Disappointed in You

*Disclaimer: None of this work belongs to me. Credits go to the original manhua.*

Su Luxia pulled her hand away from the Emperor and sadly looked into the ground saying, "Your Consort has taken in the Fourth Prince. From today, he is my son."

The Emperor became anxious and then bit his lips when he realized what Su Luxia was saying. Su Luxia tearily looked into his eyes, and said, "Your Majesty, didn't you promise me? That any child in the Palace is mine? Did you forget your Majesty?"

Suddenly an old memory flashed into his head. The Emperor remembered when Su Luxia had taken the poison on the day he was still the Crown Prince, sacrificing her fertility for his safety. He had promised her that any child could be hers and his.

That time, the young Su Luxia had wept about wanting her own baby, but nonetheless, the Crown Prince could do nothing but hug her tightly and promise her a future with him.

The Emperor looked away and then sincerely said, "We have made Consort Su, suffer."

Liu Ruyan slowly approached the Emperor's side towards Su Luxia and said, "But, I heard that older sister went with an Imperial Decree with this?"

Su Luxia wiped her tears and straightened herself up and said, "Who did you hear it from? When I went to get the child, I passed along His Majesty's words. Even if it were not so, how did Young Sister get this information whether His Majesty put out an Imperial Decree or not?"

Liu Ruyan hesitated, but Su Luxia took the opportunity and said, "Unless... you have ill intentions, daring to spy on His Majesty since you are pregnant with an heir to the Throne."

Liu Ruyan realized her mistake and quickly fell onto the knees next to the Emperor saying, "I, This consort didn't! I-I only heard it from a maid in Older sister's palace that she brought an Imperial Decree saying that she could take in a Young Prince!" She pleaded to the Emperor.

Su Luxia slowly smiled saying, "So you're saying that you've planted a spy in my palace?"

Liu Ruyan's eyes widened when she heard this turn out of events. H-how?

Su Luxia then turned to the Emperor and said, "Your Majesty, is this the 'highly cultured and steeped in propierty' compliment that you've told me of? How vexing."

The Emperor found himself deep within Su Luxia's eyes that even he wasn't able to refute back. Instead he bit his lips and pulled his arm out of Liu Ruyan's clutch and looked away from both of them.

"Consort Liu, you have overstepped your boundaries."

After declaring this, the Lord of the Palace left the Banquet. And People around them whispered amongst each other about this rather dramatic

Liu Ruyan fell on her knees once again, crying, "Your Majesty!" Her hands stretched out for his mercy, when she saw the Emperor leave. However, the doors shut in her face.

Su Luxia felt like laughing, but she held it all in, when walked over to Liu Ruyan's side and whispered quietly in her ears: "You want to fight me in this standard of skills? Liu Ruyan, this older sister is really disappointed in you."

Liu Ruyan looked back into Su Luxia's eyes and returned them back with hostility, "Su! Luxia!"

Su Luxia turned around to also leave, announcing, "This Older sister, Consort Su, shall be leaving."

***

***

[My Host, is indeed a genius!] The Bamboo rat called out happily when Su Luxia settled down from the Banquet. [Although, I personally advice you to wear a purple Hanfu to please others in the banquet.]

"What do you know?" Su Luxia sighed while taking off her heavy jewelry. "Men are visual creatures. To capture a man's heart, you need to attract his attention and think outside the box."

"Besides, crying while wearing red yields a bigger emotional impact, arousing pity from others more effectively." Su Luxia smiled at the Bamboo rat.

[Then can we continue to go down this path? It's not like you're afraid of fake crying!]

"Wrong!" Su Luxia announced, "Little guy, let me give you a free lesson. The only reason why bewitching tramps wins is that they aren't afraid of their public image collapsing. And soon as the other White lotus has a blemish, it can never work!"

[That's my esteemed host! Always operating like a fierce tiger!]

"Now, now. Save the praises." Su Luxia said, pacifying her bamboo rat. "Call for the spy that has been spilling information to Liu Ruyan all this time now. We have a lot to go through."

...

"Lady Su! Please have mercy!" The maidservant, kneeled down, kowtowing under Su Luxia's feet repeatedly. "This maid is at fault! This maid should not have betrayed the Lady!"

The maid, in question, was indeed the servant which had whispered about Su Luxia to Liu Ruyan, so that Liu Ruyan could set the trap for her at the Banquet. She was also the maid which had tattled to Liu Ruyan about Su Luxia's moves.

"Last time, when I was teaching Liu Ruyan a lesson, you were the one who tattled to His Majesty, weren't you?" Su Luxia said peacefully drinking tea. "In addition to the lies about the Imperial Decree..."

"This maid knows her wrongs!" The maid kneeled, begging for forgiveness.

"...You are indeed a 'good dog', but Bi Tao, has your master told you what the consequences are if you are exposed?" Su Luxia asked.

The maid said nothing and kept her mouth shut immediately. Su Luxia snickered saying, "Oh my, don't be scared. It's not like I am the devil or anything."

[Host, you really are scary] The System called behind her. But Su Luxia could do nothing but scoff.

Su Luxia laughed as she pulled Bi Tao up, and caressed her arms gently. Bi Tao became tense immediately and looked away in fear. "Bi Tao, you wouldn't need me to teach you how to become a spy at Liu Ruyan, right? Do your job properly, whether your family can live happily outside the palace walls, is entirely up to you."

Bi Tao nodded and kneeled saying, "...G-grateful to Consort Su for her benevolence!"

"Good, now be on your way." Su Luxia ordered as she sat back down, and poured another cup of tea for herself. Bi Tao bowed once more and left quickly.

...

[Host, can such a person be trusted?] The Bamboo rat called out from behind Su Luxia.

"Not at the beginning, but it might be a different story in the future~" Su Luxia said, sipping her tea happily.

[Huh?] The System asked, confusedly not understanding Su Luxia. How could such a normal bamboo rat ever understand such a scary person's mind?

Su Luxia snickered to herself. Liu Ruyan, your downfall is coming. Better watch the people around you, or this older sister will be disappointed.