Who knew that not only did Consort Su not appreciate his kindness, but she also accused him of being biased?

The Third Prince felt like his kindness had been thrown to the dogs.

He finally understood what it was like to talk to someone who was fundamentally different from him.

The more the Third Prince explained, the more aggrieved Consort Su felt.

Of course, she was not one to suffer in silence. Ever since she entered the palace, the Third Prince had always been obedient to her. Initially, she held some reverence for him, but that had long faded. Now, she took advantage and acted spoiled.

She refused to be grounded or learn the rules.

The old granny sent by the Empress, with her stern demeanor, was especially unlucky. Consort Su found her presence annoying. The old woman seemed to be deliberately causing trouble and constantly scolded her. Everything about her was irritating!

Consort Su worried she might lose control and lash out at her…

Hearing this, the Third Prince was shocked.

He believed Consort Su was capable of such a thing. When the time came, she might indeed lash out at the old granny sent by the Empress to teach the rules. What would he do then?

If they didn’t punish her severely, where would the Empress’s dignity be? What about the hierarchy within the palace? Would the royal family’s authority still hold?

But would anyone, including her own family, be willing to see her punished severely?

These rules… Forget it! If she didn’t want to learn them, so be it.

The Third Prince inwardly sighed and quickly reassured Consort Su with a smile. He conveyed that if she refused to learn the rules, she wouldn’t have to. Nevertheless, he promised to honor the Empress in the future and maintain good relations with the other concubines. He vowed not to interfere with her…

Consort Su wasn’t entirely appeased, but she became somewhat more agreeable, reluctantly consenting.

Of course, this agreement was contingent on the other concubines not provoking her. If they did, she wouldn’t hesitate to assert herself.

Since learning the rules was unnecessary, any talk of being grounded was left unresolved.

In the end, the Third Prince covered for her. He announced that Consort Su was unwell and promptly arranged for an imperial physician from the Imperial Hospital to attend to her. He even sent rewards her way. With so many visitors and distractions, how could she possibly be grounded?

The day after Consort Su’s “diagnosis,” she ventured into the imperial garden to admire the flowers.

Truth be told, she had little interest in this so-called flower appreciation. She preferred entertainment and revelry. To her, flower admiration was a waste; whether rare or common, she saw them merely as objects to pluck or trample on as she pleased. She cared little for their value, cultivation difficulty, or others’ preferences for them.

Seeing the Emperor’s favoritism towards Consort Su, the Queen and the other concubines were furious, especially those who felt wronged. They all took their complaints to the Queen.

The empress, still aggrieved and angry, wondered what she could do. All she could manage was to offer comfort to everyone.

From then on, no one dared to provoke Consort Su any further. Indeed, no one dared to interact with her at all.

Consort Su, in turn, disdained any interaction with them and reveled in her self-satisfaction.

After all, as long as her father and brothers held influence, even the empress had to hold back if she displeased Consort Su!

When Consort Su learned that Shao Yunduan had declined the Third Prince’s invitation, she was disdainful, especially upon hearing about Qiao Xuan.

Yet, she also felt a hint of indignation.

Thus, she said to the Third Prince, “Your Majesty, who is this Shao? He doesn’t appreciate favors! In my opinion, such a person needs to be taught a lesson. Let my father, uncles, and brothers bring a group of people to teach him a lesson, and he will learn to be obedient!”