Chapter 1267: Chapter 1264: The Reason Chapter 1267: Chapter 1264: The Reason Ye Muyu frowned, “It’s a shame we can’t buy any, but the Liu family has many relatives, so there must be plenty of gold and silver treasures.”

“Right, Ah Heng, today when I entered the palace, the Empress spoke to me alone, mentioning that there had been some trouble in the palace before, so a batch of guards was replaced.” Ye Muyu had been wanting to discuss this matter with Chu Heng, “The thing I overheard in the palace last time, did it have any impact?”

Chu Heng narrowed his eyes, “It concerns the Fifth Imperial Son. Although the Fifth Imperial Son is still young, he favors a fragrance called Luoyun fruit. Many who wish to please the Fifth Imperial Son and Consort Jie have sent him this fragrance through the Palace Attendants.”

“But some were bold enough to embezzle it, and after a while, it was discovered. A leader of the Imperial Guards was implicated, and the Emperor ordered a thorough investigation, ultimately resulting in many guards being replaced.”

Ye Muyu felt there was a conspiracy regarding the affairs of the palace, but she was not one to jump to conclusions easily.

“What does this have to do with me?” Ye Muyu asked the most critical question, “The Empress doesn’t seem like someone who gossips without aim. She must have had a purpose in telling me this.”

Chu Heng gently rubbed her head, “You’re asking the right person.”

Ye Muyu looked at him expectantly.

“If I’m not mistaken, what you heard last time was indeed true. Consort Jie’s family is not prominent, and the Fifth Imperial Son was highly esteemed by Duke Zheng from birth, and the Emperor even played along. It’s likely that Consort Jie does not fully understand her situation and thinks this favoritism is real.”

“Many people want to ingratiate themselves with her, naturally to seek rewards, and these positions as guards are such rewards.”

“As for whether someone discovered you at that time, I will go to the palace to verify and investigate. After your pregnancy progresses, you won’t need a reason or have to enter the palace anymore.”

Ye Muyu exclaimed, “You mean, pregnant women are not allowed in the palace?”

“Not exactly forbidden, but it’s an unwritten rule.” Chu Heng pinched her fingers, “During this time, if anyone related to the Deng family seeks you out, you do not have to meet them.”

“Alright.” Ye Muyu nodded decisively, indeed not wanting to be implicated in that affair. Although she had inadvertently heard that matter, she had no evidence. If Consort Jie were paranoid and troubled her, wouldn’t that be unjust?

Considering the timeline, she wouldn’t need to think about entering the palace until the end of the year.

“So, my entry to the palace this time was also because I’m not visibly pregnant?” Ye Muyu asked curiously.

Chu Heng gave her a firm answer, along with a reason she hadn’t guessed, “Empress Lin must have known that missing this opportunity meant she couldn’t invite you to the palace again, so she took the initiative to ask the Emperor to invite you.”

“I wasn’t sure before, but you mentioned she spoke to you alone and deliberately blocked Imperial Concubine Qi Zhao Yi and Consort Jie, which made her intentions very clear.”

Ye Muyu realized instinctively, “Doesn’t that mean others might also see that the Empress is favoring me?”

“Outsiders only know she favors you because the Fourth Prince once had a connection with our family. However, they do not know that Empress Lin is aware of the guard matter.”

“It’s ordinary for Empress Lin to try to ingratiate herself with you, just as Imperial Concubine Qi Zhao Yi would likely want to as well.” Chu Heng carefully explained some inner workings to Ye Muyu.

Ye Muyu suddenly understood, “The minds of the people in the palace are indeed complex, capable of bending and stretching.”

“Don’t eat too much, it’s too cold.” Chu Heng casually dismissed her comment, evidently more concerned with whether Ye Muyu might feel unwell from the stomach than with the struggles at court.