"Back then, His Majesty had many noble females in his harem, but most were beauties sent over from various clans and cities. Only she was brought back to the palace by His Majesty himself. He doted on her endlessly and gave her the special title of Charming Concubine..."
Nanny Fang glanced at Sang Luo nervously, not daring to say more for fear of angering the noble female.
Sang Luo’s face was devoid of emotion. Munching on a Spirit Fruit and enjoying the drama, she gestured for the nanny to continue.
Nanny Fang had no choice but to say, "Sigh. Back then, every servant in the palace knew it. If it weren’t for His Majesty’s... health issues, which left him without an heir, I’m afraid Charming Concubine would have long since beco the Female Master of the Phoenix Palace."
"Oh~ so she’s Fei Yuan’s old fla."
Nanny Fang hurriedly said, "Noble female, please rest assured. That’s all in the past. Before you ca to live in the Imperial Palace, His Majesty had already dismissed all the concubines from the palace. He has nothing to do with them anymore."
Sang Luo said nothing. ’It’s only to be expected,’ she thought. ’In his several hundred years of life, Fei Yuan’s harem has been full of beauties vying for his affection. It would be strange if he was never moved.’
’His personality doesn’t seem like that of a man who practices abstinence. If he hadn’t been afflicted by the Poisonous Gu, there’s no way I would have been able to take his Primordial Yang.’
"That Charming Concubine is here today, too?"
"Yes," another servant chid in. "The Clan Leader of the Great Argus Clan had business with His Majesty and brought along a few family mbers. Charming Concubine has been despondent ever since she was dismissed from the palace, so of course she wouldn’t pass up a good opportunity to see His Majesty. She and His Majesty... shared a rather deep bond. I’m afraid she’s hoping to use this chance to rekindle their old fla."
"Where is she now? I’m rather curious to see just how beautiful the woman who captured Fei Yuan’s soul is," Sang Luo said, intrigued.
"She requested an audience with His Majesty, but he’s still in morning court. She should be waiting in the side hall."
With nothing better to do, Sang Luo took her servants and headed to the side hall.
From a distance, she saw a graceful and beautiful female on a small bridge by the pond next to the side hall. She was holding a bag of fish food, listlessly sprinkling it into the water to feed the fish.
She had long, cyan-blue hair, a feathered coronet, and lavish robes. A veil covered the lower half of her face, making her features indistinct, but her every move exuded an extraordinary and refined aura. She had a unique charm that would make anyone notice her in a crowd.
"That must be Charming Concubine, right?" Sang Luo said with certainty.
A servant nodded. "Yes."
Sang Luo also grabbed a bag of fish food. As she drew closer, she realized that Charming Concubine’s eyes didn’t hold the spirited liveliness of a young girl, but rather the sexy confidence of a mature woman. ’With her True King Rank Cultivation, her lifespan is around a thousand years. At over four hundred years old, she’s not exactly young anymore.’
But she was extrely well-preserved. From a distance, she looked to be in her early thirties at most. Her features weren’t drop-dead gorgeous, but she had an excellent figure—full hips and bust, a waist you could encircle with one hand, and an aura that was both alluring and innocent, her charm undiminished by ti.
Sang Luo couldn’t help but look down at her own assets and feel a little inadequate. ’That lecher Fei Yuan would obviously go for a bombshell like this. No wonder he was so bewitched he lost his Divine Soul, even giving her the special title of Charming Concubine.’
"And you are...?" Charming Concubine had also noticed her approach. She didn’t bow, rely asking politely.
"I don’t have any particular status. The child in my belly, however, is His Majesty’s flesh and blood."
Charming Concubine’s expression froze. Her fingers clenched inside her sleeve. After a mont, she recovered and bowed. "Forgive my rudeness."
"It’s fine. This is the first ti we’ve t, and I only recently moved into the Phoenix Palace. It’s perfectly normal that you don’t know ."
Charming Concubine pursed her lips and said, "Noble female Sang Luo, may we speak in private?"
"Whatever you have to say, you can say it to right here." Sang Luo dismissed the Servants.
Seeing this, Charming Concubine also had the few Beastn behind her withdraw.
When only the two of them remained on the bridge, Charming Concubine dropped her polite smile, no longer hiding her hostility.
She took a step forward. "His Majesty and I were childhood sweethearts. We t when he was still obscure and I was by his side when he was just a Prince... You probably weren’t even born yet when His Majesty and I were intimately in love."
"Noble female Charming Concubine, if you have sothing to say, just say it. There’s no need to beat around the bush."
"Heh, you’re a smart one, noble female Sang Luo, so I’ll be direct." Charming Concubine’s expression turned scornful. "There will always be a place for in His Majesty’s heart. Even if you’re carrying his child, you’ll never beco the one he truly loves."
She continued, "His Majesty is only so good to you for the sake of an heir. Once the child is born, he’ll cast you aside. I hope you, noble female, can let go and make plans for your future sooner rather than later."
"The one by His Majesty’s side will only ever be ."
Sang Luo replied, "Are you so sure Fei Yuan would drive , the mother of his child, away for you?"
Male Beasts valued their offspring far more than their partners. Sang Luo was well aware that Fei Yuan’s affection for her was limited, but she had no doubt about how much he valued this unborn child.
Even for the child’s sake, Fei Yuan’s affection would extend to her. It was impossible that he would cast her out for a forrly favored Concubine.
But Charming Concubine was full of confidence. "You’re still too young, noble female. You don’t understand the minds of Male Beasts. His Majesty has always been one to whisper sweet nothings to make a female happy, but to see if he truly cares, you have to look at what he’s actually done."
"..."
"If I’m not mistaken, His Majesty still hasn’t given you a Soul mark, has he?"
Sang Luo was speechless, unable to refute it.
Fei Yuan had only given her a tracking mark; he never once ntioned the matter of a Soul mark.
Charming Concubine grew even more smug, her red lips curling into a seductive smile. "His Majesty hasn’t perford a bonding ceremony with you, nor has he given you a Soul mark. The aning is perfectly clear: he’s waiting for you to give birth so it will be convenient to discard you."
Sang Luo knew Charming Concubine was trying to sow discord, but in her heart, she agreed with her words.
A Male Beast would normally give his partner a Soul mark after their first mating. At the very least, he would definitely give it once the female beca pregnant.
The fact that Fei Yuan never ntioned it could only an one thing: he didn’t want to give it.
Once he had an heir to continue his line, he would have no more scruples and could help his one true love, his favored Concubine, rise to power.
Without Fei Yuan’s absolute doting favor, there was no way Charming Concubine would be this arrogant.
"There’s so truth to what you’re saying, noble female Charming Concubine, but you got one thing wrong."
"What?"
"After this child is born..." Sang Luo caressed her belly and gave Charming Concubine a dazzling smile. "I’m the one who’s going to dump him."
Charming Concubine stood stunned. By the ti she ca to her senses, Sang Luo was already long gone.
A strange expression crossed her face.
A Beastman from the Great Argus Clan ca to escort her back to the side hall to wait.
Sang Luo took a nap after her al and woke up in the evening.
Usually at this ti, no matter how busy he was, Fei Yuan would co over to eat with her and check on her health. And once night fell, he would eagerly pull her along to... do things.
But tonight, he was late.
Sang Luo sent a servant to fetch him.
A short while later, the servant returned, saying that His Majesty was handling official matters and couldn’t get away.
’Handling official matters this late at night? That’s not like him.’
Sang Luo recalled sothing and asked, "Has Charming Concubine left?"
The servant hesitated before answering honestly, "His Majesty has permitted her to stay in the palace tonight."
Sang Luo’s expression was calm. "So he’s having a secret affair behind my back?"
’The child in my belly isn’t even born yet, and Fei Yuan already can’t control himself. He’s that desperate to rekindle things with his beloved female.’
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