“Why must you make things difficult for yourself? This is a simple matter. She enjoys His Majesty’s favor now. That’s nothing new. Very few men can be truly loyal, let alone a man from the royal family. You should know that better than anyone.”

Consort Li’s anger subsided somewhat. She took a deep breath to calm herself and nodded. “I know what you meant, mama, but you haven’t seen her yourself. She’s too shameless! I don’t know who she is and how she seduced His Majesty. I’ve never been scolded before, and yet His Majesty punished me again and again for her. How can I take that? She’s a nobody with no official relationship with His Majesty, and yet His Majesty keeps taking her side! Of course I’d be angry!”

The caretaker darted her eyes around. “If so, Lady Li should turn to your father, the general, for help. Explain what you’ve been through. He’d have a solution.”

Consort Li thought...