The sunlight was pleasant, and there were many imperial consorts strolling through the imperial garden to admire the flowers. Because of her recent unexpected favor, though the consorts harbored resentment in their eyes, they still publicly paid their respectful visits and greetings to her. As a consorts of the rank of a Lady of Grace, she could certainly bear the formalities, especially since the Emperor had not yet named a queen. Yet she did not wish to deepen the resentment among them. Thus, Yun Rao returned the courtesies with great grace, never letting any airs show—this was not out of a desire to please anyone or build alliances, but simply because she preferred to avoid unnecessary complications. She didn’t have the energy to constantly manage the backroom intrigues and petty rivalries that inevitably arose among the consorts. While she was unwilling to offend others, others might not necessarily be inclined to treat her kindly. As soon as Yun Rao had just stepped gently toward the fish pond in the imperial garden, intending to enjoy the view of the fish and calm her mind, a soft, seductive voice approached from afar, saying, "Little sister, here to pay my respects to the elder sister." The voice was familiar, and Yun Rao slightly furrowed her brows, lifting her gaze to follow the sound. When she saw the imperial consort—soft and graceful, with a sweet charm—her eyes softened with a touch of bewilderment. For a moment, she couldn’t place the woman. Usually, she remained composed within the Yuehua Palace, rarely venturing elsewhere. The consorts from other palaces occasionally came to pay their respects, but they were often politely turned away by the Huan Jing Emperor, citing her current state of ill health. As a result, Yun Rao found most of the palace consorts unfamiliar. Even as she walked along, each consort greeted her with phrases like, “Ming'er bows to the Imperial Consort,” and though she didn’t personally recognize them, she still knew their names. Now, however, when the woman referred to herself as her sister, Yun Rao found herself even more puzzled. "She was the last to enter the palace, so by rights she should have called the others 'sisters'—yet because her title is higher, she is now referred to as 'sister' instead." "Indeed, what a strange thing to say," the De Fei smiled gracefully, her tone sincerely apologetic. "It was I who was unkind. I've heard that these days you've been attending to the Emperor alone, and I'm sure it must have been quite taxing. If it weren't for my current condition—being unable to fully satisfy the Emperor—how could you have borne such a burden? These days, I've often thought of visiting you, to share some private words with you. But my health has been rather delicate, and since this is the Emperor's first son, I've been especially cautious, and I'm sure I've caused you embarrassment." I suspect Emperor Yanjing has indeed taken genuine interest in Consort De. Among so many consorts, only she has successfully carried the emperor’s son—could this be a sign that Consort De will soon rise to the rank of Empress through the prestige of her son? Yun Rao had never particularly cared about such matters before; she had even believed she wouldn’t live to see that day. Yet, whenever she thought of the emperor’s mind being occupied by other women, she felt uneasy—especially when she thought of Consort De’s growing belly, which only deepened that sense of discomfort. On her face, however, Yun Rao’s expression remained calm and composed, offering only a gentle smile and a reminder, “It’s wonderful that your child has been born to the emperor—please take good care of yourself.”