Ji Cheng took a deep breath as he looked at the ceiling. He pulled Xie Ming closer and let out a deep breath before saying.

  " That hairpin….Hmm……as I have said earlier we couldn't find that hairpin since that incident. But you don't need to worry about that. Even though it holds great value to it, it doesn't matter as long as you're here. No one can dare to question your authority as an Empress just because of that hairpin."

  Zhao Ming pursed her lips as she failed to get anything from him. She sighed and snuggled into his embrace.

  ' You don't know what value it holds to me.'-

  Two days later,

  Zhao Ming and Jia shi decided to visit the chambers of other consorts and see how they are doing. Even though they meet everyone at every harem meeting, Zhao Ming wanted to make it more personal and wanted to have a chat with everyone.

  At first, she was annoyed to handle the harem work because she thought that it would be useless to deal with these gossipy women. However, after some time, she realized that harem work is not easy at all. It's like a mini version of the politics of the state.

  She sometimes feels that she is the CEO of the palace and Ji Cheng is the President. These days she doesn't get any time for her leisure work and working along with Jia shi is much easier as they come up with different unique ideas to enhance the quality of the living of the consorts.

  Moreover, there is a hidden motive behind her surprise visits. It's to check their chambers. She needs to find that hairpin as soon as possible. And that can be done only by entering into their chambers.

  At first, they visited two consorts together. However, they felt that it was going to take too much time if they continued to visit them together. So they decided to split up. She sent Jia shi to those consorts where Lu shi comes and goes every time.

  She has already checked the places of a few consorts and today she decided to raid the other places.

  Zhao Ming went to Xie Mei's chamber followed by Lu shi. Xie Mei is Xiao Li's sidekick who has always supported her and in the past, she also used to bully her along with Xiao Li and Wen Xu.

  " Greetings to the Empress." Xie Mei was standing at the door of the chamber, waiting for her visit.

  Zhao Ming raised her brows and asked, " I haven't even come yet and you're already standing here. News sure travels fast." She commented while nodding to her greeting and entered the chamber. This was the surprise visit but news spread faster than she expected.

  Xie Mei pursed her lips and followed her reluctantly. Since the day Jia shi has become the head Consort, their duo has become more powerful in the palace. Now, no one dares to insult or gossip about them.

  Zhao Ming looked at her chamber which was bigger than the previous two consorts. There were more precious sculptures and items than others.

  Xie Mei raised her brows seeing her looking around and said, " These are all gifts given by Consort Xiao Li. Despite being only the head consort in the past, she always treated the consorts under her with love and respect, unlike someone." She commented while trying to be as polite as possible.

  Zhao Ming's lips curled up as she touched one of the sculptures. Respect, my foot. She was just using these luxurious things to lure her and bribe her to do whatever she wants.

  However, she didn't say this to her face. " So, Consort Xie, I came here to know how you are doing these days? Do you have any worries these days?" She asked as she continued roaming around the room, carefully looking at the items around.

  Xie Mei was tired, but she still followed her. What else can she do?

  ' Worry? You're here, that is my worry.' she gritted her teeth but smiled forcefully and said, " No. I am not worried at all. However, I just hope you can send His Majesty to our chambers to visit as well. You always spend nights with him, it's not fair for us, is it? We are his consorts, after all, however, we are being treated poorly than concubines. At least they get to see the faces of their man sometimes."

  Zhao Ming pursed her lips upon hearing her words. She doesn't feel good when someone talks about it. But can she reject her request? No. They are indeed Ji Cheng's consorts. Be it marriage alliance or whatever. They are her legal competitor in love.

  She sighed and said, " I will ask him. However, I can't be sure. It's his choice if he wants to visit here or not. You know, it depends on his Majesty's will to come here."

  Zhao Ming walked to the small wooden table in the center and sat on the chair. She picked up the teacup and took a sip of it while asking some random questions.

  Xie Mei was uninterested but she still tried to not ignore her directly.

  Xie Mei was drinking her tea when she accidentally spilled her tea over herself, which soaked her dress.

  "Ah…" she grimaced in pain and immediately stood up due to the burning pain.

  The tea was hot and it must have burned her.

  " Consort Xie, you okay? Let me find a cloth for you to wipe it." Zhao Ming stood up to find some cloth for her.

  They have already sent the maids out and right now, only two of them are in the chamber.

  Zhao Ming worriedly stood up and looked around to find a clean cloth to wipe her dress. She walked towards her wooden closet to find something for her to clean up.

  Xie Mei's eyes widened in shock when she saw that she opened her closet.

  " Zhao Ming, what are you doing? How can you…." She panicked and tried to walk towards the closet but stopped when she realized that her dress got stuck by the wooden prick in the chair.

  She gritted her teeth and tried to free her dress from the chair. On the other hand, Zhao Ming was not a bit surprised by her tone. Xie Mei has always been rude and an asshole.

  Right now, she was just being normal. She ignored her words and continued to rummage her closet.

  " Oh, here it is." Zhao Ming's eyes lit up seeing a white cloth that she can use to wipe Xie Mei's dress. She pulled the white cloth which was hidden under the clothes. However, just as she was about to close the closet when a silver-made box decorated with detailed flower embroidery fell on the ground causing her off guard.

  However, the next moment her expressions turned solemn when she saw the thing inside it. The box opened due to the force and the thing inside it came in open.

  Zhao Ming was speechless and stunned seeing the thing while Xie Mei's expressions turned pale as she had seen a ghost.

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