Chapter 12: The Know-It-All Nian Shilan

Yikun Palace was bustling with activity as Nian Shilan ordered the green gauze cabinet in the inner hall to be dismantled.

That thing blocked the light. Nian Shilan knew that her favor had begun to decline after Zhen Huan and the others entered the palace. She didn’t want to reflexively kick the Emperor again and give him another reason to hold a grudge.

“This servant pays respects to Consort Hua.”

Nian Shilan emerged gracefully from her bedroom and glanced at Huang Guiquan kneeling on the floor. Day in and day out, both the court and the harem whispered about the Nian family’s supposed disloyal intentions. How could the Nian family possibly harbor such thoughts?

Even this eunuch, sent in by a distant relative, was the most discreet in the entire palace.

Just listen to that voice—how pure it was!

This was the Nian family’s attitude.

Ah, what a pity the Emperor was blind to it all.

Nian Shilan sat down, pulling out a handkerchief. “Rise.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.” Huang Guiquan stood up after receiving permission. “Your Highness, the Empress has drafted the palace assignments for the newly entered ladies. She asked this servant to read them to you. If you find anything unsuitable, they can be revised.”

She hadn’t noticed it before, but the Empress was quite considerate.

Reading it to her and even allowing revisions.

Those bullet comments weren’t wrong—love-struck foolishness only dulled the mind. Now that she no longer loved the Emperor, even the Empress seemed more agreeable.

Having lived through it once herself and witnessed it countless times as an observer, Nian Shilan knew exactly who would live where. Still, with nothing else to do, she let Huang Guiquan read the list aloud.

Just for the sound of it.

With Huang Guiquan’s standard eunuch voice as background noise, Nian Shilan fiddled with her gold and tortoiseshell nail guards. When she heard Zhen Huan’s name, she couldn’t help but think.

The Empress was always eager to please the Emperor. If the Emperor praised something, she would rush to flatter it.

Wanting Zhen Huan to monopolize the Emperor’s favor, she had arranged for her to live in Chengqian Palace.

But the Empress never considered how much favor an old man like the Emperor could possibly have left.

Let her have it all, all of it—just to keep her from bothering me.

“…Attendant Zhen of the Han Army’s Plain Blue Banner will reside in Suiyu Pavilion.”

“Wait—”

Nian Shilan wondered if she had misheard. “Attendant Zhen?”

“Yes, the eldest daughter of Zhen Yuandao, the Assistant Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.”

“Isn’t she Attendant Wan?”

Huang Guiquan glanced at the list again. “It is indeed Attendant Zhen. None of the ladies entering the palace this time have been granted a title of nobility.”

“No title of nobility? Then who is Attendant Wan?”

Huang Guiquan looked once more. “This servant is ashamed. Among the ladies entering the palace this time, there is no Attendant Wan. Perhaps Your Highness has been so busy lately that… you misremembered?”

Nian Shilan had cursed Zhen Huan her entire life—Noble Lady Wan, Consort Wan—she couldn’t possibly have misremembered.

“Where did you say she’s residing?”

“In reply to Your Highness, in Suiyu Pavilion.”

Knowing Consort Hua’s temperament, Huang Guiquan added reassuringly, “Suiyu Pavilion is remote, deep within the Imperial Garden. It’s not a desirable location, so Your Highness need not worry.”

Whether it was desirable or not, Nian Shilan knew all too well.

“Was this… arranged by the Empress?”

In her previous life, the Empress hadn’t attended the Palace Selection at Tiyuan Hall. This time, thanks to her, the Empress had participated and likely witnessed Zhen Huan firsthand, as well as the Emperor’s reaction. Sensing a threat, she had acted against Zhen Huan without delay.

“In reply to Your Highness, the others were arranged by the Empress, but Attendant Zhen’s placement was personally decided by the Emperor.”

“The Emperor?”

Nian Shilan felt her mind couldn’t keep up. “The Emperor arranged for Wan—Zhen Huan—to live in Suiyu Pavilion?! Doesn’t the Emperor usually not involve himself in such matters?”

Indeed, it’s different treatment for the one in his heart—he even arranges it personally.

But why would the Emperor arrange for Zhen Huan to go to Suiyu Pavilion?

Huang Guiquan said, “The Emperor said Suiyu Pavilion is quiet and suits Lady Zhen’s temperament well.”

Although the Emperor could hear Nian Shilan’s words, he always felt that she was foolish, and having a pair of eyes didn’t necessarily mean she could see the whole picture. What she saw in her past life might not be the truth.

So he believed half of it and doubted the other half.

For that woman who resembled Chunyuan so closely, he also felt an almost instinctive pity.

But considering she might bring chaos to the court, he had to take precautions, so he sent her far away to Suiyu Pavilion.

“No one understands the Zhen family better than the Emperor.”

Nian Shilan took a sip of tea and understood.

Although Chengqian Palace was close, it was crowded and full of prying eyes. Suiyu Pavilion, though far, was secluded, making it most suitable for Lady Zhen to subtly receive favor. Even if there were a huge commotion, others wouldn’t hear it.

Moreover, the distance would highlight his deep affection, wouldn’t it?

“Hmph.”

Nian Shilan curled her lips, her eyes gleaming with shrewdness: It’s all child’s play, nothing escapes my eyes.

Huang Guiquan gauged the Emperor’s intentions. “This servant heard that on the day the residence was decided, the Empress specifically went to see the Emperor.”

Oh~

Now I understand even more.

It was the Empress stirring trouble behind the scenes.

She was still worried that the second Chunyuan entering the palace would monopolize all favor and dominate the harem.

But this fool didn’t know that Suiyu Pavilion had Zhen Huan’s strongest support team.

This person cannot go to Suiyu Pavilion!

“Who is living in Chengqian Palace?”

“Replying to Your Ladyship, it has not been assigned.”

“Go and tidy it up, let Lady Zhen move in.”

Huang Guiquan doubted his own hearing and even glanced at Songzhi, only to find her equally confused.

“Your Ladyship, Chengqian Palace is both spacious and magnificent, and it’s close to the Emperor’s Hall of Mental Cultivation. Isn’t it too much of an honor to let her live there?” Huang Guiquan said, raising his little finger.

“Precisely to honor her.”

It would be best if the Emperor and his favored consort spent every day together, with a seductive consort bringing disaster to the country and a foolish emperor indulging in debauchery, leading to the collapse of court discipline and the downfall of the Great Qing!

If he dares to have my entire family killed, then no one should live!

Nian Shilan wore a triumphant smile that others couldn’t understand. In truth, she knew in her heart that rather than starving someone, it was better to feed them directly.

That old fool sometimes just acts so shamelessly.

“By the way, what about that Lady Sun?”

That inexplicably retained Sun Miaoqing.

Huang Guiquan was somewhat bewildered by Consort Hua’s various unusual actions today. Afraid of saying the wrong thing, he flipped through the register once again.

The younger sister of Sun Zhuhe, the Suzhou Textile Commissioner.

Her appearance wasn’t outstanding either, so why did Her Ladyship treat her differently?

Huang Guiquan was about to flatteringly say that Lady Sun was merely the daughter of a minor official when he suddenly remembered that the Sun family was related by marriage to the Nian family.

Thank goodness, thank goodness—he almost said the wrong thing.

“Replying to Your Ladyship,” Huang Guiquan said respectfully, “Lady Sun, because of Your Ladyship’s influence, was granted the rank of Attendant. The Empress arranged for her to live in Yanxi Palace.”

Yanxi Palace?

The one who truly committed a breach of etiquette before the throne and was forbidden from ever participating in the Palace Maid Candidate selection again had replaced Xia Dongchun, becoming an Attendant and even moving into Yanxi Palace.

She wasn’t granted the rank of Attendant because of me.

The Jiangnan Textile Commissioner may seem like a minor official, but they oversee imperial merchants, equivalent to an imperial envoy. Her background was among the best in this batch of Palace Maid Candidates.

Wait? What did Huang Guiquan say?

Nian Shilan frowned slightly. “You said… because of my influence?”