Chapter 13: What a Clever Scheme

Songzhi immediately explained, “Your Highness must have forgotten due to your busy schedule. The concubine-born young lady from our Nian Residence married Lady Sun’s elder brother.”

The daughter born of Father’s concubine!

That Sun Zhuhe was originally the Suzhou County Magistrate. This year, thanks to Brother’s influence, he rose to prominence, securing the position of Suzhou Textile Commissioner and also overseeing the tax affairs at Hushu Pass.

It was an exceptionally lucrative post.

In her previous life, due to the Sun family’s presence in Jiangnan and her distant relationship with her concubine-born sister, the two families did not interact frequently. Or rather, while Brother maintained connections with the Sun family, she herself, being in the palace, received nothing more than a few extra bolts of tribute silk.

Since her concubine-born sister was not born of the same mother as herself and her two brothers, their bond was not deep. Nian Shilan had never paid much attention to this before, but now, thinking about it, she suddenly understood why Sun Miaoqing had inexplicably failed the Palace Selection in her previous life.

The Emperor was warning the Sun family.

No, the Emperor was using the Sun family to warn our Nian family!

His intent to destroy us began as early as today!

How despicable! That vicious Fat Orange!

How pitiful that she and her brother had been so immersed in the Emperor’s favor, completely unaware. Wait, “I remember a few days ago, didn’t Suzhou specifically send several bolts of silk?”

Songzhi tried hard to recall, “Your Highness must be mistaken. It’s not the time for Suzhou’s tribute yet. However, if Your Highness wishes to have Song brocade for clothing, you need only send word, and the Sun family will surely select the finest to send over.”

Nian Shilan shook her head.

This matter was far from simple.

Although it wasn’t detailed in that “Passing the Love Barrier,” she had personally experienced it in her previous life. Before the Palace Selection, Sun Zhuhe had indeed sent silk, and Yikun Palace had taken the best of it, with banknotes hidden inside—a thinly veiled bribe.

The Emperor had spies throughout the palace and must have known about this, which was likely why he targeted Sun Miaoqing.

But if it was a mistake from her previous life, how had the Sun family avoided it this time?

Nian Shilan grasped Songzhi’s hand, her gaze slowly focusing. Songzhi was bewildered: “Your Highness, what… what’s wrong?”

“Sun Miaoqing.”

“Yes!” Songzhi felt inexplicably nervous.

“Is the same as me.”

“How could a mere Attendant compare to Your Highness?” Songzhi was the first to disagree.

She has been reborn!

Nian Shilan believed that pulling one hair could move the whole body, and her own rebirth might affect any changes within the palace, even within the Nian family, but it could not possibly influence the Sun family in Jiangnan.

Sun Miaoqing had been reborn, reborn before the Palace Selection. That was why she had prevented her brother’s actions in advance, avoiding the critical mistake, and thus succeeded in being selected.

Given the Emperor’s temperament, he was likely to use Sun Miaoqing to compete against her.

But the Emperor’s calculations were mistaken. She would not compete; she would let his “Miaomiao” stay with him forever.

As night fell, the Empress was removing her makeup and preparing to sleep when Jian Qiu presented the register of new consorts:

“Your Highness, Consort Hua has moved Zhen Changzai’s residence to Chengqian Palace.”

“Chengqian Palace?”

The Empress took the register.

Has Nian Shilan gone mad?

If she doesn’t love the Emperor, why is she so eager to please him?

Or does she hope that Lady Zhen will gain favor so she can remain aloof?

How foolish!

If Lady Zhen gains favor, she will become a second sister. By then, even with the backing of the Nian family, it will be of no use.

Although she didn’t know the exact fate Nian Shilan met in her previous life, given her intellect and Nian Gengyao’s actions, her end likely wouldn’t be better than her own.

Perhaps even worse.

The Empress closed her eyes, rehearsing in her mind: If not for the inner voice of Nian Shilan, she would have feared Nian Shilan’s favor and thought she could control the newcomers who had just entered the palace, inevitably using Zhen Huan to deal with Nian Shilan.

The woman who would control the harem and influence the fate of the Great Qing in the future?

The Empress pondered the thoughts in Nian Shilan’s heart—did the Zhen family not wish to be selected?

A green leaf is inconspicuous among dense foliage, but if it stands alone amidst a sea of red, it becomes entirely different.

Today, with a hundred flowers vying for beauty, she went against the grain, dressing plainly—was this not a retreat to advance, a non-contention to contend?

Nian Shilan also called her the top scholar among women in the harem. How could someone so intelligent not understand such a simple principle?

She was merely amplifying her own advantages without showing it.

What a clever scheme!

In the harem, interests intertwine and complexities abound. Today’s sisters are tomorrow’s enemies.

On the surface, this person appears like a lamb, but inside, she is a wolf.

If her speculation was correct, in Nian Shilan’s past life, she and Nian Shilan must have suffered greatly at her hands.

It was even possible that her own death was related to her.

Nian Shilan had no brains, but she could not afford to be foolish.

“Go to the storeroom and find a ginseng root to send to Yikun Palace.”

“Your Majesty, what are you doing?” Jian Qiu could not understand her mistress’s actions at all. “Consort Hua changed the residences of the imperial consorts and concubines without your permission, completely disregarding you. Why are you rewarding her instead?”

Jian Qiu thought for a moment, leaning forward and whispering, “Are you planning to tamper with it?”

“Tamper with what?” the Empress scolded.

Among the newly entered palace maid candidates, there were hidden talents. That fool, reborn with only food on her mind, wouldn’t even know to check if something was tampered with. Where did she get such confidence?

Did she think rebirth made her invincible?

If she ate something bad and died, it wouldn’t matter, but if she could no longer hear anything, the loss would be devastating.

The Empress instructed, “Her tastes in food and clothing have always been extravagant. Pick the best! Lest she look down on it.”

“Your Majesty…”

“Go quickly.” A headache.

Jian Qiu dared not say more. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Remember to remind her to come and express gratitude tomorrow morning. She has no choice but to come!”

The Empress wanted to know what terrible ideas were brewing in her mind.

After Jian Qiu left, the lights in the bedchamber were extinguished.

Just as the Empress closed her eyes, she remembered another matter and could not help but summon Huichun.

“Your Majesty, please give your orders. Your servant is here.”

“Tomorrow, when the various palaces come to pay respects, prepare this year’s newly supplied Pre-rain Longjing tea for Consort Hua.”

Jingren Palace was not without good tea. Previously, the Empress had only wanted others to perceive her as virtuous and frugal, contrasting with the extravagant and wasteful Consort Hua. Moreover… these women of the harem did not deserve to eat and drink well.

But now it was different. Consort Hua was not only picky but also harsh with her words.

She hoped that after drinking the Pre-rain Longjing tea without any musty taste, the inner voice would be sweeter.

The next day, Jingren Palace.

Nian Shilan arrived late. The consorts and concubines seated below murmured complaints, whispering among themselves—some said Consort Hua relied on the Nian family’s influence to act arrogantly, while others said no matter how favored she was, the Empress was the rightful master.

“Consort Hua has arrived—”

Regardless, upon seeing Nian Shilan, they still had to rise and bow. “May Consort Hua enjoy peace and prosperity.”

“All rise.”

Nian Shilan strode forward with her chin held high. As she walked, her peripheral gaze swept over them, silently judging each one in her mind.