Chapter 3: Serving the Emperor

【Palace Maid Candidates? Just a bunch of cheap little sluts, how dare they compete with this Consort?】

【This Consort is the finest of the Han Army Banner, the Foremost Beauty of the Manchu and Mongols. My brother has rendered outstanding service to the Emperor, with glorious military achievements, and will soon be the great general pacifying the northwest. What do they have to compete with this Consort?】

【Although their family backgrounds may not compare, they are not entirely without capital. Some have faces resembling Empress Chunyuan, some have voices like Empress Chunyuan, and others…】

Some have faces like Rouze?

She… she entered the palace late and has never seen Rouze, so how would she know what Rouze looks like?

She even knows about the Palace Maid Candidates who are about to be selected. Could the Nian family have meddled in the selection process?

Should she inform the Emperor immediately? But she has no evidence—how could she say it was what Consort Hua was thinking?

The Empress’s heart pounded wildly, a flood of information rushing into her mind, tangling like a mess of threads that gave her a headache.

“Jian Qiu, this Consort…”

Nian Shilan did not look back, unaware that the Empress was at the door. As she walked forward, she faintly heard these words and almost reflexively thought:

【Jian Qiu, this Consort’s head hurts so much!】

She, she, she… she dares to imitate this Consort in her thoughts!

The Empress’s lips turned pale. “Jian Qiu…”

【Jian Qiu, summon the imperial physician quickly! Her Majesty the Empress’s headache ailment has flared up again!】

【Haha, how amusing. This is far more entertaining than listening to music at Changyin Pavilion. Jian Qiu—Jian Qiu—】

The Empress gripped the doorframe, wishing she could order someone to punish Nian Shilan on the spot.

Arrogant!

Too arrogant!

That woman of the Nian family is utterly arrogant!

Jian Qiu, seeing her mistress’s state, grew fearful. “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, are you all right? Please don’t frighten this servant!”

“Summon Consort Hua back to this Consort,” the Empress whispered through gritted teeth.

“Huh?” Though confused, Jian Qiu immediately sent Huichun to call her back.

“No!” The Empress changed her mind. “Let Huichun go, but have Fuzi stay! Instruct Huichun to return immediately after going to Yikun Palace!”

Just as Nian Shilan stepped over the threshold of Jingren Palace, Huichun hurried over.

“What now?”

She glanced at Huichun from the corner of her eye, her brows and lips brimming with impatience.

Huichun bowed. “In reply to Consort Hua, Her Majesty the Empress is concerned that Fuzi is clumsy, so she specifically sent this servant to deliver pastries.”

As she spoke, Huichun took the pastry box from Fuzi’s hands, signaling for Fuzi to stay.

【Once given away, like water poured out, how can it be taken back?】

【Could it be that because I didn’t knock over the pastries, I gave her face, and she’s so flattered and overjoyed that she changed her mind?】

【But if she takes the person back, how will Fuzi turn into a puff pastry? And if she doesn’t turn into a puff pastry, how will she frighten Zhen Huan?】

The unknown path ahead is far less reassuring than controlling the situation oneself.

The reason Nian Shilan followed the course of events was to keep the overall direction unchanged, allowing everything to proceed smoothly without expending mental effort.

But right from the start, the Empress wasn’t following the script. Could it be that she too… has been reborn?

As the sedan chair was lifted, Nian Shilan glanced sideways and saw a shadow retreating at the main entrance of Jingren Palace: The Empress is extremely cunning and adept at putting on an act. If she truly has been reborn… is rebirth some kind of rotten cabbage in a field? Can anyone have it?

This Consort is the chosen one of heaven. How could that old woman be worthy?

Songzhi proudly remarked beside her, “This servant sees that the Empress is also quite afraid of Your Majesty.”

Zhou Ninghai chimed in, “Of course! Our Consort is the most favored in the six palaces, naturally noble and imposing. The Empress naturally has to yield to our Consort.”

Nian Shilan curled a cold smile at the corner of her mouth, glancing at the spot beside the sedan chair where Fuzi should have been standing: Fine, don’t send her then. It’s not like I’m in the mood to kill anyone for favor right now anyway.

Not seeing that little wretch made her mood even brighter.

As for having children—no rush. Once the new consorts enter the palace, there will be plenty of bellies to bear children for her.

As Consort Hua’s procession departed, Jian Qiu helped the Empress back into the warm chamber. “Your Majesty, everyone in Yikun Palace has always been tight-lipped. We finally managed to plant Fuzi there—why did you ask for her back?”

If I hadn’t taken her back, would I have let her serve as an official maid, paving the way for Consort Hua’s rise?

The Empress recalled Nian Shilan’s words. What kind of person is she, really?

Her grip on Jian Qiu’s hand suddenly tightened as she asked again, “Did you hear any sound just now?”

“Sound?”

Jian Qiu listened carefully. Outside, cicadas chirped incessantly, the footsteps of servants passing by were extremely light, and only a faint breeze rustled in the courtyard.

“This servant is dull-witted. What sound does Your Majesty refer to?”

The Empress probed others indirectly, but aside from herself, no one could hear Consort Hua’s inner thoughts.

It seems I am the one chosen by heaven.

But… never to meet again in life or death… a miserable end… a pitiful soul…

Were Consort Hua’s inner thoughts foresight or a curse? If it was a curse, why would she pity me?

And—who is the “biggest fool in the harem”?

The Empress shook her head. No, perhaps I’ve been too tired lately and imagined it. How could Consort Hua possibly be willing to hand the Emperor over to someone else?

…

Nian Shilan’s return was poorly timed.

With the Palace Selection imminent, she hadn’t yet had the chance to speak in detail with her elder brother, Nian Gengyao, before he had already left for the northwest.

She had sent her brother two letters, but it still wasn’t as good as speaking face-to-face.

Based on her past life’s experience, the next time they would meet would be when her brother returned victorious from battle. By then, the Nian family would be at the peak of its power—and also at the beginning of its irreversible downfall.

“Nian Gengyao has chilled Our heart to the extreme. We have tolerated it for long enough and need endure no more.”

“Consort Hua of the Nian clan, having long resided in the inner palace, is found lacking in virtue. She is hereby stripped of her title and demoted to an Answering Lady.”

“Do you know that the Huanyi Incense contains a large amount of musk?”

“Why?”

“Because you are a daughter of the Nian family!”

“Because you are a daughter of the Nian family!!”

“Because you are a daughter of the Nian family!!!”

“Your Majesty…”

Songzhi’s voice suddenly broke in, startling Nian Shilan.

“Your Majesty, are you all right?” Songzhi asked with concern.

Nian Shilan shook her head gently. “It’s nothing. What is it?”

Seeing her mistress’s troubled expression, Songzhi handed her a cup of tea and said cautiously, “Your Majesty, the Palace Selection is in just a few days…”

“The Palace Selection?”

Nian Shilan took the teacup and sipped. Memories from her past life surfaced in her mind.

If everything proceeded as it had before, the Emperor would come to Yikun Palace tonight—not only would he come, but he would also praise Fuzi.

“Yes, Your Majesty. The Emperor hasn’t visited our palace for several days. Should we take this opportunity to have Zhou Ninghai invite him to the Hall of Mental Cultivation?”

“Invite him for what?” Nian Shilan felt annoyed just thinking of his aged face. “Fuzi isn’t here. Are you going to sleep with him instead?”

The thought of that man—who had exterminated her entire family, killed her child, and made her live her whole life like a joke—filled her with such hatred that she wished she could devour his flesh and drink his blood.

He didn’t have to love her, but he had no right to trample on her feelings.

The more Nian Shilan thought about it, the angrier she became. Unable to contain herself, she slammed the teacup down heavily beside her.