Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Defending Nian Shilan Zhen Huan was still pondering the matter of Kang Luhai when she heard this remark. She followed up with a playful smile: "Nowadays, Sister truly is getting along better and better with Consort Hua. It was just a follow-up question, yet Sister is being so sensitive." "Consort Hua is actually an extremely endearing person at heart. I am willing to be close to her." Shen Meizhuang spoke with utmost sincerity, "But you and I share a bond that has grown since childhood—how could anyone else compare? My feelings for her and for you are both genuine, yet they are different." Zhen Huan naturally did not doubt these words. She contemplated Shen Meizhuang's statement: "Endearing?" "Yes." Shen Meizhuang recalled Consort Hua lamenting her own hardships, filled with inner grievances, and couldn't help but smile. "There's something I've been thinking over and over, and I still feel I should..." She wanted to tell Zhen Huan that she could hear Consort Hua's inner thoughts, but just then, Huanbi knocked on the door to deliver a message. "Miss, Changzai Gong and Attendant An have arrived and are already at the palace gate." Shen Meizhuang immediately felt somewhat displeased and said bluntly, "I don't like this Changzai Gong." She didn't like her coming to Suiyu Pavilion, nor did she like her going to Yikun Palace. Even when they met while paying respects at the Empress's palace, she didn't like it. "I've noticed it too. Is it because of her that you've grown distant from Lingrong?" Shen Meizhuang didn't feel that she had grown distant from An Lingrong. After An Lingrong was selected, she stayed at Zhen Fu and developed a friendship with Huan'er through their interactions. But Shen Meizhuang hadn't. She only became closer to An Lingrong because An Lingrong was on good terms with Zhen Huan. She didn't like Sun Miaoqing, yet An Lingrong went everywhere with Sun Miaoqing and referred to her as a sister. This made it even harder for Shen Meizhuang to develop a deep sisterly bond with An Lingrong. And also... Consort Hua's inner thoughts said that An Lingrong would later use some unsavory methods to compete for favor. Shen Meizhuang always felt somewhat uneasy about this. However, if everyone could get along harmoniously, these were all minor matters. After all, she didn't want to make enemies with anyone. "Since they're already here, I can't very well turn them away. Besides, she has been very good to me." Zhen Huan stood up and took Shen Meizhuang's hand. "Dear Sister, for my sake, please bear with it a little." Shen Meizhuang patted her hand with some resignation. "Alright, for you! I'll bear with it a little longer!" Having received her agreement, Zhen Huan immediately turned and said, "Please invite them in quickly." Sun Miaoqing had visited many times before. As soon as she entered, she joked, "Had we known Sister Mei was here whispering secrets with Sister Zhen, we wouldn't have come to disturb." If these words had been spoken by someone truly close, it wouldn't have mattered. But Shen Meizhuang didn't like her, so hearing them felt like they carried a sting. "This room is so warm. It must be because Sister Mei sent the Yintan over first. An Meimei and I are still too late." Sun Miaoqing said with a smile. Since they were all familiar with each other, they didn't perform grand formalities upon meeting. According to their ranks, Zhen Huan should have stood up to offer her seat to Sun Miaoqing and sat on a soft stool with An Lingrong. But Shen Meizhuang didn't want her to move while she was ill, so she proactively moved to Zhen Huan's side, vacating the other seat. Sun Miaoqing very naturally took the seat Shen Meizhuang had just occupied. An Lingrong noticed that Sun Miaoqing was sitting too far back to converse easily, so she moved closer to Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang and sat on a soft stool. "Gong Meimei had her monthly allowance suspended for two months and has her own troubles to deal with, yet she still remembers Huan Meimei. That shows true sincerity." Shen Meizhuang held Zhen Huan's hand. "You, ah, always manage to make others care for you like this." If the suspension of the monthly allowance hadn't been mentioned, it would have been fine. But bringing it up made Sun Miaoqing furious. That punishment should have been Shen Meizhuang's, yet now I have borne it in her stead. Not only is she ungrateful, but she even speaks sarcastically. "Sister, thank you for your concern. Although I have had no monthly allowance these past two months, at least my family can still provide some support, so life hasn't been too difficult. Between sisters, we should always help and support each other, don't you agree, Sister Mei?" Help and support each other between sisters? Is the Sun Clan blaming me for not speaking up on her behalf that day? Shen Meizhuang replied calmly, "Sister, you were late to pay respects that day. I wanted to speak up for you, but you know how Consort Hua manages the rear palace with such authority. If I had spoken, even Consort Jing, the principal consort, might have been implicated. You wouldn't blame me for that, would you?" Hypocrite! Sun Miaoqing never expected Shen Meizhuang to also master Zhen Green Tea's tactics. She smiled and said, "How could I?" Zhen Huan, seeing the tension escalating, didn't want everyone to start arguing. She played the mediator, smoothing things over. "Suiyu Pavilion is remote and secluded. Thanks to all of you, I've managed to get through this winter more comfortably." As expected of the female lead, always enjoying the feeling of being the center of attention. She gets to play the good person in every situation. Sun Miaoqing had always looked down on these two, and no matter how careful she was with her words, some of her disdain still showed through. "My status is lowly and insignificant. I can't offer much else, just some help in times of need." Zhen Huan didn't take offense. "What could be more precious than help in times of need?" "Ultimately, it's the servants of the Imperial Household Department who fawn on the powerful and bully the weak. If not for them, Sister, you could have lived quite comfortably just on your Fenli." The matter of the Imperial Household Department withholding Fenli from the various palaces was never something they could openly flaunt; only those directly involved would know. Sun Miaoqing knew because she had the advantage of omniscience, but she didn't realize her omniscience had expired. Everyone knew the Neiwufu Zongguan was a distant relative of Consort Hua. If the servants of the Imperial Household Department fawned on the powerful and bullied the weak, it meant Consort Hua was doing the same. To put it more bluntly, Sun Miaoqing was telling Zhen Huan that Consort Hua was deliberately targeting her! Shen Meizhuang caught the underlying meaning and felt indignant on behalf of Consort Hua: The Sun Family rose to prominence thanks to the Nian Family, yet she constantly opposes Consort Hua. Ungrateful wretch! Shen Meizhuang wanted to defend Consort Hua and refute Sun Miaoqing on the spot, but Zhen Huan quietly held her hand to stop her. Zhen Huan avoided Sun Miaoqing's topic, skillfully deflecting and shifting the conversation: "Sister, you now have a title of nobility, and your rank is above mine. How dare I accept being called 'sister' by you?" Sun Miaoqing was naturally pleased to hear this, but she pretended to be disappointed. "If Sister says that, it means you want to distance yourself from me. How would I dare to visit in the future?" "Look at you, making people feel wronged," Shen Meizhuang chimed in casually. "Hurry up and apologize." "Yes, yes, it's all my fault. I don't have much else here, but I still have some tea I brought from home that hasn't been finished. Both of you just came in from outside, have a cup of hot tea to warm up." Zhen Huan warmly entertained them, and the maids busied themselves. "Sister, have you been feeling better lately?" "Just the same as before, nothing much." Although Zhen Huan wasn't feigning illness now, her condition was still somewhat suspicious, so she didn't want to say too much. She glanced at Sun Miaoqing's hair and makeup. "Sister, the color of that jade hairpin in your hair is exquisite. It must have been a gift from the Emperor, right?" An Lingrong said happily, "Sister Zhen, you may not know, but Sister Gong is currently enjoying great Imperial Favor." Sun Miaoqing felt a bit embarrassed. "In terms of favor, how could I dare compare to Sister Mei?" She glanced at Shen Meizhuang, but Shen Meizhuang remained silent. I thought she was supposed to be magnanimous, but it seems she can't stand seeing others favored either. Fortunately, the plot allowed her to avoid the period when the female lead was favored, receiving imperial favor earlier and falling out of favor sooner. Otherwise, wouldn't she have ended up fighting and tearing each other apart with Zhen Huan later on? Hah, sisters? What difference is there, fundamentally, among women in the harem? Now that she's close to that queen of female rivalry in Yikun Palace, I'm afraid she's been tainted by association, becoming increasingly petty and narrow-minded. Sun Miaoqing thought this to herself but said aloud, "I seemed to see Eunuch Kang going to Qixiang Palace the other day. Was he sent by you, sister?" According to the plot progression, Kang Luhai should have gone to Consort Li's side. I don't know what went wrong, but I just saw him when I came in. Sun Miaoqing had witnessed the butterfly effect before and feared unexpected changes. She couldn't afford to be careless, so she had to ask one more question.