Chapter 50

Chapter 50: Songzhi Throws Her Weight Around Consort Qi truly lacked the ability to read the room. "Her Majesty the Empress is truly virtuous and benevolent. If it were Consort Hua, she would undoubtedly mock and ridicule Your Majesty behind your back. As the mistress of the rear palace, Your Majesty is truly magnanimous~" "She is still young," the Empress said, referring to An Lingrong. "Coming from a humble background, it's normal for her to be afraid." The Empress paused. "Besides, her incompetence has nothing to do with Consort Hua." "We are all imperial consorts and concubines of the Emperor, thus we are sisters. Harmony should be the priority in our interactions. From now on, no one is allowed to gossip behind others' backs." Consort Qi did not perceive this as a warning from the Empress but rather as proper guidance from the Central Palace to the imperial consorts and concubines. She curtsied. "This concubine will remember Your Majesty's teachings." The Empress glanced at her: truly a blockhead. Yikun Palace. An Lingrong knelt in the main hall. "Consort Hua, please forgive this concubine's offense. I have failed to live up to Your Highness's favor and have come specifically to seek punishment." [She really is still useless in the early stages!] However, it didn't really affect Nian Shilan. After all, it was just that the Emperor had mentioned it yesterday, so she had done a favor by mentioning that among the new entrants, An Lingrong had not yet attended the Emperor. Whether she said it or not, the Empress would have said it eventually. Rather than letting Little Bird owe the Empress a favor in the future, it was better to do it herself, making her more loyal. "You failed to seize your own favor, why come to me to seek punishment?" Nian Shilan held up the newly acquired Three-tailed Kingfisher Feather Gold Phoenix Hairpin to the bronze mirror. The pearl embedded at the phoenix's crown was the supremely noble Eastern Pearl— This was not an act of overstepping her station; it was a reward from the Emperor for the great victory in the northwest. [That dog Emperor is no human, but the things are innocent.] [Not bad, his taste is passable. The rewards are barely acceptable.] [Mainly because my beauty is unparalleled in the world.] "Your Highness showed me favor. Coming from a humble background, I failed to grasp the opportunity, disappointing Your Highness's intentions and causing Your Highness to be gossiped about in the rear palace." [Humble background?] [So what if it's a humble background? The Late Emperor's Consort Liang came from the Xinzhiku, didn't she still give birth to the Eighth Prince?] [A person's value lies in self-respect. You, you're just too sensitive, too insecure. If you look down on yourself, how can you expect others to respect you?] But everyone has their own fate, and Nian Shilan couldn't be bothered to say more. "Alright, there will be opportunities in the future, no need to lose heart." Nian Shilan was in a good mood. "The maid from the Imperial Household Department that I promised you won't be withheld." After all, she was working for her. If word got out and the Emperor found out she was altering the Huanyi Incense, it wouldn't be good. An Lingrong knew that Consort Hua was tough on the outside but soft on the inside. She handed the brocade box to Consort Hua. "After returning yesterday, I couldn't sleep. I prepared the incense in the middle of the night. Your Highness, please use it first. If you feel there are any issues, please inform me at any time, and I will make adjustments." "You have a thoughtful heart." Nian Shilan couldn't help but glance at An Lingrong, who wore a gentle smile. [At this time, she was still a little white flower.] [In truth, which woman who first enters the palace isn't a pure little white flower? Who doesn't like to be cherished and held in the palm of someone's hand?] [That old donkey hoof doesn't cherish them, tramples them underfoot himself, then turns around and scolds others for being unworthy as people. I think he's the most unworthy as a person!] The Emperor actually scolded her for being unworthy as a person! An Lingrong clenched her handkerchief in anger. Consort Hua treated her so generously; how could she not respond with sincerity and gratitude? After leaving Yikun Palace, An Lingrong made a special trip to the Baohua Temple in the palace to obtain a Fertility Talisman. After returning, she carefully sketched a Kylin pattern and meticulously selected the threads. While fully absorbed in her embroidery, the door creaked open as Sun Miaoqing entered. Baojuan bowed to her, saying, "May Changzai Gong be at peace." "Sister An, are you alright?" Sun Miaoqing asked with concern. Someone as meticulous and sensitive as An Lingrong would doubt even genuine sincerity, let alone this insincerity, which she found even more unsettling. Ever since learning that the Sun Clan would steal credit, An Lingrong had held no goodwill toward her. Someone who would claim others' merits and favor for herself must be, like Her Ladyship, reborn. Since she was reborn, she should have known about last night's events. Knowing full well, who was she putting on this hypocritical act for? An Lingrong glanced at her, "Thank you for your concern, sister. What could possibly be wrong with me?" "Things will get better in the future." Sun Miaoqing sat beside her. "We still have a future ahead." An Lingrong pondered what she would say according to her own temperament. "Sister may have a future, but I do not"? Yet she deliberately refrained, "With sister here, I am not worried." Sun Miaoqing faintly sensed something amiss, "It is best that you think this way." Outside the hall, eunuchs and palace maids gathered to gossip. Palace maid: "Promise comes from a poor background and is not favored by the Emperor. Her life is essentially over." Eunuch: "If I were sent out of the Hall of Mental Cultivation like that, I would never dare show my face again!" Hearing the gossip outside, Sun Miaoqing felt no sympathy—in fact, she felt somewhat smug—but she still pretended to go out and discipline them. She had expected An Lingrong to stop her, but instead, An Lingrong said: "It is so good to have sister here." Was she hoping she would vent her anger for her? Sun Miaoqing: "..." "Guards! Drag all these idle gossips to Shenxing Si!" A sharp woman's voice came from outside. Baoque hurried to the door, "It is Auntie Songzhi from Yikun Palace." Having visited Yikun Palace so frequently, how could An Lingrong not recognize Songzhi's voice? But she said nothing and followed Sun Miaoqing outside. "Why has Auntie Songzhi come?" Sun Miaoqing strongly suspected that Consort Hua had deliberately sent Songzhi to stand up for An Xiaoniao. Yet since Consort Hua was reborn, she had never openly refused favor, spoke of the Emperor with respect, and still treated the Empress with indifference, refusing to kneel when paying respects. Everything was as she remembered. Except for Shen Meizhuang and An Lingrong frequently visiting Yikun Palace, though that had little to do with Consort Hua herself. Sun Miaoqing had suspected the Empress was reborn but never Consort Hua. If Consort Hua were still her old self, she would never have taken a liking to An Xiaoniao. Let alone stand up for her. Hearing Sun Miaoqing speak, Songzhi gave a slight curtsy, her tone not particularly polite. "The Emperor ordered Noble Lady Shen and Changzai Gong to learn how to Assist in Managing the Six Palaces together. Noble Lady Shen went to Yikun Palace herself to fetch the account books, but Changzai Gong is preoccupied with many matters, so Her Ladyship had no choice but to send this servant to deliver them to you, Little Mistress Gong." Chicken feathers stuck in your throat, you dog relying on its master's power, you pretentious minx, what are you so proud of? Sun Miaoqing then realized Consort Hua had come merely to flaunt her authority. Suppressing her discomfort, she politely replied: "Thank you, Auntie, for making the trip. It was this concubine's oversight. This concubine will go to apologize to Her Ladyship shortly." "No need. The Emperor will be visiting Yikun Palace this afternoon. If Little Mistress Gong knows what's good for her, she should not go." The words "cause trouble" were left unspoken, yet they rang deafeningly loud. Sun Miaoqing twisted her handkerchief in her hands, not daring to show anger or speak out. She could only endure it. Songzhi turned her head to look at Baojuan beside An Lingrong: Her Ladyship has said that keeping such fools here will only cause trouble. "Even your own mistress cannot be protected. What use is a servant like you? Guards! Drag her away as well!" Baojuan never expected the blame to fall on her and immediately knelt down. "Aunt Songzhi, this servant... this servant is innocent!" Songzhi paid her no mind. Baojuan then clung to An Lingrong's leg, weeping and pleading, "Mistress, for the sake of this servant's diligent service these days, please save me, Mistress..."