Hustle Queen in the Harem: My Consort Won't Stop Grinding

Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Attending the Meeting

When the Noble Consort issued a summons, a Changzai had no choice but to go.

Unless she feigned illness.

But as fate would have it, Nanny Yusu had been accompanied by none other than Doctor Ding, sent by the Emperor himself to take Shu Changzai’s pulse for a routine check-up. The results nearly knocked the Imperial Physician’s socks off. His exact words were: "Her deep pulse is steady, smooth, and strong. It’s a pulse full of vitality, indicating a constitution resistant to illness. Your Ladyship’s health is so robust, I have rarely seen its like in all my years of practicing medicine!"

Young ladies of noble birth were often cooped up indoors, avoiding the sun to cultivate a cool, pale complexion in an era with only physical sun protection. Even without the practice of foot-binding, athletic exercise was not in vogue. Someone like Ma Wanyi, who hailed from a family of martial artists and was skilled in riding and archery, was a rare exception.

Jiang Xian dared to be so cavalier because she had the System’s Beauty Skin Pills. She didn’t have to worry about the sun turning her skin dark and rough. ’I’ll wait until I’m more familiar with the Emperor,’ she thought, ’then I’ll find out his preferences. What if he secretly yearns for a healthy, tanned complexion?’

But I digress.

In any case, the results of Doctor Ding’s examination were no secret in the harem.

The Noble Consort was certainly aware of her exceptional health, so feigning illness to refuse the summons was not an option.

Jiang Xian wasn’t afraid. She thought for a moment and said, "I’ll go alone. Zhenqiu, you wait outside Zhaoyang Palace, but don’t get too close. If you hear me scream, then find a way to get the Emperor... If you can’t bring him, it doesn’t matter. I’ll just have to endure it. The Noble Consort can’t actually kill me."

A concubine was still a master. Any measures taken against her had to be handled with a degree of decorum.

If she brought her palace maids, the Noble Consort could easily fabricate a reason to punish them for disrespect, send them to the Imperial Prison, or have them beaten half to death. Jiang Xian wouldn’t necessarily have the power to save them. It was a classic case of the higher rank crushing the lower; she was better off going alone.

For punishing a master, even being slapped across the face was considered a severe penalty.

Jiang Xian guessed that any physical torment she was about to endure would likely be facing a wall, forced kneeling, or copying texts—the last of which was the mildest.

But what if it escalated to caning or whipping...

Jiang Xian thought it was unlikely. Even if a First Rank Noble Consort had the authority to mete out such punishments, the scandal would be enormous if word got out. Besides, she wasn’t some unfavored Changzai who had yet to serve the Emperor. At the very least, she was on his radar.

However, Jiang Xian’s years of professional experience had taught her to always prepare for the worst-case scenario.

What if the Noble Consort was overcome with a fit of rage and decided to do something truly evil?

Even if the Emperor flew into a rage afterward and the matter became a scandal in the imperial court, she would be the one who ended up dead or maimed.

"You can’t go without an attendant, my lady," Zhenqiu said, both moved and heartbroken that her mistress was being so considerate of her maids. "Let me go in with you, and Mian Xia can wait outside! I’m strong, too. I can take it!"

Mian Xia added, "I can take it, too!"

Jiang Xian shook her head. She had another plan.

The two couldn’t change their mistress’s mind, and with the Noble Consort’s people waiting outside Yizhu Pavilion, they had no choice but to escort Jiang Xian out. On the way, they ran into Chen Daying. "Where are the three of you off to?" she asked. "The Empress canceled this morning’s greetings."

Zhenqiu quickly explained the situation.

When she mentioned that their mistress would only allow them to watch from a distance outside Zhaoyang Palace, her eyes welled up with tears.

Chen Daying flinched at the mention of the Noble Consort’s name.

Behind her, He Xiang wished she could sprout another pair of hands—one to cover her mistress’s ears, and one to cover her own.

But it was too late. Chen Daying said without a second thought, "You head to Zhaoyang Palace first. Zhenqiu, wait for me to freshen up, and I’ll go with you. As a Changzai’s palace maid, you’d probably be stopped before you could even get near the Emperor. I’m a master, at least. Even if they look down on me, they have to show me a sliver of respect."

Seeing the Emperor’s face was no easy task; that was common knowledge.

But as long as a concubine was willing to risk losing favor, risk being detested by the Emperor, and sacrifice her own dignity to beg for an audience, she could usually get a chance to speak with him.

Hearing this, Jiang Xian nodded gravely. "Unless it’s a matter of life and death, I won’t trouble the Emperor."

"Alright, hurry along now," Chen Daying urged. "You don’t want to add tardiness to your list of offenses."

The two exchanged a meaningful glance, and Jiang Xian departed.

"Shu Changzai, come with me."

The Chief Palace Maid sent by the Noble Consort, Qiu Yun, wore a sullen expression and showed her little respect. It was only when she noticed Jiang Xian was alone that she deigned to lift her eyelids. "What’s this? Shu Changzai has no one to attend her?"

"The Noble Consort has summoned me, so she must have a task for me. How inappropriate would it be for me to bring my own maids to serve her?"

Jiang Xian had her excuse ready.

It was an invitation with ill intent.

If she held the rank of Fei or Pin, she might have been able to protect her Chief Palace Maid. But as a mere Changzai, she would be lucky to protect herself.

A concubine who didn’t even dare bring her own maids and repeatedly spoke of serving the Noble Consort... Shu Changzai’s subservient posture made Qiu Yun purse her lips in satisfaction. She smiled, feeling a sense of shared glory. ’Indeed,’ she thought, ’having a Changzai wait on her is no more than Her Ladyship deserves.’

Upon arriving at Zhaoyang Palace, she found Noble Princess Consort Rong seated in the seat of honor, with Ma Wanyi beside her. "Sister-in-law," Ma Wanyi was saying, "your headdress today is truly dazzling. I have heard that dotting is an incredibly difficult craft; even the Imperial Household can’t find many artisans skilled enough. And these jade beads are so lustrous, they look even brighter than Dongzhu pearls."

The dotting step-shaking hairpin, crafted from golden silk, was regal and magnificent. Its twisted branch flower pattern was exquisite, the twin luan birds looked lifelike, and it was adorned with strings of lustrous pearls and jade. A hollowed-out Enamel Pearl Hairpin added a unique charm, its blue-fired enamel pattern twisting around white jade beads. Upon closer inspection, one could see extremely fine, flowing floral threads, a truly divine piece of craftsmanship.

When the Noble Consort didn’t respond, Ma Wanyi squeezed out a few more words of praise. "The hairpin is also so exquisitely made, so delicate and clear. The orchid on it looks no different from a real one. Even the gold threads are crafted so finely, they must be almost as thin as a strand of hair."

After speaking, she stole a glance at the Noble Consort’s expression.

’If the Noble Consort doesn’t say something soon, I’m really going to run out of compliments!’

Fortunately, Noble Princess Consort Rong was satisfied and let her off the hook.

"Well said."

Noble Princess Consort Rong propped her fragrant cheeks on one hand while Qiu Tang, eyes downcast, fanned her. Though it was snowing outside, the room was kept cozy and warm by the finest silver silk charcoal. The Noble Consort found it a bit stuffy, however, and had a palace maid fan her. As the gentle breeze caressed her face, her expression softened and her brow unfurrowed.

A servant entered, bowing, to announce, "Your Ladyship, Shu Changzai has arrived."

Noble Princess Consort Rong didn’t even lift an eyelid. "I know."

The moment the order to summon Shu Changzai was sent, Noble Princess Consort Rong had begun mentally plotting how to torment the little vixen. A harsh punishment would be satisfying, but it would be difficult to explain to the Emperor. After all, the woman had his favor.

A heavy snow was falling outside. Shu Changzai had arrived, yet Noble Princess Consort Rong merely said, "I know," and didn’t allow her to enter. After a moment, her lips, a vibrant red, curled into a slight smile. "Have Qiu Yun come in and report."

Qiu Yun was the palace maid who had been sent to fetch Shu Changzai. She had been waiting outside the door with her, but now the Noble Consort had called her in by name, leaving Shu Changzai behind. Outside, it was now truly just Jiang Xian and the little eunuch guarding the door.

Arriving a step too late, Chen Daying and Zhenqiu watched Zhaoyang Palace from a distance. They saw Jiang Xian standing all alone outside, and their hearts burned with anxiety. "The Noble Consort really knows how to torment people," Chen Daying said. "Even if she wanted to make Miss Jiang wait, couldn’t she let her do so in the antechamber?"

It was Zhenqiu who first had an idea.

"The snow is heavy today. Miss Chen, please go wait in the pavilion. I’ll bring you news."

Chen Daying hesitated. "I should go hold an umbrella for her."

"I’m afraid that will draw the Noble Consort’s attention."

In her heart, Zhenqiu wanted to agree, but knowing her own mistress’s character, she was sure Jiang Xian would hate to implicate anyone else.

Chen Daying had no other choice. She instructed Zhenqiu to come find her in the nearby pavilion the instant she heard any signal for help from within Zhaoyang Palace, so she could go for reinforcements immediately.

Seeing Qiu Yun, the maid who had led her here, being summoned inside while she herself was seemingly forgotten, Jiang Xian knew this was the first ordeal of the day. She had anticipated something like this and had dressed in extra thick layers. At the same time, she opened the System Mall in her mind and searched for an item she needed.

’Where are the Warm Baby packs? Why aren’t there any in the System Mall?’

The System replied: ’Host, I am a Palace Fighting System.’

’Even in *My Fair Princess* they knew enough to invent "Kneel-Easies"! Can’t you keep up with the times? Use some imagination! Your host is about to be buried alive in the snow, and you don’t want me to develop some chronic illness from this, do you? Proactive hosts like me are rare. If you bind yourself to someone else, they’ll just be lazy slackers who’ll try to fool you. I’m the only one who’s actually trying to earn points!’

The System fell silent for a moment, as if it were communicating with a higher-up.

The next moment, new items appeared in both the "Disposable Consumables" and "Halo Type" product categories.