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

Chapter 45: Chapter 41: Blood Letter

"How can you not touch her? She’s just a minor Noble Lady. How can she be compared to you, Your Highness?"

Ma Wanyi said anxiously.

The rank of Wanyi was two levels higher than concubine. She saw Jiang Xian as a thorn in her side, wanting nothing more than to get rid of her. But she also understood that the more one did, the more mistakes one made, so it was better to incite the Noble Princess Consort to do the dirty work. As soon as the words left her mouth, the Noble Princess Consort shot her a slow, deliberate gaze. "Are you an idiot, or do you take me for one?"

"I... I wouldn’t dare."

Ma Wanyi lowered her head, not daring to even breathe too loudly.

Noble Princess Consort Rong propped her chin on her hand.

’That Jiang woman’s favor is beyond what I had imagined. I originally thought she was just another fresh young face the Emperor had taken a fancy to, but now it seems she’s truly made a mark on him. Since she’s currently enjoying the Holy Favor, moving against her would be very risky. Besides, if her palace privileges were revoked, the ones who would be happiest are surely the concubines of the fifth-rank and above.’

She was confined to Zhaoyang Palace, but her intelligence network in the harem was still active.

She knew that even the usually low-profile Princess Consort Zhang had sent soup to Qiankun Palace, and at the Longevity Festival, she had presented an authentic work from a master calligrapher that the Zhang family had gone to great lengths to find, earning the Emperor’s great pleasure.

’If my position is shaken, the one to benefit would never be a mere Noble Lady who just recently entered the palace.’

Noble Princess Consort Rong reined in her thoughts and said coolly, "You should go back. This One won’t keep you, lest we give people something to talk about."

Today was a festival day. The Emperor had granted her permission to attend the Longevity Banquet and also allowed her to have visitors. That was how Ma Wanyi, who was also under confinement, was able to come to her palace for a chat and a bit of fresh air.

Ma Wanyi kept looking back every few steps. "Since Your Highness is tired, I shouldn’t impose any longer. But... are you truly not angry, Your Highness? Your Highness, I didn’t mean it. Your Highness, please don’t misunderstand me..."

The Noble Princess Consort’s eyes flashed fiercely. "Get out."

And so, Ma Wanyi promptly got out.

After Ma Wanyi left, Zhaoyang Palace returned to its silence, the atmosphere seemingly frozen. On this day of universal celebration, the once-glorious Zhaoyang Palace was desolate. The Noble Princess Consort closed her eyes, and the faces of Princess Consort Zhang, Lu Ronghua, and others flashed through her mind one by one. A moment later, she made up her mind. "Qiu Yun, bring me a knife."

"Your Highness!"

Qiu Yun dropped to her knees in terror.

"Aren’t you going to hurry up and go?!"

「The next day, in Jianzhang Palace.」

Because the Emperor had stayed the night, the Empress couldn’t afford to be lazy and sleep in, not even for a moment. She had to rise at the same time as the morning court to help the Emperor dress. The two of them were silent as they faced each other. The Empress’s hands moved mechanically, as if her body were alive but her heart had already died.

’So sleepy... I want to go back to bed.’

The Emperor found this secretly amusing and stayed her hand. "You’ve worked hard, Empress. Go back and rest for a while."

"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty. This is what I deserve—"

The words had just left her mouth when the Empress caught herself. She quickly regained the dignified composure of a well-bred lady. "Your Majesty, what I meant to say was, this is what I should do."

"Enough, enough. Do you think We don’t know you?" His tone was gentle. "We also have moments of wanting to be lazy. But if We skip court for just one day, the mountain of memorials would bury Us. The Noble Princess Consort is arrogant, Consort Xian is timid, and so the affairs of the harem still require the Empress to bear the burden. Also..."

’Also?’

The Empress lowered her gaze. "I will respectfully obey Your Majesty’s decree."

But inwardly, she was amused—

’Over the years, quite a few lives have been lost at the hands of the Noble Princess Consort, yet in the Emperor’s eyes, it’s merely arrogance. And why is Princess Consort Zhang so timid? Isn’t it because she suffered greatly at the Noble Princess Consort’s hands back in the imperial mansion, and now that they’re in the palace, she doesn’t want to cross her again, choosing to avoid the limelight? Among all the people in the palace who hate the Noble Princess Consort, Princess Consort Zhang would definitely rank in the top three.’

"The matter of promoting Noble Lady Gu was Our decision. We hope the Empress will look after her more, and not let the other women in the harem go too far."

When he mentioned Jiang Xian, the Emperor’s tone softened slightly.

The Empress had always been virtuous and benevolent, never making things difficult for the other concubines over trivial matters. She handled affairs with fairness and rigor, which put him at ease.

"I understand."

The Empress replied, her gaze drifting to the side.

’With the Noble Princess Consort under confinement, the safety level of the entire harem has risen exponentially.’

"Last time... she was truly pitiful. In such heavy snow, to stand outside Zhaoyang Palace for a full hour... forget about a master, even a young palace maid probably couldn’t endure it. Yet she stood there diligently. If Chen Daying hadn’t gone to find the Emperor, who knows what would have happened..."

At this, the Empress made to kneel and ask for forgiveness. "It is all my fault for failing to manage the harem properly."

’This is the downside of being the CEO.’

’When there’s trouble at the company, no matter which department is at fault, the Chairman of the Board only ever holds the CEO accountable.’

’When something happens in the harem, and a concubine goes to the Emperor for help instead of seeking the Empress’s judgment, it’s bound to raise suspicion—is the Empress’s authority unstable? Is her conduct not benevolent? Jiang Xian had considered this, but she had just started her career... no, she had been in the palace for such a short time. She didn’t understand the Empress’s temperament and didn’t dare gamble on it. What if something life-threatening happened? Would the Empress deliberately delay the rescue, using the Noble Princess Consort’s hand to snuff out this new favorite in Zhaoyang Palace?’

The Emperor helped her up. "How is this your fault? Noble Lady Gu has only been in the palace a short time; she didn’t know it would have been more appropriate to come to you. If anyone speaks ill of you, We will not forgive them." He sighed again. "The Noble Princess Consort was in the wrong in this matter, and We have already punished her. But Noble Lady Gu was not entirely without fault either."

’Noble Lady Gu? At fault?’

’She was at fault, yet she was promoted to Noble Lady. The Emperor is being duplicitous again. I’m not falling for that trick.’

The Empress knew the Emperor was waiting for her to say what he wanted to hear, so she just came right out with it. "My views are the same as Your Majesty’s. I have never blamed Noble Lady Gu."

"We know your temperament. The Empress even sent the finest medicinal herbs to Yizhu Pavilion the other day. That was very thoughtful."

Having successfully smoothed the dragon’s whiskers, she had completely pacified the Emperor, who then went off to morning court in high spirits.

The Empress truly didn’t blame Jiang Xian.

’Coming up against the Noble Princess Consort right after gaining favor... no wonder she sees the harem as a dragon’s pool and a tiger’s den. It just so happened that I had canceled morning greetings that day and was sleeping soundly in Jianzhang Palace. It was for the best that no one disturbed my sweet dreams.’

Because she had successfully surmised the Emperor’s intentions and coaxed him into a good mood that morning, the Empress was feeling pleased. She lay back down on her couch, intending to sneak in another nap before the hour for morning greetings, but she saw her palace maid, Fu Jin, enter with a panicked expression. "Your Majesty the Empress..."

"What is it?"

Fu Jin was clutching a thick stack of paper.

"The Noble Princess Consort’s copied texts... This One will look at them later." ’I want to sleep.’

Fu Jin’s hesitant expression piqued the Empress’s curiosity. She lifted an eyelid. "Fine, bring it here."

Fu Jin handed over the copied texts.

Zhaoyang Palace didn’t lack for fine things; its ink was of the highest quality. But today, the papers carried none of the familiar, rich scent of ink.

’Could the Imperial Household be withholding supplies from the Noble Princess Consort?’

’That can’t be right. The Imperial Household is full of the Noble Princess Consort’s people; it’s like her private garden. How could they possibly short her on ink?,’ the Empress mused. Just then, her eyes fell upon pages filled with writing in blood, copying out the Palace Rules and Buddhist scriptures.

The Empress’s hand trembled, nearly dropping the papers to the floor.

Only one thought remained in her mind— ’The Noble Princess Consort... she really was born to be my nemesis. I’m afraid of blood!’