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

Chapter 52: Chapter 44: Grass (A Type of Plant)

Heavy snow was falling outside, and the room was so quiet that the only sound was the CRACKLE of the charcoal fire. After a bit of intimate conversation, Jiang Xian thought it was time to get down to business, but the Emperor simply continued to hold her and chat. "My dear concubine, how do you see me?"

’My boss, of course.’

But he probably wouldn’t want to hear that. From Jiang Xian’s extensive work experience, she knew some bosses loved flattery. You had to treat your boss like a brother, a family member, a benefactor, a guiding star on your life’s journey, the alpha wolf... In any case, simply answering ’my boss’ wasn’t enough, and answering ’the one who pays my salary’ was practically asking for trouble.

A question like this was difficult to answer well.

Jiang Xian thought for a moment, then embellished her answer. "The Emperor is both the ruler of the nation and my husband. Now that I’ve entered the palace, I will spend the rest of my days here. Who else can I rely on besides the Emperor? I only wish for Your Majesty’s well-being. And if, while living a life of ease, Your Majesty happens to think of me, that would be even better."

Under the warm light, the Beauty’s face and shoulders looked gentle and graceful, glowing with a soft, snowy-white luster. The Emperor chuckled. "I seem to recall you being very proper during the selection; the Empress Dowager even praised you. Looking at you now, I suspect you won’t be able to win her affection."

The Empress Dowager disliked concubines who were too dazzlingly beautiful.

In terms of style and temperament, she was like a more refined version of the Noble Consort, which was precisely why the Noble Consort couldn’t tolerate her.

"It is enough for me to have the Emperor’s affection."

Jiang Xian continued to pledge her loyalty.

"You are indeed very much to my liking." Tonight, the Emperor seemed in no hurry to sleep. He lay on his side and said, "As for the incident at Zhaoyang Palace, if there is a next time, it would be best to go to the Empress first."

He had expected her to feel wronged and try to defend herself.

After all, he had doted on her and indulged her lack of propriety since she entered the palace.

But unexpectedly, Jiang Xian properly admitted her mistake. "My recklessness must have caused trouble for both Your Majesty and the Empress."

As she spoke, she moved to get up and kneel. She was halfway through the motion, her body nearly off the bed, when the Emperor saw she was genuinely intent on kneeling to apologize. He reached out and guided her back onto the bed. "Look how scared you are. The floor is cold. Say what you need to say right here in my arms."

Jiang Xian’s face filled with gratitude, though she inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

In a soft voice, she said, "When the attendants from Zhaoyang Palace summoned me that day, I knew I might be in for a hard time. I didn’t bring my palace maids with me, thinking that if there was suffering to be had, I would bear it myself. The Lady Noble Consort is of such a high station; even her punishments are a form of guidance. I was only afraid that if I were injured, I would no longer be able to serve Your Majesty. That’s why I took the precaution of planning, just in case, to have someone call Your Majesty to come and save me."

Jiang Xian sniffled. Recalling a childhood memory of nearly being unable to scrape together her school fees, her eyes grew red, making her look like a pitiful and frightened little animal. "In this harem, the only person I can rely on, the only one I trust, is Your Majesty."

’She was right.’ The Emperor could accept bending the rules in an emergency, but he had a strong sense of order and propriety, and he also cared about the Empress’s reputation.

’This is far better than serving a dissolute, muddle-headed tyrant.’

’Besides, the Emperor asking her about it and giving her a chance to explain was much better than him bottling it up and silently docking points from her score.’

Just as she expected, after hearing her explanation, the Emperor said, "The Empress is in charge of the harem. If anyone within it misbehaves, it is her place to pass judgment. I understand that you, my dear concubine, have only been in the palace a short while and were scared out of your wits by the Noble Consort, leaving you no one to rely on but me... I understand your fears. But hear my words: the Empress is trustworthy." He squeezed her small, soft hand, and when he saw her obediently nod in understanding, the solemn look on his face softened. "I trust you, just as you trust me."

The Emperor didn’t elaborate, knowing that even if the palace women respected the Empress, they were never happy to hear him mention another woman in the bedroom. With other Concubines, the Emperor would say as he pleased—why would he care about their feelings? But with Jiang Xian, he found himself feeling a gentle, considerate urge to protect her emotions.

Unexpectedly, his dear concubine seemed quite interested and pressed him further. "Although I go to Jianzhang Palace to pay my respects every day, the Empress rarely speaks. I admire her very much and would like to know more about her temperament."

Her tone was earnest, not sarcastic.

’When you get a chance to understand the CEO’s personality, you have to ask as much as you can!’

The Emperor was surprised. "Xian’er, I didn’t expect you to be so thoughtful about the Empress."

"I suspect I will have many occasions to rely on the Empress in the future," Jiang Xian hinted.

Many in the harem were jealous of her. If they were to make a move against her, even if she could resolve it herself, she would still have to report the matter to the Empress. If she could understand the Empress’s disposition beforehand, she could devise a better plan to deal with such situations.

Seeing her sincerity, the Emperor couldn’t help but smile.

’It seems she really took my words to heart,’ he thought. ’She’s already thinking about how to avoid troubling me next time. Very well, I’ll give her a few more pointers.’

And so, Jiang Xian received a portrait of the Empress, painted by the Emperor’s own words—

"The Empress is fair and just in her dealings. She has a tolerant nature and doesn’t punish people lightly. Her command of the rules and etiquette is perfect, but she is somewhat lacking in patience. If you need to seek her help for an injustice, you’d best keep it brief. Get straight to the point, be concise, and avoid beating around the bush at all costs. In this entire palace, the Empress is the most forbearing person. If it’s something even she cannot tolerate, then I cannot allow it either."

Jiang Xian understood completely.

"Hearing Your Majesty’s words has put my mind at ease."

※

After the morning greetings the next day, Jiang Xian threw herself enthusiastically into her two new major projects.

She had Zhenqiu bring the Four Treasures of the Study and grind ink for her. Then, she had Zhenqiu cut the paper into A4-sized sheets, punch a hole in the top-left corner of each, and thread them together with a thin cord. A simple, ancient-style notebook was made. The paper of this era wasn’t as sturdy or resilient as modern paper, and a brush was a far cry from a mechanical pencil. It was impossible to stack the pages and write, as one would with a modern notebook, because the ink would bleed through to the sheets below, making it quite inconvenient.

However, there was no better method available at the moment.

Jiang Xian could get charcoal sticks from the Imperial Household, but they were far less convenient for writing than a pencil, and the marks they left were not very durable. This was due to the lack of graphite, which had yet to be discovered and valued. After weighing her options, Jiang Xian still chose a traditional writing brush, seizing every opportunity to practice her calligraphy.

Zhenqiu asked in surprise, "My Lady, what are you writing?"

"Proposals."

Jiang Xian had created two proposal books.

One was titled, "Proposal for the Renovation of Xihua Garden."

The other was, "Plan for Organizing the Emperor’s Private Treasury."

The former required outlining the project’s technical staff, budget, and construction process.

The latter involved inventorying every single item in the treasury, compiling the information into a catalog, and then reorganizing everything according to her classification method.

Realizing this could be the key to earning ten thousand Palace Fighting Points, Jiang Xian became even more focused.

Jiang Xian was used to making PowerPoint presentations. Her mind would instinctively lay out her ideas, so when she put brush to paper, she rarely needed to make corrections. Combined with her beautiful handwriting, the simple notebooks immediately took on the appearance of exquisite, antique-style books.

As she held the brush, she felt the old, familiar focus of burying herself in a project. It was just that...

"My Lady, please have some water."

Mian Xia brought her some refreshing tea. "It’s wolfberry tea. The Imperial Physician says it protects the liver and improves eyesight."

"My Lady, have a snack to sweeten your palate. And these are the kumquats sent over from the Imperial Kitchen. I’ve already peeled them for you." The snack was a chestnut pastry, made exceptionally small so that the delicate ladies of the court could enjoy them in a single, elegant bite. The kumquats Zhenqiu had peeled not only had the skin removed, but even the white pith on the flesh had been carefully picked off, leaving only plump, glistening segments of fruit that looked incredibly appetizing.

The moment Jiang Xian stretched to loosen her stiff muscles, a palace maid’s soft hands would land on her shoulders. "Are you tired, My Lady? Let me give you a massage to help you relax."

"..."

With two palace maids flanking her, Jiang Xian felt like a rich heir on an "undercover boss" mission to experience the hardships of the common folk. "You two don’t need to stay here and wait on me. Go to your posts, or take a break."

"Does My Lady no longer require my service?"

Mian Xia grew anxious and knelt, looking up pleadingly at the mistress she so admired. "Did I do something wrong? Please forgive me, My Lady! Or... I could go fetch some hot water for you to soak your feet."

’A foot soak, too!’

’What kind of job perk is this?’

Jiang Xian smiled. "I need a quiet environment to focus. Just wait outside. If I need anything, I will call."

Once she had finished the rough layouts, Jiang Xian began to purchase courses from the system.

[I need courses on landscape architecture, floral design, and the cultivation and care of flowers and plants.]

Courses were relatively cheap, as the host had to put in the effort to learn the material herself.

System: [This is unrelated to palace fighting. It is against the rules.]

[Who says it’s unrelated to palace fighting? System, you’re thinking too small!] Jiang Xian began to expertly BS the system. [The battle for the Emperor’s affection begins the moment he steps into my palace. I must beautify every single corner. Renovating the garden is the same as the other ladies meticulously applying makeup to win the Emperor’s favor. The only difference is that they use powder, and I plant flowers. I want the very first thing the Emperor sees when he walks in to be these flowers and this greenery.]

[...]

The system went silent for a moment, then was convinced once again.

Three new items appeared in the "Courses" category of the shop.

[Name]: Plant Cultivation and Care

[Type]: Course

[Note]: Borrowed from the farming system next door. The farming system’s note after review: "Grass (a type of plant)."

...

[Name]: Landscape Architecture

[Type]: Course

[Note]: Borrowed from the construction system next door. The construction system’s note after review: "Is this for designing traps in the garden to frame other concubines? I know a thing or two about palace fighting."

...

[Name]: Floral Design

[Type]: Course

[Note]: The farming system’s second note: "So the ’competing in beauty’ part of palace fighting is literally about flowers."