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

Chapter 58: Chapter 49: Little Pitiful Halo 2

Chen Daying took a mouthful of rice and shook her head. "No, it’s still delicious."

"Let’s take a stroll in the Imperial Garden after we finish eating to walk it off."

"Hoping to run into the Emperor? We probably won’t. I heard Zhang Changzai goes every day and hasn’t seen him once."

Jiang Xian shook her head. ’Besides organizing the Emperor’s private treasury, I also have to design a garden. I need to survey all the gardens in the Imperial Palace first, combine that with what my system’s courses taught me, and then I can start the design.’

Jiang Xian had certainly seen her fair share of modern gardens.

It wasn’t for fun, though. Whenever there was a long holiday, the local parks and gardens would be packed with tourists, and she would take on day-labor jobs there to earn money for her living expenses.

*

Jiang Xian went once, memorized the layout of the Imperial Garden and the types of flowers there, and didn’t go back.

Chen Daying, however, developed a fondness for admiring the flowers and started going every day.

But one day, she came back with red-rimmed eyes and walking with a limp, looking as if she had suffered a terrible grievance.

Jiang Xian had Zhenqiu bring a basin of hot water, then took her hand and had her sit down. "What happened? Who upset you?" Then she thought, ’Chen Daying doesn’t like to cause trouble, and her rank is low. To put it bluntly, what’s the use in targeting her in the palace? What kind of person finds amusement in bullying an unfavored Daying? Just how depraved must they be?’

As expected, He Xiang, who stood behind Chen Daying, quickly recounted the events. "It was Consort Guo of Zhongcui Palace! Our mistress had just seen her from a distance. We had intended to pay our respects and then we would each go our own way, but she actually called our mistress over and asked her, ’Where’s Noble Lady Gu?’"

Chen Daying didn’t know what Consort Guo was planning, so she just said she didn’t know.

"Everyone in the palace knows how very close you are with Noble Lady Gu. How dare you be evasive when I ask you a question?" Consort Guo’s eyes darted around as a sickeningly sweet smile spread across her face. She drawled, "Zhang Changzai, look here. Would you say Chen Daying shows me any respect at all?"

Zhang Changzai, who also resided in Zhongcui Palace, chimed in, "It certainly seems that way. I’m afraid bad company has corrupted her."

"I suppose so," Consort Guo nodded with a smile. "In that case, let’s have Chen Daying kneel for a while to clear her head and properly reflect! Oh, but don’t kneel here—I’d worry about you getting sunburnt. Take Chen Daying over to a shady spot. She can kneel there for an hour."

After listening, Jiang Xian looked down to examine Chen Daying’s legs. As expected, her knees were a horrifying swathe of blue and purple.

"Go to the Imperial Hospital and ask for some medicine for swelling and bruising. Before you take it, describe Chen Daying’s condition to make sure you get the right prescription."

Jiang Xian gave the order, and Zhenqiu left to carry it out. Mian Xia, however, was aghast at the sight of the bruises. "How could Consort Guo dare? To be so vicious... what does she gain from this?"

"The last time she tried to speak to me, I ignored her. On top of that, we have some bad blood between us. It’s only natural she’d want to regain the face she lost."

’An unfavored Daying is like a kitten or a puppy in the palace; no sane person would go out of their way to target one. But Chen Daying lives in the same palace as me, and she helped me find the Emperor at Qiankun Palace last time. Anyone with eyes can see she’s one of my people... If you can’t get to the master, can’t you at least kick her dog a few times?’

’Of course, that’s a metaphor I should only keep to myself.’

’It would be too demeaning to say it out loud.’

"Exactly! Don’t they know you’re supposed to see who the master is before you beat their dog?!" Chen Daying said, her eyes welling up with tears.

"..."

’Never mind. This girl’s a bit of an airhead.’

Jiang Xian’s smile vanished. She gently patted Chen Daying’s wrist. "I’ve taken note of this. I won’t let you have knelt for nothing."

*

After punishing Chen Daying, Consort Guo felt she had let off some steam and was thoroughly satisfied.

Zhang Changzai was delighted as well.

She had been slighted by Chen Daying at the Longevity Festival banquet. While Chen Daying had forgotten the incident, Zhang Changzai had held a grudge. ’She’s just a Daying, fawning over Jiang Xian like a dog begging for scraps. What a spineless creature. And what about Jiang Xian? So what if she’s a little favored by the Emperor? She’s still nothing more than the daughter of a low-ranking official.’

However, after the initial satisfaction faded, she grew a little fearful. "Chen Daying is definitely going to go cry to Noble Lady Gu."

"What’s there to be afraid of? I am a Noble Lady, after all. Even if she has a special title, she can’t do anything to me."

Besides, Consort Guo didn’t believe Jiang Xian would actually stand up for Chen Daying.

She projected her own feelings onto the situation. Even with Zhang Changzai fawning all over her, she herself wouldn’t offend someone for a subordinate’s sake, much less run to the Emperor to complain.

*

Jiang Xian counted the days. It had been quite a while since she had last seen the Emperor.

So she purchased a one-time use of Peeping Emperor’s Footprint and saw that the Emperor was not in Qiankun Palace at the moment, but in the study at Weiyang Palace. His status: Resting.

’You have to pick the right time to curry favor. The boss has no time for you when he’s busy—it wouldn’t matter if a goddess herself showed up. Any office worker knows that.’

’Since the Emperor isn’t busy, this will be much easier to handle.’