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

Chapter 60: Chapter 50: The Max-Level Poor Little Thing

The Emperor’s attention was split.

The human heart is partial, so his attention naturally favored Jiang Xian. It was roughly an 80/20 split—Jiang Xian held eighty percent of his focus, Chen Daying twenty. And even that twenty percent was only captured because of Chen Daying’s wretched state.

Palace women placed the utmost importance on their deportment. Even when crying, they would keep their lovely eyes wide as two streams of clear tears trickled down. But not Chen Daying. Her face crumpled, tears streamed down like a waterfall, and she bit her lower lip hard, struggling not to sob aloud, terrified of committing a breach of etiquette in his presence.

It hurt. It hurt so much.

A moment ago, it had been bad enough with Jiang Xian and He Xiang pressing down on either of her knees. But now, He Xiang, afraid her mistress would ruin the Noble Lady’s grand plan, was secretly pinching the flesh of her lower back with all her might. The worst that could happen was that she’d have to kowtow and beg her mistress for forgiveness later. Thus, the resulting performance of agony was all raw emotion and no acting technique.

"Liang Yuyin, go quickly and summon an Imperial Physician,"

The Emperor was alarmed. "Help your mistress to the couch in the side hall to rest."

He didn’t know Chen Daying had only injured her knees. Seeing her cry so miserably, as if she might drop dead at any moment, his thoughts filled with typically imperial callousness—

’Just don’t let her die in my beloved concubine’s main hall.’

’What terrible luck that would be.’

Of course, despite these thoughts, he didn’t hesitate to order the Imperial Physicians to spare no effort in treating her. The imperial retinue always included swift-footed little eunuchs, ready to relay any urgent decrees from the Emperor at a moment’s notice. Once the little eunuch received the token, he was exempt from the Palace Rules requiring all Palace Attendants to move with graceful deportment. He flew toward the Imperial Hospital like an arrow, terrified that a single slow step would mean Chen Daying’s death.

He Xiang acknowledged the command and helped Chen Daying back to the side hall.

Once they were alone in the side hall’s bedroom, Chen Daying finally let her composure break. She collapsed onto the daybed, grimacing. "Mother of mercy! Were you trying to kill me?! Was that really necessary?"

"Spare me, my lady..."

He Xiang knelt by the daybed, humbly massaging her mistress’s legs.

But then one of her fists landed right on her knee again.

Chen Daying hissed in a sharp breath. "I’m the one who should be begging you to spare me."

※

Only after Chen Daying was sent away to the side hall did Jiang Xian finally raise her head to look at the Emperor.

At that moment, the Xi Shi Blame Template in her mind advised her telepathically: ’Gently furrow your brows and press a hand to your heart.’

’I know how to furrow my brows, but won’t pressing a hand to my heart seem too melodramatic?’

’Of course not. Listen to me. If you’re not melodramatic enough, men won’t even notice.’

Jiang Xian had a sudden realization.

So, it turned out that acting pitiful in front of a man was just like pretending to work hard for your boss. You had to be incredibly obvious about it. So obvious that your colleagues would whisper that you must have a million-dollar online debt to be fawning and selling your soul with such humiliating dedication. Only then would the boss understand.

When it came to playing the part of a sickly Beauty, Xi Shi was the expert.

With her Little Pitiful Halo activated, the Emperor saw his beloved concubine’s delicate brows furrow slightly. She had a haggard, sickly pallor, the corners of her eyes were flushed red, and she seemed dazed and helpless from the fright...

Before she could speak, Xi Shi reminded her again: ’Focus your breath in your Dantian. Your voice must be delicate and sorrowful.’

’Dantian...’

’Where is the Dantian!’

Jiang Xian vaguely recalled that the Dantian was located somewhere below the navel. Her usual core workouts suddenly came in handy. Under Xi Shi’s technical direction, she managed to produce an "Emperor..." that was both heart-wrenchingly sorrowful and soul-stirringly dramatic.

After speaking, she made to rise and curtsy.

The Emperor quickly pushed her back down into her chair and sat beside her. "My beloved concubine, why do you look so pale?"

Jiang Xian didn’t answer. Her eyes fell on Mian Xia, who had followed the Emperor inside, and she spoke with frustration, "I just felt a slight tightness in my chest. A little rest would have been enough. How could you go and bother the Emperor? His Majesty himself told me last time to go to the Empress first for any matter. I thought it was just a minor ailment, and with the Emperor being so busy, how could I possibly..."

As she spoke, her eyes reddened once more. "But now that I see the Emperor, my heart can’t help but rejoice. I deserve a thousand deaths for this feeling... No wonder people say I lack decorum."

This display of both yearning and restraint from his beloved concubine struck the Emperor as pitiable and endearing. How could he possibly blame her?

But the Emperor latched onto something else. "Who says you lack decorum?"

The chance to lodge her complaint had arrived!

Xi Shi began her remote coaching:

’When you’re stating your grievance, you must never actually feel aggrieved.’

’The moment you feel wronged, you’ll become incoherent.’

’You must state your case eloquently, like a storyteller weaving a tale. Your goal is to make your listener identify with your plight. Make them pity you. Make them magnify your suffering in their own minds. Make them believe that your circumstances are extenuating, and that your enemies are unpardonable.’