Chapter 28
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The Power of the Court: Just a Hand to Cover the Sky (Arch 2)
The matter of the change of maids in Xin Lan’s palace, anyone who has the heart to inquire will know who has been changed.
The consort sat in the palace with a sullen face, touched the ring on her hand, and was suddenly relieved.
Anyway, Xin Lan has been abolished, the maid also has no value to exploit.
She looked at her still young and beautiful face in the mirror and smiled with satisfaction.
“Your Majesty, I heard that the one at the Lotus Palace is very pleased with herself.”
The servant girl whispered as she peeled the lotus seeds for her.
“Let her have her way, stupid woman.”
Concubine Xi said with little concern, crushing the lotus seeds in her mouth, but furrowing her brow.
The maidservant hastened to bring her a handkerchief to spit out the contents of her mouth, and then a tea pot to rinse her mouth.
“Some people, like this lotus seed, look round and full, but bite down on it and it tastes bitter, so people can’t swallow it and have to spit it out.”
The corners of Concubine Xi’s mouth curled up in a smile and she put down the tea caldron in her hand.
“Lan Yi, we can’t be the ones to spit it out.”
“Master is right, do you still want to eat this lotus seed?”
“Yes, why not.”
“Alright.”
Concubine Xi chewed on the lotus seeds, the smile between her eyebrows never came down.
As far as she was concerned, all the other women in the palace were, after all, marinated filth that would be spat out, except for her.
It was not only this family that was happy, there were many who were overjoyed at the downfall of the Empress.
“Congratulations, Your Highness. This is a freshly prepared snack from the imperial kitchen.
Concubine Xi picked up the spoon and took a sip, nodding her head in satisfaction.
“Good, go and enjoy.”
“Yes.”
She had changed into a long, light red dress of golden silk embroidery.
She had never imagined that Xin Lan had been killed in this way, and although she did not know who had done it, it was only a few people.
She had no doubt that Xin Lan would seek her own death, but thanks to the child who was never born, it would have been a long time coming.
Concubine Xi took a sip of the soup and felt the sweetness reach the bottom of her heart.
Soon, she would be sitting in that seat, the one she had longed for.
She was only two or three years behind Xin Lan, and with her status, she could also be the mother of the world, so why should that position be hers?
Guifei touched the phoenix seal resting on her desk and ran her fingertips over it.
The other women did not even think about it, it could only be hers.
Xin Lan ignored the dreams of the others and went about her business in her own cold palace.
Although Si Tong had been sent by the Xin family, it was still essential to test whether she was usable.
Xin Lan will have to do something different in the future, and she will need someone who is smart and bold enough to keep secrets.
Xin Lan was very frank in her questioning, saying that she was useless and had no power or influence, and that there was nothing to be gained from being with her, and that Si Tong could leave at any time if she wanted to.
Si Tong was naturally overwhelmed with fear and said that the Xin family had been kind to her, helping her father who was seriously ill and burying her mother, and that she would never forget this kindness and would be loyal to the Xin family and would not have any other thoughts.
“Loyalty to the Xin family, or loyalty to me, Xin Lan?”
Xin Lan was facing Si Tong, who was more than half a head taller than her, looking down at her with an intimidating presence.
Si Tong hesitated for a moment, but did not give an answer.
“I don’t want you to answer now, you’d better think it over before you tell me the answer.”
The corners of Xin Lan’s mouth lifted gently, her tone as gentle as a spring breeze in March, but it sent a shiver down one’s spine.
Si Tong looked at Xin Lan’s eyes and understood her unspoken words.
The master had given her a choice. Serving the Xin family and serving the master were two different concepts, which meant that the master had cut herself off from the Xin family.
Si Tong did not understand why, even though the master was now a nullified queen, she might not go out, after all, the Xin family’s power was still there.
But after a few days, she understood.
The news of the emperor’s upcoming wedding spread throughout the harem, the palace began to be repainted, and the House of Internal Affairs became busy, knowing that the palace, which had not been empty for a few days, was about to welcome a new master.
Si Tong tossed and turned in her bed, torn between her sanity and her intuition.
She knew that the master she was now following was an abandoned child, but her instincts told her that things were not so simple as to be over.
If the person she was looking at now was going to spend her life alone and lonely in a cold palace, she would not believe it.
Some people could sense that she was unusual just by judging her temperament, and Si Tong was sensitive to the fact that Xin Lan must have her own intentions in asking.
These were perhaps two different options, and Si Tong did not hesitate long in arriving at her answer.
“Si Tong is willing to follow her master for the rest of her life.”
Xin Lan nodded and leaned in close to meet those brown eyes.
Sitong stood rigidly, resisting the urge to shrink.
The moment they looked at each other, they felt as if they were being watched by some terrible beast, too scared to move, lest they be torn to pieces the next moment.
It was an extremely dangerous feeling of wanting to flee. Si Tong did not know how a woman could be so terrifying, but it also made her even more certain that she had made the right choice.
Such a master could not be a mere abandoned child, wasting her life in a cold palace where the grass was overgrown.
The Chintan Supervisor calculated that the appropriate date for the marriage would be in a little more than half a month.
The reaction of the palace was mixed when they learned that His Majesty was about to marry the new Empress.
Consort Xi almost gritted her teeth and smashed something in anger.
“Don’t be angry, Your Highness, it would be bad if your anger damaged your health.”
The servant girl dodged the wreckage in the middle and spoke soothingly.
“How can I not be angry, thanks to my body ‧‧‧‧‧‧.”
The first time a woman is in the middle of a mess, she’s not going to be able to get out of it.
“So she saw it coming, no wonder she said that the other day, no wonder ‧‧‧‧‧‧ I thought I thought she was just resigned to it.”
Guifei murmured, clutching at the corners of her dress.
She thought that she had been handed over the Phoenix Seal, that no one in the palace was more dignified than her, that the Emperor had stayed in her palace for two days in a row, and that she would be able to do so, but instead she heard the news, which was like a blow to the head.
Guifei gradually calmed down, but the resentment in her heart grew stronger and stronger.
The Xin family!
“Do you know who is coming?”
Guifei asked.
“It is said to be the daughter of the one going down.”
“Daughter?”
Stunned, the Concubine paced the hall.
“Where did she come from?”
“Have you forgotten, my lady? The daughter of her elder brother.”
Guifei pressed her forehead and shook her head, unable to remember.
“I have inquired, she seems to be only twelve years old, a little girl.”
“How dare a little girl come in here? How dare she come in here? She’s not afraid of losing her life by sitting in that position! Is the Xin family crazy to send a twelve year old girl who is not even full-grown, who doesn’t know anything and can’t even compete for favour?”
“Who knows what they think.”
The maidservant echoed in a whisper.
Guifei took a few more steps back and forth in the hall, squeezing the phoenix seal in her hand and spreading it out again, looking at it with reluctance.
“If only This Palace could conceive a dragon son.”
She covered her small stomach. She murmured.
“Sooner or later, my master, there will be no hurry.”
“I’ve been in the palace for more than two years, but why can’t I get pregnant?
“Don’t be anxious, my master, think about it, no one else is pregnant either, the one who has gone down has not been able to conceive one for four or five years, not to mention that there are so many beauties in the palace, including those who have been favoured before, but none of them are pregnant, you are the most honoured, why are you anxious?”
“That’s true.”
Guifei settled down and sat down on a chair. The servant girl brought her a cup of cold tea to cool her down.
Sometimes she thought that it was not her own problem, nor that of the women, but that of the One.
After all, in the past four or five years, there have been so many beauties in the palace before and after the ascension to the throne, so how could there be no one pregnant? However, that speculation was too appalling, and if it was true, then there was no way to stop thinking about it, but Lady Liu had a child, and His Majesty was so happy that he would always let her have a child between beds, but it just so happened that she ‧‧‧‧‧‧
It’ s not just her that has this idea, many people have had it, not only in the harem, but also in the court, including Xin Lan…
In fact, Xin Lan also assumed that the emperor was infertile, but she didn’t think that was the case.
Anyway, once she met him in person, she could have Zero Nine give him a full body check-up and find out whether he was infertile or had pyometra, although it was unlikely he had pyometra.
However, she was confined to the cold palace and could not go out to see the Emperor unless he remembered something and wanted to see her as his ex-wife, but judging from the level of scum he was, he probably would not even set foot in the cold palace.
During the half-month waiting for the new empress to enter the palace, several visitors arrived at Xin Lan’s cold palace.
The first visitor was Consort Gui, who had come to ‘see off’ Xin Lan on the day she left.
“Xin Lan, is it hard? Look at you, you have lived half your life, and what have you gotten?
Gui Fei said with an air of compassion, finding a chair and sitting down with an expression of disgust at the lack of softness of the chair.
“Are you not more than I am? I’m afraid you’ve been holding the phoenix seal for a few days, how does it feel to have nothing to enjoy?”
Xin Lan’s sarcastic response was not slow, and her ability to use a blunt knife to slowly rub people down was not bad compared to the violent and direct strikes.
“You!”
Having been poked in the gut, Guifei’s face changed slightly.
The original master and other concubines were already very stable when they were seventeen, but after two years in the palace, the Concubine still seemed to be so prone to emotional outbursts, and was a bit rambunctious, giving people the impression that she had big breasts and no brain, even though her breasts were not big.
“It’s better than being a useless pawn now, waiting to die here alone!”
This was the most frightening ending for a woman in the harem, to lose her favour and be left alone in the palace, waiting for the day when she would be old and pearly.
Xin Lan only smiled and did not answer.
The women in the harem were afraid of losing their favour, or rather, not only the women in the harem, but they only put their self-worth in the hands of men.
But the great Alpha is not afraid of this, how can the realisation of her own value be embodied in someone else’s body.
The sight of her was disgusting to Her Highness.
How could this person smile so calmly at this point? Did she know what she was about to face?
If she were on her own, she would not be convinced. Why should she be used up and thrown away, why should she be treated like this?
Guifei had come to see how miserable Xin Lan had become, but she looked full of energy and even more beautiful than before, not wearing her gorgeous clothes, but with an even greater aura.
It seemed that even in front of her, even in her gorgeous clothes, she was still the same as the concubine who had met the empress in the first place.
“You said to me the other day that it was you who had won, but do you still think you have won?”
“Compared to you, I won!”
“Oh? What have you won?”
“I won over you ‧‧‧‧‧‧”
“Beat me? How have we ever played the game? If we have not played, how can we win or lose?”
“Why not, you don’t know how the palace ‧‧‧‧‧‧ works.”
It”s a good thing everyone knows this, what does it look like to shout it out?
“You know you want that position? But I’ve never had you in my sights.”
Xin Lan sniggered and said his last words slowly and mockingly.
“How dare you! Who gave you permission to say such a thing in front of this palace, you are being disrespectful! Ah Xiu! Slap her!”
Gui Fei didn’t expect Xin Lan to dare to mock her, she had degenerated to such a state and she still dared to speak out.
“Yes.”
The slave girl called Ah Xiu stepped forward and raised her hand to hit Xin Lan.
Chun Yue and Si Tong hurriedly stepped forward, one blocking and the other pulling, rendering Ah Xiu immobile.
Xin Lan bypassed them and went in front of Consort Gui Lan, raising her hand in a gesture to strike.
She closed her eyes reflexively and did not try to hide.
But she opened her eyes immediately in annoyance and heard Xin Lan’s soft laugh, and the anger surged even further.
“What? Waiting for me to hit you?”
“Don’t you dare!”
“Since you’re waiting for me, I’m not afraid to do so, why not?”
Xin Lan kicked her to the ground as soon as she finished speaking, holding her arms low and asking in return.
Guifei had never been hit like that before and was dumbfounded by the kick.
The pain in her abdomen brought her back to her senses, and a footprint was clearly visible on her expensive and delicate dress.
Ah Xiu quickly broke away from the person who was pulling her down and picked her up, patting the dust from her body.
“How dare you disrespect Her Highness!”
Ah Xiu scolded her, but Xin Lan gave her a faint look.
“Your Highness comes to my Yuegong Palace to have a chat with me, so why don’t you allow me, the master, at least, not to welcome you? Since we can’t have a good time, we have no choice but to do it this way. What? Does Your Highness want to go out and make a big announcement that you’ve been bullied by me, the Empress in the cold palace? That’s really not good, is it?”
Xin Lan said with a smile, as if she was talking about something funny.
She wanted to hit back, but she was afraid that this person would be so mad that she would not care if she accidentally hurt her face.
She could only throw up her sleeves and left in a huff.
Xin Lan looked at her back, her smile fading.
“In fact, this person has some eyesight.”
“What is the meaning of this, my lady?”
Si Tong asked curiously, this Consort looked like a paper tiger, how could she be considered to have eyesight?
“She knows that if she doesn’t leave, I won’t have any mercy on her, so I won’t just kick her, I’ll slap her, and she’ll really lose face.”
It wasn’t so silly, but Xin Lan had no intention of actually slapping anyone, as the marks were too obvious, and in case she brought a bunch of people with her, she just wanted to keep a low profile for now.
But if you continue to be ungrateful, there are plenty of ways to make people hurt without leaving a mark, something that the delicate Consort would not want to taste.
Xin Lan is not afraid that Gui Fei will come back for revenge, she would not dare to bring her people here in a grand manner, after all, she has fallen into ruin, but the Xin family has not, and Gui Fei would not dare to discipline her in such a disreputable manner.
Chun Yue, who has been with her master for a long time, only feels that her master’s temperament has changed and she has become more powerful.
Chun Yue thinks it’s a good thing that her master has become more powerful so that she won’t be mistreated, but she feels discontent when she sees how high and mighty the concubine is, but there’s nothing she can do as a maid.
Si Tong didn’t feel any different, she just felt that her master was so strong that she had taken advantage of Concubine’s temperament and felt relieved.
Xin Lan sat back in her seat with a calm demeanour, not showing any sign of the hostility that had suddenly struck her.
In fact, this Consort is very similar to the original owner.
The resemblance was not so much in character as in origin.
However, the difference is that the Xin family has been powerful since the time of the previous emperor and has deep roots, while Guifei’s family was also powerful during the time of the previous emperor, as a result of the family having produced a favourite concubine during the time of the previous emperor, but it was not very powerful at that time, and was promoted by the emperor after his accession to the throne in order to counterbalance the Xin family, but it was still not good enough compared to the Xin family, although it was good enough to overlook all the people in the harem.
Her father, a first-ranking senior minister, is now a member of the Emperor’s inner circle, her brother-in-law is the leader of the Vanguard Battalion, and her sister is married to the legitimate son of the Right Minister.
The Emperor, though a scumbag, is no fool, and is well versed in the ways of the harem as a means of restraining the previous dynasty.
After the departure of Gui Fei, Xin Lan does not have long to relax when a new visitor arrives in the courtyard.
When she looked at Xin Lan, her almond eyes were misted with water, and she had the impression that she might be pitiful and to be cherished.
Xin Lan did not have any pity for her, but her nemesis No. 3 was here, and when combined with her previous behaviour, there was no doubt in her mind.
For the sake of memory, Xin Lan has also given nicknames to several important characters this time around. The arch-nemeses, number one, two and three, are Concubine Xi with a hidden smile, Concubine Qing with a lofty stance and Consort Man with a black heart and a white lotus.
Concubine Xi can endure, if you slap her, she does not fight back and smiles, then turns around and then strikes.
However, if you can’t do it alone, you can do it in a group.
She was different. Before the slap hit her face, she started crying and complaining.
“I can’t believe you didn’t even have a cup of tea when you came here, is this how you treat your guests?”
The words that came out of the beauty’s soft voice were not pleasant.
“If you want tea, why don’t you go back to your Yunxi Palace and drink enough?”
“How can this be? I came here to see you, but don’t you want to welcome me?”
Consort Man sat down on a chair, her arm resting on the armrest, her sleeve slipping down to reveal her small arms, which were as delicate as lotus roots, and the blood jade bracelet on them, which stood out from the rest.
Xin Lan thought for a moment that this seemed to be a bracelet that the original owner had wanted and had asked the House of Internal Affairs to send it to her, but unfortunately the original owner had been disowned before it was sent to her.
Now this bracelet was on Consort Man’s hand, so the meaning was self-evident.
“Although this Biyue Palace is desolate, it is clean, but once sister arrived, it is no longer quiet here, and there is a foul scent, sister, it is really difficult to be welcomed.”
Xin Lan covered her mouth and nose, as if she was being suffocated.
In fact, it wasn’t that much of an exaggeration. Consort Mann’s body smelled very fragrant, but it wasn’t very choking either.
Hearing this, Consort Man did not get upset, she just picked up her embroidered handkerchief and had a sniff, sighing quietly.
“This fragrance is a wonderful scent that has just been brought in, but it’s a pity that you can’t enjoy it anymore, it’s really heartbreaking.”
She looks like she’s crying, but the interest in her eyes is something else.
“It’s a pity that you’re not an actress, if you were, you’d be the best in the capital and astonish the world.”
Xin Lan said in a rather regretful tone.
“How dare you compare me to an actress?”
“I’m just saying.”
Xin Lan lifted it high and lowered it gently, causing Consort Man to frown slightly.
There was something different about this person.
Perhaps she was stimulated by the coldness of the palace, but she was not so bold as to say such things before.
But Xin Lan really felt that there were many talented women in this harem, not only were their acting skills superb, but they were also well versed at the art of making insinuations and accusations hidden in their words.
“You don’t seem to know what’s going on, do you?”
“My sister is not well-informed, for the Empress Dowager has only just left my palace and has come to tell me of His Majesty’s forthcoming wedding.”
Consort Man hid the look in her eyes, she had not met her when she arrived, she thought she was the first, but she had not expected to see an earlier visitor, how thoughtful.
“The mere thought of your daughter sleeping in the same bed you once slept in with His Majesty makes my heart ache, even though it is my sister’s own fault that I have to suffer in this decrepit palace.”
The words were so unpleasant, but Consort Man still looked sincere.
“Do you know what ‘crocodile’s tears’ are?”
Xin Lan looked at the way Consort Man was dabbing the corners of her eyes with her embroidered handkerchief and asked in a rather amused manner.
“I’ve never heard of it, tell me about it?”
Consort Man asked.
“This is a common saying from outside the country. The crocodile is a fierce beast that lives in the water, and every time it looks at its prey, it sheds tears and then swallows them up, sister, do you think this beast is a hypocrite?”
As soon as Xin Lan’s words left her mouth, Consort Mann squeezed her embroidered handkerchief for a moment, realising what she meant.
“But I don’t have anything else to worry about, sister.
“I’m here today to see how you’re doing, nothing else. I’d like you to repent and pray for the child in Lady Liu’s womb, so that he can be reborn into a good family in the next life, so that when you go to hell, the King of Heaven will remember your heart and spare you the sin of falling into the path of animals.”
Consort Man sighed quietly.
This person has a sharp tongue. Xin Lan had just used the word crocodile to say something, and then Consort Man turned around and brought up the animal.
“I don’t need to bother you, my sister, because people are doing what they are doing and Heaven is watching, and good and evil will be rewarded in the end.”
“Of course it’s good that you have this awareness, sister.”
“But some people don’t even have this awareness, don’t you think?”
Consort Man stood up from her chair, covered her lips with her handkerchief and nodded in agreement.
She left with the same fragrant breeze as she had come, and Chun Yue closed the door after she left, grimacing.
“I thought Your Highness’ words were already very unflattering, but I didn’t think that Her Highness’ words would be even worse; she’s so prickly, can’t she speak properly?”
Si Tong rolled her eyes and muttered in a low voice.
“You don’t know, in the past, the Consort Man was even more excessive, that look is really ‧‧‧‧‧‧”
Chun Yue shivered, as if recalling some bad scenes.
“Right, Master, why don’t we lock the door and keep the visitors away, so they don’t bother you again?”
“No, let’s leave it as it is, I don’t think anyone will come.”
This cold palace will probably never be visited again. Gui Fei only wants to provoke, Consort Man is here to watch the fun, and Consort Xi, who is hiding most deeply, will probably not come.
This woman is so cautious that even if her nemesis is down, she won’t come to see her in a sorry state to make her heart happy. Compared to the likes of Gui Fei, who likes to check herself, Consort Xi is probably the kind of person who sits in the palace and waits for her lackeys to tell her what’s going on outside.
Xin Lan sat on a chair, Chun Yue made a fresh cup of tea for her, and Si Tong was shaking her fan.
Zero Nine: Host, the results of the scan are out.
Xin Lan: Speak.
Zero Nine: Both Guifei and Consort Man have no problems with fertility, and there are no major problems, but Guifei is a normal human being and Consort Man is not.
Xin Lan became interested and asked her what was going on.
Zero Nine: There is a flow of qi in Concubine Man’s meridians, probably the internal energy in the world of martial arts, but there is only a trace of it, and more importantly, there is a poison in the incense bag she carries. It’s a poison that makes people’s nerves slow down.
Xin Lan was a bit surprised to learn that there was no such information about Consort Man in the original owner’s memory, and only the Emperor’s story was explained in the subsequent plot, so she did not know what would happen to Consort Man.
Xin Lan recalled the background of Consort Man, who was not a native of Wu but a Princess of a neighbouring country.
When the new Emperor ascended to the throne, it coincided with the time when the General of Zhen Yuan’s army had defeated the enemy, so the neighbouring country asked for a marriage in order to form an eternal friendship, and that is how Consort Man was sent to them.
She was given the name ‘Man‘ not only because of the word ‘Man’ in her name, but also because of her extraordinary dance moves and her slender figure.
The Emperor was delighted to accept her and pampered her for a long time. Little did he know that this princess from a foreign land had some unknown skills.
The nerve-wracking incense pouch is intriguing.
美人雖好，就是帶毒啊。
碧月宮再次恢復了之前冷清的模樣，但是在這宮里的三個人也自得其樂。
春月向來是個沒什麼意思的，就自己在那里做針線活，思彤看起來跳脫其實還是比較穩重的，會自己捧著之前托人買的話本解悶，春月偶爾和她一起看，兩人有時還會湊在一起聊聊宮里的事情。
春月以往跟著原主，是皇後身邊大宮女，見得多也懂得多，宮里的事兒也知道不少，不說姓名，只說趣事。思彤才入宮沒有一年，是新安排進來的人，那些舊的暗樁也不方便調來辛嵐這里，她對于宮外的生活記得還是很清楚的，而且思彤一張嘴可能說，什麼事兒從她嘴里出來，似乎枝頭的啾啾鳥鳴和那街角巷尾的小事兒，都十分有趣，兩個丫頭聊得倒是十分投機。
Xin Lan watched the drama with Zero Nine for fun and was in a good mood.
At dinner time, the third visitor of the past few days arrived at the Biyue Palace.
With the words ‘who could it be’ on her lips, Si Tong ran to open the door and two figures entered the palace.
“Sister, I’ve come to see you.”
She was looking at the humble meal on the table, and her eyes were watery, so she hurriedly asked the girl next to her to bring the food box over.
“Don’t eat this, I’ve brought you the evening meal, eat this.”
Chunyue brought out the contents of the food box, and the aroma immediately filled the palace.
White cut chicken, eight treasure dumplings and slippery shrimps, all exquisite.
“You’ve been so kind.”
Xin Lan thanked her.
“本該在前兩日就來看娘‧‧‧看姐姐的，只不過怕自己招搖了，一直沒敢來，也怪嬪妾人微言輕，也不受寵，幫不上什麼忙。”
女子自責，順口的喊出娘娘，卻立刻發現不對改口，看著辛嵐的眼里滿是關切。
“如妹妹這是說的哪里話，前幾日還有人盯著我，你現在來沒錯，你在宮里也是謹小慎微，怎能因為惹上麻煩，你也別自稱嬪妾了，我如今也不是那高高在上的皇後娘娘了，你要是不嫌棄，咱們以姐妹相稱就可以。”
辛嵐對如昭儀的印象還是很好的，就憑她是這個時候還給原主送溫暖的人。
在原來的又關于原主的後續劇情里，如昭儀也來送過一次飯，讓原主心里好受了很多，起碼在這後宮里待了這麼久，也不算徹徹底底的失敗。
“怎會嫌棄姐姐，姐姐的恩情，妹妹一直記著，妹妹相信那件事定然不會是姐姐做的，只是‧‧‧‧‧‧”
Only there would be no more chances.
“Never mind that. Have you had your dinner?”
“I dare not stay long. I have some of my personal money here, take it and keep it for your own use.”
“No, you don’t have much money, so keep it with you.”
Xin Lan tucked the purse back into Ru Zhaoyi’s hand and shook her head.
“Keep it, sister. You know, this palace is a place where people look down on each other, and there will be a lot of trouble in the future.”
“My mother has brought me some. I am not too miserable even though I am like this, I have a sense of propriety, I appreciate your feelings.”
Xin Lan shook her head, she was not short of money for the time being, and Ru Zhaoyi’s family was not rich either, her father was a honest and upright official, and she was the most modestly dressed of all the concubines of her rank.
“Well, then, I’ll leave now and come back to see you again sometime.”
“Good.”
Ru Zhaoyi and the two servants came and went in a hurry, and the door of the Biyue Palace was quietly closed.
Ru Zhaoyi’s father was an official of the imperial court, in the beginning was also valued by the emperor, so she had a good time, but the officials were originally in a dangerous position, if the monarch was not happy, it was useless to try to admonish.
Because of a decree, Ru Zhaoyi’s father and the emperor confrontation, is felt that this is not right, the emperor is also determined to be that way, naturally will not listen to the subjects, so there is a gap between the ruler and his subjects, even Ru Zhaoyi that child, that the emperor has not set foot for two or three months.
The harem is actually a very realistic place, where the wind blows where it is favoured. When Zhaoyi loses her power, she will inevitably be rectified and ridiculed by those who don’t like her, as the original owner saw at that time, and was told by Zhaoyi to watch out for some people and stay away from them by name.
Later, Ru Zhaoyi’s father was ordered to be imprisoned by the emperor for another incident, but Ru Zhaoyi was worried about her father and did not know what to do, so she went to the original owner and pleaded with her, who of course could not release him, but could find out what was going on in the prison, send someone to take care of him, and finally arrange for father and daughter to meet secretly, for which Ru Zhaoyi was very grateful.
However, when she was about to become a member of the Empress’ faction, the original owner stopped her and told her not to get involved.
The original owner’s words to her on that day turned out to be true, and the story really did come to pass.
Although Xin Lan was not short of money for the time being, she did not spend the money for the sake of her mouth and tongue. Therefore, apart from the food brought by Madam Xin on the day she arrived, Xin Lan’s three meals were the standard cold palace fare of vegetables and bean curd and beans, which were extremely miserable, and every time Chun Yue ate, she felt that she had wronged Xin Lan, but Xin Lan felt that there was nothing to say when the situation in the battle was extremely bad.
After eating the meal brought by Ru Zhaoyi, Xin Lan stood for a while and then took a bath and lay down on the bed.
There were many mosquitoes at night and the cold palace was not equipped to repel them, but Xin Lan still had Zero Nine.
Although there was no way for the system to interfere too much with the mission world, it could still help out where necessary, particularly if it was a small but comforting favour.
Xin Lan pulled out a powerful mosquito repellent spray and sprayed it on the side of the bed to keep the mosquitoes at bay for the night, then returned it to Zero Nine.
Zero Nine took the spray back into the storage box, there were some other things in the box besides the spray, Zero Nine also prepared a snack cabinet, if Xin Lan allowed her to eat when watching the sandplay, then she could eat happily, and the snacks could also be shared with Xin Lan, the rubbish and so on could then be put into the system space.
Both she and the host are just conscious bodies entering, and her dimension is a kind of mimicry, existing in another connected dimension.
Zero Nine: Chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp.
Zero Nine: Do you think we should buy a fridge to put in next time, so that the coke can still be cold, or do you want to put in some cooked food, such as chicken wings and duck necks?
Xin Lan: Maybe you can even buy a soup pot to make soup?
Zero Nine: Yes, yes, that would work too!
Xin Lan: You could just put a kitchen in there and cook your own food, you could even fry your own chicken.
Zero Nine: Can I do that, host?
Zero Nine’s voice was full of hope and she stood up with excitement.
Xin Lan: Dreaming is fine.
Zero Nine: You are such a good person.
Xin Lan: Do you know how to cook?
Zero Nine: No, but I can learn, and I can fry chicken!
Xin Lan pondered for a while and calculated her balance.
Xin Lan: How much space do you have in your system, kid?
Zero Nine: Eight square metres.
The standard system space is about the size of a room. The system bought an HDTV to watch TV, a carpet, a small yellow chicken pillow, a cot and a snack box next to it.
Xin Lan: Think about it, the fridge needs space, the kitchen needs space, we need to be more elegant too, how many energy points do you need?
Zero Nine: Let me calculate, according to the current market price, it costs about one million energy points.
For a mission, the best level of energy points is 100,000, and for a hellish challenge, it’s 205,000 energy points.
Xin Lan thought about her savings and was absolutely fine.
Xin Lan: Yes.
Zero Nine: I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you! I’ll give you fried chicken every day from now on!
Xin Lan: Shut up, I’m going to sleep.
Zero Nine closed her mike for one second.
As Xin Lan lay in bed, she thought that the system was quite adorable.
Perhaps the joy of the system was so profound that Xin Lan had a dream at night.
She was sitting in a cold room wearing a lapel gown and eating a steak that had been fried by Zero Nine.
But that would be after the mission was over, not yet.
As the summer solstice was approaching and the summer heat was approaching, a grand wedding was to take place as scheduled.
T/N:
Your Highness 貴妃 (guìfēi): senior concubine / imperial consort, this includes 娘娘 (niángniang): imperial concubine
After this is something more that i didn’t know how to fit in a readable sentence.
金枝玉葉 (jīnzhīyùyè):golden branch, jade leaves (idiom); fig. blue-blooded nobility, esp. imperial kinsmen or peerless beauty
Daughter: ok so, I mentioned this in the previous chapter I think, I don’t really know if it’s her biological daughter or someone she adopted or was adopted in her name. (It turns out its her brothers daughter, so probably she was adopted by Xin lan)
Origin family background / class origin
hidden smile 笑裡藏刀 (xiàolǐcángdāo): lit. a dagger hidden in smiles (idiom); friendly manners belying hypocritical intentions / when the fox preaches, look to the geese
making insinuations 含沙射影(hánshāshèyǐng);to attack someone by innuendo (idiom) / to make oblique charges / to make insinuations / to insinuate
and accusations hidden 指桑罵槐 (zhǐsāngmàhuái): lit. to point at the mulberry tree and curse the locust tree / fig. to scold sb indirectly / to make oblique accusations (idiom)
own fault 自作自受 (zìzuòzìshòu): to reap what one has sown (idiom) / to stew in one’s own juice
Man : 曼 (màn): handsome / large / long, in this case i suppose it refers to the handsome meaning of the characte
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
The Power of the Court: Just a Hand to Cover the Sky (Arch 2)
The matter of the change of maids in Xin Lan’s palace, anyone who has the heart to inquire will know who has been changed.
The consort sat in the palace with a sullen face, touched the ring on her hand, and was suddenly relieved.
Anyway, Xin Lan has been abolished, the maid also has no value to exploit.
She looked at her still young and beautiful face in the mirror and smiled with satisfaction.
“Your Majesty, I heard that the one at the Lotus Palace is very pleased with herself.”
The servant girl whispered as she peeled the lotus seeds for her.
“Let her have her way, stupid woman.”
Concubine Xi said with little concern, crushing the lotus seeds in her mouth, but furrowing her brow.
The maidservant hastened to bring her a handkerchief to spit out the contents of her mouth, and then a tea pot to rinse her mouth.
“Some people, like this lotus seed, look round and full, but bite down on it and it tastes bitter, so people can’t swallow it and have to spit it out.”
The corners of Concubine Xi’s mouth curled up in a smile and she put down the tea caldron in her hand.
“Lan Yi, we can’t be the ones to spit it out.”
“Master is right, do you still want to eat this lotus seed?”
“Yes, why not.”
“Alright.”
Concubine Xi chewed on the lotus seeds, the smile between her eyebrows never came down.
As far as she was concerned, all the other women in the palace were, after all, marinated filth that would be spat out, except for her.
It was not only this family that was happy, there were many who were overjoyed at the downfall of the Empress.
“Congratulations, Your Highness. This is a freshly prepared snack from the imperial kitchen.
Concubine Xi picked up the spoon and took a sip, nodding her head in satisfaction.
“Good, go and enjoy.”
“Yes.”
She had changed into a long, light red dress of golden silk embroidery.
She had never imagined that Xin Lan had been killed in this way, and although she did not know who had done it, it was only a few people.
She had no doubt that Xin Lan would seek her own death, but thanks to the child who was never born, it would have been a long time coming.
Concubine Xi took a sip of the soup and felt the sweetness reach the bottom of her heart.
Soon, she would be sitting in that seat, the one she had longed for.
She was only two or three years behind Xin Lan, and with her status, she could also be the mother of the world, so why should that position be hers?
Guifei touched the phoenix seal resting on her desk and ran her fingertips over it.
The other women did not even think about it, it could only be hers.
Xin Lan ignored the dreams of the others and went about her business in her own cold palace.
Although Si Tong had been sent by the Xin family, it was still essential to test whether she was usable.
Xin Lan will have to do something different in the future, and she will need someone who is smart and bold enough to keep secrets.
Xin Lan was very frank in her questioning, saying that she was useless and had no power or influence, and that there was nothing to be gained from being with her, and that Si Tong could leave at any time if she wanted to.
Si Tong was naturally overwhelmed with fear and said that the Xin family had been kind to her, helping her father who was seriously ill and burying her mother, and that she would never forget this kindness and would be loyal to the Xin family and would not have any other thoughts.
“Loyalty to the Xin family, or loyalty to me, Xin Lan?”
Xin Lan was facing Si Tong, who was more than half a head taller than her, looking down at her with an intimidating presence.
Si Tong hesitated for a moment, but did not give an answer.
“I don’t want you to answer now, you’d better think it over before you tell me the answer.”
The corners of Xin Lan’s mouth lifted gently, her tone as gentle as a spring breeze in March, but it sent a shiver down one’s spine.
Si Tong looked at Xin Lan’s eyes and understood her unspoken words.
The master had given her a choice. Serving the Xin family and serving the master were two different concepts, which meant that the master had cut herself off from the Xin family.
Si Tong did not understand why, even though the master was now a nullified queen, she might not go out, after all, the Xin family’s power was still there.
But after a few days, she understood.
The news of the emperor’s upcoming wedding spread throughout the harem, the palace began to be repainted, and the House of Internal Affairs became busy, knowing that the palace, which had not been empty for a few days, was about to welcome a new master.
Si Tong tossed and turned in her bed, torn between her sanity and her intuition.
She knew that the master she was now following was an abandoned child, but her instincts told her that things were not so simple as to be over.
If the person she was looking at now was going to spend her life alone and lonely in a cold palace, she would not believe it.
Some people could sense that she was unusual just by judging her temperament, and Si Tong was sensitive to the fact that Xin Lan must have her own intentions in asking.
These were perhaps two different options, and Si Tong did not hesitate long in arriving at her answer.
“Si Tong is willing to follow her master for the rest of her life.”
Xin Lan nodded and leaned in close to meet those brown eyes.
Sitong stood rigidly, resisting the urge to shrink.
The moment they looked at each other, they felt as if they were being watched by some terrible beast, too scared to move, lest they be torn to pieces the next moment.
It was an extremely dangerous feeling of wanting to flee. Si Tong did not know how a woman could be so terrifying, but it also made her even more certain that she had made the right choice.
Such a master could not be a mere abandoned child, wasting her life in a cold palace where the grass was overgrown.
The Chintan Supervisor calculated that the appropriate date for the marriage would be in a little more than half a month.
The reaction of the palace was mixed when they learned that His Majesty was about to marry the new Empress.
Consort Xi almost gritted her teeth and smashed something in anger.
“Don’t be angry, Your Highness, it would be bad if your anger damaged your health.”
The servant girl dodged the wreckage in the middle and spoke soothingly.
“How can I not be angry, thanks to my body ‧‧‧‧‧‧.”
The first time a woman is in the middle of a mess, she’s not going to be able to get out of it.
“So she saw it coming, no wonder she said that the other day, no wonder ‧‧‧‧‧‧ I thought I thought she was just resigned to it.”
Guifei murmured, clutching at the corners of her dress.
She thought that she had been handed over the Phoenix Seal, that no one in the palace was more dignified than her, that the Emperor had stayed in her palace for two days in a row, and that she would be able to do so, but instead she heard the news, which was like a blow to the head.
Guifei gradually calmed down, but the resentment in her heart grew stronger and stronger.
The Xin family!
“Do you know who is coming?”
Guifei asked.
“It is said to be the daughter of the one going down.”
“Daughter?”
Stunned, the Concubine paced the hall.
“Where did she come from?”
“Have you forgotten, my lady? The daughter of her elder brother.”
Guifei pressed her forehead and shook her head, unable to remember.
“I have inquired, she seems to be only twelve years old, a little girl.”
“How dare a little girl come in here? How dare she come in here? She’s not afraid of losing her life by sitting in that position! Is the Xin family crazy to send a twelve year old girl who is not even full-grown, who doesn’t know anything and can’t even compete for favour?”
“Who knows what they think.”
The maidservant echoed in a whisper.
Guifei took a few more steps back and forth in the hall, squeezing the phoenix seal in her hand and spreading it out again, looking at it with reluctance.
“If only This Palace could conceive a dragon son.”
She covered her small stomach. She murmured.
“Sooner or later, my master, there will be no hurry.”
“I’ve been in the palace for more than two years, but why can’t I get pregnant?
“Don’t be anxious, my master, think about it, no one else is pregnant either, the one who has gone down has not been able to conceive one for four or five years, not to mention that there are so many beauties in the palace, including those who have been favoured before, but none of them are pregnant, you are the most honoured, why are you anxious?”
“That’s true.”
Guifei settled down and sat down on a chair. The servant girl brought her a cup of cold tea to cool her down.
Sometimes she thought that it was not her own problem, nor that of the women, but that of the One.
After all, in the past four or five years, there have been so many beauties in the palace before and after the ascension to the throne, so how could there be no one pregnant? However, that speculation was too appalling, and if it was true, then there was no way to stop thinking about it, but Lady Liu had a child, and His Majesty was so happy that he would always let her have a child between beds, but it just so happened that she ‧‧‧‧‧‧
It’ s not just her that has this idea, many people have had it, not only in the harem, but also in the court, including Xin Lan…
In fact, Xin Lan also assumed that the emperor was infertile, but she didn’t think that was the case.
Anyway, once she met him in person, she could have Zero Nine give him a full body check-up and find out whether he was infertile or had pyometra, although it was unlikely he had pyometra.
However, she was confined to the cold palace and could not go out to see the Emperor unless he remembered something and wanted to see her as his ex-wife, but judging from the level of scum he was, he probably would not even set foot in the cold palace.
During the half-month waiting for the new empress to enter the palace, several visitors arrived at Xin Lan’s cold palace.
The first visitor was Consort Gui, who had come to ‘see off’ Xin Lan on the day she left.
“Xin Lan, is it hard? Look at you, you have lived half your life, and what have you gotten?
Gui Fei said with an air of compassion, finding a chair and sitting down with an expression of disgust at the lack of softness of the chair.
“Are you not more than I am? I’m afraid you’ve been holding the phoenix seal for a few days, how does it feel to have nothing to enjoy?”
Xin Lan’s sarcastic response was not slow, and her ability to use a blunt knife to slowly rub people down was not bad compared to the violent and direct strikes.
“You!”
Having been poked in the gut, Guifei’s face changed slightly.
The original master and other concubines were already very stable when they were seventeen, but after two years in the palace, the Concubine still seemed to be so prone to emotional outbursts, and was a bit rambunctious, giving people the impression that she had big breasts and no brain, even though her breasts were not big.
“It’s better than being a useless pawn now, waiting to die here alone!”
This was the most frightening ending for a woman in the harem, to lose her favour and be left alone in the palace, waiting for the day when she would be old and pearly.
Xin Lan only smiled and did not answer.
The women in the harem were afraid of losing their favour, or rather, not only the women in the harem, but they only put their self-worth in the hands of men.
But the great Alpha is not afraid of this, how can the realisation of her own value be embodied in someone else’s body.
The sight of her was disgusting to Her Highness.
How could this person smile so calmly at this point? Did she know what she was about to face?
If she were on her own, she would not be convinced. Why should she be used up and thrown away, why should she be treated like this?
Guifei had come to see how miserable Xin Lan had become, but she looked full of energy and even more beautiful than before, not wearing her gorgeous clothes, but with an even greater aura.
It seemed that even in front of her, even in her gorgeous clothes, she was still the same as the concubine who had met the empress in the first place.
“You said to me the other day that it was you who had won, but do you still think you have won?”
“Compared to you, I won!”
“Oh? What have you won?”
“I won over you ‧‧‧‧‧‧”
“Beat me? How have we ever played the game? If we have not played, how can we win or lose?”
“Why not, you don’t know how the palace ‧‧‧‧‧‧ works.”
It”s a good thing everyone knows this, what does it look like to shout it out?
“You know you want that position? But I’ve never had you in my sights.”
Xin Lan sniggered and said his last words slowly and mockingly.
“How dare you! Who gave you permission to say such a thing in front of this palace, you are being disrespectful! Ah Xiu! Slap her!”
Gui Fei didn’t expect Xin Lan to dare to mock her, she had degenerated to such a state and she still dared to speak out.
“Yes.”
The slave girl called Ah Xiu stepped forward and raised her hand to hit Xin Lan.
Chun Yue and Si Tong hurriedly stepped forward, one blocking and the other pulling, rendering Ah Xiu immobile.
Xin Lan bypassed them and went in front of Consort Gui Lan, raising her hand in a gesture to strike.
She closed her eyes reflexively and did not try to hide.
But she opened her eyes immediately in annoyance and heard Xin Lan’s soft laugh, and the anger surged even further.
“What? Waiting for me to hit you?”
“Don’t you dare!”
“Since you’re waiting for me, I’m not afraid to do so, why not?”
Xin Lan kicked her to the ground as soon as she finished speaking, holding her arms low and asking in return.
Guifei had never been hit like that before and was dumbfounded by the kick.
The pain in her abdomen brought her back to her senses, and a footprint was clearly visible on her expensive and delicate dress.
Ah Xiu quickly broke away from the person who was pulling her down and picked her up, patting the dust from her body.
“How dare you disrespect Her Highness!”
Ah Xiu scolded her, but Xin Lan gave her a faint look.
“Your Highness comes to my Yuegong Palace to have a chat with me, so why don’t you allow me, the master, at least, not to welcome you? Since we can’t have a good time, we have no choice but to do it this way. What? Does Your Highness want to go out and make a big announcement that you’ve been bullied by me, the Empress in the cold palace? That’s really not good, is it?”
Xin Lan said with a smile, as if she was talking about something funny.
She wanted to hit back, but she was afraid that this person would be so mad that she would not care if she accidentally hurt her face.
She could only throw up her sleeves and left in a huff.
Xin Lan looked at her back, her smile fading.
“In fact, this person has some eyesight.”
“What is the meaning of this, my lady?”
Si Tong asked curiously, this Consort looked like a paper tiger, how could she be considered to have eyesight?
“She knows that if she doesn’t leave, I won’t have any mercy on her, so I won’t just kick her, I’ll slap her, and she’ll really lose face.”
It wasn’t so silly, but Xin Lan had no intention of actually slapping anyone, as the marks were too obvious, and in case she brought a bunch of people with her, she just wanted to keep a low profile for now.
But if you continue to be ungrateful, there are plenty of ways to make people hurt without leaving a mark, something that the delicate Consort would not want to taste.
Xin Lan is not afraid that Gui Fei will come back for revenge, she would not dare to bring her people here in a grand manner, after all, she has fallen into ruin, but the Xin family has not, and Gui Fei would not dare to discipline her in such a disreputable manner.
Chun Yue, who has been with her master for a long time, only feels that her master’s temperament has changed and she has become more powerful.
Chun Yue thinks it’s a good thing that her master has become more powerful so that she won’t be mistreated, but she feels discontent when she sees how high and mighty the concubine is, but there’s nothing she can do as a maid.
Si Tong didn’t feel any different, she just felt that her master was so strong that she had taken advantage of Concubine’s temperament and felt relieved.
Xin Lan sat back in her seat with a calm demeanour, not showing any sign of the hostility that had suddenly struck her.
In fact, this Consort is very similar to the original owner.
The resemblance was not so much in character as in origin.
However, the difference is that the Xin family has been powerful since the time of the previous emperor and has deep roots, while Guifei’s family was also powerful during the time of the previous emperor, as a result of the family having produced a favourite concubine during the time of the previous emperor, but it was not very powerful at that time, and was promoted by the emperor after his accession to the throne in order to counterbalance the Xin family, but it was still not good enough compared to the Xin family, although it was good enough to overlook all the people in the harem.
Her father, a first-ranking senior minister, is now a member of the Emperor’s inner circle, her brother-in-law is the leader of the Vanguard Battalion, and her sister is married to the legitimate son of the Right Minister.
The Emperor, though a scumbag, is no fool, and is well versed in the ways of the harem as a means of restraining the previous dynasty.
After the departure of Gui Fei, Xin Lan does not have long to relax when a new visitor arrives in the courtyard.
When she looked at Xin Lan, her almond eyes were misted with water, and she had the impression that she might be pitiful and to be cherished.
Xin Lan did not have any pity for her, but her nemesis No. 3 was here, and when combined with her previous behaviour, there was no doubt in her mind.
For the sake of memory, Xin Lan has also given nicknames to several important characters this time around. The arch-nemeses, number one, two and three, are Concubine Xi with a hidden smile, Concubine Qing with a lofty stance and Consort Man with a black heart and a white lotus.
Concubine Xi can endure, if you slap her, she does not fight back and smiles, then turns around and then strikes.
However, if you can’t do it alone, you can do it in a group.
She was different. Before the slap hit her face, she started crying and complaining.
“I can’t believe you didn’t even have a cup of tea when you came here, is this how you treat your guests?”
The words that came out of the beauty’s soft voice were not pleasant.
“If you want tea, why don’t you go back to your Yunxi Palace and drink enough?”
“How can this be? I came here to see you, but don’t you want to welcome me?”
Consort Man sat down on a chair, her arm resting on the armrest, her sleeve slipping down to reveal her small arms, which were as delicate as lotus roots, and the blood jade bracelet on them, which stood out from the rest.
Xin Lan thought for a moment that this seemed to be a bracelet that the original owner had wanted and had asked the House of Internal Affairs to send it to her, but unfortunately the original owner had been disowned before it was sent to her.
Now this bracelet was on Consort Man’s hand, so the meaning was self-evident.
“Although this Biyue Palace is desolate, it is clean, but once sister arrived, it is no longer quiet here, and there is a foul scent, sister, it is really difficult to be welcomed.”
Xin Lan covered her mouth and nose, as if she was being suffocated.
In fact, it wasn’t that much of an exaggeration. Consort Mann’s body smelled very fragrant, but it wasn’t very choking either.
Hearing this, Consort Man did not get upset, she just picked up her embroidered handkerchief and had a sniff, sighing quietly.
“This fragrance is a wonderful scent that has just been brought in, but it’s a pity that you can’t enjoy it anymore, it’s really heartbreaking.”
She looks like she’s crying, but the interest in her eyes is something else.
“It’s a pity that you’re not an actress, if you were, you’d be the best in the capital and astonish the world.”
Xin Lan said in a rather regretful tone.
“How dare you compare me to an actress?”
“I’m just saying.”
Xin Lan lifted it high and lowered it gently, causing Consort Man to frown slightly.
There was something different about this person.
Perhaps she was stimulated by the coldness of the palace, but she was not so bold as to say such things before.
But Xin Lan really felt that there were many talented women in this harem, not only were their acting skills superb, but they were also well versed at the art of making insinuations and accusations hidden in their words.
“You don’t seem to know what’s going on, do you?”
“My sister is not well-informed, for the Empress Dowager has only just left my palace and has come to tell me of His Majesty’s forthcoming wedding.”
Consort Man hid the look in her eyes, she had not met her when she arrived, she thought she was the first, but she had not expected to see an earlier visitor, how thoughtful.
“The mere thought of your daughter sleeping in the same bed you once slept in with His Majesty makes my heart ache, even though it is my sister’s own fault that I have to suffer in this decrepit palace.”
The words were so unpleasant, but Consort Man still looked sincere.
“Do you know what ‘crocodile’s tears’ are?”
Xin Lan looked at the way Consort Man was dabbing the corners of her eyes with her embroidered handkerchief and asked in a rather amused manner.
“I’ve never heard of it, tell me about it?”
Consort Man asked.
“This is a common saying from outside the country. The crocodile is a fierce beast that lives in the water, and every time it looks at its prey, it sheds tears and then swallows them up, sister, do you think this beast is a hypocrite?”
As soon as Xin Lan’s words left her mouth, Consort Mann squeezed her embroidered handkerchief for a moment, realising what she meant.
“But I don’t have anything else to worry about, sister.
“I’m here today to see how you’re doing, nothing else. I’d like you to repent and pray for the child in Lady Liu’s womb, so that he can be reborn into a good family in the next life, so that when you go to hell, the King of Heaven will remember your heart and spare you the sin of falling into the path of animals.”
Consort Man sighed quietly.
This person has a sharp tongue. Xin Lan had just used the word crocodile to say something, and then Consort Man turned around and brought up the animal.
“I don’t need to bother you, my sister, because people are doing what they are doing and Heaven is watching, and good and evil will be rewarded in the end.”
“Of course it’s good that you have this awareness, sister.”
“But some people don’t even have this awareness, don’t you think?”
Consort Man stood up from her chair, covered her lips with her handkerchief and nodded in agreement.
She left with the same fragrant breeze as she had come, and Chun Yue closed the door after she left, grimacing.
“I thought Your Highness’ words were already very unflattering, but I didn’t think that Her Highness’ words would be even worse; she’s so prickly, can’t she speak properly?”
Si Tong rolled her eyes and muttered in a low voice.
“You don’t know, in the past, the Consort Man was even more excessive, that look is really ‧‧‧‧‧‧”
Chun Yue shivered, as if recalling some bad scenes.
“Right, Master, why don’t we lock the door and keep the visitors away, so they don’t bother you again?”
“No, let’s leave it as it is, I don’t think anyone will come.”
This cold palace will probably never be visited again. Gui Fei only wants to provoke, Consort Man is here to watch the fun, and Consort Xi, who is hiding most deeply, will probably not come.
This woman is so cautious that even if her nemesis is down, she won’t come to see her in a sorry state to make her heart happy. Compared to the likes of Gui Fei, who likes to check herself, Consort Xi is probably the kind of person who sits in the palace and waits for her lackeys to tell her what’s going on outside.
Xin Lan sat on a chair, Chun Yue made a fresh cup of tea for her, and Si Tong was shaking her fan.
Zero Nine: Host, the results of the scan are out.
Xin Lan: Speak.
Zero Nine: Both Guifei and Consort Man have no problems with fertility, and there are no major problems, but Guifei is a normal human being and Consort Man is not.
Xin Lan became interested and asked her what was going on.
Zero Nine: There is a flow of qi in Concubine Man’s meridians, probably the internal energy in the world of martial arts, but there is only a trace of it, and more importantly, there is a poison in the incense bag she carries. It’s a poison that makes people’s nerves slow down.
Xin Lan was a bit surprised to learn that there was no such information about Consort Man in the original owner’s memory, and only the Emperor’s story was explained in the subsequent plot, so she did not know what would happen to Consort Man.
Xin Lan recalled the background of Consort Man, who was not a native of Wu but a Princess of a neighbouring country.
When the new Emperor ascended to the throne, it coincided with the time when the General of Zhen Yuan’s army had defeated the enemy, so the neighbouring country asked for a marriage in order to form an eternal friendship, and that is how Consort Man was sent to them.
She was given the name ‘Man‘ not only because of the word ‘Man’ in her name, but also because of her extraordinary dance moves and her slender figure.
The Emperor was delighted to accept her and pampered her for a long time. Little did he know that this princess from a foreign land had some unknown skills.
The nerve-wracking incense pouch is intriguing.
美人雖好，就是帶毒啊。
碧月宮再次恢復了之前冷清的模樣，但是在這宮里的三個人也自得其樂。
春月向來是個沒什麼意思的，就自己在那里做針線活，思彤看起來跳脫其實還是比較穩重的，會自己捧著之前托人買的話本解悶，春月偶爾和她一起看，兩人有時還會湊在一起聊聊宮里的事情。
春月以往跟著原主，是皇後身邊大宮女，見得多也懂得多，宮里的事兒也知道不少，不說姓名，只說趣事。思彤才入宮沒有一年，是新安排進來的人，那些舊的暗樁也不方便調來辛嵐這里，她對于宮外的生活記得還是很清楚的，而且思彤一張嘴可能說，什麼事兒從她嘴里出來，似乎枝頭的啾啾鳥鳴和那街角巷尾的小事兒，都十分有趣，兩個丫頭聊得倒是十分投機。
Xin Lan watched the drama with Zero Nine for fun and was in a good mood.
At dinner time, the third visitor of the past few days arrived at the Biyue Palace.
With the words ‘who could it be’ on her lips, Si Tong ran to open the door and two figures entered the palace.
“Sister, I’ve come to see you.”
She was looking at the humble meal on the table, and her eyes were watery, so she hurriedly asked the girl next to her to bring the food box over.
“Don’t eat this, I’ve brought you the evening meal, eat this.”
Chunyue brought out the contents of the food box, and the aroma immediately filled the palace.
White cut chicken, eight treasure dumplings and slippery shrimps, all exquisite.
“You’ve been so kind.”
Xin Lan thanked her.
“本該在前兩日就來看娘‧‧‧看姐姐的，只不過怕自己招搖了，一直沒敢來，也怪嬪妾人微言輕，也不受寵，幫不上什麼忙。”
女子自責，順口的喊出娘娘，卻立刻發現不對改口，看著辛嵐的眼里滿是關切。
“如妹妹這是說的哪里話，前幾日還有人盯著我，你現在來沒錯，你在宮里也是謹小慎微，怎能因為惹上麻煩，你也別自稱嬪妾了，我如今也不是那高高在上的皇後娘娘了，你要是不嫌棄，咱們以姐妹相稱就可以。”
辛嵐對如昭儀的印象還是很好的，就憑她是這個時候還給原主送溫暖的人。
在原來的又關于原主的後續劇情里，如昭儀也來送過一次飯，讓原主心里好受了很多，起碼在這後宮里待了這麼久，也不算徹徹底底的失敗。
“怎會嫌棄姐姐，姐姐的恩情，妹妹一直記著，妹妹相信那件事定然不會是姐姐做的，只是‧‧‧‧‧‧”
Only there would be no more chances.
“Never mind that. Have you had your dinner?”
“I dare not stay long. I have some of my personal money here, take it and keep it for your own use.”
“No, you don’t have much money, so keep it with you.”
Xin Lan tucked the purse back into Ru Zhaoyi’s hand and shook her head.
“Keep it, sister. You know, this palace is a place where people look down on each other, and there will be a lot of trouble in the future.”
“My mother has brought me some. I am not too miserable even though I am like this, I have a sense of propriety, I appreciate your feelings.”
Xin Lan shook her head, she was not short of money for the time being, and Ru Zhaoyi’s family was not rich either, her father was a honest and upright official, and she was the most modestly dressed of all the concubines of her rank.
“Well, then, I’ll leave now and come back to see you again sometime.”
“Good.”
Ru Zhaoyi and the two servants came and went in a hurry, and the door of the Biyue Palace was quietly closed.
Ru Zhaoyi’s father was an official of the imperial court, in the beginning was also valued by the emperor, so she had a good time, but the officials were originally in a dangerous position, if the monarch was not happy, it was useless to try to admonish.
Because of a decree, Ru Zhaoyi’s father and the emperor confrontation, is felt that this is not right, the emperor is also determined to be that way, naturally will not listen to the subjects, so there is a gap between the ruler and his subjects, even Ru Zhaoyi that child, that the emperor has not set foot for two or three months.
The harem is actually a very realistic place, where the wind blows where it is favoured. When Zhaoyi loses her power, she will inevitably be rectified and ridiculed by those who don’t like her, as the original owner saw at that time, and was told by Zhaoyi to watch out for some people and stay away from them by name.
Later, Ru Zhaoyi’s father was ordered to be imprisoned by the emperor for another incident, but Ru Zhaoyi was worried about her father and did not know what to do, so she went to the original owner and pleaded with her, who of course could not release him, but could find out what was going on in the prison, send someone to take care of him, and finally arrange for father and daughter to meet secretly, for which Ru Zhaoyi was very grateful.
However, when she was about to become a member of the Empress’ faction, the original owner stopped her and told her not to get involved.
The original owner’s words to her on that day turned out to be true, and the story really did come to pass.
Although Xin Lan was not short of money for the time being, she did not spend the money for the sake of her mouth and tongue. Therefore, apart from the food brought by Madam Xin on the day she arrived, Xin Lan’s three meals were the standard cold palace fare of vegetables and bean curd and beans, which were extremely miserable, and every time Chun Yue ate, she felt that she had wronged Xin Lan, but Xin Lan felt that there was nothing to say when the situation in the battle was extremely bad.
After eating the meal brought by Ru Zhaoyi, Xin Lan stood for a while and then took a bath and lay down on the bed.
There were many mosquitoes at night and the cold palace was not equipped to repel them, but Xin Lan still had Zero Nine.
Although there was no way for the system to interfere too much with the mission world, it could still help out where necessary, particularly if it was a small but comforting favour.
Xin Lan pulled out a powerful mosquito repellent spray and sprayed it on the side of the bed to keep the mosquitoes at bay for the night, then returned it to Zero Nine.
Zero Nine took the spray back into the storage box, there were some other things in the box besides the spray, Zero Nine also prepared a snack cabinet, if Xin Lan allowed her to eat when watching the sandplay, then she could eat happily, and the snacks could also be shared with Xin Lan, the rubbish and so on could then be put into the system space.
Both she and the host are just conscious bodies entering, and her dimension is a kind of mimicry, existing in another connected dimension.
Zero Nine: Chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp.
Zero Nine: Do you think we should buy a fridge to put in next time, so that the coke can still be cold, or do you want to put in some cooked food, such as chicken wings and duck necks?
Xin Lan: Maybe you can even buy a soup pot to make soup?
Zero Nine: Yes, yes, that would work too!
Xin Lan: You could just put a kitchen in there and cook your own food, you could even fry your own chicken.
Zero Nine: Can I do that, host?
Zero Nine’s voice was full of hope and she stood up with excitement.
Xin Lan: Dreaming is fine.
Zero Nine: You are such a good person.
Xin Lan: Do you know how to cook?
Zero Nine: No, but I can learn, and I can fry chicken!
Xin Lan pondered for a while and calculated her balance.
Xin Lan: How much space do you have in your system, kid?
Zero Nine: Eight square metres.
The standard system space is about the size of a room. The system bought an HDTV to watch TV, a carpet, a small yellow chicken pillow, a cot and a snack box next to it.
Xin Lan: Think about it, the fridge needs space, the kitchen needs space, we need to be more elegant too, how many energy points do you need?
Zero Nine: Let me calculate, according to the current market price, it costs about one million energy points.
For a mission, the best level of energy points is 100,000, and for a hellish challenge, it’s 205,000 energy points.
Xin Lan thought about her savings and was absolutely fine.
Xin Lan: Yes.
Zero Nine: I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you! I’ll give you fried chicken every day from now on!
Xin Lan: Shut up, I’m going to sleep.
Zero Nine closed her mike for one second.
As Xin Lan lay in bed, she thought that the system was quite adorable.
Perhaps the joy of the system was so profound that Xin Lan had a dream at night.
She was sitting in a cold room wearing a lapel gown and eating a steak that had been fried by Zero Nine.
But that would be after the mission was over, not yet.
As the summer solstice was approaching and the summer heat was approaching, a grand wedding was to take place as scheduled.
T/N:
Your Highness 貴妃 (guìfēi): senior concubine / imperial consort, this includes 娘娘 (niángniang): imperial concubine
After this is something more that i didn’t know how to fit in a readable sentence.
金枝玉葉 (jīnzhīyùyè):golden branch, jade leaves (idiom); fig. blue-blooded nobility, esp. imperial kinsmen or peerless beauty
Daughter: ok so, I mentioned this in the previous chapter I think, I don’t really know if it’s her biological daughter or someone she adopted or was adopted in her name. (It turns out its her brothers daughter, so probably she was adopted by Xin lan)
Origin family background / class origin
hidden smile 笑裡藏刀 (xiàolǐcángdāo): lit. a dagger hidden in smiles (idiom); friendly manners belying hypocritical intentions / when the fox preaches, look to the geese
making insinuations 含沙射影(hánshāshèyǐng);to attack someone by innuendo (idiom) / to make oblique charges / to make insinuations / to insinuate
and accusations hidden 指桑罵槐 (zhǐsāngmàhuái): lit. to point at the mulberry tree and curse the locust tree / fig. to scold sb indirectly / to make oblique accusations (idiom)
own fault 自作自受 (zìzuòzìshòu): to reap what one has sown (idiom) / to stew in one’s own juice
Man : 曼 (màn): handsome / large / long, in this case i suppose it refers to the handsome meaning of the characte
The Power of the Court: Just a Hand to Cover the Sky Arch 2The matter of the change of maids in Xin Lan's palace, anyone who has the heart to inquire will know who has been changed.The consort sat in the palace with a sullen face, touched the ring on her hand, and was suddenly relieved.Anyway, Xin Lan has been abolished, the maid also has no value to exploit.She looked at her still young and beautiful face in the mirror and smiled with satisfaction.Your Majesty, I heard that the one at the Lotus Palace is very pleased with herself.The servant girl whispered as she peeled the lotus seeds for her.Let her have her way, stupid woman.Concubine Xi said with little concern, crushing the lotus seeds in her mouth, but furrowing her brow.The maidservant hastened to bring her a handkerchief to spit out the contents of her mouth, and then a tea pot to rinse her mouth.Some people, like this lotus seed, look round and full, but bite down on it and it tastes bitter, so people can't swallow it and have to spit it out.The corners of Concubine Xi's mouth curled up in a smile and she put down the tea caldron in her hand.Lan Yi, we can't be the ones to spit it out.Master is right, do you still want to eat this lotus seed?Yes, why not.Alright.Concubine Xi chewed on the lotus seeds, the smile between her eyebrows never came down.As far as she was concerned, all the other women in the palace were, after all, marinated filth that would be spat out, except for her.It was not only this family that was happy, there were many who were overjoyed at the downfall of the Empress.Congratulations, Your Highness. This is a freshly prepared snack from the imperial kitchen.Concubine Xi picked up the spoon and took a sip, nodding her head in satisfaction.Good, go and enjoy.Yes.She had changed into a long, light red dress of golden silk embroidery.She had never imagined that Xin Lan had been killed in this way, and although she did not know who had done it, it was only a few people.She had no doubt that Xin Lan would seek her own death, but thanks to the child who was never born, it would have been a long time coming.Concubine Xi took a sip of the soup and felt the sweetness reach the bottom of her heart.Soon, she would be sitting in that seat, the one she had longed for.She was only two or three years behind Xin Lan, and with her status, she could also be the mother of the world, so why should that position be hers?Guifei touched the phoenix seal resting on her desk and ran her fingertips over it.The other women did not even think about it, it could only be hers.Xin Lan ignored the dreams of the others and went about her business in her own cold palace.Although Si Tong had been sent by the Xin family, it was still essential to test whether she was usable.Xin Lan will have to do something different in the future, and she will need someone who is smart and bold enough to keep secrets.Xin Lan was very frank in her questioning, saying that she was useless and had no power or influence, and that there was nothing to be gained from being with her, and that Si Tong could leave at any time if she wanted to.Si Tong was naturally overwhelmed with fear and said that the Xin family had been kind to her, helping her father who was seriously ill and burying her mother, and that she would never forget this kindness and would be loyal to the Xin family and would not have any other thoughts.Loyalty to the Xin family, or loyalty to me, Xin Lan?Xin Lan was facing Si Tong, who was more than half a head taller than her, looking down at her with an intimidating presence.Si Tong hesitated for a moment, but did not give an answer.I don't want you to answer now, you'd better think it over before you tell me the answer.The corners of Xin Lan's mouth lifted gently, her tone as gentle as a spring breeze in March, but it sent a shiver down one's spine.Si Tong looked at Xin Lan's eyes and understood her unspoken words.The master had given her a choice. Serving the Xin family and serving the master were two different concepts, which meant that the master had cut herself off from the Xin family.Si Tong did not understand why, even though the master was now a nullified queen, she might not go out, after all, the Xin family's power was still there.But after a few days, she understood.The news of the emperor's upcoming wedding spread throughout the harem, the palace began to be repainted, and the House of Internal Affairs became busy, knowing that the palace, which had not been empty for a few days, was about to welcome a new master.Si Tong tossed and turned in her bed, torn between her sanity and her intuition.She knew that the master she was now following was an abandoned child, but her instincts told her that things were not so simple as to be over.If the person she was looking at now was going to spend her life alone and lonely in a cold palace, she would not believe it.Some people could sense that she was unusual just by judging her temperament, and Si Tong was sensitive to the fact that Xin Lan must have her own intentions in asking.These were perhaps two different options, and Si Tong did not hesitate long in arriving at her answer.Si Tong is willing to follow her master for the rest of her life.Xin Lan nodded and leaned in close to meet those brown eyes.Sitong stood rigidly, resisting the urge to shrink.The moment they looked at each other, they felt as if they were being watched by some terrible beast, too scared to move, lest they be torn to pieces the next moment.It was an extremely dangerous feeling of wanting to flee. Si Tong did not know how a woman could be so terrifying, but it also made her even more certain that she had made the right choice.Such a master could not be a mere abandoned child, wasting her life in a cold palace where the grass was overgrown.The Chintan Supervisor calculated that the appropriate date for the marriage would be in a little more than half a month.The reaction of the palace was mixed when they learned that His Majesty was about to marry the new Empress.Consort Xi almost gritted her teeth and smashed something in anger.Don't be angry, Your Highness, it would be bad if your anger damaged your health.The servant girl dodged the wreckage in the middle and spoke soothingly.How can I not be angry, thanks to my body .The first time a woman is in the middle of a mess, she's not going to be able to get out of it.So she saw it coming, no wonder she said that the other day, no wonder I thought I thought she was just resigned to it.Guifei murmured, clutching at the corners of her dress.She thought that she had been handed over the Phoenix Seal, that no one in the palace was more dignified than her, that the Emperor had stayed in her palace for two days in a row, and that she would be able to do so, but instead she heard the news, which was like a blow to the head.Guifei gradually calmed down, but the resentment in her heart grew stronger and stronger.The Xin family!Do you know who is coming?Guifei asked.It is said to be the daughter of the one going down.Daughter?Stunned, the Concubine paced the hall.Where did she come from?Have you forgotten, my lady? The daughter of her elder brother.Guifei pressed her forehead and shook her head, unable to remember.I have inquired, she seems to be only twelve years old, a little girl.How dare a little girl come in here? How dare she come in here? She's not afraid of losing her life by sitting in that position! Is the Xin family crazy to send a twelve year old girl who is not even full-grown, who doesn't know anything and can't even compete for favour?Who knows what they think.The maidservant echoed in a whisper.Guifei took a few more steps back and forth in the hall, squeezing the phoenix seal in her hand and spreading it out again, looking at it with reluctance.If only This Palace could conceive a dragon son.She covered her small stomach. She murmured.Sooner or later, my master, there will be no hurry.I've been in the palace for more than two years, but why can't I get pregnant?Don't be anxious, my master, think about it, no one else is pregnant either, the one who has gone down has not been able to conceive one for four or five years, not to mention that there are so many beauties in the palace, including those who have been favoured before, but none of them are pregnant, you are the most honoured, why are you anxious?That's true.Guifei settled down and sat down on a chair. The servant girl brought her a cup of cold tea to cool her down.Sometimes she thought that it was not her own problem, nor that of the women, but that of the One.After all, in the past four or five years, there have been so many beauties in the palace before and after the ascension to the throne, so how could there be no one pregnant? However, that speculation was too appalling, and if it was true, then there was no way to stop thinking about it, but Lady Liu had a child, and His Majesty was so happy that he would always let her have a child between beds, but it just so happened that she It' s not just her that has this idea, many people have had it, not only in the harem, but also in the court, including Xin LanIn fact, Xin Lan also assumed that the emperor was infertile, but she didn't think that was the case.Anyway, once she met him in person, she could have Zero Nine give him a full body check-up and find out whether he was infertile or had pyometra, although it was unlikely he had pyometra.However, she was confined to the cold palace and could not go out to see the Emperor unless he remembered something and wanted to see her as his ex-wife, but judging from the level of scum he was, he probably would not even set foot in the cold palace.During the half-month waiting for the new empress to enter the palace, several visitors arrived at Xin Lan's cold palace.The first visitor was Consort Gui, who had come to see off' Xin Lan on the day she left.Xin Lan, is it hard? Look at you, you have lived half your life, and what have you gotten?Gui Fei said with an air of compassion, finding a chair and sitting down with an expression of disgust at the lack of softness of the chair.Are you not more than I am? I'm afraid you've been holding the phoenix seal for a few days, how does it feel to have nothing to enjoy?Xin Lan's sarcastic response was not slow, and her ability to use a blunt knife to slowly rub people down was not bad compared to the violent and direct strikes.You!Having been poked in the gut, Guifei's face changed slightly.The original master and other concubines were already very stable when they were seventeen, but after two years in the palace, the Concubine still seemed to be so prone to emotional outbursts, and was a bit rambunctious, giving people the impression that she had big breasts and no brain, even though her breasts were not big.It's better than being a useless pawn now, waiting to die here alone!This was the most frightening ending for a woman in the harem, to lose her favour and be left alone in the palace, waiting for the day when she would be old and pearly.Xin Lan only smiled and did not answer.The women in the harem were afraid of losing their favour, or rather, not only the women in the harem, but they only put their self-worth in the hands of men.But the great Alpha is not afraid of this, how can the realisation of her own value be embodied in someone else's body.The sight of her was disgusting to Her Highness.How could this person smile so calmly at this point? Did she know what she was about to face?If she were on her own, she would not be convinced. Why should she be used up and thrown away, why should she be treated like this?Guifei had come to see how miserable Xin Lan had become, but she looked full of energy and even more beautiful than before, not wearing her gorgeous clothes, but with an even greater aura.It seemed that even in front of her, even in her gorgeous clothes, she was still the same as the concubine who had met the empress in the first place.You said to me the other day that it was you who had won, but do you still think you have won?Compared to you, I won!Oh? What have you won?I won over you Beat me? How have we ever played the game? If we have not played, how can we win or lose?Why not, you don't know how the palace works.Its a good thing everyone knows this, what does it look like to shout it out?You know you want that position? But I've never had you in my sights.Xin Lan sniggered and said his last words slowly and mockingly.How dare you! Who gave you permission to say such a thing in front of this palace, you are being disrespectful! Ah Xiu! Slap her!Gui Fei didn't expect Xin Lan to dare to mock her, she had degenerated to such a state and she still dared to speak out.Yes.The slave girl called Ah Xiu stepped forward and raised her hand to hit Xin Lan.Chun Yue and Si Tong hurriedly stepped forward, one blocking and the other pulling, rendering Ah Xiu immobile.Xin Lan bypassed them and went in front of Consort Gui Lan, raising her hand in a gesture to strike.She closed her eyes reflexively and did not try to hide.But she opened her eyes immediately in annoyance and heard Xin Lan's soft laugh, and the anger surged even further.What? Waiting for me to hit you?Don't you dare!Since you're waiting for me, I'm not afraid to do so, why not?Xin Lan kicked her to the ground as soon as she finished speaking, holding her arms low and asking in return.Guifei had never been hit like that before and was dumbfounded by the kick.The pain in her abdomen brought her back to her senses, and a footprint was clearly visible on her expensive and delicate dress.Ah Xiu quickly broke away from the person who was pulling her down and picked her up, patting the dust from her body.How dare you disrespect Her Highness!Ah Xiu scolded her, but Xin Lan gave her a faint look.Your Highnesscomes to my Yuegong Palace to have a chat with me, so why don't you allow me, the master, at least, not to welcome you? Since we can't have a good time, we have no choice but to do it this way. What? Does Your Highness want to go out and make a big announcement that you've been bullied by me, the Empress in the cold palace? That's really not good, is it?Xin Lan said with a smile, as if she was talking about something funny.She wanted to hit back, but she was afraid that this person would be so mad that she would not care if she accidentally hurt her face.She could only throw up her sleeves and left in a huff.Xin Lan looked at her back, her smile fading.In fact, this person has some eyesight.What is the meaning of this, my lady?Si Tong asked curiously, this Consort looked like a paper tiger, how could she be considered to have eyesight?She knows that if she doesn't leave, I won't have any mercy on her, so I won't just kick her, I'll slap her, and she'll really lose face.It wasn't so silly, but Xin Lan had no intention of actually slapping anyone, as the marks were too obvious, and in case she brought a bunch of people with her, she just wanted to keep a low profile for now.But if you continue to be ungrateful, there are plenty of ways to make people hurt without leaving a mark, something that the delicate Consort would not want to taste.Xin Lan is not afraid that Gui Fei will come back for revenge, she would not dare to bring her people here in a grand manner, after all, she has fallen into ruin, but the Xin family has not, and Gui Fei would not dare to discipline her in such a disreputable manner.Chun Yue, who has been with her master for a long time, only feels that her master's temperament has changed and she has become more powerful.Chun Yue thinks it's a good thing that her master has become more powerful so that she won't be mistreated, but she feels discontent when she sees how high and mighty the concubine is, but there's nothing she can do as a maid.Si Tong didn't feel any different, she just felt that her master was so strong that she had taken advantage of Concubine's temperament and felt relieved.Xin Lan sat back in her seat with a calm demeanour, not showing any sign of the hostility that had suddenly struck her.In fact, this Consort is very similar to the original owner.The resemblance was not so much in character as inorigin.However, the difference is that the Xin family has been powerful since the time of the previous emperor and has deep roots, while Guifei's family was also powerful during the time of the previous emperor, as a result of the family having produced a favourite concubine during the time of the previous emperor, but it was not very powerful at that time, and was promoted by the emperor after his accession to the throne in order to counterbalance the Xin family, but it was still not good enough compared to the Xin family, although it was good enough to overlook all the people in the harem.Her father, a first-ranking senior minister, is now a member of the Emperor's inner circle, her brother-in-law is the leader of the Vanguard Battalion, and her sister is married to the legitimate son of the Right Minister.The Emperor, though a scumbag, is no fool, and is well versed in the ways of the harem as a means of restraining the previous dynasty.After the departure of Gui Fei, Xin Lan does not have long to relax when a new visitor arrives in the courtyard.When she looked at Xin Lan, her almond eyes were misted with water, and she had the impression that she might be pitiful and to be cherished.Xin Lan did not have any pity for her, but her nemesis No. 3 was here, and when combined with her previous behaviour, there was no doubt in her mind.For the sake of memory, Xin Lan has also given nicknames to several important characters this time around. The arch-nemeses, number one, two and three, are Concubine Xi with ahidden smile, Concubine Qing with a lofty stance and Consort Man with a black heart and a white lotus.Concubine Xi can endure, if you slap her, she does not fight back and smiles, then turns around and then strikes.However, if you can't do it alone, you can do it in a group.She was different. Before the slap hit her face, she started crying and complaining.I can't believe you didn't even have a cup of tea when you came here, is this how you treat your guests?The words that came out of the beauty's soft voice were not pleasant.If you want tea, why don't you go back to your Yunxi Palace and drink enough?How can this be? I came here to see you, but don't you want to welcome me?Consort Man sat down on a chair, her arm resting on the armrest, her sleeve slipping down to reveal her small arms, which were as delicate as lotus roots, and the blood jade bracelet on them, which stood out from the rest.Xin Lan thought for a moment that this seemed to be a bracelet that the original owner had wanted and had asked the House of Internal Affairs to send it to her, but unfortunately the original owner had been disowned before it was sent to her.Now this bracelet was on Consort Man's hand, so the meaning was self-evident.Although this Biyue Palace is desolate, it is clean, but once sister arrived, it is no longer quiet here, and there is a foul scent, sister, it is really difficult to be welcomed.Xin Lan covered her mouth and nose, as if she was being suffocated.In fact, it wasn't that much of an exaggeration. Consort Mann's body smelled very fragrant, but it wasn't very choking either.Hearing this, Consort Man did not get upset, she just picked up her embroidered handkerchief and had a sniff, sighing quietly.This fragrance is a wonderful scent that has just been brought in, but it's a pity that you can't enjoy it anymore, it's really heartbreaking.She looks like she's crying, but the interest in her eyes is something else.It's a pity that you're not an actress, if you were, you'd be the best in the capital and astonish the world.Xin Lan said in a rather regretful tone.How dare you compare me to an actress?I'm just saying.Xin Lan lifted it high and lowered it gently, causing Consort Man to frown slightly.There was something different about this person.Perhaps she was stimulated by the coldness of the palace, but she was not so bold as to say such things before.But Xin Lan really felt that there were many talented women in this harem, not only were their acting skills superb, but they were also well versed at the art ofmaking insinuations and accusations hiddenin their words.You don't seem to know what's going on, do you?My sister is not well-informed, for the Empress Dowager has only just left my palace and has come to tell me of His Majesty's forthcoming wedding.Consort Man hid the look in her eyes, she had not met her when she arrived, she thought she was the first, but she had not expected to see an earlier visitor, how thoughtful.The mere thought of your daughter sleeping in the same bed you once slept in with His Majesty makes my heart ache, even though it is my sister'sown faultthat I have to suffer in this decrepit palace.The words were so unpleasant, but Consort Man still looked sincere.Do you know what crocodile's tears' are?Xin Lan looked at the way Consort Man was dabbing the corners of her eyes with her embroidered handkerchief and asked in a rather amused manner.I've never heard of it, tell me about it?Consort Man asked.This is a common saying from outside the country. The crocodile is a fierce beast that lives in the water, and every time it looks at its prey, it sheds tears and then swallows them up, sister, do you think this beast is a hypocrite?As soon as Xin Lan's words left her mouth, Consort Mann squeezed her embroidered handkerchief for a moment, realising what she meant.But I don't have anything else to worry about, sister.I'm here today to see how you're doing, nothing else. I'd like you to repent and pray for the child in Lady Liu's womb, so that he can be reborn into a good family in the next life, so that when you go to hell, the King of Heaven will remember your heart and spare you the sin of falling into the path of animals.Consort Man sighed quietly.This person has a sharp tongue. Xin Lan had just used the word crocodile to say something, and then Consort Man turned around and brought up the animal.I don't need to bother you, my sister, because people are doing what they are doing and Heaven is watching, and good and evil will be rewarded in the end.Of course it's good that you have this awareness, sister.But some people don't even have this awareness, don't you think?Consort Man stood up from her chair, covered her lips with her handkerchief and nodded in agreement.She left with the same fragrant breeze as she had come, and Chun Yue closed the door after she left, grimacing.I thought Your Highness' words were already very unflattering, but I didn't think that Her Highness' words would be even worse; she's so prickly, can't she speak properly?Si Tong rolled her eyes and muttered in a low voice.You don't know, in the past, the Consort Man was even more excessive, that look is really Chun Yue shivered, as if recalling some bad scenes.Right, Master, why don't we lock the door and keep the visitors away, so they don't bother you again?No, let's leave it as it is, I don't think anyone will come.This cold palace will probably never be visited again. Gui Fei only wants to provoke, Consort Man is here to watch the fun, and Consort Xi, who is hiding most deeply, will probably not come.This woman is so cautious that even if her nemesis is down, she won't come to see her in a sorry state to make her heart happy. Compared to the likes of Gui Fei, who likes to check herself, Consort Xi is probably the kind of person who sits in the palace and waits for her lackeys to tell her what's going on outside.Xin Lan sat on a chair, Chun Yue made a fresh cup of tea for her, and Si Tong was shaking her fan.Zero Nine: Host, the results of the scan are out.Xin Lan: Speak.Zero Nine: Both Guifei and Consort Man have no problems with fertility, and there are no major problems, but Guifei is a normal human being and Consort Man is not.Xin Lan became interested and asked her what was going on.Zero Nine: There is a flow of qi in Concubine Man's meridians, probably the internal energy in the world of martial arts, but there is only a trace of it, and more importantly, there is a poison in the incense bag she carries. It's a poison that makes people's nerves slow down.Xin Lan was a bit surprised to learn that there was no such information about Consort Man in the original owner's memory, and only the Emperor's story was explained in the subsequent plot, so she did not know what would happen to Consort Man.Xin Lan recalled the background of Consort Man, who was not a native of Wu but a Princess of a neighbouring country.When the new Emperor ascended to the throne, it coincided with the time when the General of Zhen Yuan's army had defeated the enemy, so the neighbouring country asked for a marriage in order to form an eternal friendship, and that is how Consort Man was sent to them.She was given the name Man not only because of the word Man' in her name, but also because of her extraordinary dance moves and her slender figure.The Emperor was delighted to accept her and pampered her for a long time. Little did he know that this princess from a foreign land had some unknown skills.The nerve-wracking incense pouch is intriguing.Xin Lan watched the drama with Zero Nine for fun and was in a good mood.At dinner time, the third visitor of the past few days arrived at the Biyue Palace.With the words who could it be' on her lips, Si Tong ran to open the door and two figures entered the palace.Sister, I've come to see you.She was looking at the humble meal on the table, and her eyes were watery, so she hurriedly asked the girl next to her to bring the food box over.Don't eat this, I've brought you the evening meal, eat this.Chunyue brought out the contents of the food box, and the aroma immediately filled the palace.White cut chicken, eight treasure dumplings and slippery shrimps, all exquisite.You've been so kind.Xin Lan thanked her.Only there would be no more chances.Never mind that. Have you had your dinner?I dare not stay long. I have some of my personal money here, take it and keep it for your own use.No, you don't have much money, so keep it with you.Xin Lan tucked the purse back into Ru Zhaoyi's hand and shook her head.Keep it, sister. You know, this palace is a place where people look down on each other, and there will be a lot of trouble in the future.My mother has brought me some. I am not too miserable even though I am like this, I have a sense of propriety, I appreciate your feelings.Xin Lan shook her head, she was not short of money for the time being, and Ru Zhaoyi's family was not rich either, her father was a honest and upright official, and she was the most modestly dressed of all the concubines of her rank.Well, then, I'll leave now and come back to see you again sometime.Good.Ru Zhaoyi and the two servants came and went in a hurry, and the door of the Biyue Palace was quietly closed.Ru Zhaoyi's father was an official of the imperial court, in the beginning was also valued by the emperor, so she had a good time, but the officials were originally in a dangerous position, if the monarch was not happy, it was useless to try to admonish.Because of a decree, Ru Zhaoyi's father and the emperor confrontation, is felt that this is not right, the emperor is also determined to be that way, naturally will not listen to the subjects, so there is a gap between the ruler and his subjects, even Ru Zhaoyi that child, that the emperor has not set foot for two or three months.The harem is actually a very realistic place, where the wind blows where it is favoured. When Zhaoyi loses her power, she will inevitably be rectified and ridiculed by those who don't like her, as the original owner saw at that time, and was told by Zhaoyi to watch out for some people and stay away from them by name.Later, Ru Zhaoyi's father was ordered to be imprisoned by the emperor for another incident, but Ru Zhaoyi was worried about her father and did not know what to do, so she went to the original owner and pleaded with her, who of course could not release him, but could find out what was going on in the prison, send someone to take care of him, and finally arrange for father and daughter to meet secretly, for which Ru Zhaoyi was very grateful.However, when she was about to become a member of the Empress' faction, the original owner stopped her and told her not to get involved.The original owner's words to her on that day turned out to be true, and the story really did come to pass.Although Xin Lan was not short of money for the time being, she did not spend the money for the sake of her mouth and tongue. Therefore, apart from the food brought by Madam Xin on the day she arrived, Xin Lan's three meals were the standard cold palace fare of vegetables and bean curd and beans, which were extremely miserable, and every time Chun Yue ate, she felt that she had wronged Xin Lan, but Xin Lan felt that there was nothing to say when the situation in the battle was extremely bad.After eating the meal brought by Ru Zhaoyi, Xin Lan stood for a while and then took a bath and lay down on the bed.There were many mosquitoes at night and the cold palace was not equipped to repel them, but Xin Lan still had Zero Nine.Although there was no way for the system to interfere too much with the mission world, it could still help out where necessary, particularly if it was a small but comforting favour.Xin Lan pulled out a powerful mosquito repellent spray and sprayed it on the side of the bed to keep the mosquitoes at bay for the night, then returned it to Zero Nine.Zero Nine took the spray back into the storage box, there were some other things in the box besides the spray, Zero Nine also prepared a snack cabinet, if Xin Lan allowed her to eat when watching the sandplay, then she could eat happily, and the snacks could also be shared with Xin Lan, the rubbish and so on could then be put into the system space.Both she and the host are just conscious bodies entering, and her dimension is a kind of mimicry, existing in another connected dimension.Zero Nine: Chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp.Zero Nine: Do you think we should buy a fridge to put in next time, so that the coke can still be cold, or do you want to put in some cooked food, such as chicken wings and duck necks?Xin Lan: Maybe you can even buy a soup pot to make soup?Zero Nine: Yes, yes, that would work too!Xin Lan: You could just put a kitchen in there and cook your own food, you could even fry your own chicken.Zero Nine: Can I do that, host?Zero Nine's voice was full of hope and she stood up with excitement.Xin Lan: Dreaming is fine.Zero Nine: You are such a good person.Xin Lan: Do you know how to cook?Zero Nine: No, but I can learn, and I can fry chicken!Xin Lan pondered for a while and calculated her balance.Xin Lan: How much space do you have in your system, kid?Zero Nine: Eight square metres.The standard system space is about the size of a room. The system bought an HDTV to watch TV, a carpet, a small yellow chicken pillow, a cot and a snack box next to it.Xin Lan: Think about it, the fridge needs space, the kitchen needs space, we need to be more elegant too, how many energy points do you need?Zero Nine: Let me calculate, according to the current market price, it costs about one million energy points.For a mission, the best level of energy points is 100,000, and for a hellish challenge, it's 205,000 energy points.Xin Lan thought about her savings and was absolutely fine.Xin Lan: Yes.Zero Nine: I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you! I'll give you fried chicken every day from now on!Xin Lan: Shut up, I'm going to sleep.Zero Nine closed her mike for one second.As Xin Lan lay in bed, she thought that the system was quite adorable.Perhaps the joy of the system was so profound that Xin Lan had a dream at night.She was sitting in a cold room wearing a lapel gown and eating a steak that had been fried by Zero Nine.But that would be after the mission was over, not yet.As the summer solstice was approaching and the summer heat was approaching, a grand wedding was to take place as scheduled.T/N:Your Highness gufi: senior concubine / imperial consort, this includes ningniang: imperial concubineAfter this is something more that i didn't know how to fit in a readable sentence. jnzhyy:golden branch, jade leaves idiom; fig. blue-blooded nobility, esp. imperial kinsmen or peerless beautyDaughter: ok so, I mentioned this in the previous chapter I think, I don't really know if it's her biological daughter or someone she adopted or was adopted in her name. It turns out its her brothers daughter, so probably she was adopted by Xin lanOrigin family background / class originhidden smile xiolcngdo: lit. a dagger hidden in smiles idiom; friendly manners belying hypocritical intentions / when the fox preaches, look to the geesemaking insinuations hnshshyng;to attack someone by innuendo idiom / to make oblique charges / to make insinuations / to insinuateand accusations hidden zhsngmhui: lit. to point at the mulberry tree and curse the locust tree / fig. to scold sb indirectly / to make oblique accusations idiomown fault zzuzshu: to reap what one has sown idiom / to stew in one's own juiceMan : mn: handsome / large / long, in this case i suppose it refers to the handsome meaning of the characte
