CHAPTER 17: CHAPTER 17: COUNTERING ATTACKS WITH COUNTERMEASURES

The first to lose her patience was Concubine Wei, who twisted her handkerchief and went to Jianzhang Palace to say many sour things to the Empress.

The content was mostly about how a mere Attendant Lady dared monopolize the Emperor, questioning if the Emperor, who is overwhelmed with state affairs, could still be coaxed to personally visit Xianfu Palace. Surely, she must be an outrageous and unruly person, and looking down even on Concubine Li, who relies on her beauty as a title, assuming her to be serving the Emperor only for the short-term and similar to Attendant Lady Xi.

The Empress listened quietly, agreeing in her heart.

She thought the same, but knew this was not a perspective appropriate for the Central Palace mistress to have and could only say: "As for Concubine Li, when she first entered the palace, she too enjoyed brief favor, but isn’t she living a peaceful life now? However, being fresh and favored is temporary, as you said, a mere Attendant Lady needs not linger in your heart."

"Lady, you are too lenient, allowing such people to thrive."

The Empress let out a soft sigh, unwilling to continue the conversation.

She knew herself to be narrow-minded but not foolish. The concubines sought her only to hear her speak ill of Attendant Lady Xi and exact punishment: "Hearing this all the time tires me, Concubine Wei, you should return."

"Please rest well, Lady. I take my leave."

Concubine Wei, not achieving her goal, left in a huff.

The Empress not only refused to take action but also didn’t concur with her words, avoiding being caught on record. Concubine Wei’s bad-mouthing didn’t come to fruition, so she turned to Zhongcui Palace to have tea and seeds with Consort Xu: "The Empress isn’t in a hurry, she always visits Jianzhang Palace on the first and fifteenth, but what about us? Don’t think the Emperor has only visited Attendant Lady Xi twice, you see, lately except for her, the Emperor has not set foot in the harem... Almost forgot, there’s Attendant Lady Sun too, the feng shui of Xianfu Palace is truly exceptional!"

Consort Xu expressed her shared resentment and then lowered her voice:

"If you can’t invite the Empress to act, you can handle it yourself. Attacking openly may attract the Emperor’s attention, but aren’t there many covert ways to keep her out of his bed? Leave her unattended for half a month, and by the time she can serve again, the Emperor would have long forgotten her..."

Concubine Wei truly felt moved by these words.

But she wasn’t foolish, she still shook her head on the surface: "Forget it, at most she’s just an Attendant Lady, not to be feared. Risking myself isn’t worth it. The ones most unsettled should be the concubines who entered the palace with her. Let those from Yanxi Palace and her dear sister deal with her."

Seeing Concubine Wei was resolute in her decision, Consort Xu didn’t press further and spoke instead about how adorably clever the little Princess was.

"Xiao Ruyi is at the age where she is a handful. Outsiders only find her cute because they don’t have to care for her hand in hand," Wei said with a hidden joy, though her words sounded regretful as she spoke about her three-year-old daughter: "Originally, I could see the Emperor three to four days a month, but sadly, when I was diagnosed with a pregnancy pulse, it kept me from serving the Emperor for an entire year, and the Emperor never thought of me again... Fortunately, I still have Ruyi for company."

The Emperor had few offspring, only two princesses and one prince until now.

Concubine Wei was promoted to Concubine for giving birth to a princess.

Yan Chi’s princess didn’t need to marry off, but ultimately, she would need to be wed. Concubine Wei still wanted a son for her and her daughter’s future security and support. Since she managed to conceive once, it meant she was capable, so she joined the harem’s competition once again, striving to give Ruyi a brother.

In this context, Attendant Lady Xi became quite an eyesore.

Concubine Wei thought of that really pretty face, but unfortunately without a matching clever head, she might not even realize when she steps into a trap in the harem. Failing to distinguish between friend and foe meant she couldn’t stand firm in the harem.

However, Concubine Wei miscalculated one thing.

Yun Jiao was very clear about who her enemies were.

She took a nap in the afternoon and noticed her social circle had a long list of unfamiliar names marked as [Enemies] ... You sit in the palace, enemies come from all directions! It made her worry as she finished two bowls of white rice.

Usually, she ate three bowls.

Xue Ya: "Master’s appetite isn’t very good today."

Yun Jiao nodded: "I always feel like someone wants to harm me."

"Has Master sensed something?" Gong Mei was startled, recalling something: "Even here in Xianfu Palace, palace attendants from Concubine Li’s and Attendant Lady Sun’s residences often poke their heads around or chat with us servants, trying to learn about the daily affairs of the west side room, making Xue Ya anxious every time she returns with meals, fearing the food might be tampered with."

The harem is a battlefield with many monks and little meat.

Those who strike not necessarily love the Emperor passionately, but because all power and benefits revolve around him. Whoever is the Emperor is contested over, as he is the supreme symbol of power, through whom the concubines see prestige, status, and progeny.

Xue Ya agreed: "Both this servant and Gong Mei watch closely, but Master must also be careful."

Yun Jiao kept this in mind.

What tactics are there in the harem battles?

The next day, Yun Jiao witnessed the first move, spotting her flaws in etiquette.

If there were no flaws, then flaws would be manufactured.

Concubine Li, having given up on the two Attendant Ladies in her palace, didn’t bother listening to them during greetings. High-ranking concubines could easily catch her. After every greeting, Yun Jiao actually left early, avoiding trouble, only hampered by her cumbersome palace dress and short legs, so she didn’t go far, getting caught by Concubine Feng, who said sinisterly: "Oh, Attendant Xi, you don’t pay respects to this palace? Feeling a little more favored, you think you can ignore the rules?"

Concubine Feng ambushed at a corner on Yun Jiao’s necessary path back to Xianfu Palace.

Her position was in Yun Jiao’s blind spot, a position masterful in collision claiming.

Yun Jiao conceded, promptly reloading the save point.

The last save was positioned just a bit before greeting, approximately twenty minutes earlier.

This time, before Concubine Feng could step out, Attendant Lady Xi raised her voice heard twenty-five miles away and deeply bowed: "Concubine pays respects to Concubine Feng!!!!"

The serving and passing palace maids and eunuchs instinctively turned their heads.

A few concubines exiting Jianzhang Palace along the way were also startled.

They all became her witnesses.

"...Pay respects, but why so loud?"

Concubine Feng clutched her chest, having failed her plot, stared displeased: "I didn’t even see you, did you see me? Why suddenly stop to pay respects?"

"Didn’t see you, but I smelled the scent from Sister Concubine Feng."

Yun Jiao turned her gaze earnestly.

"Oh? Is it a fragrance?"

"Uh... Sister Concubine Feng says it’s a fragrance, then so it must be."

This time Concubine Feng doubted if she had a widely spread body odor, no longer able to bother Yun Jiao, hurried back to her palace.

Being an experienced player of palace-struggle games, Yun Jiao knew this was just a warm-up.

Equivalent to the beginner’s welcome gift, they haven’t gone all out with her yet, merely testing her resilience and how much protective backing she received from the Emperor.

As Consort Xu passed by and watched the whole affair, Yun Jiao paid respects to her, and without making too much trouble, she remarked: "Attendant Lady Xi, you are clever and somewhat lucky, just happened to notice Concubine Feng’s shadow in the midday sun, and responded in advance? But Attendant Lady Xi, people aren’t always this fortunate."

Yun Jiao: ...

Consort Xu overestimated her intelligence.

After Consort Xu left, Xue Ya told her master not to dwell on it, recalling an instance where Servant Consort Zhang was terrified to illness by two frightening remarks from palace concubines after serving.

"I’m not afraid,"

Yun Jiao said: "Strike and counter-strike, heaven will always be on my side."

At the same time, Xie Zhixing, who was having a hard time explaining deployment to the ministers at the Military Affairs Office and having to repeat it, felt once more that heaven was blind.