CHAPTER 86: CHAPTER 81: SAVE POINT

Consort Jiang dared not cause trouble at this moment, so after completing the ritual, she sat down quietly.

Though she didn’t make trouble, someone else did on her behalf.

"I saw Consort Jiang staring at Consort Xu’s seat just now. Do you want to sit there?"

Yun Jiao directly fanned the flames.

Birds of a feather flock together, and Consort Xu was born from the favor of Concubine Wei. Although her words weren’t as sharp as Concubine Wei’s, she was even more petty. Consort Xu glared: "If she wants to sit, should we just give it to her? I’ve sat here for so long, how can someone just take my spot? What kind of person is she?"

Concubine Wei’s lips twitched slightly.

After thinking it over, since they were cornering the Jiang Family, she joined in, saying: "Consort!"

If the pandas in the Imperial Palace get skinny from hunger, it’s definitely because the bamboo was all snatched away by Concubine Wei.

Yun Jiao nodded seriously: "Yes, yes, yes, Consort."

The word ’Consort’ was shouted so much that it nearly made Consort Jiang faint.

She spoke up: "I just glanced at Consort Xu, but Concubine Xi insists on blaming me, making me anxious and unsure what to do."

"Oh, so I misunderstood Consort Jiang! My apologies to Consort Jiang, you won’t hold it against me, will you?"

Yun Jiao cheerfully apologized.

A higher rank suppresses people; this was something Consort Jiang had taught her before.

Now that she received the same treatment, Consort Jiang felt so embarrassed and angry that her face almost turned red, revealing none of her former authority.

"Lady spoke out of turn, how could I hold a grudge?"

Consort Jiang held her voice firm, not wishing for others to see her weakness.

"You all just love teasing each other," Lady Shufei said, raising a cup of tea gracefully, "Why don’t you talk about something happy? Time really flies; when I look back, it feels like it was just yesterday that Concubine Xi was standing at the door, and now, here she is, sitting among us."

She paused, her smile dazzlingly beautiful: "I truly look forward to the day when Concubine Xi can sit in my position."

"That wouldn’t be proper,"

Yun Jiao suddenly became shy: "Although... I too would love to sit on Lady Shufei’s lap."

The concubines: !!!!!

Wait, is this really something you can say!?

Lady Shufei was stunned for a moment, losing some of her ethereal aura: "Concubine Xi always loves to joke."

Concubine Li sighed in wonder.

In the harem, only Yun Jiao could bring Lady Shufei back down to earth. Interesting, she liked to watch.

"I’m not joking, I really want to sit there and absorb some of Lady Shufei’s noble aura, hoping to get promoted soon," Yun Jiao continued to speak without a filter: "I was able to quickly rise to the position of Concubine thanks to sitting on Concubine Li’s lap intermittently."

Suddenly named, Concubine Li endured the baptism of everyone’s odd gazes.

...She wasn’t, she hadn’t, don’t spread rumors!

Concubine Li: "That’s not true, Concubine Xi truly loves to joke."

Today’s greetings concluded in a rather awkward atmosphere.

When they rose to leave Jianzhang Palace, Attendant Lady Sun bravely called out: "Concubine Li, Concubine Li..."

"Hmm?"

"I also want to..."

"You want what?" Concubine Li didn’t catch on.

"I also want to absorb your noble aura."

"...Shut up."

Concubine Li really wanted to kick her back to Jianzhang Palace, forbidding her return to Xianfu Palace.

After leaving Jianzhang Palace, Concubine Wei called Yun Jiao over, curiously asking: "You offended Consort Jiang so severely today, aren’t you afraid she’ll come back for revenge in the future?"

"Before, when I didn’t offend her, she was already plotting against me, so I might as well actually offend her."

Concubine Wei looked up at the cloudless, fine day:

"True, now that it’s getting colder, I should also go kick someone when they’re down."

...

Back in Xianfu Palace, shortly after lying down, Yun Jiao learned her name had been chosen.

Day after day, it’s exhausting!

Does promotion mean you must work harder?

She wished her salary wasn’t tied to her work performance, getting paid the same without clocking in, and getting double pay if she did.

The weather was so cold, she didn’t want to go out in a sedan chair.

Yun Jiao hid under her quilt, replaying files as she napped lightly, waking whenever she heard Ying Lu’s voice to reset.

Elsewhere, the repeatedly rejected Emperor started doubting himself.

What had he done wrong again?

Why was he not allowed to choose her?

On the twenty-first time attempting to select the Jade Token, already turned down, Xie Zhixing stifled the urge to go to Xianfu Palace for answers, glaring at the eunuch bringing the token for the twenty-first time: "Get out, I won’t choose tonight."

The eunuch left in panic, utterly baffled.

He bribed Qin Laicai, who served at the Imperial Court, with silver taels: "Did anything happen today?"

"No, the Emperor was in a good mood originally, only got angry when he saw you."

"That’s strange, I only show my face to the Emperor once a day."

"Who could say for sure."

Meanwhile, Yun Jiao cuddled with her warm bottle, sleep beckoning.

After advancing to the fairy title, yet barred from entry, Xie Zhixing looked indifferent but felt aggrieved inside, working late into the night. This night’s busyness seemed to ignite a mysterious switch within him; the concubines were astonished to find that the Emperor no longer visited the harem or selected names!

He spent his days in Qiankun Palace, from dawn till dusk.

Choosing names couldn’t compare to summoning confidants, governing discussions outweighed romantic encounters.

Xie Zhixing revealed his vigorous energy, leaving a group of elder ministers in existential crisis, even pondering if the Emperor was trying to exhaust them to the point of introducing new blood for trusted positions.

Though the Empress Dowager was secluded, she never gave up monitoring her son’s efforts to continue the lineage.

Upon hearing, the Empress Dowager nearly fainted from anger.

Good news: Not spoiling Concubine Xi alone.

Bad news: Not choosing names at all.

In this dry spell, even the surroundings during greetings at Jianzhang Palace had become more peaceful, without sight of the Emperor, what was there to fight over? Just when everyone was feeling parched, suddenly a reward was sent from Qiankun Palace to Xianfu Palace...

Yun Jiao stared at a plate of coriander desserts, deeply puzzled: "Chief Su, why would the Emperor suddenly want to send me dessert?"

"Oh, Lady, it’s because the Emperor remembers Concubine Xi."

Yun Jiao: "...Oh."

She was deeply moved, then chose to reset.

The second time, she was rewarded with a copy of the "Classic of Poetry," to be transcribed ten times.

Yun Jiao chose to reset.

Sometimes worse gifts appeared, requiring another reset, but most often, the second gift was normal: gold and silver jewelry, precious fabrics, or simple delicacies.

These rewards, sent repeatedly from Qiankun Palace to Xianfu Palace, were witnessed by the entire harem.

The concubines watched with a heavy heart.

To be favored is hard, to have the Emperor keep you in mind is even harder.

Yet, the Emperor still didn’t come to the harem, didn’t choose names, and Concubine Xi was no exception.

After half a month, the Empress Dowager’s patience ran out, summoning Concubine Xi to Changle Palace!