Regardless of how others felt, Concubine Zhang's mood was absolutely dreadful tonight.
Upon returning to Linhua Hall and sitting before her mirror to remove her makeup, she muttered bitterly, "Tonight, His Majesty's eyes were not on me."
Her maid Chun'e hurried to console her, "Don't overthink it, my lady. If His Majesty wasn't looking at you, do you think he was looking at Li Beauty? Just look at how shabbily she was dressed."
"It was her," Concubine Zhang gritted her teeth. "She dressed that way on purpose. Tonight, everyone was in their finest attire, yet she came looking plain and simple. Didn't that just make her stand out?"
Chun'e had a sudden realization, "In that case, Li Beauty is quite cunning, isn't she?"
Concubine Zhang scoffed, "She said she wasn't going this afternoon, then showed up dressed like that. Her scheming nature is obvious!"
Chun'e quickly added, "As they say, it's the silent dogs that bite. Those who usually keep quiet are often the most formidable!"
What a silent dog indeed!
Recalling the scene at the banquet, Concubine Zhang grew increasingly resentful.
Now, not only had she made a complete fool of herself, but she had also nearly been accused of great disrespect. Yet His Majesty hadn't spared her a single glance, his eyes fixed solely on Li Yanshu.
Li Yanshu!
A woman from some remote countryside, yet possessing such great skill!
Chun'e voiced her concern, "If this continues, won't Li Beauty be the first to gain favor?"
Concubine Zhang jolted at the thought.
With Li Yanshu's looks, if she were to gain favor, what chance would anyone else have?
This cannot happen!
After some thought, she said, "Go fetch a bag of silver and make a trip to the laundry."
The rest of her instructions were whispered into Chun'e's ear, too quiet for anyone else to hear.
Yanshu had enjoyed a satisfying meal at the Hall of Gentle Ceremony, and her body had warmed up. By the time she returned to Yongning Palace, she didn't feel cold at all. After washing up, she crawled into bed and fell asleep.
In her dreams, she once again saw the New Year's Eve feast – spicy hot pot, crispy roast pork, creamy lobster, flame-grilled fish – all the dishes she had longed for but couldn't eat in her previous life.
After a night of drooling in her sleep, early the next morning, while still groggy and half-asleep, she heard a 'ding' from the system.
[There's new development in yesterday's gossip. The Marquis Xiayi, upon hearing that the Linwu Marquis and his wife have fallen out, plans to rekindle an old flame with the Linwu Marquis's wife.]
Hm?
Yanshu immediately perked up. [Does this mean the young master is the Marquis Xiayi's son?]
System: [No, he's not.]
Yanshu's eyes widened. [And he's still not? The Linwu Marquis's wife is truly something else!]
System: [Never mind others, there's gossip about you today.]
Yanshu: [About me? What gossip could there be about me?]
Before the system could respond, Rendong entered the room carrying clothes, and spoke from outside the bed curtains, "Are you awake, my lady? I've just ironed your clothes. Put them on while they're still warm."
In the cold winter days, getting out of a warm bed in the morning was a great challenge, and putting on ice-cold clothes made it even harder. To make her more comfortable, Rendong would warm up her clothes with an iron every morning.
Yanshu made a sound of acknowledgment and sat up, reaching for the clothes while asking the system, [What gossip about me?]
System: [Someone is trying to harm you.]
What?
Just as these words registered, the clothes reached her hands, and she sneezed. She froze.
Someone was trying to harm her?
The next moment, she sneezed again.
This startled Rendong, "My lady, have you caught a cold? It must be because you didn't have enough blankets last night. I should have added another one..."
"I don't think it's a cold," Yanshu rubbed her nose and tossed aside the clothes. "There must be something on these clothes."
Rendong paused, "Could it be peach blossom pollen?"
Yanshu was allergic to peach blossoms. Any contact would trigger various reactions, from sneezing and nasal congestion to full-body rashes, even difficulty breathing. It was quite severe.
Judging from her current symptoms, it did seem like her old condition was acting up.
Realizing this, Rendong quickly threw the clothes far away, but then wondered aloud, "But it's winter now, the peach blossoms haven't bloomed yet."
Yanshu thought for a moment, "What about those in the greenhouse at the Imperial Gardens Bureau? I wonder if they've bloomed?"
Rendong had a sudden realization, "That's right, the greenhouse at the Imperial Gardens Bureau has all kinds of flowers!"
But why would peach blossom pollen appear on freshly washed clothes?
Rendong sighed, "You hardly ever leave your room, and all you care about is eating. How did you manage to offend someone?"
Yanshu: "...The way you put it, it's as if I'm nothing but a glutton."
Rendong: "...Well, more or less... *cough*..."
Seeing Yanshu glare at her, Rendong quickly changed the subject, "But who could hate you so much to come up with such a nasty idea!"
Yanshu pondered, "In this palace, apart from Concubine Zhang, I don't think anyone else even knows me."
Hearing this, Rendong thought carefully, "Every spring when the peach blossoms bloom, you don't go out. It wouldn't be hard to find out about your allergy. Looking at it this way, could it really be Concubine Zhang's doing? But why would she want to harm you?"
Yanshu was also puzzled, "Could it be that I ate too much last night and she didn't get enough?"
Rendong: "..."
What kind of bizarre motive was that? Did she think everyone was like her?
"Maybe she lost face at the banquet last night and wants to take it out on you!" Rendong said angrily. "Whatever the reason, we can't let you suffer for nothing. Let's go complain to the Empress Dowager!"
But Yanshu suddenly spoke sensibly, "First of all, it's not certain I can even see the Empress Dowager. Right now, we're just speculating. We have no real evidence that it was her. She could easily deny it, and why would the Empress Dowager believe me over her?"
Rendong paused, then said reluctantly, "So we're just going to let you suffer in silence? She's just a concubine, but because her family has money and connections, she can harm others as she pleases! Is there no justice in this palace?"
Ah, how pitiful her beautiful, good-natured mistress who never fought or competed. Just because her family was far away, her father was an honest official, and her family was poorer, she had to suffer bullying in the palace.
The world was truly unfair!
But to her surprise, her usually non-confrontational mistress suddenly gave a mischievous smile and said, "Who says we're going to suffer in silence?"
Rendong was taken aback, "Then what can we do?"
"Come here," Yanshu beckoned her to lean in closer, "This is what you're going to do..."
...
Around noon, Concubine Zhang was leisurely sipping tea when Chun'e hurried into the hall.
Seeing that no one else was around, Chun'e spoke, "My lady, a royal physician was just called to Yongning Palace. They're brewing medicine now, and the courtyard reeks of it."
"A royal physician?" Concubine Zhang raised an eyebrow. "It must be quite serious. I wonder if she's covered in rashes from head to toe?"
Let's see how she gains favor now!
Chun'e quickly replied, "I didn't find out about that. Should I go back and check?"
Concubine Zhang waved her hand nonchalantly, "Never mind. In that state, you wouldn't be able to see her anyway. How could she show her face to anyone?"
Chun'e nodded in agreement, "I heard Rendong say that this illness won't easily go away for ten days to half a month. She won't be able to scheme for a while!"
This was exactly what she wanted. Concubine Zhang nodded with satisfaction.
Then Chun'e added, "Oh, and I just heard some fresh gossip."
"What gossip?"
"I heard that something happened at Consort Li's aunt's house!" Chun'e said.
"Consort Li's aunt's house?" Concubine Zhang listened impatiently, "Why so roundabout? Whose house exactly?"
"The Linwu Marquis's mansion!" Chun'e explained, "Consort Li's aunt is the Linwu Marquis's wife, so isn't the Linwu Marquis's mansion her aunt's house?"
Concubine Zhang remembered and asked, "What happened?"
Chun'e leaned in closer, "I heard that the Linwu Marquis recently brought home a concubine, which angered his wife. She caused a big scene, but then the servants provided evidence that the Linwu Marquis's wife had been involved with other men for a long time, and quite a few at that!"
"Is that so?" Concubine Zhang's eyes widened in surprise.
Chun'e nodded vigorously, "Many people in the palace are talking about it. Think about it, my lady. If such a scandal has made its way into the palace, how could it be false?"
"That's true!" Concubine Zhang sneered, "Serves her right!"
If it weren't for Consort Li deliberately stirring up trouble last night, she wouldn't have been so embarrassed.
Hmph, everyone in the capital knew that Consort Li's family, the Earl Yongliang's Mansion, was just an empty title with no real power. The whole family relied on this bit of connection through their aunt's marriage. Now, if this marriage falls apart, Consort Li will be in for it!
Thinking of this, Concubine Zhang instructed, "Keep gathering information. Let me know immediately if you hear anything new."
"Yes, my lady," Chun'e nodded quickly.
At that moment, in Yimei Palace, Consort Li was pacing anxiously.
Seeing the young eunuch Zhang Bao hurrying towards her, she quickly asked, "Have you found out? Where did this news come from?"
Zhang Bao said, "I've found out that this rumor was first spread by a palace maid from Linhua Hall to someone at the Imperial Gardens Bureau."
Linhua Hall?
The palace maid Lvxiu said, "Isn't that where Concubine Zhang lives?"
"That's right," Zhang Bao nodded, "I heard that Concubine Zhang's family works at the Imperial Textile Factory of the Capital, and she has connections and many acquaintances throughout the palace."
"That wretched woman!"
Consort Li gritted her teeth, "Yesterday I merely spoke the truth, and she dares to retaliate? Hah, fabricating stories about my aunt and tarnishing the reputation of Earl Yongliang's Mansion?"
Lvxiu and Zhang Bao quickly agreed, "Your Highness, this is a serious matter. We cannot let her off lightly!"
For a mere concubine to offend a consort who outranks her by several levels - this was simply outrageous!
Consort Li sneered, "Very well. She loves to talk and sing, doesn't she? Let her taste my wrath!"
With allergies, one only needs to remove the allergen to recover quickly. So while Yanshu claimed to be ill, she was actually nestled in her palace, eating heartily.
Concubine Zhang, however, was in a different situation.
First, she suddenly began vomiting and having diarrhea in the middle of the night, accompanied by a high fever. After taking bitter medicine for two days, she finally recovered, but her voice became hoarse and rough. When she spoke, she sounded like a burly man with a full beard, which was quite frightening.
In terms of looks, she wasn't particularly outstanding in the harem. The only thing she could rely on was her voice, and now that was ruined. She was furious.
Gritting her teeth, she spent a large sum of money and finally uncovered some clues. It turned out that someone had drugged her, specifically targeting her voice.
In a fit of anger, she wanted to go complain to the Empress Dowager. However, many people in the palace still resented her for stealing the spotlight at the New Year's banquet, and they certainly wouldn't let her have her way...
When Rendong came to report, Yanshu was curled up on the kang bed, writing.
After Rendong finished speaking, she sighed with a mature air, "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. It's better to keep a low profile to stay safe!"
Rendong nodded vigorously, "She started it by trying to harm others. She deserves it!"
Then, curious, she asked, "What are you writing, my lady?"
Yanshu replied, "I'm bored, so I'm trying my hand at writing a story."
After all, she had consumed so much gossip, each tale more shocking and intricate than the last. Since she had nowhere to share these stories, she might as well rework them into a novel. Who knows, maybe one day she could publish it and make a fortune.
Just as she was about to pick up her brush again, the young palace maid Lianxin entered and reported, "My lady, the Empress Dowager has sent an edict summoning you to the Palace of Benevolent Peace for a conversation."
