After walking some distance, Cheng Yuan turned back to look at Concubine Cheng's chambers one last time. The ferocity in his eyes had faded, replaced by deep concern.
"My lord..." the servant boy stepped forward, "You clearly... why were you deliberately so harsh with the young miss?"
Cheng Yuan sighed, reluctantly continuing to walk away as he replied wistfully, "Don't forget whose service I'm in."
The servant was about to say something when suddenly two men dressed as household guards in black clothing approached from the corridor: "Lord Cheng, our Master Secretary requests your presence."
...
"Hahaha..."
"Serves her right... ouch... ah, that hurts!"
When Noble Lady Liu heard that Concubine Cheng had been beaten, she was so delighted she almost jumped out of bed. She still held a grudge from when the Emperor had lost face over Concubine Cheng.
"She dared mock me for being bedridden here at the summer palace. Now she'll be lying down too. Acting so noble, hah, I spit on that!"
Noble Lady Liu spat before asking, "Yan'er, why hasn't Concubine Ye been serving me these past few days? Does she think I can't do anything to her just because I'm injured?"
Yan'er thought to herself that it was true - they really couldn't do anything now. The other woman was now a Noble Lady herself and had gained the powerful backing of Imperial Noble Consort. Why would she still pay any attention to her mistress who held the same rank?
But she obviously couldn't say that.
Yan'er lowered her head and replied, "She's no longer just Concubine Ye. After she was falsely accused of drugging His Majesty, Imperial Noble Consort helped clear her name. To make it up to her, His Majesty elevated her to Noble Lady. These days she spends her time playing cards and chatting with Imperial Noble Consort and Noble Lady Jiang!"
Noble Consort Ye used to bow and scrape to curry favor with Noble Lady Liu, but when Noble Consort Ye fell from grace, Noble Lady Liu never spoke up for her. She must have seen through it all - no matter how much she tried to please Noble Lady Liu, it was pointless. Better to align herself with Imperial Noble Consort instead - at least that way her rank would improve.
"She was made a Noble Lady?"
Now thoroughly provoked, Noble Lady Liu lost her composure: "My grandmother served the late Emperor and was graciously allowed to leave the palace by his imperial decree. She was at least a palace official! What is she compared to that? How dare she be ranked equal to me?"
But what could be done about it?
Imperial favor, whether harsh as thunder or gentle as dew, was still the Emperor's to give. It's not like they could go curse at His Majesty for his poor judgment.
While Noble Lady Liu was complaining bitterly in Lanyue Palace, things were much more cheerful at Noble Lady Jiang's quarters.
Low Level Consort Yu and Noble Consort Ye were grinning from ear to ear: "Oh my! Imperial Noble Consort, you're too modest! Aren't you supposed to be some kind of mahjong expert? Though we don't know what that means exactly, it sounds impressive. We were hoping to learn from you, but how come you keep losing? Low Level Consort Yu and I have won so much, you'll need to arrange for people to carry us back when we're done!"
Low Level Consort Yu certainly knew how to use sarcasm.
Jiang Xinyue narrowed her eyes at her: "Just you wait, I'll definitely win next time."
"Ha!"
Low Level Consort Yu looked at her with disdain: "I may not be able to compete with you for men's attention, but when it comes to playing cards, you're no match for me."
Noble Consort Ye felt very uneasy, wondering if next time she should pretend to lose and "return" some of the silver to Imperial Noble Consort.
But Noble Consort Ye could see that she didn't seem like someone who would have people killed over a few hundred taels of silver, so she gratefully left with Low Level Consort Yu, both of them having won a fortune.
"Noble Lady Yu, aren't you afraid that... that mocking Imperial Noble Consort like that..."
"I've suffered so many setbacks because of her. I've schemed against her, and she's schemed against me, but I always came out worse. What's wrong with letting me have this small verbal victory? Don't be so petty - Imperial Noble Consort isn't such a narrow-minded person. Keep the money with peace of mind!"
Consider it compensation for her preventing the Emperor from favoring the other concubines.
Jiang Xinyue didn't mind losing money, but she was particularly irritated by Low Level Consort Yu mocking her poor card-playing skills.
So—
The next day, Jiang Xinyue abandoned the complicated leaf cards and stayed up all night making a deck of playing cards, explaining the rules to them.
It was similar to leaf cards, but the modern playing cards had simplified rules. As long as you understood the hierarchy of the cards, the game was very exciting and the stakes could be higher.
After understanding the rules, Low Level Consort Yu hitched up her skirts, placed one foot on a stool, and declared boldly: "Imperial Noble Consort, at the gambling table we're all equals. If you lose everything down to your pants later, don't try to back out."
Jiang Xinyue crossed her arms and smiled coldly: "Don't you know villains die from talking too much?"
Low Level Consort Yu immediately put her foot down and sat, complaining unhappily: "Noble Lady Jiang, control her! We're just playing cards, how did I become the villain?"
Noble Lady Jiang dealt the cards and glanced at her: "Well, you did just sound like the villain in those story books who mocks the protagonist. Be careful not to get your face slapped later."
Noble Consort Ye watched Low Level Consort Yu's dismissive expression and became extremely alert.
Noble Lady Jiang was right - Low Level Consort Yu now resembled those stubborn villains who wouldn't believe until they saw their own coffin.
It seemed Imperial Noble Consort still had tricks up her sleeve.
Noble Lady Jiang was like a raccoon in a melon patch, eating the fruit the servants had cut while watching Jiang Xinyue and Low Level Consort Yu bicker - it was absolutely delightful.
She wondered why she hadn't realized earlier that once you stopped pursuing the emperor's dispensed affections from on high, and the palace ladies learned to coexist peacefully, life became so much more interesting.
"Don't move, pair of twos, I'll take that."
After winning three or four hands in a row, Low Level Consort Yu became even more arrogant, looking at Jiang Xinyue like she was a complete novice: "Oh my! Your humble servant is so sorry, I've won again! Looks like Imperial Noble Consort won't be able to slap my face after all!"
Noble Consort Ye had been observing and noticed something interesting - people's card-playing styles seemed to perfectly match their personalities.
That being the case, Imperial Noble Consort must not be simple at all.
She had originally planned to side with Low Level Consort Yu against Jiang Xinyue, but in the end, she followed Noble Lady Jiang's example and chose to watch the tigers fight instead.
Her last-minute defection earned her a glare from Low Level Consort Yu, but she didn't care. She was certain to win today anyway - she had beaten all three of them, wasn't she impressive?
Jiang Xinyue calmly fed her cards, letting her appetite grow bigger and bigger, until later she seemed to be seeing red, insisting on betting even more.
It was time to close the net.
This fish, Low Level Consort Yu, had been fattened up enough.
"Alright, let's make a big bet then."
Imperial Noble Consort's lips curled into a smile as she threw all her silver notes onto the center of the table: "One hand to decide it all."
Although Low Level Consort Yu had reconciled with Jiang Xinyue, she still harbored some resentment, always secretly competing with her.
If she wasn't mistaken, Low Level Consort Yu's father would soon meet with great misfortune, and the biggest beneficiary would be Jiang Xinyue's uncle.
Before that happened, she needed to make Low Level Consort Yu completely submit to her, so her uncle's path to becoming Governor-General of the Two Guangs would be smoother.
