The charcoal brazier in Hexi Palace burned vigorously. Xi Que had closed all the windows, leaving only a few cracks open to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning from the burning charcoal.
Shuang Jiang brought in a bowl of hot brown sugar water with a whole egg inside. The sweet liquid also contained red dates, goji berries, longan, and other nourishing ingredients.
"My lady, you really scared me to death earlier. I thought..."
She had feared that her mistress was already pregnant and had miscarried due to their negligence.
In the northern corner of Hexi Palace lay some of Little Ai Jiang's body parts, discovered last year when Eunuch Jiang Chuan arranged for young eunuchs to clear snow.
He immediately issued a strict order forbidding anyone from leaking even a bit of information, threatening to send anyone he caught to the Criminal Servants' Prison for hard labor.
After Jiang Xinyue learned about this, she set up today's scheme, finally allowing Little Ai Jiang to rest in peace.
However, she hadn't expected to experience "bleeding" herself, and in front of so many people at that. She truly wished she could live on another planet.
With Jiang Xinyue's menstruation, she couldn't serve the emperor in bed for seven days, so the Palace Eunuch Office removed her green placard.
For the first two days, the emperor stayed in the palaces of Concubine Li and Consort Liang. On the third day, news spread that while on his way to visit Consort Rong, the emperor encountered a court lady crying behind a rockery and favored her.
Early this morning, the emperor's decree was announced throughout the palace: Court Lady Ye from the Candidate Palace had been promoted to Palace Lady, the lowest rank in the harem.
The ninth rank in the harem was only slightly better than being a palace maid. Jiang Yutong, for instance, had suffered endless bullying after being promoted to Palace Lady, which led her to pressure Jiang Xinyue to pave the way for her.
As usual, Empress Zhu's Yikun Palace was bustling with activity.
Jiang Xinyue's stomach still ached, and she rested with her eyes closed before the empress emerged. No one dared to disturb her.
After all, a few days ago, Lady Su's feet had been crippled. From Yanqing Palace to the palace gates, droplets of bright red blood stained the stone path for quite a distance, making onlookers wonder if she would die from blood loss.
Rumors suddenly spread in the palace, claiming that Jiang Xinyue had severed Lady Su's tendons and that the Su family's forced departure from the capital was also due to Jiang Xinyue coaxing the emperor into stripping Su's father of his official position.
Such ruthlessness, all for the sake of a dog—truly a vindictive personality.
Now, when people in the harem spoke of the emperor's favored concubines, they mentioned not only Concubine Li but also Consort Zhen with equal frequency.
However, Concubine Li's noble background still gave her an edge.
After nearly a year of effort, Jiang Xinyue had finally cultivated the image of a favored concubine.
"When will those begonias bloom? I'd like to transplant one to Shunan Palace. The emperor would surely like it when he sees it."
Consort Liang and Jiang Xinyue were walking towards Hexi Palace, chatting idly when they overheard these words. Jiang Xinyue rolled her eyes and looked ahead, saying, "That's Ye Baolin. The empress arranged for her to stay near me. I really don't know what the empress was thinking—I don't like her at all."
Consort Liang was known for her straightforward personality, but she wasn't one to speak ill of others without reason.
Jiang Xinyue curiously observed Ye Baolin, who was breaking off begonia branches. She wore a light green banner gown, looking fresh and lovely in the April spring breeze. "I think Ye Baolin seems quite easy to get along with. What has she done to upset you, sister Liang?"
Consort Liang's face reddened as she whispered something in Jiang Xinyue's ear, then lowered her head in embarrassment.
Jiang Xinyue's eyes widened slightly, not because of shock at Ye Baolin's actions, but because she hadn't expected to encounter another concubine in the harem who employed similar unconventional tactics.
"She... she was so loud. Only a cat in heat makes such noises. I felt embarrassed just hearing it. How could she greet me so nonchalantly the next day?"
Jiang Xinyue could only conclude that Ye Baolin possessed considerable skill to make even Consort Liang, who had served the emperor for nearly ten years, blush.
What man could resist such allure?
Moreover, their emperor was known to indulge his concubines on a whim, never denying himself. With such a temptress available, how could he not partake?
Yet Jiang Xinyue also believed that her soul from another world made her a superior huntress, capable of conquering both heart and body. Ye Baolin was merely a passing fancy.
As they drew closer, Consort Liang glanced at Jiang Xinyue's light green banner gown, then at Ye Baolin's similar attire. Suddenly, she gasped, "I was wondering why she looked so familiar this morning. Don't you think... her makeup style resembles yours?"
Even the style of clothing and hairdo bore striking similarities.
Jiang Xinyue raised an eyebrow, as if recalling something amusing. "Does sister Liang remember when I first clashed with Concubine Li? It was also because I plucked a begonia flower."
She had only picked one flower and was punished by Concubine Li to kneel for two hours. Ye Baolin was bolder, breaking off entire branches.
"You..."
Consort Liang was about to speak when she noticed Concubine Li's sedan chair approaching. She quickly pulled Jiang Xinyue aside, revealing Ye Baolin happily breaking flower branches.
"How dare you!"
The begonias here had been planted during the passionate days of the Xuanwu Emperor and Concubine Li, bearing witness to their most intense love affair. Concubine Li cherished them dearly.
Now, in the begonia's blooming season, with many buds adorning the branches, Ye Baolin had crudely broken off three or four branches. Enraged, Concubine Li immediately halted her sedan chair and strode over furiously. "Who are you? Which palace are you from?"
Ye Baolin was startled. Looking up, she saw Concubine Li's almond-shaped eyes wide with anger as she rushed over and slapped her.
Everyone in the harem knew Concubine Li. Ye Baolin and her attendants immediately fell to their knees.
"You insolent wretch! Who gave you permission to touch my begonias?"
It was merely history repeating itself. Uninterested in watching the drama unfold, Jiang Xinyue tugged at Consort Liang, skirting around the scene of conflict and returning to Hexi Palace.
In the small vegetable garden behind the rear hall, various fruits and vegetables were growing vigorously. The palace maid behind Consort Liang filled a basket with fresh greens: "Our Grand Princess was thinking of the vegetables from Consort Zhen's palace. She said the vegetables here taste even better than those from the imperial kitchen."
Jiang Xinyue added more vegetables to the basket for Consort Liang: "Then let the Grand Princess come anytime she wants. She can pick whatever vegetables she likes."
Consort Liang was still pondering over what had happened earlier. The more she thought about it, the more she believed her suspicions were correct: "She couldn't be trying to not only imitate your face, but also mimic how you've been promoted all along, could she?"
How else could one explain why Ye Baolin insisted on provoking Concubine Li?
