"I..."
It wasn't until Ye Baolin's cheeks swelled up, trying desperately to break free from the eunuch's grip, her movements becoming increasingly frantic, that Jiang Xinyue finally ordered them to release her.
Her tone was icier than ever before: "Think carefully before you speak again. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to tear that foul mouth of yours apart."
Ye Baolin, who had initially doubted Consort Zhang's words, now had no choice but to believe them.
This vile Jiang Xinyue had indeed approached her only because of her good family background. Now that she had gained power, the wench's true, hypocritical face was finally revealed.
As Ye Baolin's expression grew more venomous, Jiang Xinyue let out a cold laugh and stepped out from behind her writing desk. "Speak! Who put you up to this, coming here to make a scene?"
"You..."
Ye Baolin gasped for air, straightening her disheveled clothes, and glared at Jiang Xinyue fiercely. "I need no one's instigation! We entered the palace together as candidates. I treated you like a sister, confiding everything in you. How did you repay me? You knew... you knew I had feelings for His Majesty, yet you still... you still... Jiang Xinyue, I was wrong about you. Remember this: one day, I'll make you regret it."
Having spewed her venom, the enraged Ye Baolin tried to leave, but Jiang Xinyue grabbed her wrist. "What exactly were you wrong about? We were both candidates. Who wouldn't want the Emperor's favor? Why is it acceptable for you but not for me? Did you expect me to be cast into the Palace of Exile just to preserve our sisterly bond?"
She snorted derisively. "You gained the Emperor's favor by imitating me, and I haven't even blamed you for that. Yet here you are, trying to turn the tables on me. Ye Baolin, don't you find yourself disgusting?"
From the beginning, Ye Baolin had merely seen Jiang Xinyue as her subordinate, a mere servant. What sisterly affection?
She had only befriended Jiang Xinyue because of her outstanding beauty, deliberately revealing her true feelings for the Emperor to pressure Jiang Xinyue not to compete with her.
"We're both foxes from the same hill. Why are you putting on this act for me?"
Ye Baolin retreated step by step under Jiang Xinyue's intense gaze. Her guilty eyes darted around, unable to meet Jiang Xinyue's. Her lips trembled, unable to utter a word.
"Hah!"
Jiang Xinyue released her hand. "Ye Baolin, don't try to guilt-trip me. I have no such thing as a conscience."
Having come to reprimand Jiang Xinyue and make her feel guilty, only to have her intentions exposed, Ye Baolin could only flee in disgrace.
Jiang Xinyue calmed her anger and summoned Xiaoxuan: "There's been a lot of rat-catching in the palace lately. Take Guolai to Zhong Cui Palace and say you heard from the maids that Consort Zhang's palace is infested with rats. Tell her I'm kindly offering to help clean them out."
Consort Zhang was still basking in the joy of having instigated Ye Baolin to cause trouble for Concubine Zhen when a servant came to report that Concubine Zhen's beloved dog had arrived.
Concubine Su's tragic fate after killing Concubine Zhen's dog was still fresh in everyone's mind. Consort Zhang didn't have the courage to harm this precious pet.
Xiaoxuan led a group of eunuchs and maids, bringing Guolai into Zhong Cui Palace. "Good Guolai, the rats in Consort Zhang's palace are as big as people. You must catch them one by one. Don't let these filthy sewer rats escape!"
"Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!"
Guolai stood on his hind legs, poised to charge. Before Consort Zhang could react, Xiaoxuan released the leash.
Guolai lunged forward, leaping towards Consort Zhang, who screamed in terror: "Ah—"
The snow-white dog's agile body traced a perfect parabola over her head, landing and darting straight for Consort Zhang's chambers.
"Bang!"
"Crash!"
"Clatter!"
In the ensuing chaos, Guolai shattered numerous precious porcelains and decorations in Zhong Cui Palace.
Consort Zhang's bedchamber suffered even greater losses, with even her bedding soaked in dog urine, filling the air with a foul stench.
"You... you've gone too far! What are you trying to do?"
Xiaoxuan cradled Guolai, whose ears drooped, his expression even more indignant than Consort Zhang's. "What's wrong with your Zhong Cui Palace? Why spread false rumors? There clearly aren't any rats, yet you claimed there were, causing our mistress to send us to catch them. Our Guolai is an infallible rat-catcher, and now he's suffered a blow in your Zhong Cui Palace. Not catching a single rat must have dejected him. If he becomes depressed because of this, our mistress won't let you off easily."
He glared at Consort Zhang, then stroked Guolai's head lovingly, gathering the dog in his arms as he headed out. "Don't be sad, Guolai. The rats here have become spirits. It's normal that you couldn't catch them. I'll make you some meat bones to eat when we get back!"
Consort Zhang wanted to order her people to seize the wretched dog and Xiaoxuan, but they were from Concubine Zhen's palace. Her own people might not dare to act.
A dog catching rats—wasn't this a veiled criticism of her meddling?
Impossible!
She had been so discreet; Jiang Xinyue couldn't have discovered that she was the one who had soured Ye Baolin's relationship with her.
In Chengqian Palace—
The Xuanwu Emperor finished reviewing a stack of memorials, the corners of his mouth curling into a barely perceptible smile. "She sent Guolai to Consort Zhang's palace to wreak havoc?"
Wang Dequan couldn't help but laugh. "Indeed, Your Majesty. Concubine Zhen is childlike in her ways. Not only has she won the affection of the princes and princesses, but even the animals she raises seem exceptionally intelligent."
Consort Zhang had instigated Ye Baolin to cause trouble in Hexi Palace, hoping to reap the benefits. She never expected Concubine Zhen to play outside the rules, directly retaliating and leaving Consort Zhang with no grounds for complaint.
After all, she could hardly tell the Emperor that the reason Concubine Zhen's dog came to wreak havoc in Zhong Cui Palace was because her own misdeeds had been exposed.
Unaware that the Emperor knew the truth, Consort Zhang was now kneeling in the imperial study, tearfully pleading her case: "Your Majesty, Concubine Zhen is abusing your favor and has become lawless. She allowed her pet to humiliate me. I beg Your Majesty to uphold justice for me."
The Xuanwu Emperor looked up from the tall stack of memorials, his expression unreadable—whether angry or something else—and asked with curiosity: "Do you actually have rats in your palace?"
Consort Zhang's sobs abruptly ceased. She looked at the Xuanwu Emperor with a strange expression. "I... my palace doesn't have a kitchen. How could there be rats? Concubine Zhen was clearly trying to cause trouble for me. If Your Majesty continues to protect her, it truly breaks my heart."
The Xuanwu Emperor felt a twinge of disappointment.
How could there be no rats?
If there were any, coming over wouldn't have been in vain. Its title of "Mouse-Catching General" would truly be well-deserved!
Though regretful in his heart, his face turned cold and stern: "How did Concubine Zhen insult you? Did she accuse you of passing by the lake and refusing to save her? Or did she wrongly blame you for encouraging Ye Baolin to cause her trouble?"
Consort Zhang was shocked and terrified. Her legs gave way, and she fell to her knees, her face showing extreme fear: "Your Majesty, I've been wronged... I... On the day Concubine Zhen fell into the water, I... I didn't know about it at all!"
