"Think about it some more," Jiang Xinyue said, giving her a gentle push on the head. "Use that pretty little brain of yours. Which high-ranking concubine doesn't have a brother working in the palace these days?"
Even if they didn't have blood brothers, there was always a relative or two from their extended family. Otherwise, how would these concubines communicate with their families?
Not only did the Empress and Consort De have such connections, but Consort Liang, Consort Jin, Ye Baolin, and even Concubine Li and Consort Wan all had them too.
Of course, their backgrounds varied, and so did their abilities, which led to different levels of success.
Those who hadn't fared well naturally envied those who had. When a rare opportunity presented itself, who wouldn't seize it?
Xi Que gazed into Jiang Xinyue's eyes, feeling her own foolish reflection staring back from her mistress's wise gaze.
Jiang Xinyue wasn't in a hurry. She let Xi Que think it through on her own while she sat by the gauze window, her elbow propped on the desk as she read a book.
"Ah!" After a long while, Xi Que finally exclaimed, "I understand now! If we spread the news that you stabbed a guard, they'll start framing each other."
Jiang Xinyue nodded. "When that happens, they'll go to great lengths to frame one another, even fabricating wounds that match the golden hairpin I supposedly used. Why should I exert myself when others will perfect the lie for us?"
By evening, news of Concubine Zhen stabbing a guard in the chest had spread throughout the imperial harem.
Concubine Li grabbed Xia He's hand. "Is it true that Concubine Zhen herself said this?"
Xia He nodded vigorously. "Yes, My Lady. Concubine Zhen told the Emperor herself. Three imperial physicians were present at the time. If you don't believe me, you can summon Dr. Yan to confirm it."
"It must be true then," Concubine Li paced back and forth in the great hall, visibly excited. "I knew it. The Emperor's sudden decision to hold a grand martial arts competition was all for Concubine Zhen's sake. He wants to find the injured guard."
"It's been two days already, and they haven't finished testing all the guards who've gathered. I wonder if they'll be able to find him?"
Xia He's eyes darted about as she spoke. "My Lady, I heard that the Empress's second brother has gone back to Changan County to visit family. It will take a few days for him to return. He serves as a fourth-rank guard in the palace."
A fourth-rank guard was considered a fifth-grade official. While not a particularly high position, it offered great potential for advancement, unlike her own family's illegitimate brother, who was still just a sixth-grade musketeer in the imperial guard.
"Go, write a letter to grandfather. Tell them they must intercept Zhu Erlang and find out what Concubine Zhen's golden hairpin looks like. This time, I'm determined to deliver a crushing blow to the Empress."
Concubine Zhen's status was too low to be compared with hers or Empress Zhu's. No matter how much the Emperor favored her, she could only remain a concubine for life—a mere plaything, not worth worrying about.
Only the Empress posed a real threat in the harem. To have a chance at becoming the next Empress, she had to bring down the current one.
If Concubine Li could think of this plan, so could Empress Zhu, Consort De, Consort Liang, and the others.
Suddenly, the number of letters leaving the imperial harem multiplied several times over compared to usual.
The Xuanwu Emperor kept one eye open and one eye closed, instructing Wang Dequan to make a record of all the guards, maids, and eunuchs who delivered messages for the concubines. When the time was right, he would replace them all with his own trusted servants.
In this way, he would have both the court and the harem under his control.
"Your Majesty, only Consort De and Concubine Zhen haven't sent any letters out of the palace. Almost all the other consorts and concubines have written and dispatched messages."
The Xuanwu Emperor snorted coldly. "Look at this. Is this my harem or a den of spies? Out of three palaces, six courts, and seventy-two concubines, only two are loyal to me."
That wasn't entirely accurate. The Emperor didn't care much about the concubines he hadn't favored, whether they wrote letters or not.
It was just that among those the Emperor had noted, only Consort De and Concubine Zhen hadn't sent any messages outside.
Wang Dequan could only report which concubines had sent letters; he dared not open and read the contents.
The more illustrious the family, the more careful they were with their secret codes in correspondence.
If he were to break the seal and destroy the code, it would alert them and ruin the Emperor's plan to replace them.
Fortunately, the Emperor wasn't curious about the contents of the letters. He only wanted the list of names so he could arrange for his own people to take their places.
"How's the martial arts competition going?"
The Xuanwu Emperor had only presided over the first day at Wude Hall. After failing to spot any guard with a chest injury, he'd left the matter to the Commander of the Imperial Guards and Wang Dequan to oversee.
"Your Majesty, there are still about thirty guards who, for various reasons, won't arrive for another two days. We've already tested most of those who have arrived. At most, it will take five days to get the results."
There were only two possible outcomes: either they would find the injured guard, or they wouldn't.
If even the Emperor couldn't find this person, it would mean the mastermind behind all this was terrifyingly skilled at concealment.
One had to wonder if Concubine Zhen could escape unscathed after crossing such a formidable adversary.
Jiang Xinyue, the one considered to be "deeply hidden," had pretended to be gravely ill for two days before finally getting out of bed.
Her cat, freshly bathed and smelling sweet, jumped onto her and rolled around. Its snow-white fur tickled her neck, making her roll about on the bed.
"As a concubine, you lack all sense of decorum and cultivation. How can you possibly serve the Emperor well? Concubine Zhen, you should learn proper etiquette."
Although Hexi Palace was usually quite relaxed, they never allowed outsiders to barge in at will.
Jiang Xinyue quickly sat up, controlling her playful cat. She saw a stern-faced old woman with her hair combed immaculately, glaring at her with severe eyes.
The door to the bedchamber was wide open; this old woman had pushed her way in directly.
Before Xi Que and Frost could speak, they were gagged and forced to kneel by a group of people.
It wasn't just the two of them—the entire courtyard was filled with kneeling, gagged servants.
Jiang Xinyue understood. The Dowager Empress's lackeys had come to make trouble for her.
She slowly rose and walked up to the old woman. Raising her hand, she delivered a resounding slap across the woman's face. "Who are you? How dare you intrude into my chambers and manhandle my maids and servants without cause? Aren't you afraid the Emperor will have your head for this?"
What did it matter? The woman hadn't introduced herself, so it was perfectly normal for Jiang Xinyue not to recognize her.
"You!" Granny Gui clutched her cheek, her face a mask of disbelief. "You dare to strike me?"
She was the Dowager Empress's trusted attendant, having entered the palace with her at the age of twelve. Now forty-five years old, she had risen from an obscure palace maid to the chief attendant at the side of the ruler of the inner court. Who wouldn't show her some respect when they saw her?
Even the Empress treated her with courtesy when they met. Yet this Concubine Zhen dared to strike her!
"This Imperial Concubine will strike you if she wishes. A mere servant dog dares to offend her superior—should This Concubine thank you instead?"
It was her own fault for barging in and causing trouble, without even announcing herself properly. Now that she had been struck, she could only accept her fate.
