"They all bully me, they all deserve to die!" Zhang Baolin seethed with barely contained rage, the veins on her forehead pulsing.
After a moment of closing her eyes to calm herself, she called for her maid to approach.
"Bring me the little clothes I made a few days ago. I'm going to Changchun Palace."
The Empress had Yang Baolin and Zhao Jieyu by her side. Wen Fei was favored and didn't need her. Yan Xiuyi disliked her and wouldn't support her. Jing Fei, who hadn't seen the emperor in years, was hopeless. Only Shu Fei remained—unfavored but with a child—someone who could still see the emperor and needed help to secure her position.
Shu Fei was the best person for Zhang Baolin to cling to at this moment.
Naturally, news of Zhang Baolin's visit to Changchun Palace soon spread.
In Weirui Pavilion, Yao Xiang heard the news and smiled coldly. "As expected, she's just like she used to be."
Zhang Baolin had always been adept at hiding and waiting for the right moment to act.
"You're always so perceptive, my lady," her maid Qiwen said with a laugh.
"But enough about her. How's the task I gave you going?" Yao Xiang asked.
"Jing Fei was the first to send gifts to Xia Cairen, and Yan Xiuyi sent hers just this morning," Qiwen reported truthfully.
Yao Xiang lowered her gaze, making it impossible for anyone to discern her thoughts. After a long pause, she finally spoke, "How are things on Yi Wanrong's side lately?"
Zizhu thought for a moment. "There doesn't seem to be anything unusual. She did call for an imperial physician a few days ago, claiming she wasn't feeling well."
"Well then, it seems the time has come."
Yao Xiang smiled faintly, tapping her index finger lightly on the table. She gestured for the two maids to come closer and whispered a few instructions.
While things were calm there, trouble had arisen elsewhere.
Lin Jieyu, who had been sickly and rarely left her chambers, stormed angrily into the Empress's quarters with her attendants.
"Your Majesty, please look! My maid has been beaten up terribly. Dongqing was my maid who came with me as a dowry, serving me faithfully for years, and she has never been treated like this. Cough cough..."
Lin Jieyu was so furious that she started coughing. Behind her stood a maid with a bloodied forehead and a scraped face, looking incredibly pitiful.
"What on earth happened?" The Empress was startled. The maid had clearly been beaten severely.
Another of Lin Jieyu's maids, Biyun, stepped forward to explain.
"Our Jieyu is sensitive to the cold. Every year, starting in November, she needs to use charcoal for warmth. Both His Majesty and Your Majesty are aware of this and have granted permission. Recently, Jieyu caught a cold, so I thought it was already late October and asked Dongqing to go to the Department of Internal Affairs to fetch some charcoal. Coincidentally, a servant from Min Wanrong's residence came to request some as well. The charcoal was already in short supply, and Dongqing arrived first, so she took the last basket of last year's leftover charcoal.
Min Wanrong's people didn't manage to get any, and though Dongqing offered to share half of what she had, Min Wanrong's servant insisted on taking it all. The argument escalated, and her servant pushed Dongqing, causing her to fall and hit her head on the steps, which is why she was injured."
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The Enchanting Imperial Concubine
Historical FictionNote: This is a translated novel by me. Title: 贵妃她千娇百媚 Ye Yun was supposed to be the prince's concubine, but due to the sudden death of the late emperor, her entry into the palace was delayed for over a year. She entered the palace with the new bat...
