网络助手

"Raisins? That\'s a way to eat them?"

"Shows how little you know! They say in Loulan they\'ve been eating raisins for ages. Our Imperial Noble Consort learned about it from books."

It seemed this Imperial Noble Consort was quite well-read.

The gardeners and fruit handlers nodded in agreement, hoping the Imperial Noble Consort would return soon from her summer palace.

Xiao Xuanzi had told them that if they served the Imperial Noble Consort well, they would no longer face discrimination from others when they returned - she would be their patron.

In truth, Jiang Xinyue\'s plan to control the six eastern and western palaces required building her own network of loyal followers.

The senior craftsmen who had long held high positions had already served multiple masters. Jiang Xinyue wanted new people who knew her from humble beginnings and would be grateful for her patronage.

Because they understood better that only by staying loyal to the Imperial Noble Consort could they maintain their hard-earned wealth and status.

Completely unaware of what was happening in the palace, Jiang Xinyue could only send a daily bowl of blood-enriching soup to Jiuzhou Qingyan, unable to go there herself.

With the Emperor poisoned, the summer palace could not host opera performances or entertainment, nor could anyone laugh heartily, lest they be accused of not caring about the Emperor\'s life and death.

Where there\'s a policy from above, there\'s always a countermeasure below.

Noble Lady Jiang set up mahjong tables in her garden and invited Jiang Xinyue and Noble Consort Ye daily for games. With just the three of them, they were always one player short, as no palace maid or eunuch, no matter how close, would dare to play at the same table as their mistresses.

After searching around, Noble Lady Jiang couldn\'t find any other consorts she was close with, so she had to ask Jiang Xinyue if they could invite Low Level Consort Yu to join.

How could Jiang Xinyue, the "Mahjong Master," refuse?

It was the perfect opportunity to utterly defeat Low Level Consort Yu and teach her not to oppose her again.

"Imperial Noble Consort..."

Before Low Level Consort Yu arrived, a palace maid came to report: "The eldest princess and Concubine Cheng got into an argument at Changyuan Pavilion. The eldest princess... she was pushed down the stairs and hit her head. Low Level Consort Yu has gone there and is fighting with Concubine Cheng."

This was unexpected.

The eldest princess wasn\'t someone so brainless and impulsive - it was more likely that Low Level Consort Yu had started the conflict with Concubine Cheng.

"How is the eldest princess? Is her injury serious?"

Jiang Xinyue rose and followed the palace servant, with Noble Lady Jiang and Noble Consort Ye following behind, thinking their mahjong game was certainly cancelled for the day as they went to watch the drama unfold at Changyuan Pavilion.

"Low Level Consort Yu! Please stop hitting! Our mistress\'s hand injury hasn\'t healed yet. If you continue, her hand will be permanently damaged!"

"I didn\'t push the eldest princess, she fell down herself!"

"You\'re lying, you slave-born wretch! Even wearing noble clothes, you\'re still just a lowly servant. What reason would the eldest princess have to risk her life to frame you? You think too highly of yourself."

There was chaos upstairs in Changyuan Pavilion. During the fighting and pushing, someone shoved Concubine Cheng, who screamed as she tumbled down the stairs.

Jiang Xinyue had just arrived at the bottom of the pavilion when she saw an orange "pumpkin" roll to her feet.

"Pff!"

"Hahahahaha!"

Noble Lady Jiang\'s bold laughter burst forth with full force: "Your Highness... hahaha... oh my... I can\'t take it anymore hahaha!"

Noble Consort Ye had tried to hold it in, nearly biting her lip bloody, but seeing Noble Lady Jiang\'s reaction, she couldn\'t contain herself either. She lowered her head as her shoulders shook with suppressed laughter.

Concubine Cheng was wearing clothes the same color as a golden pumpkin that day, with green leaves embroidered on it. Because the stairs were narrow, she had curled up with her arms around her head, truly resembling a round, plump pumpkin.

Noble Lady Jiang laughed until tears streamed down her face, wiping them with her handkerchief: "I\'m... hahaha... I\'m sorry, I really... really didn\'t mean to laugh at you hahaha... but I just can\'t help it."

Low Level Consort Yu, standing upstairs, saw Jiang Xinyue\'s stern face and felt her heart sink.

"Oh no, I\'m going to get scolded again."

Everyone in Changyuan Pavilion, masters and servants alike, greeted the Imperial Noble Consort, except for Concubine Cheng who was still on the ground moaning "ouch, ouch," not yet recovered.

Low Level Consort Yu rushed down the stairs: "Imperial Noble Consort, you\'ve arrived at the perfect time. Concubine Cheng has committed the crime of disrespecting her superiors. Not only did she offend me, but she also pushed the eldest princess down the stairs, causing her to hit her head and lose consciousness from blood loss. You must seek justice for the eldest princess! She shows complete disregard for the law!"

While fake crying, she secretly observed Jiang Xinyue\'s expression.

If the eldest princess was truly so seriously injured, Low Level Consort Yu wouldn\'t have time to quarrel with Concubine Cheng here.

Jiang Xinyue\'s face showed shock and anger: "What? Concubine Cheng, you dare harm the eldest princess?"

Aliali: 674da9bafd3b256fc3c7f574

She frowned and commanded fiercely: "Guards, take Concubine Cheng away and give her thirty lashes. As for further punishment, I will report to the Emperor for his decision."

"No... I didn\'t..."

Concubine Cheng had just managed to kneel up from the ground, but before she could defend herself, Jiang Xinyue\'s palace servants gagged her and dragged her away.

They had finally caught their chance to avenge their mistress.

Recently, Concubine Cheng had been causing trouble for ChuangChun Pavilion, relying on her favored status. She would either steal the desserts they prepared for their mistress or mock them about serving too much tonic soup, and even took away the golden soup they had simmered all night, claiming the Emperor was at her Langyue Pavilion and needed it served there.

Yet their mistress had told them it wasn\'t the right time to confront her, asking them to endure for a few more days.

Now they could finally release all their pent-up anger. Concubine Cheng would probably end up like Noble Lady Liu, bedridden for two or three months.

Hearing her clearly biased words in her favor, Low Level Consort Yu suddenly recalled what the eldest princess had said: "Noble Consort Jiang is someone who values benefits above all. As long as we don\'t interfere with her interests and even create value for her, we\'ll live better than when the Empress was here. Why exhaust yourself fighting? See the situation clearly - you only have me as a daughter, and Father Emperor won\'t give you another child. After all your struggles, won\'t you still just be a consort? What Father Emperor can give you, Noble Consort Jiang can give you even more in the future. Listen to me, don\'t oppose Noble Consort Jiang anymore - look, she already has three princes under her influence!"

It wasn\'t that Low Level Consort Yu looked down on Consort De, but a timid and cautious third prince probably wouldn\'t be a match for the fourth, fifth, and sixth princes.

Perhaps she should follow her daughter\'s advice and submit to the Imperial Noble Consort?