Chapter 8.9 – Goddess of the Harem
The centre palace, the Imperial study.
What happened in the harem yesterday had been spread throughout society by the morning. Today, memorials from courtiers and an admonishment from the Imperial Censor were piled high on the teapoy. Many of the memorials came from the Nan faction in the Imperial court. The Nan faction was a stubborn faction headed by Imperial Censor Nan. It had always been the most troublesome group of people for Dongfang Yao to deal with. After the original host of the body had ascended the throne, these old codgers looked for trouble a lot with him. These two were not only veterans of the court, they also had the Empress Dowager’s support. Dongfang Yao could only silently endure.
However, he did not expect this old man’s hands to grow really long, to be so meddlesome as to bother with matters in the Imperial harem.
Looking at the reprimands on the table that rebuked him for being too tyrannical, Su Rui just smiled coldly. What do you mean ‘tyrannical’? You guys don’t even know what real tyranny is. They are merely a group of self-opinionated old fogeys who flaunt their seniority.
Dongfang Yao was concerned about past relationships and also wanted to stabilise the court. He had no choice but to compromise with the Nan faction, but now that Su Rui has become Dongfang Yao, he doesn’t care about what this group of people had to say. If all else fails, just cut them down, so what?
“Your Majesty.”
Wang Yi, who was originally outside the door guarding the study, hurried to Su Rui’s side, bowed and spoke with his head lowered: “Your Majesty, a messenger from the Cining Palace has come, the Empress Dowager invites you to come to Cining Palace for a meal.”
Empress Dowager?
“Zhen is very busy. No time.”
Regarding the current dynasty’s Empress Dowager, Su Rui didn’t like her one bit. This young, widowed mother-in-law had been in close contact with her relatives. She always has delusions about governing the country. What’s more, she was not actually Dongfang Yao’s biological mother. The mother and son are naturally not of one mind.
Blu: The mother and son are naturally not of one mind – Meaning, they’re not on the same page/ have different goals in mind. (Explained because Teh didn’t get it and I thought some of you guys might not get it as well)
Hearing Su Rui’s words, Wang Yi was not surprised. His Majesty’s behaviour has been very unusual these past few days. Wang Yi, who experienced the occurrence of too many unexpected things, had learned to be calm.
Isn’t it just rejecting the Empress Dowager? Isn’t this what His Majesty had always wanted to do but had no chance to do so?
Wang Yi couldn’t help but frown at the thought of the person in Cining Palace. He reminisced on how gentle and virtuous she was back when the previous Emperor was still here. But after the previous Emperor entrusted the present Emperor to her, she immediately changed. She formed a faction and was obsessed with the ambition of wanting to be a female Emperor.
Blu: Fun fact, there was a female Emperor. She was the first and last female Emperor of China. After her death, she was vilified bc men back then had serious cases of beta male pride. I rate them small pp. (Don’t quote me on this. I’m not sure of all the facts.)
Teh: Her name was Wu Zhetian if you’re curious. She was cool.
After Wang Yi left, Su Rui casually browsed a few memorials. When he saw a certain memorial on people who would become imperial guards, Su Rui’s movements stiffened and his eyes fell on a person’s name.
Chen Shengbei.
He was Su Wan’s fiance in the original plot and the Male Lead daren of this world. And this memorial was sent in by the imperial guards with the intention to promote some of the outstanding imperial guards. Chen Shengbei is also included in this time’s promotion list.
Su Rui frowned for a long time, and finally wrote the word “Approved” on it.
As for the other memorials, without exception they were all ignored by General Su…
Harem, Shangfu Bureau.
Such a major incident happened yesterday, a good number of people from the Shangfu Bureau had died and now they were seriously understaffed. Liao Siyi brought Yan Yunuo to the Imperial Household Department to look at the register of some ladies who just entered the palace. She was planning to look for some little palace maids who had decent needlework skills to replenish the manpower in Shangfu Bureau.
“Xu Bingyue?”
In that register of palace maids, Yan Yunuo was surprised to see Xu Bingyue’s name. When she was in Imperial Hospital that day, she met that little maid servant. She knew that she and Su Wan sent her to the Imperial Hospital. Later, she also told her that her full name was “Xu Bingyue”.
“Yunuo, do you know her?”
Hearing Yan Yunuo’s voice, Liao Siyi turned to look at her and asked in a questioning tone.
“Replying to Liao Siyi, the slave-servant was infected with the cold yesterday, it was she and Su Wan who sent the slave-servant to the Imperial Hospital.”
Speaking of this, Yan Yunuo couldn’t help but think of Su Wan who had been sent to the Xinzheku, and she immediately became despondent: “I wonder how Su Wan is over there? Her body isn’t that healthy and I don’t know whether she can endure it or not.”
Because it was so busy in Shangfu Bureau today, Yan Yunuo did not have time to meet Chen Ji and did not know how things went on his side.
Hearing Yan Yunuo’s words full of worry, Liao Siyi only sighed in the bottom of her heart. Su Wan was also a good seedling, but she had offended the Emperor. Although he only said to dispatch her to the Xinzheku for a month, if they did not receive instructions from His Majesty after the stipulated period, who would dare to let her out without permission?
“Yunuo, everyone deep in the palace is like rootless duckweed, everyone has their own fate, you just need to take care of yourself.”
Liao Siyi could see that Yu Nuo was too kind-hearted and soft, and she had to mention this from time to time so that Yan Yunuo would not lose her little life in the future because she did not heed her warnings.
Hearing Liao Siyi’s words, Yan Yunuo moved her lips but did not speak. She knew that Liao Siyi had her own way of life, but Yan Yunuo also had her own principles. She knew that Su Wan suffered such punishment because of her, and she had to find a way to rescue her no matter what.
“Since you know Xu Bingyue, what do you think of her?”
Seeing Yan Yunuo was no longer speaking, Liao Siyi set her sights on the palace maid register in her hands.
“Bingyue is very kind and passionate, she is a good girl.”
Yan Yunuo thought of Xu Bingyue’s face in her memory and couldn’t help putting in a few good words for her.
“Since you think she’s not bad, just let her work with you instead of Su Wan.”
Liao Siyi still very much trusts Yan Yunuo. When she saw Liao Siyi noting a checkmark on Xu Bingyue’s name, a happy smile appeared on Yan Yunuo’s face. At this moment, Goddess Yan would not have expected that in the near future, Xu Bingyue will become the biggest enemy in this life…
Xinzheku-
Su Wan stayed in the room all morning without doing anything, and simply wandered around the courtyard of the Xinzheku. This is different from the Huanyi Bureau. The palace servants of the Huanyi Bureau washed clothes in the courtyard every day, only staying in one place from morning till night. In comparison, most of the people in Xinzheku worked outside, and everyone only came back at night or at meal times.
Blu: Huanyi Bureau – Washing Clothes Bureau
At noon, the courtyard of Xinzheku was deserted, and the withered, yellow leaves were blown by the autumn wind. The fallen leaves on the ground made this lonely courtyard appear even more bleak.
Su Wan strolled around in the yard. When she walked to the gate, she saw a shady figure looking around at the door of the Xinzheku.
Su Wan frowned and planned to ignore her, but at that time the little palace maid in blue by the door caught sight of Su Wan’s figure and immediately waved at her rapidly, whispering quietly: “Hey! This younger sister, please come closer for a chat.”
Su Wan: …
Can I pretend that I didn’t hear it?
“Sister! This younger sister!”
Seeing that Su Wan ignored her and turned around, intending to go back. The little palace maid became anxious. She looked around then rushed past the entrance of the Xinzheku quickly, and forcefully dragged Su Wan out the entrance into a corner: “This younger sister, big sister has something to ask you.”
While speaking, the palace maid had stuffed some broken silver in Su Wan’s hands.
The monthly salary of the palace servants of the Xinzheku is only half of the salary of lower-class palace maids. Although these pieces of broken silver are few in number, they will be regarded as an unexpected fortune in their eyes.
The maid dressed in blue brocade was waiting for Su Wan to smile flatteringly at her. However, Su Wan merely put away the silver silently and looked at her indifferently: “Go ahead and ask, I don’t know much.”
In fact, she knew nothing about the people of the Xinzheku.
Eh.
The little maiden very quickly responded after hearing Su Wan’s words. Her tone was rushed as she asked: “Do you know of the new maid servant named Su Wan who arrived to your Xinzheku yesterday?”
En?
Su Wan’s gaze flashed when she heard her name and lightly nodded: “I know.”
“Then do you know why she entered the Xinzheku?”
The palace maid in blue then asked again, seemingly afraid of being seen by others, her tone became increasingly urgent.
“I heard that it was because she offended the Emperor.”
Su Wan continued to answer unhurriedly, and took the opportunity to glance at the little palace maid. She was not that much older but she was wearing a brocade palace gown and the head ornaments in her hair were also very expensive. If Su Wan was not guessing wrong, she should be a palace maid who served as a manager by an Imperial Concubine’s side, and this Imperial Concubine was most likely…
“Do you know what she did to offend the Emperor?” The inquiry of the palace maid in blue interrupted Su Wan’s thoughts.
“I don’t know.” Su Wan innocently shook her head: “She didn’t mention this and we didn’t ask much.”
Hearing Su Wan’s answer, the palace maid in blue hesitated then took out some more broken silver and stuffed them into Su Wan’s hands: “Help me figure out why she was punished today. I will be here this time tomorrow. If you can find out this information, I will definitely reward you generously!”
Reward me generously?
Su Wan’s eyes flashed: “Okay. I still don’t know what this sister’s name is?”
“Me?”
The maid in the blue palace dress hesitated for a while, and said in a low tone: “You can call me Sister Wan Xin. I will go first. You must definitely remember the task I entrusted you with! Wait for me here tomorrow!”
While speaking, Wan Xin looked around with guilty conscience, and then quickly walked away.
Wan Xin, the manager of Xiuning Palace, one of Imperial Concubine Liang’s confidants.
Su Wan gazed at the direction Wan Xin left in, thinking of Imperial Concubine Liang, who she had never met ——
Was she specifically sending someone to inquire about her news because she was simply curious about the bloody event that occurred in the harem? Or did she have some deep insight and was attentively watching her?
In the harem of Dongfang Yao, there really was no one who was easy to deal with.
