119 Offense (1)

Xiao Ruo had regained favor overnight, even stealing the spotlight from Zhang Bitong. Naturally, Zhang Bitong was gnashing her teeth in the Cuiwei Palace. By the next day, word spread that the Emperor’s gifts to Xiao Ruo were so numerous they filled the entire courtyard of the Nanxun Palace.

"That girl truly has some skill. To think she could endure in silence for so many days only to climb back up," Zhang Bitong remarked indignantly upon waking that morning.

"Your Ladyship, please calm your anger. The fact that you have returned to your original position is the most joyous occasion. Do not take this little episode with Noble Lady Ruo to heart. You know as well as anyone that in this harem, no one can monopolize the Emperor’s favor forever. Only by climbing higher can one be secure—just like the Empress and the Empress Dowager," Yunqing said as she combed Zhang Bitong’s hair.

Zhang Bitong looked at herself in the mirror, smoothing her hair, and said, "You are right. My rapid restoration to my former rank is all thanks to your excellent idea. Yunqing, it was not in vain that I have treated you like a sister all these days. Very well, I shall not bicker with that Xiao Ruo. She is merely a wet-behind-the-ears girl; relying on a dance or a few poems, how long can she last? Even if I do not deal with her, the Empress will."

"Your Ladyship is wise."

"Good. Put that hairpin the Emperor gifted me into my hair."

"Yes." Yunqing took the hairpin from a silk box and placed it in Zhang Bitong’s hair. Although the Emperor had not visited the Cuiwei Palace yesterday, the gifts sent that morning had been plentiful, and this hairpin was among them.

"You look beautiful, Your Ladyship. The Emperor still dotes on you. Wearing this today, you will surely outshine everyone at the Kunning Palace. It seems Eunuch Qiu did not lie to you when you were demoted."

"Mm, Qiu Ronghai spoke the truth to me this time. Find a moment to send him something."

"Yes, Your Ladyship, I know what to do."

Zhang Bitong slowly stood up, just about to head to the Kunning Palace to pay her respects, when Lanyan rushed in, breathless. "Your Ladyship, the Empress Dowager just issued an imperial decree for all the consorts to pay their respects at the Cining Palace."

"The Empress Dowager?" Zhang Bitong was puzzled. "Didn't she say we didn't need to pay her daily respects? How strange, to suddenly demand it out of the blue. Has she been idle for too long and grown restless for some excitement?"

Zhang Bitong could not see the connection between the Empress Dowager and Nangong Zixuan, but standing to the side, I could not help but wonder: had Luning really summoned the consorts for this specific purpose? If so, Zhang Bitong’s visit would not be smooth. My first instinct was to look at Yunqing.

Yunqing said calmly, "Since the Empress Dowager has issued a decree, Your Ladyship should go. Little Xiaozi, you attend to Her Ladyship on her way."

"Fine, if the Empress Dowager wishes to do something, I cannot stop her. Little Xiaozi, come with me to the Cining Palace."

"Yes, Your Ladyship!"

On the way, Zhang Bitong asked me, "Little Xiaozi, has Xuan'er been associating with the Crown Prince lately? I feel the Crown Prince's attitude toward Xuan'er has changed. Do you know anything about this?"

I bowed from behind and replied, "This servant dares not speculate on the affairs of the masters. However, I have noticed it does seem different, though I heard the Sixth Prince say it was because of the Fourth Prince's incident."

"Jiang Ye? Does the Crown Prince blame Xuan'er for the Fourth Prince's trouble? In the end, wasn't that caused by you? And it was the Emperor who issued the decree, so who can he blame? That Fourth Prince is narrow-minded and dared to touch the Princess the Emperor dotes on most; he brought this upon himself. How can he blame Xuan'er? Forget it, sooner or later Xuan'er will have a falling out with the Crown Prince. Even if the Crown Prince didn't act this way, the Empress would have. I had hoped to keep Xuan'er from getting too close to the Crown Prince, but Xuan'er is sentimental and would not listen. Now, it is just as well."

Zhang Bitong was only thinking about how Jiang Xuan might eventually vie for the throne against Jiang Yun, and that a rift was inevitable. But now that Jiang Yun had initiated the rift, why did she not consider Jiang Xuan’s vulnerable position?

Before long, we arrived at the Cining Palace. Yet, upon arrival, not a single consort was to be seen. Confused, Zhang Bitong walked in and asked a palace maid, "I have come to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager. Please announce my arrival."

The maid replied respectfully, "Please wait in the side hall, Your Ladyship. The Empress Dowager will see you once she has finished her preparations."

Zhang Bitong nodded and sat in the side hall. After waiting for the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, no other consorts had arrived, and the Empress Dowager had not appeared.

"Little Xiaozi, go and ask again on my behalf."

"Yes!"

I went out and asked the maid again, but the answer was identical to the first. I felt something was wrong, but I could not expose it directly. Just as I was about to return, I saw a maid walking outside—it was Jialin, whom I had met twice before.

"Lady Jialin!" I called out, chasing after her. When she turned to look at me, she seemed uncertain.

"Lady Jialin," I smiled as I approached, noticing a bruise on her brow bone, her eye seemingly swollen shut.

"What happened to your eye?" I asked.

Jialin instinctively covered her brow with her hand. "It’s nothing, I just bumped into something. Were you calling me? Which palace do you serve in, little eunuch?"

"I am from the Cuiwei Palace. Don't you remember? We have met twice before."

Jialin recalled, "Ah, I remember now. You are from Concubine Tong's side. What is it? Do you need something?"

"I am attending to Her Ladyship to pay respects to the Empress Dowager, and I just happened to see you. I saw Noble Lady Ya strike you last time; it must hurt terribly. You should be more careful in the future; Noble Lady Ya has a quick temper, so you must be swift in whatever you do."

Seeing that I was speaking with genuine concern, Jialin’s eyes reddened. "Thank you, I will remember. My mistress is a princess, so I cannot complain. We palace maids have no say in choosing our masters. But I just heard you mention paying respects at the Cining Palace? My mistress went to the Imperial Garden this morning, saying the Empress Dowager issued a decree for flower viewing."

"The Imperial Garden?"

Jialin nodded. "Why, does your mistress not know?"

"Oh, Her Ladyship must have been mistaken. Thank you, Lady Jialin."

"No need to thank me. What is your name?"

"My name is Little Xiaozi."

"You are Little Xiaozi?" Jialin seemed pleasantly surprised.

"You know me?"

"I used to be a maid in the Laundry Bureau. I had heard of you among the maids—that even though you have had bad luck, you always manage to escape danger, as if helped by the gods. We used to say that someone like you must have great fortune ahead. I thought you would have three heads and six arms; I didn't expect you to look like this."

I couldn't help but laugh. "What do I look like?"

Jialin froze, waving her hands in a panic. "I didn't mean anything by it! I just meant you look quite handsome."

"Lady Jialin is also very beautiful."

Jialin blushed. "I thought I would be washing clothes in the Laundry Bureau forever, but then I was called to serve by my mistress's side."

"It's fine. Being by a master's side at least allows you to gain experience. If the master gains favor, there will be benefits. Just be sharp."

Jialin nodded. "I will remember. You are the role model I want to follow. Aren't you the favored one by your mistress's side?"

I pursed my lips and smiled. "I will talk to you another time; Her Ladyship is still waiting inside!"

"Alright."

I returned to the Cining Palace, where Zhang Bitong was already growing impatient.

"Little Xiaozi, where have you been? I told you to get a clear answer, and you only return now."

"Your Ladyship, actually..."

Before I could speak, Mu Yan walked in. Seeing Zhang Bitong, she looked genuinely startled. "Why is Concubine Tong here?"

Zhang Bitong was even more confused. She stood up and asked, "That is a strange question, Attendant. I came to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager. But she is not here, and I was going to ask you—where has the Empress Dowager gone?"

Mu Yan remained astonished. "Does Your Ladyship not know that the Empress Dowager invited all the consorts to the Imperial Garden to view the flowers and chat?"

"The Imperial Garden? Was it not the Cining Palace? That maid told me so." Zhang Bitong pointed to the maid outside.

Mu Yan glanced at her. "Her? The Empress Dowager originally intended to wait for the consorts at the Cining Palace, but she was in high spirits and changed her mind, deciding to view the flowers in the Imperial Garden. This maid must have been away on other tasks and was unaware, which is why she let Your Ladyship wait here."

Zhang Bitong said angrily, "I thought those serving the Empress Dowager were sharp, but I did not expect such a dull-witted person, causing me to wait so long."

Mu Yan said, "Your Ladyship, please do not be angry; those who do not know are not guilty. I will report this maid to the Empress Dowager. Why don't you come with me to the Imperial Garden?"

"Is the Empress Dowager truly at the Imperial Garden this time?" Zhang Bitong asked, still hesitant.

"Naturally. The wind was cool this morning, and I returned specifically to fetch a cloak for the Empress Dowager. All the other consorts have arrived; you are the only one missing."

Zhang Bitong looked displeased but could not vent her frustration. She simply said, "Very well, I shall go to the Imperial Garden, lest the Empress Dowager think I am intentionally avoiding paying my respects."

"Thank you for your understanding, Your Ladyship."

"Little Xiaozi, let’s go to the Imperial Garden."

Zhang Bitong called for me to leave, not wanting to wait for Mu Yan. As I followed her, I looked back at Mu Yan’s retreating figure. How could there be such a coincidence in this world? How could a maid not know the Empress Dowager’s whereabouts, and why, among so many consorts, was it only Zhang Bitong who was left behind? This was clearly Luning intentionally teaching Zhang Bitong a lesson.

First, the sudden summons, then letting Zhang Bitong wait in vain until she was about to explode, and then Mu Yan appearing exactly at the right moment. With a single sentence of "those who do not know are not guilty," she cleared herself of blame. With all the other consorts present, Zhang Bitong could neither vent her anger nor refuse to go.

This little performance was quite thorough.

But I wondered, once we arrived at the Imperial Garden, was the show really over?

If Luning was not a person who sought vengeance for every slight, then her grudge against Nangong Zixuan must truly run deep.