There were plenty of obedient and sensible ‘delicate flowers’ in Changchun Palace.
Even if those were lacking, there was still the heavenly beautiful Noble Lady Liang, whose son was held in Consort Hui’s hands.
One first attendant more or less didn’t matter.
But Consort Hui could not allow a lowly first attendant to defy her.
If she did nothing, who among the first attendants and Changzais below would be willing to be controlled in the future?
She didn’t even need to speak; the maids of Changchun Palace and the savvy Noble Ladies and Changzais were enough to give Lan Daying a hard time.
Fang He didn’t care about the first attendants tragic situation.
She only widened her eyes and asked the Little Palace Maid named Cui Xi, “My origin is Zashuhu Li? My name… wouldn’t happen to be San Niu, would it?”
Cui Xi was overjoyed, “Master, you remembered?”
Fang He: “…”
Was this a case of an impostor transmigrating into the real deal?
‘No, didn’t Zha San Niu fail the selection and then get married off to Jiangnan?’
How did she end up entering the palace?
No wonder Lan Daying was so stubborn, and yet with Consort Hui’s pettiness, she hadn’t directly killed her or dragged her to the Ji’an Office despite the persistent high fever.
Although the Zashuhu Li family’s origin wasn’t considered high and was only average in Shengjing, because she was the closest blood relative of that Wulinzhu Dowager, if she died, an explanation would have to be given to Shoukang Palace.
If the Empress Dowager found out that Lan Daying had been tormented to death, even if the Empress Dowager didn’t particularly like the Zashuhu Li bloodline, for the sake of Wulinzhu, she would definitely dislike Consort Hui even more.
Consort Hui understood this point, which was why she allowed Lan Daying to linger on until now… Hmm?
She seemed to have discovered another key point.
Having stayed by Kangxi’s side for many years, Fang He knew him too well.
Even if she didn’t deal with court affairs much, she was clear about the intertwined relationships of the various families outside.
Kangxi always wanted to take back the Zhenglan Banner from Yu Le.
So after discovering Xu Fang He’s identity, Kangxi kept her by his side as a backup knife, just waiting for Yu Le to die before striking.
But Cui Xi said there was no maid named Fang He before the Emperor.
Then Kangxi couldn’t possibly let go of the knife that was the Zashuhu Li family so easily.
That must be why Zha San Niu was selected to enter the palace and received favor so quickly.
Fang He didn’t have Zha San Niu’s memories, so she could only wrack her brains to think.
Since she was favored at the beginning and even given a title, Master Kang clearly intended to start his layout from the Zashuhu Li family.
But Lan Daying lost favor after entering Changchun Palace.
Did Master Kang have another dog… bah, another knife?
She looked at Cui Xi and asked, “I vaguely remember that the next selection should be when the Eighth Prince is granted a marriage?”
Cui Xi hurriedly nodded, “Yes, Lady Ying Hui from the An Prince Mansion took a fancy to… cough, anyway, everyone knows by now. Lady Ying Hui is definitely going to be the Eighth Princess Consort. Master Hui is much more affectionate toward Noble Lady Liang than before.”
Fang He understood.
It was indeed that dog-thing again.
One knife looked too useless and couldn’t get close to him.
That dog-thing weighed the pros and cons and chose a more reliable son, intending to use a ‘honey trap’ to take down the Zhenglan Banner quietly and smoothly.
Unfortunately, Yinsi wasn’t that easy for Master Kang to lead by the nose.
In any case, history certainly didn’t go as Kangxi wished; otherwise, in TV dramas, Master Kang wouldn’t have cursed this son until he lost his composure.
Cui Xi brought Fang He out of her reverie: “Master, what have you decided?”
“The double-sided heated bed screen cover that you embroidered for My Lord before—didn’t it receive a few words of praise from Master Hui? Should I send it over for you?”
Fang He leaned back lazily against the head of the bed and chuckled softly, “No need. What others want isn’t that bed screen.”
Consort Hui was merely using that to test if Lan Daying was willing to give up the credit.
How much time has passed since then?
She looked at her hand, which was so thin that the veins were visible.
If she approached now, the other party wouldn’t even look at her; it would only invite harsher ridicule from Consort Hui.
She might even be used as cannon fodder while helping others count the money.
“But…” Cui Xi’s brow furrowed tightly, and she wrung her hands, feeling particularly troubled.
“In order to invite the apprentice from the Imperial Medical Institute to see you, our silver is almost spent.”
“I didn’t dare let you freeze, so I went to the Imperial Household Department to buy Hongluo charcoal. After today’s supply is used up, we only have half a basket of black charcoal left. It’s only the middle of the month.”
It was already October; from now on, it will get colder day by day.
‘If the master didn’t think of a way, next month’s allowance would likely still be mostly deducted by others.’
Then life truly wouldn’t be livable.
Fang He sighed softly.
This Zha San Niu really had a miserable life, especially after she fell for the Emperor.
Her head was filled with nothing but that dog-thing.
Even if others didn’t deduct her allowance, being in the palace was still a torment.
She thought for a moment, stood up, and said to Cui Xi, “Take that bed screen cover. Let’s go.”
Cui Xi thought her master had finally seen the light and was immediately so happy that her eyes curved.
“I’ll go right now!”
But once Cui Xi carried the long box and followed behind Fang He, she realized something was wrong after walking for a while.
“Master, where are you going?”
Isn’t this the direction of the side gate out of Changchun Palace?
Fang He looked slowly at the Changchun Palace she hadn’t visited much and said softly, “To Shoukang Palace, to pay respects to the Empress Dowager.”
Cui Xi’s eyes widened, “Ah? But Master, your status…”
As a first attendant, she was not qualified to go to Shoukang Palace to pay respects!
If the master had such ability, how could she still be bullied by the Noble Ladies and Changzais of Changchun Palace until she almost couldn’t survive?
Isn’t this nonsense!
Cui Xi stamped her feet and advised in a low voice, “Master, please don’t be impulsive. Aside from whether you can see the Empress Dowager, this kind of thing without evidence… even if you make a scene before the Empress Dowager, she won’t stand up for you!”
“Master Hui still has the Eldest Prince and the Eighth Prince to rely on!”
While the two were talking, the Changchun Palace servants who saw the figures of Fang He and her maid immediately reported their movements to Aunt Ban Xia in the main hall.
Ban Xia let out a light sneer and told her master with a smile, “I see that our high-and-mighty Lan Daying is probably going to rely on that bit of bloodline sentiment from her family to go before the Empress Dowager and talk behind your back, Master.”
Unfortunately, the Empress Dowager would indeed think of the ties of the past, but she would only forbid anyone from casually harming the descendants of the Wulinzhu Dowager.
Lan Daying was of a separate branch; she could only be considered a grand-niece of the Wulinzhu Dowager at best.
Among those with well-informed news, who didn’t know that although the Empress Dowager still protected the Zashuhu Li family, she privately disliked the clan members of the Zashuhu Li family immensely?
Consort Hui didn’t care at all and said, “Let her go. That ungrateful thing. When Shoukang Palace kicks her out later, that end room should also be emptied. It’s an eyesore anyway!”
Ban Xia immediately understood her master’s meaning.
As long as the Empress Dowager grew tired of Lan Daying, Changchun Palace would no longer have to fear that tiny bit of past connection.
This kind of high-and-mighty and good-looking first attendant should be sent to the Ji’an Office as soon as possible.
Lest one day, if this Lan Daying truly got lucky and received My Lord’s favor, she would inevitably add more annoyance to the master.
Ban Xia directly told the lower palace servants to go to the Household Kitchen.
Since those two had the strength to run to Shoukang Palace, they were clearly full and had nothing better to do.
They should be made to starve for a few meals.
The Household Kitchen received the benefits from Changchun Palace and agreed with a smile.
Later, they would put meals that looked completely inedible and had been left out for several days into the food box for Lan Daying.
Fang He didn’t know yet that such disgusting things were waiting for her, and even if she did, she wouldn’t care.
Of course, this wasn’t the kind of self-righteous pride from her first transmigration, behaving like a reckless spectator.
It was just that she had been in charge of the Imperial Palace for so many years that she knew too many things and methods inside and outside the palace by heart.
Gaining Kangxi’s favor wasn’t easy… she also hadn’t decided whether she wanted to fight for favor again.
She had to see if the Master Kang here was still that dog-thing of hers first.
But wanting to live a quiet, leisurely life in the palace without conflict was not difficult for her at all.
Sure enough, just as Cui Xi said, when they reached the front of Shoukang Palace, before the two of them could report their identities, the little eunuch guarding the gate spoke harshly with a cold face.
“The residence of the Empress Dowager. Random people are not allowed to approach. Leave quickly!”
Cui Xi’s heart trembled, and she subconsciously wanted to pull her master, but her hand grasped empty air.
Looking up, she watched with a trembling heart as her master pulled out that solitary silver hairpin from her head and handed it to the little eunuch.
“I ask the Anda to report to Manager Chang for me, or to report to Nanny Wulinzhu. Just say that a descendant of an old acquaintance has important matters to report concerning ‘Lin’. I will take all the responsibility myself.”
The little eunuch truly didn’t care for a broken hairpin weighing only two ounces.
What hadn’t the gate-keeping eunuchs of Shoukang Palace seen?
But as he impatiently looked up, before he could drive Fang He away, he saw her deep eyes that seemed to hold a half-smile.
Having been a Master and Noble Consort for decades, the air of composure and the aura that unconsciously made one want to bow revealed by Fang He made the little eunuch’s heart drum.
He hesitated for a moment and told Fang He to wait in a gruff voice, turning around to go inside to find the Shoukang Palace manager, Chang Mao.
When Chang Mao heard the little eunuch’s report, he rolled his eyes.
As the personal eunuch to the master, he naturally knew what that ‘Lin’ character meant.
In the palace today, the only one related to the Wulinzhu Dowager was this one little Daying.
He had heard that after the Old Lady entered Shengjing, this Daying’s maternal family was so afraid of offending Shizu and the An Prince Mansion that they hurriedly buried the Old Lady in a rush, almost making the Empress Dowager cough up blood in anger.
It was already merciful that the Empress Dowager didn’t punish the Zashuhu Li family.
In the past, this Lan Daying had been sensible, so why was she showing such a lack of judgment by coming to the door now?
He said coldly, “Drive her away. Later, send someone to Changchun Palace to pass a message to Consort Hui, telling her to manage her own people well.”
The little eunuch hurriedly bowed and replied, “This… Manager Chang, that Lan Daying actually guessed what you would say. She said you only need to tell the Empress Dowager that she isn’t here to ask for the booklet, but she brought the last words of an old acquaintance. The Empress Dowager will definitely see her.”
Chang Mao froze, his expression suddenly changing.
He didn’t know what ‘booklet’ meant, but back then, it was indeed Lan Daying’s clansmen who met the Old Lady on the road back to Shengjing.
Perhaps there really were some last words.
He frowned and said, “Let her wait!”
Chang Mao hurried into the main hall and reported Fang He’s words to his master, who was currently having breakfast.
He didn’t even have time to mention the last words.
As soon as he finished speaking about the booklet, the porridge in the Empress Dowager’s mouth suddenly sprayed out, and she coughed until her face turned red.
Wulinzhu and Nanny Liu quickly rubbed the Empress Dowager’s back.
Nanny Liu’s eyebrows shot up: “What booklet or whatever? Any cat or dog thinks they can come barking at Shoukang Palace now! Drive her away immediately, don’t startle—”
“Wait!” the Empress Dowager gasped with difficulty, interrupting Nanny Liu’s words.
Wulinzhu helplessly rubbed her master’s back and glanced at Nanny Liu, “You go. Invite Lan Daying in. Let her wait in the Side Hall first and ask her exactly what she’s here for… Be a bit polite.”
How should it be put?
To have the Wulinzhu Dowager tell her even about the matter of the fire-avoiding booklet, this Lan Daying might truly have served the Old Lady and was quite liked by her.
What Wulinzhu didn’t understand is that this Lan Daying had been in the palace for four years; she only just remembered to speak now?
What had she been doing before?