Chapter 26

Chapter 26

To avoid drawing attention, Yinzhen arrived at Changchun Garden two hours after the palace gates were locked.

Nanny Chen received him, and he had brought only Su Peisheng along. Their movements caused no disturbance; there was no reason for anyone to notice.

However, all eight female officials now resided in Changchun Garden.

Across from Geng Shuning, in the west room, lived Heseri Muying, who had taken over Garudai's duties. She was a light sleeper.

In a half-dream state, Muying heard some noise as Yinzhen left the room.

Out of caution, Muying didn't dare to come out and check. Recalling that no matter how she was dressed, the Empress Dowager always sought out Geng Shuning. This left Muying, the female official responsible for the Empress Dowager's wardrobe, without a foothold, having been secretly mocked many times. Muying felt quite bitter about it, and with her mind racing, she got up.

She pressed her ear against the window, waiting for them to leave, and then secretly poked a hole in the window paper to peek outside.

It was deep into the night, and she couldn't clearly see who it was. By the faint light of the sheepskin palace lantern, she could make out three people, two of whom, judging by their figures, were men.

Muying was greatly startled. She also noticed that the lamp in Geng Shuning's room had just been blown out, and her eyes almost popped out.

The people who had just left included one who was quite tall in the middle. Although she couldn't tell who it was, she was certain that this was not a eunuch.

Her face drained of color in terror. Meeting men in the middle of the night was a grave offense against the palace!

Even after lying back down, Muying's heart pounded, and she couldn't fall asleep.

Before dawn, she quickly got up, under the pretense of inspecting the new silk tribute from Jiangnan, and greeted Nanny Zhou. Carrying a palace lantern, she headed to the Four Archives Hall.

Soon after, an inconspicuous little eunuch from the Four Archives Hall, holding the rations for the consorts in the rear palace, walked south with a normal expression and entered Wuling Chunse.

Although Muying had followed Garudai for several years, her father had secretly pledged allegiance to Longkodo.

Since entering the palace, Muying had privately been on good terms with Tong Siya.

Even before the Tong family's network, which was passed to Tong Siya through the Imperial Household Department, included Muying.

If something life-threatening occurred, Muying would likely not come to Tong Siya's aid. Previously, she had coldly watched Tong Siya being squeezed out in the garden, pretending to know nothing.

But when it came to something beneficial for both sides, Muying wouldn't just stand by.

Muying had someone pass a note to Tong Siya, stating what she had seen, without another word.

She knew that Tong Siya's relationship with Geng Shuning had not been good, and the current situation seemed to involve Geng Shuning as well.

Muying secretly believed that if Tong Siya could eliminate Geng Shuning, she herself could vie for the position of the Empress Dowager's chief attendant.

If she lent a hand, Tong Siya's life in the palace could also improve.

Muying believed that with Tong Siya's cunning, she should be able to understand this deal.

In the past two months, Tong Siya's life had indeed been quite difficult.

*

With Consort Qi and Noble Consort Ning causing trouble both openly and secretly, and the Empress Dowager and the Empress seemingly turning a blind eye, almost everyone in the rear palace could now step on her.

She had never endured such humiliation before.

Despite all the evidence pointing to Niuheru Jingyi and Geng Shuning as the culprits, and her family having covered their tracks, the Emperor remained indifferent, treating her as if she were invisible.

Tong Siya, with her strong-willed nature, had indeed cried several times. She was terrified of what lay ahead.

It wasn't until the Retired Emperor issued his first decree that Tong Siya gradually began to understand.

Previously, the Tong family had given her resources and support, helping her climb by using her as a pawn, feeding on her blood for their own advancement.

Now that the Tong family had achieved their desired outcome, they no longer cared about her life or death, leaving her to waste away in this cold-palace-like hell.

After realizing this, she understood that the Tong family wished for her to die in Wuling Chunse.

After all, the emperor would eventually select new concubines, and her paternal third uncle, who worked under Longkodo, had a legitimate daughter, her sixth cousin, who was thirteen and eligible for the selection.

There were also two other illegitimate ladies from the main Tong family, one eleven and the other twelve, who would enter the palace in a couple of years.

Tong Siya was so angry that she tore countless handkerchiefs.

So, was it her fate to be a messenger for the Tong family in the palace for many years, only to be disposed of when she was no longer useful, making way for other Tong family ladies?

Fat chance!

It hadn't been easy for Tong Siya to enter the palace through the "exclusive selection." She had faced competition from her legitimate elder sister and her father's other daughters.

She had jumped into a frozen lake, framing her birth mother and elder sister, to secure her place in the palace.

Now that she had become the emperor's woman, no Tong family lady, no matter how noble, could take her place!

Tong Siya was not a fool.

With the current tension between the emperor and the Tong family, and the selection still far away, she could only lie low for now, waiting for a better time to seek favor.

So, no matter how difficult the servants made her life under Concubine Qi's hints, Tong Siya endured quietly.

She didn't expect to receive such good news from Mu Ying.

Now, she was convinced that Geng Shuning had no intention of serving the emperor.

Mu Ying was just a fool who dared to do reckless things. Since she was so desperate, it would be better to use her life to propel herself forward.

Liu Zhi, the personal maid serving Tong Siya, didn't agree and frowned as she advised, "My lady, don't be impulsive. Mu Ying is trying to use you as a tool to get rid of someone."

"When you were struggling before, Mu Ying didn't lend a hand. Now, without any evidence, she has the nerve to curry favor. Who knows if it's genuine?"

Tong Siya only smiled gently. "With years of friendship, it's only right to help her."

Liu Zhi had been sent to her by the family, with her parents controlled by her stepmother, so Tong Siya dared to speak some truth.

She lowered her voice and explained patiently to Liu Zhi, "This doesn't require evidence. We can bluff and put pressure on that scheming bitch. It won't be a big deal."

"If she has any ulterior motives, she'll definitely slip up. With the way she fawns over the Empress Dowager, we might finally get more than leftovers."

Tong Siya had a feeling that Mu Ying wouldn't deceive her.

With Geng Shuning's weak and useless nature, if she only pretended to have something on her and acted tough, that scheming bitch would definitely panic.

It was heartbreaking.

As a Guiren, she held a sixth-rank position, but Tong Siya's current life was far worse than when she served as an inner court female official.

Tong Siya doesn't regret it either. Even the most respectable female officials in charge at the imperial front had only their stipends and no real authority.

Back when the Retired Emperor was still in power, the female officials had to bow and yield to the favored lower-ranking consorts and serve them well.

Tong Siya wouldn't wait for Mu Ying's handout; that one was just another fool with no brains.

Given Geng Shuning's current status in front of the Empress Dowager, a single word to the Four Archives Hall would make Tong Siya's life a bit easier.

As long as she gets through this period, once the court stabilizes, and with Geng Shuning's secret in her grasp, she'll make her push for her in front of the Empress Dowager.

If the Empress Dowager is willing to speak for her, the emperor would have to give some face.

With her beauty and skills, as long as she can see the emperor, Tong Siya has her ways to compete for favor.

When the time comes, if Geng Shuning wants to leave the palace, she wouldn't hesitate to 'send her on her way.'

As for Consort Qi and Noblewoman Ning, she will ensure those two women are thoroughly humiliated.

Tong Siya doesn't act on intuition alone. For caution's sake, the most important thing right now is to confirm how much truth there is to this matter.

Gritting her teeth, she took out two one-hundred-tael banknotes from her chest and handed them to Liu Zhi.

"Go to the Four Archives Hall and find Nanny Na La from the Imperial Household Bureau to pass on a few words for me..."

*

In just two days, Geng Shuning gathered her composure and calmly held the sealed envelope of drawings to give to Nanny Chen at the storeroom.

"Please help me give this to Chief Su," she said.

Nanny Chen looked around to make sure no one was there and asked in a low voice, "Miss, wouldn't it be better to go to Nine Continents Clear View later?"

The emperor himself came to see you the other day, so your good days are just around the corner.

If you don't seize this opportunity and get closer to the emperor, why involve an old woman like me?

Geng Shuning calmly looked at Nanny Chen and gently explained.

"Please don't say such things anymore. Just think about it, all the other female officials have gone to the imperial front, but the emperor left me to serve the Empress Dowager. What could his intentions be?"

"The palace is not short of beauties, and there will be even more in the upcoming selection, including some of unparalleled beauty. You know I’m not ambitious, and I truly don’t dare to hope for such fortune."

"The emperor has seen me several times, and you should know the situation. It's only because of my little cleverness and ability to handle tasks well. To maintain the emperor’s reputation, I must avoid any suspicion, don’t you agree?"

Seeing Nanny Chen nod thoughtfully, Geng Shuning didn't say more and courteously left the storeroom to go and serve elsewhere.

As Nanny Chen watched Geng Shuning’s retreating figure, she realized that something about her had changed.

She still appeared gentle and soft, like a lake at sunset—clear and warm on the surface, but with a hidden coolness beneath.

Nanny Chen shook her head, wondering what had happened that night. But now she could see that this miss's heart was not in the palace.

As Geng Shuning stepped over the small threshold to the front hall, facing the rising sun, she slightly dazed out.

*

In her past life, she wasn’t careful or cautious at all; in fact, she had been quite the opposite.

She had been a left-behind child, raised by her widowed grandmother, while her parents worked in the city.

Geng Shuning had always been a wild child, full of mischief and adventure. She climbed trees, swam, stole bird eggs, poked beehives, teased cats and dogs, and even beat up other kids.

Her grandmother was so angry that she chased her with a fire poker countless times.

Later, when her parents had an accident at the construction site, her grandmother held the compensation money and considered adopting a son for her father.

She stormed into someone's house with a kitchen knife, slaughtering chickens and geese, which caused a commotion throughout the entire mountain village.

By the time Geng Shuning entered high school, her grandmother could no longer bear her wild behavior and gave up on the idea of adopting a child, but her health began to decline.

It was also at this time that Geng Shuning learned that her grandmother wanted to adopt a child not out of a preference for boys but because she was afraid that if she passed away early, Geng Shuning would be bullied.

Knowing the gap in educational resources between children from the mountains and those from outside, Geng Shuning studied desperately to make her grandmother proud and to pay for her medical treatment.

Her idol at that time... was none other than the Fourth Master, who pushed herself to the limit with the motto "study as if you won't die," and she worked hard to escape the mountains.

Even after her grandmother passed away, leaving her alone, her idol remained unchanged.

She wanted her grandmother to know that she could live well on her own.

To some extent, she was quite similar to that emperor; work was her true love, and everything else was just a diversion.

For the sake of work, she endured like a trained falcon, cultivating a gentle and graceful exterior, earning herself an independent office and an annual salary... and like a devoted fan, she even faced death with unwavering loyalty.

After arriving here, facing the idol she had admired all her life, she couldn't help but feel a quiet excitement, which was why she went to drink at the Qingyu Pavilion despite knowing it was inappropriate.

Since she could remember in her previous life, there had always been a fearless bravery in her bones; even if she pretended to be gentle, that recklessness couldn't be hidden.

When she realized that the Fourth Master had desires for her, well... she did have some playful thoughts.

That unconscious indulgence and testing, even she didn't notice it until Yinzhen pointed it out that night.

She realized that life wasn't like a TV drama—there was no poetry or romance, and even the future was cold and harsh.

She was even clearer about her future path.

A child raised in the mountains, with water as her skin and mountains as her bones, having seen the vast world, she could withstand wind and snow but couldn't fit herself into the Forbidden City as a decoration.

All dreams must eventually come to an end.

Geng Shuning stormed back to reality, the sun shining just right, and by her calculations, summer was about to pass.

*

When Yinzhen received the letter handed over by Geng Shuning and opened it, he found three relatively detailed drawings inside.

One was a wheeled chair resembling a dragon throne.

Another was a wooden track laid with many small wheels.

The last one was a screen clamped with gears and hanging ropes?

With a moment of thought, Yinzhen's heart began to burn with excitement.

He understood better than Geng Shuning what his Father Emperor's decision to pass the throne to him and his lingering issue of never leaving the Changchun Garden was all about.

Although his body had greatly recovered, due to a comminuted fracture, the Retired Emperor's right arm and left leg were still weak.

When being carried around, he looked weak and helpless, almost eerie.

For the sake of the country, the Retired Emperor could endure countless grievances but couldn't bear the sight of himself as a useless person, showing an involuntary look of embarrassment and helplessness.

But this wheeled dragon chair could be moved without needing to be carried.

The pulley system with gears allows the dragon chair to smoothly ascend and descend the steps.

To ensure these mechanisms remain hidden, a screen can be set up in advance to conceal them.

The screen is installed on a wooden track and can be easily pulled apart from both sides without lifting or moving, allowing the Retired Emperor to appear before others in the most dignified manner.

This is far better at pleasing the Retired Emperor than any auspicious sign.

As the Retired Emperor, he has seen countless novelties over the years. Once seen, they don’t linger in his mind.

Moreover, the wheelchair, pulley system, and wooden tracks will allow the Retired Emperor more freedom, so he won’t be confined to Qingyuan Study.

After thoroughly studying these drawings, Yinzhen's smile deepened, and he teased Su Peisheng.

"Check this out—no need for pampering. Just a little push and pull, and this stubborn mule starts moving!"

Su Peisheng: “...” How did it become a mule again?

He gave a stiff, forced smile, not daring to agree, and carefully relayed what Geng Shuning had told Nanny Chen.

After a pause, Su Peisheng added, "There’s been movement at the Four Archives Hall again."

"Heseri Baozhu’s daughter sent someone to Wuling Chunse, but we couldn’t get close enough to overhear the conversation."

"However, Heseri Muying is now the female official responsible for the Empress Dowager’s wardrobe and lives in the west room opposite Miss Shuning’s."

Su Peisheng suspected that Muying might have overheard or witnessed something that night, which led her to encourage Consort Tong to act.

Whether it was to manipulate Geng Shuning or use some underhanded tactics to get her out of the palace, things could easily spiral out of control.

Yinzhen’s smile gradually faded.

After a moment, he curled his lips and his gaze turned slightly cold.

"Since she wants to avoid suspicion, we won’t interfere with her matters from now on. Let them handle it themselves."

In the palace, stubborn bones often needed to be worn down a bit.

She needed to learn her place and understand who she should be bowing to.

*

With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, the atmosphere of an impending storm in the court grew stronger as the emperor held back the Ministry of Rites’ reports.

Fearing that this heavy rain might fall on the day of reunion.

The cautious imperial clansmen, eager to avoid trouble, were already plotting how to feign illness and skip the palace banquet.

But before they could act, the emperor issued an edict the day before the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The edict stated that the Imperial Household Department was preoccupied with preparations for the upcoming birthday celebrations, so the Mid-Autumn Festival would be kept low-key, with no grand palace banquet.

In the garden, the Empress Dowager would lead the consorts to Changchun Garden, where they would pay their respects to the Retired Emperor at Qingyuan Study. Later, they would gather for a simple family dinner at Nine Continents Clear View to celebrate the festival.

On the morning of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Shu Ning led Geng Xue and Mu Ying to the Empress Dowager’s quarters to receive their rewards after paying their respects.

After that, everyone went about their duties, while Geng Shuning and Mu Ying entered the Empress Dowager’s chambers to assist with her grooming.

When the empress and the consorts came to pay their respects, they would then go together to Changchun Garden.

As usual, to avoid encountering the emperor, Geng Shuning spent the morning in the storeroom and only entered the hall to assist the Empress Dowager after her afternoon rest.

The imperial concubines pay their respects every five days, always arriving before the emperor is expected.

Therefore, Geng Shuning had not seen Garudai and the others for a long time, including Tong Siya.

Upon entering the hall today, Nanny Wu Ya and Nanny Zhou, along with Geng Shuning and the others, first paid their respects to the imperial concubines.

Garudai and Niuheru Jingyi glanced over and spotted Geng Shuning.

The two were quite happy.

After paying their respects to the Empress Dowager, they stood up, winked at Geng Shuning, and smiled genuinely.

Geng Shuning also smiled at them and, with a sideways glance, saw Tong Siya, who looked a little haggard, and winked at her as well.

Geng Shuning thought, "...Is this woman having an eye twitch?"

Considering their history, it was already generous of Geng Shuning not to rub it in, so why was she winking?

Worse, Tong Siya not only winked but also gave her a look, clearly trying to get Geng Shuning to talk privately.

While serving tea and water to the concubines, Geng Shuning managed to exchange a few words with Garudai and Niuheru Jingyi, without giving Tong Siya any attention at all.

This time, on the trip to Changchun Garden, Geng Shuning couldn’t avoid her duties and had to attend to the Empress Dowager.

As they made their way from Changchun Garden to the main gate, Tong Siya tried to get closer to Geng Shuning.

Noble Consort Ning had been keeping a close eye on Tong Siya.

Tong Siya had used tricks to gain the emperor's favor and was now on equal footing with her, which made Consort Wu seethe with hatred.

During the emperor’s visit, he did nothing, yet Tong Siya left the Hall of Mental Cultivation in a daze.

To act so bewitching on her first service, Consort Wu especially looked down on her.

Since Consort Wu had pledged herself to Consort Qi and followed Lady Li's orders, she had been constantly making things difficult for Tong Siya.

Noticing Tong Siya’s intentions now, she sneered quietly.

In a low voice, she mocked, "Some people go to great lengths to smear others, but once they climb up, they suddenly remember the good things about those they betrayed."

Tong Siya lowered her eyes and remained silent.

Consort Wu, easily manipulated by Lady Li, would only get more aggressive if engaged. Ignoring her was the best way to make her back off.

Seeing that Tong Siya was not speaking, Consort Wu turned to Niuheru Jingyi, "Niu Constant Attendant, what do you think this is called?"

Niuheru Jingyi, smiling behind her handkerchief, chimed in, "I’m not well-versed, but isn’t this called 'greedy for more'?"

Garudai joined in the laughter, saying neither too loudly nor too softly, "Or maybe 'a wolf’s heart and a dog’s lungs, regretting her choices'?"

Tong Siya gritted her teeth, those two bitches!

After all the effort she put into befriending them, why couldn’t she ever measure up to Geng Jia Shuning, who did nothing?

She couldn’t understand it, and her resentment towards Geng Shuning grew even deeper.

If it weren’t for Geng Shuning’s instigation, she wouldn’t have been detested by the emperor!

Ning Guiren noticed that Tong Siya's handkerchief was crumpled into a ball, and the smile on her lips grew even brighter.

Having served as female officials together for so many years, even Garudai and Niuheru Jingyi looked down on Tong Siya, which just goes to show what a despicable person she was.

Ning Guiren smiled and complimented her, “Sister Niu is being humble. I see that the sisters are all clear-sighted and insightful; they can see through dirty tricks at a glance.”

Qi Fei, sitting in the front on her palanquin, heard the commotion behind her and curled her lips into a smirk.

Daring to steal her favor, this is what happens!

Seeing the Empress sitting stoically ahead, pretending to hear nothing, Consort Li sneered slightly in her eyes.

However, Consort Li didn’t remain happy for long. Recalling how she had previously pressured Tong Siya, who had only half-revealed her instigations, Li thoughtfully glanced at Geng Shuning.

According to this despicable woman, her ability to serve the Emperor was due to something Geng Shuning had said to the Empress Dowager.

The Emperor had stayed in Consort Li's palace several times but didn’t request water at night, leaving Consort Li feeling as if she were burning with anxiety.

Hong Yun had been taken to the prince's residence, all the attendants around him had been replaced, and the Imperial Physician visited three times a day but wouldn’t let her see the child.

Consort Li knew that the Emperor blamed her for not paying enough attention to Hong Yun, but the more she thought about Hong Yun’s frail condition, the more anxious she became.

Unlike the Empress, who pretends to be above all this but can’t even bear a child, she needed to quickly have another child.

Otherwise, if something happened to Hong Yun, what hope would she have in this life?

Tong Siya wanting to speak to Geng Shuning might mean she had some compromising information on the female official and was trying to get more tricks to gain favor.

Consort Li had an idea and, after stepping off the palanquin, whispered a few instructions into the ear of her personal attendant, Hong Ying.

*

As Geng Shuning watched the eunuchs carrying the Retired Emperor's gifts from behind, Tong Siya finally found an opportunity to approach her.

"Shu Ning, are you blaming me?" Tong Siya gently started, her eyes red as she gave Geng Shuning a courteous bow.

"I am here to apologize to you. It wasn’t me who arranged for Dan Zhu and the others; I was just a discarded pawn, unable to control my fate."

Geng Shuning's expression remained unchanged as she avoided Tong Siya's bow. "This servant is frightened and does not deserve Tong Guiren's apology, nor do I deserve your address of 'sister.'"

"If the masters of the harem were to find out, they would surely say that this servant was being disrespectful. Since you are unable to control your own fate, it’s better to be more cautious."

Tong Siya had already noticed the nearby eunuch lingering and eavesdropping.

Her eyes flickered, and after enduring the anger from Wu Shi and Geng Shuning's smug arrogance for half a day, she had lost her patience.

"I only meant to help, but if you don’t want to hear it, I won’t press further." She dabbed at the corner of her eye with her handkerchief, giving Geng Shuning a meaningful look.

"However, since the female official knows to be cautious, you should also rein in your heart a little. It’s not appropriate to cause such a disturbance at night."

Geng Shuning was taken aback for a moment.

After two months in the palace, she had somewhat grown accustomed to the roundabout way people spoke and understood the deeper meaning behind Tong Siya’s words.

Disturbing others at night... Her heart tightened. Had someone overheard when the Emperor came that night?

However, she would not show any signs of this realization on her face.

She simply gave Tong Siya a cold, piercing stare.

How could Tong Siya possibly know?

You still have someone keeping an eye on the Empress Dowager for you?

Tong Siya had been carefully observing Geng Shuning's expression. Seeing her dazed look and how she now stood straighter than before, Tong Siya's initial doubts had solidified into near certainty.

The adopted daughter of Nanny Zhou, and the adopted son of Xu Chang, the chief eunuch of Cining Palace, it wouldn’t be hard to find out about the gatekeepers of Changchun Garden.

However, one of the eunuchs on duty that night couldn’t be questioned properly, and another had left for a while due to a stomach ache, leaving no evidence behind.

But now, Tong Siya was certain that someone had definitely entered Changchun Garden that night.

Her smile never wavered, and there was even a hint of condescending threat as she looked at Geng Shuning.

"If you won’t even talk to me, I’ve overstepped my bounds. I shouldn't have stopped others from speaking with Nanny Zhou."

Geng Shuning lowered her gaze. Talking to Nanny Zhou? That’s interesting.

With her head bowed, she hesitated before responding, "This servant does not understand what you mean, Noble Lady Tong."

Tong Siya took a few steps closer, almost whispering into Geng Shuning's ear.

Even though the sunlight was bright, her voice carried a chilling coldness. "The scandalous affairs that disgrace the imperial harem are always something the masters would rather believe to exist."

"I only knew that you wished to become a widow, but I didn’t realize you wanted to join someone as a pair of wild mandarin ducks—illicit lovers—in the afterlife."

Geng Shuning: "..."

She turned her head and looked at Tong Siya with a strange expression. "Are you implying that someone heard about me committing adultery?"

I wonder if Fourth Master realizes he’s the star of this scandalous affair?

She had a good idea who had uncovered that scoundrel’s movements.