Chapter 36

Dan Tao said, "Lady Fang's methods have become more and more crafty over the past few months. And now that she's pregnant, no one can really call her out on it."

Xiaoshu nodded, "It's Concubine Wan who got the short end of the stick."

"I overheard the maids and servants talking today, saying that Concubine Wan doesn't understand the rules and doesn't know how to behave. When that Shu Fei tried to teach her proper conduct, she instead offended the prince's child."

"How could a newly arrived concubine who hasn't even received the prince's favor compare to a Shu Fei carrying his child?"

The winds in the prince's harem were all blowing in Fang Yuaner's direction.

Wan Linlang suffered a punishment for nothing and gained a bad reputation to boot.

Fang Yuaner won the first confrontation with Wan Linlang decisively.

At the Xiachi Courtyard—

Prince Jing rushed to see Fang Yuaner as soon as he heard she had a miscarriage scare.

Fang Yuaner put on a complete act, dusting her face with powder beforehand to convincingly appear as if she were suffering from the miscarriage.

She complained tearfully, "I heard she didn't even serve tea to the princess, so I was afraid the household would look down on her. I went especially to visit her, hoping to build a good relationship."

"But that Wan Shi was so arrogant, calling me by name without any respect, showing obvious disdain for me."

Tears started streaming down Fang Yuaner's face as she spoke.

"She didn't appreciate my goodwill, and I grew angry, so I made her kneel as punishment."

"Maybe I got too worked up, and I've been feeling unwell since returning..."

Prince Jing furrowed his brow, unsure if he believed Fang Yuaner's story.

After listening to her weeping for quite a while, he finally said, "What position do you have? Why are you bothering to quarrel with a mere concubine?"

"If she doesn't follow the rules, you should just report it to the princess, and let her handle the punishment. Going yourself only lowers your status, and people will make fun of you."

Prince Jing's words showed his contempt for Wan Linlang and also his disapproval of Fang Yuaner's actions.

Fang Yuaner understood, but she hated Wan Linlang's guts and was determined to get the anger off her chest.

Seeing that the prince wasn't too angry, she immediately sweetened her tone and coaxed him gently.

Prince Jing had lunch at the Xiachi Courtyard.

Because Fang Yuaner had not been punished for bullying someone, the harem assumed she was in the prince's good graces and expected him to spend the night with her.

But on his way to the inner quarters, Prince Jing ran into Shiqie Han and ended up staying over at the Pearl Pavilion.

When Fang Yuaner heard the news, she snorted coldly, "That Shiqie Han really knows how to work her magic!"

In the original story, Shiqie Han and Shiqie Li entered the household at the same time.

And it was also by a chance encounter that Han became the first to serve the prince, ahead of Li.

Many people were secretly calling Shiqie Han a vixen.

When Wan Linlang at the Embroidered Moon Pavilion heard that the prince had stayed in Shiqie Han's room, her eyes grew dim with disappointment.

A strong mix of disappointment and fear clung to her heart.

Changed!

Everything had changed!

The prince had changed! The princess had changed! The dynamics of the harem were completely different!

Having arrived hastily just two days ago, Wan Linlang had only managed to gather rough information, knowing there were three Shu Fei in the residence, two of whom were pregnant, including Fang Yuaner.

Her attention had been completely drawn to Fang Yuaner.

Today, after spending some silver to inquire more carefully, she abruptly realized many things were wrong.

Where did this pregnant Shu Fei Xie come from?!

And that Shu Fei Yun she had heard of in her previous life, but wasn't she supposed to have died long ago?!

In her former life, both Xie Run and Shu Fei Yun were small-time cannon fodder.

Wan Linlang knew about Lady Yun only because she had once been advised to adopt Princess Ruyi after a long time of failing to conceive, which naturally reminded her that Princess Ruyi's birth mother, Lady Yun, had died from a miscarriage.

If that were all, it might not have been such a shock.

But Han Shi and Li Shi, whom Wan Linlang had once considered her greatest threats, were nothing but concubines?!

In her previous life, these two had entered the residence half a month before Wan Linlang.

When Wan Linlang entered in grand style with the prince, they lost the prince's favor, and conflict between them was unavoidable.

Just as Fang Yuaner had suffered a lot at Wan Linlang's hands, Wan Linlang also suffered many losses at their hands.

Later, she had to resort to underhanded methods to quietly ruin Han and Li, which ultimately brought about her own death...

Soon, Wan Linlang gathered more intel.

The prince had decreed that whichever concubine among Han and Li got pregnant first would be promoted to the rank of Shu Fei.

Wan Linlang shivered involuntarily.

There were already three Shu Fei in the residence.

If another one appeared, all four Shu Fei spots would be taken.

Her road to promotion would be completely cut off!

Was she doomed to stay a concubine for life?

Wan Linlang, of course, refused to accept that.

She had been reborn to seize that throne—the seat second only to the emperor!

If she stayed stuck at the concubine rank, even if the prince became emperor later, what title could she hope to get?

At most, she might become a 'Beauty,' and that would be the ceiling.

Above the rank of Beauty are Jie Yu, the Nine Consorts, Consorts... The distance to the throne of Empress is truly too far.

At this moment, Wan Linlang clearly realized that her path in this life was even harder than in the previous one.

She clenched her teeth so hard they nearly bled.

"Fang Yuaner, Han Shi, Li Shi... I will deal with each of them sooner or later!"

In the inner quarters of Prince Jing's mansion, everyone had lofty ambitions.

Only Xie Run kept to herself, living quite leisurely.

Just as the sun was about to set, Eunuch Baxi from Prince Jing's side suddenly arrived, bringing two boxes of things.

Eunuch Baxi announced: "The Prince said this is a personal reward for Lady Xie."

Xie Run felt both flattered and taken aback by the sudden reward.

Now, with new concubines arriving one after another in the inner quarters of the mansion, it was truly rare for Prince Jing to remember her.

Baxi added: "The Prince also told Lady Xie to rest and tend to your pregnancy; he will come to see you in a while."

Xie Run had Dan Tao tip him and said with a beaming smile: "Then I will await the Prince."

As she spoke, she also had Baxi stay for tea.

She went to the study and took a small pouch for Baxi to bring to Prince Jing.

Baxi, having received a generous reward, went on his way cheerfully.

Xie Run had someone move the boxes back to her room.

When she opened them, she found few valuable items, mostly novelties and storybooks, and also found two volumes of chess manuals.

There were colorful glass lanterns, paper pinwheels, jewel-studded music boxes... so many things that one couldn't look away.

The maidservants of Linxuan Pavilion felt their eyes couldn't take it all in.