nycdaug Chapter 369 (99 words added)
Chapter 369 (99 words added)
Xue Ruanruan stepped down from the carriage and looked up to see the vermilion palace gates. She took a deep breath and tightly gripped the handkerchief in her hand. Beyond these palace gates lay the treacherous inner palace. Carrying the hopes of her family, she stepped into this place where power and intrigue intertwined.
As soon as she entered the palace gates, a sharp-tongued palace maid said in a sarcastic tone, "Oh, so this is the new beauty? Look at how timid she is." Xue Ruanruan ignored her; she knew that in the harem, it was better to avoid trouble.
Arriving at a side hall, she happened to encounter the arrogant and domineering Consort Li. Consort Li sized her up, her eyes full of disdain: "With your looks, you dare to compete for favor in this harem?" Xue Ruanruan curtsied gracefully and said softly, "Your Majesty flatters me. I only wish to live peacefully in this palace." Consort Li snorted coldly and turned away.
After Consort Li had gone far away, Xue Ruanruan straightened up, a resolute glint in her eyes. She understood that her journey in the harem had only just begun, and she would have to be extremely careful in the days to come to survive in this treacherous palace. Then, with light steps, she headed towards her quarters, her demeanor both dignified and solemn. She took a deep breath, tightly gripping the handkerchief in her hand, and slowly followed the other young ladies-in-waiting. The palace was filled with ornate carvings and painted beams. Just as she arrived at her quarters, before she could even rest properly, a woman claiming to be a maidservant from the Empress's side came to deliver an imperial decree, summoning her to Kunning Palace immediately. Xue Ruanruan's heart tightened; she didn't know whether this sudden summons was a blessing or a curse. She hurriedly tidied her clothes and followed the maidservant.
Upon arriving at Kunning Palace, Xue Ruanruan knelt to pay her respects. The Empress, seated in the main seat, looked at her sharply and slowly said, "I heard that you offended Consort Li upon entering the palace today?" Xue Ruanruan was startled and quickly explained, "Your Majesty, it was Consort Li who first mocked me. I merely tolerated it and did not retaliate." The Empress's lips curled slightly, a half-smile playing on her lips, and she said, "In that case, you are quite sensible. The rules in this harem are strict; you must behave yourself." Xue Ruanruan hurriedly kowtowed in gratitude.
Emerging from Kunning Palace, Xue Ruanruan felt her back was soaked with sweat. She knew that the Empress's words, seemingly calm, were actually full of hidden meaning. From now on, in this harem, she would not only have to be wary of Consort Li, but also constantly try to understand the Empress's thoughts. This long palace path was destined to be fraught with thorns. However, Xue Ruanruan had no time to appreciate this. As soon as Xue Ruanruan returned to her residence and sat down, her personal maid, Xiao Cui, hurriedly entered and whispered in her ear, "Miss, Consort Li's head maid has arrived, saying she has brought you a small gift." Xue Ruanruan sneered inwardly, knowing that this "gift" was definitely not well-intentioned, but she still smiled and invited the maid in. The maid walked in arrogantly, threw a brocade box on the table, and said sarcastically, "My lady is kind-hearted. Seeing that you are new here, she is giving you something as a reward." Xue Ruanruan opened the brocade box, and inside was a dead rat, surrounded by some filthy things that emitted a foul stench. Suppressing her anger, she maintained a polite smile and said to the maid, "Please thank Consort Li for her generous gift. I will personally visit her another day to express my gratitude." The maid snorted and turned to leave. Xiao Cui stamped her foot angrily, "Miss, Consort Li has gone too far!" Xue Ruanruan clenched her fists, a fierce glint in her eyes, "Since she's like this, don't blame me for being impolite. I will definitely carve out my own territory in this harem." With that, she began to think of a countermeasure, preparing to give Consort Li a fierce counterattack. Just as she sat down, her personal maid Xiao Cui anxiously approached, "Miss, Consort Li sent someone to say that you are ignorant and have offended her, and she will definitely teach you a lesson." Xue Ruanruan frowned, thinking to herself that Consort Li was indeed unwilling to let this go.
Just as they were pondering a solution, they suddenly heard a commotion outside the palace. Xue Ruanruan and Xiao Cui rushed out to investigate and saw Consort Li storming in with a group of palace maids. Consort Li crossed her arms, her face full of smugness: "Consort Xue, I'd like to see how you thank me for my 'reward' today." Xue Ruanruan remained calm and curtsied gracefully, saying, "Your Majesty, I was just about to express my gratitude when I discovered that something alive had crawled out of the brocade box you bestowed upon me, frightening quite a few people. I was just about to have the box returned to you to inquire about its meaning." Consort Li's expression changed, and she was about to lash out when Xue Ruanruan continued, "If this is Your Majesty testing my courage, then I have passed; if not, then the presence of this filthy thing in my possession might not be good for Your Majesty's reputation if word gets out." Consort Li was speechless, her eyes flickering. At this moment, the Empress's maidservant suddenly rushed over, her voice shrill, "Her Majesty the Empress heard the commotion and ordered everyone to behave themselves and not disrupt palace rules." Upon hearing this, Consort Li dared not cause any more trouble, gave a cold snort, and hurriedly left with her entourage. Xue Ruanruan watched Consort Li's retreating figure, a barely perceptible smile playing on her lips. She knew this was just the beginning; much more struggle was to come. It turned out that Consort Li had stormed in with a group of palace maids, her expression menacing. Consort Li crossed her arms, her face full of smugness, and said, "What, are you afraid of me? Weren't you quite the smooth talker just now?" Xue Ruanruan calmly stood up, curtsying respectfully, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. I truly had no intention of offending you. I hope Your Majesty will investigate." Consort Li sneered, "Stop playing the victim! Guards, teach this arrogant and ignorant wretch a lesson!" "At Consort Li's command, several palace maids pounced on Xue Ruanruan. Xue Ruanruan reacted swiftly, dodging to the side, causing the maids to miss and fall to the ground. Consort Li, seeing this, stamped her foot in anger: 'You dare to dodge?' Xue Ruanruan calmly replied: 'Your Majesty, the palace is governed by strict rules. To strike someone is a violation of palace regulations. If I hadn't dodged, wouldn't Your Majesty have broken these rules?'"
Just then, a majestic voice rang out: "What's all this commotion about?" Everyone turned to see the Emperor himself. Consort Li immediately dropped her arrogance and curtsied gracefully: "Your Majesty, this vile woman has offended me." The Emperor glanced at Xue Ruanruan, then at Consort Li, and said, "I believe there must be some misunderstanding. Consort Xue is new to the palace and may not know the rules. Consort Li, as a concubine, you should guide her." Consort Li gritted her teeth and could only reply, "Your Majesty's instruction is correct." The Emperor then said to Xue Ruanruan, "Be more careful in your actions in the future." Xue Ruanruan curtsied in gratitude. After the Emperor left, Consort Li glared fiercely at Xue Ruanruan and departed with her entourage. Xue Ruanruan breathed a sigh of relief. She knew she had temporarily escaped a calamity, but the struggles within the harem had only just begun. "If I don't teach you a lesson today, you really think you can cause trouble in this harem?" "She was about to step forward to make a move when a sharp voice rang out: "What is Consort Li doing? Making such a scene at someone else's residence is utterly disgraceful!" Everyone turned to see Lianxin, the Empress's head maid. Lianxin stepped forward, her face expressionless, and said, "Her Majesty the Empress heard the commotion and sent me to investigate. Consort Xue has just entered the palace, and I hope Consort Li will be lenient with her." Consort Li's expression changed. Although she was unwilling, she dared not disobey the Empress's orders. She snorted coldly and said, "Consider yourself lucky. I will spare you for now." With that, she left with her entourage in a huff. Xue Ruanruan quickly thanked Lianxin, who smiled slightly and said, "Consort Xue, there's no need to be so polite. Her Majesty the Empress is always fair and will protect those who follow the rules." After Lianxin left, Xue Ruanruan breathed a sigh of relief. She knew this was just the beginning, and she would need to be even more careful in the future. The Empress Dowager arrogantly said, "Consort Xue, you really have a lot of nerve, daring to play the victim in front of me and go to the Empress for help!" Xue Ruanruan remained calm, gracefully rising and curtsying, "Your Majesty is wise. I had no such intention; I was merely telling the truth." Consort Li sneered, about to lash out, when a young eunuch rushed in, his voice shrill, "Her Majesty the Empress has decreed that Consort Li must go to Kunning Palace immediately." Consort Li's expression changed, but she dared not disobey. She could only glare hatefully at Xue Ruanruan before turning and leaving. Watching Consort Li's departing figure, Xue Ruanruan understood that the struggle within the harem had only just begun. She sensed that behind the splendor lay countless schemes and battles.
Suddenly, a commotion broke out ahead. Xue Ruanruan looked up curiously and saw a woman dressed in plain clothes being dragged by a group of guards. The woman's face was full of stubbornness as she shouted, "I haven't done anything wrong! Why are you arresting me!" Xue Ruanruan's heart stirred, and she stepped forward to inquire. It turned out that this woman was Consort An, who had recently entered the palace. She had accidentally bumped into a high-ranking concubine and was being falsely accused of theft. Xue Ruanruan thought to herself, "In this harem, everyone faces difficulties at every turn," and said, "This young lady doesn't seem like the type to steal. I hope you guards will investigate the truth before making a decision." Seeing that it was Xue Ruanruan who spoke, the guards dared not be too rash and slowed down their actions. Just then, the concubine who had framed Consort An arrived swaggeringly with a group of people. Seeing Xue Ruanruan, a hint of displeasure flashed in her eyes: "Oh, Consort Xue, you certainly like to meddle in other people's business." Xue Ruanruan replied calmly, "Sister, you are wise. This matter requires caution; lest an innocent person be wronged." The concubine snorted coldly, about to retaliate, when a eunuch's voice came from afar: "The Emperor has arrived!" Everyone knelt down to pay their respects. After understanding the situation, the Emperor ordered a thorough investigation, ultimately clearing Consort An's name. Consort An was extremely grateful to Xue Ruanruan after this incident, and Xue Ruanruan gained another asset in the harem. It turned out that a young lady had accidentally bumped into a noblewoman's personal maid. The maid shrieked, "You blind fool, daring to block our way!" The young lady turned pale with fright and knelt down, begging for forgiveness. Xue Ruanruan's heart tightened; she secretly reminded herself to be extremely careful in her actions.
As she walked, Xue Ruanruan sensed someone watching her from the shadows. She glanced around discreetly but found nothing amiss. Just then, a kind-faced young woman approached her and whispered, "Sister, this palace is not simple. We must look out for each other." Xue Ruanruan nodded gratefully and walked alongside her. Stepping into the selection area, Xue Ruanruan's heart suddenly raced, unsure of what fate awaited her.