Chapter 41: Verbal Warfare

After entering the Yiku Palace and then the main hall, the imperial concubine Liang Chengbi, the head of the palace, was already sitting at the head.

Meng Yan walked forward slowly with a faint smile on her face.

Liang Chengbi also stood up with a smile and walked down the hall. The two greeted each other as sisters.

After the greetings, the two of them took their seats.

Meng Yan is the imperial concubine, so the first chair below is hers.

In the past, Meng Yan was indignant about this chair, always annoyed that her position was lower than Liang Chengbi's. But now, she is no longer like that.

Although Liang Chengbi was the Imperial Noble Consort, was she comfortable sitting there? Managing the harem was exhausting. If she did well, no one would praise her. If she did badly, the whole palace would complain. The emperor would often reprimand her.

No wonder she has been aging so quickly since her last life.

Meng Yan smiled indifferently, sat down leisurely on the chair, and glanced at Liang Chengbi with a pair of charming eyes.

Liang Chengbi was dressed exceptionally gorgeously today, wearing a nine-phoenix pearl crown, a twelve-branched gold-flowered hairpin comb with kingfisher feathers, a pair of gold-threaded jade pendants hanging from her ears, a red gold and jade-inlaid eight-treasure necklace around her neck, a bright red auspicious robe decorated with golden peonies all over the ground, and gold-thread bracelets with leek leaves on both wrists.

The Imperial Noble Consort held the same rank as the Vice Empress, so the Nine-Phoenix Crown was acceptable, though it was a bit less elaborate than the Empress's crown. It was appropriate for a formal occasion, but the remaining crowns were a bit too conspicuous.

Oh, it seems like he's in a hurry.

This imperial concubine always prided herself on her noble character, always appearing in simple and elegant attire, and she disliked the vulgarity of bright red and gold.

Meng Yan remembered it clearly. The book wrote that Liang Chengbi had privately told her trusted palace maid that Meng Yan liked luxury and was vulgar, and she didn't know what the emperor liked about her.

How come this otherworldly Imperial Noble Consort has also developed worldly tendencies?

Perhaps she had suffered a major setback at her hands before, and was afraid that these newly selected concubines would hear about it and laugh at her behind her back, so she dressed up extravagantly today, exuding the aura of an imperial concubine to calm the situation.

Meng Yan laughed inwardly, but continued to chat with Liang Chengbi about some family gossip.

As they were talking, the concubines and noble ladies in the palace arrived one after another, greeted the two of them, and took their seats one by one.

There was no sign of Concubine Ren Shuyi, and her chair was still empty. Meng Yan understood the situation but didn't ask.

A moment later, someone outside came in and announced, "My two majesties, the newly elected young lady has come to pay her respects."

Liang Chengbi pursed his lips and nodded slightly, looking solemn.

Meng Yan smiled, her eyes as bright as water, and looked towards the door.

The newly selected concubines came in one after another. The one walking in front was the noble lady with the highest rank, followed by the maiden and the maid.

Lin Yanrong ranked in the middle, and Bai Yuxin was naturally at the end.

Meng Yan looked at Lin Yanrong coldly. She was dressed according to the description in the book, which had nothing to do with her previous life. She wore a large-sleeved sky-blue shirt, a pleated skirt embroidered with apricot flowers, had her hair tied up in a bun, and wore a few silk flower and pearl hairpins that were common in official positions. She looked very proper and gentle.

The poisoning that day didn't seem to have any effect on her, and she still looked as delicate and beautiful as a flower.

She smiled slightly. She was ignorant and unaware of this in her previous life, but now it seemed that this pleated skirt still revealed Lin Yanrong's ambition.

Apricot blossom pleated skirt, is she afraid that people won’t know about her chance encounter with Lu Haozhi in the apricot forest?

She remembered clearly that in her previous life, when she saw this pleated skirt, she was immediately filled with jealousy and had an outburst on the spot, which made Lin Yanrong very embarrassed.

Although everyone felt happy at the time, the impression that the imperial concubine was domineering and narrow-minded remained heavy in everyone's mind.

According to what was written in the book, this little disturbance also reached Lu Haozhi's ears.

Nothing is going fast in the palace except for these gossips.

In this life, she doesn't want to be naughty. What's with the apricot blossom pleated skirt? It's none of her business. Whoever doesn't like it can get close to her.

Lin Yanrong was also secretly looking at her, and their eyes met.

Meng Yan smiled at her, but Lin Yanrong, who was still young at the moment, felt a tremor in her heart. She lowered her head and quietly tugged at her skirt.

What was going on? She felt a little confused. According to the plot, Meng Yan should be furious at this moment, so why did she have no reaction?

Everyone stood firm, and the chief eunuch of the Yiku Palace shouted, ordering them to meet the Imperial Noble Consort, Noble Consort and other high-ranking concubines.

Meng Yan sat steadily on the chair, watching these newly selected concubines bow down to her, her heart as calm as water.

"Sisters, have you gotten used to everything since entering the palace?"

Liang Chengbi's clear voice sounded from above and fell into everyone's ears.

This is all nonsense. Is there anyone so blind as to say that he is not used to it?

Meng Yan was bored and thinking, and even felt a little sleepy.

"...Since you have entered the palace, you must strictly abide by the palace rules and serve the emperor diligently. Do not let any jealousy or disputes disrupt the peace of the palace. This Imperial Concubine has always been favored by the emperor and is a role model for the concubines in the harem. You must learn from her."

Meng Yan was drinking tea from the teacup when she heard this and almost choked.

Is Liang Chengbi desperate? He actually brought himself up so bluntly and directly, almost telling these newly selected concubines directly that Concubine Meng is the number one target in the palace, and everyone is working together to point their spearheads at her.

She put down the tea bowl and looked at each one in turn.

As expected, the nobleman in front had a bad temper, and his dissatisfaction was written all over his face. Lin Yanrong, standing in the middle, had a slightly gloomy expression. Except for Bai Yuxin, no one else had a good face.

That’s right. After all, they all entered the palace to compete for the emperor, so why should they have a good face?

Not only these newcomers, but also some of the elderly people present had strange expressions on their faces.

Meng Yan glanced at it, then looked away. She smiled faintly and spoke loudly, "Sister Imperial Noble Consort, you are truly too kind. I have been ill for many days and the green card has been hung up long ago. The Emperor has not visited for a long time, so I am afraid he has long forgotten that there is such a person in the palace."

In one sentence, everyone's faces looked better.

Meng Yan's beautiful eyes flickered, her smile deepening as she changed the subject, "Speaking of role models in the harem, this palace reminds me of the late Empress. When the late Empress was alive, she was benevolent, kind, wise, and generous. Only then was the harem truly peaceful. The Emperor once said that if the women in the six palaces could acquire even half of the late Empress' virtues, they would be considered virtuous. What virtue or ability do I have to be compared to the late Empress? Sister, are you joking or are you serious?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Liang Chengbi's expression changed immediately.

Although Lu Haozhi and the late queen had no romantic feelings for each other, and the late queen was a devoted Buddhist, the emperor had special respect for her.

Once a concubine privately said a few words about the late queen, she was demoted to a commoner by Lu Haozhi and sent to the cold palace.

Meng Yan's words were implying that Liang Chengbi was disrespectful to the late queen!