Chapter 37: First Summoning of Helpers, Preparing for the Battle

Upon arriving at the front hall, Deputy Chief Steward Ma hurriedly greeted Fu Hai with a smile, "Eunuch Fu, the person you requested has been brought here."

As he spoke, he pushed the person forward.

"This palace maid is Mingxia."

Out of respect for Miss Azhu, Fuhai was still willing to be a little more polite to her.

When Mingxia bowed, he waved his hand and said, "No need for such formalities."

But when he looked up and took a closer look, especially when he saw the particularly noticeable red spot on Mingxia's face, Fuhai's heart skipped a beat.

Even if it's just a transfer to serve Miss Azhu, it still means working in front of the emperor, and someone like Mingxia is absolutely unacceptable.

"You're Mingxia?"

Hearing the somewhat cold voice of Eunuch Fuhai, Mingxia panicked even more.

She nodded hastily, "Yes, sir, yes, that's me."

It was the first task that Miss Azhu entrusted to him with through her tearful eyes. After hesitating for a moment, Fuhai gritted his teeth and decided to take his men to check it out first.

Once Miss Azhu sees this man in person, he will explain the pros and cons and persuade her that it is feasible.

"Come with us, Miss Azhu wants to see you."

"Ah, Ah Zhu?"

Mingxia looked terrified, as if struck by lightning.

Fu Hai was also a shrewd man. When he saw that Mingxia's face showed only fear and panic when Azhu was mentioned, without any joy at all, he suddenly had a plan in mind.

On the way back to Hanyuan Palace with Mingxia, Eunuch Fuhai kept saying how much favor Azhu had received and how strict the rules were in the palace.

It's said that Miss Azhu truly thinks of Mingxia all the time; no sooner had she taken on her duties before the Emperor than she immediately sent someone to find her...

Mingxia, back when she was still in the Yeting Palace, knew exactly what kind of person Azhu was, and her older sister Qingwen insisted that she hide from Azhu and report back... At this moment, Mingxia was so frightened that her face turned pale and her legs trembled.

Upon entering Chonghua Palace, Mingxia, who was terrified that this was a place specially bestowed upon Azhu by the Emperor, couldn't even stand up and immediately knelt down in front of Azhu.

"A-Zhu, A-Zhu, I was wrong, I was really wrong."

Mingxia, her face pale, cried with snot and tears streaming down her face, begging for mercy and blurting out everything she could think of.

"Waaah, Ah Zhu, I didn't collect the powder from the seven-star leaf grass all by myself."

“The people in the Yeting Palace...they all contributed. I just wanted to tease you a little, I really didn’t mean anything by it.”

As she spoke, Mingxia tilted her head back and poked her half-rotten face with one finger for Azhu to see.

"I've already suffered the consequences. Not only did I lose the good job I had when I was chosen to be a palace maid, but now I'm living a life worse than death. Ah Zhu, I've already ended up like this. Please, have mercy on me."

As long as the brain-dead keyword "loyal and devoted" isn't triggered, A-Zhu's brain is clearly still quite capable.

Hearing Mingxia's cries and pleas for mercy, and looking at her mangled face... Azhu took a deep breath, but still couldn't suppress her anger.

Thinking back to how he had previously remembered Mingxia as a "great benefactor," never forgetting her, and being eternally grateful, Ah Zhu trembled with anger.

She lunged forward with a howl, grabbed Mingxia by the collar, and gritted her teeth in hatred.

“A-Zhu, A-Zhu”.

Mingxia hurriedly covered Azhu's hand, wishing she could shirk all responsibility.

"I... I wasn't the first to come up with this idea."

"It's them, those people from the Imperial Palace. They're all collecting sex powder, and I'm the only one who stepped forward to earn some money..."

"I'll pay you back, sob sob sob, I'll pay you back everything, I haven't dared to spend it."

Mingxia took out a purse from her bosom. "All my savings are here, Azhu. I'll give it all back to you."

"Who cares about your little bit of silver!"

Seeing the bulging purse handed to him, A-Zhu finally regained his composure for a moment, and Mingxia quickly pulled out her lifeline.

"I also have an older sister!"

“A-Zhu, my sister has been serving Consort Zhang closely in Nianfu Palace.”

"The Imperial Concubine would receive rewards during festivals and holidays."

"A-Zhu, take it all. These and those rewards are all for you to atone for my sins..."

Upon hearing the name Nianfu Palace, Azhu's hand unconsciously loosened.

Seeing Ah Zhu let go, Mingxia, whose survival instinct was bursting, started crying pitifully again.

"It was my fault for not recognizing your worth. It's all my fault, sob sob sob. You're perfectly fine now, but my face is ruined. Ah Zhu, I've already suffered my retribution. Please forgive me, don't hold a grudge."

Ah Zhu didn't speak for a moment.

After all, if Mingxia hadn't revealed it herself, the so-called prank would have miraculously benefited her.

Moreover, and more importantly... Ah Zhu has now thoroughly offended the Empress.

If Consort Zhang is further humiliated, can she withstand the combined retaliation from both of them?

"Waaah, Ah Zhu, I really know I was wrong, please forgive me this time."

"I won't do it again, I really won't..."

"Shut up!"

Mingxia covered her mouth and tried her best to suppress her sobs, which made her body tremble.

Azhu slowly released his grip on Mingxia's collar.

Empress Wang and Consort Zhang held high positions and noble status, and both had princes in their families. What did she have?

Whether a stingy emperor is reliable is another matter... and he's not even her sole support.

Ah Zhu is a petty person who takes revenge immediately, but of course, the reason she can hold onto a grudge overnight is because she can't take revenge in the first place.

"...You can leave now."

Releasing her grip on Mingxia's hand, Azhu sat down on the ground in a daze, her voice barely audible, "I thought you really wanted... I didn't want to see you anymore."

Mingxia, who had been covering her mouth, was so shocked that her eyes widened. She didn't dare to say another word and tried to run away as fast as she could. Just as she reached the entrance of the palace, she was suddenly stopped by a shout.

"Wait a moment!"

Just when she thought she had escaped a disaster, her heart, which had been pounding in her chest, sank back down. As A-Zhu approached, Mingxia covered her mouth and cried miserably.

"You took so much money from me for nothing, and now you want to just walk away?"

"Pah! Dream on!"

Azhu walked over and took the purse out of Mingxia's arms.

"This is what you owe me, I deserve it."

Money? Money? No problem.

"Waaah, I thought they were going to kill her!" Mingxia nodded repeatedly, covering her mouth.

"If your sister who serves Consort Zhang in Nianfu Palace is dissatisfied, let her come to me."

Mingxia shook her head rapidly, only to see Azhu glaring fiercely at her.

"What, you're not convinced?"

"No, no, I've written it down, Ah Zhu, I've written it all down."

Mingxia wished she could raise her hand and swear a solemn oath.

"I promise I'll stay far away from you for the rest of my life and never bother you."

Ah Zhu clutched the money pouch and put it in her sleeve. "Hurry up and go."

Knowing the situation, Fu Hai saw that there was something else going on between A Zhu and Ming Xia, so he didn't follow them in and cause trouble.

He only entered the hall when he saw Mingxia running away in a panic, wiping away tears with a look of relief that she had survived a disaster.

As soon as they entered, they saw Ah Zhu sitting on the ground, looking sorrowful.

Fu Hai was startled and quickly stepped forward to help A Zhu up.

"Miss Zhu, this is...?"

A-Zhu, who had gotten up, lowered her eyes and gently shook her head. "I'm fine."

This made it difficult for Fu Hai to ask any more questions. He could only say, "Then, Miss A Zhu, you should rest for now."

“I am now a palace maid serving tea to the Emperor.” A-Zhu hesitated for a moment, then looked at Fu Hai, “Eunuch Fu, if His Majesty is attending court, shouldn’t I go and prepare in advance?”

"A message just came from the front that the Emperor's morning meal will be at the Nianfu Palace, so it will probably be a while before then."

Upon hearing that the emperor would not be returning for the time being, A-Zhu was overjoyed. She then lowered her eyes and said, "Eunuch Fu, when I was in the Yeting Palace, I left something behind when I was sent to the Cold Palace to deliver meals. I haven't had time until now... I want to go and look for it."

"If Miss Azhu has lost anything, we will immediately order them to go and find it."

A-Zhu shook her head, "To be honest, Eunuch Fu, I also wanted to visit Steward Sun and the other maids in the Imperial Ladies' Quarters..."

Alright, now in Fu Hai's heart, the loyal and devoted A Zhu girl is naturally also a person of great affection and righteousness.

No problem.

After thinking for a moment, Fu Hai asked A Zhu to go and return as soon as possible.

He also wanted to arrange for a few people to follow Ah Zhu, but Ah Zhu politely declined, citing the reason that it was not good to make a big fuss (to attract the attention of the Empress).

Secretly tucking away the finest agarwood that had been emanating from the incense burner, A-Zhu rushed to the Cold Palace without stopping.

***

As soon as he squeezed through the crack in the door, Ah Zhu quickly lit incense.

"Your Majesty, what do you think of this incense?"

"Sinking without dispersing, restrained without being chaotic... Such qualities must be excellent for the imperial court."

Ah Zhu was a rough person, so naturally she couldn't understand what kind of problem those noble people had who couldn't even eat if the plates weren't placed in the right spot.

As for face powder, she could only distinguish whether it was pungent or not, but that didn't stop her from praising Consort Feng's extensive knowledge.

Time was of the essence, and Azhu dared not delay at all.

She knelt properly in the direction where Consort Feng had made her voice and kowtowed three times.

"Last time, it was all thanks to Your Highness's guidance that my life was spared for the time being. Thank you for saving my life."

"Alright, get up. It's just the two of us, haha, one person is half a ghost, aren't you tired of kneeling back and forth?"

A-Zhu did not get up. She said, "This servant is stupid, and with Empress Wang watching me like a hawk, she wishes she could tear me apart. Please teach me, Your Majesty."

"What if I refuse?"

That would naturally be the worst outcome.

Ah Zhu bit her lip, and finally said, "It was originally a matter to ask Your Majesty for help, and I have been disturbing Your Majesty's peace and quiet."

"From now on, I will definitely find a way to send more incense to Your Highness to relieve your boredom."

After finishing speaking, Azhu kowtowed a few more times and then got up to leave.

In the end, she didn't dare to stay too long. It was fine if she hid in Hanyuan Palace, but if she wandered out and was caught by Empress Wang's people, it was uncertain whether the emperor would be willing to go to the trouble for her.

"Are you leaving in such a hurry?"

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I am now a palace maid serving tea to the Emperor and dare not delay for too long."

"A tea-serving maid?"

Consort Feng was slightly surprised for a moment before laughing: "Ah~, a promising young man, indeed with great potential."

"Jiang Zhu, if you're not afraid, then take me with you."

Once Consort Feng intervened, she would help others a second time after the first, and she was no exception.

"Once I've had my fill of the excitement, you can find an auspicious time to send me off with a lot of banging and clanging."

"After so many years, those unlucky bastards should have been reincarnated long ago, and we won't meet them on the road to the underworld."

What is a surprise?

This is such a pleasant surprise!

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

With a beaming smile, Ah Zhu jumped up excitedly from the ground in an instant.

Following Consort Feng's instructions, she dug out a blood-stained half of a jade hairpin and hid it close to her body.

Immediately afterwards, A-Zhu rushed to the Yeting Palace. Since the words had already been spoken, it was always better to be cautious.

*

Yeting

Without the troublemaker, the place has returned to its former tranquility.

When Qinghe, who was waiting outside, saw Azhu for the first time, her eyes were filled with resentment and her expression was disgusted. However, Qinghe did not dare to say anything and just lowered her head to send Azhu into the house.

"Sun, Sun is in charge."

Looking at Steward Sun's face, which was still red and swollen with bruises, A-Zhu's knees never straightened up.

She knelt in shame before Steward Sun, who had been implicated by her, unable to utter a word.

Manager Sun, on the other hand, appeared much more composed and calm.

She patted A-Zhu's head. "Life is unpredictable, and this is in the palace. You can't be entirely blamed. Get up."

Seeing Ah Zhu's embarrassed and sullen appearance, Steward Sun laughed and said, "Now our Ah Zhu is serving the Emperor, how can you not be proud?"

Nowadays, apart from those in the emperor's inner circle, no one else is sure whether Ah Zhu has actually "climbed into the emperor's bed."

After all, Emperor Xuanpei was the most particular about rules. If Azhu had truly received imperial favor, he would have been granted some rank and position in the harem.

But A-Zhu only had the title of a palace maid in front of the emperor.

Seeing that A-Zhu had gotten up, Steward Sun finally had the energy to pay attention to other things.

After seeing that Ah Zhu's clothes were of a proper style but made of Suzhou embroidery silk jacquard satin, Steward Sun was slightly surprised and then sighed.

“Back when you were in the Yeting Palace, you were single-mindedly focused on climbing the ranks. You were ambitious and had the courage to rise above others, and no one could stop you.”

"I originally thought that with the Empress's help, your path to becoming a noble person would be smoother, but alas... man proposes, God disposes."

“A-Zhu, I’ve seen far too much in this palace.”

"In the end, the emperor's favor is like flowing water, and serving the emperor is like walking on thin ice... You'd better make plans for yourself as soon as possible."

However, Granny Sun's earnest advice did not receive a positive response.

Instead, Ah Zhu, who was standing in front of her, looked at her with a rather... indescribable gaze.

That indescribable, eerie gaze made Steward Sun feel a chill run down his spine.

"A-Zhu?"

"掌" means to manage or oversee.

Ah Zhu's voice was a little hoarse, "You, you mean what I've been thinking about all along is the so-called path to nobility, climbing the social ladder... I'm single-mindedly trying to climb into the emperor's bed?"

This, this is obvious, isn't it?

If you randomly grab any palace maid in the Yeting Palace and ask her about Azhu, isn't that what they all say?

A-Zhu understood the silence and surprise in Steward Sun's eyes.

In this palace, when she was condemned and scorned by thousands, A-Zhu endured it all.

Even when she was angrily shedding tears, she would mutter curses behind their backs.

But at this moment, Ah Zhu's tears fell uncontrollably. She looked at Steward Sun and said, "Granny."

“When I first entered the palace, you were teaching A-Zhu the rules.”

“You said to serve the master with all my heart and soul... I have remembered it all.”

“A-Zhu kept it in his heart, over and over again, never daring to forget a single word.”

“In the past, Ah Zhu’s greatest wish was to serve his master well and gain his appreciation, so that his master would praise Ah Zhu for being loyal and devoted.”

"Once Ah Zhu has saved up some money and taken over the position of manager, he will take good care of you in your old age..."

"To maintain the Empress's dignity, when I knelt in Hanyuan Hall that day, I trembled with fear, terrified of losing my life. But I have always remembered my mistress's unwavering loyalty..."

Silence. The room fell eerily quiet for a moment.

He's definitely a idiot with a peculiar thought process, a natural counter to a clever and quick-witted person.

Even the experienced and composed Steward Sun was momentarily stunned, staring blankly at A-Zhu.

Ah Zhu wiped away her tears and kowtowed three times to Steward Sun. "Ah Zhu is now a palace maid serving the Emperor. I'm afraid it will be difficult for her to move around in the future. Steward, please take care of yourself."

After saying that, A-Zhu got up and left without looking back.

Manager Sun sat there blankly, his mouth opening and closing for a long time but he couldn't utter a single word.

*

As they emerged from the inner palace, Consort Feng looked at A-Zhu, who appeared dejected and with a slightly strange expression. Surprised and puzzled, she asked, "Are you still upset?"

"I've worked so hard in the Yeting Palace for so many years, even desperately trying to learn the rules... The head steward saw it all, but she never once praised me for my loyalty."

? ? ?

On the way back to Hanyuan Palace, Consort Feng was still trying to "merge" her brain with Azhu's, attempting to untangle her thought process.

Looking at A-Zhu's thinking from a different angle, Consort Feng quickly figured out what kind of peculiar structure she had.

Just as some people are obsessed with antiques and calligraphy, some gamble until they are bankrupt but still refuse to stop, and some are obsessed with accumulating wealth, fame and fortune... while others are obsessed with the empty title of "loyal and devoted".

However, despite her understanding, Consort Feng returned to Chonghua Palace laughing heartily all the way.

Amidst her laughter, she overturned all her original plans to train and guide Ah Zhu!

All roads lead to heaven; who says there's only one way to climb up?

She is not Azhu.

Azhu will not become her second shadow.

There is only one Azhu in this world, a unique Azhu.

*

Nowadays, none of the palace servants in the imperial tea room dare to speak ill of Ah Zhu, since the emperor has even ordered a side hall to be set aside for Ah Zhu to live in.

Ultimately, Ah Zhu's identity is different from theirs.

At lunchtime, two palace maids chosen by Eunuch Fuhai brought food and prepared medicine into Chonghua Palace to serve us.

After eating, A-Zhu didn't even ask what kind of medicine it was before picking it up and drinking it.

The palace servants who were specially assigned had already found out what kind of temperament Ah Zhu was.

Qingliu originally wanted to say a few words to Azhu, saying that this was medicine specially ordered by the Emperor to be given to her by Imperial Physician Geng to regulate her body, and how much the Emperor favored her... but seeing this, she could only silently shut her mouth.

After Lüfu cleared away the dishes, the two of them bowed to Azhu.

"Your servants Qingliu and Lüfu greet Miss Azhu."

Ah Zhu was thick-skinned and could withstand this ridiculous and absurd scene. She even shared half of the money she had obtained from Mingxia with the two of them.

The Emperor hadn't returned, and there was nothing much going on in the tea room. Seeing that A-Zhu was a little sleepy, Qingliu and Lüfu tidied up the bed, helped A-Zhu to bed, and then quietly slipped out.

Hearing the palace doors close, A-Zhu opened his eyes with a start.

She carefully held the broken hairpin and hid it in the cabinet that had originally contained silver and was locked—this was the place where noble ladies in the palace kept their private funds, and no one else would touch it without permission.

"Your Majesty has been wronged."

"It's alright, this place is much better than the Cold Palace. Hmm, the fragrance is nice too."

Perhaps because there are too many times when one needs to put on airs in life, Consort Feng is now completely impatient with these long-winded formalities.

“A-Zhu, we’re all in this together now.”

"You support me, and I'll give you some advice on how to send you to the underworld."

"You will not betray me, and I will not betray you."

"Be straightforward, and stop with the fake politeness from now on."

Ah Zhu nodded and readily agreed, "Okay!"

Consort Feng was a decisive and efficient person, and the two of them began to carefully study A-Zhu's situation.

Azhu dared not leave Hanyuan Hall.

Consort Feng also felt that it was more beneficial than harmful for Azhu to stay here.

"The struggle for power and profit has never ceased since ancient times, not only in the imperial court, but also in the harem."

"There are so many people in the palace, how could the emperor possibly spare so many people to accompany them all?"

"Of course, he will only remember and show some concern for those who are in front of him."

"It's good to stay in front of the emperor for now... but we can't completely cut off our own escape route."

It was clear that Consort Feng had been thinking about the bowl of medicine that A-Zhu had drunk.

"I just saw you take some medicine. What kind of medicine did you take?"

"It should be a contraceptive decoction."

As if it were only natural, A-Zhu smacked his lips and muttered bad things about the emperor.

“I refused several times in a confused state before, which made the emperor lose face.”

"He's so petty, he's just making me vent my anger."

Hmm... Consort Feng looked around at the layout of Chonghua Palace, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with A-Zhu's words.

After all, Consort Feng had just experienced A-Zhu's truly bizarre thought process.

But a teenage girl who has always learned to serve others, how can you expect her to be a clever person who is born with a keen understanding of the world?

That was simply unrealistic, so Consort Feng said, "Let's look at other things later. After all, you're still with the Emperor, so there's no point in rushing things."

"But this contraceptive soup..."

"Ah Zhu, let me tell you the truth, this thing really does harm your health."

"If you drink a few more times, not to mention whether it will ruin your future, the irregular menstruation alone will be enough to make you suffer."

"You have to find a way to test the Emperor's intentions. If you can avoid taking the medicine, then do so... If all else fails, even if you try to avoid the Emperor at night, you can take as little medicine as possible."

Ah Zhu, who always listened to advice, nodded.

"Alright, I'll give it a try when His Majesty returns."

However, how to try... Ah Zhu subconsciously looked in the direction where Consort Feng had spoken, but Consort Feng refused to say anything more.

"A-Zhu, I can only help you look at the general issues or see where we can fill in the gaps, but for other matters, you must make your own decisions or find your own solutions."

"Moreover, if I were truly perfect and had everything I wanted... I wouldn't have ended up in this state of being neither human nor ghost."

"I was greedy. I understand Your Majesty's good intentions."

Ah Zhu rubbed his face, then rolled around on the bed in a bit of distress.

Despite having crossed the line and repeatedly coming into close contact, A-Zhu ultimately knew nothing about Emperor Xuanpei.

When it came to getting close to the emperor, she even showed a subtle resistance unless there was a life-or-death crisis driving her.

"The emperor... seems to respond better to gentle persuasion than force."

"If you embarrass him, he'll retaliate ruthlessly."

After thinking for a long time, A-Zhu sat up from the couch.

"I'm not going to sleep."

"I need to go to the tea room to prepare some snacks."

"He's very picky; he can tell at a glance whether you've prepared diligently and conscientiously."

She simply assumed that the person she needed to serve had changed from the empress to the emperor. In any case, even if A-Zhu were to honestly work as a palace maid, she would still do this kind of work.

Surprisingly, once she thought about it that way, she wasn't panicked at all.

"The key question is, how am I supposed to bring this up when the time comes?"

"If we directly say we won't take the medicine, won't the emperor get angry and kick us out?"

While biting her finger, A-Zhu muttered, "I have to think of a way to get His Majesty to bring it up first."

This was a difficult task, but A-Zhu showed no sign of backing down. She dressed quickly, pushed open the palace door, and headed straight for the tea room.

......

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Author's Note: *pat pat* Thank you so much for your support, my lovely readers. *mwah*