03

A few days later, Si Mianmian's health had largely recovered under Consort Wen's meticulous care. On this sunny day, she took Qiuhe to the Imperial Garden again, ostensibly for a stroll and to admire the flowers, but in reality, she was already planning her next steps for survival.

Just as she paused under the apricot tree, a shrill voice rang out from behind her.

"Who do we have here? It's Ninth Sister. What, haven't you learned your lesson from falling into the water last time? You dare to come out and wander around again?"

Si Mianmian turned around and saw the Seventh Princess, Si Yunshang, walking towards her in a grand procession with several palace maids, her face full of undisguised mockery. She sneered inwardly, but on the surface, she appeared frightened, took a small step back, and bowed respectfully, saying, "Greetings, Seventh Sister."

Si Yunshang walked around her, scrutinizing her plain clothes with a critical eye: "Dressed so shabbily, how dare you admire the flowers in the Imperial Garden? You're an eyesore."

Si Mianmian looked up, her eyes already brimming with tears. Her voice was soft, yet loud enough for several palace maids who were quietly watching the commotion to hear: "Seventh Sister is right. But unlike Seventh Sister, Mianmian doesn't have Consort Li's care. My monthly allowance is limited, and Mother Consort saves all the good stuff for me, while she wears last year's old clothes..."

She choked up at just the right moment and continued, "If Seventh Sister finds Mianmian an eyesore, Mianmian will go back now, only begging Seventh Sister... not to take her anger out on my mother."

These words, though spoken tactfully, subtly implied that Consort Li had mistreated Consort Wen and her daughter, and that Si Yunshang had abused her power. Several palace servants watching exchanged glances, clearly disgusted by the Seventh Princess's behavior.

Si Yunshang was speechless with anger, her face turning red, but she couldn't think of a rebuttal. She simply reached out and pushed Si Mianmian, saying, "What nonsense are you spouting!"

Survival Manual Rule #3: Use the opponent's strength against them. The most skillful counterattack is to make your opponent fall into your own trap.

Si Mianmian had anticipated her attack. The moment the woman pushed her, she lost her footing, cried out, and fell to the side. But her fall was perfectly timed; she landed right next to a blooming red plum tree. A branch caught on her sleeve, tearing it, and she slumped helplessly to the ground beneath the tree, a shallow cut on her arm from the branch.

"Princess!" Qiuhe rushed forward, this time cooperating perfectly, crying out in heart-wrenching sobs, "Seventh Princess, why do you keep bullying our princess! Last time you pushed her into the water, and this time... The Emperor said that harmony is needed in the harem, are you trying to force our princess to her death?"

The commotion had already alerted many more people, including the sixth prince, Si Yujin, born to Consort Liang, and his entourage, who happened to be passing by and were on their way to pay their respects to the Empress.

Si Yujin stopped, her cold gaze sweeping across the scene, but she did not speak immediately.

With Qiu He's help, Si Mianmian "struggled" to her feet, tears streaming down her face, but she forced a reassuring smile at Si Yunshang: "Seventh Sister, please don't be angry. It was Mianmian who lost her balance... It has nothing to do with you. Mianmian will go back now and won't be an eyesore to you."

She turned to leave, but her steps were unsteady and unsteady, perfectly conveying her fragility and helplessness.

"Stop." Si Yujin finally spoke, her voice calm and indifferent.

Si Mianmian stopped and looked at him timidly: "Sixth Brother..."

Si Yujin's gaze swept over her torn sleeves and bleeding arms, then looked at Si Yunshang, whose face was ashen, and said indifferently, "The Imperial Garden is a public place, why must Seventh Sister be so aggressive?"

Si Yunshang was furious and blurted out, "Sixth Brother, are you trying to meddle? One's a sickly fellow, and the other's cursed to death..."

"Seventh Princess!" The old eunuch behind Si Yujin interrupted sharply, speaking to Si Yunshang, but his eyes held a warning, "Watch your words!"

Si Yunshang realized she had misspoke and shut up sullenly, but her face still showed dissatisfaction.

Si Yujin stopped looking at her and turned to Si Mianmian, his tone still calm, but with a hint of unspoken meaning: "Ninth Sister has been wronged. But in this palace, always giving in can sometimes embolden certain people. Father often teaches us that brothers and sisters should love each other, but if someone insists on going against this, we should let them know their limits."

His words, seemingly addressed to Si Mianmian, actually struck Si Yunshang's heart with every single one. After speaking, he nodded slightly and left with his entourage, as if he had merely passed by and offered a word of "justice."

But his words, "Constant concessions will only embolden them," were like a seed that fell into Si Mianmian's heart and also into the ears of all the palace servants present.

Si Mianmian watched Si Yujin's departing figure, understanding dawning on her. This Sixth Prince hadn't simply been passing by today. He was reminding her, and subtly using her situation to put pressure on Consort Li's faction. He saw through her pretense but didn't expose her; instead, he offered a form of "support." Indeed, there were no truly idle people in this harem.

After this incident, Si Yunshang harbored even greater resentment towards Si Mianmian, but she dared not go too far openly, as the Sixth Prince's words and the gazes of the palace servants present were an invisible pressure.

Supported by Qiu He, Si Mianmian slowly walked back to Zhuixia Pavilion. Her back was slender, and her steps were unsteady; anyone who saw her would feel sorry for her.

However, from an angle unseen by anyone, Si Mianmian's lips curled into a very faint, cold smile.

True retaliation is not emotional revenge, but strategic counterattack. Today, she not only reinforced her victim image and gained more sympathy, but also unexpectedly received a near-ally-like hint from the Sixth Prince, further exposing Si Yunshang's arrogance to more people.

This game, though seemingly chaotic, was actually a complete victory.

Back at Zhuixia Pavilion, Consort Wen was alarmed to see that Si Mianmian's sleeves were torn and her arms were injured. Si Mianmian simply said that she had accidentally been scratched by a tree branch, without mentioning Si Yunshang's harassment. Although Consort Wen did not entirely believe her, seeing that her daughter was unwilling to say more, she could only secretly shed tears, feeling even more sorry for this sensible child who was heartbreaking.

After comforting her mother, Si Mianmian sat alone by the window, watching the setting sun gradually sink in the west. The afterglow of the sunset shone on her serene profile, casting a golden halo.

She gently touched the tiny scratch on her arm. The minor physical injury was insignificant; what mattered was that in this cutthroat harem, she had finally taken the first step from passive defense to proactive planning.

Survival Handbook Postscript: Calmness is the starting point for counterattack. Emotions are traps others set for you, while reason is your true weapon. In this inner palace, the true hunter often appears as the prey.