After Jingning spread the news, the palace maids in Lin'an Palace became curious.
Wei Shuyi simply took a few maids and went to Yonghe Palace with Consort Xin, hoping to find out for them along the way. Of course, their final destination was still the West Side Palace.
She wanted to thank Zhen Changzai specifically. If she hadn't had her help and counsel during that period, she might have continued to sink into such emotions and become an abandoned concubine.
"Young Master Yu is here?" The palace maid guarding the door saw them, bowed, and immediately went to inform Zhen Changzai in the inner hall, "Young Master, there are guests."
"This concubine pays homage to Lady Yu."
"No need to be so polite. We won't have to do this when we meet privately in the future."
Wei Shuyi pointed at the woman beside him and said, "This is my concubine Xin."
"I remember that she entered the palace at the same time as me."
"That's easy. I was just worried that Sister Zhen wouldn't remember an invisible person like me, so I had to introduce myself to them." Concubine Xin warmly pulled them to sit down. "Today, I accompanied Sister Yi here mainly to thank Sister Zhen for her kindness in helping me in my time of need. In addition, there's one more thing I want to inquire about."
"Oh? Go ahead."
Concubine Xin looked towards the east side hall and lowered her voice, "That girl next door is always out looking for jewelry in the middle of the day. Doesn't she find it too hot? I still remember when we all lived in Chuxiu Palace, she was most afraid of going out in the sun. Why has she changed her ways now? Is she planning something bad again?"
Zhen Changzai didn't expect it to be this and couldn't help but smile bitterly.
The attendant standing beside her explained, "My dear ladies, you may not know this, but Lady Xu has always looked down upon my young lady. After several unsuccessful attempts to win her over, she has been trying to compete with her both openly and covertly. We have never had any dealings with them, so it's impossible for us to know more than you do."
"To win over?" Wei Shuyi reacted. "So, after being rejected by my sister, Concubine Xu surrendered directly to the Imperial Concubine, which was a good way to go."
"I just want to protect my own little world. I don't want to harm others, nor do I want to rack my brains to trip others up." Zhen Changzai said helplessly, "But she and Concubine Wen came to visit one after another. Their intentions are obvious. Inadvertently, I have offended many people!"
Qu Yuexi was here too? She's quite ambitious!
As the daughter of a noble family, she wants to make friends with more prominent ladies in the palace. I wonder what her plan is?
Wei Shuyi changed the subject: "Sister, don't belittle yourself. In fact, the emperor may not like women who are thoughtful. Someone like you who is obedient and law-abiding is just right."
"Whatever. Having favor is my blessing, and not having it is my fate. I don't care." Zhen Changzai's tone remained calm. "Come to think of it, the emperor came to Yonghe Palace a few days ago. It should be the next day that Concubine Xu insisted on salvaging jewelry from the Imperial Garden. Is there any connection between the two?"
Could it be that the reward given by Xie Yanci was lost?
But why was it such a coincidence that it landed right in the water? That day, Concubine Xu was by the lotus pond, and she had never even been near the water's edge, so how did she end up there?
Wei Shuyi couldn't understand.
"Young Master Yu looks much better now. It seems you've taken my sincere words to heart." Zhen Changzai handed over a plate of freshly cut fruits. "Come, try some of the fruits I sent you. They're sweet and juicy, perfect for cooling off."
"Thank you, sister."
She tasted a piece and found it was indeed much better than Sang Yuxuan's.
It might be because those people in the Imperial Household Department were opportunistic and even changed the food to a lower quality to fool her!
"In fact, I often observe the concubines in Yonghe Palace. Miss Yu is the most special one. Some people may look down on your background, but I envy you. Concubines who are selected into the palace without relying on family background or considering the influence of the previous dynasty must have some feelings for you, right?"
"ah?"
"My Lady Yu was also the first concubine to give birth to an imperial heir. Even if the ending wasn't perfect, that fact can't be changed." Zhen Changzai soothed softly, "The Emperor has made exceptions for Princess Zhaohua many times, bestowed gifts beyond the norm, and visited and cared for the princess many times. If you say it's all a lie, I don't believe it."
Wei Shuyi recalled the past and couldn't help but look cold, with a sharp pain in his heart: "What exactly does my sister want to say?"
"What I want to say is that, based on our past relationship, Miss Yu has a much greater chance of turning things around than an ordinary person. As concubines, the power we possess is bestowed upon us by the Emperor. If we want to investigate a case or interrogate someone, we can't just dream about it; we need the Emperor to help us do these things. Miss Yu has always been intelligent, and I definitely don't need to teach her what to do."
She was slightly startled and said, "I thought that my sister, with her aloof personality, wouldn't pay any attention to what's going on in the palace. I didn't expect that my sister is so insightful."
"That's all thanks to Daddy." Speaking of her father, a rare touch of tenderness crossed Jeong Jang Jae's face. "He taught me to transform the hurt, pain, and resentment I've suffered into motivation, to learn to endure and disguise, and to strike a fatal blow at the right moment, rather than dwelling on the past and giving up on myself."
Bai Yu's father...
He is not a simple character either.
Wei Shuyi wanted to say something when he heard a complaining voice coming from outside.
"I told you all to get on board with one person long ago, why didn't you listen to me? And today you sunburned me red, how can I face people now?"
"My lady, the eunuch rowing the boat said that if there's one more person, then..."
"What? Are you still afraid the boat will capsize? I'm dying of heat!" Lady Xu snatched the fan and, no longer minding etiquette, fanned herself vigorously. "Look, how much have you collected? I don't want to suffer outside every day!"
When Wei Shuyi leaned against the door frame and looked over, he happened to meet Lady Xu's eyes. When enemies meet, their eyes are filled with jealousy.
The other party quickly stopped his indecent behavior, stuffed the fan back into the maid's hand, and walked towards them.
"Oh, I didn't know that Yu Meiren and Zhen Changzai have a good relationship?"
"Um."
"I heard that Yu Meiren fainted from being forced to kneel by the lotus pond that day." The woman deliberately exposed her scars. "I wonder if she was trying to hide her shame, or if she's truly not in good health?"
"Shouldn't you know better than me how hot it is in the Imperial Garden?"
Wei Shuyi casually said something that immediately made Concubine Xu blush.
"Oh! I was doing this under the Emperor's orders. Unfavored concubines like you wouldn't understand!"
"The Emperor trusts you quite a bit, entrusting you with such a difficult task instead of the Shadow Guard. You must have worked really hard." She gave a perfunctory bow, not wanting to say more. "If that's the case, then go back and rest! Exchanging pleasantries all the time will drain your energy."
Lady Xu walked forward and grabbed her sleeve!
"stop!"
She turned around, her eyes like cold blades, and the bloodthirsty impulse surged in her heart again.
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