After Cui Niang returned to Changchun Palace, Lan Qin rarely interfered in trivial matters, leaving most of the work to Cui Niang. News also spread that Nian Xia had been brought out by Lan Qin and sent back to the Imperial Household Department.
The palace maids were all speculating about what Nianxia had done to deserve being found out by Consort Xi.
The head of the Imperial Household Department assigned Nianxia to the Clean Army, a group of maids who were responsible for cleaning the latrines throughout the Forbidden City. They were only slightly better off than the maids in the Laundry Department, as they had some personal freedom. Otherwise, they were the lowest-ranking palace slaves who were looked down upon by everyone.
They cleaned latrines in various places every day, removing the excrement and urine, so they always had a foul odor from morning to night, and most people did not want to get close to them.
Once you're in the Clean Army, it's like you've been rejected by your master; there's no chance you'll ever be able to climb back up.
Nianxia was sent to the side hall where the Jingjun lived. At first, she was not used to it, but after being ridiculed and taught a lesson by a few people, she seemed to accept this kind of life.
On this day, Nianxia and another palace maid pushed a cart carrying excrement to Zhongcui Palace. They were going to pour the accumulated excrement from Zhongcui Palace into the excrement buckets.
Nianxia, dressed in a dark blue palace robe, followed the palace maid into Zhongcui Palace with a blank expression.
"Hey, you lot, stop right there." Qiu Mei saw Nian Xia and a mocking look immediately appeared on her face.
The servants of the Imperial Guards were the most despised, and any palace maid could scold them.
“Sister Qiumei, we’re here to collect night soil,” said another, older palace maid.
She was used to coming to Zhongcui Palace, but Qiu Mei was indeed more difficult than others, so she could only smile and agree.
"I know. But seeing Nianxia is really surprising. I'm not seeing things, am I? How did Nianxia, the most arrogant palace maid in Changchun Palace, become a manure collector!" Qiu Mei said gloatingly.
In the past, when they saw people from Changchun Palace, they would always lower their heads and keep quiet, not daring to step forward. Because of Lanqin, Nianxia and the others used to be flattered by the palace maids, who called them "sister."
Nianxia had lost a lot of weight, and her face was expressionless. No matter what Qiumei said, she seemed not to hear it.
"Oh, why are you mute?" Qiu Mei was clearly not giving up and walked over, but when she was still three meters away from them, she smelled an unpleasant odor and frowned immediately.
"Hehe, Sister Qiumei, we smell bad, so please don't come any closer." The older palace maid realized that Qiumei was deliberately picking a fight, so she quickly tried to smooth things over.
"Let's go, let's go. It stinks." Qiu Mei said, fanning herself with her hand.
Nianxia hurriedly followed the palace maid to the urinal of Zhongcui Palace.
Qiu Mei glared at Nian Xia's retreating figure before turning and heading towards the side hall of Zhong Cui Palace.
“Your Excellency, I just saw Nianxia,” Qiu Mei said as she approached Lady Fucha.
"Which one is Nianxia?" Fucha asked.
“It’s Nianxia, who serves Consort Xi. I heard she’s dishonest and was exposed by Consort Xi and thrown into the Imperial Guard,” Qiu Mei said.
"Oh?" Fucha said, "Let's go take a look."
Fucha, supporting Qiu Mei's hand, walked to the outside of the side hall, where they saw Nianxia and someone carrying a bucket of excrement, slowly moving towards the entrance of Zhongcui Palace.
“This Nianxia used to serve Consort Xi. She was very arrogant and always looked down on everyone. I never thought she would end up like this,” Cai Xiang said from the side.
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