In the Imperial Garden of Ziyang City, the Chrysanthemum Garden is ablaze with autumn chrysanthemums in full bloom—red, yellow, and purple—a vibrant and dazzling display that adds a touch of liveliness and splendor to the otherwise bleak autumn day.
A woman dressed in green walked through the chrysanthemum garden, led by a young eunuch. The faint scent of medicine emanating from her body mingled with the fragrance of autumn chrysanthemums, creating a unique aroma.
"Doctor Jiang, His Majesty says you can take as many chrysanthemums as you like from the Imperial Garden, and he'll make sure you're satisfied." Little Li said with a smile, his words full of praise for his master.
Wuyou hummed in agreement, strolling back and forth among the chrysanthemums. Chrysanthemums can be used in medicine, and the chrysanthemums in the Imperial Garden are of the highest quality. Each one is a peerless flower, cherished by countless people.
But in Wuyou's eyes, its medicinal value was even greater. In Zhou Huaijin's eyes, anything that could make a beauty smile was a good thing; if it couldn't, it was useless.
Before they knew it, dusk had fallen, and Little Li's flower basket was overflowing with chrysanthemums, all in perfect condition. Wuyou wiped the dirt from her hands with a handkerchief and prepared to leave the palace.
The time has come; it's time to put the plan into action. We've had three years of peace and quiet; we can't stay complacent forever.
"Waaah..." The sobbing sounds came intermittently, the weak voice like a kitten's whimper, softly scratching at people's hearts, making them feel a little itchy.
Wuyou stopped what she was doing and listened carefully. Little Li noticed this and heard it too, and couldn't help but ask in confusion, "What's that sound?"
This is the southeastern part of the Imperial Garden, a secluded and quiet place. They had instructed people to guard the chrysanthemum garden before they came, so why are there other people here? Doctor Jiang hates being disturbed, so what are these people doing? Little Li was furious.
"I'll kick them out right now." Little Li rolled up his sleeves and was about to step forward, but I thought about it again and stopped him. If he remembered correctly, Chuxiu Palace, the gathering place for imperial concubines, was not far from Juyuan. It was better not to make a big scene.
"Let's go take a look." Wuyou stopped them, and the two found the weeping woman behind a rockery. She had bright, beautiful almond-shaped eyes, and when she looked at people with tears in them, she appeared pitiful and harmless. Like a bullied little rabbit, she cried pitifully with red eyes.
"Are you one of the contestants in this selection?" Little Li immediately recognized that the pink dress the woman was wearing was unique to the contestants, and although his tone was questioning, it was extremely certain.
"Do you know that as a lady-in-waiting, you are not allowed to wander around at will? What if you offend someone important?" The lady-in-waiting originally thought that Xiao Li had a kind face and moved her lips to speak, but she was startled by what Xiao Li said next. Her whole body went limp, and she knelt on the ground, trembling.
He was originally the daughter of a minor county official, who was sent to the palace by chance. He was of low status and was bullied by others. If he offended a noble person, he could not bear such a crime.
"Please forgive me, please forgive me! I didn't mean to do that, I was just really upset, I will never do it again." Seeing the little girl trembling with fear and her face pale, Wuyou remained calm and found her rather endearing.
Moreover, he never intended to punish the other party; he was simply curious about them, nothing more.
"It's alright, I'm not exactly a noble person. I just saw you crying so pitifully and wanted to check on you." Wuyou tried her best to put on a kind smile, which made Xiao Lizi beside her look apprehensive. This Doctor Jiang was known for his serious demeanor, let alone such a gentle smile. It was truly a rare sight. If the Emperor saw it, he would probably be overjoyed.
It's a pity the Emperor is destined not to see it. Little Li glanced subtly at the young lady; if she could win Doctor Jiang's favor, her future would be completely different.
"Sister, may I ask who you are?" Guo Yuanyuan, a young lady in pink, looked timidly at Xiao Lizi, her little shoulders trembling, looking utterly pitiful.
"I'm just a lowly doctor. You're crying so pitifully, have you been wronged?" Wuyou gently patted the other woman's shoulder. The delicate appearance of this young lady was just like the children he had encountered before, which softened his heart.
"I..." The girl in pink bit her lip and looked into Wuyou's gentle eyes. She finally let down her guard and tearfully told him what had happened.
Chuxiu Palace is home to young women selected from all over the country, each carrying the hopes of their families and dreaming of becoming empresses. Guo Yuanyuan comes from a humble background, but she has mastered embroidery skills since childhood, learning from her mother, which has earned her some favor from the nanny.
He was a timid person by nature, afraid to cause trouble, but he couldn't stand others disliking him. The other young ladies looked down on his lowly status, and even more so on his servile and obsequious behavior towards a governess, their words always carrying a hint of disdain and mockery.
This morning, the young ladies-in-waiting were embroidering handkerchiefs under the guidance of their nannies. Guo Yuanyuan's embroidered twin lotus flowers were praised, while another young lady from a high-ranking family was outshone by her meticulously embroidered mandarin ducks playing in the water, losing face and causing the young lady to harbor resentment.
After the crowd dispersed, he led a group to block Guo Yuanyuan's path, tore off her embroidered handkerchief, verbally abused her, and even threatened her with her father's official position.
Guo Yuanyuan was terrified, but dared not say much to the governess. Even if the governess showed her some pity, she wouldn't dare to oppose those noble ladies. In the end, she would only be a pawn to be discarded, and might even suffer a worse fate than she did now.
Upon hearing this, Wuyou expressed his helplessness, saying that most people in the world are like this. Those born into nobility are especially intolerant of those of lowly birth being better than themselves; even the smallest thing can completely ignite and set them off.
Jiang Changle is a prime example of this. He cannot tolerate Jiang Wuyou being any better than himself, he does not allow Jiang Jing to show him any concern, and he does not allow servants to do him any favors. He treats them as lowly maids, or even worse.
All of this stemmed not only from hatred of Jiang Wuyou's status as an illegitimate daughter, but also from jealousy of Jiang Wuyou's superior appearance.
"I'm just the daughter of a minor county official, so I wouldn't dare to go against the daughter of the Vice Minister of Rites. I'm afraid my days ahead will be even more difficult. I just hope the imperial concubine selection will be over soon, and even if I fail, I'll accept it." Guo Yuanyuan wiped away her tears, her tone full of resignation.
"You're saying the young lady who bullied you is Jiang Changle, the daughter of the Vice Minister of Rites?" Wuyou blurted out, his heart skipping a beat. He had been keeping an eye on Jiang Jing's movements for the past three years, and the mention of "Vice Minister of Rites" made his sensitive nerves jump.
"Mm." Guo Yuanyuan nodded, feeling extremely heavy-hearted, as if a huge stone was pressing down on her.
"Little Li, do me a favor." Wuyou waved to Little Li behind her and whispered a few words.
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