Compared to her mother's shrewdness and cunning, Qin Manwu was still rather naive. The First Madam of the Prime Minister's Mansion slowly sipped her tea, looked at her restless and impatient daughter, and calmly said, "What's your hurry?"
"She's only been in the palace for a day, hasn't she?"
“Manwu, you were the one who insisted on not serving His Majesty back then, and you were the one who agreed to let Fourth Sister take your place in the palace.”
That's true.
Qin Manyu moved her lips and murmured, "But how could I have known back then that His Majesty would favor a lowly concubine's daughter and bestow such generous rewards upon her..."
The imperial decree was issued to the Prime Minister's residence, ordering the Qin family's daughter to enter the palace to serve the Emperor. Jun Chenbi's fearsome reputation was well-known among the noble ladies of the capital. They knew that entering the palace would almost certainly mean certain death. Qin Manwu had been spoiled since childhood, and she was still so young. Why would she be willing to die?
So, she started crying, making a scene, and threatening to hang herself.
The First Madam of the Prime Minister's Mansion was wholeheartedly planning for her children's future. She persuaded Prime Minister Qin to let Qin Ge replace Qin Manwu in the palace. After all, the imperial edict only said that a woman from the Qin family was to enter the palace to serve the emperor, without specifying who it was.
After a moment's thought, Prime Minister Qin realized that the eldest daughter was someone the family had painstakingly cultivated, with an excellent reputation and beautiful appearance, and was favored by many princes and nobles. Sending her to the palace to become an empress would be a good idea.
Who would have thought that the current emperor detests women?
Given his ruthless and cruel nature, it would be extremely dangerous for the legitimate daughter to enter the palace. It would be such a pity if she angered the emperor and was executed.
The decision was made to replace the legitimate heir with a concubine.
At that time, the First Madam even asked her legitimate daughter if she would regret it.
After all, fortune favors the bold. With Qin Manwu's beauty and talent, if she takes a gamble and wins, she will become a favored concubine and enjoy immense wealth.
However, the legitimate daughter told her very firmly that she would not regret it.
How long has it been?
That illegitimate daughter only entered the palace yesterday, and news of her being favored and rewarded only came out today, yet she can't sit still.
Even though Qin Manwu was her own daughter, the First Madam couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "This woman is impatient and unlikely to amount to anything!"
But, shouldn't a mother do her job well, even if she has to kneel down, because she gave birth to her own daughter?
The First Madam could only say, "The imperial palace has always been a place that devours people without spitting out the bones, and our current Emperor's harem is even more so."
"Fourth Sister is just a small pebble used to test His Majesty's intentions. If she succeeds, that's good. If she fails, she'll end up like that foreign beauty who was skinned alive."
Qin Manwu interjected, "What's so good about that? She's just a concubine's daughter, yet she's now entered the harem and become one of the four concubines."
Above the four consorts, only the Noble Consort or the Empress can surpass the Virtuous Consort.
Qin Manwu is a noble legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister's family. There's no reason why she should be inferior to a concubine's daughter.
Because the concubine's daughter became a virtuous consort and even gained the emperor's favor, Qin Manwu could imagine how her friends would laugh at her behind her back when she went out to a banquet, saying she was blind to have given up the position of favored consort to a mere concubine's daughter. They might even have to kneel down and call her "Your Majesty" respectfully when they saw this concubine's daughter in the future...
Thinking about this, Qin Manwu felt extremely depressed.
Who wouldn't want to become His Majesty's favorite concubine, enjoying exclusive favor and becoming the envy of the world?
Qin Manwu was timid and afraid of death, but she was also greedy. She had cried and begged to give up the opportunity, but now that her half-sister was favored, she couldn't help but feel jealous.
It feels like you thought you had thrown away an ugly stone, but someone else picked it up and found a rare and beautiful jade inside. You feel a mix of jealousy and regret.
This made the usually spoiled Qin Manwu feel very uncomfortable.
The First Madam said in a tone of exasperation, "Manwu, you've been spoiled by me. You can't even see the basic situation. His Majesty is willing to favor his concubines, and it's not a bad thing no matter who they are. Don't be so narrow-minded and only focus on that concubine's daughter."
"Broaden your perspective a bit. In the eyes of the civil and military officials, His Majesty's willingness to favor his concubines signals a certain message..."
"What news?" Qin Manwu asked curiously.
The First Madam couldn't help but poke Qin Manwu's forehead, "Silly child, it's because His Majesty is a normal man in his prime, and can now take in many concubines!"
"The Jun imperial family has few heirs. If His Majesty can favor one, why can't he favor a second?"
"With my daughter Manwu's beauty and talent, and the status of my Qin family, she can definitely secure a place in the harem no matter what. Your enemy is not Fourth Sister, but other daughters of noble families in Yongdu like you."
After being enlightened by the First Madam, Qin Manwu suddenly felt a sense of enlightenment.
Yes, how could she not have thought of that!
However, thinking of her half-sister, Qin Manwu still felt uncomfortable. "It's all because 'Fourth Sister' got a free ride!"
"That's not cheap at all."
The First Madam said meaningfully, "Manwu, Fourth Miss is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor. In a couple of days, it will be the day when commoners return home after the third day of mourning. Although concubines who have entered the palace cannot return home, according to palace custom, empresses of certain ranks can summon their female relatives to the palace for a chat. At that time..."
"Isn't it perfectly natural for you, the unmarried elder sister, to want to stay in the palace and keep your half-sister, who has become an empress, company?"
Qin Manwu looked at him with a "So that's how it's done?!" expression.
"Mother, you mean..."
"That's right."
The First Madam smiled deeply, her expression conveying a meaning that could only be understood intuitively.
Qin Manwu was finally happy. It turned out that her half-sister was just a stepping stone!
Thinking she had learned the truth, Qin Manwu happily left the First Madam's courtyard and went back to choose the clothes she would wear when she entered the palace in a couple of days!
…
Qin Ge had no idea that the First Madam and her daughter were plotting against him; even if he did, he would only chuckle twice.
I'm happy to see this mother and daughter act so cleverly... and court disaster!
Do you really think tyrants are so easy to please?
Even Qin Ge himself was baffled as to why Jun Chenbi treated him differently.
It's not like what's being said outside at all. Although Jun Chenbi stayed overnight at Huayin Palace last night, she didn't touch him with a single hair...
Oh, my fingers did touch it.
We not only touched each other's fingers, but we also slept together in each other's arms last night.
But it's just sleeping.
Sleeping is a noun, not a verb.
Qin Ge closed his eyes and reviewed what had happened from last night until now, trying to find clues.
He massaged Jun Chenbi's head to relieve the pain...
However, this was something he volunteered for, not something the other party requested.
The only thing that could be considered unusual is...
Jun Chenbi asked him this morning what kind of incense he had burned.
Incense was popular in the Yong Dynasty, but Qin Ge found it troublesome and, moreover, fussy. He didn't like incense.
Why would the other party ask such a question?
Qin Ge's eyes flickered.
I feel like I've discovered the truth.
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