When Shan Xiu first arrived at Prince Yong's residence, she was very cautious. But after meeting the Nian family members several times without being recognized and moving around the residence normally, Shan Xiu gradually became bolder.
She was originally the daughter of a minor official. Although her family was not extremely wealthy, her father was investigated for corruption, so it was easy to imagine that her family was never short of money.
As the youngest daughter in her family, she was pampered and raised to be beautiful. Before she even reached marriageable age, matchmakers came to her door. Having heard many of the young men in the city flatter her, Shan Xiu believed that she was quite popular with men.
However, a sudden change in her family turned Shan Xiu from a carefree girl into a beggar on the road. If it weren't for her brother Shan Wu protecting her, she probably would have died before even reaching the capital.
Shan Xiu used to think she was lucky because her face caught the eye of Prince Yong's men, and just when she thought she was doomed, she suddenly became the prince's concubine. Shan Xiu never dared to dream of such a thing. Although this concubine position was fake, as long as Prince Yong acknowledged it, it would be real.
In particular, Shan Xiu managed to extract some information from her personal maid, Wanxia, and learned that the original "Nian Shi" had always been in poor health and was now gone, dead. So she was the real Nian Shi! After all, Prince Yong still wanted the Nian family as a relative, so "Nian Shi" had to exist!
Later, Prince Yong became Emperor Yongzheng, and Shan Xiu rose to the rank of Imperial Concubine. The glittering Forbidden City opened up before her eyes, and she lived in the magnificent Yikun Palace. The gold and jade items she visited were treasures she had never seen before.
She didn't have to do anything, and suddenly she became an Imperial Noble Consort again.
The Imperial Noble Consort, whose rank is equivalent to that of a secondary empress, is truly second only to the emperor. The Nian family keeps telling her that Prince Fuhui will become emperor in the future, and then she will be the Empress Dowager, the most honored woman in the world.
Even many of the palace maids and eunuchs that the emperor had sent to monitor her switched sides and began to curry favor with her. Gradually, even Shan Xiu herself felt that she was probably truly the chosen one.
What good is it for Ulanara to become Empress? What good is it for Consort Xi to be so glamorous? Shan Xiucai will be the ultimate winner in this Forbidden City!
Shan Xiu understood. She knew that Fu Hui was not the emperor's son and had little chance of succeeding to the throne, unless Nian Gengyao staged a coup—a thought she dared not entertain, only vaguely considering. She felt that the most important thing was to have a child as soon as possible.
The old Lady Nian was useless; she hadn't borne any children even after several years in the household. But Shan Xiu was different. She was healthy, young, and beautiful. Now that the Emperor had just ascended the throne and everything was in chaos, once things settled down, Nian Gengyao had made great contributions, and the mourning period was over, she could give birth to the Emperor's own child...
In the future, her son will be the emperor, and she will be the empress dowager!
She is a lone wolf, and it's said she's an imposter, but who says she can't rely on the Nian family's power or the Emperor's favor towards them to truly become the winner?
Shan Xiu's plan was well-thought-out and she had considered everything carefully. She knew that Nian Gengyao was currently at a crucial stage of his military campaign, and the Emperor would have to promote her no matter what. She had only acted impulsively and had only slightly punished a concubine. Would the Emperor really punish her?
It's impossible to demote her again. The Nian family said they would continue to put pressure on her in court and make her the number one person in the harem. They wouldn't let Consort Xi keep her above her for too long.
Shan Xiu was also holding back her anger and needed to vent it, so she didn't back down and took the lead in walking towards the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Qian Shengyan helped Guo Shi up and, after checking her face and finding nothing serious, wanted to follow her. However, Guo Shi stopped her and shook her head, somewhat worried: "Consort Nian only punished me by making me kneel for a while. It's nothing serious. Sister Xi, please don't bother the Emperor for my sake."
"Heh, it's alright, let's just treat it as watching a show." Qian Shengyan was quite cunning. She knew that Yinzhen wouldn't really punish him by making him perform alone, but she was also confident that if she went, Yinzhen wouldn't really ignore the matter.
I love seeing Yinzhen's conflicted expression, hehehe.
Qian Shengyan pulled Guo Shi along, preventing her from dodging, and they arrived at the Hall of Mental Cultivation. However, before they even entered, they heard Shan Xiu's elaborate performance: "Your Majesty, I was just angry for a moment. Consort Guo was so disrespectful to me, so I made her kneel down. But then Consort Xi arrived and scolded me without saying a word..."
"I am, after all, a Noble Consort, yet I was reprimanded so harshly by her. There were people coming and going on the palace road. Don't I have any dignity?"
"Consort Guo only knelt for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, and I was just about to let her go—I was only doing this for her own good. It was wrong of her to say the wrong thing, and I'll give her a small punishment this time so she'll remember it!"
Anyway, Qian Shengyan, standing at the door, didn't hear Yinzhen's reply, only Shan Xiu's tearful and affected voice. Guo Shi couldn't help but shudder, probably unable to bear it any longer: "How could she be like this..."
"Let's go." Qian Shengyan glanced at the little eunuch at the entrance of the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Oh, this is Su Peisheng's newly accepted apprentice, I think his name is Xiao Quanzi.
Xiao Quanzi was also very clever. Just now, when Qian Shengyan was openly eavesdropping on him from below the steps without saying a word, he saw that she was about to come to the door and said with a smile, "The Noble Consort Xi is here. The Emperor has decreed that if Your Highness comes, you can go in directly."
Qian Shengyan nodded to him. A young eunuch had already gone to inform them from inside. She then pulled Guo Shi and stepped into the palace.
Dan Xiu's sobbing stopped abruptly, then she fell silent. Qian Shengyan, neither humble nor arrogant, led Guo Shi to pay their respects to Yinzhen.
There were still memorials laid out before Yinzhen. He frowned and waved his hand, saying, "No need for formalities." After speaking, he looked up at the two of them and said, "Consort Guo, you tell me, what exactly happened?"
"Your Majesty, I was also unaware..." Guo said, sounding somewhat aggrieved. "It was my fault that I encountered Consort Nian. I didn't see her when I turned the corner and didn't have time to pay my respects, but she flew into a rage..."
"You're talking nonsense!" Shan Xiu roared. "You were clearly insulting me! Don't you know that walls have ears? I happened to overhear you!"
"Your Highness, no..." Guo's confusion seemed genuine, and Shan Xiu, seeing that she still wouldn't admit it, said, "How can you be so shameless? How dare you put on such an act in front of the Emperor?!"
Guo: "Huh?"
"That year, Consort Gui, tell me how Consort Guo scolded you back then?" Qian Shengyan couldn't stand it anymore and asked.
Dan Xiu choked, reluctant to speak: "I already said it was an insult to me, such nasty words, I don't even want to think about them, how could I say them out loud?"
"Then Wan'er, tell me," Qian Shengyan said, pointing directly to Guo's personal maid, "What did Consort Guo say at the time?"
Wan'er racked her brains to recall for a long time: "At that time, our mistress seemed to be saying that even without the Emperor..."
With a sudden jolt, Madam Guo remembered what she had said and quickly covered Wan'er's mouth with her hand, her bright eyes looking at Yinzhen with a hint of panic.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
