Jin Liangyi was demoted to the lowest level of clothing by the emperor, but in the eyes of the women in the harem, it was actually just a trivial matter. Although Jin Liangyi was born in a humble family and climbed from a palace maid to the position of Liangyi with some means, the honor in the harem was given by the emperor, and if the emperor wanted to take it back, it would only take a few words.

"Your Majesty, that Jin Liangyi..." Shi Wu glanced at the gorgeous palace satin on her master and looked around cautiously, obviously not wanting to attract attention.

"The emperor is heartbroken because he lost his child. It's no wonder that Jin Liangyi was demoted to a dresser." Concubine Rou held Shi Wu's hand and wiped her mouth with her handkerchief. "I heard that Jin Liangyi's brother let his servants commit murder and killed someone. He even claimed that his sister was the emperor's favorite concubine." At this point, Concubine Rou smiled sarcastically, "She is just a fifth-rank servant who climbed up from a palace maid. No wonder even her family is so low-key."

Shi Wu suddenly realized what was going on. She said that although Jin Liangyi was not the most favored, the emperor had visited her several times in recent months. Why did he single out Jin Liangyi from among all the concubines to attack?

Seeing Shi Wu's understanding expression, Concubine Rou frowned slightly in impatience, "You should be smarter in your daily life, and don't let me remind you of everything."

"Yes," Shi Wu lowered his head. Fu Xiu, who was standing on the other side of Concubine Rou, showed a hint of mockery in his eyes. He turned around and carefully served Concubine Rou, as if he didn't hear Concubine Rou's words, nor saw Shi Wu's rage.

"Your Majesty, look, those walking in front are Concubine Zhao and Concubine Yuan?" Fuxiu noticed the group of people in front and said in a low voice, "Concubine Yuan doesn't look very happy."

Concubine Rou paused, looked at her carefully for a few times, raised her eyebrows and said, "This Concubine Yuan has not been very favored in the past two years. Why is she at odds with Concubine Zhao now?" She didn't like Concubine Zhao, but she didn't necessarily like Concubine Yuan much either. When she first entered the palace, Concubine Yuan had made things difficult for her. She was happy to watch the excitement of the confrontation between the two.

"Your Majesty, I have heard some news," Shi Wu said at the right time, "I have heard from other servants that the Lin family and the Zhuang family do not have a harmonious relationship in the court. I think it is because of this relationship that Concubine Zhao is in trouble."

Concubine Rou moved her hand in front of Shi Wu with a half-smile, and let her hold it, saying, "So that's how it is. It looks like we're going to see another good show."

Zhuang Yuyan felt that she was innocent. She had come out of Ye Shurong's place and walked away honestly, but she still encountered difficulties from others. Moreover, this master did not follow Concubine Rou's trick of hiding a needle in a cotton ball, but instead used a direct attack.

As the original owner of Concubine Yu Yuan's body had no memories, Zhuang Yuyan didn't know much about her. The most she knew was that she was an old lady who served by the emperor and the crown prince's side. Although she was nearly thirty years old, her appearance was still breathtaking. It was a pity that the old was replaced by the new, and such beauty could only be buried in the deep palace.

"I've long heard that Zhaopin of Taoyu Pavilion is arrogant and rude because she is favored by the emperor. I thought it was just the servants' gossip. But after seeing her today, I found that seeing is believing. She is really an unruly person." Concubine Yuan raised her eyebrows with a sense of sternness. She stretched out her right index finger to pinch Zhuang Luoyan's chin, and knocked the woman kneeling in front of her from a high position. She was young and beautiful, and her skin was moist and shiny. How could she be like herself, who has passed away and is no longer favored by the emperor?

The hand tapped the red mark on the chin. Concubine Yuan slowly withdrew her hand and wiped it carefully with a silk scar before saying, "Looking at this beauty, it's not like you're engaged yet. How can you be so arrogant in the harem?"

Zhuang Yuyan buried her head, secretly groaning in her heart. Although this Concubine Yuan was not favored, she had seniority. Even if a little Concubine Zhao made a mistake in her hands, no one would say a word against her. The only one who could save her was probably the scumbag emperor or a high-ranking concubine who was not on good terms with Concubine Yuan. However, thinking of the beauties in the harem and the emperor's attitude towards the concubines, she rubbed her chin. She did not have the fate of a romance heroine, so she should not get the same disease as a romance heroine. The best thing to do was to think of a way to get out of this situation.

"Your Majesty, Concubine Yuan, is wise. I really dare not do this," Zhuang Luoyan sighed in her heart. It was obvious that Concubine Yuan wanted to deal with her. How could it be for any other reason? The harem was really a complicated circle of relationships.

"I have seen Sister Yuanfei. What are you doing?" Concubine Rou came with the guard of honor. She smiled gently and glanced at Zhuang Yuyan who was kneeling on the ground. "Isn't this Sister Zhaopin? Recently, Sister Zhaopin has been serving the emperor. I'm afraid she will be busy for a while in the future. How did she offend you?"

Concubine Yuan glanced at Concubine Rou calmly and forced a smile: "Sister Rou, isn't it hard for you to serve the emperor?"

Concubine Rou approached, each step she took was extremely graceful, "Serving the Emperor is a blessing for sisters, how can we talk about whether it is hard or not? When you served the Emperor in the past, can you say it was hard?"

When Concubine Yuan heard this, she couldn't even hold back her smile. She glanced at Concubine Rou coldly, then shifted her gaze to Zhuang Yuyan. After a long while, she spoke slowly: "Since Sister Rou is here today, I will forgive your rudeness. If you do it again next time, I will not forgive you lightly."

After Concubine Rou watched Concubine Yuan leave with a smile, she looked at the person who was still kneeling on the ground with a smile, and her voice was extremely gentle: "Remember, if I can make you stand up today, I can make you kneel down tomorrow. In this harem, there are many people who can crush you to death."

After saying this, she smiled and held the hand of the palace maid and left. The ceremonial guard representing the imperial concubine passed by Zhuang Weiyan, as if mocking and ignoring her.

After everyone left, Zhuang Yuyan got up from the ground and brushed the dust off her knees, without a trace of dejection on her face. "Tingzhu, Yunxi, please massage it for me when you go back. It's really uncomfortable to kneel on this bluestone slab."

"Yes," Tingzhu and Yunxi carefully helped Zhuang Luoyan walk towards Taoyu Pavilion. Yunxi sighed and said, "I never thought that Concubine Yuan would embarrass the master like this. The old master and Lord Lin were not on good terms back then, and I didn't expect that it would be dragged into the harem now. But why would Concubine Rou help the master?"

"She is not helping the master at all, she just wants to see some excitement, and she is causing trouble for both Concubine Yuan and the master," Ting Zhuya said in a low voice, "When Concubine Rou first entered the palace, Concubine Yuan made things difficult for her. Now they are both concubines, and Concubine Rou is favored, but she just hates Concubine Yuan."

Zhuang Yuyan really wanted to say that this was the failure and greatness of the women in the harem. The greatness was that they could endure and climb, but the failure was that after climbing up, they only remembered the beautiful scenery but forgot that there were thorns everywhere at the foot of the mountain.

"She helped me just to tell me that she could make me live or kill me," Zhuang Luoyan sneered, "She was just repaying Ge Jinzi for the slap she gave her." Unfortunately, Zhuang Luoyan had no self-esteem. Although Concubine Rou's action embarrassed her a little, at least she would not be punished by Concubine Yuan. She felt that this level of insult was well calculated and she really didn't care.

Sometimes, a woman who has no shame, no skin, and no self-esteem... has an extremely powerful spiritual world.

After Concubine Yuan returned to the palace, she was so angry that she smashed several celadon teacups. Although Concubine Zhao was hateful, Concubine Rou was a thorn in her side. The little villain who lived in a side hall of her palace was now on an equal footing with her and was showing off her power with the emperor's favor. She was truly hateful.

"Lin Qingyin, what a gentle Concubine you are!" Concubine Yuan pinched off a flower branch and sneered.

Because Ye Shurong had lost her child, the emperor was very sad and had not summoned any woman in the harem for several days. Because of Jin Liangyi's experience, everyone in the harem did not dare to make any big trouble. They all stayed in their own rooms honestly. Even when they went to pay their respects to the empress, they were very polite. No one showed off or caused trouble for each other.

Zhuang Yuyan had been very free these days, so she started to learn a skill that was essential for ancient women, that is, needlework. Although the original owner of this body was a bit rude, she was good at needlework, so she took advantage of the situation and embroidered a handkerchief or something, which was pretty good.

Life in the harem was quite leisurely as long as no one made trouble for her. Zhuang Yuyan would occasionally practice calligraphy, the effect was not very good, but the handwriting was presentable enough.

"Master, a new batch of spices was distributed in the palace today. Do you want to light them?" Yun Xi came in carrying a very small lacquered wooden box, moving very carefully.

"Spices?" Zhuang Yuyan frowned, "Bring them here so I can have a look."

The incense in the box is well made and has a light smell, which is very suitable for fumigating clothes or the house in this kind of weather.

Zhuang Yuyan played with a spice and said, "The weather is mild today, so there is no need to use spices to drive away mosquitoes. I don't like to use these spices to fumigate clothes, so put them aside."

In harem dramas, these spices have always been poison binding equipment. She couldn't tell whether these spices were problematic or not, but smelling them too much would be bad for the respiratory tract, so she still avoided them.

Yun Xi packed up the spices and left. It seemed that she had understood Zhuang Yuyan's concerns.

"Master, are you worried?" Tingzhu gently pressed Zhuang Yuyan's shoulder and explained softly, "These things were distributed by the Palace Department, so there is little possibility of problems. If not, then everything we use may be used."

Zhuang Yuyan leaned lazily against the back of the chair and said with a smile: "But this palace is still in the hands of the emperor, the queen mother, and the queen."

Ting Zhu was shocked when she heard this, she really hadn't thought of this level. She only expected the concubine's daily little tricks, but she never thought that the harem was also involved in state affairs.

"I didn't see it clearly enough," Tingzhu said, "My master is a delicate person, and I am far inferior to her."

"It's not that you don't see clearly, it's that I think too much. These are all uncertain things, how can I be sure of them?" Zhuang Yuyan waved her hands and yawned, "Forget it, I'm a little sleepy, I'll go to bed and rest for a while."

Tingzhu guessed that her master didn't want to think that the emperor was too cold, so she immediately helped Zhuang Yuyan take a nap. Of course, she didn't know that her master was really sleepy and not trying to escape from sadness.

The emperor has not entered the harem for nearly ten days. The people in the harem have become a little impetuous from their original honesty. However, the empress is the emperor's wife and it is not easy for her to give advice to the emperor, while the empress dowager is still worshiping Buddha and naturally will not care about these things. Therefore, everyone in the harem is watching anxiously.

"Your Majesty, the Empress requests an audience." Gao Dezhong walked to the Emperor's side and saw that he was reviewing memorials, so his voice became even softer.

"Empress?" Feng Jin frowned slightly, lowered his head and continued to read the memorial with a somewhat indifferent tone, "Let her in."

The Queen entered the palace and performed the formal formalities. Seeing the Emperor's indifferent expression, she said softly, "Your Majesty has been busy with state affairs recently. Don't forget to take good care of yourself."

"I'm sorry to have worried the Queen. There have been many affairs in the court recently, and you've been tired of the affairs in the harem," Feng Jin stood up, walked to the Queen's side, held her hand and sat down beside her, saying, "There are people who are restless in the harem. If there are, you don't have to report to me. Just punish them according to the rules. You and I have been husband and wife for many years, so there is no need to worry so much."

"It is my blessing that the emperor loves me," the queen said with a more obvious smile, "but I haven't seen you visiting the sisters in the harem these days. I wondered if the emperor was tired, but today you came to excuse me from my business."

"Why do you say that, Caifu?" Feng Jin smiled. "We have been married for more than ten years, so there is no need for us to be like this. It's just that I've been busy with government affairs recently, and with Ye Shurong's child..."

"Your Majesty, don't be so sad. You will have children again." Seeing the emperor's sadness, the queen hurriedly comforted him, "The sisters in the harem will definitely give birth to many beautiful and ambitious children for you."

"Forget it. I made the Queen worry." Feng Jin forced a smile. "You must be tired these days. Go back and rest early. I know what to do."

Seeing the emperor like this, the queen didn't know what to say and could only leave with worry and heartache for the emperor.

After the empress left, the smile on the emperor's face disappeared completely, "Gao Dezhong."

"Your servant is here," Gao Dezhong walked into the room and saw the emperor's cold expression. His heart skipped a beat and he quickly lowered his head.

"Let the eunuch from the Eunuch Bureau come in."

The eunuch from the Eunuch Bureau came in holding a plate of ivory cards. There were twenty or thirty cards lined up in a row. Feng Jin had no impression of some of the women's names on them.

These brands were arranged one by one according to their size. Feng Jin glanced at the tray and flipped one over at random, "This is it."

The eunuch from the Internal Affairs Bureau carefully took the sign, looked at it, and left the hall.

"The Emperor has ordered that the Hele Palace be lit tonight."

Gao Dezhong lowered his head and closed his eyes. Hele Palace? It seems that Concubine Rou will be the object of jealousy of the concubines again tomorrow.

"Gao Dezhong!"

Hearing the emperor's call, Gao Dezhong hurriedly said, "I'm here."

"Distribute the silk and satin that was offered as tribute from Jiangnan a few days ago to the Empress and several concubines," Feng Jin paused, "and also to Concubine Yan Gui and Concubine Zhao."

"yes."

Concubine Yan and Concubine Zhao? It seems that these two are still the favorites recently.