Shen Meizhuang felt helpless about this, as the two were worlds apart in status and position. She had only been in the palace for a few months and her foundation was not yet stable.
Even if she joined forces with Consort Jing, they would still be no match for Consort Hua.
The Emperor wanted her to counterbalance Consort Hua, but what good would it do to simply summon her more often and reward her with some fabrics and jewels?
Didn't he give Consort Hua enough of those things on a regular basis?
Not even a little something practical...
Zhen Huan said, "It's obvious that Consort Hua doesn't want the two of you to be involved in palace power."
"However, with the Emperor's attitude and your favor with the Emperor, Sister Mei, people will naturally flock to you in the long run. Sister Mei just needs to wait for the right opportunity so that Consort Hua can't find any fault with you."
"No matter how domineering Consort Hua is, she won't keep dragging it out indefinitely, preventing you from interfering in the slightest. When the time is right, Sister Mei can remain silent until she makes a stunning debut."
What Zhen Huan said reflected Shen Meizhuang's own thoughts. Snatching food from a tiger's mouth was difficult, but it was something she had to do.
Otherwise, if the emperor considers him a useless person, his future days will likely be difficult.
Shen Meizhuang said, "You and I are thinking the same thing. It is always better to be prepared than not. Before you are sure of success, it is best to keep a low profile."
"However, there are some things I still want to ask you."
Zhen Huan said, "Sister Mei, if you have any questions, just ask them."
Shen Meizhuang said, "There are only the three of us here. You see, your illness is almost cured. What are you thinking?"
"Ever since the Emperor saw you on the day of the imperial concubine selection, he has never forgotten you. If you gain his favor, Consort Hua will be nothing in the Emperor's heart."
"Although the Broken Jade Pavilion is quiet and can keep one away from trouble for a while, it cannot keep one away from trouble forever."
In the past two months, Zhen Huan did not try to hide her illness from Shen Meizhuang and An Lingrong. They were both very perceptive and could easily tell that she was faking it. However, Zhen Huan did not say anything, and neither of them mentioned it.
Shen Meizhuang knew that Zhen Huan wouldn't remain in obscurity forever; she would eventually gain favor. Whether favored or not, life in the palace was never easy. Shen Meizhuang was happy that Zhen Huan could hide from her for a while.
But things in this world are not fixed; they often change in an instant, and she herself is a living example.
In just a few months, Shen Meizhuang's state of mind underwent a tremendous change.
Since we'll have to come out of seclusion sooner or later, it's always better to be prepared than unprepared, with the mindset of planning carefully before acting.
Living in the inner palace, how could Zhen Huan not have thought about these things? If she had thought of hiding before, after hearing a few words from Consort Cheng, she realized that there was no way to escape.
It's not the right time for them to make their mark yet; it would be better to wait a while longer.
Zhen Huan said, "I know you're thinking of me, and I also know that I can't always be this carefree."
"But aren't there still the two of you? I'll just need to think about it for a few more months."
Shen Meizhuang reached out and gently tapped Zhen Huan's forehead, saying with a smile, "You're just destined to enjoy a life of happiness."
An Lingrong said, "It's good that Sister Huan has her own plans. But these days I've been watching closely and I've noticed that Consort Hua is much more restrained than when we first entered the palace."
After gaining favor with the emperor, every time Shen Meizhuang encountered Consort Hua, she would suffer various verbal attacks and humiliations from her. The month or so that Consort Hua was ill was the most relaxed time Shen Meizhuang had experienced since entering the palace.
After Consort Hua recovered from her illness, the emperor, though dissatisfied with her, still treated her reasonably well in his presence. But when the emperor was not around, she heard all sorts of unpleasant things said to her.
To say that Consort Hua had become more restrained, Shen Meizhuang found it utterly laughable, ridiculously laughable!
"Lingrong, why would you think that? Consort Hua is jealous by nature. You've only been in the Emperor's favor for a few days, and she hasn't said a single good word about you. Yesterday she was even saying something about you..."
"You call this convergence?"
Yesterday afternoon, An Lingrong accompanied Da Pang Ju to play the moon lute. After serving Da Pang Ju her afternoon nap, she came out of Yangxin Hall and happened to meet Hua Fei, who came to deliver pigeon soup.
An Lingrong bowed respectfully to Consort Hua, and there was nothing wrong with it.
Consort Hua publicly mocked her for coming from a humble background, saying that even if she was fortunate enough to receive the Emperor's favor for a few days, it was nothing but a mirage.
In front of everyone, she and Songzhi even sang in unison, mocking An Lingrong for being nothing more than the daughter of a minor official, whose father's rank was not even as high as that of many palace maids.
Therefore, Shen Meizhuang found it unbelievable when she heard An Lingrong say such a thing.
An Lingrong said, "Sister Mei, think about it, what was Consort Hua like before?"
"Fu Zi in the well of the Imperial Garden, Consort Fang who miscarried and was sent to the Cold Palace, on the day of the audience with the whole palace, outside Jingren Palace, Xia Changzai was severely reprimanded and her favor was cut off."
"Palace rules dictate that even palace maids cannot slap someone's face. Consort Xia was, after all, a legitimate daughter of an official who entered the palace through the imperial selection process. How could Consort Hua have suffered any harm by ending up like this?"
"The Emperor, the Empress, and the Empress Dowager all acted as if nothing had happened, which shows how arrogant Consort Hua was in the harem. Apart from the Emperor's attitude, she was completely fearless."
"She was so domineering and arrogant. The time when Sister Mei was most favored happened to be when she was sick. How could she not hate her?"
"But Consort Hua did nothing but verbally humiliate us. There are so many ways for high-ranking concubines in the palace to torment low-ranking concubines. They can just pick any excuse and we can only endure it. We can't even complain about our suffering."
"So it seems she's become more restrained? Either she's changed her personality after being sick, or she's brewing some kind of conspiracy behind the scenes."
Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan also fell into deep thought. Rather than believing that Consort Hua had simply fallen ill and changed her personality, they were more inclined to believe that Consort Hua was involved in some kind of conspiracy.
Zhen Huan said, "Sister Mei, Ling Rong, it seems you need to be more careful."
Shen Meizhuang said earnestly, "We know, so don't worry. We really can't let our guard down in the palace."
"If only we could have a prince sooner, then all three of us would have someone to rely on."
Zhen Huan said, "You haven't served the Emperor for very long, so there's no need to rush this."
"But if we really talk about it, Consort Cheng is the most fortunate. She became pregnant less than half a year after entering the palace and rose from a lowly concubine to a high-ranking concubine."
"If she had given birth to a prince, given the emperor's favor towards her, it would have been only a matter of time before she became a concubine."
Shen Meizhuang knew about the secret behind Sun Miaoqing's pregnancy, but she couldn't say a word. She didn't even consider uttering a single word to Zhen Huan and An Lingrong.
The more people who know about this, the greater the risk of exposure. Therefore, when Zhen Huan mentioned Sun Miaoqing's pregnancy, Shen Meizhuang simply picked up her tea, took a small sip, and said nothing more.
An Lingrong said, "Who says otherwise? Everyone in the palace says that Consort Cheng is blessed with great fortune."
No sooner had she finished speaking than a sound came from outside. Caiyue rushed in and anxiously said to Chen Meizhuang,
"Your Highness, something has happened at Chuxiu Palace! Consort Cheng has miscarried!"
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