The days passed uneventfully, with no major events occurring. Yet, the Empress Dowager continued to send various delicacies and exquisite brocades. This infuriated the concubines, especially Concubine Zhang Shu, who daily denounced Jiang Meiyu as a vixen and even smashed numerous items within Yongfu Palace. The entire palace was practically destroyed, and the maids and eunuchs could only discuss the situation behind her back, daring not to offer any words of advice in person. After all, Concubine Zhang Shu was known for her harsh treatment of her servants, and coupled with her personal maid, Zhulan, who was known for her fiery temper and frequent beatings, the public remained silent.
"Zhulan, go and call Concubine Gu to me! Tell her that I have something important to discuss with her." Concubine Zhang ordered angrily.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Zhulan knew very well that her master summoned Concubine Gu to vent her anger on her, so she hurriedly trotted to Concubine Gu, fearing that if she ran too slowly she would be implicated.
However, Gu Xiangling already knew everything that had transpired in the main hall of Yongfu Palace. Therefore, when Zhulan summoned her, she was actually quite reluctant to go, knowing full well that she would be the target of a tirade. But then she thought, why not add fuel to the fire now? This way, she could perfectly satisfy the Empress's wishes.
Gu Xiangling cautiously walked up to Concubine Zhang Shu, bowed slightly, and performed a standard greeting: "Sister, what is it that you called me here for?"
Concubine Zhang Shu sat on a chair, her eyes filled with arrogance, her tone even more arrogant and domineering: "Why, can't I call you over when there's nothing wrong? Who do you think you are? How dare you blame me!"
Gu Xiangling's heart tightened, but she remained calm on the surface: "Sister Shufei, I have no intention of blaming you, I just want to ask clearly." Her voice was calm.
"How dare you! Who do you think you are? How dare you be so rude to me and even commit treason! Someone, come here and slap me in the face. Zhulan, come here and slap this ignorant woman hard!" Concubine Zhang shouted angrily.
"Yes!" Zhulan responded and walked towards Gu Xiangling with firm steps, ready to carry out Concubine Zhang's order.
However, just as Zhulan was about to take action, Gu Xiangling hurriedly said, "Wait! Sister Shufei, please calm down first. I know you are in a bad mood at the moment, but could you please listen to what your sister has to say? If you still feel that I need to be punished after listening, then I am willing to be punished." Her eyes were sincere and earnest, hoping to calm Concubine Zhang's anger.
At this time, after what had just happened, Concubine Zhang Shu's anger had mostly subsided, and her emotions gradually stabilized: "Okay, sister, you can say whatever you want."
Gu Xiangling glanced at the palace maids in the room from the corner of her eye. Concubine Zhang Shu understood what she meant and immediately waved her hand, saying, "You all should leave first."
After all the palace maids in the room had left, Gu Xiangling stepped forward and bowed: "Sister, I know you are in a bad mood right now. In fact, I am in a bad mood too. Ever since I entered the palace, the emperor only came to Yongfu Palace to sit for a while and listened to me play a song, and he never set foot there again. Sister, think about it, why is this? Although Concubine Jiang is a close friend of mine, she is scheming, good at disguise, and her methods are even more insidious and cunning. Originally..." Gu Xiangling suddenly stopped talking halfway and pretended to wipe away tears.
"What happened originally?" Concubine Zhang Shu was intrigued and asked anxiously.
Originally... I had thought of these words as just a passing thought, after all, that was all in the past. Once upon a time, the Prince of Qin, who lived in the Duke of Qin's palace, was in love with me. But Jiang Meiyu, upon learning of this, grew jealous and resorted to seducing the Prince. With her exceptional beauty, looks, and distinguished family background, she easily captivated the Prince, and he insisted on marrying her. All these unexpected developments were beyond my imagination, leaving me devastated...
"Hmph, what a shameless bitch! She hooks up with men everywhere and can't stand her sisters living better than her. No wonder she seduced the emperor after entering the palace and prevented him from stepping into the palaces of other concubines. This kind of woman is really shameless!" Concubine Shu said indignantly.
Suddenly, there was a hint of pity in Concubine Shu's eyes when she looked at Gu Xiangling, and she forgot about her original intention of slapping her.
"Sister, your room is so warm! Unlike my place, the quality of the charcoal burned is far inferior to yours, and it's so cold that it's unbearable." Gu Xiangling said as she rubbed her hands gently.
Zhang Shufei heard this and felt a surge of pride in her heart, but at the same time she felt that Concubine Gu before her was really a bit pitiful. She snorted in triumph, feeling even more superior.
"Sister, you have such a hard life. But it doesn't matter. When I'm free, I'll send you some good charcoal. By the way, the charcoal I use in my room is gold-thread charcoal!" Concubine Zhang boasted.
Hearing the words "golden carbon," Gu Xiangling's eyes flashed with a subtle cunning. She feigned surprise and said, "Sister, please be careful when using golden carbon! I heard some golden carbon can be toxic, and it's colorless and odorless, so it can kill people if you're not careful!"
"You're talking nonsense! The charcoal sent by the Imperial Household Department has been strictly screened, how could it be poisonous?" Concubine Zhang was startled at first, but then a sudden flash of inspiration struck her mind, and a brilliant plan emerged in her mind...
Heavy snow fell, blanketing the sky and earth in white, as if covering the entire world with a thick layer of silver. The Queen, observing the falling snow, felt a surge of joy in her heart, and she dispensed with all the greetings. Jiang Meiyu also felt at ease, feeling exceptionally relaxed.
Jiang Meiyu's belly wasn't noticeable at the time, but she suddenly had the idea of having a snowball fight in the courtyard of Yongning Palace. When Aunt Xiubi heard about this idea, she firmly disagreed, worried that Jiang Meiyu would get hurt or catch a cold. However, Jiang Meiyu didn't give up easily. She used all her tricks, coaxing and persuading Aunt Xiubi, and finally had to give in and agree to let her build a snowman.
After receiving Aunt Xiubi's permission, Jiang Meiyu excitedly led the maids to build snowmen in the yard. With everyone working together, the yard was soon filled with snowmen of all shapes and sizes, each one lifelike and incredibly beautiful. Jiang Meiyu was so happy she was like a child, completely forgetting the time.
However, happy times are always short-lived. Seeing Jiang Meiyu having so much fun, Aunt Xiubi couldn't help but persuade her: "My queen, you can't play anymore. You are still pregnant and the fetus is not yet firmly seated. You can't catch a cold..."
Although Jiang Meiyu hadn't had enough fun, she knew her current physical condition and couldn't be too willful. Furthermore, if she caught a cold, not only would she suffer, but those around her might also be punished by the emperor. With this in mind, she could only obediently allow Chen Yu to support her into the house.
As soon as she entered the house, a warm atmosphere washed over her. High-quality golden charcoal burned brightly in the brazier, emitting a fiery glow that made her feel incredibly comfortable. Jiang Meiyu gently shook the snow off her cloak, then rubbed her cold hands and slowly walked over to the brazier and sat down.
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