Granny Zhang gripped the wooden comb tightly in her hand. [Anyone who dares to harm her master will face her dead!]
"It seems I've made quite a few enemies in the palace. Some people are already looking to send me to the underworld sooner!" the Empress Dowager said with a cold laugh.
"You don't need to worry too much. Haven't we been through enough along the way?"
Zhang Mama nodded; after all, the Empress Dowager was the victor who survived the previous struggle.
"This old servant will remember this and investigate further in secret."
"Well, no need to rush, lest we alert them. If we fail this time, there will definitely be another time. We just need to protect Duoduo's safety and observe secretly."
"Yes, Your Majesty is right."
"Has the Emperor made any moves?"
"Previously, the palace maid A Xiang, who took care of Duo Duo, was sent to the Xin Zhe Ku to perform hard labor, and the matter of investigating the fire at the Buddhist temple was handed over to the Empress."
The Empress Dowager nodded, twirled her prayer beads, and closed her eyes.
...
Apart from Empress Zhaoyuan, Consort Chen, and Consort De, who were fortunate enough to accompany Yun Beiye to Anqing Palace for the royal New Year's Eve banquet, the rest of the concubines in the harem stayed in their own palaces, and were given New Year's gift packages by the Imperial Household Department.
Inside were nothing more than hand warmers, brocade, walnuts, peanuts, and the like, symbolizing a smooth and prosperous new year.
Consort Zheng sat on a soft couch, looking out the window.
It's already very late. The Imperial Household Department was supposed to come and deliver New Year's gifts, but they've probably forgotten about her.
Consort Zheng picked up scissors and began trimming the winter plum blossoms in front of the window.
Within this desolate palace, one can live a leisurely life, spending one's days with calligraphy, paintings, flowers, plants, music, and chess; however, it is a bit too quiet.
She recalled the day she first entered the palace five years ago; the sun was shining brightly, and everything was full of hope.
At that time, there were only five concubines in the palace, including her. The Zheng family was also at the height of its power and was highly favored.
But later, every year countless carriages would bring in young women to be selected for the imperial examinations, and one after another those women would become pregnant, carrying the emperor's child, and gradually climb over her head.
She still remembered that when Yun Beiye first bestowed the palace upon her, flocks of magpies flew around the eaves of her house, and everyone was blessing her, saying that she was very lucky.
She had also fantasized that even if the emperor had countless women, his true love would only be her, with her stunning beauty and exquisite figure.
Unexpectedly, Yun Beiye treated procreation as a mission and didn't care about romantic feelings at all.
Now, despite her good fortune, she has been banished to the Cold Palace for offending the Empress Dowager.
[Hmph, all she did was curse that old woman a few times, and she's been banished to the cold palace. It's all because the Zheng family isn't what it used to be. His Majesty is truly heartless and ruthless, using her and then discarding her.]
As she was reminiscing about the past and gazing out the window in a daze, she heard a soft knock on the door, and then the door to her bedchamber was opened.
A woman wearing a hood and carrying a dimly lit lantern walked in.
"On such a joyous occasion as the New Year, why does my sister have time to come to my cold palace, which is devoid of any human presence?"
"Aren't you afraid of being tainted by bad luck?!" Consort Zheng said sarcastically in a soft voice.
"Sister, what are you saying? I brought you your favorite almond flower cake." Ling Meiren carefully looked around to make sure no one was there, then closed the door, placed the bamboo food box she was carrying on the table, and opened the lid.
"Oh, it's still warm?" Steam immediately rose from the food box.
"Sister, please eat it while it's hot. This was just delivered by the Imperial Kitchen. I brought it to you right away." Consort Ling walked over to Consort Zheng, helped her up, and helped her sit down at the table.
Consort Zheng put down the scissors in her hand and sat down at the table.
Consort Ling was Consort Zheng's younger sister. After Consort Zheng fell out of favor, the Zheng family sent the child born to Consort Zheng's second wife to live with them.
The Zheng family has excellent genes, and the two men's appearances stand out even in the harem, a place teeming with beauties.
"Speak, what brings you to my palace?" Consort Zheng picked up a piece of almond flower cake and put it in her mouth, nodding in satisfaction. She knew her younger sister best; she wouldn't come to the palace without a reason.
There is no blood relation or kinship among the members of the Zheng family. Even though the two women are daughters of the Zheng family, they still have to make sacrifices for the benefit of the family.
She knew all too well that her dear sister would never brave the biting cold wind at night just to visit and comfort her, an older sister who was powerless and miserable in the cold palace.
"Sister is so clever. Sister, the people in the Empress Dowager's palace have found their way to me. On the day the Buddhist hall caught fire, the palace servants from the vicinity were transferred to my palace."
Consort Zheng curled her lips into a smile. "What are you panicking about? It's perfectly normal for a concubine's bedchamber to need manpower and borrow a few palace maids."
Ling Meiren's Fanghua Palace is very close to the Buddhist hall. Consort Zheng's confidant works in Fanghua Palace, so he can monitor everything around the Buddhist hall.
Consort Zheng's banishment to the Cold Palace was largely due to the Empress Dowager's influence.
Therefore, Consort Zheng harbored resentment towards the Empress Dowager. If she could eliminate the Empress Dowager, she would have a great chance of returning to her Zhongcui Palace.
Unexpectedly, on that day, the Empress Dowager went out of the palace to worship Buddha, and a palace maid actually took the little princess to the Buddhist hall alone.
I heard that the Empress Dowager really loves this granddaughter. If the little princess dies, the Empress Dowager will probably be devastated and fall ill. Then her goal will be achieved.
Consort Zheng snapped out of her thoughts and continued, "Besides, that arsonist has already gone to meet the King of Hell, so no one will find out."
"But you, so impatient, be careful someone doesn't catch you red-handed." Consort Zheng glanced disdainfully at her half-sister.
"Yes, sister remembers." Ling Meiren bit her lip and replied.
"Alright, if there's nothing else, you should leave now. His Majesty has decreed that no one is allowed to visit my Cold Palace."
"If we are discovered, we will both be in trouble," Consort Zheng said in a low voice, glancing warily out the window.
"Take care, sister. I'll come to see you again another day."
"Go ahead, there are many people in the palace today, be careful on the way."
As Consort Zheng watched Consort Ling's departing figure, the smile on her lips vanished instantly.
Her gaze suddenly turned cold.
The Zheng family wants you to replace me? Not so easy!
How dare a concubine's daughter usurp her position as the legitimate daughter?!
That's wishful thinking.
If I were to actually help you climb the social ladder, you would definitely kick me aside later.
At that point, the Zheng family will no longer care about her, and she will truly become a discarded pawn with no chance of recovery, destined to die alone and desolate in this cold palace.
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