Chapter 6, listen carefully to everything.
Jiang Nan stepped over the high threshold and entered the main hall of Yongshou Palace.
Sunlight streamed through the carved windows into the hall, illuminating the smooth, mirror-like gold-brick floor and the vermilion-lacquered, gilded beams and pillars.
And the display cabinets and rosewood furniture.
The hall was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood and the fresh smell of freshly cleaned air.
Although not as grand and magnificent as the Kunning Palace or the Qianqing Palace, it still exudes the refinement and grandeur of the imperial family.
"This will be my base of operations from now on..."
Jiang Nan felt an indescribable surge of excitement and a sense of belonging.
Inside the hall, a large group of eunuchs and palace maids, who had already received the news, knelt on the ground, numbering more than a dozen.
Leading the group were a calm-looking eunuch in his thirties and a palace maid of the same age with a respectful expression.
"This servant/this maid kowtows to Consort Jiang, may Your Highness be blessed with ten thousand years of happiness and peace!"
A unified voice rang out in the hall, filled with awe and a hint of curiosity.
Jiang Nan stopped and slowly scanned each person kneeling on the ground.
Her eyes deliberately took on a sharp and scrutinizing quality.
When a new official takes office, he always needs to establish his authority and make a name for himself.
A few seconds of silence lingered in the hall; the kneeling palace servants didn't dare to even breathe.
Finally, Jiang Nan slowly spoke, her voice calm.
"Get up, everyone."
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!"
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, carefully stood up, stood with their hands at their sides, and dared not look directly at each other.
Jiang Nan didn't say anything more and went straight to the main seat in the center of the main hall, which was a rosewood armchair covered with a bright yellow brocade cushion.
She brushed the hem of her dress, her posture slightly awkward but she tried her best to remain calm, and sat down.
Hmm, the firmness is just right, the height is suitable, and the field of vision is wide... It feels good!
Her gaze swept over the palace servants standing below with their hands at their sides again, and a little bit of smugness began to rise in her heart once more.
"Oh my goodness..."
She screamed wildly in her heart.
"So I'm a little rich woman now? From now on... everyone in this palace, and all these things, are theoretically mine?"
The feeling of instantly achieving a leap in social class, possessing vast assets and servants, is like a dream.
This is a world apart from the days she spent in her previous life, staying up all night to grab orders and delivering food rain or shine.
"The life of this corrupt feudal ruling class is just too comfortable!"
She almost burst out laughing, but quickly covered it up with a cough.
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She adjusted her posture, trying to make herself look more like a proper mistress.
Their gazes fell on the leading eunuch and palace maid.
"You two, step forward and answer."
The head eunuch stepped forward, bowed deeply, his voice sharp and clear, characteristic of eunuchs.
"This servant, Zhao Deyi, formerly served in Qixiang Palace. Thanks to the promotion of Chief Eunuch Liang, I am now the head eunuch of Yongshou Palace. I pay my respects to Your Majesty. In the future, Your Majesty, please feel free to send me whatever you require. I will do my utmost and even die for it."
Immediately afterwards, the stewardess stepped forward, curtsied, and spoke in a gentle yet firm voice.
"This servant, Fangruo, originally worked in the Shangyi Bureau. I was transferred by the Imperial Household Department and am now a palace maid in charge of Yongshou Palace, serving Your Highness's daily life. This servant will certainly do my best to serve Your Highness."
When Jiang Nan heard the name Fang Ruo, the corner of her mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
Fang Ruo? That's a very famous character, almost like a headmaster, in Qing Dynasty dramas.
I never imagined that one day I would be matched with Aunt Fangruo.
That's good, it sounds professional!
She nodded slightly, memorizing their names and expressions.
Her gaze slowly swept over all the palace servants standing below with their hands at their sides.
The sound wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.
"Zhao Deyi, Fang Ruo, and all of you."
She paused, her tone calm yet carrying a strange penetrating power.
"I know that you may not be convinced of me, and that you think I was just lucky to climb into the emperor's bed and rise to the top in one step. In terms of seniority and background, I may not be as good as some of you."
Several of the palace maids below trembled almost imperceptibly on their shoulders.
"even…"
Jiang Nan's voice was tentative.
"Among you, perhaps some of you share the same dream, hoping that one day you too can climb onto the dragon's bed, rise to the top of the tree, and become your own master."
These words were like a thunderclap, turning all the palace servants pale and causing them to kneel down again, shouting repeatedly.
"This servant wouldn't dare, Your Majesty is wise!"
"You dare not?"
Jiang Nan chuckled softly, her laughter revealing neither joy nor anger.
"Get up. Let me make this clear: I do not lie, nor will I stop you from having such thoughts."
She looked at the surprised and bewildered crowd who had stood up, and continued.
"If you have the ability, feel free to try. What difference does it make who serves the Emperor? I don't care. But—"
Her tone suddenly turned cold, and her gaze became sharp.
"The premise is that you have to be lucky enough to enjoy that blessing. Don't lose your life and that of your whole family before you even get to enjoy the blessing. It's not uncommon for a few restless servants to die in the palace."
The bloodthirstiness in those words sent a chill down everyone's spine.
Jiang Nan's tone softened slightly.
"What I despise most is not your ambition, but your treachery and betrayal of your master for personal gain."
Her gaze swept over Zhao Deyi and Fang Ruo again, as well as everyone behind them.
"I'm making this clear today. From now on, if anyone takes gold or silver as bribes, or relies on someone's power to do something underhanded in this Yongshou Palace, to gather information, or even... to harm me."
She paused, letting the terrible assumption fester in everyone's minds.
What would you do?
She asked slowly, her voice not loud, yet as heavy as a thousand pounds.
Zhao Deyi was the first to react, immediately bowing and speaking with unwavering conviction.
"Your Majesty, as a servant of Yongshou Palace, my life belongs to Your Majesty. Anyone who dares to harm Your Majesty will have to step over my dead body. If there is such a treacherous and ungrateful dog, Your Majesty will not even need to lift a finger; I will be the first to skin him alive."
Fang Ruo then added.
"This servant swears to serve Your Highness to the death. If there is any misconduct in Yongshou Palace, this servant will report it to Your Highness immediately and will not conceal anything."
The eunuchs and palace maids behind them also expressed their loyalty, their voices rising and falling.
Filled with fear and an eagerness to prove themselves.
Jiang Nan listened quietly, her face expressionless.
She spoke slowly after the sound subsided.
"Zhao is triumphant."
"Your servant is here!"
"You are in charge of the personnel scheduling and daily expenses of Yongshou Palace, and you shall report to the palace regularly."
"Yes, Your Majesty! Your servant obeys!"
"Fang Ruo."
"Yes, sir!"
"You are responsible for managing the palace maids and my daily life. Rules must be established, but you must not mistreat your subordinates."
"Yes, I understand."
After giving his instructions, Jiang Nan waved his hand.
"Everyone, go and do your own thing. Zhao Deyi and Fang Ruo, stay here."
Everyone felt as if they had been granted a pardon. After bowing, they quietly withdrew, leaving only Zhao Deyi and Fang Ruo inside the hall.
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They remained uneasy, wondering what other instructions this unconventional new master might give.
Jiang Nan looked at them, the sharp look on her face fading, replaced by a faint trace of weariness and honesty.
"I know I was a bit harsh just now."
Her voice softened, and she deliberately changed her self-reference to "me".
"But as a newcomer, I must say some unpleasant things upfront. Yongshou Palace will be my home from now on, and also your place of refuge. I only hope that everyone in our palace will be of one mind and live in peace and stability, so that we won't become a laughing stock for outsiders, and so that no one... can take advantage of the situation."
She was implying something, and Zhao Deyi and Fang Ruo, being intelligent people, naturally understood who she was referring to.
"This servant understands!"
The two quickly responded, but their hearts were filled with gratitude for their master's sudden honesty and the slight reliance he showed.
A sense of genuine responsibility inexplicably arose within me.
"Alright, get back to work. Thoroughly inspect every part of the palace, especially..."
Jiang Nan paused, a very serious expression appearing on her face.
"Especially the small kitchen and my bedroom, keep a close eye on them, don't let anything slip by. Everything that goes into my mouth, and who handles it, you have to investigate them thoroughly."
Although poison had no effect on her, she was not sick and liked to eat poison as food.
What if the cheat program stops working one day? Wouldn't the player be stuck on the wall?
Who knows, if those people can't poison her, will they come up with some disgusting methods?
If someone is too heartless to poison her, they might just add something extra to her food.
Let me in a few cockroaches or caterpillars, or just make me a pot of rat soup...
Just imagining that scene made Jiang Nan feel nauseous, and her face turned pale.
So, is she even going to eat? She hasn't been killed by the palace intrigue yet, but she's been disgusted to death first.
This way of dying is too humiliating and degrading. The small kitchen must be strictly guarded.
However, if anyone offends her in the future, she can prepare a pot of rat meat soup for them. Hmm, it should smell delicious.
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