The Empress Dowager's reprimand continued.
She was like a tireless teacher, her steady voice echoing through the solemn and dignified Cixi Palace. From the expenses of the inner palace to the management of the concubines and the royal etiquette, she spoke of everything in great detail, leaving no stone unturned.
Lin Wanwan lowered her head, feeling her eyelids getting heavier and heavier, and her mind felt like it was stuffed with a wad of water-soaked cotton, heavy and chaotic.
She knew she was nearing her limit.
This was exactly the effect the Empress Dowager wanted. She wanted to use this slow, insidious method to gradually wear down her sharpness and spirit, leaving her with the first impression of being weak, incompetent, and easily manipulated in the palace.
Just as Lin Wanwan felt she was about to "earn" the title of "the first empress to faint during the Empress Dowager's reprimand" on the spot, a charming and melodious voice, like a silver needle, precisely pierced through the dull and oppressive atmosphere.
“Aunt, look at you, once you start talking about these grand principles, you can’t stop. You’ve been talking for so long, your mouth must be dry, right? Here, have some tea to moisten your throat, and let the Empress take a break too.”
Lin Wanwan looked in the direction of the sound and saw a beautiful woman dressed in a peach-pink palace gown and adorned with flowers, who had walked out of the side hall at some point.
She was about eighteen or nineteen years old, with bright eyes and white teeth, and a stunningly beautiful face, but there was an air of arrogance about her. Her head full of jewels swayed and jingled with her movements, almost blinding people.
She walked intimately behind the Empress Dowager, expertly massaging her shoulders. Her large, watery eyes, however, held an undisguised provocation and scrutiny as she stared intently at Lin Wanwan.
The Empress Dowager seemed unsurprised by her appearance, only giving her a reproachful look and saying, "You have no manners," but a hint of indulgent smile appeared in her eyes.
Lin Wanwan instantly understood.
This must be the legendary niece of the Empress Dowager, and the highest-ranking concubine in the current harem—Consort Shu, née Wang.
"Hurry up and greet the Empress." The Empress Dowager patted her niece's hand, her tone carrying a hint of admonition.
Only then did Consort Shu reluctantly step out from behind the Empress Dowager, give Lin Wanwan a perfunctory curtsy, and say in a sarcastic tone with a smirk, "Your Majesty, I greet you. May Your Majesty be well."
Her manners were extremely perfunctory, and the contempt in her eyes was completely undisguised.
Lin Wanwan, dragging her weak body, nodded with difficulty, which was considered her agreement. She didn't have the strength to argue with this kind of person right now.
However, Consort Shu clearly had no intention of giving up.
Seeing Lin Wanwan's sickly and speechless appearance, her smugness intensified. She deliberately sat down next to the Empress Dowager, her eyes darting over Lin Wanwan before she spoke in a seemingly innocent but actually sarcastic tone.
"Your Majesty, you are truly blessed. I have heard that your father was only a minor Minister of Rites, which is hardly a top-tier background in the capital. You have to thank your aunt for your support and His Majesty for your ability to ascend to the throne."
These words were spoken quickly and crisply, like a soft knife dipped in poison.
kill without spilling blood.
These few words contain a wealth of information.
First, she directly pointed out that Lin Wanwan's background was "not high," publicly belittling the Empress's family background.
Secondly, she attributed Lin Wanwan's rise to the position of empress to the "support" of the empress dowager and the "favor" of the emperor, directly placing Lin Wanwan in a humble position where she needed to fawn and be grateful.
Third, and most insidiously, she said this in front of the emperor. An empress's greatest favor should come from the emperor, yet she deliberately placed "Empress Dowager" before "Emperor." This was not only to elevate the Empress Dowager but also to imply to the emperor—look, your empress is from my royal family, chosen by my aunt.
It can be described as killing three birds with one stone, each move aimed at striking at the heart.
The atmosphere inside the hall instantly became even more subtle.
Lin Wanwan's nails dug deeply into her palms. The intense humiliation brought some clarity to her muddled mind.
She knew she had to fight back.
If Consort Shu is allowed to continue speaking today, then from day one, she, as the Empress, will be labeled as "of humble origin" and "dependent on others," making it extremely difficult for her to establish authority in the harem in the future.
But how can we retaliate?
To directly contradict her? That would be disrespectful to the Empress Dowager and show a lack of manners.
Remaining silent? That would mean acquiescing to her statement, showing weakness and incompetence.
This is a dead end, a difficult dilemma.
Just as Lin Wanwan was rapidly thinking of a countermeasure and preparing to retaliate, her gaze habitually drifted towards the man who had been "pretending to be asleep."
She wanted to see how the emperor would react to Consort Shu's behavior, which was almost a direct challenge to his imperial authority.
It would have been fine if she hadn't looked, but once she did, Lin Wanwan almost lost her composure on the spot.
Xiao Che remained calm and composed, as if he hadn't heard Consort Shu's words at all.
But the usually quiet emoji above his head underwent a dramatic change.
It was a huge, screen-filling, rage comic-style meme. It featured a grinning panda head with a line of large, bold black text—
[This woman isn't very bright.jpg]
Not only that, but right below this line of large text, a line of pixelated small text with a strong sense of吐槽 (tu cao, meaning to criticize or complain) appeared.
[My grace? Did I consent?]
"puff--"
Lin Wanwan almost choked on her breath and burst out laughing on the spot.
She used all her willpower to forcefully suppress the laughter that was about to burst out. She bit her lower lip tightly, her shoulders trembling slightly from holding back her laughter, making her appear to outsiders as if she were trembling with anger at Consort Shu.
But at that moment, her heart was completely and utterly at ease.
Oh, I see... that's how it is.
She understood instantly.
In the Emperor's eyes, this Consort Shu was not a worthy opponent to be taken seriously at all. She was a complete fool, utterly incompetent, self-important, and not even fit to be a pawn.
One, a complete "pig teammate".
The emperor felt no desire to be angry with her, only pure, contemptuous disdain, as if she were a fool.
Having figured this out, Lin Wanwan's previously tense nerves completely relaxed.
Dealing with a truly intelligent person requires extreme concentration.
But when dealing with a self-righteous fool, sometimes doing nothing is the best response. Because the more you talk, the more mistakes you make, and you only lower your own standards.
Therefore, Lin Wanwan chose to remain silent.
She simply hung her head, looking weak and helpless, as if she had suffered a great injustice but dared not speak out. Her eyes were slightly red, and she looked extremely pitiful.
Seeing her like this, Consort Shu assumed she was afraid of her, and became even more smug. In her eyes, this sickly new empress was nothing but a useless incompetent fool, not worth fearing at all.
She cleared her throat, preparing to press her advantage and say something even more sarcastic to show off her power, when the Empress Dowager, sitting on the main seat, suddenly spoke up.
"Alright, Cai'er."
The Empress Dowager's voice remained gentle, yet carried an undeniable air of restraint.
She glanced at her niece indifferently, a hint of barely perceptible dissatisfaction and...disappointment flashing deep in her eyes.
Consort Shu was taken aback, and reluctantly shut her mouth. She didn't understand why her aunt wouldn't let her continue, even though she had been defending her aunt in every word.
But she dared not disobey the Empress Dowager's wishes, so she could only sit back down sullenly and glare at Lin Wanwan out of the corner of her eye.
The Empress Dowager was clearly not satisfied with her niece's superfluous "performance." In her view, this low-level provocation not only failed to suppress the Empress, but also made the Wang family appear petty and unseemly.
She picked up the teacup, blew on it gently, and decided to do it herself.
Her gaze returned to Lin Wanwan, and she slowly said, "Cai'er is young and doesn't know how to speak properly, Your Majesty shouldn't take it to heart. However, she did say one thing correctly..."
The Empress Dowager paused, making everyone's hearts leap into their throats.
She looked at Lin Wanwan and said clearly, word by word, "In this harem, the most important thing is to know your place. Don't you agree?"
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