"Sister Shufei, have you finished speaking?"
Lin Wanwan's voice was not loud, but it was like a feather, landing precisely and gently on the hearts of everyone present, stirring up a strange ripple.
There was no anger or crying as expected in that voice, nor any sense of grievance or concession.
Yes, but it's a kind of languid, condescending composure.
It was as if those extremely humiliating words were nothing more than a boring, insignificant farce to her.
Consort Shu was taken aback by her sudden question, and then an even greater surge of anger welled up within her.
That vile woman! She's about to die, yet she still dares to put on airs in front of me!
"So what if you've said it all?" Consort Shu crossed her arms and sneered. "Isn't what I said the truth? A taciturn, unpresentable person like you dares to..."
"oh?"
Lin Wanwan interrupted her with a light laugh before she could finish speaking.
She slowly and gracefully raised her hand, gently brushing away a petal that had fallen from her shoulder with her fingertips. The movement was indescribably elegant and graceful.
Her gaze, filled with pure curiosity, turned to Consort Shu, and she asked slowly:
"So, in Consort Shu's eyes, the standard for judging a person's social status is not based on their character and morals, nor on their knowledge and cultivation, but rather... on their background?"
That's a very clever question.
It was like a gentle trap; no matter whether Consort Shu answered "yes" or "no," she would be at a disadvantage.
Consort Shu was clearly unaware of this. She was so enraged by Lin Wanwan's nonchalant attitude that she blurted out without thinking, "Of course! Like begets like! Birth determines everything!"
Her words were forceful and resounding, filled with the arrogance inherent in her social class.
Among the palace servants around, many of those of humble origins lowered their heads quietly upon hearing this, a hint of sadness flashing in their eyes.
However, upon hearing this answer, Lin Wanwan's smile deepened.
“Is that so?” she repeated softly and playfully, then her voice suddenly changed, becoming clear and loud, full of undeniable power.
“But I remember that the founding emperor of my Great Zhou Dynasty was just a commoner who rose up in rebellion during a chaotic era to establish this century-old dynasty. According to your ‘origin theory,’ wouldn’t the founding emperor also be ‘of humble origin’?”
"boom--!"
These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in everyone's ears!
Consort Shu's face turned deathly pale in an instant!
Bringing up the founding emperor is incredibly disrespectful! But Lin Wanwan is stating a well-known historical fact! She uses the most irrefutable example to shatter Consort Shu's ridiculous "origin theory"!
"You...you're talking nonsense! How dare you criticize the founding emperor!" Consort Shu was both shocked and furious, pointing at her incoherently.
Lin Wanwan didn't even glance at her, and continued speaking to herself:
"I remember that the historical records state that Empress Zhangxian of the previous dynasty was once a laundry maid, but she assisted the emperor with her virtue and created a prosperous era, leaving a lasting legacy. Empress Xiaoyi was originally a mulberry picker in the countryside, but she was famous for her benevolence and filial piety. She was welcomed into the palace by the late emperor and became the mother of the nation."
Her voice was clear and melodious, and she could effortlessly recall every allusion with perfect clarity.
"Their origins were not noble. But their virtue and achievements are enough to make all those who consider themselves 'noble' ashamed."
After speaking, Lin Wanwan finally turned her gaze back to Consort Shu, whose face had turned from white to pale.
Her eyes held a hint of pity and sympathy, as if she were looking at an extremely pitiful, ignorant child.
"My younger sister values her family background so much, she always has the word 'family background' on her lips..."
She paused slightly, giving everyone a moment to catch their breath and think, before speaking with a light laugh in a tone of sudden realization, uttering the most hurtful words.
"Presumably... he feels that his knowledge and character are too shallow and unworthy of his noble family background, so he needs to remind others at all times to bolster his courage, right?"
“After all,” she said slowly, looking at Consort Shu’s face, which had turned bright red, “besides your background, sister… it seems you really don’t have anything else to offer.”
quiet.
A deathly silence.
If Lin Wanwan's invocation of the founding emperor was a blow to Consort Shu, then...
These words are like a knife being drawn, stabbing her heart precisely and mercilessly!
Everyone knows that Consort Shu, relying on the Empress Dowager's favor, has disliked studying since childhood and is completely illiterate. Aside from dressing up and vying for the Emperor's favor, she has no other talents.
"Shallow knowledge"—these four words are the sore spot she least wants to be mentioned!
Now, Lin Wanwan not only brought it up, but also, in front of so many people, in the most nonchalant and understated way, tore her glamorous facade, built up by her background, to shreds!
"You! You, you, you..."
Consort Shu's body trembled violently with extreme anger. Her once beautiful face was now a deep purplish-red, and her eyes were bloodshot. Gone was her usual charm; she looked every bit like a shrew.
She wanted to argue back, to hurl even more vicious insults at him.
But her mind was blank. The words she usually used to belittle people seemed so pale, powerless, and utterly vulnerable in the face of Lin Wanwan's logically clear and progressively devastating attack.
"What... what's wrong with my knowledge? I'm a concubine, not a female tutor!" She struggled for a long time before finally managing to squeeze out such a weak sentence.
Upon hearing this, Lin Wanwan smiled gently again.
“What my sister says is true. Consorts don’t necessarily need to be as learned as scholars. But at the very least, they should know etiquette and understand the hierarchy, right?”
She abruptly changed the subject, her gaze suddenly becoming sharp.
"I am the Empress, personally appointed by the Emperor, and I hold the position of Empress in your central palace. Your failure to first perform the proper courtesies upon seeing me is already a breach of etiquette. Furthermore, your public and disrespectful remarks, contradicting the Empress, are even more outrageous. According to palace rules, what punishment should you receive for each of these offenses? Do I need to... explain them to you one by one?"
"I..." Consort Shu was so frightened by her sudden outburst of power that she took a step back.
She then realized that the woman in front of her was not only eloquent, but also held the power to control the harem!
"You...you can't use palace rules to intimidate me!" Consort Shu shouted, her voice trembling with fear. "I am...I am the Empress Dowager's niece!"
This was her last and only trump card.
"Oh? So it's because of the Empress Dowager's influence."
Lin Wanwan's smile grew even colder.
"Then I am even more curious. Did you do this today as your own will, or... the Empress Dowager's will?"
"How dare you speak ill of the Empress Dowager behind her back?!" Consort Shu screamed as if she had grasped at a straw.
"I am merely stating the facts," Lin Wanwan said calmly. "If this is your own intention, then it is an act of arrogance and disregard for palace discipline, which I, as the Empress, should punish severely to serve as a warning to others."
“If… it is the Empress Dowager’s will,” she paused, her gaze sweeping over the trembling palace servants around her. Her voice was not loud, but it was clear enough for everyone to hear, “then I should go to His Majesty and ask him clearly. Ask whether the harem of the Great Zhou is His Majesty’s harem or… the royal family’s harem!”
This is absolutely shocking!
This statement is more serious than any of the previous ones!
This is no longer a simple power struggle among concubines; it is a challenge to imperial authority!
Consort Shu's mind went blank; she was completely terrified. She never imagined that this seemingly weak woman would dare to utter such rebellious words!
Looking into Lin Wanwan's cold, emotionless eyes, she felt a deep-seated fear for the first time.
She knew that she had truly bitten off more than she could chew today!
"You...you...you just wait!"
Forced into a corner, Consort Shu trembled all over, her words incoherent, unable to utter a single complete sentence.
In the end, she could only resort to her last, and most ineffective, trump card.
She pointed at Lin Wanwan and shrieked:
"How dare you speak to me like that! You wait! I... I'm going to find my aunt to settle this matter! Let's see how my aunt will get justice for you!"
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