Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Zhen Huan Chronicles, An Ling Rong

“Miss, I remember.” Concubine Xiao nodded seriously. “I will follow Miss’s arrangements, and I won’t let Master do whatever he wants.”

“Don’t worry. Father will behave from now on.” Li Si Qi added, “If anything happens at home, send a letter here. Every month, I’ll send someone here to pick up the letters.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Li Si Qi had arranged everything. She entered the palace with two maids. Several Han Banner ladies arrived at the side entrance of Zhen Gate at the same time. Li Si Qi also saw Zhen Huan and Shen Mei Zhuang there.

They spoke to each other in low voices. At that moment, the young eunuchs waiting stepped forward and greeted each of the ladies as they entered the palace. Li Si Qi bid farewell to Senior Maid Ruo Lan and followed the young eunuch away.

“Young Eunuch, where is our lady staying?” Lü He asked softly, and slipped him a small sachet.

The young eunuch took the silver and immediately smiled. “Miss, Lady Xin will live in Yan Xi Palace. Yan Xi Palace doesn’t have a main consort, but Noble Lady Fu Cha entered earlier. She’s a Manchu Banner woman, arranged to live in the main hall, and her rank is higher than Lady Xin’s.

Oh, and Yan Xi Palace also has an Attendant Xia, whose rank is also one level above Lady Xin.”

“Thank you for the re minder, Young Eunuch.” Lü He thanked him and returned to Li Si Qi’s side.

Li Si Qi wasn’t surprised. In the drama, the three of them lived in Yan Xi Palace as well. They went all the way to Yan Xi Palace. The young eunuch handed their group over to Yan Xi Palace’s head senior maid.

“Lady Xin, please follow this servant.” The head senior maid’s attitude was neither warm nor cold.

Li Si Qi had no intention of flattering her. They passed through Yan Xi Palace’s main hall and headed to the side hall on the right.

“Lady Xin, this is where you will live.”

“Thank you for your trouble, Senior Maid.” Li Si Qi gave Lü He a look.

Lü He stepped forward with a smile, performed a salute, and smoothly slipped a sachet into her hand. “Senior Maid, our lady has just entered the palace. We don’t understand anything. Please guide us.”

“Miss is too polite.” The head senior maid felt the light sachet and grew more satisfied.

“Lady Xin holds the rank of Respondent. You will have two palace maids and one eunuch to serve you.” As she spoke, she called out, “Come in.”

Two palace maids and one eunuch entered in response.

“This maid Bao Que (Bao Juan) pays respects to Lady Xin.”

“This servant Xiao Song Zi pays respects to Lady Xin.”

The three of them performed a full kneeling salute to Li Si Qi. This was the proper salute to a master, showing they now belonged to her.

“Rise.” Li Si Qi couldn’t be bothered to lecture anyone. She didn’t care whether these people had another master behind them or not. One Puppet Pill, and they would only obey her.

She said casually, “Lü He, give rewards.”

“Yes, Lady.” Lü He took out the sachets she had prepared and handed them out.

The three thanked her again. The head senior maid took the chance to withdraw. Lü He sent her off with extra warmth.

“Since you belong to this lady, change your names.” Li Si Qi’s gaze swept over the two palace maids. She didn’t want to be laughed at again for keeping a room full of little birds.

“Bao Juan will be renamed Jin He. Bao Que will be renamed Su He. Xiao Song Zi doesn’t need to change – keep Xiao Song Zi.”

“Yes. This maid thanks Lady for granting a name.” No matter what the two women thought, they accepted their new names happily on the surface.

“Lü He and He Xiang came into the palace with this lady, and they aren’t familiar with the palace.” Li Si Qi ordered, “When you have time, Jin He and Su He, tell them about palace matters. Don’t let them make mistakes and drag all of us down together.”

“Yes, Lady.” The two answered at once.

Lü He returned, standing beside her mistress with He Xiang. Li Si Qi assigned tasks. “Lü He will serve this lady closely. He Xiang will manage the storeroom.

Jin He will handle tea. Su He and Xiao Song Zi will run errands and gather news.”

“Yes, this maid (this servant) remembers.”

“Go.” Li Si Qi dismissed them first, then told the two by her side, “Lü He, come with me to visit Noble Lady Fu Cha. He Xiang, stay behind and organize the bundles we brought into the palace, and watch the room. Don’t let anyone barge in.”

He Xiang saluted. “Yes, Lady.” Li Si Qi brought Lü He out of the right side hall.

“Hey, you, stop right there!” A shout came from the right.

Li Si Qi halted and saw Xia Dong Chun walking over with a palace maid. She saluted. “An Ling Rong pays respects to Attendant Xia.”

“You’re An Ling Rong, Respondent Xin?” Xia Dong Chun looked her up and down with disdain and sneered. “I heard your father is a Song Yang County deputy magistrate, a regular eighth-rank petty official?”

“What’s wrong with an eighth-rank petty official?” Li Si Qi looked helpless. “Did an eighth-rank petty official eat your family’s rice or something? Your father is a bondservant company captain, only assistant fourth-rank. In the eyes of a first-rank official’s female relatives, you’re also a minor official’s daughter, you know.”

“You!” Xia Dong Chun was so angry she nearly choked. She shouted, “I didn’t expect you to be so sharp-tongued. Look at you – you’re nothing special, and you’re the daughter of a sesame-seed little official, yet you still have the face to enter the palace as a consort.”

“This lady truly can’t compare to Attendant Xia’s flower-like beauty.” Li Si Qi answered with a smile. “Even if my father is a sesame-seed little official, this lady is still a proper official’s daughter. A consort chosen through the proper selection is still much better than a consort who came from being a palace maid. Attendant Xia, am I wrong?”

“What, you even want to compare yourself to lowly palace-maid consorts…” Xia Dong Chun blurted out.

“Shh!” Li Si Qi quickly cut her off. “Attendant Xia, don’t talk nonsense. You’ll offend people.” As she spoke, she blinked at her and pointed upward.

Xia Dong Chun flew into a rage and was about to say something, but the palace maid beside her hurriedly tugged her and whispered a sentence into her ear. Xia Dong Chun’s face changed instantly. The Empress Dowager had once been a palace maid. Just that one line made the arrogant, brainless Xia Dong Chun break out in a cold sweat.

Then she saw Li Si Qi’s innocent smile. She didn’t know whether to be angry or furious, and she could only glare with those dopey, cutesy eyes. Li Si Qi didn’t care at all. Smiling warmly, she asked, “Attendant Xia, Ling Rong is going to visit Noble Lady Fu Cha.

Do you want to come along?”

“Hmph, this lady…” Xia Dong Chun started to refuse, but Li Si Qi stepped up and grabbed her. “The three of us live together in Yan Xi Palace. From now on, we’re the closest people. Why don’t we all go and have a nice talk together?”

“You, you’re getting handsy!” Xia Dong Chun struggled.

“I’m not going to eat you. What are you scared of?”

“Let go! Tugging and pulling like this – what does it look like!”

“It’s fine. No one saw!”

Under the dumbfounded stares of the palace maids, the two of them tugged and pulled their way into the main hall. The personal maid reported, “My lady, Attendant Xia and Respondent Xin have arrived.”

“Let them in.” Noble Lady Fu Cha’s tone held a bit of satisfaction. “At least they know what they’re doing.”

“Yes.” Sang’er smiled and came out to salute the two. “Attendant Xia, Respondent Xin, my lady invites you.”

With her leading the way, the two entered the main hall and saluted the Noble Lady seated in the main position. “This concubine pays respects to Noble Lady Fu Cha.”

“The two younger sisters may rise.” Noble Lady Fu Cha smiled. “From now on, we’re people of the same palace. Behave yourselves and keep your place. We can’t let others watch us make fools of ourselves.” As she spoke, she deliberately looked at Xia Dong Chun.

“Who dares laugh at me!” Xia Dong Chun truly lived up to the whole rear palace calling her a fool. Her brows knitted, her eyes went wide, and she shouted, “The Empress will take care of this lady! Who dares show disrespect to the Empress!”