Chapter 66

Chapter 66: Zhen Huan Chronicles – An Ling Rong

“Judging others by herself!”

Li Si Qi let out a cold laugh. “In her eyes, everyone else should be just like her. Whether it’s setting traps or using tricks to fight for favor, she thinks it’s perfectly normal. If this show hadn’t forced Shen Mei Zhuang to act stupid, a legitimate daughter carefully raised by the Shen family would never have ended up like this.”

Xiao Hu Zi asked curiously, “Master, will they keep making the characters act stupid?”

“It probably won’t force that kind of stupidity again, at least not now that I’ve changed some people and some events,” Li Si Qi thought for a moment before replying. “This film world used to be like a sheet of paper. Now I’ve written on it, drawn a picture, and added different content. It’s no longer a pure copy of the show, so it’s normal for people’s thinking to change.”

“Master is right.” Xiao Hu Zi sounded excited. “I wonder if Zhen Huan and Shen Mei Zhuang will turn against each other. If those sisters start fighting, that should be pretty interesting.”

“Of course it’s interesting.” Li Si Qi laughed. “Aren’t you secretly helping Shen Mei Zhuang get smarter? If you help her and she still ends up as Zhen Huan’s crutch, then she’s just hopeless.”

“It won’t happen. She’s already on guard against Zhen Huan now.” Xiao Hu Zi said smugly. “If Zhen Huan dares keep using her, Shen Mei Zhuang will turn on her sooner or later. Worst case, we’ll use her family’s affairs to provoke her.”

“Don’t lay hands on innocent people.” “Master, do you think those officials and their families have clean hands? Would they be innocent?” “You can give things a push, but you can’t take the lead in setting a trap.”

“Don’t worry, Master. I’ll remember.”

… Three days later. Peach Blossom Cove. The Empress frowned. “Why haven’t Noble Consort Hua and Consort Xin come to pay their respects?”

At that, everyone looked at each other, and no one volunteered an answer. The Empress’s gaze fell on the two ladies from Yan Xi Palace. “I know Consort Tian and Noble Lady Jing have always been close to Consort Xin. Do you know what’s going on?”

“Your Highness, didn’t you already know?” Xia Dong Chun looked surprised as she spoke bluntly. “The Empress Dowager removed Noble Consort Hua and Consort Xin’s green name tablets, and it seems they still haven’t been hung back up. Could it be Your Highness instructed the Bedchamber Service Office to hang their green tablets again? They don’t seem to know!”

The Empress’s expression froze, and for a moment she had no words to refute her. She had meant to leave their tablets down, while still making those two come and pay their respects every day. With everyone watching, the Empress had to speak. “The Empress Dowager never received any scriptures from Noble Consort Hua or Consort Xin.

She has not issued a decree to restore their green tablets.”

“No wonder Consort Xin copies scriptures all day!” Xia Dong Chun smiled. “Your Highness, it looks like Noble Consort Hua and Consort Xin will have to wait until we return to the palace before they come to pay their respects. Oh, right-Your Highness can decide to hang their green tablets back up. That way, Noble Consort Hua and Consort Xin can come every day to pay their respects.”

“I can decide, yes.” The Empress had no smile on her face. “But their tablets were removed on the Empress Dowager’s orders. It wouldn’t be right for me to overstep the Empress Dowager. Better to wait for the Empress Dowager’s decree.”

“That works too.” Xia Dong Chun nodded, looking envious. “Consort Xin spends all day with the children, and she still has to find time to copy scriptures. That’s really hard on her.”

The Empress nearly died of anger and decided not to bother with this fool. She looked toward Noble Lady Hui and Noble Lady Wan and forced a smile. “These days, Noble Lady Hui and Noble Lady Wan have served His Majesty more often. I hope you take this chance to conceive an imperial heir.

With a child at your side, things will feel livelier.”

“This concubine obeys Your Highness’s instructions!” “This concubine thanks Your Highness for Your concern!” Shen Mei Zhuang and Zhen Huan, who had been named, both replied respectfully.

“You two are still young.” The Empress kept smiling as she continued to sow discord. “It’s easier for you to become pregnant, so you must work hard. And the sisters here have more or less been pregnant before. His Majesty still has far too few princes. I hope all of you can conceive an imperial heir and bear several princes for His Majesty, so His Majesty and the Empress Dowager can be pleased a few more times.”

“Your concubines obey Your Highness’s teachings!” No matter what the consorts were thinking, they all rose and saluted as they replied.

… The Empress’s scheming did not go to waste. The consorts played all kinds of tricks to lure the Emperor. It was clear they were just as obsessed with having children, especially the ones with no child at their side. Every day, they sent soup, snacks, sachets, handkerchiefs, and the like to the Emperor’s Hall of Diligent Governance.

Noble Consort Hua, who always liked to monopolize the Emperor, was so angry she stamped her foot. She joined in too and fought the other consorts for favor. All of Yuan Ming Yuan was lively beyond belief. Li Si Qi and Xiao Hu Zi spent their days watching the drama unfold, and now and then playing with the babies.

Their little life was rich and comfortable. That day, a displeased Consort Li led her maids and eunuchs out of You Yuan Jing Meng, intending to wander around the gardens for a while. As she walked, she happened to spot three women off to the side, as if they were trying to avoid her. One of them wore clothes that shimmered like rippling light.

“Stop!” Consort Li snapped. “Which palace are you from?” She could tell at a glance that one of them wore a garment made from the precious Floatlight Brocade.

She assumed the woman must be a consort of some rank. Seeing her not salute and instead try to slip away, Consort Li-already in a foul mood-naturally refused to let this punching bag walk off.

“This servant greets Consort Li!” Huan Bi and two third-rank palace maids immediately saluted her.

“You are…” Consort Li got a clear look at her and saw through her identity at once. “Huan Bi?!!”

Shock and fury surged up in her as she scolded, “Good. Very good. A lowly maid like you dares wear a precious Floatlight Brocade garment. Someone!”

You should know, she herself was wearing clothes made from that same precious Floatlight Brocade. Didn’t that mean she was on the same level as a maid like Huan Bi? Then she thought about how Noble Lady Wan had snatched away her turn last night. Humiliated and enraged, Consort Li flew into a tantrum.

“Hurry up and strip that wretch’s clothes off her! This is outrageous! A lowly maid dares trample every consort in the palace under her feet. Slap her!

Hit her hard for me!”

“No!” Huan Bi was finally scared. She struggled desperately as she cried, “Consort Li, this servant won’t dare again! Consort Li, please show mercy. This servant knows she was wrong!”

No matter how she fought back, she was no match for the two palace maids. One pinned her down while the other efficiently tore at her clothes. Very quickly, Huan Bi’s Floatlight Brocade outer coat was stripped off. She knelt on the ground, a complete mess.

But her nightmare was not over. The palace maid who had stripped her clothes began to slap her across the face. Smack! A crisp slap rang out, followed by the burning pain across Huan Bi’s cheek.

She was dazed from the blow and even forgot to keep begging. One slap after another sounded without pause. The two little palace maids behind her trembled with fear, wishing they could vanish on the spot. In the end, Zhen Huan rushed over as soon as she got the news, only to see Huan Bi already unconscious.

Zhen Huan was shocked and furious, angry and hateful all at once. But Consort Li had already left with her people…. News that Consort Li had flown into a rage and ordered Noble Lady Wan’s maid stripped spread through all of Yuan Ming Yuan in no time. Noble Consort Hua happened to be at Waters and Sky as One.

When she heard the news, she exploded in rage. “What a Noble Lady Wan. Does she take every consort in the palace as her maid?”