Xie Che knew everything about the incident that occurred during the morning greetings at Jianzhang Palace.
The court's political affairs were demanding, and the petty squabbles of the harem were not supposed to be his concern. That was the Empress's responsibility. However, he had no desire to be a blind and deaf husband. Mr. Liang, adept at reading his master's intentions, would report on the trivial harem matters that might interest the Emperor while he rested.
Noble Princess Consort Rong was narrow-minded and loved throwing her weight around. He knew.
The Empress was virtuous on the surface but a total slacker on the inside. He knew that, too.
As long as things didn't get too out of hand, Xie Che would just laugh it off. This time, however, he was displeased. "Since when is it their business when I call for water? They even gossip about me taking a little longer? Next time, as soon as Consort Guo is carried into Weiyang Palace, maybe I should just lift the covers, take one look, and call for water to have her sent right back to Zhongcui Palace. I'm sure that would suit her just fine."
The Emperor's expression was grim. The attending palace attendants immediately lowered their heads and knelt, terrified of being caught in the crossfire of his anger.
But there was nothing to be done. He had been on the throne for several years, yet his foundation wasn't stable. He lacked the satisfaction of wielding the absolute authority the late Emperor had enjoyed. For a monarch, no matter is a small one, and the constant remonstrations from his civil and military officials were enough to drive him mad. If he could truly follow his temper, he would have anyone who submitted a critical memorial dragged out and beaten to death, just to get some peace and quiet.
In this, his desire was perfectly aligned with Noble Princess Consort Rong's.
It seems that people who share a bed really do start to think alike.
A woman throwing a tantrum was no great matter, but an Emperor could not afford to lose his temper so easily. He had to guard against arrogance and impatience, to be an enlightened ruler who listened to counsel. Yet as he sat on his high throne, looking down at the sea of bowed heads, he felt constrained at every turn. It was a miserable existence.
Xie Che's anger vanished into thin air the moment he heard the eunuch repeat the words from Shu Changzai's own lips: "I love the Emperor. I can't bear to be without him."
'He could see it clearly. Shu Changzai had a blunt personality. Since she hadn't grown up in the Capital, her conduct lacked elegance and refinement. She had a straightforward, almost roguish air about her that was one-of-a-kind in the palace.'
Noble Princess Consort Rong was also blunt, but she was the daughter of an aristocratic family. When Xie Che looked at her, he was reminded of the court's General Yun Hui. Shu Changzai, however, was different. There was a certain timid caution about her that made him want to dote on her, to cherish her. He wanted to spoil her until she grew bolder, just to see if her nature would change or if she would reveal an entirely different kind of charm.
This piqued Xie Che's interest.
"That reminds me of what Shu Changzai said today," Xie Che mentioned idly. "So improper, always going on about love and affection. It seems being a County Magistrate in Meize County is a truly leisurely job."
Though he pretended to disdain Shu Changzai's lack of upbringing, he had even remembered her father's official title.
Mr. Liang, having served the Emperor for many years, could easily discern his preferences. He smiled and chimed in, "With Your Majesty's magnificent bearing, it's no wonder Shu Changzai fell for you at first sight."
Xie Che, thus praised, offered a faint smile.
While others might have blushed at such praise, the Emperor accepted it as his due—and even felt it was somewhat lacking. He recalled the previous night, how Shu Changzai, even as he took her until she was like a small boat tossed on stormy seas, had not forgotten to praise him, one compliment after another. That desperate passion, as if trying to sear her love into his very bones, was unforgettable.
* * *
There are no secrets in the harem. The news that the Emperor had summoned Shu Changzai again grew legs and ran through every palace. With the Empress having canceled the afternoon greetings, the other concubines could only stay in their own residences, wringing their handkerchiefs in frustration.
Consort Guo hadn't slept well the previous night and was overcome with drowsiness in the afternoon. She'd just taken a short nap when she awoke to the news. A tightness seized her chest, and moments later, tears stained her cheeks. "How am I any worse than Mrs. Jiang? What gives her the right?"
She wouldn't have been nearly this upset if the Emperor had chosen someone else on the third night.
Consort Guo slumped over her table, weeping bitterly.
At that moment, Jiang Xian, having returned from Jianzhang Palace to Yizhu Pavilion, was picking up her brush to practice her calligraphy. She had transmigrated into this fictional dynasty, and the first thing she'd done after earning Palace Fighting Points was redeem them for a calligraphy course. In her spare time, she copied Buddhist sutras. Since entering the palace, her time was spent on physical training, learning Qinggong and dance, and copying texts.
Her palace maid, Xia Mian, had once said in wonder, "My Lady, you are one of the rare few in the palace who is a truly devout Buddhist."
Little did she know, her mistress was merely copying them to have on hand, preparing for the day she might be punished and forced to copy texts. She hadn't made a copy of the Women's Precepts, but at least when she picked up her brush now, her handwriting wasn't complete chicken scratch.
She had only copied it twice when the Imperial Eunuch from Weiyang Palace came to tell her to get ready.
Her competitors wanted her to close up shop.
But the big boss was calling her in for overtime.
Jiang Xian nodded. "I understand."
She tidied herself up. After her first night serving the Emperor and her subsequent promotion, the system had rewarded her with a hefty sum of Palace Fighting Points—more than all the points she'd painstakingly scraped together from petty squabbles combined. Her balance was now 4,113. 'Today, I can finally go all out and give myself a complete makeover, from head to toe.'
'Snow-white skin so delicate a breath could break it, enchanting eyes brimming with affection, a waist as soft and pliable as if it were boneless, and many more hidden delights... As Jiang Xian underwent this fundamental physical transformation, she was reminded of the first time she learned to design a PowerPoint presentation, similarly focused on how to make the page more visually appealing and the content more substantial.'
'PowerPoint has templates, and as it turned out, so did the Palace Fighting System.'
Among the single-use consumable items, there were Blame Templates of disastrous beauties from various dynasties available for download.
Bao Si, Daji, Xi Shi, Zhao Feiyan, Yang Guifei... there was even Madam Pompadour, the famous mistress of King Louis XV of France. A single Treaty of Versailles was proof of the influence and power she once held over France. To be a favored concubine of that caliber showed her immense beauty and ability.
[Name]: Blame Template "Daji"
[Type]: Single-Use Consumable
[Function]: Upon use, the life experiences and epiphanies of the template's owner will flow through the host's mind, allowing the host to temporarily achieve a state of high empathy with the historical femme fatale and manifest the bearing of a legendary royal concubine.
[Note]: Fickleness is a fundamental human flaw. This item is suitable for an Iron Straight Woman executing palace-fighting missions.
One template cost 500 points.
Before, Jiang Xian would never have been able to afford it, nor would she have been willing to spend the points. But now? She was just using the Emperor's own gifts to win him over. Besides, after the morning's greetings, she recognized the reality of her situation even more clearly. The Emperor's affection was her only amulet in this palace. She had already incited the envy of her rivals. Trying to be wise and play it safe would not protect her—only his overwhelming favor would.
After a moment of thought, Jiang Xian purchased the Daji template and applied it to herself.
The system reported in a deadpan tone: [Blame Template activated. Duration: 72 hours.]
In the blink of an eye, the life experiences of Su Daji flowed through Jiang Xian's heart and mind. The "Daji" chosen by the system was not the fox demon from literary works, but a flesh-and-blood human, filled with much sorrow and self-pity.
Daji was offered by the chief of the Yousu Tribe to the ruler of Yin Shang, becoming a beautiful concubine in Emperor Xin's harem. The evil deeds the man committed at court could not be entirely blamed on her, but she herself had certainly catered to his tastes and committed many cruel acts...
The Xia, Shang, and Zhou Dynasties belonged to an era where, as one might say, 'the public consciousness was dawning, but hadn't fully dawned.' Never mind modern sensibilities—even the moral codes of the Ming and Qing couldn't be applied to these three ancient dynasties. It was simply too, too long ago. Many acts, like treating human beings as if they were livestock, seemed so cruel to the eyes of a modern person like Jiang Xian that they made her physically ill.
Thus, after experiencing the life of the femme fatale "Daji," before she even had a chance to savor the joys of being a devastating beauty, the bloody images in her mind made her face turn deathly pale. She clamped a hand over her mouth and rushed off to be sick.
But in an era where human life was treated so callously, it was even more difficult for a woman to survive.
And to live well? That was as hard as ascending to the heavens.
Setting aside how she ended up, Daji had been one of those who lived exceptionally well.
After she had emptied the contents of her stomach, Jiang Xian washed her face and hands. She lifted her head to the mirror, and her enchanting eyes were misty, yet held an indescribable, captivating allure. 'After all, if a humble concubine fails to win the Great King's favor, the only fate that awaits her is a miserable death within the palace.'