The palace was just like this.
To win favor, it was not enough to just say a few sweet words or play the emotion card.
There had to be substantial benefits involved.
Who doesn't want to rise up the ranks?
So, Xia Ruqing was famously kind to her servants.
She was also famously good at winning people's hearts.
Xia Ruqing believed that she did not need them to bring her any great benefits.
All she hoped for was that if she ever truly fell from grace, they would not kick her while she was down.
...
Xia Ruqing had already fallen into slumber long ago.
The rest of the palace had also gone to sleep.
After all, with the Empress in power, no one dared to say anything.
Since they could not become the Empress themselves, at most, they would just have to flatter her more in the future.
Life went on as usual.
But it was different for Noble Concubine Shih, who spent almost the whole night awake.
With the Empress rising again, she was the one most on edge.
