Frightened by Ling Buyi’s warning, Shaoshang spent two consecutive days in paranoid anxiety. But as her rest day approached, everything remained calm. This day was the last day before Shaoshang’s first time off from palace work. After the afternoon nap, the Empress was somewhat fatigued, so Shaoshang volunteered to help massage her shoulders and back while making idle conversation.
“…Relax, relax. Your Majesty, don’t use force—you need to slowly relax your bones, skin, and flesh. Yes, that’s right, just like that…”
Watching the Empress’s gradually relaxing brow, Old Lady Zhai praised from the side: “Who would have thought Lord Shaoshang had such skills?”
Shaoshang smiled modestly—Of course! Text Message Girl’s biological father was a genuine massage therapist who retired from a second-tier hospital to open a shop, and her mother was a first-rate bone-setting specialist from the same unit. Text Message Girl could touch each of their bones and name them, describe their characteristics, and predict possible future ailments.
“…The other day the Crown Princess invited you to the Eastern Palace. Why did you hesitate and refuse to go?” the Empress said with closed eyes.
Shaoshang spoke quickly: “The Crown Princess once wanted to marry her clan sister and cousin to Lord Ling.”
The Empress immediately opened her eyes to look at Old Lady Zhai: “Nanny Fu, you told her again!”
Old Lady Zhai showed some embarrassment and laughed: “Hehe… I’ll go check if Young Lady Luo’s mung bean water and mung bean cake are ready. Your Majesty, take your time scolding her…” She hastily slipped out of the chamber.
“Your Majesty, don’t blame Old Lady Zhai—everyone in the palace knows about this.” Shaoshang exerted force with her hands, saying with effort: “I also inquired—the day the Crown Princess invited me, those clan sisters or cousins of hers also happened to be there. She must have wanted to introduce us. But after the introduction, if the Crown Princess wanted me to acknowledge these ‘sisters,’ should I agree or not?”
The Empress said quietly: “You’re thinking too far ahead.”
“People without foresight will have immediate worries.”
The Empress turned her head to look at the girl and suddenly asked: “If the Crown Princess insists on giving her clan sister to Zicheng as a concubine, what would you do?”
“I won’t allow it. If Lord Ling accepts with a smile, I’ll divorce him.” Shaoshang answered decisively, then sighed: “Alas, it’s all because of my appearance. Sister Jitong said that as long as I don’t move or speak, just looking at my appearance, everyone thinks I’m weak, pitiful, and easy to talk to. No matter—once my reputation for jealousy spreads in the future, it will be fine.”
“Do you think ‘being jealous’ is some good reputation?” The Empress frowned.
Shaoshang slowly kneaded the stiff cervical vertebrae beneath her hands: “This subject’s temperament isn’t good. What this subject can change, this subject will try hard to change. What can’t be changed—there’s no help for it. Eh? Your Majesty…” She suddenly thought of something. “Why don’t you say that my being so jealous will make Lord Ling suffer grievances?”
The Empress glared at her: “He chose you himself. You wanted to break the engagement but he refused to death. Whatever happens, he must endure it. What’s there to worry about!”
Shaoshang smiled: “Then you don’t feel sorry for the Crown Princess either?”
The Empress furrowed her brow and smiled bitterly: “His Majesty and I once thought she was aggrieved and showed much pity. As a result, the more we pitied her, the more aggrieved she felt, so now she spends all day thinking about how to compensate for her grievances.” She looked at Shaoshang’s confused face and sighed: “There are some things you’ll understand in the future.”
“Again with this phrase—’you’ll understand in the future.’ Sister Jitong loves saying this. Last time when this subject asked Lord Ling what kind of person Consort Yue is, he also said this. This subject now hates hearing this phrase most. The bright moon shines clearly in the sky, the palace halls stand plainly on earth—what matters can’t be explained clearly?”
Hearing Shaoshang’s quiet muttering, her pouty red lips able to hang an oil bottle, the Empress suddenly found this appearance very cute and smiled warmly: “The deep palace is unfathomable. Sometimes regarding a person or a matter, it truly can’t be explained clearly in just a few words.”
Shaoshang said sullenly: “…Fine.”
As they were talking, Luo Jitong entered carrying mung bean soup and mung bean cake, smiling: “Lady Wenxiu and the young Miss Wang have arrived.”
Hearing it was Wang Xi and her mother, Shaoshang quickly slandered: “Your Majesty, this palace is forbidden ground. Lady Wenxiu and her daughter can’t just come whenever they please without even sending a card.”
The Empress gave her a look and smiled scoldingly: “If you served in court, you’d definitely be a treacherous minister. Lady Wenxiu came by His Majesty’s command, bringing her daughter to apologize.”
“Apologize? I’d say she’s come to denounce crimes instead.” As she spoke, Shaoshang had already seen Wang Xi walking from the hall entrance, face clenched and teeth gritted, like someone holding a blade ready for battle.
The Empress shook her head and sighed softly while touching her makeup and hair: “Axi lacks experience—only slightly better than the Third Princess who provoked you that day.”
“Not much better.” Shaoshang helped the Empress arrange her clothing. “Sister Axi was reincarnated into a minister’s belly. If she were also a princess, who knows—she might even surpass the Third Princess.” After all, she was the Emperor’s own daughter—had to preserve some dignity for the Third Princess.
After the Wang mother and daughter came forward to bow and sit down, Shaoshang finally saw Lady Wenxiu’s appearance clearly. Her features weren’t bad, but her eyebrows were sharp and her lips rather thin, giving her a somewhat arrogant and aloof air.
Lady Wenxiu glanced at Shaoshang several times, her eyes revealing disdain.
Shaoshang silently completed the thought for her: This coquettish, weak little white lotus entirely relies on pretending to be pitiful to bewitch Ling Buyi—not worth mentioning.
Lady Wenxiu glanced at her daughter again. Wang Xi immediately stepped forward to kowtow and bow, full of apologies for her improper words and conduct at the Lou family wedding banquet that day. However, though her words were standard, the expression on her face remained indignant.
Lady Wenxiu continued not speaking, glancing at the Empress again.
Shaoshang’s heart flared with anger from all this looking left and right—Auntie, who do you think you are? Of all things to learn, you’re learning to be some domineering CEO’s second aunt, not speaking but just sweeping people with your eyes. Do you think you were reincarnated from an X-ray machine?!
The Empress, well aware of Lady Wenxiu’s temperament, sighed inwardly and said: “Shaoshang, take Axi to your quarters to talk. Jitong, you may also withdraw.”
Shaoshang and Wang Xi exchanged glances, reluctantly rising to take their leave. Luo Jitong smiled as she dismissed all the palace maids.
After parting ways, Shaoshang indeed led Wang Xi to the chamber where she rested daily. Though her mouth had been somewhat mischievous recently, her conduct never dared err.
Wang Xi circled the chamber looking around, raising her chin disdainfully: “The furnishings here are truly sparse and shabby. Seems Aunt doesn’t treat you that well after all. When I stayed in the palace as a child, everything I used was carved red and gold lacquerware, what I slept on was shark silk and brocade, the incense burned was phoenix rhinoceros drum, what I drank was…”
“Miss Wang.” Shaoshang smiled sweetly, interrupting her. “You may not believe this, but I actually quite like you.”
Wang Xi was startled, not understanding what this meant.
“…Because you’re stupid—so stupid that you give people ammunition the moment you open your mouth. The first time I saw you at the Wan residence, I thought you’d better not speak.”
Wang Xi’s face alternated between red and pale.
Shaoshang continued: “His Majesty practices strict frugality. I’ve also seen the furnishings of the Empress’s inner chambers—what carved red and gold, what shark silk and brocade—what big talk you’re spouting! Speaking without thinking—aren’t you afraid of biting your tongue? Believe it or not, I’ll go tell the Empress what you said right now?”
Wang Xi’s mouth fell open.
“Fine. Let’s say what you said is true. But in your childhood, His Majesty was at a critical juncture managing the realm. So you’re saying the Empress ignored the difficulties of the inner treasury just to indulge in her own extravagance and pleasure?” Shaoshang relaxed against the support frame, completely at ease.
Wang Xi said in panic: “No, no, no…”
If these words got out, never mind what would happen to Aunt Empress—she herself would be the first unable to continue existing.
In her panic, Wang Xi suddenly had a flash of inspiration and shouted: “It wasn’t Aunt being extravagant! Those were all furnishings from the original old royal palace. Right, right—it was the original feudal prince who was extravagant and wasteful, and none of it used state funds!”
Shaoshang slowly stopped smiling and tilted her head thinking: “Mm, this explanation also makes sense. Fine, let’s drop this matter then.”—What an idiot! If it were her, she could have come up with eight excuses!
She spoke lightly, but Wang Xi burned with fury. After being tangled up by Shaoshang’s nonsense, she almost forgot she still had accounts to settle with her. No longer pretending or acting, she darkened her face and stepped forward to grab Shaoshang’s sleeve robe, shouting sternly: “You lowly woman! Where are you any better? Running to His Majesty to accuse me—hmph, don’t forget what your family amounts to! Newly risen common clan ruffians—just wait until my father deals with your family!”
Shaoshang didn’t even blink an extra time, only stared quietly at Wang Xi.
Wang Xi felt flustered under her gaze: “What, what is it?”
“It’s true I accused you before His Majesty. However, how did you know it was me?”
Wang Xi couldn’t quite process this: “Naturally it was you who accused me. Who else…”
“So many people at the banquet that day heard and saw your improper words and conduct. Why must it have been me who accused you?” Shaoshang’s tone was calm. “His Majesty summoned your father the Cavalry General and personally rebuked him for failing to teach his daughter. Would His Majesty, like you women, tell your father in detail that it was I who made the accusation? Then, logically speaking, shouldn’t it have been that His Majesty’s ears and eyes are sharp and he heard the news himself? Mm, I remember that day at the banquet, there were also several ladies whose husbands work under the Censor-in-Chief, right?”
“…As for making accusations. That day His Majesty specifically dismissed the eunuchs and palace maids. Inside the chamber remained only His Majesty, the Empress, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, plus Lord Ling and myself—six people total. Miss Wang, you’re so certain it was I who made the accusation—how did you learn of this? Mm, the Emperor and Empress wouldn’t say, Lord Ling and I wouldn’t say, the Crown Prince is an honest person who would wish nothing more than for you and me to clasp hands in harmony, close as sisters—he definitely wouldn’t say. Then, it could only have been the Crown Princess… Hmph, I’m going right now to question the Crown Princess why she told you this. Could she hope for you and me to be enemies forever?”
“It’s not, it’s not!” Wang Xi cried out in terror, her voice hoarse: “No, no, no—it wasn’t the Crown Princess!”
“Good! If it wasn’t the Crown Princess, then it wasn’t!” Shaoshang’s voice was sharp as an arrow as she slowly stood up. “Then you found out yourself. But that day’s audience was in the rear hall of the Secretariat—His Majesty’s small court! How did you bribe the people serving there? An important government location, heavily guarded—yet you could find out what happened there. What exactly is your Wang family plotting?!”
Wang Xi went mad with fright, shrieking as she lunged forward.
Though Shaoshang’s form was small, she had rich experience with brawling (in her previous life). She lightly shifted, then grabbed Wang Xi’s right arm in a reverse hold, kicked her at the knee, and Wang Xi involuntarily fell to her knees, then was pressed down firmly by Shaoshang twisting her right arm.
“It’s not, it’s not!” Wang Xi, however confused, knew the consequences of spying on important state affairs. She could no longer pretend to be arrogant and screamed hoarsely: “…It was, it was the Crown Princess, it was the Crown Princess who told me…”
Shaoshang expressionlessly gave a push. Wang Xi fell heavily to the floor, prostrate on the ground crying continuously. Shaoshang knelt on one leg before her, leaning down and saying ruthlessly: “I didn’t bother with you before because your family is noble—not because you’re so formidable. Now you see—as long as I can stand on equal ground with you, crushing you to death isn’t difficult at all.”
As she spoke, she forcefully twisted Wang Xi’s arm. Wang Xi cried out in pain, clutching her right arm with her left hand, tears and snot flowing as she sobbed. In all her years, she’d never been bullied this badly.
Shaoshang slowly released her hand, smiling as she patted her: “Stop crying. You’re still of noble status after all. Look, that day at the Lou residence you cursed me so fiercely, but you were only confined for ten days, and now you’re lively again, aren’t you?”
“Wu wu… What do you know? His Majesty severely scolded my father, telling him to marry me off quickly. After apologizing to you today, I’m not allowed to enter the palace anymore. To satisfy His Majesty, Father wants to marry me far away, some Jiangxia Commandery in Jingzhou—people I’ve never even seen. Wu wu wu, I don’t want to go so far away…”
Wang Xi cried as if the sky were falling. After quite a while without hearing any sound, she couldn’t help raising her head to look. She saw Shaoshang’s eyes gazing out the window, not knowing what she was thinking.
“Sister Jitong is marrying to the northwest, you’re going south, and I must remain here…” After a long while, Shaoshang finally said quietly: “Jiangxia is actually a good place. In the future, I’d also like to go see the south.”
“That barbarous wasteland—what’s good about going there…?!” Wang Xi even forgot to cry, finding it inconceivable.
Shaoshang suddenly perked up again, smiling: “In a few years, I’ll come to Jiangxia to find you. Then you can fulfill your duty as a host.”
Wang Xi was furious: “Are you bringing Eleventh Brother to show off to me?!”
Shaoshang was stunned, then sighed: “Why can’t you go three sentences without mentioning Ling Buyi? In life, there are many other important things.”
“What do you know!” Wang Xi used the back of her hand to frantically wipe her tears, struggling to kneel upright using hands and feet. “You’ve lived in the capital since childhood—you’ve never been outside. Do you think all those princesses, commandery princesses, princes and nobles with fiefs don’t go to their domains for no reason? Those remote fiefdoms—daily life is so crude! No proper lacquerware, no soft fabrics, even the incense is choking!”
Shaoshang laughed: “I don’t know about princesses and commandery princesses. But those princes and nobles not going to their domains may not be because they can’t bear to leave the capital’s wealth.” The Emperor’s techniques of control—what’s so strange about that?
“Then what else could it be?” Wang Xi flew into a rage. “Who doesn’t know the capital is prosperous and comfortable!”
Shaoshang clicked her tongue, saying helplessly: “So, do you actually want to stay in the capital living comfortably, or do you want Ling Buyi?”—Ling Buyi? You struggled from childhood to adulthood with no achievements. The capital? You could have stayed originally, but now you’ve ruined it with your behavior. What a life of complete failure.
Wang Xi was stunned. Her brain began turning, carefully considering this question. Meanwhile, Shaoshang waved a lacquered bamboo fan at her side, leisurely cooling herself, lamenting that every era has young ladies with swimming pools for brains.
Before long, a palace maid came requesting Shaoshang and Wang Xi return. Seeing her urgent expression, Shaoshang secretly wondered. When they crossed through the palace corridor to the hall entrance, she saw Old Lady Zhai and Luo Jitong anxiously waiting outside the tightly closed doors.
“Shaoshang, you and Miss Xi go inside.” Old Lady Zhai came forward. “Her Majesty and Lady Wenxiu are having some dispute.”
Shaoshang nodded in confusion, then walked inside with Wang Xi. Just as the palace maid moved the door aside, they heard the Empress’s weary voice from within: “…Court affairs—I don’t interfere.”
Lady Wenxiu shrieked sharply: “…What do you mean you don’t interfere? In earlier years when he campaigned away, you also ruled from behind the curtain. Now my younger brother lives austerely in his fief, asking only for the mere right to mint coins, yet you won’t help…”
“Each time before His Majesty left, he arranged everything properly. I merely continued established practices. For civil matters, I consulted Marquis Yu; for military matters… no one ever attacked to the capital walls…”
Hearing this, Shaoshang stepped into the hall without hesitation. Wang Xi hesitated for a moment, then followed.
Luo Jitong watched the hall doors slowly close again, her expression complex.
Seeing this, Old Lady Zhai said: “Young Lady Luo, don’t take it to heart. Some old taboos from years past—you’d better not hear. Miss Xi aside, Lord Shaoshang… Alas…”
Luo Jitong understandingly patted the old woman’s hand and smiled: “Eleventh Brother is no different from Her Majesty’s own son. Her Majesty regards Shaoshang as her own daughter-in-law. It’s fine for her to know some things… I understand all this. Old Lady Zhai needn’t worry.” But she was marrying far to the northwest—some palace secrets shouldn’t be taken out.
Inside the hall, as Shaoshang strode forward, she heard Lady Wenxiu’s voice full of mockery saying: “…Back when you mother and daughter and siblings depended on my family for survival, I treated you well! Whatever good food and clothing there was, I gave you half! My father treated you like his own daughter, even picking the best husband for you. Have you forgotten all this?”
The Empress said bitterly: “Uncle’s deep kindness and thick virtue—I would never dare forget for all eternity!”
“But Father is dead!” Lady Wenxiu wept: “He’s dead! His household troops and followers—dead or scattered. The power he built in life collapsed like a mountain. Only a young brother remains, set up by His Majesty as a living billboard, now living barely better than a corpse, just so people won’t say the Emperor is callous and ungrateful, relying on my father’s troops to save his life, yet…”
“Mother!” Wang Xi screamed, falling to her mother’s feet. “Stop talking, stop talking!”
Lady Wenxiu kicked her daughter aside and continued pressing toward the Empress.
Shaoshang immediately blocked in front of the weakly seated Empress, shouting loudly: “Lady Wenxiu! Do you know why these hall doors are shut tight, not letting anyone in? Don’t think Her Majesty fears you—Her Majesty is protecting you! Just based on what you said earlier, if it got out, could you and your children be spared?!”
Lady Wenxiu stood there coldly: “Mere death—do I fear it?”
“If you don’t fear death, why not go present the matter to His Majesty yourself?” Shaoshang retorted without backing down. “You needn’t even trouble your legs—I see at this hour His Majesty should be coming to see Her Majesty soon. Just wait! Then, whether you want to smear yourself on mountain wind or drown in Golden Bright Lake, explain it clearly to His Majesty yourself. Why make things difficult for our Empress!”
Lady Wenxiu sneered coldly: “What a sharp tongue. Indeed the woman that brat fancies—you two are of one mind. I don’t fear death, besides, His Majesty won’t let me die. I merely want to see whether our esteemed Empress still remembers my father’s kindness…”
Shaoshang suppressed her anger, forcing a smile: “I’ve heard the ancients bestowed kindness without expecting repayment. I wonder if your late father, the old Prince Qian’an, when he took in and cared for his sister’s family, was expecting future repayment?”
Lady Wenxiu was momentarily at a loss for words.
Shaoshang pressed on, pretending to sigh: “Alas, why didn’t old Prince Qian’an just have his own daughter marry His Majesty back then? That way, today Lady Wenxiu would be honored as Empress and could petition His Majesty herself…”
Lady Wenxiu was greatly enraged, stepping forward: “Lowly maid, you dare mock me?!”
The Empress said quietly: “Shaoshang! Don’t be rude!”
Wang Xi, seeing the tense atmosphere, muttered additional narration: “No, it’s not… My maternal grandfather and His Majesty are of the same clan…”
“Ah.” Shaoshang paused. She truly didn’t know this.
While secretly cursing herself for not listening carefully to gossip, she pretended sudden understanding: “So that’s it! The two families wanted to form a marriage alliance, but happened to be of the same clan and couldn’t marry. Old Prince Qian’an could only offer his niece, right? Alas, our Empress certainly owes quite a debt of gratitude…”
“Shen’an, are you just going to watch this lowly maid humiliate my father?” Lady Wenxiu questioned the Empress coldly.
The Empress bit her teeth and said sternly: “Shaoshang, kneel down and apologize to Lady Wenxiu.”
Shaoshang knelt without burden, properly kowtowing once to Lady Wenxiu, leaving Wang Xi dumbstruck.
After kowtowing, Shaoshang declared loudly: “Speaking of old Prince Qian’an just now was this subject’s fault. This subject will accept punishment later. This young woman’s stupidity is known to all. If Lady Wenxiu doesn’t know, you might ask Sister Axi, and you’ll know exactly how stupid this subject is. Please don’t be angry, Lady Wenxiu.”
Wang Xi was dumbfounded. When her own mother lost her temper, it was earth-shattering—no one in the entire Wang family dared block her fury. Yet this girl, two years younger than herself, remained completely unfazed, still able to speak eloquently.
“Though this subject doesn’t know what matter Lady Wenxiu wants Her Majesty to handle, it’s clearly an extremely difficult matter.” Shaoshang knelt upright, eyes looking directly up. “A few days ago, the Grand Princess Imperial came to visit Her Majesty. When she encountered His Majesty, she requested he grant her youngest son an official position. But His Majesty said: ‘I’ve heard that those who are good at employing people must follow heaven, accord with people, and clarify rewards and punishments. Following heaven requires little effort yet achieves success; according with people, punishments’—the rest I actually understand but haven’t memorized yet and Lady Wenxiu with your outstanding talent surely knows it so I won’t continue…”
Wang Xi twisted her fingers, wanting to laugh but not daring.
The Empress, originally bitter in heart, now couldn’t help but smile and shake her head.
“…In the end, His Majesty didn’t agree to the Grand Princess Imperial’s request. Lady Wenxiu, that’s His Majesty’s only remaining sister. Her Majesty told me that when His Majesty first raised his cause, the Grand Princess Imperial suffered plenty. Even so, to follow the sages’ way of governing and employing people, His Majesty still painfully refused the Grand Princess Imperial. Today you’re forcing Her Majesty to petition His Majesty—aside from making Her Majesty suffer difficulties, there will be no result. Therefore—”
Shaoshang took a deep breath and said loudly: “Lady Wenxiu, please return. Please stop making things difficult for Her Majesty.”
Lady Wenxiu staggered back several steps, half-crying, half-laughing: “Indeed, times change. Back when the Prince Qian’an’s residence was so imposing—now even a minor official’s daughter can shout at me. Ha ha ha, Father, if you were still here…”
“Qin lost its deer, and the whole realm pursued it together. Thus the talented and swift-footed got it first.” Shaoshang stopped kneeling and slowly stood. “Meeting a time of great chaos, the realm’s talents wagered their lives and families on this greatest gamble under heaven. At that time, who could say whether they would successfully pursue the deer or die in defeat? What does Lady Wenxiu think?”
Lady Wenxiu stood there stunned. Shaoshang slowly walked over, along the way efficiently pulling up Wang Xi who was collapsed on the ground, then pushed her into Lady Wenxiu’s arms.
Shaoshang said gently: “The deceased are gone, Lady Wenxiu. Old Prince Qian’an has already departed. But you’re still alive, your children are all still young—the living ultimately matter more than the deceased. Sister Axi said the Cavalry General wants to marry her far away. She’s very afraid—not knowing anyone or the place, not even having seen what her husband looks like. You’re her mother—at least feel some pity for her…”
Wang Xi, thinking of her lifelong marriage matter, cried and clutched Lady Wenxiu’s arm, pleading repeatedly. Even Lady Wenxiu, so strong-willed, couldn’t help shedding tears.
—Still thanks to Stanislavski’s teachings. Shaoshang was moved by her own soft posture and emotional tone. Though in her heart she was very impatient with this old woman immersed in past glory. She didn’t believe it—let old Prince Qian’an come back to life but have Lady Wenxiu become a peasant woman laboring arduously in the fields—would she be willing? As if!
Just as the hall was filled with emotion, a cough suddenly came from the side.
Shaoshang reacted fastest, immediately turning to look. The Empress was next, the Wang mother and daughter after.
Everyone saw from behind the carved screen by the side door, slowly emerging a figure in vermillion crown robes—the Emperor, followed by two silent young eunuchs, and… a tall young man in black straight-hem robes—Ling Buyi.
Celebratory cannons immediately fired in Shaoshang’s head, fireworks bursting everywhere—she had only two questions:
First, from when had they been listening? Had she said anything overstepping?
Second, why must palace halls have so many doors? Side doors, lateral doors, edge doors, hidden doors, and “no way to heaven, no door to earth”! Indeed, the palace was the most insecure place in the world!