“Biyu!” Qin Yining hurried to support her. She hadn’t expected that her dodge would cause Biyu to get hurt, and felt very guilty as she asked, “Are you alright?”

Biyu covered her forehead, blood seeping through the gaps between her fingers. Trembling with fear, she repeatedly said, “Thank you, Divine Maiden. This servant is fine, truly fine.”

Qin Yining handed Biyu over to the frightened Xinyu beside her, saying, “Quickly bandage the wound first, and we’ll have an imperial physician examine it later.”

Xinyu and Biyu repeatedly said, “This servant wouldn’t dare.”

Qin Yining thought that since her body hadn’t recovered yet, Prince Xiyue would surely arrange for an imperial physician to come examine her again, so they could be treated together then. She turned around and addressed that servant girl of the Great Princess Consort: “What is your name?”

Qin Yining’s gaze was too cold and sharp, frightening the servant girl into dodging and lowering her head. “This servant, this servant…”

However, the Great Princess Consort pulled that servant girl aside and raised her chin defiantly: “What, are you really going to put on the airs of a Divine Maiden? You were disrespectful to this Princess Consort first. My servant was only protecting her master when she acted that way. Since you weren’t injured today, let’s just drop this matter.”

Qin Yining was so angry she laughed, her cheek dimples shallow, her eyes filled with icy coldness. Her voice neither high nor low, neither hasty nor slow, she said, “You ordered your servant to commit violence, and because you failed to successfully harm me, you think you can act as if you did nothing?”

“Then what else do you want?”

The Great Princess Consort was truly both frightened and amazed by Qin Yining’s appearance.

Frightened because her gaze was truly too sharp, making one instinctively look away upon meeting it, not daring to look directly.

Amazed because her appearance made her entire face come alive, like a black and white painting suddenly gaining color, making one fear her majesty while unable to resist gazing at that bright and beautiful face.

Such absolute beauty—if she entered the palace, what would become of them!

The Great Princess Consort had been a mistress for many years after all. How could she diminish her own prestige? She strode up to Qin Yining, almost touching nose to nose, and said through gritted teeth, “Don’t think that just because the Prince values you now, you can get cocky! In the future when you enter the palace, won’t you still have to address us as sisters? The days ahead are long! If you’re sensible, we’ll let today’s matter pass and never mention it again. If you lose favor someday in the future, this Princess Consort might still show mercy for your obedience today and give you a bite to eat! But if you’re not sensible, then don’t blame us sisters for being ruthless! The Prince does rule this palace, but can the Prince follow you around twelve hours a day?”

Qin Yining looked at the Great Princess Consort’s fierce expression and couldn’t help but smile slightly. Her vermillion lips parted lightly as she said, “After sitting in a well and looking at the sky for so long, you really think you’re somebody important.”

“You!” The Great Princess Consort’s eyes widened as she said angrily, “Speak clearly! What do you mean!”

“I’m insulting you. Can’t you understand? Do I need to break it down and explain it to you piece by piece?” Qin Yining said coldly, “You had malicious intent. Regardless of whether you succeeded yesterday or not, it cannot erase the fact that you already had such thoughts. And now my servant has been injured. You’d better give me a satisfactory explanation.”

“You little woman dare to speak so arrogantly! This is the palace! You’re just a concubine—what right do you have to be so presumptuous! This Princess Consort simply won’t give you an explanation today. What will you do about it!”

Qin Yining turned to instruct the guards at the palace door who had already heard the commotion inside: “Go request an imperial physician. My servant is injured. Also, please trouble yourselves to escort me to my clanspeople.”

Requesting an imperial physician was easy—after all, this Divine Maiden was still recovering from serious illness and needed medical attention. But leaving the palace? That was not something these guards could decide on their own.

This was the Divine Maiden who had brought large quantities of grain and seeds to Xiyue! If they offended her and she refused to give her grain to the Xiyue tribe, what then?

Everyone panicked and arranged for two people—one to fetch the imperial physician, one to summon the Prince.

Qin Yining paid no more attention to the Great Princess Consort and pulled Biyu to sit down nearby, using a clean handkerchief to press against her bleeding wound.

Biyu was moved to tears, anxiously giving Qin Yining meaningful looks while shaking her head, whispering, “Please calm your anger, Divine Maiden. This servant is truly fine, not worth dying for. Please calm your anger, Divine Maiden.”

Qin Yining said, “A head injury is no small matter. You were hurt because of me, so naturally I should have you treated. Don’t be afraid. And don’t say things like ‘not worth dying for’ anymore. Whose life is more precious than whose? We’re all just flesh and bone.”

These words were spoken directly and honestly, encompassing the three Princess Consorts behind as well.

In a tribe with no more than five thousand people total, becoming a local emperor’s concubine and wearing embroidered cotton skirts made them think they were truly superior people?

How ridiculous!

Not to mention anything else—Qin Yining had tasted the extremes of suffering in this world, and had also enjoyed wealth, honor, and magnificent wedding processions. In her heart, these vanities were things she had already grown indifferent to. Yet these frogs at the bottom of the well still clung to them desperately, and even had the audacity to provoke and threaten her. It was truly incomprehensible.

Qin Yining didn’t want to argue with such people—after all, she had no interest in becoming any “Fifth Princess Consort.” But if anyone wanted to bully her, that was impossible. When she was in Great Yan, she didn’t even fear the Demon Empress or the Imperial Uncle. Would she fear this sort of trash?

Qin Yining’s nobility and pride, seen through the eyes of the three Princess Consorts, was simply infuriating and hateful.

The Second and Third Princess Consorts were somewhat restrained, but the Great Princess Consort practically wanted to tear apart Qin Yining’s perfect face.

“Stop putting on airs! You’re just a refugee who came to us! You still need our help to survive! You want to leave? Where will you go? Talking about leaving the palace—can you bear to? I’ve seen plenty of lowly servants like you! To climb up the social ladder, there’s nothing you won’t do. This act now is just to make the Prince stand up for you. If you have the ability, get out right now! Thinking you can use your fox-like beauty to bewitch our kind-hearted Prince—not a chance!”

The Great Princess Consort stood with arms akimbo, jumping up and down in fury, voicing all her psychological speculations through vicious curses. The more she cursed, the more she felt she was absolutely right. This vixen was truly too scheming!

Qin Yining was too lazy to argue with such a person, feeling it would lower her status. She just quietly watched Xinyu wipe the blood from Biyu’s face, thinking that if possible, she should take both Biyu and Xinyu with her when she left, to prevent these two young servants from being bullied and persecuted by the Great Princess Consort after her departure.

Just as she was thinking this, footsteps could be heard from outside.

A guard announced at the door, “Divine Maiden, the imperial physician has arrived.”

“Please come in.”

The one who came to examine patients was still Imperial Physician Wang. He carried his medical kit and hurried in. Seeing the other three Princess Consorts were also present, he quickly bowed in greeting.

The Second and Third Princess Consorts nodded slightly.

But the Great Princess Consort snorted coldly, “The imperial physician is here. Go ahead and have him treat your little wretch. When you find something wrong, you can go complain about me to the Prince, right!”

This was just being under someone else’s roof. If it were according to Qin Yining’s temperament, if she were surrounded by her own familiar people, she would have had this shrewish Great Princess Consort thrown out long ago.

Qin Yining ignored the Great Princess Consort’s ranting and said, “Please trouble Imperial Physician Wang to examine my servant’s head wound.”

Imperial Physician Wang felt honored as he bowed, “Yes,” and stepped forward to examine Biyu’s wound.

After careful examination, he said, “This was caused by a heavy blow. After bandaging the wound, she’ll need some medicine for recovery. If she feels dizzy, she may need to rest for a while longer.”

“Then please trouble Imperial Physician Wang to prescribe some medicine for her.”

“This is improper, Divine Maiden. This servant is truly fine!” Medicine was precious, and servants like them had no right to use it! Generally, poor families had no medicine when they fell ill, whether they lived or died depended on whether the gods wanted to take them. For someone like her who was lucky enough to serve in the palace, it was already divine blessing and tremendous good fortune. “It’s just a bump on the head. This servant will be fine after resting for two days. There’s really no need for medicine.”

Qin Yining smiled and shook her head, “Just use it. Count your medicine costs with my medical bills—I’ll settle everything together with grain later. You’ve served me wholeheartedly and got hurt because of me. If you refuse to accept this, then you’re blaming me.”

“No, no, no. I’m not blaming you, truly!” Biyu said anxiously.

Qin Yining soothingly took her hand and patted it, “Don’t worry, I understand. Just listen to my arrangements.”

When facing her, Qin Yining’s smile was as warm as sunshine, completely different from when she faced the Great Princess Consort—like a different person entirely. Biyu felt moved and couldn’t help but nod.

Imperial Physician Wang went to apply medicine to Biyu.

The Great Princess Consort crossed her arms and snorted coldly, “Putting on an act.”

Qin Yining still treated her barking like she couldn’t hear it, just waiting for news from outside.

She knew Prince Xiyue wouldn’t let her leave. She was just waiting to see how Prince Xiyue would punish the Great Princess Consort. Since she temporarily couldn’t leave this place, if she wanted to live peacefully in the palace, she needed to establish her authority and make people afraid to bully her. If she was soft and weak, didn’t fight back when bullied, and only treated everyone with courtesy, these people would probably become increasingly aggressive until they devoured her completely, leaving not even bone fragments.

Although the Xiyue tribe didn’t have many people, the warfare between women was still not to be underestimated in its cruelty.

After Imperial Physician Wang finished treating Biyu properly, he also took Qin Yining’s pulse and gave her various instructions about what to pay attention to. By this time, the three Princess Consorts who had been ignored on the side were all very impatient.

The Second Princess Consort had a steady and meticulous nature, so her impatience showed less. The Third Princess Consort was already rolling her eyes and had glared at Qin Yining countless times.

The Great Princess Consort now felt caught in a dilemma. If she continued arguing, she couldn’t gain any advantage. But if she just turned and left like this, people would think she was afraid of Qin Yining. Where would her authority in this palace be in the future?

Just as she was hesitating, chaotic footsteps suddenly came from outside the palace.

Prince Xiyue was seen walking in with a dark expression, surrounded by numerous guards, palace servants, and maids. He walked straight past the Great Princess Consort, Second Princess Consort, and Third Princess Consort who were kneeling in greeting, went directly to Qin Yining, and said with tender affection, “Miss Pang, why do you want to leave? Have I been inadequate in my hospitality?”