Feng Jiu still hesitated somewhat, yet she did not conceal her thoughts: “Nanmen Xu of the Nanmen Manor is a close friend of mine. If he were to inherit command of the Nanmen clan’s military forces, that would naturally be the best outcome for me.”

There was nothing improper about those words.

Having a friend who held considerable power was naturally a good thing for her — at the very least, it would give her one more person to rely on within the Imperial City in the future.

What was more, the Masked Consort already knew that she was Feng Jiu’er. Though the Masked Consort resided deep within the inner palace, Feng Jiu understood that her identity was far from simple.

How much she knew of affairs outside — Feng Jiu could not begin to guess, but it was certain she knew a great deal.

“Did you not publicly break off the engagement and humiliate him at the time? And yet you became close friends instead?” The Masked Consort did indeed seem to know everything.

Feng Jiu smiled and said, “When I broke off the engagement in public that day, I had actually asked Nanmen Xu to help me with it as a favor. When all is said and done, Nanmen Xu truly did help me a great deal. Most importantly, his days at the Nanmen Manor have not been easy. For a long stretch of time before this, he was working in my Tianji Hall.”

“So he is not all that loyal to the Nanmen clan?”

“That is not quite right. Whether or not he is loyal — that is something I personally feel is not for me to speculate on. However, Nanmen Xu is an honest and upright person; he is not someone with grand ambitions.”

She looked at the Masked Consort, her gaze candid. “If the Consort is looking for someone to take command of the Nanmen clan’s military forces, I personally believe that Nanmen Xu would indeed be a fine choice. Regardless of whether or not he is loyal to the Nanmen clan, there is at least one thing I can say with certainty: he is good-hearted, and he genuinely loves this country.”

Of course, Feng Jiu was doing nothing more than taking a gamble — a gamble that the Masked Consort’s interests and Emperor Qiwen’s would momentarily align.

After all, the person before her seemed to know everything. If Feng Jiu were to try to lie or fabricate some story, it would likely be very difficult to conceal it from her.

The Masked Consort said nothing. Silence fell.

No one knew how long the silence lasted before she suddenly spoke: “This matter — say it again to Emperor Qiwen, exactly as you have said it to me. He will listen to you.”

These words, from anyone else, would not have been dared. Yet she said them so lightly and naturally, with not even a trace of self-satisfaction.

That even the Emperor would heed her words — the standing of this Consort was beyond imagination.

She added, “There is one person, however, whose life must be kept for me.”

Feng Jiu’s brow furrowed slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. “I wonder who the Consort is referring to…”

The Masked Consort’s fingertips tightened ever so slightly. A cold and ruthless smile spread across the depths of her eyes. “Nanmen Rong.”

——

Nanmen Rong was escorted back to her bedchamber. This was the first time she had returned since the incident with the assassin who had broken into her chambers before.

This time, Nanmen Rong had truly suffered the misery of imprisonment. From the moment she entered, there had been no special treatment whatsoever. No matter how magnificent her life had once been, this — this had been utterly wretched.

She had been treated no differently from an ordinary prisoner. They had even sent her stale, spoiled steamed buns. This was, without question, the most wretched handful of days Nanmen Rong had lived through in all her years.

It was not only the humiliation that weighed on her heart — her body suffered as well. She had been born into a distinguished family, the pampered daughter of a great household, and had never endured hardship like this.

The first thing she did upon returning to her bedchamber was to have the bathwater in the bathing pool replaced. She could endure hunger, she could endure pain — but she absolutely could not endure her body being this filthy and degraded.

Soaking herself in the pool and washing herself from head to toe once was not enough. Nanmen Rong emerged, allowed her maids to help her dress in simple clothes, and then ordered the pool water to be changed again from fresh.

One of the younger maids hesitated a little: “My Lady, to refill this entire pool, it would take dozens of people making at least a dozen trips each. This servant is afraid it would take up too much of your bathing time, My Lady…”

“Are you afraid this Lady is wasting your effort?” Nanmen Rong’s expression darkened, and she snapped furiously, “Someone come — drag this wretched girl out and beat her to death!”

She had only just come out of prison. Did these maids and eunuchs all think she had fallen, that she had not even a shred of power left in the inner palace?

A bunch of worthless creatures! When they had been refilling her bath water just now, they had been dragging their feet and dawdling, not the least bit diligent!

If this were before, who would have dared to be so negligent in her presence?

Now that she had been thrown into prison by that old wretch Emperor Qiwen, did everyone assume she was completely finished?

“Quickly! Drag her out and flog her to death!” Seeing that no one moved, Nanmen Rong grew so furious she wanted to tear apart everyone standing before her!

The young maid immediately knelt on the ground and begged for mercy: “My Lady, this servant only wanted what was best for you, fearing the long wait might harm your health. This servant was wrong — please, My Lady, grant your forgiveness!”

“Hmph. You dared to be disrespectful to this Lady — how could this Lady possibly forgive you?” Nanmen Rong raged again. “Someone come!”

“My Lady, please calm your anger!” Several of the young maids still lived in terror of her, each of their faces drained of color. “My Lady, this is the bathing pool chamber — the guards dare not enter here. My Lady, you…”

“Then you lot drag her out — right now!” Anyone who disrespected her, Nanmen Rong would never allow to go on living!

“Please spare this servant’s life!”

“My Lady…”

Nanmen Rong now saw it clearly: over one small young maid, not a single person here was willing to carry out her death order!

This was something that had never happened before. Whatever decisions she made, these lowly servants had always only ever carried them out. When had they ever harbored doubts?

What did this mean now? Did she truly have no power left at all in this inner palace? Who had given them the impression that the might of the Nanmen clan was gone, never to return?

Just then, a young maid burst in from outside, her face full of panic: “My Lady, this is terrible!”

“What is the meaning of barging in like this?” Nanmen Rong felt a genuine sense of despair. Back when Mama Qin had been here, things had never fallen into such disarray.

Now, Mama Qin — the woman who had watched over her since childhood — was gone, and in a room full of people, not a single one was of any use to her.

Most infuriating of all, several of those she had grown used to commanding had not returned when she came back this time. Word was that Noble Consort Qing was short-handed and had reassigned them from here to serve her.

Nanmen Rong knew all too well: once she fell from power, those beneath her were at the mercy of anyone.

The young maid who had just burst in had only been transferred here not long ago. She had been present when Nanmen Rong was here, but not for very long at all — giving her orders was nowhere near as reassuring as having Mama Qin.

The moment she thought of Mama Qin’s wrongful death, Nanmen Rong’s heart filled with hatred. This debt, she would repay for Mama Qin’s sake — she would absolutely go to Emperor Qiwen and demand justice!

“My Lady, something terrible has happened!” The young maid had clearly run all the way back; she was still gasping and out of breath. “My Lady, just now… just now, on the way back from Jingyang Palace, this servant accidentally overheard the maids on Noble Consort Qing’s side gossiping. They said… they said…”

“What exactly did they say?” Nanmen Rong had no patience for this.

The young maid drew one more breath before managing to say: “They said — that the Emperor had agreed to Noble Consort Qing’s request, and intends to have you secretly put to death, My Lady!”