“None of us expected elder sister to encounter such a fate.” Jiang Shi brought people to see Shen Guiyan off. They were entering the rear palace, while Shen Guiyan had to go to the Northern Palace where the Empress Dowager resided.

Originally, everyone had resented Shen Guiyan for receiving Gu Chaobei’s favor, but who would have thought she would end up in such a state now? In an instant, all grudges and resentments vanished, leaving only a sense of superior sympathy.

People were all like this—no matter how much they disliked someone, once they saw that person suffering, their sanctimonious hearts would instantly revive.

With Gu Chaobei’s ascension, Lady Nian became the Empress Dowager of the Northern Palace, while Empress Wen became the Empress Dowager of the Eastern Palace. Though the Nian family also had influence, the Northern Palace could never compare to the Eastern Palace, not to mention that all power rested in Empress Dowager Wen’s hands.

Shen Guiyan didn’t say much. She entrusted Baoshan to Yuwen Changqing, then carried her bundle and went to the Northern Palace.

From beginning to end, Gu Chaobei never appeared, nor did he come to explain anything to her. If Yuwen Changqing hadn’t told her in advance and let her prepare mentally, she would certainly be in shock right now.

Gu Chaobei, oh Gu Chaobei—did he really think her heart was made of iron, that she wouldn’t feel hurt or sad at all? Even if he had just come to say “I’m sorry for wronging you,” at least she would have something to hold onto. To directly abandon her to fend for herself—wasn’t he afraid her heart would freeze in this snow water?

Sighing, she stepped onto the palace pathway covered with accumulated snow and headed toward the Northern Palace without looking back.

Lady Nian had risen from Imperial Noble Consort to Empress Dowager thanks to Gu Chaobei, but it was said that this lady had an extremely eccentric temperament, was at odds with Prime Minister Gu, and moreover didn’t like Gu Chaobei.

Shen Guiyan found this very strange. The person who had brought out evidence to prove Gu Chaobei was of imperial bloodline was her—why wouldn’t she like Gu Chaobei? It wasn’t as if he had wronged her in any way.

Upon reaching the Northern Palace, she understood. This lady didn’t dislike Gu Chaobei specifically—she disliked everyone.

“So you’re Shen Guiyan?” Lady Nian leaned against soft cushions, already wearing the Empress Dowager’s attire. Shen Guiyan didn’t dare raise her head too much to look at her face, but judging from her tone, it wasn’t very friendly anyway.

“Yes.” Shen Guiyan knelt and paid her respects.

“Tsk tsk, they all say if a woman marries the right man, she’ll have wealth and honor for life. Who would have thought that even though you married right, your fate would be so miserable.” Lady Nian laughed with a cackle. “Didn’t accumulate virtue in your past life, did you?”

Shen Guiyan: “…”

Her tongue was far too venomous.

“This dowager won’t make things difficult for you.” Empress Dowager Nian waved her hand. “From now on, you’ll be called Yan’er and be solely responsible for cleaning this bedchamber.”

“Yes.”

She had thought she would suffer some persecution, but unexpectedly was let off so easily. Shen Guiyan was somewhat surprised when a nanny beside her came to lead her out.

“The Empress Dowager is actually kindhearted. You don’t need to be too nervous.” Nanny Qiujin was quite an amiable person. She took her to the side chambers where the palace maids lived, assigned her a bed, and then took her to receive the Northern Palace’s waist token and other items.

Was Empress Dowager Nian kindhearted? Shen Guiyan truly couldn’t see it. However, being in the Northern Palace wasn’t as difficult as she’d imagined—her work was only to clean rooms.

“Hey, did you hear? That side consort of the former Crown Prince was actually made a consort by the current Emperor!”

Palace maids had the most gossip. She had just gone back to lie down for a while when the young palace maids nearby gathered in small groups and began chatting.

“How absurd! A woman who’s lost her chastity can still become the Emperor’s consort? Then even if I’m ugly, doesn’t it not matter?”

“What do you know? That was someone the Eastern Palace Empress Dowager assigned to the Emperor. Didn’t you see the Emperor spent his first night at Noble Lady Jiang’s? The Emperor doesn’t favor that woman.”

“Just being able to become the person with the highest rank in the rear palace right now is already impressive enough.” Someone sighed. “How unlike that unfortunate Shen Guiyan—clearly the legitimate wife, yet she has to come here and be a palace maid.”

Everyone nodded, and someone curiously asked, “Didn’t they say Shen Guiyan has already arrived and met Empress Dowager Nian? Where is she?”

Shen Guiyan, who had been lying down the whole time, turned over and raised her hand toward them. “I’m right here.”

The side chamber instantly fell silent.

The maid wearing green hair ornaments laughed awkwardly and looked at her. “So you arrived early—we didn’t notice.”

The other maids who weren’t from this room immediately ran off as if they’d seen a ghost.

The green-clad maid came over and looked at Shen Guiyan carefully for a while before saying, “You can call me Xiao Lü. Starting today, I’ll be sharing a room with you.”

“Mm, Xiao Lü.” Shen Guiyan nodded. “Please take care of me.”

“Not at all.” Xiao Lü rubbed her hands. Though this person was a palace maid like her, she had been the Emperor’s legitimate wife—how could she dare offend her?

“No need to be nervous. I’m still a newcomer now and should be learning the rules from all of you.” Shen Guiyan said. “That lady you were just talking about—is she called Hanlu?”

“Indeed.” Xiao Lü was talkative. Seeing she wanted to listen, she quickly came over. “If she hadn’t made a fool of herself in the palace yesterday, we wouldn’t want to gossip about our master behind her back either. Just after being conferred as a consort, this lady who rose to power through who knows what means actually went directly to intercept the Emperor’s procession, wanting the Emperor to go to Luhua Palace. But guess what—the Emperor’s dragon carriage was actually empty! Who knows what our Emperor was thinking, returning to the palace without taking the dragon carriage, walking on his own to Noble Lady Jiang’s place. It made Consort Shen so angry she acted like she’d gone mad.”

Xiao Lü spoke happily, but Shen Guiyan listened with gravity. Shen Guiya had actually taken the Shen family surname and was by Gu Chaobei’s side.

From Gu Chaodong to Yuwen Houde, then to the Crown Prince—Shen Guiya had truly been with quite a few men. Now that she’d become Gu Chaobei’s consort, sharing a bed… sharing a bed was probably reasonable, wasn’t it?

A wave of nausea surged up. Shen Guiyan couldn’t hold it in and turned her head to vomit violently toward the floor beside the bed. It was too disgusting—if she truly had to share one husband with someone like Shen Guiya, it would be too revolting.

“What’s wrong with you?” Xiao Lü was startled. “Are you ill? Should I call a medical woman to examine you?”

“No need.” Shen Guiyan said. “I’m probably just tired. I need to go clean the Empress Dowager’s room later—let me rest for a bit first.”

“Alright.” Xiao Lü nodded and brought over her own quilt to give her. “Our room is cold. One quilt isn’t enough—you use it for now, and we’ll figure something out tonight.”

“Mm.” Shen Guiyan nodded.

It seemed the people in the Northern Palace all had decent temperaments. This was fortunate amid misfortune.

The changes were too drastic. Shen Guiyan closed her eyes and fell into deep sleep. In her dreams, she unexpectedly had nightmare after nightmare, as if seeing Gu Chaobei turning and leaving. No matter how she chased, she couldn’t catch up.

“Are you sleeping yourself to death?” A stern shout exploded by her ear, nearly scaring Shen Guiyan off the bed. Looking up, she saw that Empress Dowager Nian was personally standing at the side chamber door.

“Didn’t you say you were coming to clean the room?” Empress Dowager Nian showed no pleasant expression as she looked at her. “Hurry up! Any later and it’ll start snowing outside again.”

Shen Guiyan quickly got up. Her head was still a bit dizzy, and her face felt ice-cold. She reached up to touch it—her hand was covered in water.

Was the roof leaking? Shen Guiyan looked up in confusion.

“Fool. Really can’t see where you’re clever.” Empress Dowager Nian muttered and turned around. “Come quickly.”

“Yes.” Shen Guiyan came to her senses, put on her outer garment, and hurried to follow Empress Dowager Nian out.

Only after walking out did she think to wonder why the Empress Dowager had personally come to call her.

There wasn’t a single person in the bedchamber. Upon entering, Empress Dowager Nian retreated to the heated bed platform and watched with half-closed eyes as Shen Guiyan took a cloth and wiped things.

“Gentle! What you’re holding is the Imperial Dragon Tripod bestowed by the late Emperor.”

Shen Guiyan was frightened into a shudder and quickly placed it on the table to wipe it carefully.

“And that one beside it is also an imperially bestowed glazed vase.”

“The one by the back of your hand—an imperially bestowed luminous pearl.”

Everything in the entire room was imperially bestowed. Shen Guiyan drew in a sharp breath, her heart only able to sigh that this lady had truly enjoyed profound imperial favor.

However, the late Emperor’s death wasn’t long ago—why did Empress Dowager Nian look completely unsaddened? She still remembered that her grand wedding with Gu Chaobei was attended by the late Emperor and Empress Dowager Nian together, and they had even sat in the honored seats.

A flash of insight sparked in her mind. Shen Guiyan suddenly turned to look at Empress Dowager Nian.

Empress Dowager Nian held her hot tea. Sensing her gaze, she rolled her eyes. “This one you’re looking at—also imperially bestowed.”

She paused, and Empress Dowager Nian seemed to suddenly remember something, her voice choking up. “The imperially bestowed Empress Dowager.”

Shen Guiyan was stunned. This Empress Dowager position was clearly obtained through Gu Chaobei—how could it be called imperially bestowed? She very much wanted to ask, but given that she was currently at a point where she couldn’t even protect her own life, naturally the less she knew the better.

After saying this one sentence, Empress Dowager Nian fell into contemplation, sitting motionlessly in her original spot in a daze.

Shen Guiyan carefully wiped the entire room from inside to out until it was clean. When she wiped near Empress Dowager Nian, she even took the teacup from her hand, wiped it, and placed it back.

Only after everything was tidied up did Empress Dowager Nian return to her senses. The grief on her face had already disappeared completely. She set down the cold tea and raised an eyebrow to look at her. “Can you endure hardship?”

Shen Guiyan replied respectfully, “Hardship is all forced down one’s throat by others. Since one has no choice but to eat it, one might as well chew it up thoroughly and swallow it clean.”

Quite thoughtful, Empress Dowager Nian raised her eyebrow. “Then do you find being a palace maid difficult?”

“It’s alright.” Shen Guiyan smiled. “Empress Dowager Nian treats palace servants kindly.”

“This dowager is kind?” Empress Dowager Nian’s eyes widened. She pointed at herself, seeming somewhat angry. “You go out to the courtyard and kneel for half a shichen before coming back.”

What? Shen Guiyan was dumbfounded. She was praising her—how did it result in punishment instead?

“Go, go, go! See if you dare say I’m kind again!” Empress Dowager Nian waved her hand and called out, “Qiujin!”

Nanny Qiujin entered, took a pair of items, and placed them on Shen Guiyan from her feet up to her knees, then concealed them under her skirt.

“Drag her out to kneel for everyone to see that this dowager is also very strict with new palace servants.” Empress Dowager Nian said with a solemn expression.

Shen Guiyan was stunned. She was dragged out and pressed to the ground, but her feet felt completely warm.

What Nanny Qiujin had just put on her were foot coverings made with cotton padding and waterproof cloth, wrapping her entire feet and legs. They were extremely warm. Even though kneeling was somewhat tiring, at least she wasn’t suffering much.

What did Empress Dowager Nian mean by this?