Battle of Palaces

Consort Shu turned towards the direction of the voice , and upon seeing concubine Hua, she turned back away . She thought about the humiliation it had cost her to step in for Concubine Hua back there. If only she maintained her usual deamenor, none of this would have happened.

"Shu Fei Naing Niang, you seem to be in so much haste" Hua pin said as she approached, putting on a smile she thought might help reduce the awkward air and make it past the hostility.

Consort Shu swirled around to face Hua. "Hua pin, why shouldn't I be in so much haste after suffering such humiliation back there ?"

"Humiliation!?"...Hua repeated surprised—which she was not.

"Niang naing...you might have suffered a little..just a little scrutiny from Ling Gui Fei, but you have made your mark well known to Jia Fei. " Hua paused to verify the look of doubt on Shu's face and yes, she sure did see it.

Hua continued "niang naing, Jia Fei will know better by now that, you are a woman of your principles and that you will not stand by and watch her humiliate another mistress in the forbidden city just because i happen to be below her status."

Consort Shu brows furrowed as she tilted her head a little.."Really?" She asked

"Yes niang niang "...Hua replied immediately without a second of doubt.

"Well if you say so so, I will -

"Look at this from this way naing naing " Hua chipped in sharply. "With your display Equality back there, Consort Jia will know better that you are not someone to be disrespected and so, she knows better now not to cross you in the future. Look around, she has left already to her palace in haste. For shame will not let her set one look on you"...Hua Concluded.

Concubine Hua could now see the smile behind the corner of Consort Shu's lips, meaning that her words had made way to her mind.

"Hua pin...you do have a way with words "..Shu chuckled

"Niang naing is wise...you only need to be pointed to the right direction " Hua replied smiling sheepishly.

"Well, don't be joyous yet..Jia Fei has not seen the worst of me yet. " Consort Shu said, her tone frightening. Hua smiled, her eyes lit in anticipation.

"Niang naing, I will leave have to run along, I must start preparing to receive my own decree on what to contribute concerning the the feast." Hua said, bowing low

"That's right, you can go" Shu gestured.

Both women turned away , heading to their respective palaces. But for Concubine Hua, she has won her first breakthrough in this game of chess she was playing. Her smile was so bright that an onlooker would think that she won a lottery. A'rou, had seen everything unfold, and at this point she was dying of curiosity, but she knew better by now not to ask of anything concerning this. The poor maid maintained her silence as she trailed along her mistress back to Jingyang Palace.

"Niang naing, I never knew the Empress Dowager was alive"...That was what Lingyi intended to say as she walked back to Chengqian Palace with Consort Xian, but she thought better not to after having a proper rethink. "How stupid and lightheaded I can be at times" she nagged herself. "What was I thinking, asking after the Empress Dowager like that?.. Consort Xian would have asked if I had a brain damage or something". The only knowledge about this realm that Lingyi has was the ones she picked up as days went by, after she woke up as a palace maid in Qin Dynasty. Asking if the Empress Dowager was ever alive would have questioned her origin and identity.

After a thorough rethink—one which was necessary, Lingyi rephrased her question. "Ni-ang Niang, something confuses me" Lingyi asked hesitantly. Consort Xian tilted her head a little towards Lingyi.

"Niang naing, The Empress Dowager...is she also the birth mother of Prince Lan?" Lingyi stole a glance of consort Xian face of see her reaction. After some minutes of silence, Consort Xian replied "Lingyi, you truly wish to marry Lan , don't you?" She asked with a sly, knowing smile playing behind her lips.

"Niang naing no, this is not-"

"No!?"

"I mean yes...I wish to marry Prince Lan , but this is not really about him".. lingyi replied after battling with her tongue for dominance.

"This is not about him?, " Consort Xian asked amused, " but barely start any conversation or questions these days... without mentioning your beloved"..Consort Xian teased and Lingyi blushed a little.

"Hmmm...niang naing, it indeed concerns him " Consort Xian immediately gave that look of I said it! ..I was right.

"But , niang naing, what confuses this servant is the relationship between niang naing, Prince Lan and Empress Dowager."

"Oh!..that?" Consort Xian let out a chuckle

"The Empress Dowager is not related to me in anyway, neither is she the birth mother of Prince Lan." Lingyi's eyes rolled up in further confusion.

Consort Xian continued.." Dowager Consort Yi, the birth mother of Prince Lan is my aunt, she is a sister to my mother - Madam Wang." Consort Xian concluded, leaving the confused Lingyi to ponder on her new discovery. And truly, Lingyi appeared more confused and lost in the attempt to understand the lecture she just received, that she didn't notice when her pace couldn't keep up to Consort Xian's.

Meanwhile, at Qixiang Palace, the air was tense upon the arrival of Consort Jia, as she sat in her chambers, brows furrowed in thought. The morning greetings had not gone as smoothly as she had hoped. Consort Shu's sharp words and cold demeanor replayed in her mind, each pointed remark a thorn she couldn't ignore.

"Niang-niang," Lixin called gently, breaking the silence as she stepped into the room with a tray of tea. She placed the tray on the table and observed her mistress's troubled expression. "You have been quiet since the greetings. Is something troubling you Naing Niang?"

Consort Jia's gaze remained distant. "Consort Shu," she murmured, her voice laced with confusion. "Her words today… It was as though she harbored a grudge against me. But for what reason? I cannot recall any offense I may have caused her."

Lixin hesitated, her hands clasping together. She had witnessed the tension between Jia and Shu earlier and shared her mistress's bewilderment. "Niang-niang, could it be that Consort Shu is threatened by your rise in rank? You have achieved much favor recently. Perhaps she sees you as a rival."

Jia's lips pressed into a thin line, her thoughts swirling. "That may be so," she admitted after a moment. "But it is unlike Shu to act so brazenly without cause. She has always been cautious, measured. For her to lash out in such a manner…publicly" Her voice trailed off, uncertainty clouding her features.

"Niang-niang," Lixin said softly, her tone edged with caution, "it is possible that someone has poisoned her mind against you. The harem is no stranger to whispers and schemes."

Jia's fingers tightened around the armrest of her chair. "If that is true, then I must uncover the source. I will not allow baseless accusations to tarnish my reputation or disrupt the peace I have worked so hard to maintain."

"Wise words, niang-niang," Lixin said, bowing her head. "But for now, perhaps it would be best to focus on the Empress's feast. It is a grand opportunity to secure further favor and demonstrate your grace before the Imperial family."

Jia nodded, though her thoughts remained heavy. "But the Empress had excused Qixiang Palace from the preparation, considering I'm with child "