A middle-aged emperor, childless, was blessed with a beautiful and pregnant concubine who entered th

Weiyang Palace.

A while after Emperor Qianwu left, Zhou Mingyi asked about Lianwu.

"Where has His Majesty gone?"

Lianwu lowered her eyes to look at the ground. "Judging by the direction, it's the direction of Xianfu Palace."

"It seems that His Majesty wishes to visit Consort Zheng."

Zhou Mingyi nodded. "Zheng is gentle and a beautiful, understanding woman. His Majesty will surely be pleased."

Lianwu dared not look at Zhou Mingyi's expression, and respectfully lowered her eyebrows without making a sound.

"Since Consort Su has made a contribution, she should be rewarded. Otherwise, she might become desperate and do something rash."

……

The saying "a cornered dog will jump over the wall" is absolutely true.

At this time, Consort Su was beating Chunying in the palace.

Chunying knelt on the ground, her face swollen, tears streaming down her face, but she dared not utter a sound.

Su Jinse stood in front of her, holding a feather duster in her hand, panting heavily, her chest heaving.

Tell me, in what way has this humble servant wronged Consort Zhen?

"She instructed me to approach Consort Chen, and I did. Now that Consort Chen has been imprisoned by His Majesty and has lost power, I have, in principle, accomplished everything Consort Zhen entrusted to me!"

"Then why? Why did His Majesty go to that bitch Zheng Yanran's place?"

"We're both doing things for Consort Zhen, so why is she treating us so differently?"

"If this continues, His Majesty might even forget what I look like!"

Chunying lowered her head, not daring to speak.

Su Jinse got even angrier and slapped him again.

"How much did I do for her?"

"I've been attending to Consort Chen every day, trying to extract information from her, and I've uncovered all of her secrets!"

"And what was the result? What did she give me? Not a single word! Not a single kind word! When His Majesty went to Zheng Yanran's place, she didn't even utter a fart!"

Su Cai Ren became angrier and angrier as she spoke.

"That Zheng woman only made some pastries. Don't think I don't know; those pastries must have been made by her maids!"

Chunying's voice trembled: "My lady, Her Highness the Imperial Concubine said you should wait a little longer..."

These words reignited Su Jinse's anger.

"Wait, wait! You always make me wait!"

"When will this talented person be able to wait?"

"Once Consort Chen's affair comes to light, will I be finished too?"

Su Jinse threw the feather duster on the ground. "I helped her, and she turned around and forgot about me! I curried favor with Consort Chen, and Consort Chen even spoke up for me in front of His Majesty! And what did she give me?"

Chunying dared not respond.

If it weren't for Consort Zhen, wouldn't you still be stuck in that endless Yongxiang Palace?

But Chunying had grown up with Su Jinse since childhood, and knew best that Su Jinse was the kind of person who held grudges but not gratitude.

It's no use saying anything now.

Su Jinse paced back and forth in the room, growing angrier the more she thought about it.

After a long while, she stopped and stared at Chunying.

"Go to Weiyang Palace and tell Consort Zhen that I have done so much for her, and she must give me an explanation."

"Otherwise, I'll go to His Majesty and expose everything! No one will get away with this!"

Chunying was stunned.

"Talented One, you...you can't..."

"What can't you do? Hurry up and go!"

Upon hearing this, Su Jinse slapped Chunying again.

Chunying got up and staggered outside.

In the rear hall of Weiyang Palace, Lianwu looked at Chunying's swollen face and sighed.

"Did she hit you again?"

Wax apples felt great sympathy for spring orioles.

This girl is unlucky; how did she end up becoming Consort Su's maid?

Chunying's tears fell instantly. She quickly wiped them away and nodded.

The wax apple led her into the house, took out a box of ointment, and applied it to her face.

"What did Consort Su say?"

Chunying relayed Su Jinse's words in detail.

After hearing this, the wax apple paused for a moment, then continued applying the medicine.

"Go back first. Tell her that the Imperial Concubine said to wait a little longer. She'll definitely get her share of the benefits."

Chunying panicked: "Sister Lianwu, the Lady...she said that if she isn't given an explanation, she'll go to His Majesty..."

The wax apple glanced at her, its eyes deep and thoughtful.

"If she dares to go, then let her go."

Chunying was stunned.

The wax apple stuffed the ointment into her hand.

"Go back first and just keep putting up with it. It'll be fine in a few days."

Chunying didn't know what "a few days" meant when Sister Lianwu said "it will be fine in a few days"...

Was Consort Zhen deliberately fobbing them off, or was it genuine?

But she also knew that now that she was on Consort Zhen's side, she had no choice but to listen to her.

She nodded, wiped away her tears, and walked back.

After she left, Lianwu turned and went into the main hall.

As expected, Consort Su hit someone again.

After listening, Zhou Mingyi put down her book. "What else did she say?"

Lianwu repeated Su Jinse's words.

Zhou Mingyi laughed out loud.

She saw through Su Jinse's true nature at a glance: "She holds grudges but doesn't remember kindness."

"If it weren't for my protection back then, she would have been killed by Chaoyang long ago. Now, she's complaining that what I gave her wasn't enough."

Lianwu lowered her head and said, "Your Majesty is right. It is Su who is ungrateful. Your Majesty, you don't need to take it to heart."

Zhou Mingyi waved her hand, "I know that Su is ignorant, but this is not your intention. You don't need to be afraid."

The wax apple nodded hurriedly, but dared not slack off in the slightest.

Ever since she had vaguely discerned some of the true nature of the Imperial Concubine, Lianwu had never dared to underestimate her mistress.

She was usually cautious and diligent, fearing that one day she might make a mistake and offend this deep-thinking and favored imperial concubine.

The Imperial Concubine made it clear: "Let her make a scene. The bigger the scene, the better."

Wax apples readily agreed.

When Chunying returned to the side hall of Yonghe Palace, Su Jinse was sitting by the window waiting.

Upon seeing her return, he suddenly stood up.

"How is it? What did Consort Zhen say?"

Chunying lowered her head and repeated Lianwu's words: "Her Highness the Imperial Concubine said that you, Consort, should wait a little longer; you will certainly receive your due rewards."

"Wait, wait, wait! More waiting!"

Su Jinse snatched the ointment from her hand and threw it on the ground. "I won't wait! I want to see His Majesty! I want her to know that I'm not someone to be trifled with!"

Chunying dared not speak.

Su Jinse looked at her still swollen face and suddenly got angry again.

"Why are you crying? What's wrong with me hitting you a few times? You're my maid, can't I hit you?"

Chunying immediately knelt down.

"This servant wouldn't dare."

Su Jinse snorted and picked up the feather duster again.

"Go tell Consort Zhen that I, this humble servant, must see His Majesty within three days. Otherwise, I will go to the Qianqing Palace and expose everything! No one will get away with this!"

Chunying knelt on the ground, not daring to move.

Seeing that she didn't move, Su Jinse got even angrier and slapped her.

"Go ahead!"

Chunying got up and ran out.

But she didn't go to Weiyang Palace; she just stood under the corridor for a while and then came back.

The Empress Zhen has already given a clear indication that the same thing will happen if she goes again.

Su Jinse was taken aback when she saw her return.

"Why haven't you gone yet?"

Chunying lowered her head, her voice hoarse: "My lady, it's getting dark. This servant... this servant will go again tomorrow."

Su Jinse thought about it and agreed.

She waved her hand, signaling Chunying to leave.

Chunying left and stood under the eaves all night.

My face hurts, but my heart hurts even more.

She had served Su Jinse since she was a child.

Even if she had no merit, she had still worked hard, but in Su Jinse's heart, she was probably just a dog.

They're worse than a dog.

If the dog does its job well, at least it can get a full meal and a doghouse to shelter it from the wind and rain.

What about her?

They were often beaten severely, never given a proper meal, and never allowed a good night's sleep.

When will this kind of life end?

The next morning, Su Jinse sent Chunying away and made her go to Weiyang Palace.

As Chunying reached the door, she saw a group of people walking towards her from the palace road.

It was Emperor Qianwu.

Chunying was stunned and immediately knelt down.

Emperor Qianwu didn't even glance at her, and strode towards the side hall.

As they reached the door, they heard Su Jinse's voice from inside: "Where are they? Where have they all gone?"

"Has Chunying returned? I sent her to deliver a message, but she hasn't come back for ages. Has she been shirking her duties again? Just wait until I see His Majesty, you'll all be in for a beating!"

Emperor Qianwu paused in his steps.

Fuquan stood to the side, not daring to utter a sound.

This Su Cai Ren is truly formidable.

To dare to be so vulgar and weak in front of His Majesty—even the Jin family back then wouldn't dare to speak so arrogantly in front of His Majesty!

Emperor Qianwu continued walking forward.

The door was half-open. He stood in the doorway and saw Su Jinse sitting by the window, holding a feather duster in her hand, her face long and drawn.

The table and floor were a mess, and the broken teacups hadn't been cleaned up.

Su Jinse, not seeing anyone at the door, continued to curse, "You brat, where did you run off to? When she gets back, I'll break her legs!"

Emperor Qianwu pushed open the door and went in.

Su Jinse looked up, saw it was him, and was completely stunned.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."

Emperor Qianwu looked at her with a gloomy gaze.

"Whose leg are you going to break?"

Su Jinse quickly stood up, her expression changing from shock to surprise, then from surprise to fear, and so on.

"Your Majesty, why...why are you here?"

Emperor Qianwu ignored her.

He glanced at the broken porcelain shards on the ground, the feather duster on the table, and her meticulously made-up face, then at Chunying kneeling outside the door with her swollen face.

"Consort Su has quite the air of authority."

Su Jinse's face turned pale instantly.

"Your Majesty...Your Majesty, I didn't mean it..."

"Not what?"

Emperor Qianwu's voice wasn't loud, but it was as cold as an icy arrow: "I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears. What else do you want to say?"

Su Jinse's legs went weak, and she knelt on the ground.

"Your Majesty, I...I was only disciplining this servant, I didn't mean it..."

"To discipline a servant girl?"

Emperor Qianwu looked down at her. "You hit her because she did something wrong, or because you were upset?"

Su Jinse was speechless.

Emperor Qianwu looked at her, his eyes filled with disgust.

This Su family member is truly stubborn, unruly, vicious, and shrewish!

I had heard rumors when she was in the Yongxiang Palace that she beat and scolded the palace maids, but I didn't expect her to become even worse after she was released.

Emperor Qianwu withdrew his gaze.

"Someone come here."

Fuquan quickly stepped forward.

"Consort Su, for her improper words and deeds and mistreatment of palace servants, is hereby demoted to Lady-in-Waiting and moved to a side hall in the Yongxiang Palace. She is to reflect on her mistakes behind closed doors and is not allowed to enter or leave without an imperial edict."

Su Jinse collapsed to the ground, unable to even cry anymore.

Emperor Qianwu did not look at him again and turned to walk out.

He stopped at the door and glanced at Chunying kneeling on the ground.

"You, go to the Shanggong Bureau. You don't need to come back here anymore."

Chunying was stunned for a moment, then quickly kowtowed.

"This servant thanks Your Majesty for your grace! Thank you for your grace!"

Emperor Qianwu strode away.

Weiyang Palace.

When Lianwu reported the news, Zhou Mingyi couldn't help but laugh.

"Tsk, the Yongxiang Palace is going to be lively now. His Majesty sent Chunying to the Shanggong Bureau, which is a relief from her misery."

"Go and make sure she does her job well. When she reaches the appropriate age, release her according to the rules."

Lianwu was taken aback. "Your Highness, you don't plan to use Chunying?"

Zhou Mingyi did not trust Chunying.

After all, she had once been Su Jinse's personal maid.

Even if she brought her to her side, as long as she was happy, with this talisman in her womb, she could do whatever she wanted.

But it is not necessary.

She's not without options.

It's not that it has to be a spring oriole.

"She has a hard life. When she reaches the right age, let her reunite with her parents and brothers."

Wax apples nodded.

"Yes. Your Majesty is merciful."

Zhou Mingyi smiled.

Su Jinse is a person who holds grudges but not gratitude.

No matter how much you give her, she never feels it's enough.

She felt it was only right that I helped her.

If you don't help her, she'll hold a grudge against you.

Keeping this kind of person around is a disaster.

Let her stay in the Yongxiang Palace. Release her when you need her, otherwise keep her locked up.