Palace maid Shuoning

(Up)

Consort Rong looked down at her, the smile on her lips slowly fading, her voice neither loud nor soft:

"You really have no idea who your father is, who he works for, or whose money he's taken from, while he's a traitor in Zhongzhou?"

Consort Liu shuddered, her fingers gripping the hem of her skirt tightened suddenly, then slowly loosened.

Her lips moved, but she didn't utter a single word. She simply rested her forehead on Consort Rong's instep, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

She knew better than anyone else.

Her father, Liu Bingshan, was the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Zhongzhou just six months ago. At that time, she was in the emperor's favor, and her father submitted a memorial to the palace, impeaching Governor-General Wang Quan'en.

The Emperor, seizing the opportunity, dismissed Wang Quan'en from her post and investigated her, while promoting her father to the new governor-general, a promotion of three ranks.

She was happy for her father at the time.

Now that I think about it, Wang Quan'en is a member of the Li family. Her father offended someone from the Li family, so how could Consort Rong let it go?

Therefore, from the play in the Imperial Garden onwards, Feng Xi and Consort Rong joined forces, and the person they were trying to deal with from beginning to end was never Consort Liu herself.

It was her father, from the Liu family.

Consort Rong's words just now: "Your father is a traitor, working for whom and taking money from whom?"

It's just throwing dirty water on an innocent person.

Consort Liu lay prostrate on the ground, her forehead pressed against Consort Rong's icy instep, pleading in a hoarse voice:

"Your Majesty... I beg you to spare my family. I will do anything you ask."

Consort Rong's red lips curved slightly as she turned and sat down on the chaise lounge. She reached out and stroked the jade bracelet on her wrist, her voice indifferent, as if she were discussing something trivial:

"Then atone with your death."

Consort Liu froze, her forehead still pressed against the ground, as if all her strength had been drained away.

Miaozhu's sobs suddenly became sharp, and the two eunuchs held her down tightly, preventing her from moving an inch.

Jiang Shuo Ning stood at the door, his fingernails almost digging into his palms, his back soaked with cold sweat.

Consort Rong kept her head down, turning the bracelet on her wrist. The jade light reflected the candlelight, creating a dim and cold glow. She didn't look at the person on the ground again.

Feng Chun took a thin rope out of his bosom and walked towards Consort Liu.

Consort Liu bit her lip, shaking her head as she moved backward:

"You cannot kill people in the palace. I am still the Emperor's concubine. You have no right to do so..."

Feng Chun sneered, "Consort Liu, people die in this palace every night. What difference does it make if you lose your life?"

Consort Liu's face turned deathly pale. She abruptly stood up, turned around, and ran outside. Feng Chun stepped forward, and the rope was already around her neck, tightening sharply.

Consort Liu was choked and suffocated instantly. She stared wide-eyed at Jiang Shuoning at the door, her hands grabbing at something haphazardly in the air.

Consort Rong sat on the chaise longue, her fingertips slowly turning the jade bracelet on her wrist. Her gaze slowly shifted from Consort Liu to Jiang Shuoning's face.

She was waiting. Waiting for Jiang Shuoning to kneel, waiting for Jiang Shuoning to speak, waiting for her to plead for Consort Liu.

If she makes a move, we'll take care of her together tonight.

Feng Chun tightened the rope in her hand inch by inch. Consort Liu kicked her feet wildly on the ground, her throat making hoarse noises, her wide eyes filled with tears, still staring intently at Jiang Shuoning at the door.

Jiang Shuoning remained motionless, his eyes fixed on the bricks beneath his feet.

He heard Consort Liu's voice growing weaker, heard Miaozhu's muffled sobs, heard the soft rustling of ropes. His fingernails dug into his palms, the pain excruciating.

She bit her tongue hard, a metallic taste rising in her mouth, and forced herself to swallow the sourness.

She kept telling herself that there were no innocent people in this palace, and that Consort Liu's death had nothing to do with her.

She stared wide-eyed, not daring to blink.

Consort Liu's struggles gradually weakened, turning from convulsions to slight trembling, and finally she fell completely still, her body limp and motionless.

Consort Rong stared at Jiang Shuoning for a long time.

Jiang Shuoning did not look up, did not speak, and did not even glance at Consort Liu.

Consort Rong finally withdrew her gaze, turned the bracelet around, and said in a calm voice, "She is quite composed."

Jiang Shuoning remained motionless. She swallowed back the bitter taste that welled up inside her, her throat aching from swallowing.

The night breeze slipped in through the crack in the door, causing the only candle flame to flicker, and the shadows in the room to tremble before returning to stillness.

Consort Rong slowly rose, glanced at the lifeless Consort Liu on the ground, then at Miaozhu being held down in the corner, and said to Fengchun:

"Let's take care of it together. Do you know how to clean it up?"

Feng Chun bowed and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, this servant will not let anyone see through my disguise."

Consort Rong gave a perfunctory "hmm," put on her hood, and walked towards the door.

As she passed Jiang Shuoning, she paused for a moment, a slight smile playing on her red lips.

"He's ruthless and has a strong backbone."

After she finished speaking, the palace doors opened, and the night wind rushed in. Consort Rong stepped out, her cloak disappearing into the darkness outside the door.

Jiang Shuoning turned around, and tears welled up instantly, falling in large drops.

She quickly wiped her face, took a breath, and followed him out with her head down.

The night wind swept across the palace path, drying the remaining tear stains on her face, its chill like a knife. She did not turn around.

(under)

Consort Rong walked along the long, dark palace path, her steps unhurried, the hem of her scarlet cloak sweeping across the dust accumulated on the path.

Jiang Shuo Ning followed half a step behind, his eyes lowered, his breathing not yet fully steady.

As they reached the corner, Consort Rong suddenly stopped and turned to look at her.

The moonlight fell on that face, making it impossible to discern any expression.

"Shuoning, do you know why I'm not worried? What kind of letter did Suihe write?"

Jiang Shuoning's heart tightened suddenly, and she lowered her head, saying, "This servant does not know."

Consort Rong gave a cold laugh and continued walking forward:

"Suihe has served me for fifteen years. She can't write many words, and even if she did, they wouldn't be legible. If she did write anything, it would just be drawing a few circles or writing 'Your Majesty'."

The calligraphy copybooks she carries around are all written by me. She likes to keep them, saying they're beautiful, but she never actually learns from them.

I taught her a few poems, and she memorized them, so others assumed she could read. But it was all an act; she simply didn't reveal her true abilities.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shuoning's face turned pale.

Suihe cannot write. That so-called "letter" never existed in the first place.

Consort Rong had already seen through everything. She followed the road in Ningpu, Jiangshuo, and walked the entire way.

While dealing with Consort Liu, we also need to see how far Jiang Shuoning can go in her acting.

Thinking of this, Jiang Shuoning smiled self-deprecatingly.

The whole game is lost.

She slowly clenched her fingers inside her sleeve. She had lost, but she had finally seen the whole chessboard clearly.

That can probably be considered a win.

Consort Rong turned around and took two steps back, her gaze landing on Jiang Shuoning's face.

She did hate this girl. All those little tricks she did behind her back made her feel that this person couldn't be allowed to live.

But tonight she can leave Yihua Palace, step into Changchun Palace, and even have Consort Liu die at her hands.

It was all thanks to this girl and the eunuch behind her.

The hatred is real, and the need for it is also real.

She looked away, her voice softening as she spoke:

"Shuoning, I'll give you a piece of advice tonight: A skilled strategist defeats the enemy without being defeated by them."

Jiang Shuo bit his lower lip tightly and didn't reply.

Consort Rong looked at her, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly:

"I saw you risk your life to come to Changchun Palace tonight. Go back and tell Baozhong that I need someone."

She turned to the side, her voice neither too loud nor too soft, falling on the night breeze:

"If he is willing to come, I will certainly not treat him unfairly. If he is not willing, I will not force him."

After she finished speaking, she didn't turn back. Her cloak fluttered in the night wind, and she disappeared at the end of the passageway.

Jiang Shuoning stood there, repeatedly reciting the words that Consort Rong had just given her.

Those who are good at fighting are good at others but not at others.