When the Emperor heard that after being sent back to Yizhu Pavilion last night, Shu Changzai had stayed up by lamplight to finish copying the *Women's Precepts*, the pity he felt, which had been a mere thirty percent, surged to seventy.
Mixed in was a touch of guilt.
He had assumed Shu Changzai was growing arrogant with his favor, believing that with his backing, she didn't need to pay the Noble Consort any mind. He never imagined the little thing was just putting on a brave front. She had gone back, fought off exhaustion, and forced herself to complete the punishment, all because she was afraid of truly angering the Noble Consort.
He arbitrarily painted a picture in his mind of Jiang Xian as a lovely girl with a sharp tongue but a soft heart.
Remembering how thoroughly he had exhausted Jiang Xian the night before, his guilt intensified.
Liang Yuyin secretly used his peripheral vision to gauge the Emperor's mood.
The Emperor's eyes were closed, and he didn't speak for a moment. Then he finally ordered, "Go to the storehouse and pick out two bolts of Floating Light Brocade… Never mind."
'Is the Emperor going to send a reward to appease Shu Changzai?'
'Why "never mind"?'
'Does "never mind" mean he thinks she doesn't need appeasing?'
Soon enough, Liang Yuyin realized he had guessed wrong.
The Emperor had him bring a sheet of Golden Snow Plum Blossom Paper and dashed off a long list of gifts. "Reward Shu Changzai according to this list."
'Ah, so His Majesty distrusted my taste and decided to choose the rewards himself.'
"This servant understands."
Liang Yuyin grumbled inwardly.
He had just affirmed his understanding when he heard the Emperor say it again, "Never mind."
'What now?'
"You go open the storehouse. I'm going to Yizhu Pavilion to see Shu Changzai."
"This servant will prepare at once."
Liang Yuyin bowed deeply.
These two "never minds" caused Liang Yuyin to revise his assessment of the Emperor's favor for Shu Changzai upward by another two degrees. That the Emperor would personally write the gift list was the first degree of favor. That his desire to see the beautiful woman grew so ardent in the process was the second.
The bystander sees all, while the man in the middle is simply full of himself.
The Emperor, however, wasn't thinking about how highly he regarded Shu Changzai.
He was thinking—'The little thing risked the Noble Consort's wrath, endured her exhaustion to stay up all night with her punishment, and still insisted on clinging to Us in bed. She is truly, hopelessly in love with Us!'
***
The Jiang Xian who was so "hopelessly in love with the Emperor" was currently in Yizhu Pavilion, practicing her dancing.
Her schedule was meticulously planned, with every hour packed to the brim. To improve her flexibility, Jiang Xian had a palace maid help her with her leg stretches, bending her body into unimaginable shapes. Mian Xia felt that with every passing second, she was offending her superior. With a pained expression, she dared not use any force, afraid of hurting her mistress.
But as it turned out, her mistress was not satisfied:
"Put some muscle into it! Haven't you eaten? Forget it, you're too soft-hearted. Get someone with a heavier hand, the kind who likes to bully the junior palace maids."
And Jiang Xian actually managed to find someone like that.
Nanny Dong was in charge of the Carp Pool next to Yizhu Pavilion. Her position was lowly, but she was incredibly strict with the junior palace maids under her.
When she was summoned by Shu Changzai, Nanny Dong was trembling with trepidation.
Ordinarily, she wouldn't have needed to be so deferential to a mere Changzai.
But the harem was a place where everyone flocked to power, and they all knew Shu Changzai was currently basking in the Emperor's favor. Besides, Nanny Dong was known for being a nitpicker, often using corporal punishment on palace maids for minor infractions. If word of this reached the ears of a high-ranking concubine, or even one of the Emperor's eunuchs, they could decide to make an example of her. She could easily be sent for a "visit" to the Imperial Prison.
Not only was Nanny Dong's personality severe, but her features were harsh as well.
She enjoyed scowling to frighten the young palace maids, but she wouldn't dare put on such airs in front of Shu Changzai. Instead, she forced a fawning smile, but it was just as unappealing as a living Yama. With a sour, stepmother-like face like that, she was unfit to serve in a master's personal residence, which was why she had been sent off to guard the Carp Pool and keep company with the fish.
Shu Changzai, however, nodded in satisfaction:
"Excellent. Just the kind of person I was looking for."
In her past life, she had been so poor that she relied entirely on scholarships and financial aid to attend school. After getting into an excellent university, she found that most of her classmates came from well-off families. It was only then that she learned of the countless extracurricular classes that existed in the world. She had watched from a distance: the gleaming grand piano, the girls her age in their beautiful ballet tutus... Separated by a pane of glass, how she had yearned to be one of them!
And the most distinct feature of any dance studio was its teachers, every one of them a living Yama.
Shoulder-opening stretches, hip-tearing splits, back extensions, shoulder rolls…
Every single one of them was a form of torture!
Jiang Xian had purchased a dance course from the Palace Fighting System.
But some of the movements required a partner to apply pressure, so she had no choice but to find someone to help.
After hearing Shu Changzai's request, Nanny Dong began to tremble like a leaf, secretly watching Shu Changzai's expression…
'Could it be? Does Shu Changzai know that I bully the junior palace maids? Is she using sarcasm to put me in my place?'
Nanny Dong dropped to her knees and began slapping her own face. "This old servant was foolish! This old servant has often spoken cruelly to the palace maids, but I will never dare to do so again! I beg Your Ladyship to punish me!" She struck herself with genuine force, and her face quickly turned red.
With a single glance from Jiang Xian, Xia Mian caught Nanny Dong's self-slapping hand. "Our young mistress is speaking to you. The mistress hasn't said a word, so why have you started punishing yourself!"
Nanny Dong sullenly kept her head bowed, not daring to rise.
She decided then and there that she would no longer be harsh to the junior palace maids.
Jiang Xian calmly stated her request to Nanny Dong. After listening, the nanny was even more horrified. "This… How could I possibly? Wouldn't that be offending my superior?"
"I am ordering you to do it. Failing to do it well—that would be a true offense."
"Do it well, and you will be rewarded."
Jiang Xian figured that after this incident, the nanny wouldn't dare to throw her weight around with the palace maids anymore.
Nanny Dong hesitated for a moment before finally deciding to obey Shu Changzai. Trembling, she began to press on her legs and shoulders, assisting her with a series of frightening-looking movements.
And at that very moment, the Emperor—who had forbidden the Palace Attendants of Yizhu Pavilion from announcing his arrival and had walked in with Liang Yuyin to find Shu Changzai himself—saw his little darling being viciously pinned to the floor by an old crone, her delicate body folded in half.
Understanding the Emperor's intent, Liang Yuyin roared:
"Insolent! Release Shu Changzai at once!"
Nanny Dong flinched at the shout. She looked up, and the sight of imperial yellow made her nearly collapse to the floor.
'Heavens, I'm just a pool-sweeper…'
'Did Shu Changzai really have to go to the trouble of setting up such an elaborate "self-injury" ploy just to frame me?'