Gu Ningning finished the sunflower seeds in her hand, and Meiren Lin gave her another handful, which she took without hesitation.
“Eastern Palace isn’t only about your highness’ thick thigh,” she said.
“Isn’t there someone else over there?”
Meiren Lin followed her gaze and saw the secondary consort Yun sitting on the main seat, dressed in a simple velvet embroidered long dress, her delicate face carrying a hint of authority. Her jade-like hands casually adjusted the tea cup as she listened to Zhaoyi Bai and Zhaoyi Zhao speak.
With the New Year just a month away, the Eastern Palace was lively. The secondary consort Yun was discussing palace affairs with Zhaoyi Zhao and Zhaoyi Bai when she suddenly felt someone watching her. She frowned and looked over.
She had long noticed that Meiren Lin and Gu Ningning loved to huddle together and whisper. But the hall was so large, and the two often sat in corners, so she couldn’t hear clearly nor control them.
She had even sent people to secretly monitor them, but every day all they talked about were things like “this is tasty, that is tasty,” or gossip about other families, or some boring stories. Since both were well-behaved, secondary consort Yun gradually became too lazy to intervene.
Gu Ningning gave secondary consort Yun a perfect “hardworking employee facing the boss” smile. The consort paused in her movements, turned her gaze back, and Gu Ningning continued explaining,
“Your highness is busy with state affairs; the matters of the rear palace are all handled by Secondary Consort Yun. If we cling to Secondary Consort Yun’s thigh, what is there to worry about with a little Jieyu Zhou?”
Meiren Lin found some sense in it but couldn’t help frowning. “But Secondary Consort Yun is usually difficult to approach. We haven’t had much interaction before.”
“So what? You have money!” Gu Ningning almost wanted to bang her head in frustration.
“Secondary Consort Yun comes from a family of officials. Officials in Yan Guo don’t earn much. They may seem impressive, but aside from the corrupt ones, they are all poor. The Eastern Palace has many places that need money. If you use money to win her over, I don’t believe she won’t be impressed.”
Meiren Lin was stunned. Her mind couldn’t keep up, and she asked blankly, “What if her family is corrupt?”
“Even better! Your highness is the one who cracks down on corruption. We can report her to your highness, eliminate a harmful official for the people, and help your highness improve performance at the same time!”
Gu Ningning spoke with righteous indignation. Meiren Lin was bewildered, and looking at secondary consort Yun on the main seat felt surreal. She nodded dizzyingly.
Coincidentally, the three on the main seat seemed to have discussed something amusing, and all three showed faint smiles.
Zhaoyi Zhao looked at Gu Ningning, covering her mouth with one hand to laugh lightly while beckoning her over with the other. “I see Sister Gu and Sister Lin are chatting so enthusiastically. Why not come chat with us too?”
Zhaoyi Zhao was unusually attentive to the two, likely because their former teammate Meiren Zhou had ascended without including her. She now wanted to pull them over to deal with Meiren Zhou.
No wonder some could rise as villainous supporting female leads—she clearly understood palace scheming.
She took Meiren Lin’s hand and sat beside Zhaoyi Zhao. Zhaoyi Zhao grasped her hand and smiled,
“You’ve been favored for days, yet your belly shows no signs. I’ve heard it’s due to a weak constitution. Conveniently, my hometown has a miraculous gynecologist. How about I invite her to help you recuperate, so you can eventually have a son or daughter?”
Gu Ningning had come here as cannon fodder, not to start a family. She smiled shyly,
“Sister, you worry too much. My status is low; I know I am not worthy of bearing your highness’ child. Better to forget it.”
Zhaoyi Zhao looked somewhat regretful. “Ah, I did not consider carefully.”
Gu Ningning knew she was being humble. Helping her get pregnant, dragging secondary consort Yun into trouble, and letting her stir up drama in front of Shen Que—all very thorough.
She glanced at secondary consort Yun on the main seat and saw a faint, almost imperceptible cold smile tug at her lips. She felt somewhat reassured and bowed slightly in a friendly gesture.
“My status is low, and I have no knowledge. Even if I were fortunate enough to have a child, it would be given to Secondary Consort to raise. How can I depend on anything else? Sister’s kindness is my greatest reliance.”
Zhaoyi Zhao was losing face fast, unable to maintain her smile, and had to smooth things over herself. “You are sensible, little sister. It is my own thoughtlessness. Oh, my brain really is inferior to yours, so much less clever than little sister’s.”
She was setting a trap again, constantly calling herself foolish. Gu Ningning, clever as ever, was subtly signaling to secondary consort Yun: I am simple and honest; she is scheming and untrustworthy.
Gu Ningning remained calm, twisting her handkerchief between her fingers. “Sister is truly humble. You are a famous talented woman in Jingcheng. I am a good-for-nothing with no knowledge. I dare not claim to be smarter than you.”
Zhaoyi Zhao’s teeth nearly ground together, showing only a forced smile.
Secondary consort Yun on the main seat observed this verbal sparring.
To her, Gu Ningning was favored by your highness but had not been granted rank or rewards. In other words, Gu Ningning posed no threat to her position. Being obedient and clever, she was willing to protect her a bit more.
Zhaoyi Zhao, on the other hand, was always ambitious.
She sipped her tea and said to Zhaoyi Zhao, “You seem to care for the maid-concubine even more than I do…”
Zhaoyi Zhao was shocked, immediately bowing. “This concubine dares not.”
Gu Ningning was surprised that secondary consort Yun spoke up for her, but the consort did not continue further.
By the time they left Listening Rain Pavilion, it was nearly noon. Outside, snow fell in flurries. Gu Ningning, a northerner in this life, was not particularly interested in snow. She yawned and was about to head back when she spotted Shen Que not far away.
He had just finished inspecting the troops, standing in the snow. His dark clothing was speckled with snowflakes, and the pendant she had casually hung on him this morning still swung at his waist. He was speaking to Chang Yue. Just standing there, he exuded an aura of supreme dominance, making the world seem small in comparison.
It was rare to see him during the day in Eastern Palace. Zhaoyi Zhao braved the snow to speak to him with a smile.
Gu Ningning had read the original story, where Zhaoyi Zhao was determined to become Shen Que’s beloved.
Compared to Zhaoyi Zhao’s smiling face, Shen Que remained distant, occasionally nodding.
After all, the male lead in a heroine-centered story only loves the heroine. Even if he were His Highness the Crown Prince, he had to uphold male virtue, or readers would despise him.
She wondered if the heroine would punish her for turning the male lead into a “rotten cucumber” once she returned. Better to wait until the plot was complete. Otherwise, she wouldn’t get the bonus.
She indulged in these thoughts for a moment before noticing Shen Que looking her way.
Aside from certain intimate moments, Shen Que rarely showed much expression. As Crown Prince, he maintained composure. Gu Ningning felt uneasy under his gaze.
Having angered him earlier that morning, she quickly lowered her head, silently muttering “demons, go away” and turned to leave.
A slightly authoritative voice stopped her.
“Come here.”