It wasn’t until midnight that hot water was finally called for.
When the servants entered to attend to them, they discovered that only Erya was there. The poor maid was so busy running around that she was panting from exhaustion.
Chu Yi’s expression darkened as he looked at Wang An.
“Tomorrow, go to the Imperial Household Department and ask exactly how many maids and eunuchs a sixth-rank Noble Lady is supposed to have.”
Wang An bowed slightly.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Completely limp with exhaustion, Jiang Yunshu tugged gently at his sleeve.
“Your Majesty, please don’t blame anyone because of this.”
“Last year, after the snow disaster in the northwest, it was Your Majesty who advocated frugality throughout the realm. The Imperial Household Department was merely carrying out your decree. One servant is actually enough to attend to me…”
“It’s only when Your Majesty visits that things become a little hectic.”
Hearing that, Wang An couldn’t help giving her silent praise.
This young mistress is clever.
She neither offended anyone nor became arrogant because of the emperor’s favor.
Chu Yi glanced sideways at Jiang Yunshu, whose cheeks were still flushed from passion.
“You truly are obedient.”
“Your Majesty worries for the people before yourself… This concubine only feels sorry for you.”
He gently stroked her cheek.
“Get some proper rest. I should return.”
Jiang Yunshu immediately moved to get up and see him off.
As she rose, the thin blanket slipped away, revealing the crimson love marks blooming across her neck and tantalizing glimpses of fair skin beneath.
Chu Yi’s Adam’s apple bobbed.
He quickly pressed her back beneath the blanket.
“There’s no need.”
Then he hurriedly ordered his palanquin and returned to the Palace of Heavenly Harmony.
Watching his departing figure, Jiang Yunshu’s lips curved into a faint smile.
Life here… doesn’t seem so bad after all.
Once Erya had prepared the bath, she helped the soft, boneless Jiang Yunshu wash herself.
Seeing her mistress in such a good mood, Erya couldn’t help smiling as well.
“Your Ladyship, His Majesty seems to like you very much.”
“It’s only because I’m new.”
The trick was to make sure he found her new every single time.
Erya shook her head.
“That’s not it. It’s because Your Ladyship is beautiful… and has such a lovely figure.”
This time, Jiang Yunshu didn’t deny it.
The original owner’s body truly was exquisitely proportioned.
Every curve was flawless.
It was exactly the kind of perfect figure women in the modern world dreamed of having.
Still…
From the memories she’d inherited, Chu Yi rarely visited the imperial harem.
He most frequently stayed with Noble Consort Wan and Consort De.
As for the Empress, he only visited her palace once every few months—and every visit ended in bloodshed and turmoil.
Counting on her fingers…
He had already spent the night with her three times.
Even Noble Consort Wan, who had once enjoyed the greatest favor, had only received about five visits.
The realization startled Jiang Yunshu awake.
But she wasn’t afraid.
Since she had chosen the path of becoming the emperor’s favored consort, then no matter how thorny the road ahead, she could only keep moving forward.
“Erya.”
“In the past, no one paid us any attention, so we could do as we pleased. But from now on, we’ll be standing in the eye of the storm.”
“You must be extra careful. Watch what you say and do. Don’t let anyone find something they can use against us.”
Erya bowed.
“Please don’t worry, Your Ladyship. I understand. Now that His Majesty favors you, people are bound to become jealous. Just like Lady Lin, who came looking for you earlier.”
Jiang Yunshu merely nodded.
She was secretly grateful that, in her previous life, she’d picked up a little knowledge of almost everything.
Otherwise, in a place as treacherous as the imperial harem…
She probably wouldn’t survive more than a couple of episodes.
After stepping out of the bath, she applied a traditional herbal facial mask she had concocted herself.
Her grandmother had been an old Chinese physician.
Whenever she had free time, she would drag Jiang Yunshu along as her assistant while constantly lecturing her.
“Even learning a little is better than knowing nothing at all.”
Thanks to years of forced instruction, Jiang Yunshu had picked up quite a bit of basic medical knowledge.
Life in the harem was unbearably dull.
So whenever she had nothing to do, she read medical texts and eventually developed this herbal beauty mask.
After finishing her skincare routine, Erya extinguished the lamps and left.
Only then did Jiang Yunshu take out a set of silver acupuncture needles.
She carefully inserted them into several key acupoints to prevent pregnancy.
She could certainly make contraceptive medicine.
However, every medicinal ingredient entering or leaving the palace was meticulously recorded.
She feared that if that tyrant of an emperor discovered she was deliberately avoiding pregnancy, there would be serious consequences.
So she could only rely on acupuncture and hope it would work.
Now was not the right time to conceive.
Although having an imperial child would help her establish herself in the harem…
The emperor’s affection for her was merely a passing fancy.
Even Noble Consort Wan, who enjoyed such overwhelming favor, had yet to bear him a child.
If Jiang Yunshu became pregnant first…
She would undoubtedly become the target of everyone’s hatred.
And she wasn’t confident she could protect the child.
Only after finishing the acupuncture treatment did she finally sleep peacefully.
The next morning.
Manager Liang from the Imperial Household Department arrived in person.
What did it mean for him to come personally?
Manager Liang wore his usual smiling face that never quite reached his eyes as he presented the selected servants before Jiang Yunshu.
“Your Ladyship, this old servant neglected you before. Please accept my sincerest apologies.”
“For now, please make do with these people. If you find any of them unsuitable, just let this servant know, and I’ll replace them immediately.”
Jiang Yunshu signaled for Erya to receive them before smiling politely.
“You’ve troubled yourself by making the trip personally, Manager Liang.”
“It’s only right, it’s only right!”
“If Your Ladyship hadn’t spoken kindly for me before His Majesty yesterday, this servant probably wouldn’t even be standing here today.”
Jiang Yunshu merely lowered her eyes with a gentle smile.
It was a flawless smile.
Impossible to read.
Manager Liang didn’t linger long before taking his leave.
Yesterday, Jiang Yunshu had intentionally mentioned the matter in front of Wang An because she knew that Manager Liang and Wang An were close friends.
By doing Wang An a favor, she earned his gratitude.
Naturally, Manager Liang was grateful as well.
The servants he had sent were therefore reliable people—not palace servants planted with hidden agendas.
A sixth-rank Noble Lady was entitled to four palace maids and four eunuchs.
Two maids would attend her personally inside the palace.
Two others would care for the courtyard and handle miscellaneous duties.
As for the four eunuchs, two would stand guard while the remaining two handled cleaning duties.
Manager Liang had filled every vacant position.
Jiang Yunshu summoned everyone before her and slowly swept her gaze across the group.
The first person she noticed was the young maid standing beside Erya.
“What’s your name?”
“Replying to Your Ladyship, this servant is called Dingxiang.”
Jiang Yunshu nodded.
“From now on, Dingxiang will serve by my side together with Erya.”
Dingxiang looked utterly overwhelmed by the honor.
She immediately knelt and performed a deep bow.
“This servant will devote herself wholeheartedly to serving Your Ladyship.”
Jiang Yunshu looked at her a little longer.
The fragrant prayer beads around Dingxiang’s wrist were particularly eye-catching.
A faint but unusual fragrance drifted from them.
It smelled wonderful…
Yet there was something strangely unsettling about it.
After assigning Dingxiang to indoor service, Erya visibly brightened.
The moment Dingxiang had entered, Jiang Yunshu had noticed that the two already knew each other.
That was precisely why she had arranged for Dingxiang to work inside the palace.
As for the other two maids…
She asked each of them a few simple questions.
One had previously served an elderly Dowager Consort. After the dowager’s death, she had returned to the Imperial Household Department awaiting reassignment. Her name was Ziyun.
The other was a newly entered palace maid named Lanyi.
She appeared honest, timid, and well-behaved.
Because Lanyi was inexperienced and easily frightened, Jiang Yunshu assigned her to care for the flowers and plants in the garden.
Ziyun, on the other hand, had once served an imperial dowager.
She was likely mature and dependable.
So Jiang Yunshu placed her in charge of the storeroom.
Although…
At the moment, that storeroom was completely empty.
There wasn’t a single valuable thing inside.
But that was only temporary.
Only temporary indeed.