“It seems not so hard to accept anymore.”
The next day, before dawn had broken, the sky was a dim, hazy gray. Jiang Wangnan, still deep in dreamland, was forcibly rebooted.
His eyes were too sleepy to open at all, and he let Luo Jing manipulate his limbs to help him dress. Speaking in a sleep-addled tone, he asked: “What time is it?”
Qiu Ruo hurried in carrying a washbasin: “Your Grace, it is already the end of the Yin hour. We must hurry.”
Forget five in the morning; he couldn’t even survive an 8:00 AM college class.
Jiang Wangnan had zero energy left. While Qiu Ruo helped comb his hair and pin the hairpin, he slumped over the vanity and dozed off for a bit.
“Alright, Your Grace, how does this look?” Qiu Ruo gently patted his shoulder.
In the narrow bronze mirror, Jiang Wangnan wore a blue robe, his skin fair and translucent. A jade hairpin pierced straight through his topknot, making him look refined, handsome, and pure yet charming. His under-eye bags were still slightly red and swollen, but they looked like applied makeup, adding an extra touch of allure.
“It looks great, thank you for your hard work.” Jiang Wangnan figured as long as it passed muster, that was enough.
However, Qiu Ruo said: “No, no. Your Grace possesses peerless beauty. This robe is already a bit too vibrant, and the jade hairpin is somewhat too ostentatious; it is far too easy to catch people’s eyes. Luo Jing, go pick out a plain-colored set.”
Jiang Wangnan belatedly realized and agreed with Qiu Ruo.
He was only an Attendant of the seventh rank, so his attire shouldn’t be too eye-catching, lest it appear ostentatious and invite disaster.
Given his low rank, he had no sedan chair and could only walk. It took about half an hour to go from Xiying Palace to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility.
Because choosing clothes and hairpins had delayed a good deal of time, he rushed all the way and arrived at the palace gates just in the nick of time.
“We finally made it.” Beads of sweat dotted Jiang Wangnan’s forehead, and he was a bit out of breath.
Who understands this, family members? The protagonist who transmigrated into a book is hard-controlled by 5:00 AM wake-ups.
Just as he was about to step into the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, he saw a whole flock of beauties approaching from the opposite direction, riding on sedan chairs and clustering around a lavishly dressed woman in red at the very front like stars surrounding the moon.
Qiu Ruo lowered her gaze and said in a low voice: “Your Grace, that is Imperial Noble Consort Gao.”
The State of Zhao had two prime ministers, civil and military, who stood on equal footing. The civil prime minister was named Gao Ye, a veteran official of two dynasties, and he had only one cherished daughter named Gao Shuman, who held the highest rank among the imperial consorts in the rear palace.
Jiang Wangnan wondered aloud: “She is wearing so many hairpins, isn’t her head heavy?”
Qiu Ruo quickly pulled him back to the side.
He immediately shut his mouth, lowered his head in a bow, and began casting spells in his heart: Can’t see me, can’t see me, can’t see me, can’t see me, can’t see me.
Watching Gao Shuman’s sedan chair slowly pass by, he breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Before long, someone piped up: “Isn’t this Consort Jiang?”
Hearing the voice, Jiang Wangnan looked over. The woman was dressed in purple with an exquisite nose and cherry lips. Her brows were slightly furrowed as if in perpetual worry, giving her the delicate look of a small-town maiden tinged with a faint sorrow.
The original novel hadn’t detailed Xiao Quanchuan’s inner palace, so Jiang Wangnan didn’t recognize a single person, but the fact that the other woman could ride a sedan chair meant her rank was higher than his.
He had no intention of socializing, so he faked a smile and saluted: “Greetings, Elder Sister.”
Qiu Ruo couldn’t afford to run her mouth and curtsied while hinting at the other’s identity: “All blessings to Noble Lady Yuan.”
The original novel had mentioned that Noble Lady Yuan was named Yuan Bing, the daughter of the Grand Historian, and she was on the closest terms with Imperial Noble Consort Gao.
When the original Shou had monopolized imperial favor, these two had been consumed by jealousy and had repeatedly tripped him up.
At that moment, a haughty sneer came from behind. Gao Shuman had actually turned her chair around.
“I was wondering what kind of vixen seduced the Emperor. Looking at you now, you’re nothing much.” She only glanced indifferently before lowering her gaze to admire her fingernails, completely dismissing Jiang Wangnan.
Jiang Wangnan wanted to use his silver tongue to spar with her a bit, but the moment the words reached his lips, he blanked on what would sound the coolest, his mind instantly going blank.
Watching his bewildered and helpless little expression, Gao Shuman and Noble Lady Yuan exchanged a glance, hooking the corners of their lips in unison as if silently mocking his dullness.
Out of fierce protectiveness, Qiu Ruo spoke up: “Her Ladyship the Noble Consort has boundless grace and enjoys the Emperor’s favor entirely. My master is far out of reach and still has much to learn from Her Ladyship.”
“Slap!” A crisp sound rang out.
The slap arrived like a gust of wind. Qiu Ruo’s head was knocked sideways, and five red finger marks instantly printed themselves across her cheek.
“Audacious slave, was the Noble Consort speaking to you?” a pink-dressed maid beside Gao Shuman scolded viciously.
Looking closely, Jiang Wangnan found her somewhat familiar. Wasn’t this the palace maid who had made a fuss about leaving on his second day after transmigrating here?
Was her name Miaojuan?
Turns out she had defected to Imperial Noble Consort Gao.
Riding on the coattails of power, Miaojuan showed no regard for her former camaraderie with Qiu Ruo, glaring fiercely: “Still not kneeling!”
Before her voice had even faded, she raised her palm again.
In the nick of time, a hand reached out from the side to grab her wrist. Though fair, tender, and plump, its bones were distinct with slightly protruding veins.
Clearly, it was a man’s hand.
“If you have something to say, why must you resort to hitting people?” Jiang Wangnan lowered his brows and said.
With tears welling in her eyes, Qiu Ruo choked out: “Your Grace, don’t.”
Gao Shuman said disdainfully: “What kind of onion do you think you are? Miaojuan was kindly helping you discipline an unruly servant, and you instead turn around and lecture this palace with a haughty attitude? You better watch your skin!”
Swallowing his anger, Jiang Wangnan lifted his head to meet her gaze directly: “I meant no such thing. Please do not misinterpret my words, Noble Consort.”
No one had ever dared to talk back to her like this. Gao Shuman raised her eyelids, finally taking a real look at the other’s appearance.
Clad in fluttering white robes with a single green ribbon binding his waterfall of hair, it was exceedingly simple.
Yet, miraculously, the plainer the elements, the more they served as a blank canvas, making his beauty all the more striking. The phrase “clothes make the man” simply didn’t apply to him.
Especially those eyes, clear as the springs of the nine mountains, yet sparkling like the nocturnal starry sky. She had never seen anyone with such pure eyes.
She froze involuntarily for a moment, unable to help sighing internally: There really are such ethereal beauties in this world.
However, as a veteran palace-fighter, her astonishment was merely a flash, almost imperceptible to anyone.
“Oh, glaring at me now? You’ve got quite some nerve.” Gao Shuman let out a contemptuous laugh, jealousy flashing in her eyes. “If I don’t properly discipline you today, wouldn’t you fly straight to the heavens another day? Miaojuan!”
“This slave is here.”
“The sunlight is just right today. Wouldn’t it be a shame not to take Consort Jiang to bask in the hottest spot?”
Qiu Ruo kowtowed to plead on their behalf: “Please retract your command, Noble Consort. The midday summer sun is scorching; my master is unaccustomed to the heat and cannot handle prolonged exposure. This servant begs to take his place.”
“Such a touching display of loyalty between master and servant. Hah, very well, this palace will grant your wish. Miaojuan, take her along and assign her to supervise Consort Jiang from the side,” Gao Shuman said leisurely.
Wasn’t this intentionally making someone burn with anxiety?
Watching Jiang Wangnan suffer punishment with your own eyes while remaining completely powerless, how agonizing was that, much like farmers watching a torrential downpour without being able to save their rice crops?
Jiang Wangnan wasn’t the original Shou; he figured he could endure a bit of hardship, and since it wasn’t the dead heat of midsummer yet, he should be able to manage.
If enduring this could cause Gao Shuman to temporarily let him off, he could choose to bear it. After all, who told him to hold such a low rank?
He gently comforted Qiu Ruo: “It’s fine, I can handle it. Let’s go.”
Just then, a palace maid emerged from the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility, announcing that the Empress Dowager was feeling slightly unwell and morning greetings were waived.
The corners of Gao Shuman’s eyes lifted, a trace of an ambiguous smile hanging on her lips: “Miaojuan, take them away, pick a nice spot, and find some tasks for them to do as well. Don’t mistreat them.”
Following that, Jiang Wangnan and the others were led by Miaojuan around to the backyard of the Imperial Kitchen. It was an open clearing surrounded on all sides by stacks of firewood.
At a single glance, their eyes automatically squinted. That open space felt like a treasure basin filled with the most blinding sunlight in heaven and earth, baking, scorching, and suffocating.
Before Jiang Wangnan had taken two steps, his skin began to struggle for air. Every breath he drew was piping hot.
Miaojuan summoned three eunuchs from somewhere and ordered them to push over three cartloads of cylindrical firewood, looking down her nose at them: “Chop until they’re all done!”
With a clatter, all the firewood was dumped out, piling up into three small mounds.
This would probably take until sunset. Jiang Wangnan’s hands hurt just looking at them.
Anxious, Qiu Ruo grabbed Miaojuan’s hand, quietly slipping a silver bracelet from her own wrist: “Miaojuan, a small token of sincerity. For the sake of our past friendship, can you show some leniency? My master has delicate skin and truly cannot endure this.”
The other woman gave a sidelong glance: “Who wants this junk? Besides, I never had a single day of full meals back at Xiying Palace; what right do you have to talk to me about past friendship?”
Without a moment’s hesitation, she flung the bracelet aside: “Whatever gifts my master casually gives out are a hundred times better than this! Listen well: if you dare disobey, I’ll go report you, and she can crush you to death with a single finger.”
A lump suddenly rose in Jiang Wangnan’s chest, making it heavy and stuffy. He knew Miaojuan’s words were vicious, but he simply didn’t know how to fight back, his mind completely blank.
He picked up the silver bracelet, blew off the surface dust, slipped it back onto Qiu Ruo’s wrist, and tried to lighten his tone: “Thank you. It’s okay, let’s get to work.”
The State of Zhao was located in the south, and the tail end of April felt almost like midsummer. Nearing noon, his hair had already been baked hot by the sun, his skin wet and sticky. Pearl-like beads of sweat hung on the tip of his nose, teetering on the verge of falling.
Wielding an axe, Jiang Wangnan raised it high and brought it down in a single stroke. His technique was extremely clumsy, requiring several chops to split a single log, and most of the finished pieces varied wildly in thickness.
He was a man, and though somewhat slender, he still had physical strength.
Worriedly, he looked over at Qiu Ruo. Her lips were slightly pale and chapped, her posture unsteady as she struggled to lift the axe, having to rest after every few swings.
Right then, a eunuch happened to walk past. Jiang Wangnan politely asked: “Little brother, could you please get us a cup of water? Add some sugar or salt if you can.”
The eunuch looked as though he had seen a ghost and bolted as fast as greased lightning.
A moment later, a palace maid walked by, and he repeated the request word for word.
She lowered her head and scuttled away like a street rat.
Qiu Ruo called out to him: “Your Grace, they are afraid of the Noble Consort and won’t help us.”
Jiang Wangnan felt deeply aggrieved: “Why? It’s just a cup of water, is that so hard?”
“Your Grace, in the imperial palace, it’s the law of the jungle where the strong prey on the weak and there’s no escape. Everyone climbs upward; some for fame and wealth, and others simply to preserve their own lives.”
“To Your Grace, that was just a glass of water within arm’s reach. But to them, giving it to you isn’t giving water; it is giving up their lives.”
“Because once they help us, they are making an enemy of Imperial Noble Consort Gao. Your Grace must realize you do not yet have the ability to protect them from her.”
Jiang Wangnan fell silent.
After a moment, he put down the axe and supported Qiu Ruo: “Come, let’s take a rest in the shade.”
“Not allowed to rest! Keep going!” Before they could even take a step, Miaojuan appeared, acting imperious and arrogant.
Jiang Wangnan flared up slightly: “Are you people completely unreasonable? Is there any need to be this harsh?”
“The Noble Consort’s word is reason! You disagree? Disagreeing means you still have energy! Someone, bring another cart of firewood!”
Jiang Wangnan was instantly left speechless.
How could things turn out like this?
He had clearly meant to help Qiu Ruo, but instead ended up making things worse.
Initially, he had thought that as long as he stayed fed, clothed, and maintained his strength, he could wait for the right moment to escape.
Now it seemed that if he remained in his current status as an Attendant of the seventh rank, the difficulty of taking care of himself and protecting those he wanted to protect would be higher than ascending to heaven.
Just like that man from the State of Yue who committed suicide by poison in prison last night, he had watched him die of poisoning with his own eyes, yet lacked the power to summon an imperial physician for him.
If he held a higher rank, would there have been a chance to save that person from Yue?
A certain notion grew increasingly clear, surfacing at this very moment: If I do not offend others, others will still come to offend me.
If he climbed to a rank even higher than the Noble Consort…
He finally knew which direction he needed to strive toward next.
Returning to Xiying Palace, it was already night.
Qiu Ruo was applying ointment to his reddened and peeling palms.
“Do you think the Emperor will flip my bamboo tally tonight?” Jiang Wangnan suddenly asked.
Qiu Ruo looked up at him in surprise: “Your Grace, didn’t you not want to serve in bed?”
He shifted his gaze, a peaceful smile blooming across his calm face: “Looking at it now, it seems not so hard to accept anymore.”
Shortly after, a long, drawn-out cry echoed from outside the door: “Imperial decree arriving…”