After the incident involving the First Prince, Fuca Langhua found herself growing fond of visiting the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager.
Raised in a prominent family, Fuca Langhua was well-spoken and knowledgeable. Zhen Huan quite enjoyed chatting with her and never discouraged her attempts to grow closer.
At this moment, the two of them were sharing tea and pastries while Fuca Langhua complained about Concubine Xian’s utter failure to discipline her maid.
“That A’ruo who serves Concubine Xian is truly outrageous. I don’t know where she heard those rumors, but she ran over to Lianxin and taunted her, saying that sooner or later I would marry her off to Wang Qin, the emperor’s head eunuch.
“Lianxin has always been gentle and quiet. How could she possibly argue with someone like A’ruo? After being mocked so harshly, she was driven to tears.”
Zhen Huan raised an eyebrow.
“And Concubine Xian? She just stood there listening?”
“Exactly so.” Fuca Langhua frowned. “At most, she offered a few perfunctory words of restraint. A’ruo hasn’t behaved this way for just a day or two. Since Concubine Xian refuses to discipline her own servant, someone else naturally stepped in to do it for her.”
Taking a sip of tea, Zhen Huan said, “From the sound of it, someone stood up for Lianxin.”
Fuca Langhua smiled and glanced toward Lianxin, who was standing nearby.
Lianxin stepped forward and continued the story.
“Thanks to Consort Gao. She was furious when she heard what A’ruo had said and ordered her to kneel along the palace pathway for several hours. She helped me vent my anger.”
Fuca Langhua added,
“Moreover, citing Concubine Xian’s failure to manage her servants properly, Xiyue ordered Concubine Xian to copy the Buddha Mother’s Sutra one hundred times.
“However, Xiyue has become much more measured these days. She had her chief eunuch supervise the punishment to make sure A’ruo wasn’t seriously harmed, and afterward she even sent an imperial physician to Yanxi Palace.
“A’ruo suffered nothing more than superficial injuries.”
“This time, Consort Gao handled things well,” Zhen Huan commented.
“A’ruo has always had a temper like a lit firecracker. Yet whenever Concubine Xian feels wronged, it’s always A’ruo who charges around seeking justice for her.
“Since Concubine Xian benefits from A’ruo’s behavior, naturally she’s unwilling to discipline her.”
Fuca Langhua frowned.
“If that’s the case, then when A’ruo is punished because of it, Concubine Xian should at least plead on her behalf.
“Xiyue told me that Concubine Xian only asked whether Shuangxi could hold an umbrella for A’ruo.
“But if someone stood outside in the rain holding an umbrella over her, then wouldn’t the punishment simply fall on Shuangxi instead?
“Naturally, Xiyue refused.
“And after that, Concubine Xian didn’t say another word.
“She didn’t even leave a junior maid behind to wait with A’ruo. In the end, A’ruo had to stumble back to Yanxi Palace all by herself.”
Zhen Huan shook her head.
“This Concubine Xian is always putting on a show of false kindness.
“When A’ruo’s personality benefits her, she says nothing.
“But the moment A’ruo’s behavior damages her own interests, she pushes A’ruo out to take the blame and pretends it’s all because A’ruo is impossible to control.
“Enough about her. How did A’ruo hear those rumors about Lianxin marrying Wang Qin?”
Fuca Langhua sighed but did not hide the truth.
“That Wang Qin has become emboldened by his lust. On several occasions, he’s sent gifts to Lianxin through intermediaries and hinted that he wants me to arrange the marriage.
“I admit I was overly cautious before. I didn’t want to offend Wang Qin, so I never gave him a firm refusal.
“But the last time I saw him, I made my position clear.
“Now Lianxin is the only close attendant I have left. I no longer need anyone to gather information from the emperor’s side.
“And since Lianxin doesn’t like Wang Qin, I can’t push her into a pit of fire.”
Zhen Huan understood.
Fuca Langhua was mindful of the fact that Zhen Huan’s former chief maid, Jinxi, had married Su Peisheng, the emperor’s chief eunuch, so she had refrained from saying anything harsher.
But how could Wang Qin possibly compare to Su Peisheng?
Su Peisheng was one of the few genuinely decent men in the original story.
When it mattered most, he had been willing to risk his life for Jinxi.
And if Jinxi herself hadn’t suggested the marriage to help Zhen Huan return to the palace, Su Peisheng would never have asked for her hand.
Zhen Huan snorted coldly.
“That bastard certainly thinks highly of himself.”
With that single sentence, she concluded the matter.
What she could not have imagined, however, was that Wang Qin was not only shamelessly ambitious—
his audacity was even greater than she realized.