Want to win the palace fight? Better to be crazy than to be idiotic!

If Su Feiran didn't have evidence, she would never have thought that Wu Jiayan was behind her.

Even if we put aside Wu Jiayan's reputation for managing the harem for many years, there is no benefit for her to plot against Su Feiran. By the standards of new concubines, Ronghua is a very high starting point, but for the four concubines, the nine concubines are really nothing. After all, the positions of the four concubines have been occupied. Unless the emperor insists on establishing a fifth concubine, Liu Ronghua is the pinnacle of Su Feiran's career as a concubine.

Even if Wu Jiayan was dissatisfied with the emperor's favoritism, given her status, she should have made suggestions to the emperor first, and advised the emperor to treat everyone equally as the head of the harem. It was petty and useless to plot against concubines of lower status than herself behind their backs.

But apart from her, no one else had the opportunity to tamper with Su Feiran's gift, and no one had any open feud with Su Feiran.

Fortunately, Su Feiran was able to adapt to the situation and come up with an idea of ​​storytelling, which was even more effective than presenting a painting at the shareholders' meeting. Moreover, she accidentally saved her painting.

Therefore, Su Feiran and Qin Feng'an decided to hang the newly cleaned painting in the most conspicuous place in Darley Garden the next day. If someone didn't know about it, they would definitely not take it seriously, but if someone was interested, they would definitely find a chance to find out the reason. This would test whether this matter was related to Concubine Jia.

The matter came to a temporary end. Qin Fengan hurriedly picked up "Easy to Raise" with great interest and began to study with Su Feiran how to pose more handsomely.

The two studied for a while, and Qin Fengan decided that tomorrow he would not only visit the Queen Mother and the foreign guest, but also find a swordsmanship master from among the generals.

......

Chitang Garden, Chitang Main Hall.

Wu Jiayan paced back and forth in the magnificent hall, and saw Ling'er and Rao'er, who were serving beside him, looking worried.

The Empress has been looking like this since she came back from the shareholders' meeting.

It is now three o'clock in the morning and Her Majesty has not yet gone to bed. I am afraid that the other concubines will not have to greet her good morning tomorrow.

But they didn't dare to persuade Wu Jiayan to go to bed early. Just now, Luo'er just said, "Your Majesty, it's time to go to bed," and was scolded by Wu Jiayan.

Since the Empress was not asleep, they couldn't sleep either. They had nothing to do, so they just stood aside and watched Wu Jiayan pace.

After a while, Wu Jiayan stopped, a trace of doubt flashed in his eyes:

"The Queen Mother came at that time, not earlier or later. I'm afraid someone must have tipped off."

Ling'er looked at Wu Jiayan in astonishment: "I wonder why the Queen Mother would have such an idea? If the Queen Mother herself doesn't want to come, who in the palace can persuade her?"

"The Queen Mother hurried over without informing the Emperor. It was obviously a spur-of-the-moment decision." Wu Jiayan gritted her teeth and said, "But if it was a spur-of-the-moment decision, why would she be dressed neatly and put on so much makeup? Someone must have tricked me!"

"This..." Ling'er and Rao'er looked at each other. This was a serious matter and they didn't dare to make random guesses.

Seeing the two of them being so timid, wanting to speak but not daring to, Wu Jiayan immediately snorted, "Don't I know what you are thinking? It must be that evil person Lin Xiuqing! She pretended to be lovely and cute on the surface, pretending to be tired and going ahead, but in fact she went to invite the Queen Mother to come in person! She and the Queen Mother are from the same family, so the Queen Mother will naturally obey her!"

Luo Er quickly responded: "If that's true, Concubine Xian is really vicious!"

Ling'er said hesitantly, "Concubine Shuo was also away from the table for a long time. Maybe she did it. She also has a close relationship with the Lin family. The Queen Mother usually takes good care of her, and sometimes even ignores Concubine Xian, who is a direct descendant of the Lin family."

"Of course I know their relationship, but this time there is an additional variable, Su Feiran, and they may also start to worry." Wu Jiayan said in a cold tone, "We can't delay any longer. Lin Xiuqing is a disaster. I must get rid of her first."

Rao'er and Ling'er didn't understand what Wu Jiayan said before, but they heard "get rid of Concubine Xian" clearly.

Luo'er and Ling'er knelt down: "We will obey the orders of the Imperial Concubine."

......

Zichen Palace, inside the courtyard.

Yu Liu and Ling'er stood opposite each other, confronting each other with a tense atmosphere.

Ling'er asked proudly, "The Imperial Concubine is the highest-ranking concubine in the back garden. Even your master cannot refuse her invitation, let alone a little maid like you."

"Empress Xian is sleepy and has already gone to bed. All candles in the palace are extinguished. Even if Concubine Jia is here in person, it is inconvenient to wake up Empress Xian unless it is a matter of life and death."

Yu Liu said calmly, but his eyes were as firm as a rock, and his aura was no less than Ling'er's.

"Moreover, Concubine Jia is only in charge of the affairs of the harem according to the will of His Majesty. Her actual position is among the four concubines, not the highest. His Majesty dares to grant Concubine Jia such power, which must be because he believes that Concubine Jia will handle official affairs impartially and will not be partial. If Concubine Jia wants to use this little power to humiliate other concubines, wouldn't His Majesty be placing his trust in the wrong person?"

"How dare you! What qualifications do you have to accuse the Imperial Concubine?"

Ling'er was immediately displeased when she heard Yu Liu slandering Concubine Jia. She could not even maintain the politeness on the surface, and suddenly raised her hand and rushed to Yu Liu, as if she wanted to slap this ignorant guy in the face so that she would know the surname of this concubine in the harem.

Yu Liu neither dodged nor dodged, and he didn't even close his eyes. At the critical moment, Ling'er's palm was about to leave a red palm print on Yu Liu's cheek, and the door behind them was suddenly pushed open with a "clang".

Ling'er's hand suddenly froze in the air. She looked around in surprise and found that the person who opened the door was Lin Xiuqing, who Yu Liu had said had gone to bed.

"Miss Ling'er, didn't Concubine Jia teach you the rules?"

Lin Xiuqing stood in the door frame and said indifferently,

"Even if Yu Liu is a maid of the lowest rank, you can't hit her. Now you dare to be so presumptuous in my palace. Do you think you can ignore other masters in the back garden except your own wife?"

Ling'er threw her hands in anger, glared at Yu Liu fiercely, then reluctantly bowed to Lin Xiuqing and said coldly:

"The rules of Chitang Garden are not as strict as those of Zichen Palace! I am only following the order of Concubine Jia to invite Concubine Xian to Chitang Garden for tea and reminiscing about the past. If Concubine Xian refuses, I am sure my queen will not force it. But Yu Liu is blocking me here, not even letting me see you, and even wants to kick me out! How can I report this to Concubine Guifei?"

Lin Xiuqing's eyes were indifferent. The noise of the two people quarreling in the yard was so loud that even the sparrows outside the yard could hear it. Naturally, she could hear it clearly in the hall.

Both parties were wrong. As a member of the Purple Palace, Yu Liu was loyal to Lin Xiuqing, so he would not let Ling'er into the palace to annoy her. Moreover, Wu Jiayan's invitation was most likely a Hongmen Banquet, and he might come up with some strange tricks to humiliate Lin Xiuqing. Of course, he would not go if he could avoid it. Although Yu Liu had overstepped his bounds, he did so for the purpose of protecting Lin Xiuqing.

Lin Xiuqing sighed secretly. It would be best if she could refuse. However, if Wu Jiayan really pursued the charge of disrespect, Yu Liu would probably be implicated as well.

"Miss Ling'er, I will give you a clear answer in person now." Lin Xiuqing said, "Lead the way."