The passers-by are vicious

"My fellow showgirls, from today on you will all practice dancing together until the audition is over."

"In previous years, those who did not become concubines or were re-selected could go home and marry on their own, but this year is different. There is a shortage of manpower in the palace, and all the selected girls who were not re-selected will directly serve as palace maids."

"Whether you become a concubine or a palace maid depends on your abilities." Aunt Chen, the housekeeper, said this meaningfully and glanced at the ladies below. The expressions of the ladies had indeed become subtle, and some even had a look of uneasiness on their faces.

After all, they are all pampered girls in the family. Being a palace maid means serving others. They have never done that before, so they naturally don't want to be a palace maid.

Aunt Chen knew that what she said was too blunt, but she didn't care what these ladies were thinking.

The current emperor is cold-hearted and suspicious, and so far no queen has been able to please him.

He treats the concubines with indifference and treats them equally, but he doesn't know how many of them will be lucky enough to become the master this year.

I am afraid that even if she becomes a concubine, she will just be an unpopular beauty. As an old lady in the palace, Aunt Chen naturally knows some of the reasons.

Nowadays, all the concubines in the palace are decorations that the emperor took in to shut up those ministers, and also to comfort the empress dowager who was praying in Hanshui Temple.

The current Empress Dowager is devoted to worshipping Buddha and never asks about the affairs of the court or the harem. However, from time to time, news comes that urges the Emperor to have children.

After all, the current emperor has committed many murders in order to concentrate all his efforts. The empress dowager said that she was praying for blessings, but in fact it was to accumulate virtue for her son.

What's more, the current emperor is not only suspicious, but also cold and ruthless. I'm afraid these beauties will not be able to get what they want.

I wonder how many people will survive this year.

Aunt Chen shook her head in her heart and thought with pity as she looked at the beautiful girl below.

After all, the palace is a place where people are eaten alive. Without the emperor's favor, you will soon wither and die.

After all, the concubines who are able to survive nowadays are all ruthless people.

When Aunt Chen noticed Li Ranyan, who was looking down and whose expression could not be seen clearly, she raised her eyebrows slightly, a little surprised.

There is a smart one this year, but I don’t know if her intelligence can allow her to survive in the palace.

And when her eyes inadvertently caught sight of Jiang Wanwan's indifferent expression, her eyes lit up and the amazement in her eyes could not fade away for a long time.

This young lady was so beautiful that even she couldn't help but be distracted for a moment when she saw her.

Aunt Chen suddenly felt unsure whether the emperor could still remain indifferent when seeing Jiang Wanwan.

She couldn't help but feel a little excited, because she was the personal maid who once served the Queen Mother, and now she was arranged here to carry out the mission assigned by the Queen Mother.

However, she failed to complete the talent shows several times, and this year, Aunt Chen suddenly felt that she would be able to return to the Queen Mother to ask for a reward soon.

He couldn't help but focus his attention on Jiang Wanwan, often secretly observing her every move.

But when she saw her file, Aunt Chen frowned slightly, but she quickly thought it over. Even if she had a lover, so what? As long as the emperor wanted something, he would get it.

It depends on whether she is lucky enough to be favored by the emperor. If not, it is considered her fate and she can be allowed to leave the palace.

It’s not that Aunt Chen has so much power that she can decide whether to stay or go.

But it was impossible for all the unsuccessful beauties to stay and become palace maids.

After all, the concubines' fathers and brothers have high-ranking official positions, so they can naturally be allowed to return home and marry on their own.

As for those who had no official position or were down and out...they had no choice but to stay and become palace maids.

……

Because of Aunt Chen's words, all the concubines naturally worked harder when practicing dancing. Only Jiang Wanwan still had an indifferent expression, as if she was not interested in dancing or becoming a concubine.

But the other ladies did not let down their guard, instead they wanted to kick her out.

Because they are even more afraid of Jiang Wanwan today. Even if she has no intention, as long as she is in the palace, it will be difficult for others to make a breakthrough.

Even Li Ranyan looked at Jiang Wanwan with a puzzled expression, and seemed to have some ideas in mind.

.........

After practicing dancing, the concubines walked back to their rooms exhausted. Jiang Wanwan still returned to the room amid the fearful looks of the other concubines, picked up the teapot on the table and poured a glass of water to drink.

But she was interrupted by a knock on the door, so Jiang Wanwan had to put down the cup and go to open the door.

Jiang Wanwan was slightly surprised to see the person coming. "Hello, Aunt Chen. What do you want to talk to me about?"

Aunt Chen walked into the room with a sullen face, looked at the tea on the table, picked it up and took a slight sniff, and found something wrong.

"I got the news that someone tampered with the teapot in your house."

Handing the teapot in her hand to the palace maid who came in with her, Aunt Chen then calmly told Jiang Wanwan, who was still confused.

Then he looked at the other concubines who were gathered at the door to watch the excitement with a scrutinizing look, and said in a gloomy face and cold voice: "I don't care who you are and what means you want to use. As long as you are concubines and under my jurisdiction, I will not allow such sinister means of murder to occur in Chuxiu Palace."

After being warned by Aunt Chen, the other concubines looked at each other with different expressions, wondering who did it.

Jiang Wanwan didn't expect that she had no intention of becoming a concubine, and some of them were still worried about her.

If it weren’t for Aunt Chen, I would have fallen victim to some unknown trick. Even if I had been able to leave the palace as I wished, I would have already...

Li Ranyan, who was standing among the group of women showing off, looked at Jiang Wanwan who was standing there unharmed, and secretly sighed in her heart that it was a pity.

If Aunt Chen had come a little later, Jiang Wanwan would have been eliminated directly, which would mean that there would be one less strong rival.

However, it might not be easy to do it. However, what happened today was not done by her. She just said it as a joke unintentionally. As for who did it, it has nothing to do with her, so she naturally does not feel guilty.

Facing Aunt Chen's scrutinizing gaze, Li Ranyan remained calm and looked at her without any avoidance.

Aunt Chen's eyes only stayed on her for a moment and then moved away.

It happened that Aunt Chen heard the palace maid's words and her eyes were fixed on the pretty woman in yellow among the concubines.

Noticing Aunt Chen's look, the yellow-dressed beauties looked away, grasped their sleeves in panic, their lips trembling slightly, and confessed everything.

“It’s not me….”

Without even needing Aunt Chen to say anything, two eunuchs walked over and pulled the young lady in yellow out from the crowd.

"Framed the concubine, send her directly to the laundry department to be disciplined."

Hearing Aunt Chen's judgment, the yellow-dressed girl struggled in fear and said, "Aunt, I was wrong. Please forgive me this time."

The laundry department is where the lowest-ranking palace maids stay.

Not only is it dirty and filthy, but there is also a fishy smell every day.

They also have to endure bullying, do the roughest and heaviest work every day, and are tortured by all kinds of difficulties.

If you go in, you will never be able to get out unless you are pardoned by a noble in the palace.

"No." The lady in yellow shook her head in fear, her voice choked with sobs.

"Aunt Chen, please."

"aunt."

The young lady in yellow struggled and screamed without giving up. Her face was covered with tears and her hair was hanging down and sticking to her face due to her struggle. She no longer looked dignified as before. She looked like a female ghost, and was in as miserable a state as could be.

There was a flash of disgust in Aunt Chen's eyes, but looking at the pitiful appearance of the lady in yellow, she knew that she was just a fool being used as a gun.

But a surge of anger still rose in her heart. If she hadn't intended to harm others, how could she be used?

Aunt Chen looked at the yellow-dressed girl crying and begging, with a hint of disgust in her eyes, and snorted coldly: "If you don't want to go, then get out of the palace."

When the yellow-dressed lady heard this, a hint of joy appeared on her face. It was better to go home than to go to the laundry. She wiped her face with her sleeve without caring about her image, but Aunt Chen's next words made her despair.

"But if you do this, the news of you framing Xiu Nu will spread to your family. How can the sister of such a vicious person have the face to marry?"

Upon hearing this, the lady in yellow stiffened, her face turned pale, and her eyes widened in disbelief.

If this matter were to get back home, all the unmarried girls in the family would probably be implicated, and her father would even beat her to death.

"Aunt, please don't send me out of the palace."

"If you know what's happening, you should behave yourself and not implicate your cousin." Aunt Chen's attitude was firm. She was not moved at all and looked as hard-hearted as a rock.

(It seems a bit serious. I don’t really know much about the palace rules. I learned all of them from watching TV dramas. Please bear with me.)

She had seen a lot of things like this in the palace, and it was just the right time for her to use an example to scare the restless concubines and make them calm down.

If you want to blame someone, blame the concubine for bumping into you.

"I......."

Finally, the lady in yellow fell to the ground with a dead heart and allowed the eunuch to drag her away. Only after she disappeared did the other ladies dare to whisper.

The concubines naturally heard Aunt Chen's warning. This was the fate of the concubine in yellow who harmed others in Chuxiu Palace.

Li Ranyan felt a little depressed. She didn't expect that Aunt Chen could be so cruel.

After Aunt Chen has finished what she wanted to say, let everyone disperse.

Unable to defeat her rival, she naturally had no intention of talking to the other ladies. Li Ranyan turned around and left. She wanted to go back and think about how to see the emperor next.

Aunt Chen narrowed her eyes as she watched Li Ranyan leave.

Does Li Ranyan have a grudge against Jiang Wanwan? Why did she react so calmly when she saw Jiang Wanwan was about to be attacked? It seems that she must have been involved in this matter.

As expected, no woman who enters the palace has an easy life. It looks like she will be busy in the future.

.........

After Aunt Chen left, the concubines began to whisper again, discussing what had just happened to the concubine in yellow.

"Do you think the mastermind this time is someone in the palace..."

The concubine next to her immediately replied, "That's impossible. How could the concubines be so mean to us concubines? We may not be able to..."

A purple-clad beauty snorted coldly, glanced at Jiang Wanwan's closed door and whispered, "Just because we can't, doesn't mean she can't."

"With such beauty, if I were a concubine, I would definitely get rid of her. Otherwise, if she really is favored, she would be a formidable enemy."

The other concubines all nodded in agreement, then stared at Jiang Wanwan's back. There was an unknown dark light in the eyes of the purple-dressed concubine.

I failed to eliminate her. That lady in yellow is really a waste.