A life of ups and downs is pure joy

The main hall of Chaoyang Palace was resplendent with golden emeralds, carved beams and painted buildings, creating an atmosphere of solemnity and awe. In the center, in the upper seat, sat the graceful Empress Weilan, dressed in gorgeous attire and a phoenix crown and robe, appearing even more regal.

Beside her stood Su Jin, who was standing tall and graceful. Her eyebrows were as dark as distant ink, her eyes were as clear as autumn water, and she was wearing a lavender dress that fluttered in the wind, like a fairy descending to earth.

In this spacious hall, a room full of concubines sat.

These women were either charming and pretty, or dignified and quiet, or lively and lovely, each with their own unique charm. Some of them were familiar faces who often came and went in the palace, but many were strangers who were rarely seen on weekdays.

However, regardless of whether they knew each other or not, everyone came to pay their regular morning and evening respects to the Queen according to the rules.

Su Jin had not yet received an official title within the harem, and merely resided in the Hehuan Palace as the First-Rank Princess Jianing. However, because she was deeply loved by Empress Wei Lan, she was even publicly announced as her adopted sister.

Therefore, at this moment, she did not need to pay her respects to the queen like many other concubines, and naturally she did not need to sit among them.

All that was heard was Queen Wei Lan looking at the group of beauties below with a smile, and speaking slowly.

"With the New Year approaching, a family banquet for the entire palace is absolutely necessary. Just like in previous years, today, sisters, why not think carefully about what kind of wonderful performances and extraordinary talents you can present to His Majesty and the old emperor? This will please His Majesty!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a whisper suddenly arose from the audience.

At this moment, a slightly lazy voice suddenly sounded.

"Your Majesty is a serious person by nature. Even if he does feel like smiling, there's probably no need for us to go to such great lengths to please him! Look at Princess Jianing. If she just sits there casually, even if Your Majesty doesn't like to smile much, he'll probably be able to smile!"

The person who said this was Concubine Hui Cheng Zhinan.

At this moment, she was carelessly stroking the new hairpin on her head and glanced at Su Jin with a smile.

"Empress Hui, please don't forget that you and I have been in the palace together for many years. You should be considered an old member of the palace. How come you still speak and act so unruly and unceremonious?"

Wei Lan frowned slightly, her eyes falling on the relative in front of her who had a close relationship with her, and her tone revealed a hint of helplessness and blame.

When Concubine Hui heard this, a look of grievance appeared on her face, and she quickly defended herself.

"Your Majesty, please calm down. I didn't mean to say anything wrong. The truth is, all these years, all the programs we sisters have painstakingly prepared have never captured His Majesty's heart! Every time the palace banquets haven't even ended, His Majesty hurried back to the Imperial Library to handle government affairs. I really don't know who we are trying to impress with all these efforts..."

At this point, Hui Fei's words unconsciously carried a hint of complaint.

He Concubine He, who had just been released from house arrest, was also indignant when she heard this. She was always outspoken and immediately spoke up.

"That's right! Look, Your Majesty, every palace banquet is like this? Often, the Lord gets up and leaves halfway through the banquet, leaving us all staring at each other in bewilderment. Our carefully choreographed program is wasted, and we don't know whose favor they're trying to please."

As she spoke, Concubine He couldn't help but glare at the woman next to the Queen, whom she had offended before, with resentment and jealousy in her eyes.

Seeing this, Wei Lan coughed lightly as a warning, then spoke slowly.

"Stop your nonsense! Whether you want to make His Majesty smile or please the old emperor, this is the duty of a concubine. Now that you have entered this palace and enjoy wealth and splendor, why complain all day long?"

At this moment, Concubine Hui suddenly noticed that Wei Lan's face seemed paler than usual, and she couldn't help but ask with concern.

"Your Majesty, are you feeling unwell? I noticed you didn't look well when I entered just now. Could it be that you've been overworked lately?"

Concubine Hui asked with concern on her face. Concubine Xian Fang Duoduo, as well as Concubine Gu and Concubine He who had always been following her like a shadow, also turned their eyes to the seat of honor when they heard the voice.

"I am fine, just a little bit unwell."

Wei Lan said this lightly, and Su Jin took the tea that He Ye was about to bring and handed it to her gently.

"Princess Jianing is truly virtuous. Not only does she coax the Emperor into a state of great joy, but she also treats the Empress with the utmost care. We really need to learn from her."

Fang Duoduo said casually with a hint of sneer on her lips. Seeing this, the other two concubines also cast contemptuous glances at Su Jin.

"Sister Xianfei is quite clear-headed. Since she knows that the Empress is in poor health, as the elder sister of the Four Concubines, she should help the Empress and share her worries."

Su Jin remembered that Wan Dong had mentioned many times how Concubine Xian had made things difficult for the original owner, so she naturally retorted without any hesitation.

"After being crowned a princess, her teeth have become sharper. She's no longer as fragile as she was in the Imperial Garden, where a gust of wind could blow her into the lake."

Hepin mocked him sarcastically, seeming to hold a grudge.

"Princess He felt she had been enjoying herself a bit during the days of lockdown, but now that the lockdown has been lifted, she can't sit still again. No matter how strong the wind in the Imperial Garden is, it can't compare to the majesty of the Emperor. The next time that majesty blows towards Yongning Palace, not a single brick or tile will be able to withstand the turmoil."

Concubine Hui, who was always unforgiving, continued to chatter. She was a smart person. Who in the harem didn't know that Jianing was the beloved treasure of the emperor and the empress? If she wanted to gain a firm foothold in this deep harem, she had to make her position clear now. When would she choose her side?

When Su Jin heard this, she couldn't help but recall what Wan Dong had told her before - she was pushed into the freezing cold lake water by a hateful pervert.

It was precisely because of this that she had the opportunity to travel through time and occupy the original owner's body. Thinking about it this way, that perverted hand could truly be considered a coincidence that led to her current fate.

Su Jin narrowed his eyes slightly and spoke in a faint voice.

"The lake water was truly icy cold. This princess has a vivid memory of it! Concubines and sisters, please be careful when walking here in the future."

After Su Jin finished speaking, she paused, looked at the concubines with a smile, and spoke slowly.

"I just don't know which palace this gloomy wind is blowing from..."

At the end of her speech, the corners of her mouth rose slightly, revealing a meaningful smile.

Then he added: "Your Majesty has said that this matter is not over yet!"

Wei Lan turned her head to look at Su Jin, smiled slightly and nodded, indicating her to continue.

"The Queen is not feeling well now, so I will put this matter aside for now and naturally prioritize the upcoming annual banquet."

"However, the wind direction in this palace is very unpredictable! It's just like a terrifying tornado. Do you know what a tornado is? It comes with great force, and once it blows, it can kill anyone it sweeps into it!"

After saying that, Su Jin gently and carefully handed the teacup that Wei Lan had just used to He Ye who was waiting on the side.

After hearing her words, all the concubines present looked at each other and began to talk in low voices. They were obviously very unfamiliar and curious about the tornado that Su Jin mentioned.

At this moment, Fang Duoduo, who had been sitting in silence in the corner, changed her expression slightly, but quickly returned to normal. Lady Gu, who was sitting next to her, looked a little nervous.

"I wonder what Princess Jianing has planned for this annual banquet. Why not share it with everyone so we can learn from it?"

Concubine Xian Fang Duoduo finally couldn't hold back her resentment anymore, and she looked directly at the woman who was sitting at the top of the table and had recently been greatly favored by the emperor and was in the limelight, and asked.

Facing Fang Duoduo's questioning, Su Jin smiled slightly and shook his head gently.

"As for me, haha... I'm sure Concubine Hui has already told everyone before. As for me, all I need to do is sit there quietly, savor some delicious fruits, and enjoy the wonderful performances. I'll be happy and carefree."

Su Jin looked at Concubine Xian proudly and replied.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Princess Jianing hasn't been officially canonized yet. In that case, there's really no need to prepare any special performances."

Empress Xian gently covered her cherry lips with a handkerchief and pretended to be surprised as if she had just remembered this matter, and responded.

However, her peach blossom eyes, which were very similar to Lin Qinghuan's, were so pure and bright, but in fact they were filled with undisguised sarcasm.

"What does it matter whether he is enthroned or not? Is it really that important? Let me tell you, His Majesty's favorite is still the fragrant tea from the Chaoyang Palace and the Hehuan Palace. Hehe, look at him, day after day, the tea is almost gone!"

Seeing this, Su Jin was unwilling to be outdone and deliberately wanted to engage in a verbal battle with Concubine Xian. She deliberately pinched her voice, imitating the sarcastic tone, and complained to Queen Wei Lan in a coquettish manner.

At the same time, she also glanced at Concubine Xian - Fang Duoduo out of the corner of her eye. As expected, Concubine Xian's face had become as gloomy as the sky covered with dark clouds.

"Haha, if there's any shortage of food and daily necessities in this palace, Jianing, just tell me. Don't let yourself be wronged in the slightest. Otherwise, if the emperor blames you one day, I won't be able to bear the responsibility."

Wei Lan had not originally expected that the woman next to her could make Empress Xian, who had made her endure years of resentment, so angry that her face turned gloomy and her hair stood on end with just a few words.

At this moment, she couldn't help but feel secretly relieved in her heart, so she smiled and gently patted Su Jin's jade hand, and spoke softly with a doting look.

"Thank you for your concern, Jianing understands."

Hearing Queen Weilan's thoughtful words, Su Jin hurriedly nodded in response and bowed slightly to express her gratitude.

"Your Majesty, I am not feeling well. I will take my leave now."

Seeing that she had lost the verbal battle, Empress Xian was extremely angry, but she couldn't lose her temper on the spot. She could only force a smile and bid farewell to Queen Weilan.

After she finished speaking, she turned around and left in a hurry without waiting for the other party to reply. Her back looked quite embarrassed. Concubine He and Concubine Gu also stood up, saluted, and then left.

"Hey, they've all left. Why is Zhou Huanyi still here?"

Concubine Hui glanced at Concubine Xian's followers who were still sitting in their original seats, and asked with a slightly puzzled tone.

Zhou Huanyi's body trembled slightly, and her hands unconsciously clenched the hem of her skirt. Then she slowly raised her head, looked timidly at Wei Lan and Su Jin who were sitting in the upper seats, and answered cautiously.

"Sister Huifei, I will naturally stay to help the Empress share her worries. How dare I leave so easily?"

Su Jin, who was standing aside, did not originally pay attention to this woman, but after hearing Concubine Hui's question and Zhou Huanyi's response, his heart couldn't help but move.

Judging from Concubine Hui's tone, Zhou Huanyi was clearly not on the Queen's side. Therefore, Su Jin decided to remain calm and observe the situation before making any final conclusions.

Wei Lan's face was mellow. After a light cough, he turned his head to look at a concubine who had been sitting quietly in the front and remained silent, and spoke slowly.

"Sister Defei, do you have any unique ideas for this annual banquet?"

Su Jin followed Wei Lan's gaze and instantly recognized the woman called Defei - she was the one who came to celebrate her canonization as a princess and gave her the exquisite jade bracelet.

Su Jin couldn't help but look up and down carefully again at the Defei in front of him. Judging from the Defei's appearance, he estimated that her age was probably a little older than the emperor and the queen.

Back then, when the king had just ascended the throne, he appointed one queen and two concubines.

Among them, the one who occupies the position of the center palace is naturally the Queen Wei Lan in front of us; the other two concubines are Concubine De Liu Anya who is talking with everyone at this moment, and the other is a concubine who rarely appears in the palace.

Speaking of Concubine De Liu Anya, her background is not simple. Her grandfather is the highly respected Prime Minister Liu Tai of the previous dynasty.

As for the other concubine, her title was Shu. Su Jin had never met her yet. He heard from Wan Dong that she was not in good health, and the queen also exempted her from the morning and evening visits.

Concubine Yan Lingwei's father, Yan Rui, was a formidable veteran general who guarded the borders with immense power. In the past, the Yan family was prosperous and bustling, but time has changed and the world has changed. Following Yan Rui's death on the battlefield, Concubine Yan Lingwei's only brother, Yan Jun, has inherited his father's legacy and continues to defend the border city where his father had guarded his entire life.

Because of this, Gong Zheshan, the real ruler of the Great Yan royal family and a general in charge of a large number of troops, hopes that Yan Jun's only sister can stay in the deep palace and enjoy a leisurely life. In this way, he can ensure that he can devote himself to serving the country without distraction on the front line.

Gong Heyu's huge harem is filled with beauties and concubines.

However, only Fang Duoduo was allowed by him to enter the palace to accompany him. As for the other women, they were all carefully planned and arranged by Gong Zheshan and Gong Koushi.

This naturally also includes his current wife, the foreign queen Wei Lan who came from afar through imperial marriage.

All I could hear was Concubine De's gentle voice saying, "Besides being able to play the pipa, I can't think of any other new and creative tricks I can come up with."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wei Lan nodded and said, "Then Sister, you may as well continue to act as usual. After all, the old emperor has always loved listening to your wonderful pipa music."

Someone then chimed in, "Indeed! I heard our monarch's biological mother passed away long ago. The old imperial concubine's specialty was playing the pipa and performing the exotic Green Waist Dance. No wonder the old emperor specially rewards Concubine De with pipa skills every year."

The person who spoke was Concubine Hui, and her envy was hard to hide in her words.

Su Jin became excited after hearing this. She knew how to perform the Green Waist Dance. After all, she had practiced hard for a long time in order to perform on stage. She just didn't know what this exotic Green Waist Dance looked like. Since the names were similar, there shouldn't be much difference.

"Sister Huifei's konghou skills are truly superb. Even His Majesty has praised her highly!"

Concubine De spoke with a smile on her face and a tone full of politeness and praise.

Hearing this, Concubine Hui snorted and replied unhappily.

"Oh, forget it! I've been in the palace for five years now, and the Lord only gave me a casual compliment. Maybe he's already forgotten it!"

As she spoke, she casually took out the handkerchief in her hand and gently wiped the sweat from her forehead.

Su Jin found it quite amusing to see the woman's casual and straightforward manner, so he lowered his head and smiled faintly.

Wei Lan asked when she saw the woman who sat down and followed Fang Duoduo every day.

"Where's the pericycle?"

Zhou Huanyi was suddenly called out, and was startled. He stood up hurriedly and answered tremblingly.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me, Your Majesty!"

Wei Lan frowned slightly and lectured earnestly.

"You've been in the palace for two years now. You should really think about how to please the emperor. You can't just sit around in this pavilion all day, chatting and doing other things, just being an idler!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Huanyi was so frightened that his face turned pale. He quickly knelt on his knees and responded repeatedly.

"Yes, your Majesty's teachings are very true. I will definitely keep them in mind and will consider this matter carefully in the future."

Seeing this, Wei Lan waved her hand and signaled her to stand up.

"That's it, get up."

Su Jin, who was standing aside and watching the fun, could now see clearly that Zhou Huanyi, the former follower of Empress Xian, was now obviously looking for another powerful person to rely on.