Transmigration: Reverse Exploitation, the System Works for Me

A look of confusion crossed Yu Ying'er's face. What was the Imperial Workshop for again?

My sister only told her about the cat and dog room, the flower room, and the laundry room.

Waaah~ Did she mess this up?

Consort Hua's eyes flashed, and she glanced hesitantly at Consort Zhuang.

In the palace, besides the management of palace servants, the most lucrative position is the imperial kitchen, and she originally intended to give this lucrative opportunity to Consort Zhuang.

Although there are some bone fragments in this fatty meat, the current Empress Dowager and the Uya family are nothing more than tigers without teeth and claws, and they can't cause any trouble at all.

Asha no longer had the confidence to act arrogantly.

Is Consort Zhuang stupid? She's pushing away the power that's been handed to her.

Or is this Chunrong's intention?

Did she want Consort Zhuang to keep a low profile?

But Chunrong could never have known that the emperor would take back the power of the palace from the empress and hand it over to her today!

Consort Hua couldn't understand it for a moment.

Without showing it outwardly, she gave the remaining palace power to Consort Qi and Consort Jin, and openly abused her power for personal gain. Under the pretext that Consort Qi needed to take care of the Third Prince for the Empress Dowager, she only gave her some small, unimportant things, while the majority of the power went to Consort Jin.

After Consort Hua finished dividing the palace power, the Emperor said, "Ulanara Alinbao's eldest daughter, Moyaqi, is quite pleasing to my eye. I have issued an edict to bestow upon her the title of Heshuo Gege and ordered that she be brought into the palace for education."

Consort Hua's eyes flashed; it was that sickly little girl.

Then, the Emperor looked at the Empress, "It just so happens that the Empress is also from the Ulanara clan, and by seniority, she should be Moyaqi's aunt. From now on, Moyaqi will be raised by the Empress. Is the Empress willing?"

The Empress was taken aback, then forced a smile. "Yes, Your Majesty, I am willing. Thank you for your grace."

Whether he liked it or not, the fact that the Emperor was willing to entrust Mo Yaqi to her care shows that the Emperor did not dislike her.

"Well then, that's settled then. I have other matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving now."

"Your Majesty, we, your humble servants, respectfully see you off."

As soon as the emperor left, the atmosphere in Jingren Palace became strange.

Consort Hua raised her hand and placed it on Songzhi's hand for support as she stood up.

At this moment, the emperor had just stepped out of the main hall of Jingren Palace, and the empress had not yet gotten up.

"The Queen."

Consort Hua turned to look at the Empress, who was still maintaining her composure, her face full of smug satisfaction.

The Empress's face was icy, and her gaze toward Consort Hua seemed to be venomous.

"Consort Hua, you have overstepped your bounds."

Consort Hua, unperturbed, held her belly and said, “Why is the Empress so harsh? His Majesty has specifically granted me permission to ‘not be so formal.’ If the Empress is dissatisfied, she can simply invite His Majesty back. Fortunately, His Majesty has not gone far yet.”

"You!" The Empress was furious, but she was speechless.

Everyone heard the Emperor's verbal instruction to Consort Hua to sit and listen to the imperial decree.

Seeing this, Consort Hua chuckled with a hint of smugness.

The Empress's chest heaved several times as she finally suppressed her anger. "What is it, Consort Hua?"

Consort Hua smiled charmingly and said, "Your Majesty is indeed forgetful. His Majesty just finished discussing matters of palace power with me. Now, it is only right that the Empress hand over all the account books and tokens."

The Empress's face turned ashen, and she could no longer maintain her usual facade. "Once I have sorted it out, I will naturally hand it over to you."

"That won't be necessary. Princess Moyaqi is still waiting for Her Majesty the Empress's care. Your Majesty, Consort Jin, and Consort Zhuang will handle the account book matter ourselves."

Consort Hua's eyes flickered, and she stared at the Empress with a half-smile.

"It is rare that Your Majesty is able to raise an infant again after so many years. Your Majesty should focus on taking care of the child. Although that Princess Moyaqi is not a royal heir, she has won the Emperor's favor. If something happens to her in Jingren Palace, Your Majesty will be held responsible."

The Empress's eyes darkened. Alinbao's sickly daughter was not destined for a long life. If she were to die in Jingren Palace, what would happen to the Emperor and the Ulanara family...

"Why should I, a mere concubine, have the right to tell me what to do?" The Empress stood before the main seat, looking down at Consort Hua with disdain.

Consort Hua remained unfazed, strolled to the chair, sat down slowly, and stared mockingly at the Empress who was making a show of herself.

"I don't want to give the Empress any advice, but His Majesty is not satisfied with her. For the sake of harmony in the harem, I have no choice but to put in more effort."

The Empress's anger, which she had barely managed to suppress, surged instantly. "Consort Hua, how dare you!"

Consort Hua remained calm and composed. "Your Majesty, you are wronging me. I was merely stating the truth. How could that be considered presumptuous?"

The Empress's face was ashen, and her fingers were trembling; she was visibly furious.

Unfortunately, Consort Qi and others who usually sided with the Empress dared not challenge her because Consort Hua held power in the palace, leaving the Empress suddenly isolated and helpless.

Jianqiu, unable to bear seeing her mistress humiliated, hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Your Highness Consort Hua, although the Emperor has temporarily entrusted you with the power of the palace, it is not a reason for you to criticize the Empress and disrespect her."

Consort Hua glanced at her. "Jingren Palace truly has excellent manners. Since when can servants interrupt their masters at will? Such ill-mannered people were taught by the Empress. Doesn't the Empress have anything to say?"

Before the Empress could speak, Consort Hua added, "If the Empress doesn't discipline them, then I'll have to put in a lot of effort."

The Empress and Jianqiu's expressions changed simultaneously. The power in the palace was in the hands of Consort Hua, and disciplining the palace servants was also Consort Hua's duty. No one could find fault with her.

Not wanting the Empress to be labeled as incompetent in managing her subordinates, Jianqiu gritted her teeth and knelt beside the Empress, kowtowing to Consort Hua to beg for forgiveness, "This servant knows her mistake, please punish me, Your Majesty."

Consort Hua smiled dismissively, then looked at the Empress, her gaze rather amused.

"She is indeed Your Majesty's personal maid, so Your Majesty should handle this matter. His Majesty has only recently entrusted me with the power of the palace. If I were to punish the maid of Jingren Palace on my very first day in power, wouldn't those who don't know the situation say that I am arrogant, domineering, and disrespectful to the Empress?"

The concubines below, who were bowing their heads and pretending not to exist, couldn't help but grumble inwardly, "Isn't this a sign of disrespect for the Empress?"

The empress was so angry that she was so enraged that she died.

Consort Hua ignored them and simply watched the two of them, mistress and servant, with great interest.

After a long silence, the Empress said with a stern face, "Is the Consort satisfied with the punishment of cutting off three months' worth of her monthly allowance?"

Consort Hua said quietly, "Whether I am satisfied or not is not important, as long as the palace servants below do not follow suit in the future."

The coercive tone in those words was obvious to anyone with ears.

Palace maids who disobey their superiors, lack respect for hierarchy, or offend the mistress are punishable by being dragged out and flogged for any one of these offenses.

Jianqiu knelt on the ground and kowtowed to the Empress, "Your Majesty, this servant begs for punishment."

The Empress gritted her teeth and glared at Consort Hua with hatred in her eyes. "Someone, bring out the account books and hand them over to Consort Hua."

Consort Hua raised an eyebrow, took Songzhi's hand and stood up, "Alright, then we will not disturb Her Majesty the Empress in dealing with her palace maids."

Consort Hua emphasized the word "palace maid," as if it were a reminder or a threat.