Transmigration: Reverse Exploitation, the System Works for Me

Sun Zhuxi explained her considerations: "This servant thinks that if Your Majesty were to propose bestowing someone upon the Fourteenth Prince at this juncture, the Emperor would surely become suspicious. At that point, let alone manipulating the imperial physician to treat the Fourteenth Prince, it might backfire..."

"Therefore, I think this matter cannot be decided by you. It would be best to let Consort Zhuang personally ask the Emperor for help. Chunrong is already twenty-five years old, and it will be too late if she doesn't get married soon."

"Furthermore, Your Majesty's decision and Chunrong's willingness are two different things. If Chunrong is willing, she will definitely take better care of the Fourteenth Prince. Moreover, you are aware of Consort Zhuang's high regard for Chunrong. If Chunrong ends up in the Fourteenth Prince's residence, Consort Zhuang will certainly care about the Fourteenth Prince's future."

"Consort Zhuang and the Sixth Prince are quite favored and have a lot of influence with the Emperor. Even if it's just for Chunrong's sake, Consort Zhuang will take the initiative to speak well of the Fourteenth Prince to the Emperor. This time, it might even make the Emperor treat the Fourteenth Prince more favorably."

The power of pillow talk is never just talk.

After a moment's thought, the Empress Dowager uttered a single word: "Good!"

Xi Qiao, who had overheard the entire conversation between the master and servant, was utterly speechless.

You two, master and servant, are quite aloof, treating me like a mere note.

These two are probably dreaming!

However, the fact that the Empress Dowager went to such great lengths to send an imperial physician to examine the Fourteenth Prince and his sons shows that it was the Emperor who intervened.

The Empress Dowager's stroke and subsequent vomiting of blood must have been caused by learning this news.

Tsk——

The emperor acted far too quickly. She needs to speed up her previous plans as well; hopefully, it's not too late.

While she was making her own arrangements, Sun Zhuxi had already come out of the inner room.

She immediately went to greet her, first glancing into the quiet inner room, then lowering her voice to ask, "Granny, has Her Highness gone to sleep?"

Sun Zhuxi nodded. "Your Majesty, Chunmao and the others are here to look after you. Let's go to my room and have a good talk."

Xi Qiao raised the corners of his lips and responded repeatedly.

As she left the main hall of Shou Kang Palace, her gaze swept over a young eunuch pruning branches in the corridor, and she was overjoyed.

She didn't know if the little eunuch had overheard Sun Zhuxi's words, but she was certain that he was someone else's spy.

It's not surprising that there are spies in Shou Kang Palace, but the fact that this little eunuch wasn't caught after the Empress Dowager just cleaned up the palace shows that his master is quite powerful.

emperor!

Upon arriving at Sun Zhuxi's residence, Xi Qiao released his spiritual power, and sure enough, the little eunuch secretly followed him and was now squatting under the window eavesdropping!

The two sat down, and Sun Zhuxi exchanged a few pleasantries before steer the conversation to the main topic.

"Chunrong, now that Consort Zhuang has safely given birth to a prince, and the Sixth Prince is exceptionally healthy and greatly favored by the Emperor, you have finally secured your position in the palace. Do you have any plans for your future?"

Xi Qiao looked puzzled. "Me? Of course I will stay by your side and help you take care of the Sixth Prince."

Sun Zhuxi looked disapproving. "You, so clever all your life, have made a foolish mistake! Why don't you think about yourself? Now that Consort Zhuang and the Sixth Prince are backing you up, why do you still need to be a servant in the palace, watching other people's faces?"

“What do you mean by that, Granny? You know better than I how cruel the palace intrigues are. Consort Zhuang is naturally simple and straightforward and not good at such things, and the Sixth Prince is so young and fragile. If it weren’t for my protection, I’m afraid that she and her son…”

Xi Qiao pursed his lips and did not say anything unpleasant.

"As for leaving the palace... I am unwilling. Although I am a servant in the palace, I am already a head maid, and I came from the Empress Dowager's side. Ordinary ladies would give me some face when they meet me."

"Just as the old lady said, I have Consort Zhuang and the Sixth Prince behind me, so I don't need to worry about taking care of myself in my old age. As for my living conditions, if I may not be afraid of the old lady's suspicion, with Consort Zhuang taking care of me, my food, clothing and daily necessities are no worse than those of a Noble Lady."

“I know what life is like outside the palace. Besides, after I leave the palace, my family will most likely arrange a marriage for me. I’m already twenty-five this year, what kind of good family can I possibly end up with?”

How could Sun Zhuxi not know these principles? But isn't it just that the Empress Dowager is looking for someone as suitable as Chunrong?

She looked at Xi Qiao with anger at his lack of self-control: "That's why I said you were confused for a moment! You only saw the benefits of staying in the palace for yourself, without considering Consort Zhuang and the Sixth Prince at all."

"Your relationship with Consort Zhuang and the Sixth Prince is not a secret in the palace. Currently, Consort Zhuang is only a concubine and the Sixth Prince is still young, so no one has brought up your existence."

"But if Consort Zhuang were to ascend to the rank of Imperial Concubine, and the Sixth Prince were to grow older and enter the Imperial Study, how would you and the Sixth Prince be expected to live with your own elder sister and aunt who are now servants?"

"Aren't there other princes from the royal family studying in the Imperial Study? Which of those young masters doesn't come from a prominent family and have powerful backing? It's one thing that our Sixth Prince can't be supported by his maternal family, but he also has a aunt who is a servant. How can the Sixth Prince stand up straight?"

As Sun Zhuxi spoke, she observed Xi Qiao's expression. Seeing that her face was deathly pale, she couldn't help but feel satisfied.

Then he spoke with increasing seriousness, "Chunrong, you have also witnessed the dangers of the struggle for the throne. The Sixth Prince's background is inherently inferior to that of the other princes. The Emperor favors the Sixth Prince now because he is the youngest, but the Emperor will have other princes. How long can this favor last?"

"In this palace, besides imperial favor, the most important thing is family background. The emperor is fickle, so you have to plan for the long term. Even if you're not aiming for that position, you still need to give the Sixth Prince some confidence to act recklessly, right?"

Xi Qiao bit her lip, struggling, her expression becoming increasingly conflicted: "Thank you for your guidance, Granny, but—but the Yu family and I—"

Sun Zhuxi said meaningfully, "If it were just you and the Yu family, it would naturally be of little help to the Sixth Prince. However, the Empress Dowager has always liked your thoughtfulness and care, and she also dotes on the Sixth Prince. Naturally, she will make good plans and arrangements for you."

"Our Empress's youngest son, the Fourteenth Prince, is the Emperor's own brother, born of the same mother. He is of noble birth and has a promising future. However, due to the rebellion of the Eighth Prince's faction, the Fourteenth Prince was punished by being sent to guard the imperial mausoleum."

Sun Zhuxi sighed, her face full of a "you got off easy" expression.

"As the saying goes, 'fighting tigers is like fighting brothers.' Even if the Emperor is furious with the Fourteenth Prince, he is still a close brother to him. After his anger subsides, he will always remember the good things about the Fourteenth Prince. It's just that the Imperial Mausoleum is a harsh place, and our Fourteenth Prince has always been treated with great respect. The Empress Dowager can't help but feel sorry for him."