Transmigration: Reverse Exploitation, the System Works for Me

At this moment, Xiao Lianzi ran over with a big smile: "Your Highness, Aunt, no, Princess, Princess, the Imperial Concubine has sent someone to deliver a congratulatory gift to you."

Zhou Ninghai was followed by a line of eight strong and healthy eunuchs, each carrying a tray piled high with food.

"This servant greets Consort Zhuang and Princess Yu Jia. Hearing of Princess Yu Jia's joyous occasion, my lady has sent me to offer my congratulations."

Zhou Ninghai was well aware that his master had a close relationship with this future wife of the Sixth Prince, so he naturally treated her with great kindness and intimacy.

Xi Qiao raised an eyebrow and smiled, then stepped forward and stuffed a thin purse into Zhou Ninghai's sleeve.

"Thank you, Your Highness, and thank you, Eunuch Zhou, for making this trip. Please convey my gratitude to Your Highness when you return. I will be leaving the palace soon and am truly unable to attend to you. I will definitely pay my respects and express my gratitude to Your Highness when I enter the palace tomorrow."

Zhou Ninghai subtly wiped his purse, and his smile immediately widened.

"Oh, Princess, you're too kind. You and my lady are family, there's no need to be so formal. When I came here, the Imperial Concubine was talking about eating your wedding candy. Next time you go to the palace to express your gratitude, Princess, you must bring some with you."

"must."

After Zhou Ninghai left, Jianqiu arrived.

Eight palace maids followed behind Jianqiu.

"This servant is here on the orders of Her Majesty the Empress to congratulate Princess Yu Jia."

Xi Qiao accepted the gift respectfully, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Jianqiu was relatively polite to the Xiqiao sisters, who could be considered half of her own people. However, when she entered the house and saw the piles of fabrics and jewelry on the table, her smile vanished instantly.

The congratulatory gift was sent earlier than the Empress's and was also more generous. In the palace, no one but Consort Hua had the ability and confidence to do so.

After exchanging a few polite words, Jianqiu left with a forced expression.

Afterwards, Zhongcui Palace received congratulatory gifts from Consort Qi, Consort Jing, Consort Jin, and others one after another.

When Su Peisheng led Sun Zhuxi there, they ran into Consort Fei, Consort Yun, and Zhen Huan's palace servants carrying congratulatory gifts to the palace gate.

Although Sun Zhuxi did not know Yun Xinluo and Zhen Huan's palace maids, Fei Changzai often went to Shou Kang Palace to pay her respects when she was still Consort Li, so her personal maid Sun Zhuxi was familiar with her.

"Eunuch Su, Granny Sun."

The three palace maids who bumped into each other greeted Su Peisheng and Sun Zhuxi.

Su Peisheng chuckled and told them not to stand on ceremony, then led the way into Zhongcui Palace.

Sun Zhu took a step back, her gaze falling on the brocade box held by the three palace maids, and asked thoughtfully, "What is this?"

"Replying to Granny, we servants are here on the orders of the ladies to deliver congratulatory gifts to Princess Yu Jia."

congratulations?

Sun Zhuxi finally realized that something was wrong.

—If the Empress and the high-ranking concubines did not take the lead in sending congratulatory gifts, Fei Chang would certainly not send gifts to the same person at the same time among these lower-ranking concubines.

Even though the Fourteenth Prince was the Empress Dowager's biological son and the Emperor's younger brother, his status was extremely noble.

Even though Chunrong was Consort Zhuang's older sister, she was promoted to the Bordered Yellow Banner by the Emperor's grace.

But after entering the Fourteenth Prince's residence, she was just a mere princess. What qualifications did she have to be looked up to by these high-ranking concubines in the harem who had sons and power, who were vying to send her congratulatory gifts for fear of being slighted or impolite?

This is not right!

Sun Zhuxi paused, a strange sense of panic rising in her heart: "Eunuch Su."

Su Peisheng didn't even lift his eyelids and continued walking forward: "Granny Sun, we're already inside Zhongcui Palace, let's go inside and talk."

Sun Zhuxi frowned, his mind a jumble of thoughts, as if something had exploded within him, yet nothing seemed to be happening at all.

Upon entering Zhongcui Palace and seeing Xi Qiao, dressed in a new outfit, beside Consort Zhuang, Sun Zhuxi felt suffocated.

She was dressed in a light blue brocade qipao with auspicious patterns, and her hair was styled in two buns with a delicate gold and kingfisher feather inlaid coral ornament in the middle. The coral was of excellent quality and was a bright red.

Looking at Xi Qiao's attire, all of Sun Zhuxi's bad premonitions came true.

Pure blue and pure red—these are colors that only the principal wife can use!

Sun Zhuxi didn't believe that Xi Qiao was unaware of these common-sense things. Even if he didn't know, the palace servants around him should know and would surely remind him.

But the fact that she dares to appear in public dressed like this clearly shows that everything she does is in accordance with the rules.

Before Sun Zhuxi could think further, Su Peisheng, who was in front, congratulated Xi Qiao with a smile: "Great news, Princess! This servant congratulates you."

Xi Qiao smiled and nodded in thanks. Yu Ying'er also laughed and asked for a reward, saying, "Please don't refuse, Eunuch Su. This is a lucky money gift. It's not much, just for the sake of celebration and good fortune."

Su Peisheng hadn't intended to refuse. "Oh, then this servant must ask you and the princess for a couple more. Let this servant share in the princess's joy."

Yu Ying'er waved her hand and said happily, "No problem, Qingzhu, quickly give more to Eunuch Su. Oh, and give more to Granny Sun too."

Upon hearing Sun Zhuxi's name, Su Peisheng patted his head as if to say, "Look at my memory, I almost forgot about the important matter."

He looked at Xi Qiao and said, "Princess, you are familiar with Granny Sun. After the Empress Dowager learned of the good news, she specially sent Granny Sun to assist you in managing the household affairs. As a new bride, if you encounter any difficult people or matters, you can ask Granny Sun to handle them. It's better to let the Prince suffer any grievances while he's away."

Sun Zhuxi's expression changed drastically. The bride?

What does this mean? The Emperor allowed the Fourteenth Prince's wife to die?

Xi Qiao was somewhat surprised. She had expected the emperor to deal with Sun Zhuxi at the appropriate time, but she did not expect this to happen.

Judging from Sun Zhuxi's expression, he probably didn't know the Emperor's true decree before he came. Sun Zhuxi's expression is quite interesting right now; I imagine that old woman from the Wuya clan will have an even more interesting expression when she finds out in the future.

She bowed respectfully towards the direction of Shou Kang Palace, saying, "Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager. This servant is deeply grateful."

Manchus referred to themselves as slaves when addressing the emperor, while the term "subject" was mostly used by Han Chinese.

As he spoke, Xi Qiao smiled and gave Sun Zhuxi a slight bow: "I'll be relying on you, Granny, from now on."

Sun Zhuxi suppressed her inner turmoil, casually replied to Xi Qiao with "You're too kind, Princess," and then turned to Su Peisheng, questioning him with a hint of gritted teeth: "Eunuch Su, you're so busy with your affairs that you've even misread the Emperor's decree."

Su Peisheng didn't take it to heart, and just looked at her with a wronged expression.

"Granny, you've misunderstood me. The Emperor posthumously conferred the title of Beile upon Sixth Prince and bestowed a marriage upon him and Princess Yujia. It was not that I intentionally concealed the truth, but rather that the Emperor dared not tell the Empress Dowager the truth for her sake."

He was posthumously granted the title of Sixth Prince!

A marriage is bestowed upon Yu Jia!

Sun Zhuxi was mesmerized by what she heard; the Emperor had secretly sent people to monitor the Empress Dowager!

If the Emperor hadn't already known the cause and effect of the Empress Dowager's stroke and the arrangements for Consort Zhuang and her sisters, why would he have posthumously conferred a title upon the prematurely deceased Sixth Prince and even arranged a marriage for him?