Transmigration: Reverse Exploitation, the System Works for Me

Xi Qiao looked dejected; though he had a smile on his face, it looked worse than if he were crying.

She didn't lie to Chunmao and the Empress Dowager; she simply selectively revealed some things and concealed others.

The Empress Dowager had spies in the Zhongcui Palace, and Chunmao only needed to ask them afterward to confirm her words.

Although the spies were far away that day, the commotion caused by the emperor's feigned anger was not small, and anyone serving in the front hall could have noticed it to some extent.

Moreover, the doors and windows of the main hall were open. If one were observant, one could naturally see Yu Ying'er weeping and pleading with the emperor, as well as her going in and kneeling to beg for forgiveness.

The Empress Dowager must never know the truth about this arranged marriage.

Although the emperor could not possibly tell the empress dowager the inside story, what if he did?

What if the Empress Dowager suddenly changes her strategy and decides to play the mother-son card with the Emperor? Or what if the Emperor suddenly goes crazy and tries to provoke the Empress Dowager by bringing up her and Yu Ying'er's alleged betrayal?

They dare not gamble, because they truly cannot afford to gamble.

The best approach is to block the Emperor from the Empress Dowager's side, and exacerbate her prejudice and distrust of him.

The rift between the mother and son was already significant, so one more thing wouldn't matter. After all, no matter how much the Empress Dowager hated the Emperor, she had no power to harm him.

The more the Empress Dowager reveals her wariness and insincerity towards the Emperor, and her favoritism, care, and love for the Fourteenth Prince, the colder the Emperor's heart will become, and he will take the initiative to distance himself from the Empress Dowager.

This makes it even less likely that the mother and son will ever be able to be honest with each other and reveal their true feelings.

That way, she and Yu Ying'er would be safer.

Chunmao was terrified. Although she didn't know what "Grandma Sun's meaning" meant, judging from Chunrong's expression and tone, it was definitely not a good thing.

After all, they were best friends who had supported each other for more than ten years. Chunmao grabbed Xiqiao's wrist and asked in a low voice, "Chunrong, tell me, what exactly happened?"

Xi Qiao sniffed, looked down at the hand gripping her wrist, and suddenly smiled at her with relief: "Don't ask, it won't do you any good to hear it."

After saying that, she looked up at the window, covered Chunmao's hand with one hand and held it tightly, staring intently into Chunmao's eyes with deep eyes.

“Now that Granny Sun is in Prince Mu’s mansion, she will not return to the palace. Fang Ruo was sent by the Emperor to act as his eyes and ears to monitor the movements of Shou Kang Palace. Chun Mao, you must seize the opportunity and become the most indispensable confidante of the Empress Dowager in the shortest possible time.”

She emphasized the words "indispensable".

It seemed like a reminder, or perhaps it concealed a deep sorrow and sympathy, but for a moment, Chunmao was truly unable to discern the truth.

She frowned, wanting to ask more questions, but Xi Qiao had already let go of her hand.

"Since Your Majesty is unwell and unable to see me, I shall take my leave now."

In the blink of an eye, Xi Qiao's face was adorned with a familiar, polite yet distant smile.

"I still need to go to Yikun Palace to pay my respects to the Imperial Concubine. Please ask my aunt to tell the Empress Dowager that I will come to serve her tea again next time I enter the palace."

The Empress Dowager disliked her for her lowly birth and felt that she had wronged her son, the Prince. She also thought it was bad luck to marry a dead person!

Ghost marriage, you go out and ask how many people are willing to do it.

Thankfully, it wasn't based on her birth date and time, otherwise she would have been forced into another disgusting and tragic relationship.

Hmm, thinking about it this way, it's actually quite unfair to the original owner of this body. The men of the Aisin Gioro family are no good.

She'll have to burn a lot of things for the original owner later; gold ingots and a large mansion are essential, along with a thousand or eight hundred strong and healthy paper dolls as guards.

If that bastard Aisin Gioro Yinzuo dares to bully the original owner in the afterlife, let these guards give that fool a good beating.

No, no, even a few hundred or a thousand might not be enough. To be on the safe side, let's multiply it tenfold.

After that old hag, Uya, passes away, the original owner of this body will no longer be bullied by that old hag.

That old hag Wuya is clearly alright, but she refuses to drink her daughter-in-law's tea. Isn't that just making things difficult for her?

Will she be afraid?

What a joke! With the imperial edict in hand, she is the sole mistress of the Prince Mu's mansion. Whether Lady Wuya agrees or not will not affect her status or influence.

No matter how much the Empress Dowager disliked or loathed her, even if she hated her so much that she gritted her teeth, she could only swallow her anger.

Without Prince Mu as a bridge, the royal mother-in-law's methods of punishing her daughter-in-law would never apply to her.

In fact, the Empress Dowager's blatant disregard for the emperor's wishes would likely earn her more favor.

"Auntie, please don't see me out. I'll take my leave now."

As Chunmao watched her receding figure, a mix of emotions welled up inside her.

But she didn't grieve for long; she quickly composed herself and went to the main hall to report back.

The Empress Dowager was now conscious, leaning against the headboard, while the Fourteenth Prince's wife sat beside her, her eyes red and swollen.

The bedroom was filled with the Empress Dowager's personal attendants. Not to mention open spies like Fang Ruo, anyone with any suspicion was not allowed to come within five meters of the main hall.

"How, how is it?"

Upon seeing Chunmao, the Empress Dowager immediately asked questions with a gloomy expression.

Chunmao lowered her head and repeated Xi Qiao's words to the Empress Dowager without missing a single one. She added, "I even tried to test her by taking advantage of our past relationship, but Fu and Chunrong told me not to ask any more questions and to serve her wholeheartedly."

She wanted to address her as "Fujin" (a title of respect), but she changed her address because of the Empress Dowager's current deep dislike for Xi Qiao.

However, she ultimately did not truthfully report Xi Qiao's final advice to seize the opportunity to advance her career.

For the past month or so, Chunmao has been quite happy with her life as the second-in-command, wielding power and influence.

No one will willingly submit to someone else.

The Empress Dowager scoffed lightly: "She's smart enough to know her place."

No matter how strained her relationship with the emperor was, they were still mother and son. If that lowly maid Chunrong dared to pin the threat on her, the emperor would be even more furious, but he would definitely not do anything to her because of it.

It's just a pity for her fourteenth son.

Despite having such useful pawns as Consort Zhuang and Chunrong, they failed to bring any benefit to her fourteenth son.

Chunmao and the others in the bedroom were completely bewildered, not knowing what had happened that had caused the Empress Dowager and Xi Qiao, mistress and servant, to develop a rift with each other. However, the Fourteenth Prince's wife, who was standing to the side, already had a guess.

If she guessed correctly, Yu Jia was probably forced by the Empress Dowager and Sun Zhuxi to go to the Emperor and request to become a concubine in their household.

The Fourteenth Princess gritted her teeth fiercely. She didn't care about having another concubine bestowed by the Empress Dowager in the mansion, nor did she care what the Emperor's intentions were in elevating Yu Jia to the position of the Prince's primary wife.

There was only one thing she cared about: their Fourteenth Prince's residence had offended Consort Zhuang!