Transmigration: Reverse Exploitation, the System Works for Me

Aunt He, the head maid of Yanxi Palace, was a serious and stern middle-aged woman who rarely smiled. When An Lingrong saw her, she curtsied, and Aunt He quickly stepped aside. "What business does Miss An have with me?"

An Lingrong asked Baoque to put the brocade on the table and leave, and then said, "Lingrong is new to the palace and there are many things I don't understand, so I came to ask my aunt to enlighten me."

Aunt He glanced at the valuable brocade and thought to herself that although Consort An came from a humble background, she was quite good at getting things done.

"Please speak, my lady, I will tell you everything I know."

An Lingrong felt relieved and then recounted Juqing's matter, "The aunt by Consort Zhuang's side asked me to come and seek your guidance. Please teach me."

When Aunt He heard that Xi Qiao was involved, a smile appeared on her face. "Aunt Chunrong is right. This matter can be big or small, depending on how Her Majesty handles it. It would be most appropriate for Your Highness to go to Yikun Palace."

"In addition, although only the empress in charge of the palace has the right to decide the placement and retention of palace servants, the empresses in charge of the six palaces in the east and west also have the right to deal with the palace servants in their respective palaces."

“Even aunts like Aunt Chunrong and me, who are in charge, can report to the Imperial Household Department to decide the fate of palace maids when there is no Empress in charge.”

"However, no matter how Consort Hua handles this matter, Juqing absolutely cannot stay by Your Highness's side to serve you. Otherwise, Your Highness will be committing a transgression."

"And Consort Wan, according to what you just said, she actually kept the head maid of Suiyu Pavilion by her side to serve her? You should know that only consorts of the rank of concubine or above are qualified to have a head maid."

Aunt He looked puzzled. This shouldn't be the case. These are all palace rules that the teaching aunt would teach.

"This……"

An Lingrong was speechless for a moment, then changed the subject and asked about Aunt Fangruo. Aunt He pondered for a moment, then said evasively, "Fangruo is the head of the Imperial Household Department, one of the people the Emperor trusts."

"She manages the palace servants in the Hall of Mental Cultivation together with Chief Eunuch Su. Although there are many head maids in the palace, only Aunt Sun Zhuxi, who serves the Empress Dowager, can compare to Fangruo."

"In addition, the Chunrong Auntie you met today is quite a figure. She was originally the head palace maid in front of the Empress Dowager, and served the Empress Dowager for more than ten years with great merit. Because Miss Zhuang is pregnant, the Empress Dowager promoted her to the head maid of Zhongcui Palace, a fifth-rank official."

Even if An Lingrong knew nothing about palace affairs, she understood Fang Ruo's importance just from Aunt He's words.

It's really incongruous that such a person would serve as a tutor to a lowly concubine.

For a moment, she felt dizzy and disoriented, as if she had been drawn into an invisible vortex.

"Thank you for clearing up my doubts, Aunt. May I trouble you to accompany me to Yikun Palace? I will repay you handsomely upon our return."

Aunt He's eyes flashed, "Fine, for Chunrong's sake, I'll accompany you."

Yikun Palace

When Consort Hua heard Zhou Ninghai come in to report that the head of Yanxi Palace and Consort An were requesting an audience with her, she was a little curious. Why would a mere Consort An come to see her?

She ordered someone to bring Aunt He and An Lingrong in, and the two knelt on the ground as soon as they entered the hall.

Aunt He gave a clear and organized report on the matter of Consort Guan sending someone away.

An Lingrong knelt beside her, head bowed, pretending to be a quail.

A sweet, incense-like aroma wafted into An Lingrong's nostrils. She savored it carefully, then frowned slightly. This scent…

Consort Hua, who was seated at the head of the table, had already heard Aunt He's report. She was overjoyed to have caught the vixen who had bewitched the emperor.

"What a fine Consort Wan! Zhou Ninghai, go and convey my imperial decree. Consort Wan has openly violated the palace rules and regulations. She is to be fined one year's salary and to copy the palace rules fifty times. She is not allowed to leave Suiyu Pavilion until she has finished copying them."

The palace rules were to be copied fifty times; it would take three to five months to finish. This was practically the same as being confined to one's quarters.

An Lingrong was shocked. She hadn't even met the Emperor yet and was already being punished so severely. Sister Zhen...

Then, in the next sentence, Consort Hua called out her name, "Consort An..."

An Lingrong was startled and timidly looked up at Consort Hua. "Yes, Your Highness, I agree. Please give me your instructions."

Consort Hua looked down on her because she was plain-looking and had a petty air about her.

She was also pleased that this person had given her an excuse to punish Zhen Shi.

"You did a good job. If there were more people like you in the palace who were sensible and understanding, I wouldn't be so exhausted. Songzhi, reward them."

An Lingrong was taken aback when she realized that Consort Hua would not only not punish her but would also reward her.

It was only after Aunt He tugged at her sleeve that she hurriedly expressed her gratitude.

When the two left Yikun Palace, Aunt He had an extra bulging purse, while Consort An had an extra piece of elegant gold-woven brocade.

Upon returning to Yanxi Palace, An Lingrong presented the newly acquired brocade to Aunt He, saying, "Today, Aunt He has gone to great lengths for me, so I am offering this as a token of my appreciation."

Aunt He stroked the precious brocade and then gritted her teeth and returned it.

"Your Highness is too kind. As Your Highness has just entered the palace, it is the time to dress up properly. The fabric that Consort Hua bestowed upon you is precious and elegant, and it suits Your Highness exceptionally well. Your Highness should have the clothes made and wear them so as not to waste Consort Hua's good intentions."

An Lingrong didn't quite understand what Aunt He meant, and Aunt He didn't explain her meaning either.

There aren't many concubines in the entire palace who can receive a reward from Consort Hua, so this Lady An is really lucky.

She looked at An Lingrong meaningfully, "Your Highness should go back and rest. This trip back and forth must have been exhausting. As for that Juqing beside Your Highness..."

“Aunt,” An Lingrong interrupted Aunt He, “Wan Changzai originally meant well by sending me a palace maid, but she was punished for violating palace rules by having her salary reduced. Lingrong has a request, please allow me to keep Juqing and only send Baojuan away.”

Sister Zhen has already been punished, so we absolutely cannot allow any more people sent by her to fail.

Aunt He was somewhat surprised. She really didn't understand An Xiaozhu's thought process. She had already offended Consort Wan, yet she still wanted to keep the people Consort Wan had sent. Was she afraid that Consort Wan would not be able to retaliate without her informants?

"As you wish, Your Highness. As long as you have only two maids by your side, that will suffice."

In Suiyu Pavilion, Zhen Huan was completely bewildered after hearing about Consort Hua's punishment of her.

Zhou Ninghai watched the palace maids and eunuchs of Suiyuxuan looking at each other and couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"I have already delivered Consort Hua's decree. Consort Wan should stay in Suiyu Pavilion and diligently copy the palace rules."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Cui Jinxi quickly stepped forward and called out to him, "Eunuch Zhou, how did Consort Hua find out about this?"

Zhou Ninghai scoffed, "If you don't want people to know, don't do it in the first place. There are no secrets in this palace. If a concubine like Consort An suddenly has an extra maid who isn't part of her regular duties, who wouldn't notice?"

As he spoke, Zhou Ninghai looked at Cui Jinxi with a critical eye, "Let me remind you, Consort Wan is just a lowly Consort, she can't afford to have a head eunuch or a steward."

Consort Hua didn't make a big deal out of this, simply because it wasn't something to escalate. It's not uncommon for head maids to humbly serve noble ladies.

But the reason why people are willing to fawn over her is because the mistress they serve is of noble birth and illustrious lineage, and she is bound to be promoted to a concubine or mistress. But what is this Consort Wan?

Feeling scorned, Cui Jinxi gritted her teeth and swallowed her anger, harboring deep resentment towards Zhou Ninghai.

After Zhou Ninghai left Suiyu Pavilion, Zhen Huan suddenly looked at Cui Jinxi and asked, "Jinxi, Lingrong only agreed that each person could only have two maids serving them, so what about me?"