Transmigration: Reverse Exploitation, the System Works for Me

Chapter 301 One Step

"Your Majesty, I know I was wrong. I will not complain if Your Majesty wants to punish me. Please give me another chance."

Consort Zhao withdrew her gaze and closed her eyes again.

Seeing that she was being ignored, Xuanru's panic began to spread. She crawled a few steps to the bedside, her voice a mixture of pleading and threat:

“This servant has come to serve Your Highness on orders. If I leave, I will certainly suffer a bad end, and Your Highness may not be well off either. Your Highness, your interests and mine are intertwined.”

Consort Zhao chuckled softly, her voice as gentle as the wind rustling through leaves.

She slightly raised her eyelids and looked at Xuanru with a mocking expression: "You're wrong. You, Prince Lian, and the Wei family are one."

Xuanru's pupils contracted. How could Consort Zhao know?

She didn't know, but when she was made a concubine, the Wei family sent extremely generous gifts.

Juechan, Wei, Prince Lian—it's easy to guess.

Moreover, she asked the Imperial Noble Consort to investigate Xuanru, who had connections with the Guo Luoluo clan. In addition to the Yi Consort and her two children, this clan also produced a wife of Prince Lian.

"Don't test my patience. Leave with your people while I'm still willing to give each other some leeway."

Consort Zhao, panting, gave Lulu a look, and Lulu immediately rattled off a long string of names as if reciting a rhyme.

Just as Sun Pinghai brought Su Peisheng in, Lulu finished reading out the names.

Consort Zhao leaned against the headboard, looking somewhat listless, and said indifferently with droopy eyelids, "I've said what I needed to say. Let's leave each other with some dignity and part ways amicably."

She found all these people from the Juechan clan annoying.

But she had too few people at her disposal and no real power, so she couldn't just get rid of them quietly.

Otherwise, these people will not be allowed to leave Yonghe Palace alive!

Xuanru's face was pale, and her fingernails, hidden under her sleeves, were deeply embedded in her palms.

She couldn't understand Consort Zhao's actions at all, nor could she understand Consort Zhao herself.

Since entering Yonghe Palace, Consort Zhao has inexplicably felt a sense of unease and dislike towards the power behind her.

Xuanru didn't understand the reason for her rebellion.

What good is beauty in this deep palace? What good is being favored?

Without powerful backing or connections, one is bound to meet a tragic end sooner or later.

Now that Prince Lian is in trouble, the Wei family has been almost dismissed from their posts and driven out of the capital. Instead of trying to gather the remaining strength around her, Consort Zhao is going to do everything she can to drive them out!

The long list that Lulu just read out was mostly made up of people arranged to work at Yonghe Palace by Prince Lian, the Wei family, and the Juechan family.

Why would you refuse a benefit that's already within your grasp and even push it away?

Xuanru didn't understand, much less comprehend.

Although she didn't want to leave, Consort Zhao's attitude was so firm, and as a servant, she couldn't get any help from Prince Lian for the time being, so she really had no choice.

Xuanru took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Yes, Your Highness. Please grant me a few days' grace; I need time to make arrangements."

It's now the sixth day of the lunar new year, and almost half a month has passed since Prince Lian was imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Court. The Princess Consort should have finished her work. Once the Prince is out of trouble, Consort Zhao will have no choice but to obey.

Consort Zhao scoffed at her stalling tactics, but was too lazy to waste words on her, and simply said, "Two days. I'll only give you two days."

She then looked at Sun Pinghai and said, "Eunuch Sun, Lulu will be the head maid of Yonghe Palace in the future. She is still young, so I hope you can give her some guidance."

Sun Pinghai was surprised and suspicious, but his face remained calm and composed: "Your Majesty, this servant dares not accept such words. Miss Lulu is the most accommodating in her actions, so there is no need for this servant to comment."

His mind raced, and he solemnly said to Lulu, "If you have any instructions in the future, please just ask, and I will do my best to cooperate with you."

This can be considered a surrender to Consort Zhao.

Consort Zhao and Lulu were overjoyed; their eyes lit up. They were desperately short of people!

"You flatter me, sir. I am inexperienced and hope you will be kind enough to give me some guidance."

The three ignored Xuanru and the other two, and chatted intimately with each other.

However, Consort Zhao was injured and not in good spirits, and needed to rest. The four of them quickly withdrew.

Before Sun Pinghai went to the Imperial Household Department to select palace maids to fill the vacancies, he quietly pulled Lulu aside and whispered, "Lulu, our Empress and Consort Zhuang have a very close personal relationship?"

Lulu's heart skipped a beat. Before she could figure out where the Empress and she had slipped up, Sun Pinghai said, "On the morning of New Year's Eve, Eunuch Le from Zhongcui Palace secretly asked me to pass on a message to the Empress that the Princess Consort of Prince Mu outside the palace would help the Empress."

Although it's unclear what their beloved concubine could possibly need the help of Prince Mu's wife for, the affection in her words was so obvious that anyone who wasn't a fool could understand it.

Lulu nodded to indicate that she understood; even without those words, the Empress had already guessed it.

On the evening of New Year's Eve, the Emperor was accompanying the Empress in the rear hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, but he left because he received a secret memorial.

Later, when the palace banquet was halfway through, Eunuch Xiaoxiazi even led the Second Miss to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to see the Empress.

Although the second young lady's attire was luxurious, the clothes were a little short, and the patterns, designs, and jewelry were not to her liking.

This clearly shows that the entire outfit was not originally prepared for the second young lady.

The Empress and Ma Jia were both aware that the Second Miss was being held at Juechan's residence. For Ma Jia to change her mind at the last minute and bring the Second Miss to the palace for the banquet, something must have happened.

The Empress and she thought of the secret memorial that had persuaded the Emperor to leave.

Before attending the banquet, the emperor made a special trip to the back hall to see the empress.

His eyes were full of pity and heartache when he looked at the Empress, and he kept praising the Master for his noble character and for raising the Empress so well, and he wanted to promote the Master.

In all honesty, Your Majesty's father had just been appointed to the fourth-rank position of Director of Studies!

The Emperor wasn't admiring the Master at all; he was clearly trying to support and elevate the Empress.

What does this mean?

This means that something must have happened to the Juechan clan!

What a big deal!

At this critical juncture, everyone knows that the Emperor favors the Juechan clan because of the Empress, and therefore no one would openly oppose the Emperor.

—Apart from the wife of Prince Mu, who understands the Empress's needs best.

Unfortunately, they were in the Hall of Mental Cultivation at the time, so even if they wanted to inquire, they didn't dare to make a move.

"Thank you for conveying this message, sir. When I go to the Imperial Household Department, if possible, please inquire about the recent situation of Her Highness's family."

When the Empress wakes up, tell her this, and she will be happy for a long time!

Outside the palace, Xi Qiao, who had just finished Yu Chonglin's funeral and was beginning his daily routine of mourning at home, was quite happy.

She had just received a generous gift from the Xilinjueluo family, not from the Suochuoluo couple, but from Erqi's wife!

This gift not only signifies her formal friendship with the Orchi family, but also marks her first successful step in this game of power!