Quick Transmigration: The Female Supporting Character's Counterattack, A Guide to Cunning Strat

"Your Majesty, Eunuch Liu from Qianqing Palace has arrived."

"Eunuch Liu?" A hint of doubt flashed across Consort Shu's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by joy. "Could it be that His Majesty is looking for me? Please invite him in quickly."

Li Mama was somewhat uneasy. Consort Song had just been brought into the Qianqing Palace, and Eunuch Liu's arrival at this time likely meant trouble. She composed herself and followed closely behind Consort Shu.

As soon as I stepped out of the inner room, I saw Liu Quan walk solemnly into the courtyard.

Just by looking at his expression, Granny Li's heart skipped a beat, and a bad premonition slowly grew.

Sure enough, the next second, before Consort Shu could even ask, Liu Quan announced the imperial decree:

"By imperial decree, Consort Gu was demoted to the rank of Beauty and banished to the Cold Palace."

Consort Shu came out excitedly, but unexpectedly heard this news. She stumbled, but fortunately, Granny Li caught her in time and prevented her from falling.

She seemed somewhat bewildered, paused for a moment, then immediately regained her usual arrogance, pointing her slender index finger straight at Liu Quan, so close it was almost poking his eye: "You dog slave, do you know that falsely conveying an imperial edict is a capital offense?"

Liu Quan took a small step back, bowed slightly, and still looked very respectful, but he changed his address to Consort Shu: "Beauty Gu, this servant is only acting on His Majesty's orders and dares not act on my own."

"How dare you! I am the Consort Shu, personally appointed by His Majesty. My father is the Minister of Revenue, a second-rank official. How could His Majesty treat me like this? Did that vile woman say something to His Majesty? Damn vile woman, I demand to see His Majesty!"

Consort Shu shouted, her eyes blazing with fury.

"I am merely a messenger. Lady Gu, why don't you come with me to the Cold Palace first? Otherwise, I won't be able to explain myself properly."

Liu Quancai disregarded everything else. Being in the inner palace and serving the emperor closely, he always obeyed the emperor's orders. To him, the former ministers of the previous dynasty were not as prestigious as the newly favored Consort Song.

Moreover, judging from the Emperor's demeanor, it might not be long before there is a mistress in the palace. This is the first important thing for him to do to please Consort Song, so he must do it well.

Liu Quan winked at the eunuchs following behind him: "If you still refuse to accept the imperial decree, we servants will have no choice but to offend you."

As the eunuchs stepped forward, Consort Shu instinctively took a few steps back, but tripped over her skirt, causing her many exquisite hairpins to fall to the ground.

The jade bracelet on her wrist clattered against the stone slab, leaving a faint crack. Her newly changed peach-colored palace dress was also covered in dust, instantly making it look much less appealing.

"No rudeness!"

"stop!"

Li Mama and Consort Shu shouted at the same time, which frightened the eunuchs so much that they dared not approach and stood aside in fear and trembling.

"I can walk by myself!"

She had been pampered since childhood and had never suffered such humiliation.

The courtyard was completely silent, but she was extremely agitated.

The servants' gazes swept over her, making her feel like an actress, being ridiculed by these lowly people and losing her dignity.

With the help of Granny Li, Consort Shu rose to her feet, her eyes filled with gloom: "I will remember you, Liu Quan."

Liu Quan ignored him and simply turned slightly to the side: "Lady Gu, please."

After tidying up Consort Shu's clothes, Granny Li took her hand and helped her walk gracefully towards the Cold Palace, just like when she went to the Imperial Garden to admire the flowers.

After the group had walked away, the servants of Yikun Palace dared to look up. They could only see Consort Shu's bright palace dress and straight back, moving unhurriedly and gracefully...

*

Morning next day.

"If you have something to report, please do so; otherwise, the court may adjourn."

Minister of Revenue Gu tightened his grip on the imperial tablet. His daughter had sent word that she had been demoted and was now confined to the cold palace, and he needed to stand up for her.

Five years ago, after Li Shangxun ascended the throne, he held his first imperial concubine selection. At that time, the government was still nominally controlled by the Empress Dowager and the Emperor's brother's family, but the tide had turned and it was only a matter of time before the Emperor took back power.

The Gu family sent their eldest daughter to the palace because they sensed the changing situation.

On the one hand, it was to curry favor with the Emperor, and on the other hand, it was to hope that her daughter would live up to expectations, conceive a royal child as soon as possible, ascend to the position of Empress, and bring the Gu family to a higher level.

After being selected to enter the palace, Gu's daughter was granted the title of Consort Shu, and only Consort De in the palace could rival her.

Although the Emperor has been slow to enter the inner palace, as long as Consort Shu's position remains secure, there will always be hope when the Emperor desires an heir in the future.

Unfortunately, just as the Emperor was beginning to show interest in his concubines, Consort Shu was soon rejected.

But since she is his biological daughter, this time they used the connections the Gu family had built up during the late emperor's time to get the news out of the palace.

If we abandon Consort Shu now, not only will her own connections in the palace, built up over many years, be wasted, but the Gu family's spies in the palace will also be squandered, which would be a real pity.

Thinking this through, Lord Gu subtly glanced at the people behind him.

Liu, the Vice Minister of Rites, steeled himself and walked to the middle, ready to die for his cause.

Yesterday, Lord Gu invited him, subtly implying that he had leverage over him, using this to blackmail him into becoming his pawn.

"Your Majesty, I heard that you brought a concubine into the Qianqing Palace yesterday, intending to have her stay there permanently. This is not in accordance with the law."

Seeing that Li Shangxun did not react, and under the pressure of Lord Gu's gaze, several more people spoke up:

"The harem has been without an heir for many years. Consort Shu has managed palace affairs for many years and has made great contributions. How can she be demoted to the harem without any reason? I hope Your Majesty will reconsider."

"Yes, Your Majesty, if you listen to the slander of the wicked concubine and issue decrees arbitrarily, it will cause unrest in the harem."

……

"Silence—" Eunuch Liu shouted, observing Li Shangxun's expression.

Li Shangxun sat on the dragon throne, tapping the armrest with his index finger, his eyes dark and unfathomable: "What is Lord Gu thinking?"

Lord Gu stepped forward: "Your Majesty, I believe that what the officials have said is reasonable."

"Does Lord Song also think this is unreasonable?"

Li Shangxun then turned his attention to Consort Song, "After all, the person I brought out of the Cold Palace yesterday was Consort Song's eldest daughter. What do you think, Lord Song?"

Lord Song was standing a bit back, and at first he didn't realize who it was, but he was surprised when he heard the rest.

The girl who had taken her daughter's place in the palace had such good fortune, and he was somewhat flustered.

But upon closer reflection, if such a crime of deceiving the emperor were revealed, Liu Shuwan herself would not fare well, and her parents were still in her hands, so wouldn't she be at the mercy of the Song family in the future?

The thought that the Song family could benefit from this woman made Lord Song's heart burn with excitement. He hurriedly stepped out from behind and said with righteous indignation, "This is His Majesty's family matter, and I dare not make any rash judgments."

"Good! What a great household chore."

Li Shangxun's cold gaze swept back over the ministers Gu and Liu. "Since you are so concerned about my harem, then I should have a good talk with you all about your family affairs. Liu Quan, read these memorials to the ministers."

"Your servant obeys the decree—"

Eunuch Liu carefully took the folded book with both hands and opened it from the top one:

"Gu, the eldest son of the Minister of Revenue, forcibly abducted a woman named Xu five years ago, causing her family to be destroyed... Three years ago... the day before yesterday, he rode his horse recklessly in the street, resulting in one death and two injuries. His second son..."

"Liu, the Vice Minister of Rites, favored his concubine over his wife, and both his legitimate son and daughter died at the hands of his concubine..."

"Vice Minister of Revenue..."

No matter how long or numerous the folded document, there will eventually be a time when it is all read.

After Eunuch Liu finished reading each word, the adults all hunched over, buried their heads in the ground, and were covered in cold sweat.

The adults who weren't mentioned were also uneasy, especially Lord Song.

I never imagined the Embroidered Uniform Guard's investigative methods were so formidable. He committed the crime of deceiving the emperor; what if they find out...?

No, it can't be, Lord Song silently reassured himself. Despite the dead of winter, cold sweat poured down Lord Song's back, soaking his undergarments.

Li Shangxun spoke gently, even with a smile on his face, and sighed softly as if making a casual remark: "My dear minister, it seems that your inner court is not so peaceful either."

"We have overstepped our bounds, Your Majesty, please forgive us."

"Your Majesty, please forgive me."

"Your Majesty, please forgive me."

The adults kowtowed with increasing vigor, one after another, like a musical performance.