Reincarnation and Rebirth

Su Wan'er didn't know if Zi Xingchen wanted to test them or if he simply wanted her to attend the palace banquet. Whatever the reason, Su Wan'er had to attend. She wanted to leave the palace and needed someone to meet her outside. Xiao Yunting was a good choice, but she didn't know if she could trust him.

"Come in and help me wash up," Su Wan'er said coldly.

Cailian brought in a basin of cool water. In the early autumn weather, the temperature in the north was not high in the morning, and it was obvious that the water had been sitting for a long time, but Cailian did not intend to add hot water.

Su Wan'er said coldly, "Cai Lian, how long have you been in the palace?"

Cailian, still puzzled, replied, "Your Majesty, I only entered the palace two months ago. My mother was originally the head maidservant in Her Majesty the Empress's service. I grew up in the palace since I was a child, and later..."

Su Wan'er raised her hand to interrupt her, "It seems that after being away from being a servant for more than a year, you've forgotten how to do this job well."

Cailian dared not speak her anger, "What does Your Highness mean by this?"

Su Wan'er lightly touched the calm water with her finger. "Since your mother served the late Empress, why don't I speak to the Emperor on your behalf and let you inherit your mother's mantle?"

Cailian was startled; the Empress had never been so harsh before. Besides, the Emperor had sent her here on a mission. If she were kicked out, she would become a useless pawn, and the consequences… she dared not think of them. Ever since the Ziyan Kingdom occupied the palace, they had committed countless atrocities, burning, killing, and looting. The palace maids who remained were cruelly abused, even the older aunts and matrons were not spared. As for her, she was fortunate that her mother had risked her life to protect her and help her escape the palace; otherwise, she would probably have suffered the same fate as those women who remained in the palace, ultimately meeting a death.

After Zi Xingchen returned, the women who had been defiled were either sent to nunneries to spend their lives in solitude, or were put to death without any background. In short, the Zi Yun Kingdom's palace could not keep these women who had been violated by the Zi Yan Kingdom.

She only returned after learning that His Highness the Crown Prince had returned to the palace and that the palace was re-selecting maids and eunuchs. Fortunately, the Emperor still remembered her mother, which is why she got this job.

All the palace maids and eunuchs knew that the Emperor did not like this Imperial Noble Consort; he was merely using her. This Imperial Noble Consort had always been timid and cowardly. The fact that she had caused such a scene in the Imperial Study last time was already unbelievable to them. Now, she had completely changed her gentle nature and was being so aggressive towards them, which truly frightened Cailian.

"This servant deserves to die. I'll go and fetch some hot water right away."

After all, she was still the master, so she had no choice but to lower her stance.

When Cailian brought hot water again, Su Wan'er slowly washed up and then ordered Cailian to comb her hair. She really couldn't handle this ancient hairstyle. However, she didn't need to put on makeup. There was a pile of bottles and jars on the table, and not a single one of them looked good to her.

I just casually applied some rouge to make myself look less haggard before heading out.

Halfway there, she stopped. She had watched palace dramas before, and the empresses' clothes were always carefully chosen. Looking at her own clothes, she thought the material was really too poor.

"Go find me a suitable dress."

Cailian was increasingly puzzled. In the past, the Empress had never paid attention to these things. The fabrics issued by the Imperial Household Department were always deemed impractical by the Empress and put away in the bottom of her trunk. Now that she wanted to wear them, where was she supposed to find them? Moreover, she had secretly taken many of the fabrics to exchange for silver. How could she possibly have them?

"Your Majesty, you didn't want these fabrics before, saying they were too precious and not strong enough, so we didn't cut them for you."

Su Wan'er sneered, "I remember that every month the Imperial Household Department would send two sets of ready-made clothes in addition to the fabric, as well as a set of dark blue gauze embroidered gold single-layer court dress and a flowing brocade palace dress with dark patterns. Go and get them."

Caihe secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, she dared not touch those ready-made clothes.

"Yes, this servant will go and get it right away."

Finally, Su Wan'er chose the flowing, dark-patterned brocade palace dress, which looked simple and elegant yet luxurious.

It's quite ironic, really. Su Wan'er, a noble consort, only had one first-class maid, Cai Lian, and one second-class maid, Cai He, who rarely served her. The rest were just two eunuchs and two maids doing menial tasks. In contrast, Su Qing'er had two first-class maids, four second-class maids, four lower-class maids, a head eunuch, and four eunuchs. In short, she completely outnumbered Su Wan'er.

Su Wan'er used to be unassuming and never competed for anything, so even though her assigned rank didn't conform to ancestral rules, she never went to the Imperial Household Department to argue about it. Having fewer people also had its advantages, making it easier for her to escape.

With light steps, she led Cailian slowly towards the Qutai Palace, the venue for high-level banquets in the palace. Zi Xingchen had specially set up the banquet there to show the outside world how much he valued Xiao Yunting.

Halfway there, they saw a yellow sedan chair coming from another direction.

Su Wan'er narrowed her eyes slightly and saw that the person in the sedan chair was actually Lin Chenwei.

Lin Chenwei saw Su Wan'er and a mocking smile appeared on her lips. "So it's Consort Gui. I heard from the Emperor that you were not feeling well. But you seem to be fine, unlike me. Last night, the Emperor insisted that I stay in Qianqing Palace to keep him company. Alas, when I got up this morning, I could barely walk. The Emperor took pity on me and sent his sedan chair to Qutai Palace."

Su Wan'er cursed inwardly, thinking, "How dare they say such a thing out loud?"

After Lin Chenwei finished speaking, she exaggeratedly covered her mouth, looking shy, "Oh, sister, don't blame me for speaking without thinking. I'm sorry, if you're not feeling well, why don't you sit with me?"

The emperor's palanquin could easily accommodate two or three women, but it wasn't a place where just anyone was entitled to ride. It was unclear whether Lin Chenwei was genuinely stupid or feigning ignorance.

"Thank you, sister. This sedan chair was bestowed upon you by the Emperor. No one else is entitled to it. Besides, you still need to exercise more."

Lin Chenwei felt disdain in her heart, but her face remained innocent. "Then my sister will go ahead first."

Su Wan'er nodded, watching Lin Chenwei leave, and sighed. The original owner of this body truly lived a pathetic life. Lin Chenwei didn't even have a rank in the palace, yet she didn't even dismount from her sedan chair to pay her respects to her, a mere Imperial Noble Consort. In her memories, Lin Chenwei had often played dirty tricks on her behind her back; today's verbal provocation was nothing out of the ordinary.

However, she would be happy if there were more people like this to disgust Su Qing'er.

The Qutai Hall is spacious and magnificent, resplendent in gold and jade, showcasing the majesty and luxury of the imperial family.

A towering palace stands in the center, its vermilion walls inlaid with exquisite gold ornaments and gemstones, gleaming with dazzling light. The glazed tiles on the roof shimmer in the sunlight, resembling a brilliant starry sky.

The banquet hall was paved with smooth, mirror-like marble, each stone meticulously carved to display beautiful patterns and textures. Large incense burners surrounded the hall, their smoke curling upwards, filling the air with a rich fragrance.

Upon entering the Qutai Hall, one can see several tables placed on the original platform.

Below, on each side, are two rows of tables and chairs, laden with various fresh fruits and delicious pastries. The tableware is crafted from gold and silver, inlaid with gemstones and pearls, making it exceptionally luxurious.

The area was surrounded by a variety of flowers and greenery, each vying for attention and emitting a fragrant aroma. Colorful silks and brocades hung from the ceiling, fluttering in the wind, adding a touch of romance and mystery.

On one side of the venue, there was a stage where musicians were tuning their instruments.

Su Wan'er sighed inwardly. No wonder the Ziyun Kingdom was overthrown. With such extravagance and indulgence, who else but him would perish? The Ziyun Kingdom had only just been reclaimed, and the country was in a state of post-war depression. Instead of being ambitious, Zi Xingchen indulged in pleasure. This food was enough for an ordinary person to eat for a month. Sigh.

Wait, where did all those things come from? When the Purple Flame Kingdom retreated from the palace, they couldn't have left them with so many good things. Su Wan'er thought of the gold and silver treasures in that basement; she vaguely remembered that there were tableware among them.

Now, the more she looked at those things, the more displeased she became, and she wished she could take them all back into her space again.

Led by a palace maid, Su Wan'er sat down in the first seat at the bottom of the table, and then began to stare blankly at the gold bowl and silver chopsticks on the table.

However, she desires peace and quiet, but others may not be able to grant her that wish.

"Oh, Wan'er, your injuries have healed?"

Su Wan'er looked in the direction of the voice, and saw that it was Chen Shi, Su Qing'er's mother, who was now the Prime Minister's wife.

"Hello, Mrs. Su."

"Wan'er, your aunt knows you're resentful, but matters of the heart can't be forced. You don't need to be too sad. At least you're still a noble consort, which is more noble than most women."

Su Wan'er smiled insincerely and said, "What Madam says makes sense."

Chen felt like she'd punched cotton, and could only glare angrily. This girl wasn't like this before. She could easily get what she wanted just by provoking her. Otherwise, why would her in-laws dislike them? Even her own parents were indifferent to her. Today, she seemed different.

On the surface, she was still the same as before, but her demeanor and tone of voice were completely different.

Before Madam Chen could figure it out, a commotion suddenly arose outside the hall, followed by a eunuch shouting, "General Xiao has arrived..."

Su Wan'er looked up towards the door.

A dignified general strode into the palace with firm steps. His upright posture, like a majestic mountain peak, exuded an unshakeable sense of authority.

Xiao Yunting wore magnificent armor, gleaming with metallic luster and inlaid with precious gems, highlighting his noble status. A bright red feather stood upright on his helmet, fluttering in the wind, adding to his handsome appearance.

His face was resolute and handsome, with deep eyes that revealed unparalleled confidence and decisiveness. His nose was straight, his lips were tightly closed, and his facial features were sharply defined, as if sculpted by a knife and axe, displaying a masculine beauty.

When the general entered the palace, everyone couldn't help but turn their heads. His appearance seemed to bring a powerful aura, making people feel his majesty and strength, and inspiring awe in him.

Su Wan'er's eyes were practically popping out of her head. This man was perfect in every way according to her own aesthetic standards, unlike that Zi Xingchen, who looked like a gigolo. Was the original owner's eyes really blind?