Chapter 024: Differential Treatment

With this, the twelve people were all present.

Among this group, Xiao Shu was undoubtedly the invisible leader. As soon as she walked over, everyone’s eyes fell on her. Besides admiration, there was also a sense of fear and submission.

Many people took the initiative to greet her.

Xiao Shu responded to each greeting with a nod, treating everyone the same.

However, when she saw Jiang Xuening, she slightly curved her lips.

At this moment, Jiang Xuening had not yet greeted her, but Xiao Shu nodded to her from a distance, as if to say hello. It seemed friendly, with a hint of approval.

If it were someone else, they would have been flattered.

But Xiao Shu’s attitude, in Jiang Xuening’s eyes, still carried a sense of innate nobility, not expressing friendliness on equal terms. It was merely because she thought Jiang Xuening could catch the princess’s eye, so she could catch hers too, but she didn’t really take her seriously—

This was Xiao Shu’s nature.

Born into a prominent family, what others dream of all their lives, she had from a young age. There was rarely anything she couldn’t get. This made her extremely calm in the face of everything and everyone, even maintaining composure in front of the royal family. For those who posed no threat to her, even if they were very rude, she could laugh and talk without getting angry.

Because those beneath her were not qualified to converse with her.

Only when she felt threatened would she show her fangs.

Jiang Xuening had crossed paths with her in her previous life.

Before becoming the empress, she had tried to please Shen Jie. Although Shen Jie might not have truly favored her, what man doesn’t like a beautiful woman trying to please him?

So during that time, she was considered “favored.”

But after Shen Jie ascended the throne and Jiang Xuening became the empress, achieving her goal, she no longer bothered to please Shen Jie. Shortly after, Xiao Shu entered the palace, and Jiang Xuening let the harem compete for favor, happily letting the emperor stay in Xiao Shu’s palace, not having to serve him herself. She just managed the phoenix seal in Kunning Palace, wholeheartedly being the empress, living a very comfortable life.

One day, Xiao Shu became pregnant and was conferred the title of Imperial Noble Consort. Shen Jie even had her assist in managing the six palaces.

Jiang Xuening finally began to panic.

Or rather, she began to feel angry.

It turned out that becoming the empress did not mean she would remain empress for life. With so many people in the harem, there would always be some who were capable. Especially someone like Xiao Shu, who came from a prominent family with strong support from her maternal clan, and was very capable herself. Having been accustomed to being superior all her life, she would hardly be satisfied with just being an Imperial Noble Consort and would find it difficult to tolerate anyone above her.

Thus, the struggle officially began.

Although Jiang Xuening’s relationship with her maternal family was not great, their fates were intertwined. Jiang Boyou had just been appointed Minister of Revenue and had some influence in the court.

She also had Zhou Yinzhi, who at that time controlled most of the Jinyiwei, was ruthless, and reliable.

Interestingly, the Xiao family had an “estranged” eldest son named Xiao Dingfei, who had just been “found” in those two years. He was the legitimate heir to the title of Duke Cheng and Xiao Shu’s half-brother. Known for his roguish and unruly behavior, he was infamous in the court and the capital. He greatly admired Jiang Xuening, to the point of being subservient. For her, Xiao Dingfei could anger the Duke Cheng to the point of fainting and showed no respect for his sister Xiao Shu, making him a useful tool for Jiang Xuening to provoke the Duke Cheng’s household.

So, in the fight against Xiao Shu and the Duke Cheng’s household, Jiang Xuening was not at a disadvantage. At most, the battle was somewhat stalemated.

Later, when Xie Wei took down the Xiao family, Jiang Xuening clapped her hands in delight for a while.

Of course, her joy did not last long.

Because within half a year, Xie Wei also took down the royal family, controlling the entire court, and Jiang Xuening, as the empress, lost her glory.

It was truly a case of “the snipe and the clam grappling, and the fisherman profiting.”

Although both she and Xiao Shu did not end well, ultimately falling due to the political situation and being defeated by Xie Wei, she should have felt a sense of sympathy for her former “rival.” But that was not the case at all.

Xie Wei was indeed a devil in a saint’s guise, but that did not mean Xiao Shu was a good person, nor did it mean she should join forces with Xiao Shu against a common enemy.

On the contrary, in this life, Jiang Xuening still did not like her and was wary of her.

Facing Xiao Shu’s initiative to greet her, Jiang Xuening lowered her eyes and thought for a moment, then returned the greeting with a slight nod, still appearing not very warm.

Xiao Shu’s gaze became more scrutinizing.

But soon her attention shifted, as Huang Renli had already counted the people and called a few palace attendants to carry their things. After verifying their waist tags, he led them into the palace, introducing the surrounding palaces along the way.

Huang Renli knew that this group consisted of noble ladies, including friends of the princess and those the princess was very interested in. With his soft and gentle voice, he spoke warmly: “This time, all the ladies will stay in Yangzhi Zhai. The emperor has put a lot of thought into preparing this place for the princess’s companions. Originally, Yangzhi Zhai was where the princes’ companions lived. But since there are no princes in the palace now, it has been refurbished by the Imperial Household Department, with new furnishings and some ornamental trees planted. Each lady will have her own room, which is quite spacious. This place is next to Fengchen Hall, where the lectures will be held, so it’s very close. To the north are the six palaces where the concubines live, and to the south, you can see Wenhua Hall and Wenzhao Pavilion from a distance. It will be convenient for the teachers to come and give lectures to the princess and the ladies. However, since this place is on the edge of the inner court and close to the outer court, if the ladies are worried about accidentally encountering someone, they should be a bit careful and avoid walking around too much.”

Although the gender segregation in this dynasty was not very strict, some families had very strict rules and did not allow their daughters to see any outside men, which is why Huang Renli mentioned this.

Jiang Xuening didn’t care.

But some of the other girls in the group nodded in agreement.

Jiang Xuening sneered.

Yangzhi Zhai was very convenient for her in her previous life.

It was close to Wenhua Hall, so some teachers, after giving lectures to the emperor, princes, and ministers, could easily come to teach the princess. Similarly, people like Yan Lin and Shen Jie, who attended the lectures, could also sneak over.

Sometimes, when Xie Wei was giving a lecture, other noble sons would ask the emperor for permission to sit behind a screen and listen.

It was the perfect place to flirt with whoever you wanted.

In this life, Yangzhi Zhai was the same as in the previous life.

Even the two newly planted osmanthus trees under the palace wall were in the exact same spots. Since it was originally where the princes’ companions lived, it was very elegant and simple, with a scholarly atmosphere, clearly a place for learning.

For noble ladies accustomed to luxury, it might not seem very impressive.

But for someone like Yao Rongrong, who came from a humble background, it was a pleasant surprise. She was about to praise the grandeur of the palace, but seeing the indifferent expressions of the others, she swallowed her words.

Huang Renli said, “The place has been cleaned, but the ladies will need to discuss who will stay in which room. After you choose your rooms and settle in, a few female officials from the Department of Rites will come to teach palace etiquette. The ladies should be prepared because Su Shangyi will personally inspect. She has served the princess for many years and watched her grow up, so she is very strict about etiquette. If you can’t pass her inspection, you might have to return home even after coming to the palace.”

Su Shangyi.

Upon hearing this name, Jiang Xuening reflexively felt pain in her knees, lower back, neck, and even her fingers. 

In her previous life, she had grown up in the countryside and never liked learning rules. After returning to the capital, she became even more unruly with Yan Lin’s support.

As a result, she clashed with Su Shangyi as soon as she entered the palace. Su Shangyi, who had served Shen Zhiyi since childhood, was particularly strict with her, possibly out of sympathy for the princess or following Shen Zhiyi’s instructions. She repeatedly tormented Jiang Xuening, making her start over at the slightest mistake.

Such times were especially humiliating.

Everyone else had learned the rules and stood by watching her struggle, their eyes filled with mockery and disdain. Many of the noble ladies who came to accompany the princess today had inquired about palace affairs and had heard of Su Shangyi, showing signs of fear.

This led to quiet discussions while choosing rooms.

“I know Su Shangyi, she’s really scary. My mother told me this morning to avoid her if possible. But Eunuch Huang said there would be several female officials, so they should teach separately, right? If I really encounter Su Shangyi, what should I do?”

“Is she really that scary?”

“This room faces south, with windows to the west, overlooking the osmanthus trees. It should be a good spot to meet important people. I’ll take this room, and no one else should fight me for it! May the gods bless me to pass this ordeal smoothly.”

Jiang Xuening didn’t compete for the best rooms and chose a quiet, somewhat poorly lit room in the corner. Listening to the conversations behind her, she could tell who was who.

The one who always added “ah” or “oh” to her sentences and had a sweet voice was Zhou Baoying;

The timid one was Yao Rongrong;

The one who chose a room while mumbling calculations was the half-mystic Fang Miao.

The others didn’t say much.

Soon, everyone had chosen their rooms.

They all tacitly left the best room for Xiao Shu, with Chen Shuyi and Yao Xi’s rooms on either side of hers. The others were scattered around. Jiang Xuening’s room was at the edge, with only one room to the east, chosen by Fan Yilan, who didn’t care much about the companion reading.

After choosing their rooms, they went in to tidy up.

Jiang Xuening had brought the least amount of stuff and quickly finished organizing. When she came out, she thought she would be the first.

To her surprise, Fan Yilan was already sitting outside.

Seeing her come out, Fan Yilan nodded at her. Perhaps sensing that Jiang Xuening, like herself, didn’t care much about these things, she rarely smiled and gave her a smile.

It was indeed like an orchid blooming in a secluded valley.

Although not a stunning beauty, she had an air of elegance and purity.

Jiang Xuening guessed that Miss Fan might have misunderstood her as a kindred spirit, but she didn’t want to explain this “wonderful” misunderstanding. So, she thickened her skin and accepted the kindness, smiling back.

The two of them sat outside without speaking.

After about half an hour, everyone had finally finished tidying up.

At this moment, a voice announced that the female officials from the Department of Rites had arrived to teach the rules. The palace maids inside and outside Yangzhi Zhai immediately stood straight, bowed their heads, held their breath, and remained silent.

Everyone was taken aback by this display.

Soon, four female officials walked in from outside the palace gate.

The leading official wore a gray-green fifth-rank female official’s robe, her hair tied high with two gold hairpins adorned with cloud patterns. Her hands were folded in front of her waist, but not actually touching it. She walked with a strict and solemn demeanor, each step measured and identical. Her slightly aged face showed no trace of a smile, with wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and a faint vertical crease between her brows from frequent frowning. Her gaze swept over everyone, cold and stern, without any warmth.

Among the twelve, the timid ones immediately lowered their heads in fear.

Only Xiao Shu, Chen Shuyi, and Fan Yilan could calmly and steadily bow in greeting.

Xiao Shu and Chen Shuyi often visited the palace and had long learned the etiquette;

Fan Yilan, however, treated everyone the same and did not find Su Shangyi frightening.

Seeing this, Su Shangyi frowned, walked to the front, and said in a flat tone, “Today, the Department of Rites has been ordered to teach you ladies some palace etiquette over the next two days. You may call me ‘Su Shangyi.’ Since you will be accompanying the princess, you must be especially careful. I hope you will take these two days seriously. If anyone is negligent or unable to learn, they will be sent back home.”

Huang Renli had said something similar earlier, but no one took it seriously. However, when Su Shangyi said it, everyone shivered inwardly.

Seeing that they had understood, Su Shangyi continued, “Now, please divide yourselves into three groups. The three female officials will teach separately, so you can learn more thoroughly.”

Everyone bowed and responded, “Yes.”

Su Shangyi then sat aside.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that the strictest and most feared official would not personally instruct them.

But the instruction to “divide yourselves” was a bit tricky.

Xiao Shu, Chen Shuyi, and Yao Xi had arrived together in the same carriage, so they naturally grouped together;

You Yue looked around and pulled Fan Yilan, heading towards Zhou Baoying, who was about to join Xiao Shu’s group, and said with a smile, “I’ve always wanted to get to know Baoying. Shall we be together?”

Zhou Baoying thought for a moment and nodded, not minding.

Jiang Xuening stood still, pondering who to group with this time—

In her previous life, she had been ambitious and grouped with Zhou Baoying.

Unfortunately, she had the bad luck of encountering Su Shangyi and was tormented terribly.

In this life, although she planned to take it easy and didn’t intend to pass smoothly, if she encountered Su Shangyi again, leaving the palace would be certain, but she would also be tormented.

She was still undecided.

“Choosing who to be with is all about looking at the ‘momentum’,” a mystical voice suddenly sounded from not far behind. Jiang Xuening turned her head and saw Fang Miao walking towards her, her lively eyes shrewdly observing her. Fang Miao placed a hand on Jiang Xuening’s shoulder and smiled, “Second Miss Jiang, your momentum has been very good recently, shining brightly. I think if I can be with you, I might borrow some of that momentum and benefit from it. So, I’ll be with Second Miss Jiang—”

Fang Miao had heard that Jiang Xuening was the only one who hadn’t originally submitted her name but ended up on the list of companions. She had also gained the favor of Princess Leyang at the Chongyang Banquet. This time entering the palace, she was likely the second most important person to the princess after Xiao Shu. So, Fang Miao thought it would be easier to get along with her and have more opportunities to be noticed by the princess.

But out of the corner of her eye, she saw Su Shangyi standing up again!

Not only standing up but also walking towards Jiang Xuening!

Oh my goodness!

Fang Miao’s eyelids twitched wildly, and all the words she had prepared to cozy up to Jiang Xuening were swallowed back. Her fingers lightly turned, and she abruptly changed direction, pointing towards Fan Yilan.

“Hey, the momentum over there seems good too!”

She then lifted her hand from Jiang Xuening’s shoulder, smoothed out the wrinkles in her clothes, and said, “I’ll be going over there, Second Miss Jiang, don’t miss me!”

With that, she quickly ran over to Fan Yilan.

Everyone looked at Jiang Xuening with pity, and You Yue even laughed, thinking that Jiang Xuening, who had been arrogant in their mansion, was finally going to have bad luck today. Such a person deserved to be properly dealt with. Falling into Su Shangyi’s hands, she would be skinned even if she didn’t die!

“……”

Jiang Xuening realized something was wrong.

Then she heard a cold voice behind her: “Second Miss Jiang.”

Jiang Xuening stiffened and turned around to see Su Shangyi standing behind her!

Seeing that expressionless face, she felt pain all over her body.

She thought that she couldn’t escape Su Shangyi in this life either, but on the bright side, Su Shangyi’s strict requirements meant that if she showed her spoiled and cunning nature, she would most likely be sent out of the palace.

She was about to salute.

But to her surprise, the next moment, Su Shangyi’s stern face showed a slight smile!

Although not very obvious, it was completely different from before!

At that moment, not only Jiang Xuening but everyone else who had been gloating or planning to watch the show was stunned, unable to believe what they were seeing!

The iron tree had bloomed!

The sun had risen in the west!

Su Shangyi actually smiled!

She seemed unaccustomed to smiling, so it looked somewhat awkward and stiff. She focused on Jiang Xuening, and even her voice was softer than before, saying, “Second Miss Jiang, this is your first time entering the palace, right? I’ll teach you the etiquette myself.”

Jiang Xuening: “……”

Wait, isn’t there something wrong here?

Everyone else: “……”

What happened to treating everyone equally and being exceptionally strict?!