Chapter 367

Huang Yanyu raised her hand to block her path: "I don't want to share this room with you. Move out!"0

As she spoke, two other maidens in the same room began throwing Mu Qianqian's belongings out, tossing them onto the ground.0

"Your bed is now ours, Yanyu's."0

"Yes! I found a hairpin under your bed just now. I know your family is not well-off, so I won't ask you to return it, but our room doesn't need someone with sticky fingers. You'd better find another place."0

"You... you..."0

Mu Qianqian pointed at the grinning group: "I didn't steal anything. You can't frame me like this."0

Her face turned red with anger. Behind Huang Yanyu, Han Qingqing chuckled: "You say you didn't steal, so you're implying we're all framing you? If you're so unpopular, it must be a problem with your character. Otherwise, why would we frame you and not others?"0

The other maidens whispered among themselves, and Mu Qianqian felt their gazes piercing her like needles, making her extremely uncomfortable.0

At that moment, a bright pink figure walked over, seemingly oblivious to them, and bumped into Huang Yanyu.0

"Clang!"0

A jade bracelet fell to the ground and shattered into four pieces. The pink-clad girl gasped: "How dare you! This was a gift from the late emperor to my father. You broke it!"0

The pink-clad girl was no ordinary person; she was Wei Shu, the daughter of the Prince of Ruyang, a bona fide princess of the royal family.0

Huang Yanyu was startled and took a few steps back: "How can you lie like this? So many eyes are watching! You bumped into me."0

"Am I?"0

Wei Shu's eyes sparkled with a threatening smile: "Who saw me bump into her?"0

"Huang Yanyu bumped into Princess Wei Shu. I saw it."0

"Yes, I saw it too. You bumped into the princess."0

With a noble like Wei Shu standing up for the pitiful Mu Qianqian, those who disliked Huang Yanyu began to speak out against her.0

"Mu Qianqian is already so pitiful, and they still gang up on her. It's too much."0

"Hmph! She claims to be the cousin of the Imperial Noble Consort, but it's been a month since she entered the palace, and the Consort hasn't summoned her even once. Who knows if her claim is true or not."0

"Not summoning her is understandable. After all, the Imperial Noble Consort manages the six palaces and is busy with many affairs. But not even sending a maid to check on her or bestow some gifts? Her words must be full of water."0

Wei Shu pursed her lips: "Mu Qianqian, don't be afraid of her. Just go in. Today, I want to see what she dares to do to you."0

Huang Yanyu tried to stop her, but Wei Shu spoke slowly: "My sister-in-law once served the late Empress Dowager Fushun and had a good relationship with the Imperial Noble Consort. She said the Consort is a wise, kind, and reasonable woman. If she knew someone was using her name to bully the weak in Chuxiu Palace, I don't think that person would have a good outcome. What do you say, Lady Huang?"0

Huang Yanyu, being addressed, blinked nervously, not daring to meet Wei Shu's gaze.0

She was indeed the cousin of the Imperial Noble Consort, but the connection was distant.0

She was the niece of Jiang Xinyue's second uncle's wife, referring to Jiang Xinyue's cousin brother as her own cousin, so she could reluctantly call Jiang Xinyue her cousin sister.0

Mu Qianqian picked up her clothes and hairpins from the ground, thanked Wei Shu, and then went inside.0

Her bed, which used to get sunlight, had been taken over by Huang Yanyu. Even if the princess could help her temporarily, she couldn't protect her forever.0

She had no power or influence. It was better not to provoke them again.0

But when she looked for her bedding, she found her pillow and quilt soaked and lying behind the screen.0

She was drenched, her bones shivering, and a chill ran through her heart.0

Huang Yanyu chuckled and gave Wei Shu a challenging look.0

The other two maidens behind her also watched Mu Qianqian with mockery.0

"What are you all standing around for?"0

A stern, elderly voice rang out: "Have you finished today's lessons?"0

"Matron Duan!"0

The maidens were respectful to the matron who taught them etiquette. After all, unless they had the strong background like Huang Yanyu or Wei Shu, if Matron Duan said, "She lacks proper behavior and is not fit to be selected," they would be disqualified from the final selection and end up as palace maids.0

Who entered the palace not to become a mistress?0

Who would want to do menial work?0

Matron ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‍Duan observed the expressions on everyone's faces and glanced at the beds in the room, understanding the situation at a glance.0

Her stern face showed no emotion: "Lady Mu, follow me to get a clean set of bedding. The sixth prince's first birthday banquet is only a few days away. I hope you all behave and don't cause any trouble that would upset the Imperial Noble Consort. Do you understand?"0

After speaking, she also gave Huang Yanyu a warning glance.0

Among this batch of maidens, Huang Yanyu was the most foolish, easily provoked into picking on Lady Mu.0

Before heading to the Internal Affairs Office, Matron Duan took her to her own room to change into clean clothes, dried her hair, and styled it before taking her out.0

"Stop crying."0

Throughout the journey, Mu Qianqian silently wept. Matron Duan didn't even turn her head: "Once you're in the palace, tears are worthless. There will be plenty of time for you to cry later."0

Mu Qianqian, feeling even more distressed, sobbed: "Matron, I... I don't want to be bullied all the time. What... what should I do? Please guide me."0

Matron Duan coldly replied: "Leave the palace."0

The current emperor doted on the Imperial Noble Consort to the point of neglecting the other palaces.0

The lady in Hexi Palace is pregnant, and the emperor personally attends to her every day after handling state affairs, never delegating tasks to others.0

He visits during the day and even stays overnight, either in Hexi Palace or alone in Chengqian Palace.0

According to the eunuchs in Chengqian Palace, if it weren't for the emperor worrying that his late-night visits might disturb the Imperial Noble Consort's rest, he would stay by her side day and night.0

The other consorts in the palace, whether resigned or not, have accepted the reality: the emperor is deeply in love with the Imperial Noble Consort, and there's no room for anyone else.0

Except for the newly arrived Princess Lihua, who is still making trouble, the entire palace is lifeless, with no one having the will to compete.0

But now, things are different. Among these new maidens, who knows if there will be another Jiang Xinyue?0

The palace is never short of fresh flowers, and whether they bloom or wither depends on their own fate.0

Matron Duan has seen it all and still doesn't think entering the palace is the best choice for a woman.0

Over the decades, thousands of maidens have entered the palace, but how many can rise to the level of the Imperial Noble Consort?n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om