Ji Feiyu turned around and looked at the annoying face in front of her. With a smile, she asked, "May I ask what rank this elder sister holds?"
"Jieyu."
"Oh, then this younger sister pays respects to the Jieyu elder sister." Ji Feiyu gently curtsied. Just then, she was surrounded by others. "Well, I'm a Guipin!"
"I'm a Xiurong!"
Looking at their eager expressions to step on her, Ji Feiyu thought that last night's wedding must have made many women in the harem envious. So she smiled faintly. "Do I need to pay respects to each of you one by one?"
"Naturally." A Xiurong answered matter - of - factly.
Ji Feiyu never knew that below the imperial concubines, there were so many women desperately vying for a higher rank.
At this moment, a light cough from the doorway silenced everyone. Ji Feiyu turned her head towards the sound. She saw three gorgeously dressed and exquisitely made - up women. They glanced coldly at the crowd and then walked in with their maids. They were the Three Imperial Concubines.
Everyone lowered their heads and kept silent. Only Ji Feiyu looked up at them with a smile on her face. They were old acquaintances. It had been a long time since they last met.
Because of the veil, the Concubine Zhen obviously didn't notice her smile. She just said coldly, "Don't you know the rule in the palace that women are not allowed to cover their faces casually?"
Ji Feiyu's gaze followed her movements. She answered neither humbly nor arrogantly, "It's the rule in Beihan that a bride should cover her face for the first three days after marriage."
"But now you're in Dayong." She looked at Ji Feiyu seriously. It seemed that she was going to make an example of her. Ji Feiyu never expected that these concubines, who were usually submissive in front of her, would act so arrogantly towards those of lower ranks.
Well, her purpose for coming back this time was to make the Three Imperial Concubines disappear!
Ji Feiyu secretly made a decision, but still smiled. "Your Majesty didn't tell me the rules of Dayong."
Hearing this, the Concubine Ru laughed mockingly. "Your Majesty didn't even stay in your Shuanghua Palace on the wedding night. Even if a palace was named after you, so what?"
Ji Feiyu smiled. "It was I who drove Your Majesty out."
She naturally knew how important the emperor's favor was in the harem, so she would never admit that she had no allure to the emperor.
The Concubine Li sneered coldly. "Sure enough, a vulgar person. So ignorant of the rules."
Ji Feiyu also smiled. Since they said she was ignorant of the rules, why not be even more so? So she said to them with a smile, "My maid told me that I just need to come here to meet everyone. Now that I've met everyone, I can leave."
After saying that, Ji Feiyu clapped her hands and turned around to leave, looking quite disdainful. She left a group of angry concubines scolding her behind. Ji Feiyu was fearless. Instead, she suddenly felt in a great mood.
It seemed that her life in the harem was going to be colorful again. At least she had found something to do for herself. Even if someone didn't come to see her often, she had a way to keep herself from getting bored.
Ji Feiyu walked out of the Jifang Hall and was about to leave. After thinking for a while, she suddenly turned back and hid behind a rockery.
Not long after, those charming women walked out, still talking about what had just happened. After everyone had dispersed, the Three Imperial Concubines slowly emerged.
"Do you think the woman just now can stay? I've heard rumors in the palace that she's going to be made the queen." The Concubine Li was the first to speak.
The Concubine Zhen couldn't help but snort. "So ostentatious and ignorant of the rules. With her barbarian background, she can never be the mother of the country!"
The Concubine Ru flattered, "Our three sisters have served His Majesty for many years. How can we let a barbarian girl take the lead? If a queen really has to be appointed, this younger sister would rather it be you, elder sister Zhen."
The Concubine Li gave her a contemptuous look but reluctantly said, "Yes, elder sister Zhen has given birth to an imperial heir. In terms of seniority and appearance, she's the best candidate for the queen. It's really inappropriate to let that young girl ride on our heads."
The Concubine Zhen sneered. "Don't worry about this. I have my own plans."
Hearing this, the Concubine Ru and the Concubine Li glanced at each other and both fell silent. Ji Feiyu watched them leave and then walked out from behind the rockery, with a smile on her lips. They wanted to deal with her? It wouldn't be that easy.
Ji Feiyu returned to the Shuanghua Palace named after her by Yong Yaxuan. After thinking for a moment, she visited each of the concubines' palaces. Sure enough, some of them were gathering together, discussing how to deal with her.
Ji Feiyu couldn't help but find it funny when she heard someone mention itching powder. When it came to using poison, how could they compare with her, an expert?
After gathering some information, Ji Feiyu was about to return to her palace and wait for them to make their move. Who would have thought that just as she jumped off the roof and stood still, she saw Yong Yaxuan in a bright yellow dragon robe appear at the end of the road. Ji Feiyu quickly tidied up her makeup and stood by the roadside with her head down, waiting for him.
Yong Yaxuan walked over slowly. When he saw it was her, he stopped beside her and asked, "Why did you come here?"
Ji Feiyu buried her head and said softly in Shuanghua's voice, "Your servant is not familiar with the palace, so I wanted to take a walk around. Unexpectedly, I got lost and didn't know how to get back."
Yong Yaxuan smiled softly and pulled her hand. "Then come with me."
Ji Feiyu quickly withdrew her hand. "Absolutely not, Your Majesty. Please show me the way and let me go back. There are too many spies in the palace..."
"But I just want to show them. Otherwise, what if they bully you?" Yong Yaxuan wanted to look at her lowered face. Judging from her figure, except for being a bit thinner, Shuanghua really looked quite like Ji Feiyu.
Ji Feiyu quickly said, "But if you do this, they will bully me even more, won't they?"
Yong Yaxuan was momentarily speechless. What she said made sense. He was silent for a moment. After a long while, he lowered his head and asked, "Who taught you in Beihan? Ran Wei?"
Ji Feiyu said, "Sister - in - law Wang is a very good person."
He nodded and didn't force her. He said, "Go straight west along this road. After passing through a garden, you'll reach the Shuanghua Palace. If you don't want to go with me, just go back this way."
Ji Feiyu immediately nodded. "Thank Your Majesty for your grace." She turned around and was about to leave when Yong Yaxuan grabbed her. He asked with great interest, "Wait, why do you cover your face?"
Ji Feiyu said in Shuanghua's voice, "It's the rule in Beihan that a bride can't show her true face for the first three days after marriage. The clan elders say it's for conserving energy."
Hearing this, Yong Yaxuan smiled and let her go. Ji Feiyu exclaimed that it was really close.
...
Back in the Shuanghua Palace, Ji Feiyu paced back and forth in her room to calm down the nervousness caused by his grab. Damn it. Why did she still feel so strongly after so long? Could it be that she really couldn't let him go? Just as Ji Feiyu was thinking about when to tell him the truth, she suddenly heard the laughter of a group of women outside.
Then a crisp voice came. "Is younger sister Shuanghua in? This elder sister has brought some sisters to see you."