"By the imperial edict following the kind instruction of the Empress Dowager, Xu Lingshan, the chamberlain in front of the imperial court, is pure - hearted, gentle and well - behaved. She has served the emperor meritoriously... Now she is hereby granted the title of Beauty."
After a series of dramas where one party's show ended and another's began, an imperial edict was first issued from Yaotai Golden Phoenix to promote someone.
Although it was just a low - ranked Beauty of the sixth rank, at least Lingshan was now a legitimate mistress with a proper title.
Presumably in the eyes of the Empress Dowager, for a low - born maid like her to be promoted to a Beauty was already like her ancestors burning high - grade incense.
However, the Empress Dowager's over - self - esteem was actually beneficial to their schemes.
In the previous court, after Wang Yanli was punished by the rod, he was immediately stripped of all his official positions and imprisoned in the jail. All the direct descendants of the Wang family were also thrown into prison.
The position of the Minister of the Department of State Affairs became vacant, and undercurrents were surging among various forces.
To show special sincerity to the group of Grand Tutor Wang, Jun Wuyuan very humanely sent back Grand Tutor Cui and another Grand Preceptor to the capital first, and escorted Grand Tutor Wang to the palace.
As for the commoner Wang in Jiyuan Garden, except for her mother, Lady Xue, who still felt heart - ache and refused to give up, the Wang family had already abandoned her.
In the desolate and secluded garden, Wang Chengbi sat there in a daze with disheveled hair on an abandoned swing.
She had been locked up for a full two days. At first, she was extremely confident that she would be out within an hour.
But she waited and waited until the sun set, and she didn't even see a single soul.
At night, finally hearing some movement outside, she rushed out excitedly.
Unexpectedly, the person who came was not the savior she thought.
Instead, it was Willow, that low - class maid, who was sent to Jiyuan Garden and brought the news that made Wang Chengbi tremble with fear.
She had been abandoned!
Even her parents and relatives had been thrown into prison.
Her good aunt, the Empress Dowager, had even issued an imperial edict to promote that low - class maid to a Beauty, replacing her in name.
All these things, together with Jun Wuyuan's merciless disgust, were enough to destroy all of Wang Chengbi's pride and hope.
Willow regretted it so much. She hadn't even had a chance to enjoy the glory of being a chief maid when she was sent to the cold palace to suffer.
First, she was arrested by the imperial guards and interrogated in the inner court. She had told everything she knew.
Unexpectedly, she still couldn't escape being thrown into Jiyuan Garden, and death soon loomed over her.
At night, without any food or hot water for a whole day, the entire Jiyuan Garden was as cold as an endless hell.
Willow didn't even dare to say a word. She could only sit there stupidly with Wang Chengbi on the couch. During the day, she sat on the swing in a daze.
Could they just wait for death like this?
Willow didn't understand. The Empress Dowager and the group of Grand Tutor Wang were so powerful. Even if the charming maid in front of the imperial court had a miscarriage, would the emperor really kill the lady?
Until the imperial guards came with a tray. Willow really regretted it this time.
She thought that it would have been better if she had just stayed low - key. She had only enjoyed a few days of good life, and was she really going to die with Wang Chengbi?
"Commoner Wang, the emperor and the Empress Dowager have ordered to bestow a cup of poisoned wine."
Hearing the voice, Wang Chengbi moved her eyes and looked up at the person.
"Miss Banchun, I want to see Lingshan!"
Banchun frowned, with displeasure in her eyes. Who in the palace didn't know that Lingshan should be called Beauty Lingshan now?
Moreover, the young mistress had lost her child because of Wang Chengbi and was supposed to be recuperating. But this commoner Wang insisted on making such an unreasonable and excessive request.
Strangely enough, the young mistress had even predicted this before Banchun came.
"Please trouble Miss Banchun to run this errand."
Wang Chengbi took off a bright and translucent jade bracelet from her wrist and handed it over. Her face was calm as if she had lost her former arrogance.
Banchun was secretly surprised but pretended to hesitate before accepting the bracelet.
If only she had known this earlier!
Since it was something that had already been agreed upon, Banchun just sighed inwardly. After taking the reward, she immediately went to do the job.
Willow wasn't so lucky. As a mere maid with too many scheming thoughts, wasn't she just doomed to a short life?
She couldn't even utter a cry for mercy before she was dragged away by the imperial guards and hanged with a white silk.
After making that request, Wang Chengbi seemed to fall into her own thoughts again.
The imperial guards had had many confrontations with this former Virtuous Concubine, now Commoner Wang. When had they ever seen her so calm and composed?
Sure enough, the cold palace was the best place in the harem to wear people down.
They stood there with their eyes downcast, waiting for Banchun to bring Beauty Lingshan.
Others might not know, but the imperial guards, who were Jun Wuyuan's confidants, understood that a mere title of Beauty could not satisfy the emperor.
"Your Highness, the emperor has ordered you to rest well. If the emperor knows that you've come to this cold and gloomy place like Jiyuan Garden, we slaves are afraid we can't escape a beating."
Banchun's pitiful look was too obvious. There was no trace of the calmness of a chief maid in Taiji Palace.
Lingshan found it funny and secretly smiled under her veil.
"If you don't say and I don't say, the emperor has been busy dealing with the court affairs these days. How would he know?"
Moreover, today was the day when Grand Tutor Wang arrived at the palace. That naughty Jun Wuyuan was busy getting benefits from the court. How could he remember her, this obedient new - promoted Beauty?
Banchun: "..."
She always felt that the young mistress was being too naive.
There was movement outside the garden. Wang Chengbi finally stopped being in a daze. Her phoenix - like eyes, similar to the Empress Dowager's, fixed on the approaching person.
"Your Highness, the Virtuous Concubine, may I ask what you want from me?"
The approaching person was as beautiful as a peach blossom. Although her makeup was not extremely luxurious, she made Wang Chengbi feel ashamed of herself.
Especially the respectful and attentive attitude of the imperial maids, which all showed that she had already lost completely.
"I have a secret to trade with you. May I ask you to dismiss your attendants?"
No one expected Wang Chengbi to say such a thing. Banchun immediately turned cold.
"It's okay. Step back first."
Banchun hesitated and gave a warning look before waving the others back.
"Your Highness, the Virtuous Concubine, what kind of deal do you want to make?"
Lingshan looked around Jiyuan Garden and slowly walked up to the nearby swing.
"My good aunt has put a lot of effort into you, hasn't she?"
A surprised smile flashed across Lingshan's eyes. She looked Wang Chengbi up and down several times with a deep look in her eyes.
She didn't expect that the stupid Wang Chengbi could actually detect the Empress Dowager's tricks.
However, just this one sentence couldn't move Lingshan.
Wang Chengbi naturally knew this and said in a calm tone:
"Have you heard of Bilehuangquan? It is a strange poison that was already extinct in the previous dynasty, and the antidote prescription has been lost. If I say I have a clue, won't Miss Lingshan be tempted?"