"Shu fei!!?"...
Immediately Consort Shu turned almost falling off her seat as she faced the Empress calling her.
"H- Huanghuo nia- naing niang"... Consort Shu replied stammering.
"Ouh?..you still acknowledge me as your empress"..The Empress queried, staring keenly into Consort Shu's eyes
"Huanghuo niang niang is the ruler of the six palaces, the motherly figure of the great Qin" .... Shu fei replied looking down without waiting for a second so as to not let the Empress hit her with another question.
"Shu fei, I remember very well when you first entered the forbidden city, so naive and well mannered, but it seems after climbing the ladder of nobility and becoming a fourth ranked Consort you could no longer abide by the rules and know your place?" ...The Empress queried again but with a different tune now like a goddess about to pass judgment to her subject.
Hands shaking, eyes blinking uncontrollably, Consort Shu immediately started slapping her self on the cheek as she proclaimed..
"Bengong misspoke!, Bengong is guilty, Bengong misspoke, Bengong is guilty!"..she continued slapping her self.
"Very good!..the empress interrupted raising her hand"
She continued...."I will be magnanimous and take it that you did speak out of control and not pursue this matter ,also on the account of I taking over the affairs of the imperial harem , i don't want today to be inauspicious for anyone so I won't punish you further.
Shu fei let out a sigh in relief and stood up to thank the Empress..."Thank you Huanghuo niang niang!"
"But let this be a warning ,the empress continued as she addressed everyone..."The forbidden city follows the rules of the forbidden city and as such I will not condone any form of misbehavior and arrogance, all those dogs that wants to bark can go ahead and bark but I doubt if they will have any mouth to bark again"
Eyes at eachother, it was clear to all that the phoniex has risen and ready for war if time called for it.
The empress took her tea and sipped like what seemed to be a lubrication for stressing her vocals
She continued but now in a more calmer tone...
"Mei Mei,Since we are all gathered today, tell me ...what has changed , what is new, what is bothering any of you"..she concluded waiting for a reply as she rolled her beads calmly.
Remember before now that Jia pin haven't had a day to herself since the news of the emperor selecting a princess got to her , so she personally came today to cause a change in the outcome of this selection as she said to her maid the night before .
And as she heard her empress ask this question, she immediately jumped on the opportunity , ready to play it by ear rather than render it as a request.
"Humph!..she coughed, slightly adjusting.
"Huanghuo niang niang, there is been news" Jia pin answered as she turned towards the empress.
"Huh? News?"..the empress asked calmly
"Yes naing niang...the emperor is about to select a bride from the princesses to be a queen Consort to ortai."Jia pin continued
"But..she hesitated as she scanned the expression on everyone's face to see if she has their attention.
"But what?...Asked concubine Hua as she was already immersed into this news , waiting for it's end.
"I am worried that the legitimate princess of Huanghuo niang niang will be selected "..Jia pin added sounding like she was really worried but was actually not.
Jia pin was trying to shift all the attention of the selection from her daughter , princess A'yin the first princess to Princess Xin the second princess birthed by the Empress. This was her strategy and her plan all along .
The empress smirked knowing the game Jia pin was playing but decided not to indulge her..
"Aiyo! Jia pin, if there is any one that should be worried then it should be you "... Concubine Hua spoke in a manner that seemed to be of mockery.
"Me!?...oh Hua pin, I am only looking out for the empress since Princess Xin is the legitimate princess of Great Qin"..Jia pin added knowing fully well that her plot was gradually coming to light.
"Shu fei , don't you agree with me?...Jia pin asked hoping for Consort Shu to help her. But unfortunately, Consort Shu was not ready to worsen her sentence of copying the rules of women . And as such she remained silent.
"Huanghuo nia-...
"Jia pin, Princess A'yin is the Eldest and thus , she is to be a role model to other younger princesses coming after her"..Noble Consort ling interjected.
Left with nothing more to say , Concubine Jia fell into her seat angrily.
**********
Meanwhile, Ru Lingyi was galavanting the corridors and streets of the forbidden city in search of the imperial household department when she mistakenly bumped into Jia pin at a crossroad ,who was angrily returning from Changchun Hall that morning. It happened that during the heat of their coercion, Lingyi left the wooden bowl drop in front of Concubine Jia thereby startling her to loose her balance causing her to almost trip . Coupled with her failed mission in Changchun Hall, Jia pin decided to use Ru Lingyi as the scapegoat to vent her anger blowing off her steam.
"How dare you!..You worthless thing, have you no eyes!!?"..Jia pin screamed at the top of her lungs , fumming in anger that could heat a pot of tea,
Lingyi immediately fell to her knees, kowtowing repeatedly...."this servant is stupid, may niang niang have mercy"
"You sure are stupid, what palace are you from?"..Jia pin asked barking with anger.
"naing niang,this servant is from Chengqian palace "..Ru Lingyi replied still kneeling face down to the ground.
"Huhh!?.. Chengqian palace?..it was then it rang a bell to Concubine Jia that Consort Xian was present in today's morning gathering when she was wailing in her plight of loosing her daughter to a far away land. The thought of loosing in front of Consort Xian deeply wounded Jia pin's Pride
"Very good ...that witch!, Since Shu fei couldn't touch her, then I will vent of with her maid "..Jia pin thought as she lifted Ru Lingyi's chin up with her nail guard almost causing her a scratch.
"You..remain here, till dawn. You are not to leave no matter what" Jia pin concluded flinging off Ru Lingyi's face she left with her entourage of servants.
"God ...what did I really do Wrong, look at me in this .. Lingyi paused thinking of the best word to fit her condition.
"Should I call this place a realm, world or space ...but why am I this unlucky, why can't I appear here as a high ranking concubine in the first place?.. but a maid?...how many times have I been punished?...Ohh!!!!!!...she cried out.
Then a naughty thought hit her.."why not I run off back to Chengqian palace, not like that Concubine will know or is someone monitoring me ?... Lingyi said to herself, contemplating on what to do
"I can't Possibly kneel here till tomorrow, after all it was a mistake, next time she should watch her step too...she said to herself in attempt to be more courageous to leave .
"No , I'm leaving...I just have to avoid that bitter soul ...Ru Lingyi stood up and decided to head back to Chengqian palace.. but still she didn't stop soliloquizing.
"Oh goodness,..look at how that bitch threw my face away...lingyi ranted to thin air touching her face to see if there was a scratch,,
"someone I will beat up on a normal day..she held her waist like someone ready for a fight. "if only I was a Concubine too ...she kissed her teeth in regrets biting her index finger.
"Why not be a Concubine then"..a voice interrupted from behind.