Quick Transmigration: Underdog Turns out to be Untouchable

Chapter 948: Chapter 859: Unwilling to Be a Slave 79

”Alright, stop crying. I will help you. Before the spring festival, the Emperor will be going to the Imperial Awakening Temple to fast and bathe for three days. If Du Zhaoyi can start praying for the Emperor there every day, when the Emperor arrives and happens to see her, it might bring Du Zhaoyi back into favor.”

The Imperial Awakening Temple is located at the far end of the Imperial Palace and is a temple specifically prepared for the palace nobility. From the Emperor, Empress Dowager, Empress, down to the Concubines, Princes, and Princesses, they all go to the Imperial Awakening Temple for incense offerings and prayers.

Song Lin truly liked Bi Ying and came up with the most beneficial plan for Du Zhaoyi. Although the Emperor lacks passion, he enjoys displays of grandeur. If Du Zhaoyi prays for him daily, it would give the Emperor face; even if not restored to favor, her rank could be promoted.

In the harem, where love is scarce, rank is crucial. For instance, Lady is one of the First Rank Four Concubines. Even if the Emperor no longer favors her, she still lives well because her rank is sufficiently high.

Bi Ying knew that Song Lin could only speak to this extent. She took the opportunity and didn’t persist in making Song Lin uncomfortable. They exchanged a few whispers and laughter before parting ways from two different directions.

After ensuring that Song Lin and Bi Ying had both left, Cheng Mei Ren and Chun Jing stood up from behind the tall and lush flowers. Cheng Mei Ren thoughtfully watched the direction in which the two left, then quickly left the area with Chun Jing.

Cheng Mei Ren was particularly grateful for her soft-soled embroidered shoes, which she wore due to her leg injury for comfort. The soft-soled shoes not only provided comfort but also created no noise.

If she had startled Song Lin, Cheng Mei Ren knew she couldn’t afford to offend this favored person in front of the Emperor. Between Song Lin and the Emperor, Cheng Mei Ren was sure she was insignificant compared to the weight Song Lin carried.

On the way back, Chun Jing kept observing Cheng Mei Ren’s expression. She was equally shocked at the relationship between Song Lin and Bi Ying. The harem, of course, wasn’t short of food-sharing between palace maids and eunuchs. Chun Jing herself had a eunuch she fancied.

As it wasn’t intended for a lifetime companion, the solitude of being in the palace led many Chief Palace Maids to find companionship through food-sharing. But someone like Song Lin engaging in such a relationship with a palace maid left Chun Jing incredulous.

However, after some thought, Bi Ying was formerly a female official, quite talented. Although Bi Ying’s position was due to Lady Xuan’s fondness, prompting the Emperor to grant her the title to show favor to Lady Xuan, Bi Ying was not tested for her role as a female official but was of servant origin.

But if Bi Ying had no talent, she wouldn’t have been specially granted her position. So, her skills were comparable to any female official, and with her uncommon beauty attracting Song Lin, Chun Jing found it not entirely implausible.

After returning to Fangcao Pavilion, Cheng Mei Ren pondered whether to inform Nangong Shuangshuang of this incident. Everyone in the harem knew about the time Du Zhaoyi, as Lady Xuan, deliberately punished Lady Jing to kneel in the cold until she fell ill and became infertile for years.

When Du Zhaoyi fell from grace, many awaited Lady Jing’s revenge on her. However, Lady Jing disregarded Du Zhaoyi, treating her as nonexistent, which many viewed as magnanimous, not holding grudges against someone fallen from grace.

Cheng Mei Ren perceived this as the victor’s disdain for the vanquished. But if Du Zhaoyi had a chance to regain favor, Lady Jing surely wouldn’t be content. Cheng Mei Ren was considering whether this piece of news could serve as her token of allegiance to Lady Jing.

Since being punished inexplicably by the Emperor before, Cheng Mei Ren harbored resentment and fear towards him. She had no desire to continue pleasing the Emperor.

Yet, Cheng Mei Ren knew she had no right to distance herself from the Emperor. Her current way of life depended on the Emperor’s favor. Without relying on the Emperor, she needed a new protective figure.

If the Empress Dowager were the Emperor’s biological mother, she’d be the ideal protector. But given the sour relations between them, well-known in the harem, choosing the Empress Dowager as a protector was unwise for Cheng Mei Ren.

If not the Empress Dowager, then Cheng Mei Ren’s only option was to rely on Lady Jing, who held the reins of power in the harem. Lady Jing’s cleverness was widely recognized, and Cheng Mei Ren was certain that even if the Emperor took an Empress, Lady Jing’s status wouldn’t waver.

With Lady Jing’s protection, life wouldn’t be difficult despite the Emperor’s lack of favoritism. It might not rival her days with the Emperor, but Cheng Mei Ren was truly frightened; the Emperor could easily ruin her life with a single word, whereas Lady Jing held no such power.

As for the later issue of having children or what to do when older without children, Cheng Mei Ren could no longer worry about it. Besides, the Emperor himself seldom made concubines pregnant. Never did he prescribe avoidance potions yet none of the harem’s women became pregnant.

Previously, Cheng Mei Ren had not known how to attract Lady Jing’s protection. Her fortune in stumbling upon this news finally provided her with the means to ingratiate herself with Lady Jing.

Cheng Mei Ren’s leg had yet to heal completely; even though acupuncture wasn’t needed daily anymore, soaking her feet regularly remained essential. Nangong Shuangshuang continued her bi-daily check-ups on Cheng Mei Ren, assessing her recovery progress.

In truth, the coldness in Cheng Mei Ren’s body had long dissipated, but Nangong Shuangshuang preferred not to reveal her medical prowess, deliberately leaving a trace of coldness, gradually removing it over time to create the impression of Cheng Mei Ren’s gradual improvement.

One day, Nangong Shuangshuang came to re-examine Cheng Mei Ren. Afterward, Cheng Mei Ren said to Nangong Shuangshuang, ”Lady Nangong, I am feeling unwell in some areas of my body that are inappropriate for others to see. Could Lady Nangong accompany me to the inner chamber for a check-up?”

Cheng Mei Ren’s words were clear; discomfort in private areas rendered inspection in public inappropriate, allowing her to legitimately bring Nangong Shuangshuang into the inner chamber alone without drawing attention.

Nangong Shuangshuang, without much thought, took her medicine chest and entered the inner chamber with Cheng Mei Ren. Cheng Mei Ren’s trusted Chun Jing entertained the little eunuch accompanying Nangong Shuangshuang outside, offering tea and pastries.

Inside the inner chamber, Cheng Mei Ren claimed abdominal pain, prompting Nangong Shuangshuang to check. As Nangong Shuangshuang examined her, Cheng Mei Ren slipped a small paper ball into Nangong Shuangshuang’s hand.