Chapter 119 - 100: Diary of a Worker Cub
Upon arriving at Jingxin Temple, life was not the ascetic existence Jiang Xian had imagined.
After all, her companion, the Empress Dowager, was the most esteemed woman in Yan Chi. The two of them represented the face of the harem’s concubines, so naturally, they were honored guests at Jingxin Temple. As the foremost temple in Yan Chi, it was well-versed in hosting dignitaries. While the accommodations couldn’t compare to the Imperial Palace, they were serene and elegant, and certainly not mixed in with the monks and nuns.
The scene reminded Jiang Xian of the Hangzhou Fayan Anman Hotel she had booked for clients in her past life. It was nestled in a mountain valley, and the path from its entrance was lined with lush bamboo groves. Passing by West Lake, one would arrive at Tianzhu Temple. The hotel itself even arranged traditional cultural activities, inviting masters to lead guests in calligraphy and discuss scriptures.
And for this trip to Jingxin Temple, the sole designated "VIP client" was the Empress Dowager.
The Noble Consort counted as half a client, and the Noble Lady was just an add-on.
The Empress Dowager’s residence had a private courtyard and grove. A retinue of twenty-eight palace maids and eunuchs had come to serve her alone. The Noble Consort also had a two-courtyard compound. When it came to Jiang Xian’s turn, she was given just a single, clean, bright, and spacious room.
Jiang Xian went to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager and stayed to pray for blessings for a while before the venerable lady granted her leave to return to her own room. By then, her two palace maids had already cleaned the room once over. They had also unpacked her luggage and laid out her bedding for the night. The bronze censer in the room was lit, filling the air with the fragrance her mistress had brought. A kettle was placed on top to warm water for tea.
Zhenqiu and Mian Xia had to make do and share the room with her. Though they didn’t show it on their faces, after getting everything settled, they both felt their mistress had been wronged.
"Compared to..."
Jiang Xian stopped herself, swallowing the words ’a sweatshop dormitory’. She smiled and said, "We’re here at the temple to pray for Yan Chi’s fortune, not to indulge in luxury. Having such a spacious and bright place is already wonderful. I don’t feel wronged sharing a room with you."
’It’s just a three-person dorm!’
’Besides, these two are here to serve me. Complaining any more would just be pretentious.’
Mian Xia and Zhenqiu still felt their mistress was being treated unfairly, so they set about cleaning the already spotless room until it was immaculate.
...
Meanwhile, things were in an uproar over at Noble Princess Consort Rong’s quarters.
Before she had married into the palace, she had accompanied her family to Jingxin Temple to offer incense. They had only prayed and offered incense, never staying overnight. After being led to her stand-alone courtyard, her brows had been tightly furrowed, never once relaxing. Her red lips parted and closed several times. "I... I... I am to stay *here* tonight?"
’I want to curse up a storm, but I’m afraid Buddha will deduct my merit points.’
Qiu Yun quickly tried to soothe her. "Though it cannot compare to the splendors of Zhaoyang Palace, this is already the best courtyard next to the Empress Dowager’s. We are at a temple, after all. Your Ladyship, please bear with it for a little while. You can rest after dinner. Seven days will pass in the blink of an eye."
Noble Princess Consort Rong raised a hand to her forehead and muttered:
"If I close my eyes, I might just stop breathing altogether."
The more she looked, the dizzier she felt. She decided to go see what Noble Lady Gu’s place was like.
When she found Noble Lady Gu, Jiang Xian and her maids bowed to her in greeting. Noble Princess Consort Rong didn’t even step inside, just pinched her nose and peered in. "You’re certainly considerate of your servants."
"What does Your Ladyship mean by that?"
"After a long day of travel, instead of resting in your own room, I find you in the servants’ quarters," Noble Princess Consort Rong said, her face a mask of disdain. "Don’t spoil them too much. Just have them serve you in your room. Hobnobbing with palace maids like this... you don’t look like a mistress at all."
Jiang Xian had a moment of realization and said with a smile, "Your Ladyship has misunderstood."
"Hm?"
"This isn’t the servants’ quarters. This is my room. The two of them are sharing it with me."
The Noble Consort was stunned speechless for a long moment.
Only after learning that this was the room Noble Lady Gu was to live in did she step inside to have a look.
Jiang Xian asked, "See anything interesting?"
The Noble Consort replied, "I see that you’ve offended the Empress Dowager."
In truth, it was simply due to the objective limitations of Jingxin Temple, not a deliberate slight against Noble Lady Gu. Noble Princess Consort Rong was just so accustomed to luxurious manors that she had misunderstood. The Noble Consort shot her a glance. "You can stand to live in a place like this?"
Jiang Xian was perfectly composed. "A humble room it may be, but my virtue lends it fragrance."
"If virtuous people have to live in rooms like this, then I would rather be a person of no virtue but great fortune," the Noble Consort sneered. "Leave this room for your palace maids. You’re coming to stay in my courtyard."
Jiang Xian wanted to say that wouldn’t be necessary.
But when the Noble Consort spoke, it was a decision. The moment the words left her mouth, her Palace Attendants began moving Jiang Xian’s things. Zhenqiu and Mian Xia could only stare helplessly. After they saw the Noble Consort’s courtyard, however, they fell completely silent—their mistress would be much more comfortable staying there.
But it was only the living conditions that were better.
Noble Princess Consort Rong didn’t treat her with the earnestness due an honored guest, nor was she keeping Jiang Xian close to find opportunities to humiliate her. She simply, ordinarily, let her stay there.
※
「At the same time」
Sikong Rui was playing the part of a "gentleman on the rafters" in Weiyang Palace.
The martial arts provided by the system allowed him to hide himself perfectly among the palace buildings.
He was staying here not only to light the incense, but because Mom—no, Boss, had given him a second mission: to observe the Emperor’s every word and action. He was to pay special attention to the Emperor’s tone and expression whenever he mentioned her, commit it to memory, and report back to her when they next met.
The boss’s orders were absolute.
But this was asking too much of a newly born wage slave.
After all, Sikong Rui had no interest whatsoever in the daily life of this young man before him.
As for the beautiful concubines delivered wrapped up like spring rolls, he felt none of them could compare to his boss.
While the Emperor summoned Hui Pin to his chambers, Sikong Rui observed from the shadows.
He had to ensure only one person smelled the Charming Dream Incense, so he had no choice but to secretly fan the air after the two of them had fallen asleep.
The Emperor, dreaming of seeing Noble Lady Gu, woke in the middle of the night. He reached for the person beside him, only to find it wasn’t the woman from his dream, and a look of melancholy crossed his face.
Hui Pin, a light sleeper, was also startled awake. She looked at him timidly. "Emperor... why are you awake?" A hint of jealousy tinged her voice. "Just now, I heard the Emperor calling out ’Xian’er’... Is that one of my sisters’ maiden names?"
The Emperor stared at her grimly.
After a moment, he sighed. "If it were Noble Lady Gu, at this hour, she would probably still be awake."
Hui Pin’s face instantly went pale.
But the Emperor seemed oblivious to how piercing his words were. He made his remark and left it at that, comforting Hui Pin, "It’s nothing. Go back to sleep."
"After what the Emperor has said, how can I possibly sleep?" Hui Pin tugged at the corner of his sleeve, a touch of sorrow in her voice as she whispered, "My aunt, the Empress Dowager, had me stay behind for fear that the Emperor would have no one to attend to him. If the Emperor is troubled, how could I dare to sleep?"
Hui Pin thought she was showing her loyalty and currying favor.
But to the Emperor’s ears, it only emphasized that she was a tool of a concubine, sent by the Empress Dowager to secure the honor and status of her maternal family. Summoning her was tantamount to an act of filial piety.
As a rebellious Boy, he really disliked this feeling.
He had already been pressured by the Empress Dowager into choosing her plaque, and now this woman was using her aunt, the Empress Dowager, to remind him of it. It made his free spirit revolt.
"Then We shall send you back to Yanxi Palace to sleep."
Hui Pin was so flustered she didn’t dare speak.
The thought of sending her back to Yanxi Palace and having to listen to the Empress Dowager’s nagging made the Emperor reconsider. ’I’ve already chosen her plaque, what’s another hour or two?’ With a dark expression, he lay back down, but simply turned his back on her, ignoring her completely.
And Sikong Rui heard every word of it.
He secretly made a note in his mind—
’The Emperor likes it when the boss doesn’t sleep.’