Lady Chu, with her crimson-painted nails, delicately lifted her teacup, brought it to her nose, and sniffed. Her expression calmed.
The tea was good—but not good enough to impress her.
In the northwest, things like this couldn't compare to the soul-hunting wine.
Still, seated before her was the Imperial Concubine. As a newly favored noblewoman, she couldn't afford to show dissatisfaction.
Her gaze shifted to the final seat on the opposite side, where Lin Wanyi sat—and a wave of jealousy surged within her.
With a biting tone, she spoke in Lin Wanyi's direction, her words dripping with false sweetness:
"They say His Majesty has recently found a beauty like a celestial maiden. It must be Sister Lin. Truly, your looks put the rest of us in the Six Palaces to shame."
She smiled as she spoke, but her eyes brimmed with coldness and veiled hostility.
Here it comes.
As expected, Lin Wanyi had become a target of open envy.
Originally, Lin Wanyi had intended to remain low-key, blend in, and avoid unnecessary attention. But clearly, some were intent on dragging her into the spotlight—less than a quarter of an hour after she had sat down.
If this were the past, she would've backed down to keep the peace. But now she was in the palace, and had just shared a night with the Emperor. If she allowed herself to be stepped on now, it would be hard to recover.
Besides, what guarantee was there that this wouldn't happen again? Without standing her ground, peace would remain a fantasy.
With that in mind, her gaze drifted to Imperial Concubine Lin.
The Imperial Concubine wore a faint smile, as if observing cats and dogs at play. But the warning in her eyes was clear.
Lin Wanyi was a representative of the Prime Minister's manor and of Imperial Concubine Lin's own faction. Even if she was just a pawn, she couldn't be freely insulted.
With such backing behind her, Lin Wanyi felt less need to tolerate disrespect.
She turned her eyes to Concubine Chu, and replied with three parts distance and six parts grace:
"Thank you for your praise, Sister. But who in the Six Palaces doesn't know that Imperial Concubine Lin is the true peerless beauty? A humble concubine like me wouldn't dare to compare."
In a single sentence, she made her stance clear.
She honored Imperial Concubine Lin, while subtly implying that Concubine Chu was blind to speak otherwise.
Everyone in the harem was cunning—how could they not catch the implication?
Concubine Chu was so enraged she nearly cracked her teacup.
When she looked again at Lin Wanyi, the dislike in her gaze was no longer concealed—it was etched clearly across her face.
"Sister Lin, what a clever tongue you have. A few words from you and I've suddenly become someone who offends the Imperial Concubine. Those who know will say I was praising your beauty. But those who don't might think I was slandering Her Highness. So quick to sow discord—impressive for someone new to the palace!"
Concubine Chu had always been headstrong.
Back in the northwest, her father was the most powerful general under the Marquis, and everyone looked up to her. But in the palace, she was always beneath others in rank. How could she accept that?
If she didn't vent somehow, she'd surely fall ill from frustration.
The disdain in her eyes was obvious, while the other concubines either watched in amusement or listened quietly. Let Concubine Chu test this Lin Wanyi—then they'd see what kind of person she really was, and who was backing her.
It was a pivotal moment.
If Lin Wanyi backed down now, Concubine Chu's words would label her forever. There was no place for the weak in the palace.
Glancing at the surrounding concubines, Lin Wanyi instantly understood their intent.
"Sister, you misunderstand me. I've never harbored such thoughts. The Imperial Concubine's beauty is praised even by His Majesty. Back when I was still at home, I often heard my grandmother and Second Aunt speak of it—I've remembered it ever since."
She smiled, her tone calm yet firm. "As for what you said, we've only just met. There's no grievance between us. Why would I seek to drive a wedge between us?"
In one move, she shifted the credit for praising the Imperial Concubine's beauty to the Emperor and Princess Rongkang—both figures Concubine Chu couldn't afford to offend. No matter how bitter she felt, she could only swallow her anger.
With a forced smile, she said word by word:
"In that case, it must be I who overthought."
Lin Wanyi replied gently, "Sister, I spoke too hastily. It wasn't my intent. The Imperial Concubine is kind and generous—she surely wouldn't blame us. I'm young and foolish. If I've upset you, please do punish me."
Then, she knelt and bowed to Imperial Concubine Lin. Her posture was respectful, her voice calm—neither arrogant nor servile.
Her sincerity was apparent. If Concubine Chu didn't follow suit, it would seem she was showing contempt for the Imperial Concubine.
No matter how unwilling she was, she had no choice.
Turning stiffly, she too knelt before Imperial Concubine Lin. Her tone was softer now:
"Please forgive me, Your Highness. I was in the wrong."
In just a few short exchanges, Lin Wanyi not only cleared her name but forced Concubine Chu to bow and admit her mistake.
It was remarkable.
Imperial Concubine Lin looked down at the two women below, both humbling themselves before her, and felt a complex mix of satisfaction and wariness.
That arrogant Concubine Chu had finally been subdued—and it felt good.
But Lin Wanyi's clever maneuvering, her use of external support, made Concubine Lin slightly wary.
This girl was not only beautiful—she was sharp.
To support such a person too much might invite trouble one day. But now, with so many concubines watching, abandoning her would reflect poorly on the Prime Minister's household and cause more harm than good.
So she smiled slightly, her tone gentle:
"It's all a matter of words. You two don't need to take it to heart. I'm not the kind to hold grudges. Stand."
"Thank you, Imperial Concubine."
"We thank Your Highness for your grace."
Concubine Lin was only a step away from becoming Empress—the most honored woman in the harem, and perhaps the realm. Naturally, she had to maintain the image of a magnanimous woman.
With a graceful wave of her hand, she instructed Qin He to bring out the palace flowers, diverting the mood.
"The April weather is lovely. These palace flowers were sent from the Inner Court just yesterday. They're perfect for the season. Sisters, take a look and choose whichever you like."
At her command, the palace maids brought trays to each concubine for them to pick from.
The flowers, made of fine silk, had been crafted so exquisitely that even the petals and stamens looked real. From a distance, one might have mistaken them for freshly picked blooms.
In the Wei Dynasty, women wore flowers in their hair to enhance their beauty. In earlier times, real flowers were preferred—but now, palace-crafted blossoms were all the rage.