Yu Yao quickly left the Imperial Study Pavilion. She did not go to relieve herself, but instead packed her things and hurriedly moved to the Yue Xian Palace.
However, on her way to the Yue Xian Palace, she noticed that many palace maids and eunuchs were gossiping about her.
Behind the false mountain in the Imperial Garden, a few eunuchs were talking with a little palace maid.
"Hey, have you heard? Last night the emperor demoted Empress Zhao's position to the lowest maid, and lowered Lin Cainai to a palace maid. This morning, he also made a maid a concubine and gave her a title. What do you think is going on?"
"I've heard about it too. It's said that Empress Zhao's attendant, Jinsu, was beaten to death with clubs last night, and there was also a palace maid named Qinxin who was killed on the spot by the emperor's people. I heard that even her body was thrown to the dogs. It's truly pitiful. I wonder what crime they could have committed."
"Oh, you say, might last night's incident be related to the little palace maid who was just made a concubine by the emperor today?"
"I don't know, but this little palace maid is really talented. She managed to climb onto the emperor's dragon bed and was made a concubine in one go, with a title to match, enjoying honors that rival Empress Ruan. It's truly enviable."
"What's there to be envious of? I heard the emperor has granted her residence in Yanqing Palace. You know Yanqing Palace, right? It was where the late emperor's virtuous concubine resided. The empress dowager holds a grudge against the virtuous concubine, so she being there might attract some targeted attention from the empress dowager."
"What do you think the emperor's meaning is, does he really like her or not?"
"It's hard to say."
.....
Yu Yao happened to pass by here and just happened to hear a bit.
To be honest, she was both shocked and thrilled to hear about Empress Zhao being demoted to a maid.
The shock was due to the suddenness of it all; she hadn't received any prior news, and she didn't know why Emperor Yibei would suddenly take action against Empress Zhao.
But it's not hard to guess either. After all, it's just that Empress Zhao was found to be the one who had thrown her into the arena in the first place.
When she first served the night in the hot spring pool, Emperor Yibei had promised her that he would look into it, but there had been no news until now.
Who would have thought that he not only found out the truth but also directly disposed of Empress Zhao.
But there should be other reasons behind it.
Disposing of a lowly palace maid by a senior consort is not considered a big deal in the royal palace.
At most, it would be reprimanding her a few times, or demoting her title at best, not something that would result in her position being reduced to the lowest level.
"All in all, do you think Emperor Yibei has any other reasons for punishing Empress Zhao?"
Yu Yao cast a glance at the few palace maids and eunuchs still gossiping behind the artificial hill and couldn't help but ask the system.
"Of course, there are other reasons. Empress Zhao saw a peach blossom hairpin in the imperial study and assumed that the emperor was having an affair with some beauty. Outraged, she secretly investigated and found out that the peach blossom hairpin was yours."
The system, upon hearing her words, did not conceal anything but continued, "I also heard that the emperor dispatched the eunuch Fu to search the entire palace for you, which made Empress Zhao green with envy and went mad. She then had Qin Xin secretly dealt with and replaced you with Lin Cainai."
"Yi Beichen has known about it for a long time but has never exposed it. As for why Empress Zhao was punished last night, it was a case of multiple offenses being combined and, coupled with his bad mood, he simply demoted her to the lowest position."
Yu Yao heard this and understood what had happened.
She had wondered why Hongyu suddenly became Lin Cainai, originally thinking that the other party had just climbed the dragon bed, but it turns out that she was replaced by herself.
She didn't know whether to say that Hongyu was daring, or whether she had been blinded by the wealth of the palace, or if it was because she liked Emperor Yibei.
Perhaps there are all sorts of reasons at play.
"Oh, by the way, was that Qin Xin who was killed on the spot and later thrown to the dogs my midnight attacker?"
Yu Yao thought of something else and asked the system again.
"Hmm, it was her." The system confirmed.
Yu Yao, upon hearing the system's affirmative response, did not have any other feelings in her heart, nor did she feel any sympathy for Qin Xin.
One should bear the consequences of actions taken.
As for Jin Su being beaten to death last night, it's likely that she did something wrong, otherwise Emperor Yi Beichen wouldn't have ordered her to be beaten to death.
Yu Yao quickly left the Imperial Garden and headed to her new residence, the Yue Xian Palace.
This matter didn't stop there. Almost the entire palace was gossiping about it, with reactions ranging from shock, confusion, to disbelief.
Of course, they also couldn't fathom the emperor's intentions.
It's said that the emperor likes Consort Yao, yet he has given her the Yanqing Palace to reside in.
Although the Yanqing Palace is magnificent and spacious, it cannot compare to the majesty and grandeur of Empress Ruan's residence. Empress Ruan was the person the empress dowager hates the most.
For this reason, no one dared to live in the Yanqing Palace, despite its grandeur and splendor.
But if the emperor doesn't like Consort Yao, why would he suddenly bestow upon her the title of a concubine, complete with a title?
It's common for palace maids to become concubines by starting from the lowest official rank of palace maid.
A lowly identity like that, even being given a regular residence in Baolin Palace would be considered an honor.
And if it goes a bit further, being granted the titles of a noble or a beautiful concubine, while others may be envious, it's still something that can be accepted.
But for the emperor to directly make her a concubine with a title, is this going to be a replica of Empress Ruan?
Empress Ruan is the emperor's most beloved, a fact that is well-known throughout the palace.
The extent of her favor is self-evident; for her, the emperor has had several heated arguments with the empress dowager.
As soon as Empress Ruan's heart condition flares up, the emperor will definitely head to Yongfu Palace, regardless of whether it's true or not.
The world's treasures are bestowed upon Yongfu Palace like a flowing river every day.
If it weren't for Empress Ruan's poor health, unable to receive the emperor's favor frequently, the emperor would have happily stayed at Yongfu Palace every day.
Such divine favor, how could any other concubine in the palace compare?
Now with Consort Yao added to the mix, are the other concubines in the palace supposed to just live their lives or what?
All the concubines in the entire palace are secretly laughing at Empress Ruan.
All the consorts in the palace are secretly laughing at Empress Ruan. This woman isn't the emperor's favorite, is she? She claims to be his true love. I wonder what expression Empress Ruan will have when she hears the news.
She should be very painful.
Yongfu Palace.
Empress Ruan indeed learned of the news and was very hurt, so hurt that her heart condition flared up again.
"Caiyue, my heart is so painful... it really hurts."
Empress Ruan was crawling on the bed, weeping in despair, her tears rolling down continuously until her eyes swelled up.
"Your Highness, please don't do this. Why don't I go fetch a physician for you?"
Caiyue knelt by the bedside, continuously wiping away Empress Ruan's tears, expressing her heartache.
"No need for a physician. Chenzhang loves someone else now, so let me die in pain."
Empress Ruan, with teary eyes, shook her head while crying, her expression filled with deep sorrow.
"Chenzhang, chenzhang, what's so good about that low woman that you like so much? Why do you prefer her and directly make her a concubine?"
Caiyue, seeing Empress Ruan in this state, also started to cry while trying to comfort her, but it did no good.
"Your Highness, please don't be like this. I really can't bear it. Please, stop."
Empress Ruan, however, ignored her pleas and continued to weep, leaving tear stains all over her face, heartbroken and despairing until it turned into eyes filled with resentment.
It was directed at the woman who dared to compete with her for the emperor's favor.
She had never taken the other concubines in the palace seriously before, not even the queen. In her eyes, they were just tools used to manage the emperor's harem.
Until today's imperial decree, Empress Ruan realized that Chenzhang treated the Yao concubine differently.
She sat up and elegantly wiped away the tearstains on her face. She then ordered Caiyue to help her with her hair and makeup until everything was perfect, before leaving the room with Caiyue.
She is going to meet the aforementioned low woman.
She wants that low woman to die, to suffer as much as possible before dying, and ideally, never to be reborn.
