Chapter 242: Chapter 242: Worlds Apart
When Princess Consort Yi said these words, Chu Daying listened carefully.
But Noble Lady Bai seemed as if her heart had been pierced, feeling extremely embarrassed.
After all, everyone saw how she fell from grace.
These words seemed deliberately said for her to hear, causing her to feel a bit awkward.
Princess Consort Yi noticed her discomfort.
And immediately felt displeasure.
These Jiangnan women are just so weak and unable to take care of themselves, such a minor house arrest makes them so scared and fearful.
And then look at Chu Daying, this is how we Northwest women should be.
No matter the difficulty, always have the courage to start over again.
So not bothering to deal with Noble Lady Bai, she spoke up.
"Chu Daying, your father and brother have sent a family letter, stay and read it with me."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Chu Daying glanced sideways at Noble Lady Bai, her face unmistakably triumphant.
Even though Noble Lady Bai once appeared in front of Princess Consort Yi, so what?
In truth, the one closest to Princess Consort Yi is her!
Noble Lady Bai was not foolish, she understood the implication of being asked to leave in Princess Consort Yi’s words.
So she stood up awkwardly and took her leave.
"Your Highness, I shall take my leave."
After she left, Chu Daying spoke with disdain.
"A Jiangnan woman without any foundation, all she knows is how to entice the Emperor with her charms, and now without favor, she behaves as if she’s lost her life, how dull."
"Enough, letting you out wasn’t for you to act as recklessly as before. Restrain your temper, and think about how to restore your position properly."
Chu Daying demoted from noble to concubine, all thanks to Lin Wanyi and her brother.
Therefore, she harbored resentment.
"Hmph, Your Highness speaks the truth, that bitch Lin Wanyi, who knows what she whispered to the Emperor to have me confined for so long, if not for Your Highness’s help, I might not be able to come out until New Year’s Eve."
Princess Consort Yi understood her mind, immediately fanning the flames.
"Lin Wanyi is now a noble concubine, even when you see her, you should address her as Your Highness."
What?
Noble concubine?
"Your Highness, how did that Lin rise so quickly, in just a few days!"
Her words were full of disbelief and jealousy.
"To say Lin indeed has good luck, the Emperor doesn’t show much favor, but her ability to rise in rank even makes me take another look."
First, seizing the opportunity of saving Princess Consort Ying during the Dragon Boat Festival, she rose from concubine to Changzai.
Then, using the Second Prince and Second Princess as a pretext, she went from Changzai to noble.
It seemed she had reached the top, yet who expected an assassin incident would let her step on Lin Guard’s exploits to become a noble concubine.
Truly, not even a storybook would dare write this!
Upon learning Lin Wanyi’s promotion process, Chu Daying gritted her teeth.
When entering the palace, she was a noble, while Lin was just a lowly concubine at the bottom.
Yet when she was mired in house arrest troubles, Lin managed to rise by leveraging others.
Now becoming the mistress of a palace!
She once resided in Yihua Palace too, never expecting that magnificent main hall to become hers.
This made Chu Daying infuriated.
"Hmph, what the civil servant’s family sends are schemers!"
Chu Daying always prided herself as the daughter of a military general, believing the peace of the world relied entirely on the contributions of military officials.
While those civil servants just make empty speeches and play petty schemes.
Nowadays in the harem, it’s the same.
Daughters from military families like hers are almost squeezed out of room to live by those literary families’ daughters.
This is intolerable to her.
Seeing her disgruntlement, Princess Consort Yi even wondered if she was right in advocating for their release!
But then thought, better to have than not.
The Mu Changzai by Princess Consort Ying’s side is someone with keen insight.
Though Lady Jinxiu is also good, her status limits how high she can rise.
Thus, she took Chu Daying under her wing.
But her ability to wear her emotions on her face makes her too susceptible to backlash.
Thus, Princess Consort Yi’s expression turned stern, saying.
"Stop being so sarcastic, if you have any wits, you should know, even if pretending in front of the Emperor, pretend convincingly, if there is a next time, I won’t care if you live or die."
"It’s up to you if you want to live out your days here in the palace."
Princess Consort Yi’s words were heavy, truly frightening Chu Daying.
No matter how unwilling in her heart, she dared not show it.
"I understand my mistake, Your Highness, please don’t be angry."
Looking at Chu Daying’s submissive demeanor, Princess Consort Yi was not convinced she truly realized her mistake.
She glanced at Ruan Ming by her side, then said.
"The servants attending you lack discipline; I’ve had Ruan Ming select two good ones, they’ll go back with you later, so they can advise you if you stray."
This was tantamount to setting someone to monitor her.
Chu Daying was displeased, but could say nothing.
She could only nod in agreement.
When leaving, she indeed took a palace maid and a eunuch back to Changning Palace.
The two appeared exceedingly composed.
"All brawn and no brains, even more impulsive than her father!"
The person Princess Consort Yi referred to was Chu Yidao, Chu Daying’s father.
A longtime officer in the Northwest Army.
Earning a reputation in the military through his skills, but unfortunately, due to being too reckless, he couldn’t shoulder great responsibilities.
Chu Daying and her father were truly cut from the same cloth.
Both useful, yet not deeply trusted.
"Rest assured, Your Highness, Yingshuang and Huang Boli are both steady individuals, with their counsel, hopefully, Chu Daying will be more cautious."
Ruyi comforted from the side.
Princess Consort Yi felt Chu Daying was only a temporary stopgap.
Still need to look for others.
So she said to Ruyi.
"Send word home, carefully select some suitable women, and send them into the palace during the selection."
"Yes, rest assured, Your Highness."
Princess Consort Yi now sought not the Emperor’s favor but the absolute stability of her position.
And the future of the Third Prince.
So bringing more women into the palace wouldn’t harm her.
As long as she manipulated well, they’d be weapons in her hand.
By then, if the Third Prince’s position at court stabilizes, having two more Princes tagging along wouldn’t matter.
That’s Princess Consort Yi’s plan.
"Is the Investiture Ceremony ready?"
"Rest assured, Your Highness, everything is prepared, six concubines will be promoted this time, all have been sent auspicious clothes and treasure books. As for the Investiture Ceremony, it will take place tomorrow morning."
"That’s good."