CHAPTER 44: CHAPTER 41: INSTEAD OF SELF-DESTRUCTION, DRIVE OTHERS MAD

During the Qiu Lie period, there are many things to keep busy with. The Empress gambles that the Emperor will not pay attention to Attendant Lady Xi, and bets that he will not undermine her authority at this time—she still has to represent the Yan Chi Royal Family and build relations with the Kesha women, and not a single meal is eaten without purpose. Occasionally, she even has to have conversations on horseback to show her benevolence.

After keeping Yun Jiao behind, the Empress also did not have the time to keep an eye on her.

Nanny Mao sternly said, "I’ve heard that the little master has learned the rules well in Chuxiu Palace. However, don’t blame this old servant if the words are unpleasant to hear. What you learned in Chuxiu Palace is just a superficial layer of the Palace Rules. After all, there are many little masters in the palace who have not seen the sacred face for a year or more. Passing the rules on the surface is enough. Now that the little master has gained some imperial favor, you can’t hold yourself to the previous standards."

"Attendant Lady Xi!"

Seeing Yun Jiao distracted, Nanny Mao called out, "Gaining the Empress’s instruction is a blessing many in the palace can’t even beg for. This old servant advises the little master not to become arrogant and merely seek favor and fawn over, forgetting that there are no rules without the palace, making a joke of oneself is minor, but implicating the Empress with a reputation for lax governance is major. The Lady has carefully arranged for this old servant to guide the little master."

Nanny Mao’s voice was booming, her face long and imposing.

She represents the Empress, and if it were someone else, they’d certainly shrink with guilt and have to endure for a few days.

"Then how does Nanny intend to guide me?"

Yun Jiao was not ashamed to ask questions.

Nanny Mao laid out Luoluo Chang’s intricate tasks, including serving the Lady in the main position, the Empress, and the Empress Dowager.

Yun Jiao asked again, "What if I can’t learn, Nanny? Will you punish me physically?"

"The little master is of noble status, and this old servant cannot punish physically. Besides, it wouldn’t sound good to spread around. Only when the rules are mastered thoroughly can the Empress return the little master’s Jade Token."

For the harem’s concubines, having their token removed or being confined are severe punishments.

Some would rather take a couple of hits than have their token removed.

Nanny Mao indeed has no authority to physically punish a concubine, but she confidently surmised that Attendant Lady Xi, currently in the limelight, wouldn’t be able to stand it if she is made to temporarily step out of the competition for favor, and thus would have to yield. By then, holding onto this fact as an invisible order—making her stand when needed, squat when needed, and venting the Lady’s frustrations thoroughly—she still wouldn’t return her token.

The forced offline arrangement was perfectly planned.

However, Nanny Mao overlooked something.

"Oh~"

After saving her game, Yun Jiao sat on a bench, "Nanny, you speak; I’m listening."

"Little master, you must stand to learn."

"No, I want to sit and learn."

"This old servant now wants to teach the master how to walk."

"You teach; I’ll learn sitting."

Yun Jiao went around in circles, sticking to her logic unwaveringly like hitting a wall with a ghost.

"Little master, don’t make this old servant’s job difficult. This old servant follows orders. If the job isn’t done well, it will be this old servant who will be punished." Except for a few good-natured ones, the temperaments of the old nannies in the palace all seem a bit strange, clearly fond of tormenting, yet still putting on a kind face.

"If you don’t get punished, then I’ll get punished, so let it be Nanny who does. I’m still a baby, after all."

Nanny Mao glared, slapping the ruler in her hand against the nearby tea table with a snap, making the wood resonate.

"Even a three-year-old must abide by palace rules when entering the palace. If Attendant Lady Xi behaves without any decorum, this old servant can only report to the Empress."

"You go ahead—say that I’m dull and can’t learn the rules."

Yun Jiao found the rosewood chair expensive as it was, uncomfortable to sit on. She changed her position, resting both legs on the table, her head reclined on the small table behind, a true picture of an arrogant concubine pampered to the bone.

Nanny Mao lived her life for rules.

Seeing this, her blood was almost flowing backward: "Would Attendant Lady Xi dare behave like this in front of the Emperor?"

"The Emperor loves me just like this."

Yun Jiao raised her chin, embodying a pampered concubine indulged to the core.

This group of nannies good with rules is best at psychological manipulation, bluffing the master and then diminishing them to the point of worthlessness, just to assert their authority. Yun Jiao didn’t need to overthink things, just relying on two key points.

First, the other party had no right to physically punish her.

Second, deduced through a test of provocation—she behaved arrogantly, how did Nanny Mao respond? She said if she couldn’t learn the rules, her token would be removed, and she wouldn’t be allowed to serve the Emperor!

Yun Jiao admitted Nanny Mao had some skills.

But what if Yun Jiao didn’t care about whether she could serve at night, how would the other party respond?

As long as she laid back and gave up, no one could threaten her with imperial favor.

"Rather than wasting the hour here, it would be better for Attendant Lady Xi to earnestly learn well and return to serve the Emperor early," Nanny Mao gently persuaded.

"I am learning; you give a demonstration, please."

Nanny Mao had no choice; she couldn’t let the master and servant stand off indefinitely, so she had to demonstrate how to walk gracefully.

Yun Jiao cracked open a melon seed, "If you demonstrate again, maybe I’ll get it."

"The little master should try a walk, then the slave can correct the master."

"No need, my eyes are learning; you continue to demonstrate. If you don’t move, it means you are not teaching well; if learning is poor, it’s your fault."

With this, Nanny Mao was caught up in circles.

She glared, feeling Attendant Lady Xi was more like a rebellious prince than a harem concubine.

Coincidentally, Yun Jiao could play the rascal, and she couldn’t.

"Then the slave shall demonstrate once more, Attendant Lady Xi must watch carefully."

"Hmm, I’m watching."

Nanny Mao demonstrated once more; turning her head, she found Attendant Lady Xi closing her eyes, seemingly about to fall asleep on the spot.

"Attendant Lady Xi!!!"

Nanny Mao shouted loudly.

Yet Attendant Lady Xi, lying on the furniture, suddenly leapt up, snatching the cup from the table, and hurled it to the ground, splashing tea all over Nanny Mao, and before she could react, she sat back down, pretending to be startled awake, "I am so sorry, went mad in my sleep, Nanny beware."

Can one with a madness still serve in front of the Emperor?

Yun Jiao laughingly said, "My ailment turns into a midnight yearning when I see the Emperor, beg your forgiveness, Nanny."

Talking about playing rogue, Yun Jiao had never lost.

She didn’t care about demeanor and face; every rule was tiresome, what should be learned for survival was learned, yet she didn’t want to rush to turn herself into the product of this era—too exhausting. If the dream was set as "living is good enough," then every sunrise and sunset was a dream come true.

That night, Nanny Mao released her according to the Empress’s instructed hour, and when reporting back to the Lady, she looked like she’d aged ten years.

The Empress was surprised: "Nanny, why are you so worn down?"

"Your Majesty, it’s this old servant’s incompetence!"

Nanny Mao howled dryly and knelt down, detailing everything that happened today.

Whereas Yun Jiao, who acted mad the whole day, returned to her tent in high spirits.

The saying goes, ’rather than consuming oneself internally, it’s better to exhaust others externally.’

Unexpectedly, it was quite thrilling.

Meanwhile, having been busy all day, switching between the Kesha language and Yan Chi dialect so fast that the channels nearly crossed, Xie Zhixing also returned to his tent, listening to Ying Lu recounting what happened on the Empress’s side.

He frowned, "The Empress is still the same."

"Nanny Mao has always been harsh and unforgiving, should the Emperor..."

"No need, she’ll come to me when she can’t stand it."

After a while, still not at ease, Xie Zhixing instructed the Hidden Guard, "If the Empress can’t help but punish her, inform me at once."