The Female Psychology PhD Who Time Traveled to the Royal Harem

Jiang Xinyue shook her head, "The promotion of ranks in the harem is the Empress's right. If I were to reject the Empress's decree, wouldn't that be disrespectful to her?"

Xi Que wore a bitter expression, "What should we do then? This servant doesn't want to keep getting slapped in the future!"

Jiang Xinyue cupped her own small face, "I'm scared too."

Nanny Li shook her head in frustration, "Consort Zhen, you should have the Emperor investigate who sprinkled that unclean thing on Jiang Chuan's body." Rather than worrying about getting slapped after Consort Liang became the first of the four consorts.

Jiang Xinyue cupped her chin with both hands, making her round, big eyes look even more adorable. She blinked twice, "What's there to investigate? It must have been Consort Liang! She probably sprinkled it on Jiang Chuan when she slapped her."

This conclusion seemed far too casual.

Nanny Li sighed, "My lady, please rest after your lunch. This old servant will go out for a while."

Jiang Xinyue didn't ask what for and just let her go, appearing carefree and unbothered.

In Chengqian Palace—

The silent atmosphere made the already heavy air more oppressive. The Xuanwu Emperor rubbed his temples, thinking about how the Dowager Empress would cause trouble again if she found out that Noble Consort Li had caused Virtuous Consort to lose her child, and it gave him a headache.

"Your Majesty, Nanny Li requests an audience."

"Let her in."

Nanny Li walked into Chengqian Palace with familiarity and reported the situation in Hexi Palace to the Emperor.

"Someone brought something unclean inside and sprinkled it on the serving palace maid?"

Nanny Li nodded, "Consort Zhen suspects it was Consort Liang..."

"Consort Liang?"

The Xuanwu Emperor remembered that Consort Zhen was very kind to Consort Liang's eldest princess, and the princess also liked Consort Zhen very much. Why would Consort Liang harm Consort Zhen for no reason?

Nanny Li hesitated for a moment but decided to tell the Emperor everything that had happened in Consort Zhen's palace that day.

He thought more deeply than Consort Zhen and felt that Consort Liang wouldn't have the courage to do this on her own. It must have been under Empress Zhu's instructions.

Consort Liang had always been a firm supporter of the Empress and had never betrayed her. All her actions were in line with the Empress's wishes, and this time was likely no different.

Even if it was under the Empress's orders, the Xuanwu Emperor still found Consort Liang despicable enough for daring to harm his and Consort Zhen's child.

Everyone in the palace knew how much he doted on Consort Zhen and how much he looked forward to the birth of her child. Yet Consort Liang dared to take this risk and harm Consort Zhen.

How little respect did she have for him as the Emperor?

Did Consort Liang think in her heart that Empress Zhu's authority already far exceeded his own?

To be honest, he had also guessed that Empress Zhu would give the position of the first of the four consorts to either Consort Liang or Consort De. If Empress Zhu proposed it, he wouldn't refuse.

Because Consort Liang and Consort De had been in the palace for many years, it was appropriate for them to be promoted. As for Consort Zhen... her seniority was indeed insufficient. If she became the first of the four consorts, it would invite criticism.

The Emperor himself thought he could appoint whoever he wanted, but those officials in the court would always complain, giving him a headache. He didn't want them to regard Consort Zhen as a seductive consort who would bring disaster to the country.

Consort Liang's father was the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, one of the nine highest-ranking frontier officials in the Great Yan Dynasty, overseeing military and civil affairs in both Guangdong and Guangxi provinces.

His official title was "Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, Commander of Military Affairs, Supervisor of Grain and Provisions, and concurrent Provincial Governor," a position of the senior second rank.

Behind her was also the support of Empress Zhu's family, making her power not to be underestimated.

Consort De's background was even more impressive, with the Duke of Cheng. Although the Duke of Cheng had passed away many years ago, Consort De's father not only inherited the Duke's title but also held the position of Chief Supervising Secretary of the Six Offices in the Censorate, with an excellent reputation in the court.

If it weren't for Consort De's laid-back personality, not fighting or competing, she would have long been the first of the four consorts.

Therefore, no matter who the Empress proposed, he would agree.

The Xuanwu Emperor took a deep breath, feeling for the first time that having too many women in the harem was also a troublesome matter.

He waved his hand, "Take good care of Consort Zhen. She has an innocent nature and doesn't guard against others. The days ahead are still long, and when her confinement is lifted at the end of the year, there will probably be more people wanting to harm her. You and Nanny Xiang are both experienced in these matters. Don't let me down."

"This old servant will not fail Your Majesty's trust."

As Nanny Li was about to leave, the Emperor added, "When Consort Zhen's child is full-term, I will grant your request to leave the palace."

At this, Nanny Li's eyes lit up, and she knelt on the ground, kowtowing firmly, "This old servant thanks Your Majesty for your grace."

Nanny Li was more than ten years older than the Dowager Empress. Before entering the palace, she had already married and had children. Later, when the Dowager Empress brought her into the palace, she could only see her husband and children once every three years, and only for a brief half-day.

Every three years, when new concubines were selected to enter the palace, the palace maids and eunuchs could also meet their families in Chuxiu Palace on the day the selected ladies entered.

When the Wu family fell from grace, the men were exiled, and the women were demoted to commoners. If she hadn't already pledged allegiance to the Emperor early on, her husband and son would have died on the road to exile.

So for all these years, even though the Dowager Empress hated her for her betrayal, she had never regretted it.

It had been a year since she last saw her son and daughter. If she could leave the palace after Consort Zhen's child was born full-term, it would be the best ending for her.

In this palace, she had seen too many people meet unfortunate ends. She didn't ask for great wealth or status, only to spend her twilight years peacefully with her family.

For her, this was the greatest happiness in the world.

Meanwhile, when Jiang Chuan learned that her mistress was ready to dash Consort Liang's dreams of promotion for her sake, she was moved to tears.

It had been too long since anyone had treated the lives of servants like theirs as valuable. Suddenly receiving care from the mistress above, she couldn't control her emotional outburst.

As she cried, Xiao Xuanzi and Shuang Jiang, who had also received Jiang Xinyue's kindness, started crying too. Xi Que was infected by their emotions, and the four of them hugged and cried together.

Nanny Xiang had never seen masters and servants in any palace interact like this.

Consort Zhen was a person with strong empathy. Such a person must have a kind and soft heart.

She would cry seeing the elderly with no one to rely on, cry seeing young children with no one to care for them, cry seeing people tormented by illness, cry seeing honest people being bullied, cry seeing people wandering in the storm...

What was that saying?

Even though one's own life is hard, they still can't bear to see the suffering of others.

Nanny Xiang didn't think Consort Zhen, a young lady from a wealthy family, had suffered much hardship, but she truly empathized with the hardships and pitiful situations of her servants.

Even she, an elderly person who had recently arrived at Hexi Palace, received ice trays delivered by Xi Que and Shuang Jiang every night when the heat was unbearable, allowing her to share it with Nanny Li.

Although the quantity wasn't much, it came from the already limited ice trays of the maids and eunuchs, who had saved it for them.

They saved it, but who was the one replenishing it? Wasn't it Consort Zhen?

Knowing full well what was happening, she never asked about it. Instead, she silently allocated more ice cubes to their trays.

The people from the Internal Affairs Department wouldn't dare to short Consort Zhen on ice cubes, so they could only give her more.

After all, they couldn't let their mistress go without these necessities.