Your Majesty, please do not disturb, the empress only wants to engage in business

Chapter 213 Secret Heart-to-Heart Talk

To be a stranger in a foreign country alone, think of love every time during the festive season.

When the poet wrote this poem, he may have been missing his family, but he was more concerned about his own loneliness. For the past two years, Yao Jinse had been keeping her secret. Although she was getting by, the feeling in her heart was no better than that in the poem.

Her family wasn't really her family, and her husband didn't need to say anything more. Only now, when Bai Shuang's words of loyalty reached her ears, did she regain a little sense of being alive.

She'd heard countless declarations of loyalty across two lifetimes, and she could tell whether they were genuine or feigned. Perhaps life was truly difficult in this era, or perhaps children of this age were simply more naive, but none of that mattered anymore.

People's hearts are fickle, and she can't expect everyone around her to always have the same pure heart, but at this moment, the fact that everyone can stand together is more important than anything else.

Waving for Bai Tan and Bai Tao to help the two maids up, Yao Jinse softened her tone: "In that case, I won't hide it from you. You know more or less about the current situation in the palace. We probably can't rely on the Consort anymore."

Although we are the only ones left in Yuxiu Palace now, I am not a concubine and can only live in a side hall. Naturally, I have plans for the future. However, I don't have many capable people around me, and the only ones I can rely on are the four of you.

The rumors circulating in the palace these days have already used up many of the favors we've accumulated over the years. If we want to maintain these favors, we can't stop providing benefits. I'll take care of the money, but Bai Tao and Bai Shuang, you two will have to put in a lot of effort in maintaining these social connections.”

It has become a routine in Yuxiu Palace for Bai Tao to work with Bai Shuang over the past year or two. Once a tacit understanding is formed, there is no need to readjust, and these tasks are naturally easier to perform.

"Regarding the main affairs of Yuxiu Palace, as well as my and the princess's personal belongings, anything that requires someone to handle, the four of you will have to step in. Fortunately, we don't have many people in our palace, so the few of you can keep an eye on things."

Bai Tan doesn't need any arrangements. She serves Yao Jinse closely, and almost everything goes through Yao Jinse's hands, so there's no need for any extra arrangements. But Bai Lu—Yao Jinse reached out and rubbed the little girl's head, and as usual, said softly, "Your Tao-jie and Shuang-jie need to be out and about more, and Bai Tan-jie can't leave my side, so you'll have to keep an eye on all the big and small things in the palace."

In fact, Bai Lu was young and cute, so the palace maids, eunuchs and nannies in the palace were not wary of her. However, she was young and her personality was often naive. Among the four maids, Yao Jinse was the most worried about her being tricked into revealing information.

The child's loyalty at this moment is beyond doubt, but often, the subtle clues that people leave behind when doing things are not because the person handling them is disloyal.

"Speak less, observe more. If others ask you anything, just pretend you don't know."

Bai Lu nodded in agreement.

Having experienced some things, they weren't as innocent as real children and couldn't understand what Yao Jinse was saying. Just as Bai Shuang said, for people of their status, being sold into the palace was actually a good thing.

This world is treacherous, and people's hearts are wicked. They may not be able to discern many dirty tricks, but when they were in the hands of human traffickers, the boys and girls locked together would inevitably exchange some information. They were deceived and sold, and everyone's experiences were different, but they were all manifestations of the wickedness of people's hearts.

Although a beautiful woman like Consort Rong may not have a good reputation in the palace and may seem arrogant and domineering, and indeed act in a similar manner, she is the easiest person to predict. As long as you are careful to avoid her, you will not bring disaster upon yourself.

But those soft-spoken, pitiful people are always the least likely to be guarded against. No one knows how ruthless they can be when they strike behind someone's back. It's like a kitten showing its claws; one swipe can tear several bloody gashes.

"If anything happens, don't try to hide it from me. As long as it's not some catastrophe, I'll be there to support you! It's the right thing to do to ask your sisters for help when you encounter problems. You can't be too careful, and we always have to plan ahead!"

"A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit." The five women of different ages in the room have all experienced things and have their own ways of surviving. However, Yao Jinse's words are from the bottom of her heart, and Bai Lu can hear her mistress's sincerity, so she naturally remembers them very carefully.

"There's no need to be so alarmed."

Bai Tan held Bai Lu's hand and smiled gently as she looked at the little girl's tense expression: "The ladies and mistresses in the palace are used to fighting each other, and even the servants are full of schemes. If you put on this act, everyone will know that you have something on your mind, and they will be even less willing to tell you everything, right?"

Her words sounded gentle, but they made people even more nervous. Although the struggles in the palace were not as fierce as those on the battlefield, they were no less dangerous than the struggles between officials in the imperial court.

Ultimately, everyone depends on the emperor for their existence. Whether they are officials of the previous dynasty or concubines in the harem, having the emperor's favor naturally gives them the confidence to act powerfully.

But just as in the imperial court, where there are not only ministers but also powerful families, the same is true in the harem. Once the concubines have children, they have some support, and with the added influence of their families, they are not easy to deal with. The emperor will not easily cut off his own wings. The emperor is well aware of the infighting among the women in the harem, but he has never interfered. It is nothing more than a means of maintaining balance.

Therefore, the words Bai Tan taught Bai Lu were actually the first principle for surviving in the palace: no matter what you think in your heart, you can't show it on your face. Whether you feel wronged or angry, people who are controlled by their emotions will find it difficult to survive in the harem.

At this point, no one is after the Emperor's favor. Instead, it's about the reputation, wealth, status, and dignity of their families. The men are busy scheming in the court, and the concubines are using their skills in the harem. But in the end, those things and struggles are what people like Yao Jinse, as a concubine, need to consider.

Being a servant is simply about following your master and doing your job well.