Selling wife for fame? Kick out the scumbag and marry the new emperor to enjoy the harem of favors

Chapter 69: Difficulties and Challenges
The palace banquet is over.

Zhao Xingjin went to Weiyang Palace with the queen.

Today is a big day. Even if he doesn't go to the Queen, he won't summon other concubines. This is to show respect to the Queen, his wife.

So Chen Cairen's dance performance just now only left a good impression, and when Zhao Xingjin remembered her in the future, he would go to her place.

Of course, it was not just to curry favor, but also to make up for having displeased Zhao Xingjin last time.

All in all, the effect looks good.

So when the banquet was over, Chen Cairen was in a good mood.

Until he was stopped by Concubine Zhuang on the way back.

"Greetings to Her Majesty Concubine Zhuang." Concubine Chen bowed carefully.

My palms are already starting to sweat.

She didn't think anything good would come from Concubine Zhuang stopping her. When she first entered the palace and was favored by the emperor, she was bullied by Concubine Zhuang, and she was deeply impressed.

Concubine Zhuang was sitting in the sedan chair at this moment, looking down at her with undisguised disgust in her eyes.

"I never realized before that you have such a great ability."

"I dare not. It's just a trivial skill that is not worthy of being displayed on stage. I am showing off today because the Empress asked me to add some new ideas to the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet. Otherwise, I would never dare to do it." Chen Cairen hurriedly showed weakness.

At the same time, the queen was brought out, indicating that today's dance was not her initiative, but was arranged by the queen.

Of course, this was also telling Concubine Zhuang that she was now close to the Queen, and if she wanted to touch her, she had to consider the Queen's face first.

It's a pity. Concubine Zhuang has always been bold and reckless. In the past, Concubine Zhuang might have thought twice about this sentence. But now, the queen has just been reprimanded for the turmoil some time ago and even lost the power to manage the six palaces. There is nothing to be afraid of.

At the palace banquet today, the Emperor and the Empress Dowager were only being gentle to the Queen because they wanted to appear close and harmonious to the outside world. Peizhu told her this, so now Concubine Zhuang really doesn't take the Queen seriously.

In fact, Chen Cairen brought up the Queen at this moment, which made Concubine Zhuang even more unhappy. She felt that the other party was threatening her.

"Oh, what a dare you are! I haven't even said anything yet, and you're already acting so pitiful, making people think I'm bullying you."

"Your Majesty, you have misunderstood. I would never dare to have such thoughts!"

Chen Cairen frowned and thought quickly about a solution.

"My position is low, and while Your Majesty may see the whole audience cheering me when I perform in front of others, in reality, in their eyes, I am no different from the group of dancers. I know this very well, so I would never dare to have any selfish motives. I danced today just to add to the fun."

In order to avoid being harassed by Concubine Zhuang, Chen Cairen was really flexible.

Fortunately, this self-deprecation was effective and made Concubine Zhuang look much better.

Concubine Zhuang waved her hands and said, "Alright, alright, I understand what you mean. Look how scared you are. Today is Mid-Autumn Festival, so I won't tease you anymore. Your dance today was indeed good, so I will give you this hairpin."

As she spoke, she took off a pearl tassel hairpin from her head.

Chen Cairen did not dare to delay and immediately stepped forward to receive it.

But just as she touched the hairpin and had not yet grasped it, Concubine Zhuang suddenly let go and it fell to the ground. The tassels made of rice-sized pearls broke immediately and the pearls scattered all over the ground.

Looking at the broken hairpin, Chen Cairen's face turned pale and his eyes widened in shock.

Before she could explain, Concubine Zhuang's voice sounded above her head.

"Ms. Chen, what do you mean by this? Are you looking down on my reward and giving me the cold shoulder?!"

When the sedan chair was put on, Concubine Zhuang's face was full of anger, and she started to confuse right and wrong.

"I didn't, I just..."

"No?" Concubine Zhuang snorted coldly, "You don't have any? Did I break this hairpin on purpose?" Chen Cai clenched the handkerchief in his hand, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. My hand slipped and I didn't catch it firmly. I don't mean to show any disdain. Your Majesty's things are all top-notch. I am not worthy of using them. Now that I have been rewarded by Your Majesty, I can't thank you enough."

At this moment, she did not dare to disobey Concubine Zhuang's words and only chose to please her.

After several contacts with Concubine Zhuang, Chen Cairen had already figured out some tricks. Concubine Zhuang is soft-hearted and will not give in to harshness. The more you go along with her, the more she will calm down. If you say something back, you will be in big trouble.

Of course, this is also Chen Cairen's summary. In Xie Jiu's view, it is not that Concubine Zhuang is soft-hearted and does not respond to hard tactics. When the means do not work, it can only be said that the means are not hard enough.

Just hit her with a brick and see if she's scared.

But Chen Cairen didn't have the courage or confidence, so she could only choose to give in.

At this time, Concubine Zhuang glanced at Chen Cairen's timid look, and felt that it was meaningless. She then withdrew her gaze and said lightly.

"If you really treasure this gift from me, then pick up this hairpin, repair it, and wear it another day. The pearls on it are all rare treasures. Please pick them carefully and don't miss a single one."

After she finished speaking, Chen Cairen's eyes immediately glanced around, and her heart immediately sank.

It was such a dark night, and the pearls were scattered all over the floor. How could she find them?
"Don't try to fool me. I know exactly how many pearls there are on this hairpin. When you have picked them up, count them carefully. I will ask you questions tomorrow." Concubine Zhuang reminded coldly.

The idea that just popped up in Chen Cairen's mind was strangled in the cradle.

"Yes, I obey your command." Chen Cairen gritted her teeth and saluted with her shoulders trembling slightly.

Only then did Concubine Zhuang sit in the sedan chair and leave slowly.

Looking at the group of people going away, under the moonlight, Chen Cairen's figure was stretched out, and she and her maid Shanhu stood alone in the dark night, looking very desolate and pitiful.

"Talent, it's cold at night. You should go back first. I will search here by myself." Shanhu said in a low voice.

"No, I'll look for it with you." Chen Cairen gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with hatred. "I must remember today's humiliation clearly. One day, I will repay it a hundredfold!"

She must gain favor, climb to a high position, and then step on Concubine Zhuang harshly, so that Concubine Zhuang can also taste the feeling of being deliberately made things difficult for her.

At that time, in Ninghua Palace on the other side.

Xie Jiu had just sat down.

Compared to the trouble she suffered from Concubine Zhuang, her life now is pretty good. Although there is Concubine Yi, the main concubine, who is suppressing her in the palace, Concubine Yi suffered a loss at her hands and has been quiet now, and has never caused her any trouble.

"Take a bath. This palace banquet is tiring." Xie Jiu ordered.

Chunrong responded and immediately went to make arrangements.

After a while, Xie Jiu soaked in the bathtub. Qingfang came in to serve him and told him the story of Concubine Zhuang and Concubine Chen.

"Right now, the master and servant are still searching on the small path with lanterns. It's really pitiful." Qingfang sighed.

Xie Jiu closed his eyes, leaning against the edge of the tub, his brows twitching imperceptibly. "Concubine Zhuang is quite good at tormenting people."

Asking people to look for scattered pearls outside in the middle of the night, especially those small ones the size of rice grains, is really a torture.

Qingfang nodded. "Yes, if Concubine Chen holds a grudge, she will hate Concubine Zhuang to death in the future."

Xie Jiu didn't say anything, because she knew that such things were not uncommon in the palace, so she had to be tough so as not to be bullied like that.

At the moment, Xie Jiu would not care about what happened between Concubine Zhuang and Concubine Chen as it was none of his business.

Instead, he asked about how Wu Que outside the palace spent the Mid-Autumn Festival today.

But I don’t know how the brother and sister Wu Que and Wu Qingchan deal with Zhou Zhiqing’s parents.

(End of this chapter)