You take on two husbands, I'll turn around and marry the tyrant and rule the world.

After entering the palace, Jingxi handed Chu Nianci over to a young eunuch who was guiding the way, gave him a few simple instructions, and then went back to report.

The young eunuch looked to be only ten years old, with a pleasing round face and a pair of round eyes that kept darting around, making him appear very clever.

He called himself Manbao, and seeing that Tuanyuan was covered in bundles, and noticing that Chu Nianci was quite handsome, he smiled before he even spoke.

After accepting a small piece of silver from Chu Nianci, his smile stretched almost to his ears.

He bowed and greeted Chu Nianci while cheerfully accepting the two bundles, calling her "elder sister" affectionately and starting to chatter on about the situation in the palace.

By the time Chu Nianci arrived at the Xiefang Palace, she had already figured out the identity of this "official woman" and the instructor, Lan Cui.

Although the palace maids were considered the emperor's women, they were not considered proper mistresses. If they did not serve the emperor in bed, they were essentially just high-ranking palace maids.

If you're lucky, you might catch the emperor's eye and be given the title of "Consort." If you're not destined to marry, you can leave the palace at the age of twenty-five to marry on your own.

Because they were not considered proper masters, they were not entitled to have their own instructors. Instead, they had to be taught manners by instructors assigned by the palace, along with the newly selected maids.

However, although the rank of the palace maid was low, she had benefits that other concubines could not obtain.

If you're lucky, you might be assigned to serve in the Emperor's presence.

Aunt Lan Cui used to serve the Dowager Consort, and she was so strict that she was unapproachable. After the Dowager Consort passed away, and since she didn't know how to bribe officials, she was assigned to be a teaching nanny for the newly arrived palace maids.

This job is a thankless and arduous task with no financial reward.

But she persisted for several years, rain or shine, working tirelessly without complaint.

As Manbao recounted the details with great familiarity, she led the two women along the long palace path until they arrived at the Xiefang Hall.

He peeked out and saw a middle-aged woman in her forties standing there counting heads. Then he heard a young palace maid calling out in a clear voice, "Aunt Lan."

Chu Nianci looked up and saw that Aunt Lan had a fierce appearance. Her black hair was combed neatly, she had an oval face, almond-shaped eyes, thin lips, and a few freckles on her high cheekbones. She looked like someone who was not to be trifled with.

She just stood there, one hand on her waist, in a posture that looked a little strange.

Standing properly in front of her were about twenty newly selected palace maids, the oldest no more than fifteen or sixteen, and the youngest only twelve or thirteen.

Manbao quickly ran forward and explained Chu Nianci's situation with a smile.

The head maid, referred to as "Aunt Lan," looked Chu Nianci and her servant up and down, then waved her hand, saying in an unquestionable tone, "Stand at the back."

"Aunt Lan, are you sure you're not mistaken?" Yuanbao quickly stepped forward, smiling ingratiatingly. "This is Consort Chu, not a palace maid. Moreover, she was specifically instructed by Supervisor Jingxi to be taken care of..."

"I don't care who took care of you," Aunt Lan interrupted him sternly. "When you come here, even dragons have to coil up and tigers have to lie down. Everyone has to learn the rules obediently. Let me make this clear from the beginning."

Her gaze swept over Chu Nianci, then over the row of palace maids. "No matter what your status was before, if you don't learn the palace rules well here, don't blame me for being merciless with the ruler in my hand!"

Her tone and overall aura were even stronger than those of the head eunuch, clearly indicating that she was a demanding and uncompromising person.

Manbao shrank her neck and stuck out her tongue. "Consort Chu, this servant will see you off here. Please listen to Aunt Lan's teachings."

After saying that, he bowed to Aunt Lan, turned around and ran away in a flash.

Seeing Aunt Lan's stern expression, Tuanyuan felt a little scared, shrank her chubby neck, and quietly hid behind Chu Nianci.

Chu Nianci, however, remained calm.

In her previous life, she had been a first-rank imperial consort. She had seen all kinds of demanding superiors and it was common for her to go to the palace to pay homage to the empress. She was already very familiar with these palace rules and etiquette, so she was naturally not flustered at this moment.

Meeting Aunt Lan's gaze, she said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Don't worry, Granny, you teach me diligently, and I will learn diligently."

Seeing that she was neither humble nor arrogant and did not put on airs because of her status as a "selected concubine", Aunt Lan's stern expression softened slightly.

Seeing that she had come with her maid, he pointed to a separate room and arranged for them to stay together.

Chu Nianci looked around. The room was clean and tidy, and everything was arranged properly.

It seems that this Aunt Lan is a person who is tough on the outside but soft on the inside.

After settling into her accommodations, Aunt Lan, supporting her back, prepared to leave.

Tuanyuan quickly took out a small sachet to hand it over, but Aunt Lan curled her lips, didn't even raise her hand, and turned to leave.

"Aunt Lan," Chu Nianci called out from behind, her gaze falling on the hand that was supporting her lower back, "Did you twist your back? Have you had a physician examine you?"

Aunt Lan paused, slowly turned around, looked at her, and said coldly, "How dare we servants be worthy of being treated by an internal physician? You're new here, mind your own business."

Chu Nianci didn't want to cause trouble, but considering that she would have to learn the rules from them for the next month, she couldn't let the relationship become too strained.

So she smiled and said gently, "Granny, even if we can't find a doctor, there are some folk remedies that can help. A sprained back isn't a serious illness, but if it's not properly cared for, it can easily lead to chronic problems. If you just sprained it, go back and apply a cold towel soaked in well water. If it's been several days, use a hot water bottle to warm it up."

She paused, then asked Tuanyuan to take out a few plasters from her bundle: "I happen to have some plasters here to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis. You can take them and use them first."

Actually, she has better massage techniques, but judging from Aunt Lan's attitude, she probably won't need them right now.

This time, Aunt Lan did not refuse.

Her gaze lingered on Chu Nianci's face for a moment, as if she were pondering something. In the end, she reached out and took the plasters without saying a word, then turned and left.

The next day arrived in the blink of an eye.

After breakfast, Chu Nianci noticed that Aunt Lan's back was back straight and her complexion was much milder than yesterday.

After a day of learning the rules, Chu Nianci discovered that Aunt Lan really was sharp-tongued but kind-hearted.

She appears rigid, strict, and unapproachable on the surface, but if anyone makes a mistake, no matter who it is, she will take out a ruler and punish them severely.

But as long as the rules are learned well, even if it is a lowly, menial palace maid, she will immediately praise her.

The palace is full of opportunists; it's especially rare to find someone like Aunt Lan who focuses on the issue rather than the person.

Chu Nianci couldn't help but look at her in a different light.

Thanks to her experience as a first-rank imperial consort in her previous life, Chu Nianci was already very familiar with palace rules and etiquette. She knew all the proper etiquette, from squatting and bowing to kneeling and kneeling, to the grand ceremony of three kowtows and nine prostrations. She could even balance a water bowl on her head with perfect manners and without making any mistakes.

Aunt Lan's stern lips gradually softened into a smile, and her gaze became increasingly gentle.

Chu Nianci was not arrogant despite her talent; she was always humble and treated the other palace maids with kindness, often helping to correct their mistakes.

In addition, she often made pastries and shortbreads for the family reunion, and the palace maids gradually came to regard Chu Nianci as a confidante.

Even with her strict nature, Aunt Lan couldn't help but feel a sense of goodwill and anticipation towards the exceptionally intelligent and beautiful Consort Chu. Knowing she was no ordinary woman, and after spending over ten days together, the two had become as familiar and harmonious as old friends, often sitting together to drink tea and chat.

Although Chu Nianci had memories of her previous life, she did not know much about the specific situation in the harem.

Naturally, I listened very carefully.

"The late Emperor was a wise and brilliant ruler who founded the country. He spent his life fighting in the east and west. He and the late Empress were very much in love and had two sons. Our Emperor is the youngest son of the late Emperor. He was enfeoffed as Prince Rui in his early years. Three years ago, the late Empress and the late Crown Prince passed away. The late Emperor was so saddened that he also passed away. His Majesty ascended the throne and adopted the reign title Mingsu. The Empress Dowager was appointed as the Empress Dowager by the late Emperor before his death. She is not the Emperor's biological mother."

Aunt Lan slowly said, "His Majesty is a young emperor, only seventeen years old. The Empress Dowager has carefully considered the matter and chosen the eldest daughter of the General of the North, Lady Lin, as his empress. The empress is three years older than His Majesty and has a gentle and refined nature. His Majesty respects her very much. Currently, there are no concubines in the palace and His Majesty has no children. His Majesty said that since he has just ascended the throne, everything should be kept simple and he will not select concubines for the time being. However, judging from the Empress Dowager's intentions, in order to ensure the continuation of the royal family, the formal selection of concubines will probably begin in another month or so."

Chu Nianci knew that Aunt Lan was intentionally giving her advice, so she listened even more attentively.

Tuanyuan asked softly from the side, "Auntie, surely the most important things in a talent show are virtue, speech, appearance, and skills?"

"That's natural, but the most important thing is family background," Aunt Lan nodded. "The Grand Commandant's Mansion, the Prime Minister's Mansion, and the Empress Dowager's family... have probably already prepared their candidates."

In her previous life, Chu Nianci was a first-rank lady.

Of course, they knew that the Grand Commandant's office held a high position and wielded great power, controlling the troops on the northern border.

The Prime Minister is a leader in the literary world and plays a pivotal role in the government.

I had seen the Empress Dowager a few times during court ceremonies in my previous life. She exuded the power and authority of two dynasties. His Majesty was busy with the affairs of the court, and now, apart from His Majesty's bedroom, the rest of the harem was under her control.

"It's a real three-way standoff, enough to give the little emperor a hard time," she thought with a hint of schadenfreude.

Xiefang Hall is located right next to the Imperial Garden.

After finishing their afternoon etiquette lessons, Chu Nianci and Aunt Lan led several young palace maids to a secluded corner of the garden to practice the tea ceremony.

Chu Nianci was stirring the tea leaves, and the aroma of tea filled the air.

After having roasted mutton for lunch, she specially brewed a cup of plum black tea to whet the appetite and aid digestion. Her skill and taste were highly praised by Aunt Lan.

Just as I was enjoying myself, I suddenly heard a high-pitched, familiar voice:

"Chu Nianci, you came to the palace to learn etiquette, yet you enjoy life even more than the Empress."