He answered timidly, "Responding to Mistress’s question, this servant’s name is Xiao Zhu Zi!" "Xiao Zhu Zi?" Xia Ruqing repeated. "That’s not a bad name. You shall be called Xiao Zhu Zi then..." She then asked the other two palace maids, "And you?" "Answering Mistress, this servant’s name is Yang Hua." "This servant’s name is Chun Cui." Xia Ruqing was momentarily speechless. These names... they really are quite common. "Forget it, those names aren’t great. You might as well follow Zi Yue’s lead," she said. "You shall be called... Zi Ning. And you shall be called Zi Su! How do you like it?" The two little palace maids glanced at each other. Coming to their senses, they quickly kowtowed in thanks. "Thank you, Mistress, for giving us names!" "You may rise," Xia Ruqing said. "From now on, you are to learn well from Zi Yue!" After assigning them their tasks, it was almost dark. Xiao Xizi went to the Imperial Kitchen to bring back the evening meal, returning with a piece of news: the Emperor had summoned the newly-promoted Honored Lady Cheng. Upon hearing this, Xia Ruqing paused for a moment, then sighed in relief and remarked, "That’s better... Whoever wants to be the target can be it; I certainly don’t enjoy it!" With that, she gave instructions to Xiao Xizi, "Xiao Zhu Zi will follow you from now on. Make sure you teach him well!" What she really meant was: Keep a close eye on him, and nip any problems in the bud. Being a bit clumsy is okay, but I can’t tolerate disloyalty or betrayal. After dinner, Xia Ruqing began feeding Da Bai some dried little fish. The usually aloof and lazy cat abandoned all pretenses upon seeing the dried fish. Not a trace of dignity was left as it begged and fawned to no end, amusing Zi Yue and Xiao Xizi to the point of holding their stomachs in laughter. Zi Ning and Zi Su were attending in the outer room and heard bursts of laughter from within. A trace of confusion appeared on the young maids’ faces. One of them asked cautiously, "Could it be... that Xia Jieyu is truly that amiable?" "If we serve her well, surely we too will catch Mistress’s eye!" In fact, these two palace maids were not specifically chosen by Zhao Junyao for her. The new palace maids from the Ministry of Internal Affairs were a mixed bunch; many had been bought over by others. Zhao Junyao had only mentioned, "Choose a few good ones for her." Li Shengan, with his discerning mind, naturally knew what to do. The people he arranged might not be extremely capable assistants, but at the very least, they were clean and untainted. With some good training, they could all become decent servants. Lady Xia was also astute and naturally knew how to train them. Xia Ruqing played with Da Bai for a while, but it was getting late. Zi Yue warmed up her quilt with a hot-water bottle, and Xia Ruqing cozily snuggled into bed. Da Bai kept meowing by her pillow, seemingly wanting to burrow in as well. Xia Ruqing cuddled it for a bit. "If you burrow in, you won’t be able to come out." Da Bai let out a "MEOW..." and then licked her face. "Hey, you naughty Da Bai, that tickles, you know!" "MEOW!" The cat licked her once more. Its pair of black jewel-like cat eyes seemed to say: If you don’t let me in, I’ll keep licking you! Xia Ruqing asked resignedly, "Da Bai, where is your feline dignity?" Da Bai licked her another time. Then, with its little white paws, it pawed at her face. Finally, with a swish, it flicked its fluffy big tail across her. HUMPH, this cat has no dignity! Xia Ruqing was speechless. Da Bai, you win. Xia Ruqing made some room in the quilt for it. Soon, one person and one cat began to purr softly, one after the other. Each one slept more soundly and sweetly than the next. The Xu Hour had passed, and the night was deep. The entire harem was immersed in the darkness of night. No matter how well or poorly the people here slept, or whether their dreams were sweet or bitter, everyone was deep in slumber. No one would have thought that at this hour, there would be any stir in the Imperial Garden. In a dark corner of a rockery cave, a shadow seemed to be waiting for something. Before long, another shadow hurriedly rushed over. When the two met, they didn’t make a sound, just hurried past each other. As if... something had been passed between them! A bone-chilling dark wind swept through. The branches in the Imperial Garden shook violently, emitting an eerie, moaning sound. After the cold wind had passed, there was no trace of anyone behind the rockery. It was as if nothing had happened at all. Jiaofang Hall was lively. There were two more Honored Ladies, and Lady Xia had been promoted to Xia Jieyu. The rest were just marking time in their original places. It was a time of joy for some and sorrow for others. No matter how they cursed or swore in private, in face-to-face encounters, they always behaved affectionately like good sisters. Xia Ruqing was used to it. "Xia Jieyu, those hairpins on your head are quite nice, with plum blossoms and imprinted branches—very unique!" Consort Yun commented idly. Xia Ruqing just smiled contentedly and adjusted the hairpins on her head. "Consort Yun has good taste. This was a congratulatory gift from the Empress. I also quite like it!" she shot back, neither too gently nor too firmly, pulling the Empress in as a shield. Consort Yun’s face flushed red with frustration, unable to muster a retort. After all, Xia Ruqing was now a favored Jieyu, not a minor Honored Lady to be trifled with anymore! Stifled for a moment, she ultimately said nothing. She then turned her attention to Honored Lady Cheng. "Honored Lady Cheng, your dress is quite nice. No wonder the Emperor favors you!" she said. That remark was truly something. It put Honored Lady Cheng in the hot seat and made Xia Ruqing feel a pang of jealousy. Look, the Emperor doesn’t favor you anymore; he favors someone else. Xia Ruqing just smiled and said no more. Honored Lady Cheng cautiously got up and curtsied. "Thank you for the compliment, Consort Yun!" Having said that, she didn’t utter another word and sat down again. Consort Yun was met with a gentle rebuff and felt even more choked up inside. Noble Concubine Shih, on the other hand, was sitting up front, silent. In her eyes, except for herself, all the women in the harem were vixens. She wasn’t friendly to anyone. The Empress maintained an all-embracing demeanor. "It’s Honored Lady Cheng’s first time attending the Emperor, and I don’t have much to offer. I will just give you a pair of hairpins," she said, directing Yu Lan to bring the tray forward. Xia Ruqing felt fine until she saw them; then her heart nearly burst with anger. The style was exactly like the ones she wore on her head! Most importantly, Honored Lady Cheng’s were larger, more luxurious, and finer! Honored Lady Cheng bit her lip and hesitated for a moment, but still accepted with gratitude. The Empress was quite satisfied. She inadvertently glanced at the plum blossom hairpins on Xia Ruqing’s head, and the corner of her mouth lifted into a triumphant smile. Xia Ruqing was furious; it was a stab to the heart! Such a painful sting! Yet on the surface, she had to maintain her composure! Ha, what a clever move by the Empress! Honored Lady Cheng received the hairpins. Noble Concubine Shih and the other senior ladies also gave their gifts. With open ridicule and veiled taunts, they mocked her for nearly half a Shi Chen before dispersing. Xia Ruqing, full of anger, returned to Qingya Residence, immediately took off the hairpins from her head, and threw them on the ground. "Pah! To hell with them!" Zi Yue hurriedly picked them up. "Mistress, even if you don’t wear them, you can’t just throw them away!" Get full chapters from 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✦𝘧𝙞𝙧𝙚✦𝕟𝕖𝕥 Xia Ruqing said furiously, "Don’t pick them up! I want them smashed! Break them!" This is intolerable! Zi Ning and Zi Su were frightened, kneeling on the ground, not daring to rise. Zi Yue hesitated, not daring to smash them.