Chapter 295: Volume 1, Chapter 295  She

Both of them fell silent now, knowing the current situation is terrible; the Empress and the Empress Dowager are at odds, all because of the Weaving Workshop. Thinking back to when they first entered the palace, the next day the Empress summoned Kang Shufei and Madam Qiongzhang. At that time they didn't know why, but now they understand.

It turns out that even then, the Empress had already been planning the Weaving Workshop, perhaps even earlier, and had selected Kang Shufei and Madam Qiongzhang.

Thinking of this, Ruan Shurong looked at Gou Jing and said softly, "It wasn't the Empress who chose Kang Shufei and Madam Qiongzhang; it was the Kang family and the Fu family who pledged allegiance to His Majesty."

Gou Jing's expression changed slightly; her father is an Imperial Censor, who has filed many petitions and even opposed many of His Majesty's edicts, turning his face pale. Moreover, her father is close with Prime Minister Su, and he arranged for her to assist Virtuous Consort Su after she entered the palace.

She's also foolish, for not having thought of this.

She originally thought she could bring honor to her family, but the family never considered sending her into the palace; in the end they opposed His Majesty, so what will become of their daughter's situation?

Gou Jing's face went pale, and her heart turned cold.

"Sister Ruan, what… what should we do?" Gou Jing was even a little frightened to the point of tears.

Ruan Shurong was startled as well, "What's wrong with you?"

Gou Jing clutched Ruan Shurong's hand, choking out, "Sister Ruan, think about why this is so simple. It's likely that when we first entered the palace, our family intended to use us to test His Majesty, to make us stepping stones for them. Otherwise, why would I be listening to the Virtuous Consort, and why would you follow Consort Hui? Moreover, Prime Minister Su and Lord Ningyuan have previously colluded."

"We were too foolish, thinking our family wouldn't hurt us, and look what happened?" Gou Jing's tears fell one by one, her hands trembling, "Sister Ruan, we must find a way; otherwise, if this continues, you and I might even have our lives at stake here."

Ruan Shurong, shaken by Gou Jing, felt a bit dizzy, "Take your time, don't rush, and explain clearly."

Gou Jing, after crying enough, finally steadied herself, looked at Ruan Shurong and said, "Sister Ruan, haven't you realized? This selection was probably already planned by those people before the contest. The Kang family and the Fu family pledged allegiance to His Majesty, so Kang Shufei and Madam Qiongzhang could be granted high positions and were heavily favored by the Empress. As for us, we can only be little lackeys behind others, so we can't obtain titles, and we're not even in a position to oppose the Empress's good deeds. Yet have Consort Hui and the Virtuous Consort ever truly cared for us?"

Ruan Shurong pressed her lips together, "So what? Our fate is miserable; we can't betray your family. If we do, what good outcome could the future hold?"

"Even if we don't betray them, will they consider us? They don't care about our lives in the palace. After being here so long, neither you nor I have received any letters from home; what does that show?" Gou Jing's voice was as cold as snow in the ninth month of winter, "They never had us in their thoughts at all."

Ruan Shurong, always calm, having been in the palace for so long and acting cautiously, even though she follows Consort Hui, would not readily act against the Empress. She looked at Gou Jing and gently soothed, "Don't worry; things aren't that bad yet. In these past months, you and I have not shown disrespect to the Empress, so there is still room for reconciliation."

"How can we reconcile?" Gou Jing could not think of a way; the Empress is unyielding, demanding visits on the first and fifteenth of each month. The Empress has never made things difficult for them; although the Virtuous Consort and Consort Hui occasionally adopt a somewhat harsh attitude, the Empress is even less courteous.

The Empress's stance is: you may not disturb me; I won't make things hard for you, but if you overstep, I won't be polite.

Their family opposes the Emperor; as their daughter, their situation in the harem is naturally awkward.

Ruan Shurong slightly frowned, "Let me think. We cannot easily betray our family, yet we cannot become enemies with the Empress; for now we must consider whether there is a way to have it both ways."

"There isn't," Gou Jing said, "The Empress's attitude over these months has already made it clear, hasn't it, Sister Ruan?"

Ruan Shurong fell silent; she also knew that there is no perfect solution in this world—either betray the family and side with the Empress, or continue following the family's path, and no one can predict the final outcome.

"Sister Ruan, I just want to live well. When I first entered the palace, I still thought of favor, but now I only want to live safely and without trouble. Haven't you seen? Consort Xu has been following the Empress since the Dong Gong, yet she still hasn't received His Majesty's favor. If she can't, what about us? I dare bet you, neither Kang Shufei nor Madam Qiongzhang will ever be favored. They have the Empress's protection, have obtained the power and glory they want, and must abandon His Majesty's favor—that's the only explanation; otherwise it makes no sense."

Ruan Shurong, seeing Gou Jing looking a bit frantic, quickly said, "Don't think of it so badly; let's wait a bit longer and decide after we see how things go."

Gou Jing looked at Ruan Shurong, suddenly laughed, then as she laughed she began to cry, "Sister Ruan, when our family decided to enter the selection, did you know who was supposed to run?"

Ruan Shurong, aware of some of the Gou family's situation, said, "By age, it should be your older sister."

"Yes, it should be her. Back then, my mother told me my older sister was restless and unsuited for the inner palace, fearing she'd lose her life as soon as she entered, and praised my gentle nature and cautiousness, saying I was the best candidate. She described the glamorous life and honor after entering the palace. I didn't think much and readily agreed. Now I realize I was foolish; they weren't favoring me, they were afraid their eldest daughter would suffer in the palace, so they pushed me in instead."

Was she not glad that her mother and father still valued her more, that the sister who always competed with her was given up for her?

And thinking back to the sister who always contested everything with her, she was the only one who didn't strongly oppose this matter. What else is unclear? Perhaps her parents had already explained everything to her, and perhaps she'll still laugh at herself for being foolish.

Gou Jing, dazed, stood up, "Sister Ruan, I'll go back now. I need to think carefully about the path ahead; I'm still so young, I can't take the wrong road."

She was unwilling to be a stepping stone for her family; they would laugh at her foolishness, say she deserved it, as if her very existence were only to serve them as a beast of burden.