Chapter 23: The Beginning of Division

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Zhang Chun returned to her quarters, and Li Lin and the other three women immediately gathered around her.

Ye Shi Yun asked eagerly: "Can we go teach Zhao Yu that thing?"

Before Zhang Chun could speak, Ma Xiao Jiao and Yuan Qing Cheng, who had already made a huge mess over this matter, smiled at Ye Shi Yun.

Seeing this, Ye Shi Yun calmly corrected herself: "What I mean is, can we leave this hellhole?"

After Ye Shi Yun spoke, Li Lin and the other three women turned to look at Zhang Chun.

"I spent too much time talking to Zhao Yu about other matters and didn't get around to discussing this one," Zhang Chun said.

Upon hearing this, Ye Shi Yun and Ma Xiao Jiao looked disappointed; Yuan Qing Cheng watched Zhang Chun silently, while Li Lin bluntly questioned: "Why didn't you mention this first? It's so important!"

Zhang Chun knew that the five of them had been enduring each day like a year here, and her casual words would never pass muster.

"Listen to me—I didn't discuss this with Zhao Yu, but he told me I can go to Empress Xiansu and Consort Yisu if I have any requests. Whether we choose one or the other isn't Zhao Yu's decision—it's Empress Dowager Xiang's. I suspect Empress Dowager Xiang will entrust this matter to Empress Xiansu and Consort Yisu, so approaching them directly will be far more effective than asking Zhao Yu for a spot."

Hearing this, Li Lin and the other three women grew hopeful again.

"So does this mean we can leave this hellhole?" Ye Shi Yun asked.

Zhang Chun shook her head:

"There are only four spots total—we're five people. It's impossible for all of us to leave through this opportunity."

"Besides, Empress Xiansu and Consort Yisu will surely use this chance to place their own loyalists in Wang Fu to pave the way for them, and the De Shun Army's Guo clan might also slip someone in to help Guo Ting get ahead. In that case, we'll be lucky to secure one or two spots at most."

After Zhang Chun's analysis, Li Lin and the other three women were all deeply disappointed.

Five people, yet only one or two spots to escape—who gets to leave first?

And what happens to the one who leaves first? Will they rely on Zhao Yu for survival? What about those left behind? Will they keep waiting in Ci Xiao Degong for another chance?

In short, there are countless complications. This opportunity has become a bone with little meat.

Seeing Li Lin and the others disheartened, Zhang Chun encouraged them:

"I think having this opportunity is better than having none."

"No—it's actually a very good opportunity."

"I believe we should pursue two paths simultaneously. First, find a way to make Empress Dowager Xiang abandon Zhao Ji and choose Zhao Yu as emperor; second, help Zhao Yu fight Zhao Ji, manage the situation, build power, and choose the right political path. Only then can Zhao Yu defeat Zhao Ji and achieve our goal of replacing the emperor."

"Also, if our plan succeeds and Zhao Yu becomes the new emperor, we can't have worked tirelessly to help him seize the throne only for him to believe he was destined by heaven and remain unaware of our contributions. We must get to Zhao Yu's side quickly and make him know who helped him seize the throne."

"Only then, once Zhao Yu becomes emperor, will he listen to us and carry out sweeping reforms on the troubled Zhao Song dynasty, building up its political, military, and economic strength to avoid the Jingkang Humiliation, and seize this rare chance to achieve unification."

Zhang Chun's reasoning was sound, so Li Lin and the other three women suppressed their disappointment and began reevaluating this opportunity.

Soon, Li Lin asked bluntly: "Who gets the spot?"

Ye Shi Yun, Ma Xiao Jiao, and Yuan Qing Cheng fell silent. They didn't know whether they should compete for this opportunity.

Zhang Chun, however, decisively volunteered: "I want this spot."

Li Lin and the other three women all turned to Zhang Chun, waiting for her explanation.

Zhang Chun spoke solemnly: "I want this spot for no other reason than that I'm a historian and understand politics—I'm currently the one best suited to help Zhao Yu."

Feeling this wasn't enough, Zhang Chun added: "I'll be blunt: among us, only I can help Zhao Yu seize this throne. So I shouldn't stay here wasting our precious time to change history—I should be by Zhao Yu's side, advising him."

Zhang Chun's reasoning was persuasive, but Li Lin and the others didn't immediately yield.

The labor intensity for low-rank palace maids was high, and these women, accustomed to comfort, had suffered greatly these past days.

Also, the living conditions for low-rank palace maids were terrible, and the food was poor.

Crucially, Ci Xiao Degong had strict management and countless rules—they had to live in constant fear every day.

So they truly had had enough of being here.

If they went to Zhao Yu's side, they might become honored guests, likely far more comfortable than staying here.

Seeing that Li Lin and the others also wanted this spot, Zhang Chun pressed further:

"This isn't our only chance to leave here."

"Soon, Zhao Yu will marry. Empress Dowager Xiang will surely send a group of palace maids as dowry to Empress Xiansu and Consort Yisu. If I gain Zhao Yu's trust, you'll all be able to leave with them then."

"Even if Empress Xiansu and Consort Yisu can't take all of you out then, once Zhao Yu becomes emperor, getting you out of here will be nothing more than a single word from him. And that's only five months away."

"Also, in another year and five months, Empress Dowager Xiang will die. At that time, all the young palace maids in her court will be transferred into Zhao Yu's harem—then, you won't be able to stay here even if you want to."

"Most importantly, Zhao Yu has already helped us establish contact with Empress Xiansu and Consort Yisu—he told them to look after us. Today, through Zhao Yu, I even met Yang Jian. With these three looking out for us, we won't suffer hardships anymore."

"To be honest, if not for the greater good, I wouldn't be in such a hurry to go to Zhao Yu's side."

Under Zhang Chun's persuasive words, Ma Xiao Jiao was the first to speak: "Pure-jie, I agree to give this opportunity to you."

Ye Shi Yun lazily said: "As long as I don't have to work, I don't mind staying here a bit longer."

Li Lin and Yuan Qing Cheng exchanged a subtle glance.

Li Lin and Yuan Qing Cheng had begun to suspect that Zhang Chun was using public matters for private gain—trying to establish a direct line to Zhao Yu to achieve her own hidden agenda.

This was the main reason Li Lin and Yuan Qing Cheng hadn't yielded the spot to Zhang Chun just now.

Li Lin and Yuan Qing Cheng had already told Ye Shi Yun and Ma Xiao Jiao about their suspicions.

But the former didn't care about Zhang Chun's petty schemes.

The latter wondered whether Li Lin and Yuan Qing Cheng were overthinking things. After all, they had all come from the 21st century to an unfamiliar Northern Song—shouldn't they show mutual tolerance, support each other, and sail together?

Now that Zhang Chun had given such solid reasons, and Ye Shi Yun and Ma Xiao Jiao had already conceded, Li Lin and Yuan Qing Cheng couldn't reasonably argue further.

Li Lin and Yuan Qing Cheng exchanged silent opinions, and finally Li Lin said: "Didn't we think there might be two spots? Let's go together to Zheng Yaban and Wang Yaban first, see how many spots they can actually give us, then decide who gets them…"

…

(End of Chapter)