Chapter 38: Ma Xiao Jiao: I Will Cooperate Absolutely

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Throughout her life, Ma Xiao Jiao had always been confident in her appearance, especially her figure. After all, her success online in her previous life had depended entirely on her outstanding looks.

But after being reborn in the Northern Song imperial palace, Ma Xiao Jiao realized she had fallen into a nest of beauties—her once-excellent beauty was no longer remarkable.

There were too many beauties here.

Those with delicate features, who in the outside world would be worshipped as goddesses by countless men, were merely average here.

Moreover, many of these beauties weren't just beautiful—they were talented, making this place even more cutthroat than her previous life's internet.

In the past, this wouldn't have mattered, since Ma Xiao Jiao had never planned to rely on her looks for survival.

But after Zhang Chun's brainwashing, Ma Xiao Jiao realized that if she wanted to live comfortably in the future, she would have to compete for Zhao Yu's favor among his many concubines—only then could she have a chance to bear him a son and secure her future.

Realizing this, Ma Xiao Jiao's mindset shifted subtly. Looking at Zheng Xiansu, Wang Yisu, Wang Chuchu, Pei Sui, and Guo Wei—all voluptuous or slender, each uniquely refined, as if every one had been meticulously carved into a work of art—she began to sense that in this battlefield of rivalry, she was fragile, almost defenseless.

"Can I defeat them and win Zhao Yu's favor?"

What terrified Ma Xiao Jiao most was that Zhao Yu had spoken to Wang Chuchu, Pei Sui, and Guo Wei—but had merely glanced at her.

Then, Zhao Yu brought all four of them back to Wang Fu.

Along the way, the three women—Wang Chuchu, Pei Sui, and Guo Wei—exerted every effort to display their charms, like female fireflies in mating season, desperately glowing, while Ma Xiao Jiao sat alone in the corner of the carriage, dumbly watching it all.

On the very day they arrived at Wang Fu, Zhao Yu assigned each of the four women a spacious, bright, warm in winter and cool in summer room, and gave each one a serving maid.

That night, Ma Xiao Jiao feasted on a lavish meal, followed by fresh fruit, dried nuts, and pastries as snacks.

Life in the palace had been unbearable—poor food, poor sleep, no freedom; it was even worse than a prisoner's life in the future.

In Ma Xiao Jiao's eyes, life in Wang Fu was far more comfortable than in Cide Palace—she would never return.

"This is how a person should live! No wonder there's a rumor in the palace that a woman, upon failing the imperial selection, celebrated by writing poetry."

"But it seems staying here won't be easy…"

Early the next morning, Ma Xiao Jiao's maid Xiduo rushed back to report: "Lady, last night Pei Niang spent the night with the Great Lord—he promoted her to Palace Commandant. She must have pleased him thoroughly, otherwise how could this happen?"

Ma Xiao Jiao said nothing—she knew Zhao Yu had promoted Pei Sui out of respect for Zheng Xiansu—but her mind was filled with: "Is Zhao Yu this lustful? We've only just arrived, and he's already taken one? Good heavens! Will it be my turn soon?"

All day, Ma Xiao Jiao was on edge, fearing any moment someone would come to summon her to serve the night.

But she waited until deep into the night, and no one came.

"Thank goodness—I escaped for now."

Relieved, Ma Xiao Jiao drifted into a drowsy sleep.

In her dream, Ma Xiao Jiao desperately fled from Zhao Yu, whose face wore a lewd grin—but finally, he cornered her on the bed and pounced like a hungry tiger.

Ma Xiao Jiao jolted awake.

"It was just a dream—I nearly died of fright!"

Ma Xiao Jiao lifted her head and immediately saw Xiduo slumped listlessly by the door.

Ma Xiao Jiao called Xiduo in and asked: "What's wrong? Didn't you sleep well last night?"

Xiduo replied dejectedly: "Last night, Wang Niang spent the night with him."

"?"

"That's it?"

Ma Xiao Jiao couldn't understand—why was Xiduo so burdened with worries over something so minor?

Xiduo couldn't understand Ma Xiao Jiao either: "This is a matter of life and death—how can you still sleep so soundly?"

After much hesitation, Xiduo decided to speak plainly: "Lady, you are beautiful and kind. I wish to remain by your side, sharing your fate—so I must speak frankly, as a trusted confidante."

Seeing Xiduo's solemnity, Ma Xiao Jiao had to take it seriously: "Fine, speak."

"Pei Niang has Zheng Wang Fei behind her, Wang Niang has Wang Ce Fei behind her, Guo Niang has Guo Ce Fei behind her—may I ask, who stands behind you?" Xiduo asked.

Ma Xiao Jiao smiled bitterly, thinking: "Can Zhang Chun and the others count as my backers? Aren't their situations just as bad as mine?"

Seeing this, sharp-witted Xiduo instantly realized—Ma Xiao Jiao had no one behind her.

"Then, if you fail to win the Great Lord's favor, how will you survive in this mansion?" Xiduo asked again.

"This…"

Ma Xiao Jiao had no reply.

"This room you live in—and even I, your maid—are only temporarily assigned to you, not yours by right. If you never win the Great Lord's favor, within days these will belong to someone else. Not only will you lose this rare chance to rise, you may even end up as a servant, just like me," Xiduo warned her.

"After being a mistress for only a few days, I'm already going back to being a servant?" Ma Xiao Jiao found this shift in status unbearable.

"The order in which the Great Lord visits his concubines is not meaningless. The first to serve him is honored; the last is lowly. The entire mansion watches closely—your position in the order directly determines your future status, rank, and dignity in this mansion," Xiduo explained bluntly.

Hearing Xiduo's words, and recalling Zhang Chun's earlier advice, Ma Xiao Jiao began to yield. She shifted from resisting serving the night to wanting to do so.

In the afternoon, under Xiduo's urging, Ma Xiao Jiao, unusually, applied light makeup, hoping to leave a good impression on Zhao Yu and earn more points from him.

But to Ma Xiao Jiao's mixed relief and disappointment, Zhao Yu still did not summon her that night.

The next day, Xiduo left early to gather news.

Soon, she returned with word: "Last night, Guo Niang spent the night with him."

This time, Ma Xiao Jiao and Xiduo sat together in gloom. Ma Xiao Jiao murmured: "I'm still at the bottom."

Xiduo comforted her: "Don't lose heart, Lady. Before I was bought into this mansion, I served a courtesan. I stole a secret technique from her—I'll teach it to you now, to help you turn defeat into victory…"

The next day, Xiduo somehow brought back a basket of eggs, a cushion, and a stack of spirit paper.

She placed seven eggs on the bed, laid the cushion atop them, then placed the spirit paper on top of the cushion.

After finishing, Xiduo said to Ma Xiao Jiao: "Watch closely."

Then she sat down on the spirit paper and rubbed her buttocks back and forth.

When she rose, the stack of spirit paper had been crushed into a neat, folded fan—while the eggs beneath remained perfectly intact.

Xiduo's bizarre display left Ma Xiao Jiao utterly stunned.

Looking at Xiduo, who appeared no more than eleven or twelve years old, Ma Xiao Jiao was baffled—how could someone so young know such things?

Seeing Ma Xiao Jiao's confusion, Xi Duo explained:

"When I was three, a trafficker bought me cheaply during the famine and raised me until seven, then sold me to a brothel; at nine, the owner offended a powerful noble, the brothel was shut down, and I was sent to the Teaching Bureau; last year, your Wang Fu's steward came to select maids from the Teaching Bureau. I was chosen because I was young and still intact, lucky enough to escape my lowly fate."

"I won't hide it from Madam: recently, the Great Prince suddenly took interest in matters of the flesh and became obsessed. All eligible maids in Wang Fu were blessed with fortune—but because I'm too young, I was turned away three times. Had I conceived the Great Prince's heir, I would have utterly reversed my destiny!"

"If I never serve the Great Prince as his concubine, when I turn twenty-five, I must leave Wang Fu."

"I have nowhere to turn. Once I leave Wang Fu, my fate will be utterly miserable."

"So I'd rather die inside Wang Fu—otherwise, no one may even bury my corpse."

Hearing this, Ma Xiao Jiao's heart turned cold. She realized with shock that her situation was much like Xi Duo's: "If Zhao Yu casts me out, where can I go? Will I, as Chun Jie said, be robbed of my wealth and virtue, then sold into a brothel to become a whore for all men? Or become a beggar, begging on the streets? Will I starve to death and die exposed on the wild?"

"The three Wang Fei will enter the mansion soon. At that time, it will be even harder for ordinary maids like us to gain the Great Prince's favor."

"I can only place my hope in Madam. I beg you, when you rise to greatness, do not forget to take me with you."

"I've spent all my savings on these eggs and spirit paper. Madam must learn this trick well—don't waste my earnest hope."

Whether she understood Zhang Chun's words or was frightened by Xi Duo's tale, Ma Xiao Jiao, desperate to grasp something, began learning Xi Duo's trick.

But perhaps because she had no talent at all, all the eggs cracked, all the spirit paper was crumpled, and Ma Xiao Jiao still failed to learn Xi Duo's trick.

Ma Xiao Jiao looked at Xi Duo with shame.

Xi Duo said nothing on the surface, but inwardly cursed: "I prepared so thoroughly, and you still didn't learn? You're so stupid—how on earth were you chosen as a teaching maid?!"

The eggs were gone. The spirit paper was gone. The time was gone.

Xi Duo could only tell Ma Xiao Jiao to stop practicing and hurry to apply her makeup, lest she lose even the chance to serve the night.

Yet, despite painting herself beautifully, Ma Xiao Jiao and Xi Duo waited until the middle of the night—and no one came to summon Ma Xiao Jiao for the night.

At dawn, Ma Xiao Jiao and Xi Duo learned that last night, Zhao Yu had summoned Pei Sui to serve him.

Hearing this, Ma Xiao Jiao felt injustice: "How could this happen? It should've been my turn!!!"

But Zhao Yu was simply unreasonable—he never once called for Ma Xiao Jiao.

In the following days, Pei Sui, Wang Chuchu, and Guo Wei took turns serving him—never Ma Xiao Jiao.

Ma Xiao Jiao grew more and more panicked.

Xi Duo had already given up hope that Ma Xiao Jiao would ever gain Zhao Yu's favor.

Yet Xi Duo was still kind—she never showed Ma Xiao Jiao a cold face or kicked her when she was down.

But not everyone was like Xi Duo.

Many servants in the Shen Wang Fu who had once been respectful to Ma Xiao Jiao, seeing she had failed to serve Zhao Yu for over ten days, assumed she was finished—and began treating her coldly. Some even mocked and sneered at her.

Ma Xiao Jiao endured it all silently, her heart bitter as if she'd swallowed coptis root, beyond words.

"Could it be that this reincarnator truly has no chance to offer herself?"

Just as Ma Xiao Jiao's spirit neared its lowest point, Liang Shicheng suddenly appeared and said to her: "The Great Prince requests your presence."

Ma Xiao Jiao froze, then burst into joy. She looked up at the sun overhead: "Could Zhao Yu be summoning me for midday indulgence?"

Xi Duo, who had just given up hope, hurried forward and bowed to Liang Shicheng: "May I ask, Master, does my lady have time to groom and dress?"

Liang Shicheng was no lowly, ignorant servant—he knew perfectly well how much Zhao Yu valued Ma Xiao Jiao.

So, knowing Zhao Yu was in no hurry, Liang Shicheng smiled warmly: "Madam may take her time."

Hearing this, Ma Xiao Jiao quickly had her face heavily made up and changed into her finest clothes under Xi Duo's care.

Too eager to show Zhao Yu Ma Xiao Jiao at her best, Xi Duo overdid it—she painted Ma Xiao Jiao so heavily she barely looked like herself anymore.

Ma Xiao Jiao and Xi Duo felt this might be improper.

But they had already wasted too much time.

What if Zhao Yu grew impatient, left, or chose someone else?

Ma Xiao Jiao didn't know how long she'd have to wait again.

There was no choice—Ma Xiao Jiao had to force herself to go meet Zhao Yu with this makeup.

Liang Shicheng led Ma Xiao Jiao to the back courtyard.

There stood a row of newly built houses.

"Here we are!"

Ma Xiao Jiao took a deep breath, recalling her elementary school health class, the old palace maid's instructions on pleasing Zhao Yu before leaving Ci Xiao Degong, and Xi Duo's trick—and told herself: "Today, no matter how wild Zhao Yu gets, I will obey him completely."

Having made up her mind, Ma Xiao Jiao followed Liang Shicheng toward the row of houses…

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(End of Chapter)