Chapter 38: Ma Xiao Jiao: I Will Cooperate Fully

…

Ever since, Ma Xiao Jiao had been confident in her appearance, especially her figure. After all, her outstanding looks were why she had thrived online in her past life.

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 standout.

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 the internet of her past life.

In the past, this wouldn’t have mattered, since Ma Xiao Jiao never intended 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 had 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—each with their own unique charm, as if meticulously sculpted works of art—she began to feel how fragile and defenseless she was in this battlefield of rivalry.

“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 Shen Wang’s mansion.

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, frantically glowing, while Ma Xiao Jiao sat helplessly in the corner of the carriage, watching it all.

On the same day they arrived at Shen Wang’s mansion, Zhao Yu assigned Huang Jingchen to give each of the four women a spacious, bright, warm in winter and cool in summer room, along with a personal 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—worse than a prisoner in a modern jail.

To Ma Xiao Jiao, life in Shen Wang’s mansion was far more comfortable than in Cide Palace; she would never return.

“This is what life should be like! 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 Prince. He promoted her to Palace Commandant—she must have pleased him greatly, otherwise how could this happen?”

Ma Xiao Jiao said nothing. She knew Zhao Yu promoted Pei Sui out of respect for Zheng Xiansu—but all she could think was: “Is Zhao Yu so lustful? We’ve just arrived, and he’s already taken one? Oh my god! Will it be my turn soon?”

All day, Ma Xiao Jiao was on edge, fearing any moment someone would come to summon her to spend 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.”

“?”

“That’s it?”

Ma Xiao Jiao didn’t understand—why was Xiduo so troubled by this?

Xiduo didn’t understand Ma Xiao Jiao either: “It’s already burning down the house, and how can you still sleep?”

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 wish to speak candidly with you.”

Seeing Xiduo’s seriousness, Ma Xiao Jiao had to take it seriously: “Fine, speak.”

“Pei Niang has Zheng Wangfei behind her, Wang Niang has Wang Cefei behind her, Guo Niang has Guo Cefei behind her. May I ask, who stands behind you?” Xiduo asked.

Ma Xiao Jiao smiled bitterly. She thought: “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 Prince’s favor, how will you survive in this mansion?” Xiduo asked again.

“This…”

Ma Xiao Jiao had no reply.

“Your quarters, even me, are only temporarily assigned to you—not yours. If you never gain the Prince’s favor, in just a few days, all of this will belong to someone else. Not only will you lose this rare chance to rise, but worse—you may end up as my equal, reduced to a servant.” Xiduo warned her.

“After being a mistress for only a few days, I’m to become a servant again?” Ma Xiao Jiao couldn’t accept such a fall in status.

“The order in which the Prince visits his concubines isn’t meaningless. The first to spend the night is honored; the later ones are lowly. The entire mansion watches closely. Your position in the order directly determines your future status and rank within this mansion.” Xiduo laid it all out plainly.

Hearing Xiduo’s words, and recalling what Zhang Chun had told her, Ma Xiao Jiao began to yield. Her resistance to spending the night with Zhao Yu turned into a quiet desire 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.

But to Ma Xiao Jiao’s mixed relief and disappointment, Zhao Yu still didn’t 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.”

This time, Ma Xiao Jiao and Xiduo both slumped in despair. 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, to help you turn defeat into victory…”

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

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

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

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

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

Xiduo’s bizarre display left Ma Xiao Jiao stunned.

Ma Xiao Jiao stared at Xiduo, who looked no more than eleven or twelve—how could a child her age know such things?

Sensing Ma Xiao Jiao’s confusion, Xiduo explained:

“When I was three, a trafficker bought me cheaply during the famine and raised me until I was seven, then sold me to a brothel. At nine, the brothel owner offended a powerful man, and the brothel was shut down—I was transferred to the Teaching Bureau. Last year, an official from this mansion came to select maids. Because I was too young and still intact, I was lucky enough to be chosen, escaping my lowly fate.”

“I won’t lie, Lady—recently, the Prince suddenly discovered the pleasures of sex and became obsessed. All eligible maids in this mansion were blessed—but because I was too young, I was turned away three times. Had I conceived his royal seed, I would have completely reversed my fate!”

“If I never serve the Prince as his concubine, when I turn twenty-five, I must leave this mansion.”

“I have nowhere to turn. If I leave, my fate will be terrible.”

“So I’d rather die in this mansion—otherwise, no one will even bury me.”

Hearing this, Ma Xiao Jiao’s heart turned cold. She suddenly realized her situation was nearly identical to Xiduo’s: “If Zhao Yu casts me out, where would I go? Will I, as Zhang Chun warned, be robbed of my wealth and virtue, then sold into a brothel to become a common whore? Or become a beggar, begging on the streets? Will I starve to death and be left to rot in the wilderness?”

“The three Wangfei will arrive soon. After that, it will be even harder for ordinary maids like us to win the Prince’s favor.”

“I can only place my hope in you, Lady. I beg you—when you rise to greatness, don’t forget to take me with you.”

“I’ve spent all my savings on these eggs and spirit paper. You must learn this technique well—don’t waste my hopes.”

Whether from understanding Zhang Chun’s words or from being terrified by Xiduo’s tale, Ma Xiao Jiao, desperate to grasp something, began learning the technique from Xiduo.

But perhaps because she had no talent at all, all the eggs cracked, all the spirit paper tore, and Ma Xiao Jiao still couldn’t master Xiduo’s technique.

Ma Xiao Jiao looked at Xiduo, ashamed.

Xiduo said nothing outwardly, but inwardly cursed: “I prepared so thoroughly, and you still can’t learn it? You’re so stupid—how did you even get chosen as a palace instructor?”

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

Xiduo could only tell Ma Xiao Jiao to stop practicing and hurry to apply makeup—before she lost even the chance to be summoned.

But despite dressing herself beautifully, Ma Xiao Jiao and Xiduo waited until the middle of the night—and still, no one came to summon her.

At dawn, Ma Xiao Jiao and Xiduo learned that Zhao Yu had again summoned Pei Sui to spend the night.

Hearing this, Ma Xiao Jiao felt injustice: “How is this possible? It’s my turn now!!”

But Zhao Yu was utterly unreasonable—he never once summoned Ma Xiao Jiao.

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

Ma Xiao Jiao grew increasingly panicked.

Xiduo had already given up hope that Ma Xiao Jiao would ever win Zhao Yu’s favor.

Still, Xiduo was decent enough—not giving Ma Xiao Jiao cold looks or kicking her when she was down.

But not everyone was like Xiduo.

Many servants in Shen Wang’s mansion who had once been respectful to Ma Xiao Jiao, seeing she hadn’t spent the night for over ten days, assumed she was finished—and began treating her with contempt. Some even mocked her openly.

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

“Is it true that even as a reincarnated soul, I can’t even get a chance to offer myself?”

Just as Ma Xiao Jiao’s spirit was about to plunge into despair, Liang Shicheng appeared and said to her: “The Prince wishes to see you.”

Ma Xiao Jiao froze, then burst into joy. She looked up at the sun overhead: “Is Zhao Yu going to indulge in lust in broad daylight?”

Xiduo, who had just given up hope, rushed forward and bowed to Liang Shicheng: “May I ask, Sir, does my lady have time to dress and apply makeup?”

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

So, knowing Zhao Yu wasn’t in a hurry, Liang Shicheng smiled warmly: “Lady, take your time.”

Hearing this, Ma Xiao Jiao quickly had Xiduo apply heavy makeup and dress her in her finest clothes.

Too eager to show Zhao Yu Ma Xiao Jiao’s best side, Xiduo went overboard—she painted Ma Xiao Jiao so heavily she barely looked like herself anymore.

Ma Xiao Jiao and Xiduo both felt this was inappropriate.

But they had already wasted too much time.

If Zhao Yu grew impatient and 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 grit her teeth and face Zhao Yu with this makeup on.

Liang Shicheng brought Ma Xiao Jiao to the back courtyard.

There was a row of newly built houses.

“We’re here!”

Ma Xiao Jiao took a deep breath, thinking of her elementary school health class, the instructions from the old palace maid before she left Cide Palace on how to please Zhao Yu, and the special techniques Xi Duo had taught her, and said to herself: “Today, no matter how wild Zhao Yu gets, I will fully comply with him.”

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

……

(End of Chapter)