Ling'er was bestowed upon her by the Western Region King. As long as she didn't say yes, no one in this world could take Ling'er away. Not even the princess consort would have a chance.
Supported by the maids, Concubine Rui stepped down from the sedan chair. She walked with light steps, her slender waist making even Concubine Ning, a fellow woman, envious.
On her slightly pale face was dotted with cinnabar, which, set off by the surrounding scenery, made her look even more delicate and elegant.
A hint of jealousy welled up in Concubine Ning's eyes. Why? Why had she struggled so hard to reach her current position? She had to please everyone and even be pushed out as a scapegoat.
Now she ended up being imprisoned.
She was not willing to accept this.
"Sister, stop hiding Ling'er. Sister knows you must resent her, which is why I've come here in person to ask for her. Now, why don't you just be straightforward and hand her over to me? When the King asks, it'll be easier for me to explain."
What she meant was that Concubine Ning resented Concubine Rui, so she had abducted and tortured the little maid Ling'er.
This logic was quite reasonable and would be believed by anyone in the harem.
After all, Concubine Rui had now become the enemy of all the women in the harem.
The maids and eunuchs passing by all cast strange looks at Concubine Ning.
"She's really vicious. What the King said before was right. I'm afraid our Concubine Ning has shifted all the blame onto a little maid. But in that situation, how could Ling'er have refused? She's just an ordinary maid."
"Ai, poor Sister Ling'er. She used to take good care of me. I feel so bad for her now."
"Forget it. We maids don't dare to interfere in our masters' affairs. Ling'er can only blame her poor background. She shouldn't have agreed to lead the way for Concubine Rui in the first place."
The maids' voices were neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for everyone present to hear.
Concubine Ning was so angry that her face and neck turned red. She had never thought that after scheming with the princess consort for so many years, she would one day be the one trapped in a pitfall.
"You lowly servants! What are you talking about? Do you think you have too much free time? Well, this palace will give you some other tasks. The mass burial ground is in desperate need of people."
Concubine Ning had always been domineering in the harem, and she had said such things more than once or twice. In the past, she might have been able to intimidate others, but now with someone else around, it wasn't that easy.
"Sister, why are you so angry? These maids are just making some random guesses. Do you really need to make such a big fuss? Or is it that you simply can't tolerate any doubts?"
"What are you talking about? These servants can't even do their jobs properly. Is it wrong for this palace to scold them a bit? Concubine Rui, stop pretending to be a good person. We both know what you're here for. Come on, there's no point in pretending. Just say it. What do you really want from this palace? If it's just a maid, this palace can give you others."
"According to what sister said, you're not going to give Ling'er back?"
She said this coldly, but Concubine Ning didn't notice and instead looked at her provocatively.
"So what if I'm not? Ling'er was originally my maid. If you hadn't said those things to the King, Ling'er wouldn't have followed you. Now that she's come back on her own, I'll never let her get into trouble again."
Every word she said seemed to be for Ling'er's sake, but how could the maids around believe it?
These people had already seen through Concubine Ning's true nature. No one would believe that she had suddenly become a good person.
"Concubine Ning really knows how to act. If I didn't know how much torture the maids suffered under her, I might have been deceived by her today."
"Yeah, Concubine Rui, you'd better take Sister Ling'er back quickly. We don't know how much suffering she'll have to endure in Concubine Ning's hands."
This was exactly the outcome she wanted. Concubine Rui spread her hands helplessly.
"Sister can see that neither the King nor these maids want Ling'er to stay with you anymore. Please don't make things difficult for me."
As she spoke, the nannies and eunuchs she had brought with her barged straight into Concubine Ning's bedroom without hesitation.
"You're being so presumptuous! Do you know whose place this is? It seems you lowly servants are tired of living. Get out of here quickly, or don't blame this palace for being ruthless."
She thought her authority would scare these servants off, but to her surprise, they didn't listen to a word she said.
Concubine Ning knew that if her daughter in the palace was discovered, it would confirm what these people were saying.
No, she couldn't afford any more mistakes. She had to hold on until her elder brother came to help her.
Since those useless servants couldn't stop these people, she would do it herself.
Thinking this, Concubine Ning blocked the door of the bedroom with her body. The maids who were about to enter had no choice but to stop.
"Please step aside, Your Highness. We're just following orders. If Your Highness has any objections, you can go to the King."
"Humph! Who do you think you are? You're just some lowly servants. How dare you bring up the King? What? Do you think you can speak on behalf of the King?"
"Although we can't speak on behalf of the King, what we're saying is the truth. Ling'er was already bestowed upon Concubine Rui by the King. We're just trying to get Ling'er back. Please don't make things difficult for us little maids, Your Highness."
"How dare you! This palace is standing right here today. Let's see who dares to move."
The maids exchanged glances with each other. Finally, two of them stepped forward suddenly.
"Then, Your Highness, we'll have to offend you. After this is over, you can go to the King, but only after you're released from house arrest."
Concubine Ning was held aside by several maids. Her legs flailed in the air non - stop. This was the first time in so many years since Concubine Ning entered the palace that she had been so humiliated.
She couldn't hold back her anger any longer. She slapped the two maids beside her.
"You're being so presumptuous! This palace will definitely make the King have you all executed by slow slicing."
"Hehe, if Your Highness really had that power, you wouldn't be imprisoned here now."
Her sore spot was hit by a little maid. Concubine Ning squatted on the ground and wailed. She had never been so humiliated before.
Now it felt like the last piece of her dignity had been torn off, and she was extremely ashamed.
"I'll never forget your faces."