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"Excuse me, this sister seems quite familiar. May I ask your name? I would really like to be friends with you, if I have the honor," said Jia Lang, pulling her friend Daisy along as they approached Zhang Zhaorong.
Jia Lang was the legitimate eldest daughter of the Minister of Rites, Jia Da Ren. Known for her intelligence, she was often referred to as the 'female Zhuge' among her peers. However, she had high aspirations and refused to marry anyone who wasn't the best. And who could claim to be the best man other than the emperor?
Initially, she thought Daisy was her rival, but now another contender had emerged. For now, it was best to focus on forming alliances.
Zhang Zhaorong looked up and saw the woman speaking to her. The woman wore a light green palace dress adorned with cloud and goose patterns, tailored in a modest style that blended in with the crowd. A freshly picked white hibiscus flower was pinned in her hair, accompanied by a jade Seven Treasures hairpin that featured delicate silver bead tassels. Though simple, it highlighted her elegance. Among the many elaborately dressed court ladies, this woman's fresh appearance stood out distinctly. Beside her was another lady dressed in a rose-purple top with chrysanthemum patterns and a moon-white pleated skirt, her hair styled into a sleek bun adorned with a golden phoenix. She wore a floral gold forehead ornament and ruby earrings that sparkled gracefully, exuding an air of dignified tranquility. Zhang Zhaorong couldn't help but admire them; both women possessed unique charms and were undoubtedly the most outstanding among this year's court ladies, making her feel somewhat self-conscious.
"I am Zhang Zhaorong, daughter of the County Magistrate of Hanyang. It's a pleasure to meet you both," she said as she curtsied slightly.
The two women quickly returned the greeting. Jia Lang felt relieved; Zhang Zhaorong's background was too humble for her to attain a high position in the palace without family support, which meant her path would not be smooth.
"My name is Jia Lang, and this is my friend Daisy," Jia Lang introduced.
...
Not long after Zhang Zhaorong returned to the inn, Jia Lang's brother, Jia Yan, arrived with some people to take Zhang Zhaorong back to Jia Mansion. The innkeeper thought he could profit from this situation and refused to let Zhang Zhaorong leave. In response, Jia Yan directly subdued the innkeeper and took Zhang Zhaorong away. Tall and handsome, Jia Yan was well-versed in both literature and martial arts; Zhang Zhaorong felt an instant attraction to him—despite having mastered advanced martial arts herself, she had seen too little of the world, especially having lived in Hanyang County where there were few exceptional men. Thus, Jia Yan quickly won her favor.
Zhang Zhaorong naturally felt very fond of Jia Lang and regarded her as a close friend. Jia Lang was thrilled at this development, believing she could eventually use Zhang Zhaorong to her advantage.
As night fell, Zhang Zhaorong sat up in bed without waking her maidservant and quietly slipped out of the courtyard to wander around Jia Mansion—having developed a habit of night wandering during her time at Anfu and unable to sleep in a new place, she decided to pass the time exploring.
Most people in Jia Mansion were already asleep; only a few servant quarters still had lights on. Two main courtyards remained lit: those belonging to Jia Lang and Jia Yan. However, neither of them was there; they were in their parents' quarters—Jia Laoye and Madam Jia—where they had sent all the servants outside for privacy.
Thinking about Jia Yan made Zhang Zhaorong blush; disregarding the impoliteness of eavesdropping in order to learn more about him, she crept closer to their window.
"...Jia Lang, you really shouldn't bring Ning Bi into the palace," Madam Jia's worried voice came from inside. "What if she holds a grudge against you and tries to sabotage you?"
"Ning Bi wouldn't do that," Jia Laoye weakly countered. "She has behaved well over the years; do you still not trust her?"
"Madam Jia" exclaimed angrily, "Rest assured? I will never rest assured! Just thinking about her being the daughter of a traitorous woman from the Baiyi clan makes me uneasy! How could you be so bewitched to get involved with a traitor's daughter?"
"Jia Lang" quickly tried to calm "Madam Jia," saying, "Mother, Father has already realized his mistake, and this happened over ten years ago. Please don't dwell on it any longer."
"But that girl, Ning Bi, is still around," "Madam Jia" said bitterly. "Every time I see her, I feel uncomfortable."
"That's why I brought her into the palace," "Jia Lang" replied. "This way, you won't have to see her anymore."
"But what if she betrays you?" "Madam Jia" worried. "I can't believe she has been treated as a servant for so many years without harboring any resentment."
"Mother, do you really think she could do anything against me with my capabilities?" "Jia Lang" chuckled lightly.
Outside the window, "Zhang Zhaorong" was shocked. She had not expected that "Ning Bi" was actually "Jia Lang's" sister, yet she had been reduced to being his servant. Was this family even darker and more chaotic than the An family? And what about "Jia Lang"? He thought himself noble and elegant, yet he was so ruthless towards his own sister. Could he truly be sincere towards someone he had only recently met?
As "Zhang Zhaorong" pondered this, she suddenly perked up when she heard "Jia Lang" mention her name.
"Elder brother, what do you think of Zhang Zhaorong?"
The voice of "Jia Yan" responded, "Zhang Zhaorong? Not bad! Her looks may not match yours, but her figure is graceful and her demeanor is calm and gentle. Aside from my sisters, she is the most outstanding woman I have ever seen."
"Zhang Zhaorong's" cheeks burned as her heart raced wildly. Her crush was praising her! However, in the next moment, the conversation between the siblings brought her crashing back down.
"But if Zhang Zhaorong isn't chosen by the Emperor, would you consider marrying her?"
"Don't joke around, sister. Although Zhang Zhaorong is quite good in herself, her background is too lowly. How could she be my wife? My wife must at least come from a family of equal standing."
"That's true. With Zhang Zhaorong's background, she could at most be your concubine."
Concubine? Concubine? A chill ran through "Zhang Zhaorong." Did those two siblings really see her like this?! On the surface, they were so warm towards her, but in reality, they looked down on her? Why were they treating her so well then?
“Jia Lang, what do you want your brother to do?” asked Madam Jia, who understood her daughter best.
“I want my brother to treat Zhang Zhaorong a little better, so that Zhang Zhaorong will completely give her heart to him. This way, when she enters the palace, she won't compete with me for favor, and because of my brother, she will help me and be useful to me.”
“Since my sister has requested it, I shall make a self-sacrifice!”
Zhang Zhaorong could no longer listen! She activated her lightness skill and quickly ran away from the Jia family...
After wandering outside for most of the night, Zhang Zhaorong returned to the Jia family before dawn. Nowhere else felt like home. However, the current Zhang Zhaorong had changed; she was no longer the girl who came to town with innocence and dreams. Before even entering the palace, the Jia family had given her a profound lesson, teaching her that not all kindness is genuine and that beneath a glamorous exterior lies filth and darkness.
The next day, Zhang Zhaorong appeared before others looking dispirited—after all, she hadn’t slept all night. Jia Lang naturally expressed concern and inquired about her well-being, but Zhang Zhaorong brushed it off with an excuse about not adapting to a new place. At this point, she had begun to learn how to feign politeness and discern people with her eyes.
Zhang Zhaorong entered the palace as a seventh-rank attendant and was assigned to Changyang Palace and Jingchun Palace. At this moment, she no longer held any genuine aspirations for the palace; both the Zhang residence and Jia Mansion's inner courtyards were so dark—how much worse could the harem be? Initially, due to just having arrived, Zhang Zhaorong refrained from night excursions. Starting from the second night, however, she became a phantom of the palace, her footsteps echoing throughout every corner—from the Queen’s Phoenix Palace to Consort Rong’s Mi Xiu Palace, even down to where the lower-ranking maidens lived. She gradually uncovered secrets hidden within the palace, including those from years or even decades ago.
Zhang Zhaorong learned that Empress Zhenyuan had taken her brother-in-law and snatched away her sister's position as Queen; she discovered that despite having a fiancé, Empress Zhenyuan had danced a mesmerizing performance that captured the Emperor's heart. She also learned that because the Emperor summoned all physicians to attend to Empress Zhenyuan, Ling Zhu Xiao's son had died prematurely; Ling Zhu Xiao harbored deep hatred for Empress Zhenyuan and personally orchestrated her demise. She found out that the Queen targeted women in the palace to prevent them from bearing children; even under the flowering trees in Tangdi Palace where Jia Lang resided, numerous infertility-inducing drugs were buried. She realized that Consort Rong’s fragrant incense could lead to infertility but was personally prepared by the Emperor himself; he intended to use Consort Rong to win over the Murong Family while simultaneously guarding against them—ensuring that no woman from the Murong Family would give birth to a prince. Furthermore, she discovered that Jia Lang bore a striking resemblance to Empress Zhenyuan; thus, the Emperor treated her as a substitute for Empress Zhenyuan and would undoubtedly shower her with affection—making her a target for both the Queen and Consort Rong. Lastly, she learned of Consort Duan lurking in silence, waiting for an opportunity to act by sending an old acquaintance of Empress Zhenyuan named Cui Jinxi to Jia Lang’s side in hopes of using her against the Queen and Consort Rong...
The more Zhang Zhaorong learned, the less awe she felt toward the palace, the Emperor, and high-ranking consorts. Stripped of their so-called identities, these individuals were merely ordinary people with emotions similar to anyone else—joys and sorrows alike. While Zhang Zhaorong sympathized with the Queen and Consort Rong's plights, she still regarded them as enemies; she did not wish to be manipulated by them nor did she want to die. Her expectations of the Emperor faded; he shattered the grand image she had constructed in her mind—a man who betrayed his wife by courting his wife's sister while snatching his minister's fiancée and using women against their own families without treating those poor women kindly was truly despicable.
Having seen through these people in the palace, Zhang Zhaorong transitioned from hope to despair. She settled into a quiet life within her own space in the palace while continuing her nightly excursions for entertainment. Her demeanor pleased both the Queen and Consort Rong—they did not trouble her—and Xuanling also appreciated her tranquility, seeking solace in her presence during times of agitation.
In contrast to her calmness, Jia Lang's side was much livelier with dramatic events unfolding one after another. However, Zhang Zhaorong was no pushover; although she remained silent for now, some grudges still needed settling.
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