TICIEC Chapter 51.1

“This concubine will immediately have a copy of the recipe made and presented to Shu Fei.” Wei Yingya said immediately.

Fang Zhaoyi looked at her with displeasure: “If you were to make one yourself, it would surely taste better than what the imperial chefs make.”

She explicitly instructed Wei Yingya to deliver pastries to Shu Fei, which was a way for Wei Yingya to meet Shu Fei, seek refuge with Shu Fei, and ultimately, the Cen family.

“This concubine’s clumsy skills are far inferior to the exquisite skills of the imperial chefs in the small kitchen of Jingxi Palace. I’m afraid my cooking won’t suit Shu Fei’s taste…” Wei Yingya declined.

Fang Zhaoyi’s eyes turned colder: “I heard that Shi Meiren came yesterday. Ying Meiren, are you trying to climb the social ladder and looking down on Shu Fei?”

Shi Meiren came to represent the Xue family.

“Sister Shi invited me to tea today, but I couldn’t go because I wasn’t feeling well.” Wei Yingya said with a faint smile.

“I deeply respect Shu Fei and the Empress Dowager, but I am simply unable to attend to both of them. I hope Fang Zhaoyi will understand.”

She didn’t accept any offers from either the Cen or Xue families.

In Wei Yingya’s memory, the Wei family had always been adept at pleasing both sides and avoiding offending either. Before she entered the palace, her father had instructed the original owner not to easily offend Xue or Cen, nor to take sides.

Because choosing one side would inevitably offend the other.

Wei Yingya thought that the Wei family’s decision was quite good.

Fang Zhaoyi snorted coldly and turned away, saying, “Since Ying Meiren is unwell, I won’t bother you any longer.”

Then she left.

Her personal maid, Qiu Kui, immediately said with concern, “Master, you have rejected the two great dukes’ mansions. You will be all alone in the palace from now on…”

“These two powerful families are not easy to climb. They only want to use me as a pawn against Ning Wanyin because they see I’m currently favored…”

Wei Yingya shook her head slightly.

“If I were to truly side with them, I would be nothing more than a pawn, eliminating the troublesome concubines for them. If something were to happen, they would naturally not be implicated, while I would suffer the same fate as Li Guiren and Yinzhu.”

She had watched two hundred episodes of palace dramas; she knew perfectly well what happened when someone became a tool for another’s scheme.

“As for being all alone… Isn’t His Majesty still there? Even the Xue and Cen families are outmatched by His Majesty. Why should I side with them? As long as I win His Majesty’s favor, I can remain unshaken in the harem.” Wei Yingya said proudly.

These past two weeks, the Emperor had favored her the most, so she was certainly confident.

The Emperor was usually diligent in his duties, but because he was preoccupied with state affairs, he did have a certain fondness for Wei Yingya, who could bring him joy and novelty.

He saw Wei Yingya every time she visited the Qianxin Palace, even rewarding her with half a colorful banner for her tiring journey.

However, he had no interest in seeing other concubines who came to pay their respects.

Because Wei Yingya always managed to come up with something new, making him happy, brightening his eyes, and relieving him of the worries brought about by state affairs.

It must be said that the time he spent with Wei Yingya was happy.

Even emperors are human, and humans crave pleasure.

Wei Yingya was well aware of the Emperor’s growing affection for her.

As a time traveler, possessing the wisdom of so many of China’s ancestors, how could she not win over a relatively unknowledgeable ancient emperor?

“Master is right! His Majesty favors you, so Cen Jieyu and Xue Meiren are both trying to curry favor with you. It’s just that Ning Wanyin is an eyesore… Without her, you would be the most favored concubine in the harem…” Qiu Kui wholeheartedly agreed.

“She won’t live long, so there’s no need to bother with her.” Wei Yingya said calmly.

A concubine as arrogant and domineering as Ning Wanyin wouldn’t even need to be dealt with; she wouldn’t survive more than three chapters.

 

 

 

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