“What are you doing here?” A maid of Ning Bi Hall was mad to see Yun Fenghuang and Nian Xuan, “Consort Yue has no time to talk with you. Just leave and mind your own business.”

Yun Fenghuang smirked and walked around her in a circle, tiding her sleeves, and indifferently said, “You didn’t even get in to report. How do you know that My Lady has no time? Are you trying to bully her when she is grounded? How dare you, a little maid, to make the decision for your master?”

The maid was enraged, and thought to herself, “So, you do realize that Consort Yue is still grounded!”

Although there was no explicit stipulation in the palace that the people grounded couldn’t summon anyone, the hidden rule was that the one who was grounded could meet nobody except for her personal servants. In this way, she could show that she was penitent and had no time to handle other things. Thereby, she didn’t need to hear any report of the arrivals. Moreover, it would be fine if others visited. But it was Yun Fenghuang this time. Consort Yue hated her very much. If the maid went in to report that Yun Fenghuang wanted to see Consort Yue, the maid would definitely be rebuked by her.

The contradiction between Consort Yue and Yun Fenghuang was now on the cusp of the wind. No matter how angry Consort Yue was, her servants must stop her from doing anything bad to Yun Fenghuang at this special time. But after that, it would be hard to say if Consort Yue would vent her anger on the one who entered to report Yun Fenghuang’s arrival. She had done that before anyway.

“Yesterday in Yan Fu Palace, Your Highness asked Consort Yue to stay in Ning Bi Hall for a few days. Don’t pretend that you don’t know that?” The maid turned her mind, suppressed her anger, and murmured in a low voice to threaten Yun Fenghuang, “If you insist to see My Lady, I will find someone to inform Your Highness that you enter Ning Bi Hall without permission and disturb Consort Yue intentionally.”

Yun Fenghuang pretended to be enlightened, and said, “My bad memory. All I paid attention to was how to serve His Majesty well yesterday, while I forgot that Consort Yue was punished.. Now My Lady is grounded, so my asking for seeing her would only embarrass her.”

Right after she said that, the maid looked around hastily. Consort Yue had a bad temper, and now she was even more irritable during the punishment. What Yun Fenghuang said would definitely annoy her. They servants didn’t dare to talk like that. The maid couldn’t help urging, “Please leave, please. I’m begging you!”

She wondered if Yun Fenghuang was stupid or she was not afraid of death.

It would make Consort Yue angry for mentioning that she was grounded in front of Ning Bi Hall. But she would be angrier if she heard that Yun Fenghuang had slept with Emperor Chunjia. The Empress, Noble Consort Gui and Noble Consort Shu fought for power. However, Consort Yue fought for the Emperor’s favor.

She would even be annoyed for a while when Emperor Chunjia accidentally praised someone. When she knew that someone had slept with him, she would be furious.

Previously, the most fearsome thing for the maids in Consort Yue’s palace was to be noticed by Emperor Chunjia. Once they got noticed, they would not be far from death. Yun Fenghuang did this to provoke her. Wasn’t she afraid of her?

“It’s my fault to treat you like this. Please forgive me, Bao Lin.” This maid wanted Yun Fenghuang to leave as soon as possible. Otherwise she would say in a brazen way in front of Ning Bi Hall. If Consort Yue had heard this and asked her what happened, she would have been the scapegoat.

So, her tone immediately softened and she lowered her body to pay respects, “I beg you. Please forgive me. Please leave, OK?”

Yun Fenghuang asked, “What’s your name?”

The maid didn’t want to answer at all, but she didn’t dare to refuse, “It’s my honor to be asked, Bao Lin. I’m Qing Die.”

“I remember you are not the gatekeeper when I served dinner for Consort Yue last time.” Yun Fenghuang chuckled, “Do you get promoted lately?”

Qing Die was puzzled and said cautiously, “The previous gatekeeper has to deal with some affairs, so I take her place temporally.”

“I’m afraid she had met big problems.” Yun Fenghuang grinned, and whispered, “If I hadn’t ventured to tell Your Highness that someone in Hu Zhu Palace dared to harm the concubine, the servants closed to Consort Yue wouldn’t have been caught and questioned. If so, you wouldn’t have the chance to get promoted. It’s okay for you not to show me your gratitude. But is it appropriate for you to drive me out? It seems that you return my kindness with enmity.”

Qing Die was speechless. She was originally not a close servant of Consort Yue, so she did not know the reason why many servants in Hu Zhu Palace were taken away yesterday. She thought that it was just a battle between the Empress and Consort Yue. They had intrigued against each other for many times. It was not strange who would win or not at all for they were both from great families and shared high ranks. But, as for Yun Fenghuang?!

How could a Bai Lin who just joined the Imperial Harem get involved in their fight and even embarrass Consort Yue, the hostess of her palace?

Thinking of this, Qing Die couldn’t help but draw a cold breath!

When she looked at Yun Fenghuang again, she became reverent and patient, and even shivered. She murmured, “I, I know nothing.”

Yun Fenghuang chuckled and said in a sweet tone, “I haven’t asked you anything. You are not her confident before. What would you know? Besides, Consort Yue has a bad temper. She would even kill her servants for fun, not to mention if you betray her. Although I am not as merciful as Your Highness, I don’t want you to be implicated.”

Yun Fenghuang stretched out her hand to gently pinch Qing Die’s cheek, and then said with a smile, “Take it easy, girl. Enough Joking. Keep on guarding her. I’m leaving now.”

Qing Die didn’t dare to move. She watched her back disappear at the end of the long corridor, and then took a long breath, feeling that even her inner clothes was sweaty.

She raised her sleeves and wiped her face casually. But before she was about to leave, Yun Fenghuang was back again!

“!!!” Qing Die wanted to run subconsciously!

But after running a few steps away, she remembered that she was now the gatekeeper of Ning Bi Hall. Where could she go?

If the noises they made startled Consort Yue in Ning Bi Hall, she would call her own death. When she was in hesitation, Yun Fenghuang had already walked in front of her. She said curiously, “Do you have something urgent to deal with? Why do you walk so fast even if you saw me just now?”

Qing Die almost wanted to cry, “What else can I do for you, Bao Lin?”

She knew that Yun Fenghuang was one of those troublesome concubines who had newly joined the Imperial Harem for several days. She would not let her go easily!

“Don’t be so nervous!” Yun Fenghuang patted her shoulder and said, “I just forgot to tell you one thing.. You should convey what I’m going to say to Consort Yue. His Majesty promoted me for I served him well with his sleep last night. Now I am a Cheng Gui. Don’t forget to call me Cheng Gui Yun next time.”

Qing Die almost went crazy, “Yes, yes. Congratulations, Cheng Gui, congratulations!”

Yun Fenghuang lowered her voice, “By the way, I win glory for Hu Zhu Palace for I am the first one to serve His Majesty and the first to get promoted among all the new ones. Zhao Yuan Ji was angry this morning. Does Consort Yue have a good relationship with Zhao Yuan Ji? I believe the answer is negative. I mean today I win glory for her. Will she award me for that? I am not greedy. I think what Your Highness gave me before are good.”

Qing Die was speechless. She almost asked, “If she awards you to go heaven, will you accept it or not?”

In this regard, Consort Yue was very skilled. She could promise that the one who offended her would die rapidly and reasonably. But this was definitely not the answer that Yun Fenghuang would be satisfied with. The maid was anxious to send her out, so she answered, “Well, I’m not My Lady’s confident before, so I don’t know the rules. Is it okay if I ask those servants who are close to My Lady when we change shifts?”

As long as she avoided the disaster in front of her, she promised to detour whenever she met her in the future.

Never ever met her again!

If not, she would rather go to Clothing-Cleaning Department!

Yun Fenghuang was very happy, “You are such a good person, worth of my help. Now work hard. In the future, you will win a place in Consort Yue’s team.”

Before leaving, she touched Qing Die’s head for she was higher than her. The most abominable thing was that when she walked to the corner of the corridor, she suddenly turned around and said, “Now I really leave!”

Qing Die, “..”

Didn’t you just promise not to joke me?

No, no, this was not the point. The point was that according to Yun Fenghuang, Qing Die was in her team and it was she who arranged Qing Die to be Consort Yue’s gatekeeper.

Did she remember that if Qing Die hadn’t told her what her name was, she didn’t even know Qing Die’s name?!!

Qing Die was desperate. What new concubines were the Empress Dowager chose this time? Who said those cordially invited new concubines were girls from respectable families and they were all educated, good-mannered, and well behaved?

Her shameless manner reminded Qing Die of those Administrators who asked for money when she first entered the palace as a maid. No, it should be said that Yun Fenghuang was more difficult than them.

Qing Die settled down and felt that she could not pass these words to Consort Yue no matter what. Otherwise, Consort Yue could vent her anger on her because she had no excuse to punish Yun Fenghuang.

Um.. But what if Yun Fenghuang told Consort Yue by herself, and then Consort Yue would know that she lied. What should she do?

This newly promoted Cheng Gui had great chance to do that.

The little maid had quick wits again!

“I will say Cheng Gui lies by then.” Qing Die clenched her fist and said, “Anyway, My Lady hates her and will certainly not believe her. As for me..at least I have served her for years..”

She didn’t mean that she had deep master-servant relationship with Consort Yue. She thought she was more credible than Yun Fenghuang in Consort Yue’s eyes. After all, the latter provoked Consort Yue when she firstly entered Hu Zhu Palace.

When she thought of this, she was at ease slightly. But immediately she remembered what Yun Fenghuang said that she would be one of Consort Yue’s confidents sooner or later. What did she mean? Did Bao Lin Yun, no, Cheng Gui Yun, prepare to do something bad?

How much benefit did the person responsible for the audition receive from Duke Yi’s Mansion to send her to the palace?

Qing Die was scared.

After she went off work later, she must apply for a change to Clothing-Cleaning Department immediately!

At this moment, Yun Fenghuang had returned to Xi Xing Building in a good mood. She told the inferior maid and eunuch stayed in her place that she had got promoted. They two congratulated her immediately and flattered her. However, they were not good at flattering, and their eloquence was limited. Yun Fenghuang was tired of what they said, so she waved her hand, let Nian Xuan give them some money, and then sent them out.

“You are so awesome, Cheng Gui!” Nian Xuan brought her a pot of tea, and said happily, “When Consort Yue said you were ill and you were in bad condition to pay respects to Your Highness before, I was afraid that you would be the last one to serve His Majesty. Who could expect that you are the first one among them?”

“I’m just a Cheng Gui now, and I still have to live under the pressure of Consort Yue.” Yun Fenghuang smiled, and said disapprovingly. “I have to continue to plan in order to get rid of her.”

At this time, the inferior maid Xin Qing came in happily, “Cheng Gui, the confident eunuch of His Majesty is here again, and said His Majesty would be here in a while!”

Nian Xuan was also very happy to hear the news. But when she prepared to congratulate Yun Fenghuang with Xin Qing, she found that Yun Fenghuang suddenly became gloomy.