Quick Transmigration: Underdog Turns out to be Untouchable

Chapter 886: Chapter 797: Unwilling to Be a Slave (Part 17)

Lan Ying smiled as she painted the nails on Gao Gao Pin’s other hand, ”Empress, you are formidable. In just a moment, you’ve figured out a way to subdue Nangong Shuangshuang. With your grace, she will surely be grateful and serve you wholeheartedly.”

Noble Consort Gao laughed carelessly, with a touch of pride in her tone, ”Everyone in this world has weaknesses. As long as you grasp these weaknesses, you can naturally hold them in your hands. However, for those who are truly capable, no price is too high; to win them over, you mustn’t be stingy.”

In Yingyue Palace, the Noble Consort felt satisfied that she had found a way to subdue Nangong Shuangshuang, unaware that Shuangshuang was also plotting in the Violence Room. Since the Noble Consort planned to win her over, she should have already begun to show goodwill.

The people in the Violence Room worked excessively, taking care of all the rice pounding duties for the palace and washing the servants’ clothes. Just these two tasks alone were enough to exhaust them.

Recently, Nangong Shuangshuang had been paying close attention and indeed noticed eunuchs and palace maids coming to collect clothes and the pounded rice, subtly inquiring about her. This was when Shuangshuang knew her plan had succeeded.

Exactly, from the beginning, Shuangshuang had set her sights on Noble Consort Gao. In her past life, after becoming the Emperor’s favored concubine, the Noble Consort was a formidable opponent, yet also a smart one—Shuangshuang knew her very well.

The Noble Consort had a preference for choppy, free-growing wildflowers and grasses over neatly maintained gardens because they gave a sense of freedom.

But this interest wasn’t something to flaunt openly, and the Noble Consort couldn’t mention it. It just so happened that due to the late Emperor, there were some abandoned areas in the Imperial Garden. The Noble Consort would stroll or ride through these places for the coolness, under the pretext that they were quiet and sparsely populated.

Shuangshuang knew that the Noble Consort was generous to her subordinates and was aware of this interest. So early on, when considering how to save her father, Nangong Chengxuan, she set her sights on the Noble Consort.

But being in the Violence Room, unable to go out, was a problem. She had never rescued anyone and lacked fame, making it difficult to capture the Noble Consort’s attention. Therefore, Shuangshuang took the initiative to treat Bai Ruoyun, knowing that Bai Ruoyun and Xiao Chun shared food.

If Bai Ruoyun felt better after treatment, she would definitely bring Shuangshuang to treat Xiao Chun. The Noble Consort was an old acquaintance of the Emperor and knew Xiao Chun’s situation, naturally aware of how serious his leg injury was. If Shuangshuang could significantly alleviate Xiao Chun’s injury, it would surely catch the Noble Consort’s eye.

Fearing death, Bai Ruoyun deliberately brought Shuangshuang out for herbal collection, using her fear of death to guide her into hoarding herbs, aiming to have Bai Ruoyun take her to the Imperial Garden, where the Noble Consort often visited.

Initially, Bai Ruoyun remembered not to bring Shuangshuang to the Imperial Garden, fearing that the master might notice Shuangshuang’s peculiarity. However, when the nearby herbs were exhausted, her hoarding desire drove her into a false sense of security.

Even though the Imperial Garden was in the center of the palace, the places Emperor had flattened for random planting looked unattractive and were seldom visited, remaining remote. With caution, there wouldn’t be any issue.

Even if, by chance, they were caught by the master, digging up some weeds wouldn’t warrant punishment; it wasn’t dangerous. Besides, Shuangshuang suggested using Mugwort to cover the herbs, making it easy to pass unnoticed, and the master wouldn’t bother with what servants were doing.

Sure enough, driven by her hoarding desire, Bai Ruoyun eventually took Shuangshuang to the Imperial Garden. The Noble Consort often wandered in the garden’s secluded areas. Shuangshuang knew if they didn’t meet once, multiple visits would surely lead to an encounter.

However, she hadn’t expected her luck to be so good, meeting the Noble Consort on the first visit. Knowing the Noble Consort’s meticulous nature, Shuangshuang intentionally revealed a corner of the herbs under the Mugwort, as if insufficiently covered. The half-concealment was enough to draw the Noble Consort’s attention.

Afterwards, there was nothing more for Shuangshuang to do. As long as the Noble Consort was interested and sent someone to inquire about her identity, everything would be set. Now, all Shuangshuang had to do was patiently dry herbs, make Mugwort sticks, and treat Xiao Chun in the Violence Room, awaiting the Noble Consort’s summons.

Shuangshuang’s mental strength was excellent, living a stable life where Bai Ruoyun sensed nothing amiss. Bai Ruoyun was again tempted by familiar herbs seen in the Imperial Garden.

Due to the servants’ laziness, those flattened areas were seldom visited by the masters. The path was kept clean to ensure it wasn’t messy, while they ignored the wild growth alongside them. As a result, plenty of rich Mugwort and similar herbs flourished there. Seeing such Mugwort left Bai Ruoyun uneasy unless she brought them back.

This time Bai Ruoyun didn’t take Shuangshuang along, figuring she’d learned all the commonly gathered herbs. At most, after bringing them back, she could have Shuangshuang identify them. This time, Bai Ruoyun took Qiushuang along.

Shuangshuang didn’t mind. Now that her goal was achieved, there was no longer a need to go. Herbal gathering was no easy task with the constant bending and standing, leading to aches by the end of the day. Weren’t it for her young age, a night’s rest wouldn’t be enough.

A month passed by swiftly. The chill of spring had vanished, and the heat of summer began to emerge, making day laborers sweat profusely. The palace maids in the Violence Room became even more exhausted.

During this time, palace maids were clad in thin summer clothes, but those in the Violence Room, criminals serving hard labor, were often forgotten. Their clothes, throughout the seasons, were ones previously worn by palace maids.

In the Violence Room, having clothes to wear was fortunate enough. They matched the season only if leftovers from the previous year existed, or they’d wait until a master remembered, prompting the Clothing Bureau to distribute the pressed summer clothes into the Violence Room. New clothes were out of reach for the criminal slaves there.

However, Shuangshuang, Luo Yueying, Bai Ruoyun, and Qiushuang, along with Qiuyi, didn’t have to wear old clothes. Every year, Bai Ruoyun would spend her own money at the Clothing Bureau to buy seasonal outfits for Qiushuang and Qiuyi. Naturally, this year, she also needed to purchase clothes for Shuangshuang and Luo Yueying.