In the Great Qi Dynasty, the imperial concubines were divided into six levels, from the highest to the lowest: Empress, Noble Consort, Consort, Lady of Bright Deportment, Lady of Handsome Fairness, Beauty, and Selected Attendant.
Jiang Zhaohua, as the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's Mansion, was directly conferred the title of Consort by the imperial edict issued from the palace.
As for Jiang Yunshu, this young concubine - born daughter, her rank dropped two levels immediately and she was conferred the title of Lady of Handsome Fairness.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhaohua let out a sigh of relief.
Although she knew that Jiang Yunshu's glory would only last for this short month and the emperor would die suddenly on their wedding night, she still didn't want Jiang Yunshu to be conferred the title of Consort.
If she, the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's Mansion, was a Consort, and Jiang Yunshu, a concubine - born daughter, was also a Consort, wouldn't it be a complete mess?
Now it was just fine. Jiang Yunshu's rank was two levels lower than hers, indicating the distinction between the legitimate and the concubine - born.
Anyway, no matter what title was conferred, it wouldn't matter to her second younger sister... There was no difference for her second younger sister.
After Jiang Yunshu learned that she had been conferred the title of Lady of Handsome Fairness, she was very happy.
There was only one reason for this. The Beauties and Selected Attendants who ranked below her could only bring one maid into the palace when they entered. Since she was conferred the title of Lady of Handsome Fairness, she could just bring two maids!
She didn't have to be separated from either Taoye or Zhezhi. How lucky she was!
After receiving the imperial edict, Jiang Yunshu's status in the Marquis's Mansion changed completely. Those servants who used to ignore her now scrambled to curry favor with her.
Her grandmother often called her to accompany her, and even her marquis father, with whom she hardly ever spoke in a year, began to summon her frequently, talking about how they would all rise and fall together.
Jiang Yunshu thought, Isn't it too late to start brain - washing me now?
The only ones whose attitudes towards her remained unchanged from beginning to end were her step - mother and her older sister.
Her step - mother didn't like to see her before, and still didn't like to see her now.
Her older sister looked down on her before, and still looked down on her now.
Jiang Yunshu liked such consistent and excellent qualities! She really hoped that the others in the Marquis's Mansion would also be like this and let her continue to be an unnoticed girl in the Marquis's Mansion.
Obviously, she couldn't be an unnoticed girl in the Marquis's Mansion for even a single day anymore.
Jiang Yunshu set a new life goal for herself.
From being an unnoticed girl in the Marquis's Mansion to becoming an unnoticed girl in the harem!
After entering the palace, with a medium - level rank, not competing with others, she would just eat, drink, and dance every day and continue to be an unnoticed girl.
Moreover, she carefully analyzed the situation and thought that the harem infighting should not be fierce.
Because the emperor was infertile!
What was the ultimate goal of the harem infighting? It was to have one's son become the emperor and oneself become the empress dowager.
Now that the emperor couldn't have children, and all the concubines in the harem had no sons, what was there to fight about? Maybe they could just play cards!
Therefore, during the last month in the Marquis's Mansion, although Jiang Yunshu was never idle for a moment and the threshold of the small Yunshu Courtyard was almost worn out, she had something to look forward to.
Let it be busy. After being busy for a month, she could enjoy a leisurely life for the rest of her life!
When her grandmother and father didn't call her, Jiang Yunshu would either call Concubine Qiao to Yunshu Courtyard or go to Concubine Qiao's small courtyard herself.
There were still several dances that Jiang Yunshu hadn't learned from Concubine Qiao.
In total, she had spent more time learning dance in her two lifetimes than Concubine Qiao, but she had to admit that her dancing skills were still far inferior to Concubine Qiao's!
Jiang Yunshu considered herself talented, but Concubine Qiao was extremely talented!
She didn't have much time left to accompany Concubine Qiao, so she would learn as much as she could.
After dancing every day, Jiang Yunshu would have a meal with Concubine Qiao by the way.
Recently, Jiang Yunshu was also busy with eating! She was busy trying all the foods she wanted to eat!
Especially those street snacks. Jiang Yunshu thought that she probably wouldn't be able to eat them after entering the palace.
Now in the Marquis's Mansion, the rules were not very strict. Jiang Yunshu and Concubine Qiao didn't put on any airs on weekdays. Those servants who wanted to climb up looked down on them, but more servants got along well with them.
It was very convenient for the servants to go out to buy things. Whenever Jiang Yunshu wanted to eat any street snacks, she just asked the servants to bring them back, and they were still warm when she put them into her mouth!
After entering the palace, it definitely wouldn't be possible.
There were also those few dishes she loved the most made by the cook in the Marquis's Mansion, and the signature dishes in the restaurants outside...
Jiang Yunshu ate them in rotation, and her daily schedule was fully occupied.
Concubine Qiao watched Jiang Yunshu enjoying such delicious food. As long as she danced for one more hour every day, her figure remained slender and graceful. She couldn't help but feel envious.
She was also like this when she was young. But at her current age, she didn't dare to eat too much.
She had fallen out of favor for more than a decade. Once, she thought that since she couldn't even see the marquis, it was useless to maintain her figure, and she had been fat for several years.
Later, she met the Second Miss.
The cute and innocent look of the Second Miss when she was a child seemed like it was just yesterday.
When the little Second Miss pestered her to learn how to dance, Concubine Qiao asked her, "Do you want to dance for the marquis or for the madam?"
The Second Miss stared at her with big round eyes and said, "I want to dance for myself!"
Concubine Qiao was stunned.
Even now, she still didn't know how to describe her feelings at that moment. It was as if a spring breeze mixed with rain and dew had blown into her heart.
Later, the Second Miss really started to learn how to dance from her.
She was clearly a little girl who was too lazy to pay respects to her stepmother, but when it came to learning how to dance, she never slacked off.
Concubine Qiao watched Jiang Yunshu grow up little by little, as if she had lived her life all over again.
Concubine Qiao's eyes turned red. "I know that you've been coming here often these days to support me."
Previously, Jiang Yunshu's interactions with Concubine Qiao were relatively low - key. But ever since she received the imperial edict, Jiang Yunshu suddenly became very high - profile!
Jiang Yunshu was going to be a consort in the palace, and her status was different. If she had a special relationship with Concubine Qiao, the Marquis's Mansion would treat Concubine Qiao better for Jiang Yunshu's sake.
Concubine Qiao hugged Jiang Yunshu in her arms and said with sobs, "Would you like to call me mother?"
Once Jiang Yunshu entered the palace, they would never see each other again in this lifetime.
Jiang Yunshu stared at her with wide eyes and said, "... I regard you as a sister, but you want to be my mother!"
Finally, Jiang Yunshu came out of Concubine Qiao's small courtyard with red eyes and a red face.
Zhezhi asked beside her, "Did the young lady finally call mother?"
Jiang Yunshu said, "... Shut up."
"Oh." Zhezhi knew the answer.
