Housekeeper of the Hundred Blossom Palace

Chapter 182: Her Goal

How should I put this, uh, shes quite the weak person, isnt she.

That was Yui Meis impression after listening to Xus story so far.

In the face of her familys hardships and downfall, she neither accepted the situation, nor did she do something to oppose it. She just wished that somebody would save her.

Afterward, she made Xu appear as the villain and saw herself as a pitiful, tragic, woman. She hoped that somebody would save her and restore her to her former life of being a pampered woman.

She pretended to be oblivious towards the difference of her ability with that of Xu.

It seemed that she had a bad habit of pretending she didnt know anything if it didnt suit her convenience.

Xu nodded in agreement to Yui Meis words.

Yeah, precisely. Are all women born with golden spoons in their mouth raised like that?

Xu seemed like she was saying good grief by the way she spoke, but it was noticeable that her manner of speaking had become more relaxed.

Perhaps she was feeling better after letting out all those things in her heart that she had been holding back.

In any case, Yui Mei just smiled wryly at Xus unreserved judgment.

I dont believe thats how it is. All the noble people I met here in the palace are all splendid, you know?

Of course, not all the consorts and the palace ladies were purely innocent, and there were those who went astray because they had been devoted to their avarice. Nevertheless, none of them stayed weeping in the corner while relying on others to save them from their situation.

With that perspective, even those who had turned into villains were still considered splendid in Yui Meis book.

Is it like that?

Xu just shook her head even after hearing Yui Meis explanation.

From Xus standpoint, those noblewomen were not people she could casually approach and strike up a conversation with. She could only see them beyond the gauze that separated them from the place where the band was crammed into.

Now, back to the topic at hand.

Blaming Xu for her current misfortune wasnt the only thing that the girl did.

If it wasnt for you, my career should already be rising by now, and I might even have gained the attention of the emperor

That was what the girl said.

The attention she was referring to didnt just mean being praised for her skills in the lute.

She had been expecting something beyond that that was to be summoned into the emperors bedchambers, apparently.

Eh, did she just target His Majesty the Emperor!? Seriously!?

Yui Mei unwittingly shrieked at the unexpected development,

Xu looked a bit exasperated at her scream.

Yeah, thats right. Based on the stories circulating in the Jiaofang, its not unheard of for the palace courtesan to catch the eye of the emperor and become one of his consorts Well, aside from being an exaggeration, its just an absurd story. And yet there she is, thinking she can be like that for some reason.

SIgh, Im not sure now whether she has the guts, or shes a coward.

Or perhaps, had she belonged to a family powerful enough that she was once considered as a candidate to enter the Inner Palace?

Was that the reason why she decided to start over and change her life course into that direction?

Still, isnt that a bit too optimistic of her?

Yui Mei came all the way here from the borderland just so she could watch the Inner Palace, but she doesnt think it was such a big deal. That girl was as carefree as Yui Mei in this sense.

Yui Mei turned to face Libin, who had been quietly listening until this time, because she was a bit curious as to what he thought.

Lord Libin, do you think its possible?

No. At the very least, unless you search for records that date way, way back, you wont find any names of consorts who were once a palace courtesan, right? At any rate, I dont know anyone like that. 

Libin promptly dismissed it.

Yeah, same for me. The organization per se might make it possible for a palace courtesan to be a consort, but it isnt realistic. Having no backing or support is considered as a blemish on ones career, and they dont give any benefit to the country, so theyre generally considered as a worse option than having a commoner-born concubine.

In order for the impossible to happen, that person must be someone extremely outstanding.

The man also expressed his own opinion.

Right?

She could only agree with Libin and the mans opinions.

T/N: *Consort, as in those higher ranked ones, not plain concubines.