Chapter Thirteen: You Teach Your Rules, But I Refuse to Obey

“Yes!”
Madam Zhang was a stickler for rules, renowned for her strictness in training new palace maids. Any mistake was met with a swift strike of her ruler; those who graduated under her were invariably obedient and well-mannered.
Most of the staff assigned to Crescent Moon Palace lived in fear of Madam Zhang. After witnessing one beating, the rest followed her diligently, never daring to step out of line.
At this hour, Bai Lian and Green Tea were still asleep. Shen Fuyu seldom bothered with them, and even after entering the palace, nothing changed from their days in the mansion. Since they had been brought in as her personal attendants, they naturally took charge of everything in Crescent Moon Palace, and nobody dared to question them.
Madam Zhang paid no heed to these distinctions. She pushed open their door and stormed in, ruler in hand!
“Ah! Who are you?” Bai Lian, sensitive to any sound, woke immediately at the commotion. Before she could react, Madam Zhang’s ruler landed squarely on her.
“Ah! How dare you hit me!”
“Where did this madwoman come from? Do you know who I am?” Bai Lian cried out incredulously as she tried to shield herself with her pillow and blanket. “I’m the chief maid beside the Virtuous Consort! How dare you strike me!”
“You’re exactly the one I mean to strike!”
The disdain in Madam Zhang’s eyes was unmistakable. Bai Lian, a delicate girl, was no match for her. Within moments, Bai Lian was begging for mercy, her protests interspersed with curses. For such an ignorant, unruly girl, Madam Zhang had her own methods—namely, relentless punishment.
Every time Bai Lian uttered a word in resistance, Madam Zhang’s blows grew heavier.
Bai Lian’s wails echoed through the entire Crescent Moon Palace. Having lived like a pampered lady, she had never been subjected to such humiliation—especially before so many maids and eunuchs. Her dignity was utterly shattered!
Her cries grew ever more heartrending, so loud they could almost split the heavens. Shen Fuyu, disturbed in her sleep, rubbed her eyes and reluctantly sat up. The young maid beside her, trying to wake her, was nearly moved to tears. Shen Fuyu frowned at her tearful face and snapped, “Why are you mourning at dawn? What a nuisance!”
The little maid immediately lost any urge to cry.

“Are you hoping I drop dead? Is that what you want?” Shen Fuyu cursed as she got out of bed, irritated. “That must be Bai Lian outside, right? What’s that fool shrieking about this early? Even pigs aren’t slaughtered so miserably!”
She glanced at the maid, clicking her tongue in disdain. “Yinling, are you mute? Answer me!”
“Forgive me, Your Highness!” Yinling knelt in panic, hesitated briefly, and replied, “It’s… Madam Zhang.”
“Who’s that?”
Shen Fuyu furrowed her brows, finally sensing something amiss in the Crescent Moon Palace today. She had brought Green Tea and Bai Lian with her, knowing those two fake friends were always looking to slack off. The maids assigned to the palace had seemed obedient yesterday—so why was only Yinling by her side this morning?
“She’s the governess granted by His Majesty,” Yinling explained cautiously. “Your Highness, Madam Zhang was sent by royal decree, and she’s formidable.”
But Shen Fuyu was no one to be cowed—she was a born contrarian. Did an imperial decree faze her? Even if the Emperor himself appeared, she would do as she pleased. So Yinling’s hint went unheeded; Shen Fuyu washed as usual and prepared for breakfast.
Listening to Bai Lian’s screams outside, Shen Fuyu leisurely sipped her porridge. She rather liked the palace—the food was excellent!
With her high rank, she enjoyed a daily bounty of rare and exquisite ingredients. Even the plain porridge was delicious enough to make her squint with pleasure. The seemingly simple dishes were prepared with great care, their flavors transformed. Life here, with such meals every day, was truly heavenly!
“Your servant greets the Virtuous Consort.”
Shen Fuyu couldn’t recall when Bai Lian’s screams had ceased. She often lost herself in her own world, seldom noticing changes around her. The unfamiliar voice startled her, and she looked up to see Madam Zhang, with Bai Lian—now thoroughly subdued—following behind.
Unable to contain herself, Shen Fuyu burst out laughing. “Hahaha—Bai Lian, your pig-headed new look is quite something, hahaha…”
How could anyone be so ugly!

Tears still glimmered on Bai Lian’s face, but Shen Fuyu’s mocking laughter broke her composure, and she began to cry in earnest. Immediately, Madam Zhang raised her ruler again and struck her.
“When your mistress scolds you, you should be grateful! What is this sobbing and sniveling—such disgraceful behavior!” Madam Zhang’s cold face remained stern as she dealt out several blows. Bai Lian fell silent at once, though the hatred in her eyes was impossible to hide.
She was indignant! With her beauty, how could she be mocked by that useless wretch Shen Fuyu? How could she be beaten so humiliatingly by this old crone? It wasn’t fair—it simply wasn’t fair!
When Madam Zhang finished with Bai Lian, she slapped the ruler down right in front of Shen Fuyu. The bowl she had just lifted was knocked over onto the table, and Shen Fuyu frowned slightly, mourning the porridge spilled onto her hand.
She hadn’t even eaten yet!
“Your Highness, I am here by the Emperor’s command, to teach you what it means to be a proper palace consort!” Madam Zhang declared without ceremony. “You sit without poise, you eat without manners—please begin again.”
Another bowl of porridge was placed before her.
Shen Fuyu smiled. “So you’re the governess the Emperor mentioned?”
“Yes, I am Zhang. I trust Your Highness will bear with me from now on.” Madam Zhang showed no fear. “Learning proper conduct is hard work. If Your Highness fails to learn, you will suffer much more.”
“But why should I learn these rules?” Shen Fuyu grabbed the bowl and slurped directly, her lips pressed to the rim.
Madam Zhang nearly had a fit at the sight, furious enough to try and snatch the bowl from Shen Fuyu’s hands. “You are a palace consort—you must behave as one! You should use a spoon to drink porridge, not eat so rudely, and certainly not make such vulgar noises!”
“Why must I behave like a palace consort?” Shen Fuyu blinked, unperturbed by Madam Zhang’s words. “If I don’t act like a consort, does that mean I’m not one?”