Rebirth and Reversal of Fortune

Chapter 436 Rookie Battle, Maintaining Neutrality

The rising stars engage in open and covert struggles for favor and power.

After the new concubines entered the palace, the court seemed to become a battlefield without gunpowder. With the support of the imperial concubine, Miss Lin suppressed the other new concubines at every turn.

"You little nobody dare to compete with me?" Miss Lin said arrogantly.

Although Ms. Su is low-key, she couldn't help but get involved.

“Miss Lin, we are all sisters, why be so aggressive?” Miss Su tried to reason with her.

"Hmph, don't pretend to be a good person in front of me." Miss Lin didn't listen at all.

Nayi, relying on the emperor's favor, disregarded Miss Lin's provocations.

"You think you're worthy to compete with me?" Nayi's eyes were full of contempt.

To gain more of the emperor's attention, the young women used all their skills. Miss Lin hosted a lavish banquet in the palace, inviting the emperor and his concubines.

"Your Majesty, I have meticulously prepared this banquet, just to make Your Majesty smile."

Miss Su then displayed her talent by composing poems and painting for the emperor.

"Your Majesty, this is what I made for you."

Nayi, on the other hand, attracted the emperor's attention with her unique dance.

"Your Majesty, I will perform a dance for you."

Amidst this fierce competition, the relationships among the rookies grew increasingly tense.

Miss Lin plotted to frame Miss Su, causing her to embarrass herself in front of the Emperor.

"Hmph, let's see how smug you are this time."

Miss Su almost lost the emperor's trust because of this, but fortunately she dealt with it cleverly and resolved the crisis.

"Your Majesty, there must be some misunderstanding."

Nayi was also envied by Miss Lin, who conspired with other concubines to speak ill of her behind her back.

"Your Majesty, Nana is nothing but a sorceress who has bewitched you."

The emperor was annoyed by these struggles, but could not completely ignore them.

"Can't you all get along peacefully?"

Xiao Ling and Su Jinxiu watched from the sidelines, their hearts filled with anxiety.

“If things continue like this, the palace will never have a peaceful day,” Xiao Ling said.

Su Jinxiu nodded: "We need to find a way to quell this conflict."

They tried to mediate, but the rookies wouldn't listen.

"Mind your own business!"

Just then, an unexpected incident occurred. Miss Lin was suddenly poisoned in the palace and her life was in danger.

Who did this?

The palace was in chaos, with everyone speculating about the identity of the murderer.

Some suspect that Miss Su poisoned him as revenge.

"It must be her. She has hated Miss Lin for a long time."

Some people believe that Nai did this to eliminate her competitors.

"Who else could it be but her?"

Xiao Ling and Su Jinxiu were tasked with investigating the matter, and they discovered that the truth behind it was far more complex than they had imagined.

"This matter is not as simple as it seems on the surface; there must be someone manipulating it behind the scenes."

Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling remained neutral in the competition among the new talents, not taking sides.

The rivalry among the rising stars intensifies, and the atmosphere in the palace grows increasingly tense. However, Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling decide to remain neutral in this chaos, refusing to be courted or used by either side.

Su Jinxiu remained busy with various affairs in the palace, turning a blind eye to the infighting among the rising stars. "We must not get involved in this pointless strife."

Xiao Ling remained vigilant in the army to prevent the palace intrigues from affecting the safety of the nation. "Though palace affairs are chaotic, our duty is to safeguard the peace of the country."

Although they remained neutral, the newcomers didn't see it that way. Miss Lin felt that Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling's neutrality was a sign of disrespect towards her. "They actually didn't help me; they're simply ungrateful."

Miss Su then tried to win over Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling, hoping to gain their support. "If you help me, I will definitely repay you handsomely in the future."

Nayi was also puzzled by their attitude. "Do they have other plans?"

Faced with suspicion and probing from all sides, Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling remained unmoved. However, their neutrality only brought more trouble.

Some factions supporting the rising stars began to slander Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling before the emperor, saying that they were indifferent to court affairs and were suspected of dereliction of duty.

“Your Majesty, Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling have done nothing in the competition among the new talents, which is disloyal.”

The emperor also began to doubt their attitude, wondering, "Are they really so indifferent to matters of the court?"

Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling had no choice but to go to the palace to meet the emperor and explain their position.

"Your Majesty, the infighting among the new talents is a matter of the inner palace. If we were to arbitrarily favor one side, it would likely cause even greater chaos."

The emperor fell into deep thought. "What you say makes sense, but how should we handle this situation now?"

Su Jinxiu suggested, "Your Majesty, why not let the new talents showcase their abilities and virtues, and win your favor through fair competition, rather than through strife and intrigue?"

The emperor adopted their suggestion and ordered a talent competition to be held.

Upon hearing this, the aspiring talents all began preparing. Miss Lin, determined to win the competition, spared no expense in hiring renowned instructors.

Miss Su practiced diligently day and night, hoping to gain recognition through her true abilities.

Nayi is full of confidence, believing that her unique charm is unmatched.

On the day of the competition, the palace was bustling with activity. The young talents displayed their skills, while the emperor and his ministers watched from the sidelines.

However, an accident occurred during the competition. Miss Lin's performance suddenly went wrong, Miss Su's props were destroyed, and Na Yi's costume was tampered with.

"How is this going?"

Chaos erupted once again in the palace, with everyone speculating about who was behind it all.