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Chapter 20
Gu Han held the imperial edict in her hands. Even after Liu An departed, she still hadn't quite recovered her wits. Liu An's words still echoed in her ears, “Gu Cáirén is gentle and graceful in temperament, most pleasing to Us. She is hereby promoted to Měirén.”
Yesterday's incident, anyone with eyes could see she had been wronged. If His Majesty wanted to stand up for her, there were two ways: first, punish Xiuyi He; second, reward her.
The gap between Gu Han and Xiuyi He's ranks was too great. She had originally thought His Majesty would only choose one.
It was merely a promotion from Cáirén to Měirén, from junior fifth rank to proper fifth rank. But one shouldn't underestimate this small step. His Majesty had always been stingy with promotions. Even Consort Shu, who was so favored, had only risen one rank in the three years since His Majesty ascended the throne, even with the grand establishment of the harem.
Moreover, for Gu Han to receive a promotion just after entering the palace, she was the first among all the new consorts.
If not for the incident with Xiuyi He, who knew when Gu Han might have been promoted? She gripped the edict tightly. Little Fangzi caught sight of this and quickly stopped her:
"Master! That's an imperial edict!"
Gu Han snapped back to attention. Knowing imperial edicts must not be treated carelessly, she released it and handed it to Little Fangzi, instructing softly:
"Put it away safely in the inner chamber."
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Little Fangzi took the edict with a face full of joy, carrying it into the inner chamber as if bearing his ancestors.
It wasn't just Little Fangzi, all the palace servants throughout Changchun Pavilion wore happy faces. After Liu An left, congratulations rang out continuously. Gu Han interrupted them:
"Everyone attend to your duties. There will be rewards for all today."
At these words, the servants bowed happily.
Jiu nian stepped forward to support her mistress. Cautious as she was, even her face couldn't help but wear a smile. She whispered reproachfully, "Xiuyi He was so arrogant. When this news reaches Chaoyang Palace, she'll probably be furious."
Today during morning greetings, Jiu nian had accompanied her mistress to Kunning Palace and naturally saw Xiuyi He's attitude clearly. She hated Xiuyi He more than ever. Just thinking about how Xiuyi He would react upon hearing the edict filled her with satisfaction.
Gu Han followed her support into the inner chamber, shooting her a reproving glance:
"Mind your words. What if someone overhears?"
Jiu nian had naturally checked that no one was around before saying such things, but knowing her mistress meant well, she didn't argue or explain. She simply made a gesture of sealing her lips to show she understood.
---
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Just as Gu Han and Jiu nian had imagined, the two edicts arrived at Chaoyang Palace one after another. Xiuyi He's expression immediately darkened. She stared coldly at the oleander before her. The eunuch delivering the decree felt a chill at her appearance.
Liuyue quickly stepped forward, blocking the eunuch's view, and with much coaxing sent him out of the palace hall.
The moment she returned, she saw Her Ladyship about to smash the oleander. Her heart nearly leaped from her throat. Taking two steps at once, she threw herself to her knees before Xiuyi He with a thud, desperately clutching her mistress's legs to stop her, crying out:
"Your Ladyship! That's an imperially bestowed item, you cannot break it!"
Yesterday's jade bracelets could still be excused as an accident. But if this pot of oleander suffered even the slightest damage today, it would be gross disrespect toward His Majesty!
Stopped by Liuyue, Xiuyi He's reason finally returned somewhat. She set down the oleander and collapsed into a chair. Suddenly she began to laugh, her body trembling lightly with it. Liuyue stared at her mistress in bewilderment.
Abruptly, two lines of clear tears fell from Her Ladyship's eyes. She said desolately:
"From the time I entered the prince's household until now, nearly five years."
She harbored someone else in her heart and felt no romantic feelings toward His Majesty, so naturally she behaved properly. In five years, she'd never caused His Majesty a moment's trouble. She could even say that within these five years, in all the harem, she alone was the most trouble-free.
Xiuyi He let out a soft, bitter laugh, tears streaming down. "How long has that Gu Han been in the palace? Merely five days."
"Every day in this palace, higher ranks punish lower ranks, His Majesty has only ever intervened in this one case. Is it that I cannot do such things, or that she, Gu Han, cannot bear such treatment?"
"Not only does he punish me, he even promotes that wretch to give her face!"
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Xiuyi He's voice suddenly rose high. She swept the cups from the table, sending them crashing to the floor. Her eyes burned with stubborn resentment as she bit out through clenched teeth:
"Everyone says the eldest daughter of the Gu family and Second Master Xie were betrothed from childhood. But clearly, I was the one who knew Xie Ang'an first! Years of acquaintance couldn't compare to his single glimpse of her at Qingjing Temple."
That year, when Xie Ang'an returned from Qingjing Temple, he begged the Xie family to go to the Marquis of Rongyang's household to propose marriage. Somehow in all the back and forth, it got spread around that they'd been betrothed since childhood.
But Xiuyi He had never heard even a whisper of such a thing beforehand.
She couldn't compare to Gu Tang's place in Xie Ang'an's heart. And now, her weight in His Majesty's eyes couldn't compare to Gu Han's either.
The Gu sisters were like shackles pressing down on her, the nemesis written in her fate. Wherever these two existed, she became nothing but a joke!
Liuyue sensed something wrong with Her Ladyship and called out somewhat frantically:
"Your Ladyship!"
But Xiuyi He only stared at that pot of oleander, saying nothing.
Just as Liuyue's panic mounted, Xiuyi He suddenly turned to look at her. Liuyue couldn't read the emotion in her mistress's eyes, only heard her say coldly: "Go to Zhongsheng Hall. Tell Eunuch Cheng that my Chaoyang Palace is short a servant."
Liuyue's eyes flashed suddenly.
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Zhongsheng Hall. Short a servant.
A simple sentence, yet Liuyue guessed what Her Ladyship intended. She instinctively shook her head. But in the next moment, her face jerked to the side, she had been slapped. A burning pain spread across her cheek.
Liuyue covered her face, eyes reddening as she looked at Her Ladyship.
She'd served Her Ladyship for over ten years. Her Ladyship had never laid a finger on her. But now, the look in Her Ladyship's eyes terrified her. Liuyue steadied her trembling body and still tried to dissuade her:
"Your Ladyship has just been rebuked by His Majesty. If you go to Zhongsheng Hall for someone at this time, this servant fears others will notice something amiss."
Xiuyi He cut her off coldly: "So what?"
"I know he's in the palace. Do you think that wretch doesn't know? If I don't have him transferred to Chaoyang Palace, am I supposed to watch helplessly as he goes to Changchun Pavilion in the future?"
Liuyue shook her head desperately. "It won't happen! Your Ladyship! Since he took no action when Gu Cáirén entered the palace, he won't go to Changchun Pavilion in the future either."
After all, she was Gu Tang's legitimate younger sister. Everyone knew Second Master Xie's feelings for Gu Tang.
Now that he was the son of a criminal official, he would never have any connection with Gu Cáirén.
Her Ladyship should understand this reasoning on any normal day.
But right now Xiuyi He would listen to nothing: "When palaces transfer servants, is it something a mere slave can refuse?!"
Xiuyi He no longer trusted anyone. She just wanted Xie Ang'an to appear before her eyes!
Seeing the stubbornness in Her Ladyship's eyes, Liuyue fell completely silent. Her throat felt blocked, so tight it made her eyes sting. She understood all too clearly, Her Ladyship wouldn't listen to her advice now.
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Chaoyang Palace sending someone to Zhongsheng Hall wasn't done discreetly. Soon everyone in the palace knew of it.
Gu Han learned of it just as she was having her evening meal. Jiu si said cheerfully from the side:
"When this servant was fetching the meal, I heard palace servants saying that Zhaoyang Palace sent someone to Zhongsheng Hall, saying the palace was short a servant."
Jiu Si wrinkled her nose, muttering quietly:
"This Xiuyi He is truly precious. Just after being rebuked by His Majesty, she doesn't reflect at all. The first thing she does is go to Zhongsheng Hall for someone. What a strange person."
The words had barely left her lips, before Gu Han could think anything, when she heard a sound from beside her. Gu Han turned her head to look. It was Little Fangzi coming in. The beaded curtain had struck his forehead.
But Little Fangzi stood frozen in place as if stupefied, not moving at all.
Gu Han sensed something. Little Fangzi couldn't be dazed for no reason. And what had just happened? Only Jiu si had spoken.
Xiuyi He went to Zhongsheng Hall for a servant.
What connection did this have to Little Fangzi?
Gu Han suddenly remembered, that day Little Fangzi had mentioned he had an acquaintance who had a past connection with Xiuyi He.
For some reason, Gu Han's mood suddenly soured, though she couldn't say why. She furrowed her delicate brows almost imperceptibly, lifting her gaze to Little Fangzi who had come back to his senses. Her voice was somewhat cool:
"Do you know something about this?”
Here are the ranks of imperial consorts:
- Empress (皇后 Huánghoù) — Head of the Imperial Harem
- Imperial Noble Consort (皇贵妃 Huáng Guìfēi) — Rank 1
- Noble Consort, Pure Consort, Virtuous Consort, Worthy Consort (贵妃、淑妃、德妃、贤妃 Guìfēi, Shūfēi, Défēi, Xiánfēi)** — Senior Rank 1 (The Four Consorts, with Noble Consort as the highest)
- Consort (妃 Fēi) — Junior Rank 2
- Bright Deportment, Bright Countenance (昭仪、昭容 Zhāoyí, Zhāoróng) — Senior Rank 3
- Cultivated Deportment, Cultivated Countenance (修仪、修容 Xiūyí, Xiūróng) — Junior Rank 3
- Noble Lady (贵嫔 Guìpín) — Senior Rank 4
- Imperial Concubine (嫔 Pín) — Junior Rank 4
- Beauty (美人 Měirén) — Senior Rank 5
- Talented Lady (才人 Cáirén) — Junior Rank 5
- Precious Grove (宝林 Bǎolín) — Senior Rank 6
- Imperial Woman (御女 Yùnǚ) — Junior Rank 6
- Palace Maid (宫女子 Gōngnǚzǐ) — Senior Rank 7
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TRANSLATOR
I reposted chapter 17
Hi guys, i hope that you are enjoying this novel because i am, i am already in chapter 74, i had so many sleepless nights because i just wanted to know what happens next all the time😁 if you have any questions about a character or i made a mistake somewhere, please do let me know in the comment section. i currently have no editor.
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