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Chapter 10
After Liu An left behind a pile of rewards, he departed quickly.
But everyone in Changchun Pavilion carried an undisguisable air of joy, their steps light and quick as they went about their work. In this atmosphere, even the tense emotion weighing on Gu Han's heart couldn't help but lighten somewhat.
Gu Han concealed the darkness in her eyes. After a long moment, she exhaled.
When soldiers come, generals block them; when water comes, earth dams it.
Gu Han turned her head to look outside the hall. The matter of Liu Ruoqian would be discovered sooner or later. What concerned her more was Xie Chang'an, if he truly was in the palace, had he learned of her entering the palace?
If he knew, why hadn't he come to see her?
Gu Han didn't particularly want to meet Xie Chang'an, but her eldest sister's death was a thorn lodged in her heart. She always wanted to see Xie Chang'an in person, to hear his explanation on her sister's behalf.
The smile at the corners of the woman's lips grew increasingly faint, and the dimples in her cheeks disappeared.
Xiao Fangzi had people carry the rewards into the hall. Inadvertently catching sight of this, he froze, then bowed and helped his mistress into the hall before asking quietly in confusion:
Translators Note: Little fang is also called Xiao Fang. Xiao means little in Chinese.
"Does my lady have some worry?"
Gu Han paused, suddenly remembering that what she needed now was understanding of the rear palace, and Xiao Fangzi had spent many years in the palace. What she lacked, Xiao Fangzi might as well know. Gu Han's mind immediately formed a plan.
She gave Jiu Nian a look, and very quickly, only Gu Han and her three servants remained in the hall, along with Xiao Fangzi.
Xiao Fangzi's heart suddenly pounded hard.
He was rather clever and naturally understood his mistress's meaning. This was an opportunity she was giving him, it remained to be seen whether he could seize it.
Gu Han's body was exhausted. She pinched the bridge of her nose and asked softly:
"How long have you been in the palace?"
Xiao Fangzi bowed: "This slave entered the palace three years ago."
Gu Han imperceptibly raised her eyebrows. The rear palace hierarchy was strict, and this didn't only apply to the consorts, the rules among eunuchs were even more numerous. For Xiao Fangzi to climb from a lowly eunuch to the head steward of a palace in three years, either he had help from others or he possessed considerable skill himself.
Gu Han was suddenly curious: "How did you come to Changchun Pavilion?"
Xiao Fangzi paused almost imperceptibly, then smiled awkwardly:
"My lady may not know, when His Majesty ascended the throne and extensively enfeoffed the consorts, the servants from his former residence also entered the palace. This slave was of low position with little influence and wanted to seek a path forward for himself."
A flash of understanding crossed Gu Han's eyes.
The servants from the former residence had all entered the palace together. Those servants had attended their masters for many years and had long established trust, it wouldn't be easy for Xiao Fangzi to squeeze in among them.
Gu Han didn't pursue the details further. Whether someone would be loyal couldn't be determined simply by asking, time would tell, and she would see clearly for herself.
She relaxed somewhat languidly, reclining on the imperial couch while Jiu Nian massaged her neck and shoulders. Gu Han then asked about something she'd always wanted to know:
"You've been in the palace three years, so you must have seen Noble Consort Shu. In your view, what kind of person is she?"
Translators Note: Noble Consort Shu is Pure Consort
In both morning greetings, Noble Consort Shu had been absent. Gu Han's understanding of her came entirely from hearsay, but outsiders wouldn't discuss Noble Consort Shu with Gu Han in detail. So this so-called understanding was all based on her own speculation.
Xiao Fangzi furrowed his brow. After a long moment, he said:
"This slave has only seen Noble Consort Shu from afar a few times, but having spent so long in the palace, this slave only feels that Noble Consort Shu is a clever person."
Gu Han suddenly raised her eyes. The instant Xiao Fangzi's gaze met hers, he quickly lowered his head again.
Gu Han carefully went over Xiao Fangzi's words in her mind, “a clever person”, if Xiao Fangzi wasn't deceiving her, then this assessment was quite interesting indeed.
Xiao Fangzi also guessed why his mistress had kept him today. Without waiting for her to ask more, he shared everything he knew:
"My lady should know that in the palace now, the most favored mistress is Noble Consort Shu. One could even say that with this favor, Noble Consort Shu nearly rivals Her Majesty the Empress in a standoff."
The last four words, Xiao Fangzi lowered his voice so that only the four people in the hall could hear.
"But does my lady know when Noble Consort Shu's dazzling favor began?"
Gu Han froze. What did he mean?
According to what she knew, Noble Consort Shu had been favored since His Majesty was still a prince. How could it be different from what Xiao Fangzi was saying?
Xiao Fangzi seemed to see his mistress's confusion and lowered his voice even further:
"My lady is from the capital, so you should know Noble Consort Shu comes from the Wei family. Even now, compared to the Rongyang Marquis Manor where you come from, my lady, the Wei family could be called humble."
Gu Han's delicate brows knitted slightly. The Wei family's highest official position was only a second-rank minister, and even that position had been obtained thanks to Noble Consort Shu.
Gu Han didn't interrupt Xiao Fangzi, letting him continue:
"When Noble Consort Shu was first brought into the Prince's manor, she held only the rank of Liangdi. In two years at the manor, her status never changed."
"Noble Consort Shu was indeed favored in the Prince's manor, but if you say she could suppress others, it wasn't quite that impressive. Even when the rear palace was extensively enfeoffed, Noble Consort Shu didn't even receive a consort rank. It wasn't until after entering the Palace that Noble Consort Shu rose suddenly. In just one year, she became one of the Four Consorts, and even Consort De, who has a son, had to avoid her edge."
"Since then, Noble Consort Shu's glorious favor has remained unwavering, which is why my lady encountered the situation you did upon entering the palace."
A vague thought flashed through Gu Han's mind, but before she could grasp it, it disappeared.
She furrowed her brows and asked again: "Then why do you say she's a clever person?"
"His Majesty has reigned for three years, and the power to manage the rear palace has always been firmly in the Empress's hands. No matter how favored Noble Consort Shu is, she hasn't been able to touch it. Anyone can see His Majesty's trust and respect for Her Majesty the Empress."
"Yet even so, Noble Consort Shu occasionally shows disrespect to the Empress, even rallying consorts to her side, vaguely forming a confrontation with the Empress's faction."
Seeming so unable to read the situation, Noble Consort Shu should be called foolish, yet Xiao Fangzi specifically said she was clever.
If Gu Han couldn't understand what Xiao Fangzi was trying to say, she might as well not continue in the rear palace.
Knowing full well that His Majesty trusted and valued the Empress, Noble Consort Shu repeatedly acted presumptuously, what was her basis for doing so?
Moreover, Xiao Fangzi had said so much, yet an invisible person had appeared.
Consort De.
Just from observing these two days of morning greetings, this Consort De was not someone who didn't compete or contend. Furthermore, she had a son. Yet in the current rear palace struggles, others unconsciously overlooked her, focusing all their attention on the Empress and Noble Consort Shu.
Gu Han took a sip of tea to moisten her lips. She only asked one more question:
"In your view, who is a thorn in *that person's* side?"
Gu Han didn't specify who she meant, but she knew Xiao Fangzi could guess.
Xiao Fangzi met her eyes and suddenly smiled. He bowed even lower, his voice growing even more respectful:
"Naturally, the one who poses the greatest threat."
This conversation was not only Gu Han's assessment of Xiao Fangzi—conversely, it was the same for him.
Xiao Fangzi had used his own method to express his loyalty to Gu Han. Similarly, through this conversation, Xiao Fangzi had completely acknowledged Gu Han as his mistress.
Outside the hall, the voices of palace servants soon sounded, the midday meal had arrived.
The Imperial Kitchen knew how to read the room. Changchun Pavilion had just attended to His Majesty yesterday, so today's midday meal was delivered directly without anyone from Changchun Pavilion needing to fetch it.
Gu Han hadn't eaten breakfast, and by now her stomach was completely empty. Xiao Fangzi perceptively withdrew.
Gu Han ate more than usual at the midday meal, but the thoughts in her mind never stopped.
The Empress, Consort De, Noble Consort Shu.
The current situation in the rear palace, whose design was it, ultimately?
The answer was self-evident.
So indeed, Noble Consort Shu was truly a clever person.
Today, the rear palace didn't have to wait long. Before evening had even arrived, word came from the Emperor's palace, Changchun Pavilion would attend to the emperor tonight.
For a while, countless hopeful consorts throughout the rear palace were disappointed. From various palaces came the sounds of jade cups being accidentally dropped and shattered.
At the distant Rongcui Hall, upon hearing the news, Miao Meiren froze. Her straight back stiffened slightly. After a moment, she said with seeming composure:
"I understand."
Xia Qiao looked at her with concern.
Miao Meiren had her pride. She didn't want anyone to see her in a wretched state, even if that person was Xia Qiao, who had served her since childhood. She turned her face slightly to the side and said coolly:
"No need to attend to me in the hall. You may withdraw."
Xia Qiao felt sorry for her mistress and couldn't help saying: "My lady, please don't be like this. Favor obtained through scheming methods can never last long. My lady, don't take such a person to heart."
Xia Qiao's words were merely meant as comfort, but unexpectedly, they proved prophetic.
Today Gu Han had deliberately prepared herself early, not wanting yesterday's situation to repeat. She sat before the bronze mirror, having just finished her grooming, when a palace servant entered with an ominous expression. A bad premonition flashed through Gu Han's heart. Her fingers trembled almost imperceptibly. She pressed her lips together and asked:
"What's wrong?"
The palace servant said slowly: "The missing Liu Ruoqian has been found. The Empress has ordered everyone to proceed immediately to Kunning Palace."
Gu Han suddenly bit down hard on her tongue.
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Author's Note:
Gu Han: ???
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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