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Chapter 13
Gu Han was taking a gamble.
She'd deliberately blurred the time. She was betting that in her nervousness, Rong Ling wouldn't remember the clear timeframe from that day, and that her unease would make her want to find someone to band together with and speak up for her.
She was also betting that Liu Ruoqian, having waited until the selection was nearly over before seeking her out with the so-called evidence of illicit relations, certainly wouldn't have told others about such a secret. Because once a secret was known by multiple people, it would no longer serve as leverage.
Therefore, the matter of Liu Ruoqian seeking her out that day, Liu Ruoqian wouldn't have told a third person.
And now Rong Ling's words proved she'd been right. To a large extent, they cleared her of suspicion. The small portion of remaining suspicion couldn't be cleared no matter what, because until the culprit was found, everyone was a suspect.
Just as Gu Han relaxed, Xiuyi He suddenly looked deeply at Rong Ling, then said with ambiguous meaning:
"You two certainly have a good relationship."
Rong Ling's complexion paled somewhat. After all, Xiuyi He was the mistress of her palace. If Xiuyi He made things difficult for Elder Sister Gu and she stood up to speak for Elder Sister Gu, it meant she had positioned herself in opposition to Xiuyi He.
If Xiuyi He wanted to target her in the future, Rong Ling couldn't escape even if she tried.
Rong Ling's fingers in her sleeves trembled slightly. She imperceptibly glanced at Gu Han beside her. What Xiuyi He said about their "good relationship" wasn't entirely true. Her choice to help Gu Han couldn't possibly be simply because of their brief friendship.
Rong Ling wasn't clever, but she understood herself well. In terms of family background, appearance, and temperament, none of hers stood out in this rear palace. So taking sides was only natural. Xiuyi He's favor had long grown thin, while Elder Sister Gu had just caught His Majesty's eye.
If there were a scale between the two, Rong Ling had long decided which side to place her bet on.
The so-called feelings were merely the foundation. Her relationship with Elder Sister Gu needed to be more solid. Sending charcoal in snowy weather was far more genuine than adding flowers to brocade. For her, just now was merely a choice.
Gu Han raised her eyes to look at Xiuyi He. She didn't know if it was her imagination, but she detected a hostility toward her from Xiuyi He. Clearly the two had never met before, where did this hostility come from?
Gu Han couldn't figure it out, and Xiuyi He had already stopped speaking. Gu Han could only bury this doubt in her heart.
After the Empress questioned everyone in a circle, her gains weren't substantial.
Zhou Měirén furrowed her brows irritably. Kunning Palace was only so large, yet they were under suspicion and weren't even allowed to sit. She had been standing so long she already felt exhausted, especially after being mocked by Consort Yuan, leaving her quite displeased.
Suddenly, Zhou Měirén saw Gu Cáirén lightly furrowing her delicate brows and felt somewhat curious.
Both being noble ladies from the capital, she and Gu Han had met a few times. A true daughter of a prestigious family, refined, serene, her slightest smile tugging at heartstrings. If she weren't just the right age to participate in this selection, the Rongyang Marquis Manor's threshold would likely have been worn down by matchmakers.
Zhou Měirén had once been praised by Imperial Cousin for being true to her nature. She had always remembered it and did everything according to her temperament. Even when her family tried to discipline her, she could use Imperial Cousin's words to rebut them.
She naturally knew such domineering behavior made people look unfavorably upon her.
But Zhou Měirén didn't care at all. As long as Imperial Cousin liked it, what did other people have to do with her?
Yet this Gu Cáirén never treated her differently, her eyes showing neither disgust nor apprehension. So previously, Zhou Měirén had felt no ill will toward her. But after entering the palace, she had instead developed a trace of wariness toward Gu Cáirén
Zhou Měirén knew why this wariness existed, ultimately, it was fear.
Mother had said men always liked gentle, considerate women. Zhou Měirén wanted to dismiss it, yet she had firmly memorized those words in her heart.
Gu Cáirén was among the best of such women. What she feared was that Imperial Cousin would like her.
Gu Cáirén was always gentle and calm, so seeing her knit her delicate brows now made Zhou Měirén somewhat curious. Today's matter had nothing to do with her, why was she thinking so much?
Following Zhou Měirén's line of sight, she saw several consorts from the same batch. Zhou Měirén curled her lips, about to withdraw her gaze when suddenly her movement paused.
Zhou Měirén had some impression of these concubines. On the day before leaving the palace, hearing that Imperial Cousin was boating on the lake, Zhou Měirén couldn't resist and left Chuxiu Palace. Besides her, several other ladies in waiting had also secretly followed, ultimately being punished by Consort Yuan to kneel for nearly an entire day.
Zhou Měirén felt she'd grasped something. Being unable to contain herself, she immediately said:
"That day, no one accompanied lady Liu. No one knew where she went. But don't forget, on the night before leaving the palace, quite a few ladies in waiting failed to return to Chuxiu Palace!"
She had learned to be somewhat cleverer, no longer explicitly mentioning Consort Yuan, though it wasn't far off.
Zhou Měirén raised her brows triumphantly: "Does Consort Yuan still remember whom you punished?"
Consort Yuan's expression changed, clearly also recalling that day when she had punished quite a few ladies in waiting. Several ladies in waiting who didn't yet have ranks, how could she possibly remember each one individually?
Not expecting that a moment's venting could lead to so many complications, Consort Yuan panicked briefly but quickly composed herself:
"Zhou Měirén also said it, that day quite a few ladies in waiting didn't return to Chuxiu Palace. Since I punished all of them to kneel, why would I single her out?"
As soon as Consort Yuan's words emerged, Gu Han lightly lowered her eyelids and released her last breath of tension. She flexed her somewhat stiff fingers.
Consort Yuan didn't remember whom she had punished that day. Her words meant to distance herself instead tacitly acknowledged that Liu Ruoqian had also been among them that day.
Gu Han knew that today's matter had completely severed its connection to her.
Zhou Měirén might not be very clever, but she was definitely relentless when she had the upper hand. She lightly scoffed:
"This concubine never said Consort Yuan harmed Lady Liu. The Imperial Garden is very close to Hanling Palace to begin with. Perhaps that day Lady Liu knelt until midnight, her legs too weak to walk, casually found a place to rest, but accidentally fell into the well. Who knows?"
Consort Yuan thought along her words and momentarily felt what she said wasn't impossible.
After all, there was absolutely no evidence to prove Liu Ruoqian's matter was related to anyone else. If it truly was as Zhou Měirén said, this blame would ultimately still have to be shouldered by her.
The Empress looked toward His Majesty somewhat helplessly. Unable to find evidence that someone else had harmed Liu Ruoqian, it seemed the only possibility was that Liu Ruoqian had accidentally fallen into the well herself.
Consort Yuan's heart panicked slightly. Surely they wouldn't actually conclude things so absurdly? She held back for a long while before barely managing to say:
"What Zhou Měirén said is merely speculation. The matter hasn't been clarified yet, it can't be taken as truth!"
Noble Consort Shu, leaning against her seat, lightly raised her eyes, a trace of scornful mockery flashing through. ‘Fool.’
The matter of the lady in waiting’s disappearance had been causing turmoil for several days. The imperial family's reputation didn't look good. His Majesty had to provide an explanation. Compared to Lady Liu being murdered, her accidentally falling into the well was the best outcome.
Consort Yuan actually wanted to continue investigating. If there were evidence, that would be fine, but there wasn't any evidence.
Consort Yuan wanted to say more when Lu Yu lifted his eyelids. He glanced at Consort Yuan, and she immediately fell silent. Then she heard him say indifferently:
"Lady Liu accidentally fell into the well. I deeply pity her. Bury her with Baolin rank. Demote Consort Yuan to Cáirén."
A cold, clear sentence drew a period to this matter.
Lady Liu had died from her own misstep. Although Consort Yuan bore no intent, she still had to shoulder the responsibility.
Consort Yuan, no, Yuan Cáirén's, mind went completely blank. She suddenly went limp all over and collapsed to the ground.
Except for Yuan Cáirén, everyone else breathed a sigh of relief. This calamity could finally come to an end.
Gu Han almost imperceptibly pressed her lips together. She raised her eyes to glance at Yuan Cáirén once, committing Yuan Cáirén's appearance to memory. As for what emotions were in her heart?
Guilt? Remorse?
Gu Han didn't know. Perhaps both, perhaps neither. But ultimately they all transformed into vigilance.
Yuan Cáirén's matter told her clearly and plainly that in this rear palace, if favor wasn't sufficient, as long as you took one wrong step, even if you were completely innocent, you would still meet a miserable end, possibly even worse than Yuan Cáirén's current state.
Gu Han withdrew all her thoughts. She currently had no foundation in the palace. If she wanted to continue on safely and steadily, her only support was His Majesty's favor.
She raised her eyes to look toward His Majesty. Noble Consort Shu was speaking to him in a coquettish voice. He wore an indifferent expression, not knowing whether he was listening or not. Seeming to sense Gu Han's gaze, he suddenly looked up. Their eyes immediately met.
Gu Han widened her eyes slightly and quickly lowered her head. But soon, she hesitantly raised her head to glance at His Majesty once more. She twisted her handkerchief, glanced at Noble Consort Shu, and after a long moment, lowered her eyes dejectedly.
Lu Yu knew what she was struggling with.
Today should have been her turn for bedchamber service.
The woman's delicate brows drew together dejectedly. Lu Yu's eyes darkened for an instant, but quickly, the coquettish voice of the person beside him brought back his attention:
"When this concubine left, the small kitchen was preparing the evening meal. By now it should all be ready. Will Your Majesty return together with this concubine?"
Lu Yu withdrew his gaze as if nothing had happened and nodded calmly:
"Mm.”
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
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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