THE IMPERIAL CONSORT'S RISE TO POWER - CHAPTER 24

  ——— 

~ Please support this site by disabling your ad-blocker ❤️ ~

______

 Chapter 24

Gu Han was made to feel somewhat ashamed by his words. Without knowing when, she'd grasped Lu Yu's sleeve and gently tugged it with very small movements. She said nothing, only looked up at him with those almond eyes, her face slightly flushed, at a loss.

With palace servants still present in the hall, making such coquettish, dependent gestures, a burning red spread directly from her cheeks to her ear tips. Lu Yu paused slightly and averted his gaze somewhat.

But he stopped criticizing her.

Catching a glimpse of the woman's barely perceptible sigh of relief from the corner of his eye, Lu Yu's temple twitched. He was rather speechless, a young lady from the Marquis of Rongyang's household, how could her face be so thin-skinned?

Then Lu Yu heard the thin-skinned Beauty Gu say softly in a gentle voice, "It's getting late. Won't Your Majesty stay and share the midday meal with this consort?"

Lu Yu said nothing, but Gu Han knew this was his tacit agreement. Her brow tips lifted lightly in delight. The next moment, as if feeling this was too forward, she quickly lowered her eyes to restrain herself before turning to instruct the palace servants to bring the meal. But her voice still carried some excitement.

Lu Yu glanced at the dimples appearing and disappearing on the woman's cheeks before casually looking away.

It was merely sharing a midday meal with her, why be so happy?

Of course Gu Han was happy. His Majesty hadn't entered the harem for over half a month. The moment he entered the harem, he took his midday meal at Changchun Pavilion. Once word spread, others would know His Majesty hadn't forgotten Changchun Pavilion.

Gu Han had only just entered the palace and had only seen His Majesty a few times. Right now she wasn't at all worried about whether her favor was too conspicuous. What she should worry about was how to maintain His Majesty's interest in her without it diminishing.

With Lu Yu dining at Changchun Pavilion, the Imperial Kitchen prepared an abundant meal. Dazzling dishes were set on the table, how many times more sumptuous than when Gu Han dined alone on ordinary days, she didn't know. Gu Han imperceptibly withdrew her gaze from the dishes.

In this palace, no matter when or where, even in the smallest details, everything reminded Gu Han at every moment of the importance of imperial favor.

No wonder everyone wanted to compete for it.

His Majesty handled myriad affairs daily. After the midday meal, Gu Han didn't cling to Lu Yu. Before Lu Yu left, he glanced at her wound and said:

"Rest well and recover."

Gu Han's almond eyes curved as she agreed.

Not long after Lu Yu left, the emotions on Gu Han's face faded. There were already few people serving in the inner hall. She looked at Little Fangzi:

"You've been in the palace a long time. Go investigate who Bǎolín Liu has been in contact with recently."

Little Fangzi frowned. "Master suspects today's incident was instigated by someone?"

Gu Han nodded lightly and said calmly, "She's a Bǎolín who hasn't seen His Majesty's countenance in ages, and has no grievances or enmity with me. I can't think of why she would do this."

If Bǎolín Liu still had favor, that would be one thing, perhaps Gu Han had blocked Bǎolín Liu's path and made her harbor jealous resentment. But the problem was, Bǎolín Liu had no favor to begin with. Even if something happened to Gu Han, she couldn't gain any benefit from it.

So what was her purpose in doing this?

Gu Han believed that people didn't wake early without profit. Bǎolín Liu's behavior had to have a reason.

---

News of His Majesty dining at Changchun Pavilion naturally spread quickly. But before others could envy Gu Han's favor, they heard that Gu Měirén had sent someone to the Bureau of Attendance to have her bed tag removed, while simultaneously sending someone to Kunning Palace to request leave, she wouldn't be able to attend morning greetings in the coming days.

The Empress was startled. Entering the eighth month, with the Empress Dowager about to return to the palace, she had many matters piled upon her and didn't know what had happened. She sent someone to inquire and only after learning the sequence of events and knowing the Bureau of Attendance had already removed Changchun Pavilion's bed tag did she say:

"She understands propriety."

The consorts in this harem wished His Majesty would select their tags daily. Just a bump or scrape, even knowing clearly that in such a condition, His Majesty wouldn't summon them to attend his bed, how could they bear to have their bed tags removed?

Muqiu paused before saying hesitantly:

"This servant heard that when His Majesty entered the palace today, he'd originally intended to visit Consort Shu."

As a result, that incident in the Imperial Garden blocked His Majesty's path.

The Empress raised an eyebrow, her face showing genuine amusement. "That Gu Měirén truly has some capability."

The Empress was in a good mood, like eating an iced bowl on a summer day. She instructed:

"Gu Měirén is injured. Send a jar of Condensing Balm from my private stores. Tell her to rest easy and recover, and she can come pay respects once she's healed."

Muqiu watched with her own eyes as Her Majesty, because of her single remark, became so pleased that she rewarded Gu Měirén generously, not even caring that His Majesty had gone to Changchun Pavilion the moment he entered the palace.

That made sense. The Empress was the mistress of the harem. Yi'an Palace was so presumptuous, it had probably long become a thorn in Her Majesty's heart.

---

Yi'an Palace.

The palace grounds occupied a vast area, decorated luxuriously and exquisitely. Even the hall floors were made of priceless bluestone jade. The glazed tiles gleamed in the sunlight. Within resided the currently favored Consort Shu.

Today the atmosphere in Yi'an Palace was somewhat stagnant.

The little palace servants kept their eyes lowered obediently, wishing they could walk without making footstep sounds. The entire palace was completely quiet. The midday meal sent in had been brought back out untouched.

Ice basins were placed in the hall. A little palace maid kept her head lowered, so nervous she didn't dare breathe heavily, holding a round fan to fan Her Ladyship.

Yaluo had just instructed someone to send out the midday meal. Coming in, she saw the fan-waving maid's hands trembling. She quickly frowned, stepped forward to take the round fan from the little maid's hands, and fanned Her Ladyship herself while simultaneously instructing:

"You may go."

It wasn't that she pitied this little maid, but rather that Her Ladyship was already in a bad mood. If she further angered Her Ladyship because of this little maid, that would be counterproductive.

Consort Shu had no objection to Yaluo's action, as if she hadn't seen it at all. Yaluo said in a low voice:

"This servant inquired, after His Majesty took his midday meal at Changchun Pavilion, he left immediately."

Consort Shu was born charming and radiant, her features exceptionally delicate and beautiful. Every frown and smile exuded allure. At this moment, she drooped her eyes listlessly, reclining on the soft couch. Even hearing Yaluo's words, she didn't raise any interest.

Not hearing any movement for a long while, Yaluo looked up at Her Ladyship but couldn't tell at all what she was thinking. She quickly lowered her head again.

After a long time, Consort Shu finally spoke lazily:

"I heard His Majesty was on his way to Yi'an Palace when Gu Měirén intercepted him?"

Consort Shu's voice was sweet and soft. Even women would feel their bodies go weak hearing it. For such a woman to receive imperial favor seemed perfectly natural.

But after hearing Her Ladyship's words clearly, Yaluo fell silent, somewhat unable to answer this question. To say Gu Měirén intercepted him, Gu Měirén was truly innocent. But the fact was indeed that Gu Měirén had diverted His Majesty away.

Yaluo paused before explaining the whole sequence of events. Consort Shu seemed to raise her eyes in surprise. She curved her lips in a smile:

"So it seems Gu Měirén has quite good fortune."

Yaluo didn't dare respond to these words.

But Consort Shu lightly closed her eyes and said in a leisurely, charming voice, "The Empress Dowager is about to return to the palace. She has always liked those daughters of noble families and dislikes people of low birth like me. Kunning Palace must be laughing with joy."

Yaluo glanced at Her Ladyship. When she had first entered the palace, Her Ladyship would still feel anxious about the Empress Dowager's dislike. Now three years had passed, and when mentioning the Empress Dowager's dislike again, Her Ladyship had long been calm and composed.

Yaluo lowered her eyes. The Empress Dowager's dislike of Her Ladyship wasn't deliberate targeting that many people knew about, but rather because when the Late Emperor was alive, the Empress Dowager had once suffered greatly because of a consort. She had befriended that consort during the selection, and remembering her humble origins, had always protected her, only to be betrayed and framed.

That incident caused the Empress Dowager to have a difficult childbirth, resulting in a pair of stillborn children, coincidentally a boy and girl, and even completely ruined her health. No one knew how the Empress Dowager grieved during that time, but from then on, she developed an aversion to women of lowly status.

For Her Ladyship, the Empress Dowager's aversion was completely an undeserved calamity. Her Ladyship was quite puzzled and had expended great effort to uncover this hidden history. But this was already the Empress Dowager's heart disease. No matter how hard Her Ladyship tried, it was all in vain.

Thinking of what Kunning Palace must be doing now, a trace of mockery flashed across Consort Shu's brow tips.

Yaluo felt uneasy and imperceptibly changed the subject. "Regarding Bǎolín Liu bumping into Gu Měirén, there may be something suspicious about it. Your Ladyship, should we investigate?"

Consort Shu said impatiently with a light snort, "Gu Měirén was the one injured. What does it have to do with me?"

Moreover, regardless of whether Beauty Gu intended it, she had ultimately diverted the imperial procession.

She'd always been the one to intercept favor. Today she had finally tasted this experience herself for once. Consort Shu didn't know what she thought of, but suddenly grew irritable, her eyes cooling. Her voice carried a trace of sarcasm:

"Besides, who else could do such a thing besides her?"

Yaluo abruptly fell silent.

After a long while, Yaluo heard Her Ladyship's leisurely murmur: "That Gu Měirén better not be a fool..."

---

Gu Han had no idea of the conversation in Yi'an Palace. She had just received the Condensing Balm sent from Kunning Palace and was currently placing it on her vanity table alongside the one bestowed by His Majesty. The jade-green bottle was quite beautiful.

Gu Han had someone store the one sent from Kunning Palace in the warehouse.

It wasn't from private desire, but rather that for such intimate medicinal products, Gu Han didn't dare casually use what others sent, even if that person was the Empress.

Gu Han propped her chin, and even knowing it wouldn't be her attending his bed, she still waited unhurriedly for news from the imperial presence.

The news arrived quickly—Changning Courtyard would attend his bed.

Gu Han raised her eyebrows in surprise. After the midday meal, she'd also learned that when His Majesty entered the harem today, he'd originally intended to visit Consort Shu. She'd thought tonight would be Yi'an Palace attending his bed.

His Majesty's thoughts truly couldn't be guessed.

But His Majesty's actions also made Gu Han realize something. She propped her cheek and said gently:

"It seems the Empress Dowager is truly about to return to the palace soon."

And residing in Changning Courtyard was Zhou Měirén, the Empress Dowager's own niece.

---

Author's Note:

Kunning Palace: Empress

Yi'an Palace: Consort Shu

Xianleng Palace: Imperial Consort De

Zhaoyang Palace → Main Hall: Xiuyi He

Zhaoyang Palace → Side Hall: Rong Baolin

Yihe Palace → Changchun Pavilion: Female Lead

Rongcui Hall: Beauty Miao

Cuizhu Pavilion: Beauty Lin

Changning Courtyard: Zhou Meiren

Hanleng Palace → (Main Hall transferred to Side Hall): Talented Lady Yuan

Also appearing: Noble Lady Lin, Liu Baolin

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

Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/

TRANSLATOR

please vote on novel updates

Hi guys, please if you have any questions about a character or i made a mistake somewhere, please do not hesitate to let me know in the comment section. i currently have no editor.

We hope you enjoyed this chapter! You can vote for this novel translation and drop a review on Novel Updates!

Show support by clicking on the Support Us button below!❤️

← Previous Next →

Table of Contents

Rate this translation!