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Chapter 29
The nights in August also carried a lingering chill. When the incident occurred at Rongcui Hall, the concubines from various palaces were preparing to retire for the night.
Having come in haste, they all wore only simple summer dresses. When the cold wind struck, Gu Han lowered her eyes and pressed her lips together, inconspicuously leaning halfway into Jiu Nian's embrace.
The Empress's face was cold and stern, showing mild anger:
"The mistress's body is unwell, yet not a single servant in the entire palace noticed!"
The palace servants of Rongcui Hall knelt on the ground, trembling:
"Empress Niangniang, please calm your anger! Apart from eating less these past few days, our mistress was no different from usual. We servants dare not serve without dedication!"
The Empress didn't believe this servant's words: "If you served with dedication, how could Miao Meiren be bleeding?"
"Niangniang, please calm your anger!"
A group of servants knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly. Before long, their foreheads showed red marks.
After entering Rongcui Hall, half of Consort Shu's face was hidden in shadow, no one could tell what she was thinking. Now, seeming somewhat impatient from the noise, she gave an irritated light huff, her tone unhurried:
"If the Empress is going to interrogate, then interrogate, but why must there be bloodshed? Miao Meiren inside still doesn't know the situation, how inauspicious!"
Having said this, Consort Shu raised her hand with a handkerchief to press against her lips.
The Empress glanced at her and raised her hand to cover her mouth. Others might not know, but how could she not? Consort Shu's heart was probably more upset than anyone's. If you asked who was the most favored person in this harem, it would certainly be Consort Shu.
In a month, she had attended the Emperor's bed the most times, yet after all these years, there had been no news from her body.
Miao Měirén had only attended the Emperor's bed a few times and was already pregnant, wasn't this like driving needles into Consort Shu's heart?
As this thought settled, the Empress also became somewhat dazed, almost imperceptibly. Her fingers moved, somehow coming to rest before her. The sounds of pained moaning in the hall continued, but the Empress also felt somewhat irritated. She waved her hand:
"How did your mistress fall?"
The palace servants of Rongcui Hall exchanged glances before one servant who attended indoors said quietly: "Mistress accidentally slipped when coming out of her bath."
As soon as the words fell, the entire hall fell silent. Even Gu Han was momentarily at a loss for words.
On the way to Rongcui Hall, Gu Han had considered many scenarios, such as Miao Meiren having known about her pregnancy all along but concealing it, waiting until Empress Dowager Niangniang returned to choose this moment to announce the news publicly; or perhaps someone had noticed Miao Meiren was pregnant and deliberately harmed her.
But she never imagined the truth would be so plain and simple.
At his seat, Lu Yu also raised his head. Without even glancing at that group of servants, he indifferently ordered: "Inadequate service, thirty strokes of the cane, send them back to the Zhongsheng Hall."
Several palace servants immediately went limp, not daring even to beg for mercy. As they were dragged away, they only dared cry out "Your Majesty, please calm your anger."
The entire hall was silent. The Empress also fell quiet at this moment.
Miao Měirén had accidentally fallen, and now her condition was unknown. Was this punishment severe?
It was hard to say.
But when the mistress was unwell, it was naturally the servants' fault. Moreover, this involved an imperial heir, a matter of great importance. If the heir wasn't preserved, this punishment might even be considered light.
After a long while, the sounds of pained moaning in the hall gradually faded. The pearl curtain was lifted, and a physician came out from the inner hall wiping cold sweat:
"Reporting to Your Majesty and all the ladies, Miao Meiren's fall disturbed the fetal energy, but fortunately the child in her womb has been preserved. She only needs to rest quietly for some time."
At these words, the emotions of everyone in the hall varied. Without even looking, Gu Han could guess that some people must be extremely disappointed.
At this moment, Consort De interjected: "I heard Miao Měirén was bleeding. Doesn't she need medicine?"
The physician bowed:
"Miao Měirén just experienced fetal disturbance. Right now it's best she only takes some pregnancy-stabilizing medicine. Any other medicine absolutely must not be used."
The worry and confusion on Consort De's face eased somewhat. She patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief:
"That's good then."
Consort Shu watched her performance coldly, then suddenly covered her mouth and laughed lightly, with mockery: "Sister Consort De has also given birth before. Don't you know the principle that medicine is three parts poison, and pregnant women are best not using medicine?"
Lu Yu also looked up at Consort De, his expression indifferent.
Consort De's brow furrowed slightly. Her earlier concern faded, replaced by some coldness:
"What does sister mean by this?"
Consort Shu shrugged as if confused, saying casually: "What could I mean? I'm only reminding Sister Consort De, afraid sister's good intentions might be used in the wrong place. If Sister doesn't want to listen, I simply won't say anything."
The dialogue between the two ladies seemed to have deeper meaning, making the concubines below feel alarmed.
The Empress paid no attention to the two and turned to look at the Emperor: "Miao Měirén suffered such a sudden fright today. I'm afraid this is when she needs Your Majesty most. Would Your Majesty like to go in and see Miao Měirén?"
Consort Shu's expression immediately soured.
Today was Yi'an Palace's turn to attend the Emperor's bed. For the Empress to suggest at this time that the Emperor visit Miao Měirén was clearly meant to create obstacles for her. Consort Shu looked coldly at the Empress, unable to obtain favor herself, she could only use these underhanded tactics to vex her.
A dignified Empress, how laughable.
Lu Yu only responded faintly and rose to walk toward the inner hall. As he passed Gu Han, she immediately withdrew from Jiu Nian's embrace and stood up a bit straighter. Lu Yu caught sight of her movement from the corner of his eye, glanced at the thin clothing she wore, paused, then calmly looked away, saying:
"All of you return. Don't crowd here."
The pearl curtain completely concealed his figure. The Empress said a few more words, and the other concubines gradually withdrew. Gu Han looked back at the hall, paused briefly, then turned and left without hesitation.
On the raised platform, Consort De silently watched Gu Han's retreating figure.
Consort De narrowed her eyes almost imperceptibly. She didn't know if it was her imagination, but she always felt the Emperor had paused when passing Gu Han, and only then issued that decree for everyone to return.
Consort Shu followed Consort De's line of sight and suddenly gave a scoffing laugh. Consort De frowned and looked over, her expression indifferent: "What is Sister laughing at?"
Consort Shu's voice was soft and charming, saying lightly:
"This palace laughs at certain people who still haven't made any progress after all these years!"
The concubines in the hall had all left, leaving only a few small servants. Hearing these words, they hurriedly lowered their heads, wishing they were deaf.
Consort De's expression suddenly changed. Just as she was about to say something, Consort Shu had already leisurely turned and left. Seeing her lady lose composure, Jiachun quickly and discreetly tugged at her lady's sleeve. Consort De came back to her senses, glanced around the hall, and with effort restored her expression to normal.
After leaving Rongcui Hall, Yaluo helped her lady onto the sedan chair, somewhat puzzled:
"Why did Niangniang speak up for that Gu Měirén?"
Consort Shu leaned leisurely against the sedan chair. Hearing this, she only curved the corner of her mouth: "Is she worthy?"
Perhaps the mockery and sarcasm in Consort Shu's words were too obvious, Yaluo suddenly fell silent. After a long while, she heard her mistress's indifferent voice:
"This palace merely recalled those days at the princely manor."
Yaluo's breathing paused. She suddenly looked up. Her lady's expression was detached, her gaze falling outside the sedan chair, but she didn't know where she was looking.
Those days at the princely manor, even though Yaluo was just a servant, she also felt they were too bitter, so bitter that over these years, Yaluo hadn't wanted to recall them at all.
Her lady came from an extremely humble background, carried into the princely manor in a small sedan chair. Despite her stunning beauty, she had no favor and low rank, being targeted seemed a very ordinary thing. Yaluo couldn't even count how many injuries her lady had suffered then.
Kneeling under the scorching sun, being slapped, being caned, they wished nothing more than for her lady to simply die. But her lady seemed to have innate resilience in her fate. All the hardships vanished like smoke when the consort gave birth to the eldest son, her lady finally caught the Emperor's eye, and has been honored and favored ever since.
On the journey back, Yaluo was like a gourd with its mouth sawed off, not making a single sound.
However, Consort Shu's mood was unsettled today. She gripped the edge of the sedan chair tightly, her fingertips turning white from the force. She half-closed her eyes and said in a barely audible voice:
"This palace simply can't stand her having such good fortune!"
Yaluo knew who she was talking about, feeling a surge of sympathy: "Niangniang…"
Consort Shu looked up at the sky. Somehow, her hand had come to rest on her lower abdomen. She caressed it lightly, then released it as if nothing had happened. She ordered coldly:
"Tell the Imperial Medical Bureau to take good care of Miao Měirén's pregnancy for this palace."
***
After returning to Xianleng Palace, Consort De suddenly swept aside a set of jade vessels: "Bitch!"
Frightening a crowd of servants into kneeling, they skillfully lowered their heads, not daring to breathe.
Jiachun also knelt down. She closed her eyes listening to a series of crashing and breaking sounds. When the commotion stopped, she opened her eyes to look at the mess throughout the room. She knelt and moved forward a few steps, consoling in a low voice:
"Why must Niangniang be angry with her?"
Consort De was completely unlike her usual gentle self, saying coldly: "Now she relies on the Emperor's favor to be on equal footing with this palace, forgetting the scene when this palace told her to kneel and she had to kneel back at the Prince Residence."
Jiachun's hands trembled. Since Consort Shu gained favor, who dared mention the old princely residence?
She hurriedly waved her hand. Soon, a crowd of servants left with the fragments on the floor. Jiachun kept her head lowered:
"Niangniang, times have changed. The Emperor values her. Niangniang should just tolerate her. After all, with new consorts entering the palace, she won't be smug for many more days."
Consort De suddenly slammed the table and stood up. Her eyes seemed poisoned, furious beyond measure: "Three years! How much longer must this palace tolerate her?!"
Jiachun felt somewhat powerless. She didn't understand why Niangniang was so bothered by Consort Shu. After all, no matter how favored Consort Shu was, she posed no threat to Niangniang.
Suddenly some commotion came from outside the hall. A palace servant's voice came:
"Niangniang, His Highness has arrived."
As soon as the words fell, the pearl curtain was pushed open by a small figure. A half-person-tall little radish head rushed in. Seeing him, Jiachun suddenly breathed a sigh of relief. Looking up again, sure enough, she saw Niangniang smiling with a face full of kindness, as if the earlier fury had never existed.
Consort De covered her mouth, smiling with curved eyes and brows. Without waiting for that figure to bow, she half-crouched to help him up:
"Why hasn't Feng'er gone to sleep yet?"
Lu Mingfeng was six years old this year by traditional count. At the beginning of the year, he had entered the Imperial Study. Every day he had to rise very early. Though Consort De felt distressed, she also knew this was the rule. Moreover, although the eldest prince held the position of eldest son, if his own abilities were mediocre, how would he gain the Emperor's regard in the future?
A dark look flashed through Consort De's eyes. Lu Mingfeng raised his hand to rub his eyes, unable to hide his drowsiness:
"Mother Consort, your son heard... your son is going to have a little brother?"
He was only young, speaking clearly but still with some baby talk. The imperial family had only obtained this one prince, supremely noble, pampered and respected by all above and below. His cheeks carried baby fat, and even his arms were like two sections of slender lotus root. He bore some resemblance to Lu Yu and was quite good-looking.
But Consort De's expression darkened for a moment. No matter how much drowsiness Mingfeng's words carried, they couldn't conceal that touch of anticipation and excitement.
Consort De half-embraced Lu Mingfeng, her voice containing a smile as she asked:
"Who told Feng'er this?"
Lu Mingfeng didn't detect anything amiss, but the servant who had followed him in looked deathly pale. Jiachun also lowered her head. She inconspicuously stroked her arm, as if trying to erase that bone-chilling coldness.
Lu Mingfeng's eyes were bright: "It was Little Kuizi!"
Having answered Consort De's question, Lu Mingfeng looked up again, asking eagerly:
"Mother Consort, is your son really going to have a little brother?"
Consort De's heart ached painfully, but facing Lu Mingfeng, her face showed only a gentle smile. She tapped Lu Mingfeng's small nose, her voice tender, carrying some unclear meaning:
"It's not that easy."
Lu Mingfeng lowered his head in disappointment. Before he could continue asking, Consort De interrupted him: "Alright, Feng'er should go back to rest. Tomorrow there are still morning lessons."
Lu Mingfeng's face immediately fell. The excitement from just learning he would have a little brother vanished. He pursed his lips. Knowing his mother consort wouldn't relent on this matter no matter how much she doted on him, he performed a bow like a little adult and said sweetly:
"Mother Consort, rest well. Your son takes his leave."
Just as he was about to leave with his attendants, Consort De's gaze fell coldly on Little Kuizi, but her words were the complete opposite, gentle:
"Feng'er, let Aunt Jiachun take you back."
Lu Mingfeng turned back, his face full of drowsiness and confusion: "What about Little Kuizi?"
"Mother Consort has matters to discuss with him."
Jiachun quickly led the young prince away.
Little Kuizi's face was deathly pale, trembling all over. The plea for mercy he wanted to make stuck in his throat under Niangniang's gaze, he didn't dare utter a single word.
When there was no more sound outside, Consort De walked forward two steps, stopping before Little Kuizi. Cold sweat kept falling from Little Kuizi's forehead. Consort De looked down at him for a long time. Just as Little Kuizi was on tenterhooks, suddenly, intense pain came from his face. As he turned his head, from the corner of his eye he only saw what seemed to be crimson staining the nail guard on Niangniang's hand.
His face burned with searing pain. Little Kuizi didn't even dare touch it, having no mind to care about it at all. He hurriedly knelt properly, kowtowing, tears and snot flowing:
"Niangniang, spare this life! Niangniang, spare this life! This servant didn't mean to! This servant will never dare again!"
Consort De was expressionless, but her voice was cold enough to flay a layer of skin from someone: "Who gave you the courage to gossip in front of the young prince?"
When Jiachun returned, she saw Little Kuizi's wretched state. She furrowed her brow almost imperceptibly.
She heard Niangniang order:
"This palace does not wish to see him again."
Little Kuizi was so frightened his whole body shook. Crying, he crawled forward to grab Consort De's legs to beg for mercy. Jiachun hurriedly had someone restrain him and drag him out. Even so, Little Kuizi's crying pleas could be heard for a long time.
Jiachun was silent for a moment, then said hoarsely:
"Niangniang should rest.”
---
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
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