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Chapter 31
With the Emperor present, no one disturbed Gu Han's rest. Actually, even if the Emperor had asked her to identify that palace servant, Gu Han wouldn't have been able to. The palace servant had kept her head lowered the entire time, Gu Han hadn't seen her face at all.
From the outer hall came Miao Měirén's suppressed, cold voice. Gu Han lightly lowered her eyelids, concealing the fleeting irritation in her eyes. She felt disgust toward the person behind this, but she had no favorable impression of Miao Měirén either.
If you're pregnant, just stay properly in your palace. Instead, she ran around carelessly, implicating her for no reason.
But Gu Han also didn't understand, Miao Měirén had only fallen when approaching her. Was the person behind this only targeting Miao Měirén, or had they calculated to implicate her as well from the start?
Gu Han closed her eyes, constantly thinking about who the person behind this might be.
Just yesterday, news broke of Miao Měirén's pregnancy. Today she had nearly met with disaster, it was truly impossible to guard against!
The Mid-Autumn state banquet was jointly overseen by the Empress and Consort De. Undeniably, the first suspect that popped into Gu Han's mind was Consort De. She had the eldest prince under her knee, she could be said to be the person who least wanted Miao Měirén to safely deliver a child.
Furthermore, Consort De was in charge of the state banquet. She could easily arrange personnel.
But precisely because the direction was too obvious, Gu Han didn't dare guess recklessly. For Consort De to have reached her current position, she surely couldn't be such a foolish person.
Her thoughts in turmoil, Gu Han couldn't help but furrow her delicate brows. Her forehead throbbed faintly. Jiu Si said reproachfully:
"At a time like this, Mistress still won't rest properly!"
Gu Han's thoughts were interrupted. Jiu Nian also brought calming medicine. Gu Han had no choice but to collect her thoughts and drink the calming medicine. Soon the medicine took effect, and she groggily closed her eyes.
Outside the hall.
Miao Měirén knelt in the center of the great hall. The beauty's cheeks were slightly pale, tears sliding down her face like a string of broken pearls. Even so, she still knelt with her spine straight, saying hoarsely:
"If not for Gu Měirén risking her life to save me, your concubine dares not imagine what the consequences would have been today. Your concubine begs Your Majesty to thoroughly investigate this matter!"
Lu Yu stood on the steps, his emotions very faint as he looked toward Miao Měirén. If when he first saw Miao Měirén in Taihe Hall he had only felt slightly displeased, that displeasure had long since transformed into indifference after this incident.
He thought of that woman who, trembling with pain throughout her body, still refused to shed tears before outsiders.
Both were noble ladies from prestigious families. Miao Měirén could kneel with her spine straight, but that person could only curl up in his arms. Lu Yu greatly admired scholarly background. Miao Měirén came from the Fu clan, a true scholarly family. Lu Yu had always known that Miao Měirén carried hints of a talented woman's lofty pride.
But now, Lu Yu felt that scholarly background and affected aloofness could not be mentioned in the same breath.
If you wanted to pride yourself on your talents, you had to have the ability to back it up.
Lu Yu felt somewhat bored, but Miao Měirén was still carrying an imperial heir. His tone was indifferent: "Help Miao Meiren up."
Consort Shu detected something amiss. Her eyes flickered slightly. She knew how much importance the Emperor placed on heirs, yet now he was so indifferent toward Miao Měirén?
Consort Shu glanced once toward the pearl curtain inside the hall, lowering her eyes to conceal that trace of thoughtfulness.
Miao Měirén bit her lip, wanting to say something more, but Lu Yu had already grown impatient. He calmly pointed out a fact:
"Today, those who plotted to harm the imperial heir cannot escape death, but do you think you bear no fault at all?"
In an instant, all color drained from Miao Měirén's face. She raised her head in disbelief, as if unable to believe what she had heard.
The others also covered their mouths, afraid to make any sound.
But when Lu Yu was in a bad mood, he had no thought of cherishing beauties. He looked down at Miao Měirén from his high position:
"The physician diagnosed you yesterday and told you to rest in your palace. When you came out for your own selfish desires, did you consider whether you could protect the child in your womb?"
Lu Yu's tone was calm, as if he didn't realize how heavy these words were for the woman. Or perhaps he knew but simply didn't care. Miao Měirén's body trembled violently, tears flooding out. She said brokenly and hoarsely:
"...Is Your Majesty... blaming your concubine?"
Lu Yu felt impatient. Why shouldn't he blame her?
Yesterday's accidental slip and fall, disturbing the fetal energy, could be excused as ignorance. Now knowing she was pregnant, he had issued a decree for her to rest, even had the Zhongsheng Hall assign more palace servants to attend to her. He had given her a stable environment to nurture the pregnancy, yet she insisted on leaving.
Even Lu Yu knew that the peace in this harem was merely a facade. Would Miao Měirén not know?
She knew, yet still did this. Now she asked if he blamed her?
Lu Yu pulled at the corner of his mouth. Comparatively speaking, Gu Han was a completely uninvolved person, yet even she valued the imperial heir in Miao Měirén's womb more than Miao Měirén herself did. Putting the two together, Lu Yu naturally became increasingly dissatisfied with Miao Měirén.
Moreover, as Miao Měirén herself had said, Gu Han had risked her life to save her. Yet since Miao Měirén woke, Lu Yu hadn't heard a single word of gratitude from her.
Lu Yu no longer looked at Miao Měirén, only having someone help her to a seat. Struck by his words, even after sitting down Miao Měirén still looked dazed. Quite a few people in the hall looked at her with both sympathy and schadenfreude.
So what if she carried an imperial heir? Didn't she still earn the Emperor's displeasure?
Although Miao Měirén was indeed at fault, Lu Yu had spoken so bluntly, appearing somewhat callous. For a moment, no one in the hall dared speak. Lu Yu's eyes grew cold:
"Must I personally conduct the interrogation?"
The Empress took over the conversation as if nothing had happened, but at the time there had been many people with mixed intentions, no one had noticed who had harmed Miao Měirén. However, there were ultimately only so many palace servants who could approach Miao Měirén.
Although it took some time, the scope had still narrowed considerably.
Two quarters of an hour later, everyone looked at the three palace maids kneeling in the hall. Their appearances were somewhat wretched, foreheads broken from kowtowing, kneeling on the ground in disarray, their backs a mess from caning.
Among the crowd, some were unmoved, some lowered their eyes not knowing what they were thinking, and some couldn't bear to look and turned their gazes away.
Even after being tortured, the three palace maids still said they knew nothing. The interrogation was stuck at this step. The Empress looked up at Lu Yu somewhat hesitantly. Lu Yu only lifted his eyelids:
"Send them to the Cautionary Punishment Bureau."
The hall paused. The next moment, the palace maids' fearful pleas for mercy rang out. To the palace servants of the harem, the Cautionary Punishment Bureau was a place where one couldn't live nor die.
Lu Yu showed not a trace of emotion. Just as the three palace maids were about to be dragged away, one of the young maids suddenly said:
"Your Majesty, spare this life! When in the hall, this servant attended Gu Měirén! Gu Měirén must know this servant is innocent! I beg Your Majesty to spare this life!"
Hearing those three characters, Lu Yu finally deigned to glance at her. Among the crowd, Zhou Měirén craned her neck to look. Consort Shu caught sight of her movement and covered her mouth to ask:
"Has Zhou Měirén discovered something?"
Everyone's gazes turned toward Zhou Měirén. Zhou Meiren paused, then said hesitantly: "She is indeed the servant who attended my table with Gu Měirén."
Zhou Měirén had just scolded this palace maid, naturally she wouldn't forget her so quickly.
Just as the palace maid thought she would be freed, she heard Consort De from the high seat say gently:
"But this also cannot prove that this palace maid is not the person who plotted to harm the imperial heir."
Zhou Měirén was silenced. Indeed, she hadn't paid attention to a palace maid's movements at all.
However, Zhou Měirén glanced at the palace maid's bleeding forehead, curled her lip somewhat irritably, and muttered: "Palace servants all have very strict rules. If this palace servant wanted to harm Miao Měirén, it means she definitely would have had to pass by me and Gu Měirén."
"Since Gu Měirén saw that servant, if it was this palace maid, Gu Měirén would definitely have a deep impression and would have said so earlier."
Whether this servant had harmed Miao Měirén, Zhou Měirén didn't know, but Zhou Měirén thought to herself that Gu Han had always been meticulous. If this servant had been the one to harm someone, Gu Han would have surely noticed something was wrong earlier.
Why would she have let herself be injured so severely?
Zhou Měirén's muttering was neither loud nor soft, just enough for people in the hall to hear clearly. The Empress inconspicuously twitched the corner of her mouth. She glanced at Zhou Měirén. This Zhou Měirén usually feared no one and said whatever she thought. Today she actually knew to restrain herself somewhat.
Though she hadn't restrained herself much.
That young palace maid ultimately wasn't dragged into the Cautionary Punishment Bureau. Having escaped disaster, her entire body went limp on the ground. She kowtowed fiercely toward the high platform, toward Zhou Měirén, and toward the direction inside the hall, kowtowing until her scalp bled.
After those two palace maids were dragged away, the hall quieted down. Everyone knew that today, no results would be found.
Lu Yu directly stood up. The others also immediately stood. Then they heard their Emperor suddenly say:
"Gu Měirén has merit in protecting the imperial heir. Promote her to the rank of Pin."
Translator's Note: Imperial Concubine (嫔 Pín)— Junior Rank 4
A cold, clear sentence without much emotion, yet it immediately drew everyone's attention. Even the Empress's expression changed slightly, but their willful Emperor didn't even glance at them, ordering Liu An:
"Assign a few more people to carefully escort your Gu Pin mistress back to Changchun Pavilion."
For a moment, some people's eyes turned red with jealousy, wishing they could return to an hour ago to suffer in Gu Han's place.
If suffering some injuries could earn the Emperor's regard and a promotion in rank, who wouldn't want that?
****
When she woke again, Gu Han was already back at Changchun Pavilion.
Outside, the sky was bright. Gu Han moved slightly, and a sharp pain came from the back of her head. Gu Han sucked in a cold breath. Yesterday's memories immediately returned, and her eyes became completely alert.
The sound carried out. Someone immediately lifted the bed curtain. Jiu Nian said joyfully:
"Mistress is awake?"
Gu Han paused, carefully examining Jiu Nian, somewhat puzzled. She had just been injured yesterday, how could Jiu Nian have a smile on her face?
However, the next moment, Gu Han learned where Jiu Nian's joy came from:
"Yesterday His Majesty issued a decree promoting Mistress's rank. Mistress is now at the Pin rank! Just now Cining Palace sent many rewards. This servant looked, many are precious medicinal materials, all usable by Mistress."
Obviously, this reward was given with care, not just a perfunctory command.
Gu Han froze for a moment before coming to her senses. Her almond eyes brightened slightly. The gloom from yesterday upon hearing she needed to recuperate for three months immediately vanished like smoke.
In this dynasty, third rank could be called Niangniang, commanding a palace's primary position. Only third rank could raise imperial heirs. If pregnant but of insufficient rank, any children born would be handed to a primary palace position to raise. If there was no primary position in the palace, they would also be raised by other Niangniangs of third rank or above.
Although the Pin rank was only fourth rank, still separated from third-rank Xiuyi by the rank of Guipin, after entering the palace, they all knew how stingy the current Emperor was with ranks. In the previous emperor's time, selected concubines who entered the palace basically only needed to attend the Emperor's bed and earn his favor to possibly be promoted.
Gu Han had been promoted twice, once after suffering a grievance, this time for protecting an imperial heir. Even though there were reasons, in others' eyes it still seemed too fast.
Consort Shu, so favored, had only been promoted one rank in three years. Miao Měirén was pregnant, yet the Emperor showed no sign of promoting her. This showed how stingy the Emperor was with ranks. In other words, they finally knew, Gu Han had caught the Emperor's eye.
Fortunately, Gu Han couldn't attend the Emperor's bed for at least three months. This allowed some people to restrain themselves.
Only then did Jiu Nian say:
"So that's what His Majesty meant yesterday when he told Mistress to rest easy and recover."
Knowing Mistress was in no danger to her life, plus the joy of promotion, Jiu Nian's words couldn't help but carry some teasing. With other palace servants still in the hall, Gu Han's cheeks suddenly flushed, as if brushed with the finest rouge. She barely lowered her eyes, saying softly:
"Don't talk nonsense."
Although Gu Han was happy about her promotion, she hadn't forgotten her injuries. After coming to her senses, she had the other palace servants withdraw. Supported to sit up against the headboard, she inquired carefully about yesterday's aftermath.
Upon learning what the Emperor had said to Miao Měirén, Gu Han was directly somewhat dumbfounded.
She had thought that Miao Měirén, having just suffered a fright, should receive the Emperor's extra tender care. Gu Han couldn't help pulling at the corner of her mouth. Their Emperor truly didn't play by conventional rules.
However, Gu Han covered her mouth and giggled. Undeniably, learning of Miao Měirén's setback in that instant gave her a moment of pleasure.
Even though saving Miao Měirén wasn't her original intention, it was indeed a fact. Yet she received no gratitude, and that servant called Xia Qiao even wanted to file a complaint against Jiu Nian before the Emperor. Gu Han's dislike for Miao Měirén immediately increased by thirty percent.
*****
In Kunning Palace.
Muxiu attended the Empress during her meal. Today Gu Pin hadn't come to pay respects, but during the morning greetings the topic kept circling back to her. Some were jealous, but since entering the palace, Gu Pin hadn't made enemies with anyone. Only one He Xiuyi, and that was because she had suffered a grievance.
Add to that her having just saved an imperial heir, she was a favorite before both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. They couldn't gossip about her and could only make a few sour remarks.
The Empress only ate two bites before putting down her chopsticks. Muxiu frowned:
"Niangniang barely ate any breakfast either."
The Empress raised her hand to interrupt her, having palace servants clear away the food. She led Muxiu to walk in Kunning Palace's courtyard. The Empress looked up at the luxuriantly blooming peonies outside the hall. An oil-paper umbrella blocked the light, also concealing her expression:
"It has been a long time since I have heard news of imperial concubines being promoted."
Consort Shu was favored, the Emperor spent half his time in the harem at Yi'an Palace. The other consorts' favor was mediocre. Forget about promotions, for some of them, the Emperor probably couldn't even remember their names or faces.
Muxiu was silenced. After a long while, she said against her conscience: "It was only by chance that she protected the imperial heir."
The Empress tucked a strand of hair hanging by her cheek behind her ear, then suddenly stepped down from the covered walkway. Muxiu hurriedly followed with the umbrella. The Empress stopped before a peony. Unlike the other peonies nearby, this one was thoroughly and brilliantly red, particularly eye-catching.
The Empress curved a gentle smile and said:
"Throughout the harem's history, there have been pregnant concubines, but regardless of who, all like Miao Měirén have never received the Emperor's decree for promotion. Therefore, Gu Pin appears all the more special."
Muxiu didn't understand the Empress' meaning and looked up at her questioningly.
The next moment, she saw the Empress pick up nearby scissors and cut off that distinctive peony. The flower fell into the mud. Muxiu's breathing paused, but then she saw the Empress bend down and pick up the flower that had fallen into the mud.
Muxiu heard Niangniang's smiling voice: "I like this flower."
Muxiu lowered her head. She thought—if you like it, why not pick it up directly when cutting it? Why wait until the flower was stained with mud before picking it up?
*
Gu Han had Xiao Fangzi keep watch on the case's progress. The person behind this had struck too quickly and viciously, even somewhat recklessly. After all, yesterday was a state banquet, yet that person dared to act, completely unafraid of damaging the imperial family's reputation or the Emperor's fury.
Having such a person hidden in the shadows made Gu Han feel somewhat uneasy.
But before three days had passed, Xiao Fangzi entered the hall with a stern face. Under Gu Han's gaze, he shook his head:
"Dead. Both palace maids died in the Cautionary Punishment Bureau."
Gu Han's hand holding the medicine bowl trembled slightly. Medicine spilled on her sleeve. Gu Han looked up, her delicate brows tightly furrowed: "When did this happen?"
"Last night. After the shift change at the Cautionary Punishment Bureau, those on duty in the latter half of the night went and discovered those two palace maids had stopped breathing. Not daring to delay, they reported it first thing this morning."
Xiao Fangzi's expression was very ugly. The person behind this was too bold, directly silencing witnesses.
Without witness testimony, the trail naturally went cold.
Gu Han also became serious. She put down the medicine bowl and said in a low voice: "This makes me suspect her even more."
How many people in the palace could have such means?
Xiao Fangzi exchanged a glance with her, roughly guessing whom she meant. Xiao Fangzi's expression changed somewhat. Finally, he lowered his voice: "Whether it's her or not, the trail is broken. As long as it can't be traced to her, there's absolutely nothing that can be done to her."
Xiao Fangzi wasn't without resentment toward that person. Under his watch, Mistress had been injured twice! And both times were possibly related to that person. How could Xiao Fangzi not be angry?
Xiao Fangzi paused, stole a glance at Mistress, then said quietly:
"The young master asked this servant to relay a message to Mistress."
Gu Han's expression suddenly changed. She turned to stare intently at Xiao Fangzi. Xiao Fangzi was looked at until cold sweat nearly fell. He didn't dare move, only asking puzzledly: "Why is Mistress looking at me like this?"
Gu Han was expressionless: "Are you certain it was Xie Ang'an who asked you to relay a message to me?"
Xiao Fangzi nodded, not understanding:
""When this servant went to the Zhongsheng Hall to collect rations today, the young master told me personally."
Xiao Fangzi discovered that after his words fell, Mistress's expression grew even worse. Xiao Fangzi immediately felt somewhat uneasy.
Gu Han gave Jiu Nian a look. Soon Jiu Nian silently withdrew. The lattice window was opened slightly. Through it, Xiao Fangzi could see Jiu Nian standing guard in the covered walkway. Xiao Fangzi immediately understood, Mistress feared walls had ears and wanted Jiu Nian to keep watch outside to feel secure.
Gu Han didn't know what Xiao Fangzi was thinking, but Gu Han was very clear that unless it was something very important, Xie Ang'an wouldn't possibly contact her.
Gu Han knew Xie Ang'an was in the Zhongsheng Hall but didn't see him. Xie Ang'an was the same. If possible, it was best not to contact each other, knowing each other was safe was enough. This was their tacitly understood agreement.
Seeing Mistress's reaction, Xiao Fangzi also became much more cautious. He lowered his voice:
"The young master said Mistress should beware of the Empress."
In that instant, Gu Han looked up in shock.
Regarding the Mid-Autumn incident, Gu Han had sensed it was Consort De's doing. But why was Xie Ang'an telling her to beware of the Empress?
Xie Ang'an's single statement immediately threw Gu Han's thoughts into complete chaos. The Mid-Autumn banquet was overseen by the Empress and Consort De. Consort De could be the culprit. By the same logic, it would be even easier for the Empress to harm Miao Měirén.
But Gu Han felt that regarding the imperial heir in Miao Měirén's womb, even if the Empress didn't welcome it, she absolutely wouldn't frame her.
The Empress wouldn't like other concubines being pregnant, this was certain. But it was also relative. With only Consort De having a son in the harem, no matter how much the Empress disliked it, she wouldn't allow the harem to remain without issue.
If unrelated to the Mid-Autumn incident, then why would Xie Ang'an break their tacit agreement to send her a message at this time?
Suddenly, Gu Han seemed to think of something. Her expression changed drastically:
"Have Jiu Nian come in!"
Jiu Nian hurried in. All three people in the hall looked at Gu Han uncomprehendingly. Gu Han only said coldly:
"From now on, anything I consume, from procurement to use, can only pass through you two's hands."
She trusted no one else.
Jiu Nian understood her and quickly heard the implication. Her expression was very bad: "Does Mistress suspect we have a traitor in our palace?"
Gu Han rubbed her forehead. She turned to look at Xiao Fangzi:
"The two of them will attend inside the hall, but outside, I'm entrusting it to you."
Xiao Fangzi immediately nodded seriously.
Even after giving these orders, Gu Han still felt somewhat uneasy. For Xie Ang'an to warn her with these words, unrelated to the Mid-Autumn incident, meant nothing other than the Empress was about to move against her.
She couldn't leave the palace. Matters outside Changchun Pavilion had nothing to do with her. The Empress could only reach into her Changchun Pavilion.
Gu Han frowned and had Jiu Nian and Jiu Si carefully examine all the items the Empress had once rewarded from the storeroom, ensuring nothing was amiss. After checking everything and finding no problems, Jiu Nian comforted Gu Han:
"Mistress has given orders. With us on guard, surely nothing will go wrong. Mistress, please rest quickly."
Gu Han was silenced. Jiu Nian made sense, but what made Gu Han wary was that when Consort De had instructed Liu Bǎolín to harm her, and Zhongsheng Hall and Imperial Kitchen treated Suiyue Palace differently, she didn't believe Xie Ang'an wouldn't know.
Yet even in that situation, Xie Ang'an had never tipped her off.
If this time it was so easy to Prevent, Xie Ang'an wouldn't have risked having Xiao Fangzi relay a message.
Gu Han's heart kept sinking, what exactly did the Empress want to do?
No matter how much Gu Han thought, she couldn't figure it out. She could only keep this matter in her heart. But one thing greatly surprised her, she had thought that with the trail broken, the Mid-Autumn incident could only be left unresolved.
But the Emperor clearly didn't think so. Anyone on duty at the Cautionary Punishment Bureau that night was investigated. Even those who had approached the Cautionary Punishment Bureau that day were detained. Clearly, the Emperor wouldn't rest until he uncovered the truth.
For a time, everyone in the harem was in danger. It was extraordinarily quiet.
Under severe torture, there was always someone who couldn't hold out.
That night, the darkness was so thick it nearly couldn't dissolve. The crescent moon was partially obscured by dark clouds. Xianleng Palace was attending the Emperor's bed tonight, but the hall was extraordinarily quiet.
Consort De looked at the Emperor who, since entering, had been sitting in his seat with lowered eyes in calm silence. Feeling somewhat uneasy, she spoke first, a gentle smile on her face: "Has Your Majesty had dinner? The small kitchen has stewed pigeon and quail soup. Would Your Majesty like a bowl?"
Lu Yu set down the cup in his hand: "No need."
Consort De sensed something was wrong. Her heart skipped slightly. Her expression remained normal, only somewhat downcast. She quickly adjusted and still smiled: "Feng'er should be doing his lessons at this time. Would Your Majesty like to go see?"
As the words fell, Consort De felt the atmosphere in the hall seemed to freeze somewhat. Her heart darkened with foreboding. Just now sensing something wrong, she had instinctively brought up Lu Mingfeng. But when the Emperor's expression became indifferent, she realized she might have done something foolish.
Consort De furrowed her brows. The smile on her face gradually became innocent and confused:
"Why is Your Majesty looking at your concubine this way? Has your concubine done something wrong?"
Lu Yu lifted his eyelids to look at Consort De. Until she could no longer maintain the emotion on her face and it became strained, Lu Yu had always known Consort De wasn't smart. Not only stupid, but also vicious.
When the previous emperor was alive, he needed an heir to compete for succession. Coincidentally, Consort De had very good luck, she became pregnant at that time.
To protect this pregnancy, Lu Yu deliberately elevated Consort Shu to attract the Empress's and other consorts' attention.
He made Consort De a Consort for two reasons: one was the imperial heir, two was her maternal clan. Who told Consort De to have good fate, she was born into the Chen family. For him to ascend the throne as Emperor, the Chen family had exerted considerable effort. Merit from supporting the dragon, Lu Yu didn't want to let the Chen family's influence in court grow wantonly, so naturally he bestowed this reward upon Consort De.
Lu Mingfeng was his eldest son. Lu Yu naturally valued him. But this didn't mean Consort De could rely on this to do as she pleased.
Under Consort De's increasingly unnatural expression, Lu Yu only asked calmly:
"Two days ago, where was Shunlin from your palace?”
Consort De's face suddenly paled for an instant. She opened her mouth wanting to explain, but the moment she met the Emperor's eyes, Consort De understood, no matter how she defended herself, the Emperor wouldn't believe her words.
With a thud, Consort De knelt on the ground. She wept heartbrokenly:
"Your concubine was momentarily confused. I beg Your Majesty to forgive your concubine this once!"
"Confused?" Lu Yu savored this word playfully, but the coldness in his words seemed bone-chilling.
Consort De shuddered with cold. She covered her face and wept bitterly: "Your concubine was only afraid that if she bore a child, it would make Your Majesty neglect Feng'er. That's why I momentarily lost my senses. Your concubine knows her error."
Hearing her still using Lu Mingfeng as an excuse, Lu Yu suddenly felt a wave of disgust. He scoffed: "Plotting to harm Miao Měirén was for Feng'er's sake. Then repeatedly targeting Gu Měirén, what was that for?"
Consort De looked up in shock. She seemed to want to defend herself, but Lu Yu was impatient to listen.
Lu Yu stood up, looking at Consort De unhurriedly: "I am unwilling for Feng'er's birth mother to bear any crime. You also rely on this point, daring to be so unscrupulous."
The woman kneeling on the ground was obviously flustered and afraid. Lu Yu was very puzzled:
"I said I would thoroughly investigate. Where did you get the audacity to act in the Cautionary Punishment Bureau?"
Consort De kept saying she was momentarily confused, she had realized her error. But her gaze occasionally looked outside. Lu Yu knew whom she was waiting for.
The eldest prince's birth mother couldn't have crimes on her record, but there were many ways to punish Consort De.
Lu Yu didn't want to waste more time:
"Consort De was unseemly before the Emperor. Strip her title. Confine her to reflect for one month."
Consort De was shocked. She had entered the palace as Consort De. Now with her title stripped, she was even one rank lower than that wretch Consort Shu. Consort De had always been proud and arrogant, how could she endure this?
But Lu Yu's words weren't finished: "All servants of Xianleng Palace, send them to the Cautionary Punishment Bureau. Shunlin—execute."
After a pause, Lu Yu glanced at Consort De, his expression so indifferent it was nearly apathetic:
"Send the First Prince to the Princes' Residence."
This last light, floating statement was the final straw that crushed Consort De. She froze completely in place. As Lu Yu was about to leave, Consort De finally reacted, rushing forward to embrace Lu Yu's legs, weeping and pleading:
"Your Majesty! Your concubine truly knows her mistake! I beg you not to take Feng'er away!"
"Your Majesty! I beg you! Your Majesty! Feng'er is still young, he cannot be without your concubine!"
Lu Yu kicked away her hands. His brows carried a barely perceptible trace of callousness:
"Whether it's him who cannot be without you, or you who cannot be without him, you know best in your heart."
Author's Note:
Lu Yu: How dare you?
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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