THE IMPERIAL CONSORT'S RISE TO POWER - CHAPTER 61

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Chapter 61

Rong Bǎolín's interception of favor caused an uproar in the palace. The next day, when Gu Han encountered Concubine Zhou halfway, she saw her wearing a dark expression. Even upon seeing Gu Han, she didn't show the slightest smile.

After dismounting from the palanquin, Gu Han looked at her. Concubine Zhou only said one thing:

"Don't involve yourself in anything today."

Gu Han paused in surprise, suddenly looking up at her, somewhat unable to fathom what she intended to do. After a long moment, she managed to ask:

"What are you planning?"

Consort Zhou was furious, biting her lip: "Don't worry about it. After morning respects disperse, just leave directly. I know you two were close before. I won't make things difficult for you."

She'd always had a temper. Even consorts who outranked her, she sometimes dared to confront. Rong Bǎolín had actually dared intercept her favor, even though her feelings toward Cousin the Emperor were now complicated, she wouldn't allow others to slap her face like this!

During morning respects, Concubine Zhou wore a stony expression. Rong Bǎolín had also arrived early. She curtsied calmly and naturally, as if unaware of everyone's spectator gazes.

The Empress subtly raised her eyebrows, her gaze lingering on Rong for an extra moment, dark emotions flashing through her eyes. With no one complaining to her, she was happy to stay out of it.

After morning respects dispersed, Gu Han and Concubine Zhou left Kunning Palace together. Gu Han wanted to say something, but Concubine Zhou didn't want to hear it:

"If you care about me, go back to your palace now."

Gu Han didn't know what to say for a moment. She had guessed what Concubine Zhou intended to do. Zhou telling her to leave was actually for her own good, not wanting her caught in the middle. But this very thoughtfulness made Gu Han even more conflicted.

Concubine Zhou gave her a gentle push, urging: "Hurry up and go!"

Gu Han boarded her palanquin. As it was lifted, she raised the curtain to glance back. Rong Bǎolín was just emerging from Kunning Palace. Their gazes met in midair. Soon, the palanquin moved away from Kunning Palace and Gu Han couldn't see what happened behind her.

The moment their eyes crossed, somehow Gu Han felt uncomfortable. She frowned lightly, somewhat irritably raising her hand to her forehead.

She ultimately felt uneasy and instructed Little Fang:

"Go. Keep an eye on Concubine Zhou."

After pausing, Gu Han added hoarsely: "Don't let her suffer any losses."

Call her biased or hypocritical, today, Concubine Zhou's behavior, even feeling uncomfortable in her heart but suppressing her emotions to send Gu Han away first, just to avoid putting her in a difficult position, this thoughtfulness alone meant Gu Han simply couldn't stand by and do nothing.

On Gu Han's way back to Changchun Pavilion, Concubine Rong had already been stopped by Concubine Zhou.

Rong Bǎolín's delicate brows furrowed imperceptibly. She hadn't expected Concubine Zhou to directly block her way. After a slight pause, she composed herself and curtsied, her waist just half bent when suddenly she felt the hair at her temple caught by wind. Before she could react, her cheek burned with searing pain!

Rong Bǎolín cried out in pain and fell to the ground unprepared. She covered her cheek, looking up at Concubine Zhou in disbelief.

Consort Zhou sneered:

"Yesterday, is this how you blocked His Majesty before the palace?!"

Rong Bǎolín's hand in her sleeve gripped her handkerchief, veins bulging on the back of her hand. She endured the various injustices and hatred in her heart. Her delicate brows knitted slightly, and two lines of clear tears suddenly fell. She covered her face, crying:

"What is Concubine Zhou doing? Just because His Majesty went to this concubine's palace, Concubine Zhou humiliates this concubine like this?"

Concubine Zhou was thoroughly disgusted by her act. Rong Bǎolín was crying and trying to play innocent, but how could Concubine Zhou indulge her?

Concubine Zhou had confidence others lacked. She said with revulsion:

"I don't care if His Majesty went to your palace, but you dared block him when I was summoned for attendance, I won't let you off lightly!"

All the palace consorts could put on gentle, virtuous facades, but Concubine Zhou had long since reined in such thoughts. She truly wasn't afraid Cousin the Emperor would punish her. She called out directly:

"Don't you love dancing?! Someone! Break her legs! Let's see how she dances in the future!"

The moment her words fell, gasps rang out all around. Rong Bǎolín finally became frightened. She looked up at Concubine Zhou in terror:

"You can't do this!"

"This concubine has committed no wrong, and you have no authority over the six palaces. What right do you have to punish me like this?!"

"Using private punishment without authorization, you're violating palace rules!"

Concubine Zhou was actually laughed to anger: "You're using palace rules to pressure me?!"

She laughed a few times before her face went completely cold:

"Right, if not relying on palace rules, how would you dare be so presumptuous?!"

Seeing the surrounding palace servants intimidated by the words "palace rules," Rong Bǎolín's heart finally eased. Concubine Zhou looked at her coldly, then suddenly stepped forward and grabbed her to drag her away. The surrounding servants were shocked. When Rong Bǎolín tried to struggle free, concubine Zhou shouted angrily:

"What are you standing around for?! Help me!"

The servants didn't dare refuse. They stepped forward to restrain Rong Bǎolín. No one knew where Concubine Zhou intended to drag her.

All along the way, Rong Bǎolín's struggling cries for help rang out. Seeing Consort Zhou's posture, both hatred and fear filled Rong Bǎolín's heart. Her voice trembling with terror:

"Go find His Majesty! Go find the Empress! Quickly!"

As she spoke, she pushed at Concubine Zhou's hands, constantly struggling: "What are you doing?! Let me go!"

Concubine Zhou ignored her completely, dragging her directly to Vermillion Bird Lake. She grabbed Rong Bǎolín's hair, jade hairpins scattering everywhere, but no one cared about these things. Rong Bǎolín looked at her in horror, using hands and feet to retreat:

"You've gone mad!"

"Let me go! Let me go!"

The surrounding palace servants' hands were shaking, not knowing whether to help pull them apart or continue helping Concubine Zhou restrain Rong Bǎolín. Seeing signs of Rong Bǎolín breaking free, concubine Zhou's eyes went red with fury:

"If you let her escape, I'll immediately tell Aunt to have you all thrown into the Punishment Office!"

These words directly cut off concubine Zhou's own retreat.

Rong Bǎolín was already crying with tears streaming down her face, utterly disheveled. Concubine Zhou sneered: "Weren't you very arrogant just now? I can't punish you? Tell me, if I drown you here today, will Cousin kill me for your sake?!"

Forget whether Cousin wanted to or not, with Aunt here, Cousin couldn't possibly do so!

Everyone around could see she was serious. Rong Bǎolín, barely in her teens, was already terrified, crying out in panic:

"You can't do this! His Majesty won't let you off!"

Seeing her still stubborn, especially glimpsing those familiar willow-leaf brows, Consort Zhou felt stifled and too lazy to waste more words. She directly grabbed her head and coldly pushed it toward the water!

Gasps rang out all around…

During this, Rong Bǎolín's arms flailed and struggled constantly, gurgling sounds rising from the water surface. After a moment, seeing her strength weakening, concubine Zhou pulled her up, gripping her face and asking:

"Do you know your wrongs now?!"

The suffocating sensation just now made Rong Bǎolín panic. She looked at Concubine Zhou in terror, thinking Zhou was simply a madwoman!

This was broad daylight, in front of everyone!

How dare she! How dare she treat her like this?!

Concubine Zhou's hand was covered in water. She released Rong Bǎolín in disgust. Seeing Rong Bǎolín's frightened appearance, she sneered coldly, too lazy to torment her personally anymore. She said:

"Throw her into the lake for me!"

Rong Bǎolín lost her voice in disbelief: "You've gone mad?!"

Concubine Zhou only looked at her coldly. Everyone could see her seriousness. Rong Bǎolín was finally afraid. Tears flowed freely as she said brokenly:

"This concubine... knows her wrong... I know I was wrong!"

Gu Han received the news when Concubine Zhou was about to drag Rong Bǎolín away. As soon as she got word, she immediately ordered the servants to turn back. Just arriving, she heard Concubine Zhou's words. Seeing the servants really about to throw Rong Bǎolín into the lake, her breathing caught:

"Stop!"

Everyone froze. Concubine Zhou turned to see her and immediately frowned imperceptibly. Rong Bǎolín immediately ran over crying, hugging Gu Han's legs, crying: "Sister, save me!"

Concubine Zhou found it disgusting to watch, but seeing Gu Han's disapproving gaze toward her, she pursed her lips with subtle grievance.

Rong Bǎolín had deliberately slapped her face, riding on her neck, she wasn't even allowed to fight back?!

Gu Han's hem was soaked. She lowered her eyes toward Rong Bǎolín, hair wet and disheveled, scattered messily over her body. If not for the exquisite palace robes, Gu Han would have mistaken her for a madwoman who escaped from the Cold Palace.

So disheveled Gu Han barely recognized her.

Standing opposite, Concubine Zhou stared at her with wide eyes, clearly still unabated in anger, standing off without wanting to speak to her. Beside her, Rong Bǎolín cried begging to be saved. Gu Han immediately felt overwhelmed. She raised her hand to her forehead, after a long while managing to say weakly:

"Concubine Zhou, what are you doing?"

Consort Zhou gripped her handkerchief, demanding angrily: "You're protecting her?!"

Clearly she was the one punishing someone, yet her gaze toward Gu Han was full of grievance. How could she not feel wronged?

If the person in her position today were Gu Han, she would absolutely stand on Gu Han's side without question!

Gu Han fell silent. Under Concubine Zhou's gaze, Gu Han knew she couldn't evade today. She lowered her eyes toward Rong Bǎolín:

"Let go first."

Rong Bǎolín seemed to sense something. She stared tearfully, shaking her head: "Sister…"

Gu Han's temples twitched. What kind of situation was this? His Majesty should be the one in her position. These two were making her seem like some heartless scoundrel.

Rong Bǎolín cried pitifully. Anyone could sense she was on the verge of collapse. Yet Gu Han still crouched down, meeting her eyes at the same level, calling her name in a remarkably calm voice:

"Rong Ling."

This was Rong Bǎolín's name. Since entering the palace, it had been long since anyone called her this.

Rong Bǎolín's throat choked painfully. Waves of emotion surged in her heart, more painful than the public humiliation Concubine Zhou had just inflicted. She gripped Gu Han's sleeve, crying and asking:

"...Sister, why..."

Why choose her?

Since entering the palace, they had been close. When Concubine Zhou had verbally humiliated her then, though Sister had defended her, she had never refused Zhou's approaches.

Between her and Concubine Zhou, aside from status, where exactly did she fall short?

Gu Han frowned, not quite understanding what Rong Bǎolín's question meant.

Gu Han understood concubine Zhou's temperament somewhat. The more compassion she showed Rong Bǎolín now, the angrier Concubine Zhou would become. If she didn't quickly placate Zhou, how could today's matter be easily resolved?

When Lu Yu and the Empress arrived at Vermillion Bird Bridge, they saw this scene: Rong Bǎolín clutching Gu Han, constantly crying and asking why, while over there Concubine Zhou wore an angry expression, also staring motionlessly at Gu Han.

The Empress glanced at him and suddenly said: "Imperial Concubine Zhao is truly likable."

Lu Yu's expression became somewhat strange for a moment.

After pausing, he ignored this strangeness. Upon clearly seeing Rong Bǎolín's wretched state and roughly guessing what had happened, Lu Yu's face immediately darkened:

"What is this commotion?!"

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**Author's Note:**

Lu Yu: ???

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Translator's note: guys please i am looking for a volunteer editor, chat me up on dis cord if you are interested.   Discord: d_ladypresident

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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