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Translator's note: Finally there are advance chapters availaible on Kofi
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son..." Today, we join together in remembrance of Jesus’ death on the cross and the profound sacrifice that changed the world forever. Have a blessed and reflective Easter season.
Chapter 77
Consort Shu observed the Emperor's expression. Upon seeing him furrow his brows, she immediately looked away, raising her hand to cover her lips as she said lightly:
"However, Zhāoróng Ling and Noble Lady Zhao have no grievances or enmity. She surely wouldn't deliberately harm Noble Lady Zhao."
The Empress glanced at her with a light sneer. She was the one who suggested inviting Noble Lady Ling, and now she was the one speaking in her defense, making herself a laughingstock.
The Empress said nothing and let the Emperor decide.
The embroidered curtain of the inner hall suddenly rustled. Everyone turned to look and saw Gu Han being helped out by palace servants. Before they could react, their Emperor frowned and strode forward in two steps to support her, scolding:
"What are you coming out for?"
Gu Han wanted to grasp his sleeve, but in front of everyone, it wasn't appropriate to reach out. She lowered her eyes slightly and said somewhat weakly: "Your Majesty is working so hard on my behalf. I wanted to come out and see."
See what?
Lu Yu's gaze flickered imperceptibly as it fell on the woman. But seeing her pale complexion, Lu Yu paused and ultimately said nothing. He personally helped her sit down before ordering in a deep voice:
"Send someone to Chonghui Palace to invite Zhāoróng Ling."
Gu Han sensed the Emperor's momentary change and couldn't help but feel her heart sink slightly. She originally hadn't planned to come out. It was only after hearing that the Empress and Consort Shu had suggested to the Emperor that Zhāoróng Ling be invited that she decided to appear.
She didn't deny her purpose, she simply wanted to meet this Zhāoróng Ling she'd only heard about.
The Empress and Consort Shu had always been mortal enemies in the harem, yet they'd unified their position on this matter. How could Gu Han not be curious?
When she came out, she'd also heard Consort Shu's words switching sides at the last moment. Gu Han lowered her eyes and pressed her lips tight. Since entering the palace, things had gone so smoothly, and the Emperor had always treated her with gentle favor, even though she repeatedly warned herself, it had made her somewhat forget herself.
This palace held three thousand beauties. The Emperor's tenderness had been given to who knows how many people. If she truly lost herself in it, she probably wouldn't even know how she died!
She seemed to really have just come out to look. She didn't even ask about the progress of the investigation. Her cheeks appeared increasingly pale in the candlelight. She half-reclined in Jiu Nian's arms, eyes lowered, not saying a word.
Lu Yu glanced at her, paused slightly, then glanced at her again.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the hall became somewhat strange.
Only the Empress's expression remained normal. She even asked after Gu Han's health: "What did the physician say? You still need to rest quietly. His Majesty assigned you Nanny Zhao. You're young, you should listen more to Nanny Zhao's advice in these matters."
Setting aside status, these words could be called heartfelt.
Adding status back in, Gu Han had to respectfully express her thanks:
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I just took medicine and it doesn't hurt anymore."
She said it didn't hurt anymore, yet there wasn't a trace of color in her cheeks, not a shred of convincing power.
Hearing this, Lu Yu had clearly thought earlier that Gu Han came out like the Empress and the others, just to pressure him into inviting Zhāoróng Ling. But now, his expression unchanged, he interjected:
"I can see your complexion is still terrible."
Gu Han fell silent again.
Lu Yu imperceptibly furrowed his brows. She'd been going back and forth with the Empress just fine, but the moment he spoke, she immediately went quiet?
Was she blaming him?
Lu Yu's expression grew somewhat more detached, making the atmosphere in the hall increasingly tense. Gu Han seemed unable to feel any of it and remained silent with lowered eyes.
Of course Gu Han sensed the Emperor's displeasure. Perhaps pregnancy had made her temperament more willful too, Gu Han felt too lazy to pay him attention. Today, it was she who had nearly been harmed.
If she were lying in the hall right now, truly in an uncertain condition, while Zhāoróng Ling clearly had suspicions against her, the Emperor was still hesitating—just imagining that scenario made Gu Han feel chilled. What mood would she be in to chat with the Emperor?
Ever since Gu Han entered the palace, the two who'd been accustomed to warmth both felt stifled. Lu Yu caught from the corner of his eye that the woman hadn't lifted her head once. His face completely cooled as he suddenly snapped:
"Where are they?!"
Liu An wished he could be far from here. He quickly bowed and reminded sheepishly: "Your Majesty, the person sent to notify Zhāoróng Ling just left."
He muttered inwardly, Noble Lady Zhao had nearly been harmed, why was the Emperor doing this?
He'd already ordered someone sent to fetch her, yet still put on this attitude making Noble Lady Zhao upset. When these two masters got into a tiff, Noble Lady Zhao was carrying an imperial heir, the Emperor definitely wouldn't bear to make things difficult for her. The unlucky ones would still be servants like them at the bottom!
With Liu An's reminder, Lu Yu choked up and immediately came to his senses, feeling somewhat absurd.
He was the Son of Heaven, why was he losing his temper with a consort?
Lu Yu rubbed his forehead, vaguely feeling a headache. He'd been so angered by Gu Han that he'd become muddled and lost his reason.
Everyone in the hall had been startled by him. Only Gu Han remained unmoved. Her stubbornness, of course, wasn't based on that ethereal imperial favor but entirely because she carried an imperial heir in her womb.
Gu Han had to admit, carrying an imperial heir was equivalent to holding a death exemption card.
No wonder Lady Yu had done such outrageous things while pregnant.
After who knows how long, very light, insubstantial footsteps came through the pouring rain. Everyone heard the sound and turned to look. Before seeing the person, they heard her voice.
A bout of violent coughing came through. The hall curtain was lifted as a person wrapped up tightly stepped inside. When the curtain dropped behind her, blocking the wind and rain, she finally recovered and looked up with furrowed brows.
Everyone in the hall paused.
How to put it? The newcomer stood at the front of the hall where the light was dim, but even so, no one could ignore her. Unlike Gu Han who inspired envy and amazement with a beautiful face and gentle bearing, Zhāoróng Ling gave people only two words, very emaciated.
The heavy cloak draped over her seemed about to crush her. Her shoulders and frame were too thin. She relied on a palace maid's support to move forward, making people wonder whether she could walk on her own without assistance.
As Zhāoróng Ling drew closer, everyone smelled a strong bitter medicinal scent and couldn't help raising their hands to cover their noses.
Beyond that, everyone finally saw her features. It had to be said, compared to people like Noble Lady Zhao and Consort Shu who left people amazed at first sight, Zhāoróng Ling's appearance left those who'd anticipated so long somewhat disappointed.
Someone tormented by illness for so long couldn't possibly maintain beautiful features. Moreover, Zhāoróng Ling's appearance could only be called modest beauty—delicate enough but lacking in glamour. Dragged down by illness, she appeared even more plain.
Just one thing, everyone felt somewhat surprised, always feeling Zhāoróng Ling gave them a sense of familiarity.
Seeing her, Consort Shu's lips curved from afar. Ya Luo couldn't help glancing at her.
Zhāoróng Ling came forward to pay respects. When her veil was removed and her face was fully revealed, that sense of familiarity grew stronger. Her voice was so soft it seemed almost insubstantial:
"This concubine greets Your Majesty and Her Majesty."
Gu Han stared at her blankly. The cup in her hand dropped with a crisp crash, startling Gu Han back to her senses. Zhāoróng Ling couldn't help but look up at her, an uncontrollable flash of amazement crossing her eyes.
She looked up, letting Gu Han see her full appearance more clearly.
Gu Han's breathing involuntarily grew heavier. Her fingers gripping the handkerchief turned somewhat white. Her entire face lost all color in just an instant.
Including Lu Yu, everyone was seeing Gu Han lose her composure like this for the first time.
It was also at this moment that everyone suddenly realized, no wonder they had felt Zhāoróng Ling was somewhat familiar. Unlike Rong Bǎolín's deliberate imitation, Zhāoróng Ling and Noble Lady Zhao truly had some similarity in their features, yet it was impossible to say where they differed.
Among everyone present, only Jiu Nian knew what was happening to her mistress. She worriedly supported her while looking at Zhāoróng Ling with equal shock and uncertainty.
Lu Yu immediately forgot he'd been annoyed at Gu Han's earlier coldness. He strode forward and immediately called out:
"Physician!"
Physician Zhuo hadn't left. He quickly came to check Gu Han's pulse. Throughout this, Gu Han kept staring at Zhāoróng Ling, completely disregarding how this behavior was somewhat disrespectful to those of higher rank.
Zhāoróng Ling also found it strange. She knew whose palace this was, and seeing the Emperor's manner, even without introduction, she guessed Gu Han's identity.
Precisely because she'd guessed, Zhāoróng Ling was puzzled, why was Noble Lady Zhao looking at her like this?
As for the sense of familiarity others felt, there was actually only a slight resemblance, not complete. This shouldn't be enough to make Noble Lady Zhao lose her composure like this.
Physician Zhuo quickly finished taking the pulse and bowed:
"In response to Your Majesty, Noble Lady Zhao was overly frightened. Her emotions are somewhat unstable, but there's no serious problem."
As Physician Zhuo spoke these words, he couldn't help feeling amazed inwardly. Noble Lady Zhao hadn't shown such emotional fluctuation even when she'd been in danger. What was so special about this Zhāoróng Ling that she could make Noble Lady Zhao react like this?
Lu Yu lowered his eyes to look at Gu Han. Thinking of something, his heart couldn't help but skip a beat, his expression growing somewhat strange.
Could Gu Han be thinking that the reason she'd received such continuous favor since entering the palace was because her features somewhat resembled Zhāoróng Ling?
Lu Yu rarely went to Chonghui Palace. He knew what the various consorts looked like but didn't deliberately memorize their appearances. With Gu Han, it had truly been amazement at first sight that led to contact. But if it were because of Zhāoróng Ling, that would be quite unjust.
It was only just now when Zhāoróng Ling entered and both were before his eyes that he'd suddenly noticed the similarity in their features.
Lu Yu furrowed his brows, about to say something, but catching sight of the surrounding consorts from the corner of his eye, he immediately held back the words about to leave his mouth. What kind of propriety would it be for him, the Son of Heaven, to explain to a consort in front of everyone?
If Gu Han knew what he was thinking, she would certainly be speechless for a moment.
Honestly, if it could get her promoted to high rank all the way, Gu Han wouldn't care at all why she was favored. She didn't have such deep feelings for the Emperor, so naturally wouldn't feel embarrassed.
Her loss of composure was entirely because Zhāoróng Ling greatly resembled someone from her memory.
—Her elder sister, Gu Tang.
Everyone in the harem knew Noble Lady Zhao was gentle. But only Gu Han knew—she wasn't like that at all. The one who should have been gentle, proper, and understanding was her elder sister.
When her elder sister died of illness, the new emperor ascended, the Xie household was condemned and exterminated, and the Marquis household was also implicated and met with disaster. Her parents washed their faces with tears, her brother became increasingly silent and reliable. As time passed, the way her family looked at her carried pity and guilt.
Gu Han had known then that she would enter the palace. She also knew what kind of manner would be most pleasing. She learned her elder sister's bearing, and after many years, finally became the legitimate daughter of the Marquis household praised by all.
How deeply had Gu Tang influenced Gu Han?
No one knew.
So no one would ever know what kind of tremendous waves surged in Gu Han's heart the moment she saw Zhāoróng Ling. In a trance, she seemed to see her elder sister's sickly face again on her deathbed, gripping her hand, tearfully apologizing over and over.
It was etched into her bones, unforgettable to this day.
Someone pressed down on her shoulder. Gu Han barely came back to herself, murmuring:
"...I'm fine."
---
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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