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Translator's note: Finally there are advance chapters availaible on Kofi
Chapter 110: A Deadly Calculation
A look of hesitation settled over Consort Shu’s face at just the right moment. Lu Yu raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly.
"What is it that troubles you so, my dear?"
He had known since he arrived that she wanted something from him, but seeing her finally play her hand made the tea in his mouth lose its flavor. He set the cup aside.
Consort Shu leaned into him, her voice a soft, melodic whine. "I truly didn't wish to trouble Your Majesty, but I find myself at a loss for how to handle a certain matter. Noble Lady Yao currently resides in Lingyan Pavilion. She is spirited and lively, which is usually a virtue, but the young Prince also lives in that same palace complex. Yè Xiūróng has complained to me more than once that the commotion from Lingyan Pavilion constantly startles the child. It takes them ages to soothe him back to sleep."
Lu Yu glanced at her, then looked away with a neutral expression.
In his heart, a seed of doubt had been planted ever since Consort Shu had intentionally placed Noble Lady Yao in the Quling Palace wing. Now, every time she brought up Noble Lady Yao’s living arrangements, Lu Yu couldn't help but suspect she was harboring ill will toward Gu Han—especially now, with Gu Han’s due date fast approaching.
His eyes chilled slightly. "The young Prince is frail; he certainly cannot be disturbed."
Consort Shu seemed oblivious to the shift in his mood. She looked at him coyly. "Then how does Your Majesty think we should handle this?"
To her surprise, Lu Yu threw the question back at her. "What do you think?"
She paused, subtly scanning his face for any hidden meaning. Seeing none, she ventured, "Since Noble Lady Yao and the young Prince are a poor match for the same palace, one of them must move. The Prince is weak, and it wouldn't be right for a primary consort to be uprooted. Therefore, I believe it best for Noble Lady Yao to relocate. What does Your Majesty think?"
Lu Yu nodded slightly, appearing to agree.
Consort Shu was pleasantly surprised by how easily he had relented. But before she could speak further, the Emperor added tonelessly:
"I think your Yi’an Palace is quite suitable. You have plenty of side wings; simply clear one out for her. She hails from YaoMo and knows little of our customs. With you there to instruct her, I shall be at ease."
Consort Shu’s expression froze. She had never expected to shoot herself in the foot so spectacularly. Why had she wanted Noble Lady Yao moved? Certainly not to have the girl brought right under her nose to serve as a daily headache!
Her palace had many wings, yes, but did Yihe Palace have any less? Yihe Palace was the largest in the inner court specifically because it was so far from the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Furthermore, the neighboring wing of Quling Palace had long been refurbished. It was clear the Emperor was going to great lengths to ensure no one disturbed Zhao Xiūróng
Yet, given the two reasons he had provided, her palace’s space and her "superior" ability to instruct—she had no way to refuse. Could she admit her palace was subpar, or that she was a poor teacher?
Her enthusiasm died instantly. Forcing a smile, she said, "Since Your Majesty trusts me, I shall certainly see to Noble Lady Yao’s education."
Lu Yu gave a noncommittal nod, his mind already elsewhere.
---
The next day, news that Noble Lady Yao was moving into a side wing of Yi’an Palace swept through the harem. Noble Lady Yao was stunned. "I was perfectly fine in Lingyan Pavilion! Why must I move?"
Though she had complained about it initially, her neighbor, Yè Xiūróng, was a woman who minded her own business, leaving Noble Lady Yao to do as she pleased. Now she was being sent to live under Consort Shu’s thumb, how could she have any freedom left?
Her maid answered timidly, "Mistress... this was a direct decree from the Emperor."
Noble Lady Yao fell silent. For the second time in two days, she was moved to tears by sheer frustration.
Both Consort Shu and Noble Lady Yao were left bitter by the move. Consort Shu knew exactly where the plan had gone wrong but couldn't say a word, while Noble Lady Yao blamed the entire ordeal on Consort Shu. After all, the Emperor had stayed the night at Yi’an Palace, and the decree came the very next morning. Who would believe Consort Shu wasn't behind it?
When the news reached Gu Han, she was genuinely taken aback. After a long moment, she frowned in confusion. "Has Consort Shu gone mad from the stress of palace affairs?"
No matter how difficult Noble Lady Yao was, she had the entire YaoMo kingdom behind her. She was a political hot potato; no one wanted that kind of trouble. That was why Gu Han had been so unwelcoming when Noble Lady Yao was first slated to move near her.
Yet Consort Shu had taken her in willingly? Gu Han’s eyes flickered. ‘Unless... Consort Shu offended the Emperor yesterday?’
But Gu Han was the only one who suspected the truth. Everyone else believed Consort Shu had personally requested the move to humiliate Noble Lady Yao. After all, Noble Lady Yao had been arrogant lately. Now that she was under Consort Shu’s roof, her fate was in Consort Shu’s hands.
---
As November arrived, Gu Han’s attention shifted entirely to her upcoming labor. Yihe Palace was prepared for every eventuality. Midwives and wet nurses were ready, along with a staff of over ten servants dedicated solely to the unborn heir. Nanny Zhao, who had cared for Gu Han throughout the pregnancy, was the anchor of the team.
As the due date neared, the atmosphere in the palace grew taut with tension. No one cared for petty gossip anymore; every eye was fixed on Gu Han.
Then, just days before she was expected to deliver, an incident occurred. A young eunuch from Kunning Palace accidentally drowned. Kunning Palace requested a replacement from the Palace Administration.
Normally, this would be a trivial matter. However, Manager Cheng of the Administration claimed the only available eunuch was in poor health and that sending a sickly servant to Kunning Palace would be an ill omen.
This excuse immediately piqued the harem's curiosity.
When Gu Han heard the news, the medicine bowl in her hand shattered against the floor. She surged to her feet, staring at her eunuch, Little Fangzi. "What did you say?!"
Little Fangzi’s face was twisted in misery. He hadn't wanted to tell her now, knowing the risk, but the news was spreading like wildfire. He felt that if he didn't tell her, she would find out from someone else right in the middle of her labor.
But he had underestimated the impact. The shock hit Gu Han like a physical blow. As she tried to stand, a searing, agonizing pain tore through her abdomen. Her face turned deathly pale, and her body began to collapse.
Her servants lunged forward, throwing themselves onto the floor to serve as a human cushion, preventing a disastrous fall.
Nanny Zhao’s face drained of color at the sight. "Get the midwives! Send for the Emperor! Now! What are you all standing there for? Get Her Ladyship into the delivery room!"
---
Outside the Imperial Study, Liu An saw a young servant running toward him in a panicked state. He frowned, ready to scold the boy for his lack of decorum, but the servant tripped and fell at his feet.
"The... My Lady! Her Ladyship’s labor has started! She's been taken to the delivery room!"
Liu An’s heart skipped a beat. He knew how much the Emperor doted on Zhao Xiūróng. Without a second's delay, he pushed open the doors to the study, ignoring the fact that the Emperor was in the middle of a meeting with his ministers.
Lu Yu frowned as Liu An burst in, but he knew the man wouldn't interrupt unless it was a dire emergency.
Liu An’s voice cracked with urgency. "Your Majesty, Zhao Xiūróng has been taken to the delivery room! Nanny Zhao has sent for you!"
With the Empress under house arrest, there was no one of high enough rank to oversee the situation and prevent any "accidents." Nanny Zhao needed the Emperor there to stabilize the palace.
Lu Yu’s expression transformed instantly. He stood up and strode toward the door, throwing a hurried command over his shoulder: "We shall resume another day."
In the blink of an eye, the Emperor was gone. The ministers left behind shared a look and immediately knew who was giving birth. They turned to one of their own—a young man in official robes whose eyes were veiled with deep worry.
"Congratulations, Lord Gu," they said, bowing. "Consort Zhao is about to bring a new life into the imperial family. Her blessings are truly profound."
Gu Yanju did not share their optimism. Ever since his sister became pregnant, their mother had constantly reminded him of the perils of childbirth, how it was like having one foot in the grave. His mind was entirely on his sister. He gave a curt nod and hurried away.
As the ministers filed out of the study, one whispered, "It seems the Marquis of Rongyang’s house will be flourishing for a long time to come."
One look at the Emperor’s frantic departure was enough to know exactly where Zhao Xiūróng stood in his heart.
---
Lu Yu arrived at Yihe Palace in record time. On the way, he had learned the cause of the sudden labor, and his face was terrifyingly dark. As he stepped into the courtyard, a sharp, pained scream echoed from the delivery room.
Lu Yu’s footsteps faltered. His first instinct was to rush inside, but Liu An lunged forward to block him. "Your Majesty! You mustn't! It’s forbidden!"
The intervention brought a sliver of logic back to Lu Yu. He turned and kicked Little Fangzi squarely in the chest. "You fool!"
The moment Liu An mentioned Kunning Palace trying to take a "sickly servant" from the Administration, Lu Yu had immediately thought of **Xie Chang’an**. He knew this was a calculated psychological blow aimed at Gu Han.
Previously, when An Bǎolín had tried to take Xie Chang’an, Gu Han had lost her composure so completely she had flouted palace rules to punish her.
Kunning Palace had only one goal today: to unsettle Gu Han. With her due date so close, any emotional shock was dangerous. And this fool of a servant, knowing it was a trap, had reported it anyway!
Lu Yu could guess why Little Fangzi had felt he had to tell her, but that didn't stop him from unleashing his fury on the boy.
---
---
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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