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Translator's note: Finally there are advance chapters availaible on Kofi
Chapter 114
Mu Qiu's death failed to cause even the slightest ripple in the harem. Only some people felt rather wistful. Mu Qiu had followed by the Empress's side for so many years in the palace, everyone who saw her had to be courteous. She had been more glorious than many consorts, yet now she'd come to such an end.
When Lu Yu learned the news, especially that the Empress wanted to give her a grand burial, he nodded indifferently.
He detested Mu Qiu, mostly due to transferred anger toward the Empress, but the person was already dead. He wouldn't dwell on it. No matter how grand the burial, it was merely posthumous honor.
Lu Yu's brush-holding hand paused:
"What is Zhao Xiūróng doing?"
Since Yihe Palace gave birth, Liu An had taken Zhao Xiūróng to heart respectfully. Any slight disturbance would be reported. He immediately replied: "Her Ladyship has recently been somewhat suffering."
Liu An was awkward. Lu Yu glanced at him and immediately understood somewhat helplessly.
He put down his brush, stood up, and nodded:
"To Yihe Palace."
Half a month had passed since Zhao Xiūróng gave birth to the twins. The palace had gradually returned to liveliness. In November, frost hung on tree branches. When Noble Lady Yao rushed out wearing thin palace robes, Lu Yu was startled. The palanquin was forced to stop.
Liu An couldn't help scolding: "Noble Lady, please slow down. What if you collide with His Majesty?"
Noble Lady Yao was impatient to hear his chattering. She poked her head toward the palanquin, calling out sweetly and loudly: "Your Majesty!"
Lu Yu frowned. He lifted the embroidered curtain, saying coldly:
"What is it?"
His indifferent attitude left Noble Lady Yao quite puzzled. She pursed her lips aggrievedly but quickly perked up, her eyes curving in a smile. She was like an extremely vivid begonia flower, making one look and desire her. She heard herself coquettishly wheedling: "I haven't seen Your Majesty in so long. I miss you terribly, which is why I stopped Your Majesty's palanquin."
She opened a pair of bright eyes, boldly and ardently looking at Lu Yu:
"I've prepared a noon meal in my palace. Would Your Majesty return with me to enjoy it together?"
She wasn't like capital women, reserved and coy. She expressed her affection for Lu Yu directly and ardently, easily generating vanity and self-important elation in others.
This kind of gaze—Lu Yu also found it pleasing, but he hadn't forgotten why he'd come to the harem today. He shook his head:
"I still have matters to attend to. I'll visit you in a few days."
Immediately, Noble Lady Yao drooped her head dejectedly.
Lu Yu didn't waste time with her here. He gave Liu An a look. The palanquin was lifted again. Noble Lady Yao was forced to make way, holding her breath. Looking at the direction the palanquin departed, she said through gritted teeth:
"Zhao Xiūróng again!"
These days, just hearing the words Yihe Palace and Zhao Xiūróng made her sick of them. The entire palace discussed them. Even though the Emperor kept her in his heart, in half a month he'd only come to the harem a few times, all going to Yihe Palace. It was truly unbearable to watch!
Noble Lady Yao twisted her handkerchief, looking resentfully at the departing palanquin.
******
As soon as Lu Yu stepped into Yihe Palace, he was greeted by crying that made his head buzz. Upon entering the hall, he saw the woman flustered, looking at two swaddling bundles. The hall had heated floors—it wasn't cold at all. The two bundles were placed in cradles.
He saw the woman hear the commotion and look up. Upon seeing him, her almond eyes immediately brightened, seeming to hold some stars. Before Lu Yu could react, concerned words had already left his mouth:
"What's wrong?"
This question was essentially pointless. Lu Yu felt somewhat uncomfortable. He lowered his eyes to look and saw the young prince crying at the top of his lungs, his little face flushed red, making one fear he'd cry himself into convulsions.
Unable to bear the disturbance, Gu Han held the young prince in her arms, gently coaxing him for a few sentences. When he gradually quieted down, she looked wearily at Lu Yu, complaining softly:
"Ze'er doesn't know why, but he cries incessantly whenever he leaves me, even making An'er cry along with him."
Ze'er was the pet name Gu Han gave the young prince. "Ze" had always carried the meaning of nourishing all things, while the young princess took the character "An" from her title, and after half a month of use, everyone had grown accustomed to it.
When An'er cried, it was different from Ze'er. She closed her eyes, clenched her small fists, and whimpered softly like a newborn kitten, making one's heart ache without knowing what to do.
Lu Yu pinched Ze'er's hand before bending down to pick up An'er. He gently patted An'er's back, his movements very practiced. In recent days, when Gu Han was recovering and couldn't move about, whenever the two imperial children cried, he had to personally coax them.
The two little ones were shy with strangers. No matter how the nannies coaxed them, they wouldn't settle. Lu Yu and Gu Han could only tire themselves.
An'er was very obedient. After being coaxed a few times, she quietly fell asleep. Ze'er's eyes were still rolling around. Lu Yu's mouth twitched as he couldn't help saying:
"Just a palm-sized infant, yet more troublesome than anyone. I wonder who he takes after."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Lu Yu inwardly groaned. Sure enough, when he looked up, he saw the woman glaring at him indignantly:
"Your Majesty is right. I was well-behaved since childhood. I don't know who Ze'er takes after."
Gu Han was in postpartum confinement and absolutely couldn't exert herself. After holding Ze'er for a few moments, the swaddling was taken over by Lu Yu. Fortunately, Ze'er also recognized his scent. His little mouth pouted but ultimately didn't cry.
Gu Han breathed a sigh of relief. She pressed her brow with some headache. At this time, a physician entered to check her pulse, frowned, and said:
"Your Ladyship must rest more during this period. If you develop ailments during confinement, it will be difficult in the future."
Gu Han was only eighteen years old and only partially understood these matters. She hadn't expected it to be so serious and was momentarily stunned. Lu Yu also frowned tightly:
"What must she pay attention to?"
"She must not use cold water and must worry less."
The physician glanced meaningfully at the two imperial children. Mental exhaustion during confinement was very difficult to recover from.
Gu Han was momentarily speechless. As a mother, how could she possibly throw the two children aside when they were crying?
Lu Yu wanted to tell Gu Han to save herself some worry and hand the imperial children to the nannies, but on second thought, if the nannies were useful, Gu Han wouldn't be so exhausted. For a moment, he felt it was difficult to handle. Finally, he made the final decision:
"I will take Ze'er back to Yangxin Hall."
Gu Han's eyes widened. Instinctively, she was about to take the swaddling back. Seeing this, Lu Yu wanted to hold her down and not let her move, but holding the young prince in his arms made it awkward. He could only scold:
"Don't move!"
Only then did Gu Han come to her senses, but she still bit her lip tightly.
Lu Yu originally didn't think it was anything, but seeing her worried appearance, he immediately became irritated:
"What are you afraid of? It's not like I won't return him to you."
If he weren't worried she wouldn't recover well during confinement, why would he take the young prince back to Yangxin Hall?
"After Ze'er's full-month celebration, I'll bring him back."
Said lightly, but suddenly separated from her own child, how could Gu Han not worry?
She twisted her handkerchief, glancing at Lu Yu, saying softly:
"Your Majesty will surely enter the harem during this period. Keeping the young prince at Yangxin Hall will be very inconvenient. It's better if I worry more."
Lu Yu was made somewhat uncomfortable by her words. After a long while, he pressed his brow helplessly:
"He is my own son. I won't leave him alone and unattended. I promise you, before returning Ze'er to you, I won't enter the harem!"
Gu Han looked up at him in shock.
After Lu Yu said these words, he didn't feel it was anything. Her confinement had only half a month remaining. Not entering the harem for half a month was completely insignificant to him.
Gu Han could only agree, but when Lu Yu left carrying the young prince, Gu Han's gaze remained reluctantly fixed on him, as if she wanted to get out of bed and chase after them.
After leaving Yihe Palace, Lu Yu lowered his eyes to look at the swaddling in his arms. The young prince slept sweetly. He covered the swaddling with his cloak, not letting any cold wind blow in.
Thinking of the woman's behavior just now, Lu Yu was somewhat irritated:
"Normally she's never this reluctant to part with me."
Liu An smiled awkwardly without speaking. The Emperor really had no sense—actually competing with the young prince for comparison.
In Yihe Palace, because the young princess was obedient, Gu Han had Nanny Zhao follow the Emperor. The hall was completely quiet. Gu Han lowered her eyes to look at the swaddling. After a long while, she finally exhaled deeply.
Jiu Nian tucked in the corner of her quilt: "Your Ladyship can rest assured. With His Majesty present, the young prince will be fine."
Gu Han's eyelids drooped listlessly:
"I know."
If something happened to the young prince right under the Emperor's nose, then there was no safe place in this palace.
After a long while, Gu Han said quietly: "I just don't know if doing this is right..."
Her voice was very soft, almost dispersing as soon as it left her mouth. Jiu Nian was very close to her and only then heard these words. She immediately turned to look around, confirming no one was nearby before Jiu Nian said:
"Your Ladyship's painstaking efforts are all for the young prince's good. This servant knows."
With the eldest prince ahead and the legitimate son about to be born, even though the young prince now carried the auspicious name of dragon and phoenix twins, he still couldn't be more important than these two.
Her Ladyship could only plan for the young prince as much as possible. She sent the young prince right under the Emperor's nose. Affection between people came from spending time together. A child personally raised would always be different from others.
Gu Han lay on the bed, eyes tightly closed. Her emotions were turbulent. Even though she knew this was good for the young prince, thinking that the young prince would be crying incessantly somewhere she didn't know made her heart rise to her throat.
After a long time, Gu Han finally opened her eyes. Her gaze fell on the young princess as she said softly:
"Tell those below to be more careful, especially the young princess's wet nurse. There must be no mistakes!"
The young prince had already been sent to the Emperor's side. Even if she was anxious, there was nothing she could do. She could only devote all her attention to the young princess.
The palace quickly learned the news that the Emperor had taken the young prince back to Yangxin Hall. Even the Empress Dowager couldn't help raising an eyebrow:
"It seems the Emperor has indeed developed some genuine feelings for her."
Otherwise, how could he feel such heartache for her?
Night gradually deepened. The darkness was so thick it could almost swallow the palace. Chonghui Palace was always quiet, but no one in the harem would ignore it. After all, the mistress here was Zhāoróng Ling.
A series of urgent, suppressed coughing came from the hall. The woman collapsed on the bed, her chronic illness dark and heavy, half-decadently covering her eyes. After a long time, she raised her head, her face completely bloodless. Fu Ling continuously patted and rubbed her back.
After recovering for a long while, Zhāoróng Ling said somewhat dazedly:
"Princess Feng'an truly enjoys supreme favor."
Chonghui Palace had a somewhat isolated feel, but it hadn't missed any news it should receive.
Only after a long time did Zhāoróng Ling pull at the corners of her lips, laughing mockingly: "Does she think that by sending this news for me to know, I will join forces with her against Zhao Xiūróng?"
Fu Ling looked at her with heartache.
Zhāoróng Ling said quietly:
"His Majesty's favor toward Princess Feng'an truly makes me envious, but I cannot prevent the birth of imperial heirs in the harem. Today there is Princess Feng'an, but in the future there may not be other princesses."
"She is the true thorn in my side!”
---
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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