Chapter 14

Chapter 14

As soon as Bao-lin Jiang returned to Ganquan Palace, Consort Yu received the news. She cast a lazy, sidelong glance, a faint, ambiguous smile playing on her lips as she asked, "What happened?"

Ganquan Palace had originally been home only to her. Bao-lin Jiang had been assigned there following the most recent selection. Consort Yu knew perfectly well that Noble Consort Zhou had done this specifically to spite her. She had not appealed to the Emperor, for she knew Xu Yanheng would not slight Noble Consort Zhou over such a trivial matter. No matter how favored she was, there were boundaries she dared not cross.

At first, Bao-lin Jiang had been well-behaved. However, after Xu Yanheng visited Ganquan Palace several times without ever stepping foot into Jingqi Pavilion, she inevitably began to harbor other thoughts. After all, with the Emperor so close, she could hardly remain indifferent to being ignored. Later, Bao-lin Jiang suddenly moved up her time for paying respects and "coincidentally" encountered the imperial procession in front of the palace halls. That night, the lanterns in Jingqi Pavilion were lit as a matter of course.

Seeing that she had managed to coax the Emperor into touring the gardens with her today, she was clearly adept at winning his favor. Consort Yu had not expected that, less than half an hour after leaving, Bao-lin Jiang would return alone.

Shushan stepped forward to massage her shoulders. "I heard that as soon as she and the Emperor arrived at the Imperial Garden, they ran into Beauty Gu and Lady Chu."

"The Emperor invited Lady Chu to tour the lake. That woman lacked all sense and insisted on following them, only to end up humiliated."

The incident at Changyuan Lake had taken place in the presence of many palace attendants; it was no secret, and it was only natural that Shushan had heard of it. Shushan made no effort to hide her schadenfreude. In her eyes, Bao-lin Jiang’s favor was entirely borrowed from her own mistress’s prestige, and she naturally found the woman distasteful. She was also puzzled that her mistress, who was not known for her patience, had allowed Bao-lin Jiang to act so smug for these past few days. She voiced her confusion.

Consort Yu shot her a sharp look. "She had just caught the Emperor’s eye; why should I bother dealing with her?" Was she trying to make things difficult for Bao-lin Jiang, or for the Emperor himself? Bao-lin Jiang lived in Ganquan Palace; if she continued to be favored, so be it. But the moment she fell out of favor, putting her in her place would be a simple matter of a single word from her. Besides...

Consort Yu glanced in a certain direction. Noble Consort Zhou was determined to secure that position; how could she herself not have ambitions? At a time like this, she did not want the Emperor to think her incapable of tolerance.

Upon hearing this, Shushan tapped her own forehead, her face full of realization and chagrin. "My Lady is truly far-sighted."

Consort Yu curled her lips slightly, but the expression smoothed out just as quickly; her smile did not reach her eyes. "However, this Lady Chu is truly favored by the Emperor."

Lady Chu was the first of the new concubines to serve the Emperor. Even after being disrupted by her own palace, it hadn't stopped her from serving him. Now, a month later, she had assumed the Emperor had long forgotten her, yet today, one meeting was enough for her to ensnare him again. Clearly, Lady Chu had made a lasting impression. Bao-lin Jiang was not worth her attention, but Lady Chu was the exact opposite. With so many concubines in the palace, how many could truly leave a mark on the Emperor?

Shushan’s breath hitched. She cautiously suggested, "If you find her displeasing, My Lady, shall I go and make arrangements at the Bureau of Palace Affairs?"

There were ways to manipulate the selection of the imperial tablets. If Lady Chu’s tablet were kept in an inconspicuous place, she would eventually be ignored unless the Emperor truly kept her in mind. In time, the winds in the palace would shift, and by the time Lady Chu tried to regain his attention, who knew if the Emperor’s freshness would have waned?

Consort Yu was speechless. She rolled her eyes. "Did you not hear a word I just said?" If she didn't target Bao-lin Jiang but targeted Lady Chu, would that really make her seem more tolerant? Shushan was chided into silence, her face flushing with embarrassment as she lowered her head, not daring to offer any more suggestions.

Qinxin, who had been silent, could no longer hold back. She comforted her, "My Lady, do not be angry. That Lady Chu just happened to have good timing entering the palace at this moment. Once everything settles and you are free to act, it will not be too late to deal with her."

Qinxin truly felt that Lady Chu was lucky. By rights, she should have joined the selection two years ago, but the mourning period had caused her to miss the chance. At that time, the court’s pressure for an Empress had not been as urgent as it was now. Had Lady Chu entered then, her mistress would not have been so cautious and would never have given her the chance to rise. It seemed Lady Chu had indeed chosen a good time to enter the palace.

Consort Yu took this to heart and gave a cold laugh. "Noble Consort Zhou placed Bao-lin Jiang in Ganquan Palace just to see me throw a tantrum and make the Emperor disappointed in me. I will not give her the satisfaction! Let us wait and see—who will sit in that position is not yet decided!"

Qinxin looked at her mistress and felt relieved to see her rational, though she knew it was only temporary. After all, among the newcomers, no one stood out, and even Lady Chu had only served the Emperor once. If someone truly threatened her, her mistress would never sit idly by. But then, Qinxin reconsidered: the Emperor had been on the throne for years, and this was not his first selection. Who could truly threaten her mistress? When Noble Lady Yang was pregnant, because of her low status, there were many eyes on the heir in her womb. Not only Ganquan Palace, but the Zhaohua Palace and Cining Palace had also been involved, yet the Emperor had still entrusted the Second Prince to her mistress. Who could deny the Emperor’s deep favor toward her? Thinking of this, Qinxin felt at ease.

***

As soon as Chu Qingwan returned to Yuqiong Garden, she had Nongqiu send the lotus seed pods to the Imperial Kitchen. Yuqiong Garden did not have its own small kitchen—that was a privilege reserved for the mistress of a palace—but the Imperial Kitchen was always perceptive. Who did not know that the Emperor had accompanied Lady Chu on the lake today?

Nongqiu could not hide the smile on her face. "The Emperor specifically instructed the Imperial Kitchen to cook porridge with these lotus seeds. You must be very careful, Head Eunuch."

As she spoke, Nongqiu slipped a purse to Head Eunuch Yang of the Imperial Kitchen. Even without the bribe, Yang would not have dared to be careless, but having received it, he had to marvel that Lady Chu was indeed skilled at managing her subordinates. Seeing that Yuqiong Garden was currently in favor, her servants remained humble and composed.

Inside Yuqiong Garden, Songxia suggested, "My Lady, should you prepare yourself in advance?"

Chu Qingwan felt a tremor of apprehension at the memory of the first time. It had been her first experience, and Xu Yanheng had not been particularly gentle. She did not resist the act, but she could not say she particularly enjoyed it either. She shook her head. "The Emperor ordered the porridge; he will likely come to Yuqiong Garden for a meal tonight. It will not be too late to bathe then." It would save her from carrying the scent all day.

As the day waned and the light began to fade, the Imperial Kitchen kept the porridge simmering, waiting for the imperial carriage to move so they could deliver it immediately, fearing it might grow cold on the way. Watching the light outside, Chu Qingwan grew increasingly nervous. She let out a soft breath, checked her reflection in the bronze mirror to ensure nothing was amiss, and ordered, "Send someone to see if the Emperor is coming."

Nongqiu acknowledged the order and hurried out. She had not even reached the gates of Zhaoyang Palace when she caught sight of a flash of yellow and, startled, immediately turned back.

Seeing her return so quickly, Chu Qingwan was bewildered. "Back so soon?"

Nongqiu was out of breath from running. She pointed outside. "He is coming! He is coming! I saw the imperial procession heading toward Zhaoyang Palace."

Chu Qingwan sighed helplessly and asked Chichun to pour Nongqiu a cup of tea. "You should have been more careful. What if you had run into a noble?" If the Emperor saw her acting so recklessly, it would be no small crime. Hearing her mistress’s words, Nongqiu did not dare gulp down the tea for fear of choking. By the time she finished, there was still no sound from outside, and she couldn't help but feel puzzled. "Why aren't they here yet?"

At this, Chu Qingwan signaled to Chichun. She did not want to send Nongqiu again, fearing she might cause a scene before the Emperor. Chichun bowed and retreated. She returned just as quickly, but her expression was not good. Chu Qingwan frowned, her mood dimming.

"What happened?"

Chichun glanced at her mistress before whispering, "As soon as I left Yuqiong Garden, I saw Concubine Su speaking with the Emperor. It looked as if she had just returned from outside."

Returned from outside? Just now? Chu Qingwan did not know where Concubine Su had been, but she did not believe in coincidences. Since entering the palace, she had been summoned three times: once intercepted by Consort Yu, and now, even with the matter of the Second Prince, she could not afford to show any emotion. Now, Concubine Su was getting involved as well.

Chu Qingwan gave a sneering laugh. She looked at the bronze mirror, reached up, and pulled out a jade hairpin. A few strands of dark hair fell loose. Before Songxia could gasp, Chu Qingwan stood up.

"My Lady, what are you doing?"

Chu Qingwan did not look back. "Being made a fool of once is enough."

At Zhaoyang Palace, Xu Yanheng had just stepped down from his carriage when he happened to see Concubine Su returning. He was surprised. "Why have you returned so late?" In his memory, Concubine Su was always gentle and low-key, rarely doing anything out of the ordinary. With the palace gates about to be locked, it was indeed late for her to be out.

Concubine Su lowered her eyes, hesitant, before whispering, "I heard from the servants that the sweet-osmanthus trees in the Gui Garden were in bloom. I was so caught up in the flowers that I lost track of time."

Xu Yanheng looked at her, neither confirming nor denying his belief. Concubine Su seemed to realize the encounter was too coincidental. She lowered her head, her voice trailing off. "...Today is my birthday." No one remembered, so she had stayed out, unwilling to return to a cold, empty palace.

Xu Yanheng looked up, catching the implication.

It was at this moment that Chu Qingwan arrived. She came running, holding up her skirts as if in great anxiety. A lock of hair hung messily over her shoulder. She stopped abruptly at the entrance of Yuqiong Garden, clutching the doorframe tightly, biting her lip as she looked over. Her face and lips were pale, with only a slight, reddish flush around her eyes.

Xu Yanheng and Concubine Su both turned to look. Xu Yanheng’s gaze paused. Concubine Su also looked at the Emperor, but Xu Yanheng did not hesitate; he walked toward Chu Qingwan. The woman’s relief was visible.

"Why did you come out?"

It was not cold in the eighth month, yet her hands were icy.

Chu Qingwan’s voice was hoarse. "...I heard the Emperor was arriving..."

Xu Yanheng looked down at her. She must have heard more than that, otherwise she would not have run over in such a panic. Xu Yanheng did not say it out loud. He reached out to gently tuck the loose hair behind her ear, his tone calm. "What was the rush?"

The woman’s voice was muffled, heavy with the dampness of rain. "I was afraid... you would not come again."

Xu Yanheng suddenly realized that when she said "do not break your word a second time" that afternoon, she might not have been talking about Bao-lin Jiang. She was talking about the first day she entered the palace, when he had left her waiting alone all night.