Chapter 16: Consort Hua Would Not
Songzhi replied, “The new consorts entering the palace may well receive Imperial Favor in the future. The Empress will try to win them over, and we cannot show weakness either. Isn’t that right, Your Highness?”
Win them over?
Nian Shilan recalled Xia Dongchun’s words from her previous life: “No matter how generous Consort Hua’s gifts are, they can never compare to those from Her Majesty the Empress.”
Although Xia Dongchun had not managed to enter the palace this time, what she said might very well reflect the thoughts of others.
Nian Shilan let out a cold laugh. “Those who are meant to be This Consort’s people will come of their own accord without any need to win them over. Those who are not meant to be This Consort’s people will never come, no matter how much effort is expended. This is what they say: what is yours cannot escape, and what is not yours cannot be taken by force.”
“Even if we don’t win them over, we should still give them a warning to show Your Highness’s esteemed position.”
These silver taels and these items were all earned by Brother through life-and-death struggles on the battlefield. Should they be given away as warnings?
Giving them Zhang Hong would be more fitting.
Since being reborn, Nian Shilan had also wanted to learn from the Empress—to become a scheming villain who appears gentle and unperturbed by honor or disgrace on the surface. Yet, she simply couldn’t help herself.
She couldn’t help but say disdainfully, “This Consort is now Consort Hua, second only to the Empress in honor and status. There is no need to show off—they wouldn’t dare slight This Consort anyway.”
Songzhi had nothing more to say. “But Her Majesty the Empress will surely give gifts. Won’t all these people then become the Empress’s allies?”
What allies of the Empress? In the end, aren’t they all just dead people?
Nian Shilan smiled but did not comment.
“Let’s keep these things for ourselves. You and Zhou Ninghai can each have a new set of clothes made and pick a box of items you like. Give some rewards to everyone in the palace, and store the rest back in the treasury.”
Rather than benefiting those ungrateful people, it’s better to win over our own.
Jingren Palace.
Unlike last time, Nian Shilan was not as diligent. The affairs of the new consorts entering the palace still fell to Jingren Palace. The consorts from each palace returned to their respective quarters to rest, and only then did the Empress find some free time.
“Your Majesty has been busy for a long time today. Please have some of the newly-tribute honey tangerines.”
Huichun brought another plate of honey tangerines, and Jian Qiu immediately picked one up to peel for the Empress.
“It has been a while since I’ve been this busy,” the Empress sighed.
“Consort Hua has been granted the authority to Assist in Managing the Six Palaces, yet she’s becoming lazier and lazier. She doesn’t help Your Majesty with anything,” Huichun complained. “She does nothing but still picks the best for herself.”
“Your Majesty, look at these honey tangerines. There were originally some excellent pomelos, but they were taken by Consort Hua’s Songzhi.”
Seeing that the Empress didn’t seem to mind, Jian Qiu said, “Your Majesty, as the mother of the nation, would you stoop to her level?”
The Empress picked up a book from the table and flipped through it casually. “These are all trivial matters.”
Glancing at the honey tangerines, she remembered that Consort Hua had seemed interested in them earlier and added, “Send the remaining honey tangerines to Consort Hua as well.”
Huichun was shocked. “Your Majesty…”
Jian Qiu also didn’t understand the Empress’s intentions.
The Empress had no interest in explaining herself to her subordinates. “Have the gifts for each palace been delivered?”
“Your Majesty, they have all been delivered,” Jian Qiu replied. “This servant has already informed them to come to Jingren Palace for an audience in three days.”
The Empress turned a page of the book. “What were their reactions?”
“Your Majesty, the teaching matrons have done an excellent job. The newly-entered consorts are all very respectful and do not dare show the slightest neglect.”
“Has Consort Hua sent any gifts to the palaces?”
Jian Qiu hesitated slightly. “This servant suspects that Consort Hua may be waiting to see what gifts Your Majesty gives?”
“Oh?” How so?
The Empress looked up with interest.
“Consort Hua has always liked to outdo Your Majesty. She must be deliberately delaying her gifts to see what Your Majesty gives to the new consorts.”
The Empress smiled faintly, her tone gentle yet firm. “She doesn’t have such intentions; she simply doesn’t want to send gifts.”
Jian Qiu mustered her courage and said, “Ever since His Majesty ascended the throne and Your Highness entered the palace, it seems Consort Hua has received special favor. Yet she has always shown disrespect toward you…” There was truly no need to be kind to her.
Huichun chimed in, “Indeed, how can Your Highness be so certain Consort Hua harbors no ill intentions?”
She was even unwilling to contribute funds for the Palace Selection, so how could she possibly spare silver for these newly entered rivals?
The Empress’s smile deepened. “I simply know.”
Huichun thought that Her Highness, being wise and perceptive, must have noticed something, so she didn’t press further. “However, all the palaces will send gifts to the newly entered ladies. For Consort Hua to act this way, isn’t it too lacking in propriety?”
“What lack of propriety?” Compared to her usual arrogance, this was practically docile.
Jian Qiu’s eyes shifted. “It’s better this way. It saves Your Highness trouble and effort.”
“Who says otherwise?”
Jian Qiu meant that the more Consort Hua lacked propriety, the more prestige the Empress would gain. Consort Hua was digging her own grave.
But the Empress might not have meant it that way.
“Oh, right.” The Empress recalled something. “That Sun Changzai.”
Jian Qiu said, “She’s a relative by marriage of the Nian family. I fear that with Sun Changzai entering the palace, she might join forces with Consort Hua against Your Highness.”
The Empress wasn’t afraid of Nian Shilan confronting her now, but if Consort Hua and Sun Miaoqing joined forces, it would indeed become troublesome.
She recalled the day of the Palace Selection when Consort Hua seemed momentarily distracted, and then the Sun lady was selected.
It was regrettable that she had been too preoccupied listening to the nonsense in her mind and had forgotten to pay attention to Sun Miaoqing.
She only remembered her thinking: Those who should have stayed were not kept, while those who shouldn’t have were retained. This indicated that Sun Miaoqing had not been selected in her previous life.
Consort Hua had no intention of changing anything, yet Sun Miaoqing’s life had been altered because of it. What hidden circumstances lay behind this?
In her previous life, the Suzhou Textile Commissioner had presented tribute at an unusual time, which was abnormal. Now, with no tribute presented, it was normal. The Empress had no recollection of her previous life, so she naturally didn’t know the peculiarities of this part.
But if someone who shouldn’t exist had hidden circumstances, then Consort Hua’s advantage would be lost.
If Consort Hua lost her advantage, then she herself would lose hers as well.
The Empress couldn’t afford to be careless; she had to take precautions in advance. “Have someone keep an eye on this Sun Changzai. Report any abnormalities to me immediately.”
Jian Qiu felt somewhat relieved. This was her Empress, after all.
“Yes, Your Highness. This servant will ensure it is done.”
Three days later, the joint palace audience.
“Your Highness, it’s time to go to Jingren Palace. We cannot be late today,” Zhou Ninghai urged, checking the time.
“Even if we shouldn’t be late, we’ve been late many times before. One more time won’t make a difference~”
Nian Shilan looked at herself in the bronze mirror, touching the kingfisher feather hairpin with phoenix design on her head. “I truly am the Great Qing’s number one beauty. It’s such a pity to be matched with that wretched old man.”
Songzhi lavished praise without restraint, and Nian Shilan listened happily. Women, after all, thrive on compliments.
“Let’s go.” It was time to meet her old rival.
She rose gracefully and left the palace to board her sedan chair.