Chapter 9

Chapter 9: She Will Become Daqi’s Empress News had always traveled faster than the wind. The matter of His Majesty bestowing lavish rewards upon County Princess Yongning soon spread throughout the court and the Imperial Harem. That day, when the various consorts gathered at Zhaoyang Palace to pay their respects to Consort Shu Jiang, they all brought up the matter. One voice followed another, and all they did was mock Xue Shaoyin for being quite the schemer—that she had only been back a few days, yet had already managed to make His Majesty look at her differently. Naturally, they were not allowed to mock her for long before Consort Shu Jiang gave them a mild reprimand. “When the realm was thrown into turmoil all those years ago, County Princess Yongning was married off to a distant land for the sake of the nation. Having returned now and received generous rewards is only right and proper. This is a manifestation of His Majesty’s wisdom and benevolence. You must not sit here spreading such nonsense.” Consort Shu Jiang was famous for her virtuousness and gentleness. Although she still held only the rank of consort, in everything she did, she already bore the bearing of a mother of the nation. She rarely punished people directly according to palace regulations, but whenever she governed those beneath her, she always spoke in terms of morality and propriety, pressing others down until they had no way to argue. Under Consort Shu Jiang’s grand principles, the consorts could only meekly agree after being rebuked. They even had to rise together and curtsy, thanking Consort Shu for her instruction. But being constantly suppressed like this naturally left some consorts dissatisfied. Consort Yi Wei-shi was one of them. She was the daughter of the Duke of Qi and came from a noble family. Yet because His Majesty favored his cousin Jiang Ningyan exclusively, Jiang Ningyan had been lording it over her ever since they entered the Eastern Palace. After several years of resentment building up, Wei Jinshu’s heart was full of pent-up bitterness. At that moment, after thanking Consort Shu for her instruction, Consort Yi Wei Jinshu held up a cup of fragrant tea and addressed Jiang Ningyan with a smiling face. “Consort Shu, Sister, please don’t be angry. How could the sisters compare with you, who alone enjoy His Majesty’s favor? You have no need to be jealous or afraid of anything. When you see that someone may be trying to seduce His Majesty, it is only natural to become anxious and say things you shouldn’t.” As she spoke, Wei Jinshu sighed. “Actually, which of the sisters here doesn’t understand the words with which Consort Shu, Sister, has instructed us? It’s just that we’ve all suffered too much in our hearts on ordinary days. We need somewhere to vent.” Wei Jinshu set her teacup on a small side table, rose, and gave Jiang Ningyan a respectful curtsy. Her words were earnest. “For the past few years, the sisters of the Imperial Harem have truly been too lonely. We know that we are unique in His Majesty’s heart compared with you, Sister, and we do not dare hope that you will share his favor with us. We only ask that you occasionally let a little of His Majesty’s favor slip through your fingers—perhaps give two or three days a month to your sisters. Consider it an act of kindness toward us poor women.” “Besides, my request today is not only for the sisters of the Imperial Harem, but also for His Majesty’s sake. Consort Shu, Sister, you have monopolized His Majesty’s favor for these past few years, yet have not given him a single son or daughter. Should you not share some of the opportunities to add branches to the imperial family with someone else? His Majesty has been on the throne for several years without having a child, so he must be extremely anxious about it as well. Since His Majesty favors you most, Sister, you should think of a way to ease his worries.” Jiang Ningyan sat upright in the seat of honor, her expression still composed and dignified. In her heart, however, she silently sneered at Wei Jinshu’s hypocritical performance. Back when the late emperor had been gravely ill, he had issued an edict ordering the Crown Prince to marry immediately. The Eastern Palace had therefore selected noble daughters from prominent families, filling the harem of the future emperor in advance. While they were still in the Eastern Palace, Jiang Ningyan and Wei Jinshu had both been Senior Palace Consorts. Although their statuses should have been equal, Wei Jinshu had been quite arrogant toward Jiang Ningyan, relying on her family background. After the current emperor ascended the throne, Jiang Ningyan was made Consort Shu, first among the Four Consorts, and was granted authority over the Imperial Harem. Though Wei Jinshu’s noble birth also earned her a consort title, her status was thereafter a level below Jiang Ningyan’s. From then on, Wei Jinshu and Jiang Ningyan had been thoroughly at odds. Their formal courtesies remained impeccable whenever they met, and Wei Jinshu continued to address her as “Consort Shu, Sister” at every turn, but her words always concealed barbs, and she would mock Jiang Ningyan whenever she found the opportunity. Just like now, Wei Jinshu was pretending to stand up for the consorts of the Imperial Harem and ingratiate herself with them, while secretly mocking Jiang Ningyan for monopolizing His Majesty’s favor. She was accusing her of merely pretending to be virtuous and kind, occupying His Majesty’s favor in vain while being unable to bear him even one child. Jiang Ningyan sneered inwardly. She was just about to rebuke Wei Jinshu when Wei Jinshu launched into another string of words, spilling them out swiftly like beans from a broken sack. “Consort Shu, Sister, don’t blame the sisters for being suspicious of County Princess Yongning, either. Even the finest dishes in the world become tiresome after eating them for several years. If you keep monopolizing His Majesty like this, he may start to think there is no one pleasing in the Imperial Harem. Who knows? County Princess Yongning might truly find an opportunity to lure His Majesty away. Everyone here knows what her reputation and methods were like in the past, don’t they?” Wei Jinshu smiled at Jiang Ningyan, her voice languid. “County Princess Yongning is famous for ‘disregarding propriety.’ I doubt she even knows how to write the word ‘shame.’ Be careful that His Majesty’s first child doesn’t end up being born from County Princess Yongning’s womb.” In truth, Jiang Ningyan had heard Wei Jinshu’s earlier sarcasm many times over the past few years. Though it always made her sneer inwardly, it was not enough to drive her into a rage. Watching Wei Jinshu put on such a hypocritical act was like watching a clown make a fool of herself. What truly struck Jiang Ningyan’s deepest pain today were Wei Jinshu’s final few words about County Princess Yongning. During the years she had been Consort Shu, Jiang Ningyan had always harbored a secret suspicion. Because of that suspicion, the favored consort who seemed to possess infinite glory in the eyes of outsiders—the so-called head of the Imperial Harem—often felt, in private, that it was lonely at the top. Unease constantly gnawed at her heart. Jiang Ningyan knew that His Majesty had granted Xue Shaoyin a great many rewards. She also knew that before doing so, His Majesty had specially permitted Xue Shaoyin to enter Chongqing Palace to visit Deposed Empress Xue. Women as shallow and ignorant as Wei Jinshu only knew how to stare at the rewards and gossip about them endlessly. They did not understand that compared with those generous gifts, what truly mattered was that His Majesty had actually permitted Xue Shaoyin to visit Mrs. Xue. The latter was a hundred, a thousand times more significant than the former. The rewards could still be explained as a mere show. But the permission to visit Mrs. Xue meant that, in His Majesty’s heart, it seemed possible to lay old hatred aside. Or perhaps His Majesty’s feelings for Xue Shaoyin were capable of overcoming his hatred for the Xue family… Did His Majesty have feelings for Xue Shaoyin? Before Xue Shaoyin had been sent away in the marriage alliance, Jiang Ningyan had never doubted the answer. She had been even more certain than anyone else that her Cousin had no affection whatsoever for Xue Shaoyin. She knew of the enmity between the Jiang and Xue families. She knew that her Cousin’s birth mother had died because of poisoning by Mrs. Xue. She knew how deeply her Cousin hated the Xue clan. Yet from the moment Xue Shaoyin had departed in the marriage alliance, everything had begun to seem uncertain. The many events of those five years made it impossible for Jiang Ningyan to continue believing with certainty that His Majesty had no feelings for Xue Shaoyin. No one knew of the unease in her heart. As years of worry accumulated, and then Xue Shaoyin returned after losing her husband, that unease became outright terror. If Xue Shaoyin gave birth to His Majesty’s first child… Jiang Ningyan did not even dare follow that thought to its conclusion after hearing Wei Jinshu’s words. Even the slightest consideration felt as though her heart were being seized and twisted, while boundless dread surged toward her like a tide, threatening to drown her. Yet the more terrified and uneasy she felt inside, the steadier and calmer she appeared on the surface. It was as though something supported her, tempering and hardening her sorrowful thoughts inch by inch. She would not reveal the slightest trace of fear or agitation before Wei Jinshu and the others. She was Consort Shu, His Majesty’s cousin. The bond between her and His Majesty was unique in all the world. No one should be able to replace her or surpass her. No such person should exist. Meeting Wei Jinshu’s provocatively suggestive gaze, Jiang Ningyan smiled. “If County Princess Yongning truly is carrying His Majesty’s child, then we should simply bring her into the palace. So long as the child belongs to His Majesty, whoever gives birth to it, it will be a good thing. Everything should be placed second to His Majesty’s heirs. Could it be that if His Majesty’s first child is born to County Princess Yongning, you would then be free to mock and insult the eldest imperial prince of our dynasty?” After lightly reprimanding her in a slightly lowered tone, Jiang Ningyan once again gave Wei Jinshu a gentle reminder. “Consort Yi, Younger Sister, I know that you have always been forthright, saying whatever comes to mind without any ill intent. But some things cannot simply be blurted out. You must think carefully about whether they ought to be said.” “Neither you nor I are ordinary women. We are His Majesty’s women, and in every word and deed, we must consider the dignity of the imperial family and keep His Majesty in our hearts. You are no longer a girl in her teens. As a consort, you must set an example for those beneath you. Do not speak so carelessly again. It is one thing to speak without restraint among the sisters of the palace, but if you were equally indiscreet before the wives of high-ranking officials, would you not be making a laughingstock of the imperial family?” This combination of kindness and authority, backed by irrefutable principles, left Wei Jinshu not only speechless but also thoroughly humiliated before all the consorts. Her face shifted from green to white and back again. She secretly clenched her teeth and was just about to find another topic with which to strike back when she heard Jiang Ningyan let out a soft sigh. “I know why you are prejudiced against County Princess Yongning. When she was young, County Princess Yongning did indeed have a somewhat excessive temperament. That incident truly wronged you.” As soon as Jiang Ningyan said this, the other consorts in Zhaoyang Palace immediately turned curious gazes toward them. A few of the bolder ones even respectfully asked Consort Shu to explain what she meant. Jiang Ningyan glanced at Wei Jinshu’s paling face, then accepted their request and proceeded to recount an incident from the past. Many years ago, at a palace banquet in the Imperial Garden, Wei Jinshu and Xue Shaoyin had incurred one another’s enmity. Outsiders had no way of knowing what exactly had caused their quarrel, but later, everyone had personally witnessed Xue Shaoyin push Wei Jinshu into the water, leaving her in a truly wretched state before all the consorts of the Imperial Harem and the members of the imperial clan. Jiang Ningyan recounted the incident at a leisurely pace, placing particular emphasis on Wei Jinshu’s miserable appearance when she had been pulled from the water—looking like a drowned rat, with several strands of waterweed still hanging from her body. She then sighed and remarked that Deposed Empress Xue had been extremely protective of her niece at the time. As a result, Xue Shaoyin had not received the slightest punishment, while Wei Jinshu, the daughter of the Duke of Qi, had suffered such humiliation and ultimately had not even received an apology. After slowly finishing the story, Jiang Ningyan looked at Wei Jinshu’s increasingly ashen face and sighed as she advised her, “Let go of your old grudge. County Princess Yongning no longer seems to have the temperament she did in the past. It has been so many years. Why keep it in your heart and continue speaking viciously of County Princess Yongning?” What could Wei Jinshu say now? Before the other consorts, she had always been proud and radiant. Now that the most humiliating incident of her life had been exposed in public, she could only feel that the gazes of the lower-ranking consorts who had once fawned over her had changed. Wei Jinshu naturally hated Jiang Ningyan deeply. But she had already been jealous and resentful of Jiang Ningyan for four or five years. No matter how much deeper her hatred grew today, it remained much the same. Her old hatred toward Xue Shaoyin, however, had been thoroughly stirred up at this moment. Having been humiliated so badly today, her grudge against Xue Shaoyin seemed even more intense than before. Jiang Ningyan caught the hatred in Wei Jinshu’s eyes. Holding her teacup, she took half a sip and calmly warned her, “In the future, you should treat County Princess Yongning with more kindness. If what you said is true, and County Princess Yongning wins His Majesty’s favor and bears him a prince or princess, she will naturally have a place in the palace. If County Princess Yongning is conferred a consort title then, she may well rank above you because of her pregnancy.” Under the palace system of the Daqi dynasty, the Four Consorts were Shu, Xian, Li, and Yi. Between Consort Shu and Consort Yi, the titles of Consort Xian and Consort Li still remained vacant. Everyone present knew that Consort Shu was the one most favored by His Majesty. They knew that even if County Princess Yongning had the means to seduce His Majesty, she would not be able to shake Consort Shu’s position. But what about the others? What about Consort Yi, who had an old grudge against County Princess Yongning? Zhaoyang Palace fell deathly silent. The consorts exchanged glances, unease rising in their eyes. Consort Yi Wei Jinshu’s expression was even more dreadful. No one could remain seated any longer. Wei Jinshu withdrew from Consort Shu with a cold expression, and the remaining consorts also rose one after another, respectfully requesting leave before departing Zhaoyang Palace. Once the palace hall had been emptied of its embroidered silks and glittering jewels, Zhaoyang Palace suddenly seemed vast and deserted. The tea in Jiang Ningyan’s cup had long since gone cold. When she set it on the small side table, her movements were not quite steady, and several drops of the remaining tea splashed onto the tabletop. Jiang Ningyan lowered her eyes wearily and raised a hand to gently press her faintly aching temple. A maid approached quietly and reported in a soft voice, “Your Highness, the restorative medicine has been ready for some time. Would you like to take it now?” It was a fertility prescription that Older Brother had specially brought her when he came to the palace to see her the previous day. Older Brother had said that he had paid a great deal of money to obtain the prescription and that it was extraordinarily effective. He had repeatedly urged her to drink a bowl every day, saying that this would certainly help her conceive a prince soon. Jiang Ningyan gave the maid a slight nod. After the maid brought the medicine over, she ordered all the palace servants attending in the hall to withdraw. Once they had all left, Jiang Ningyan did not immediately take the medicine. She simply sat to one side, staring at the bowl. White vapor drifted like mist above the dark medicinal liquid, and the bitter scent seemed capable of reaching the depths of one’s heart merely through its smell. Jiang Ningyan watched in silence as the heat slowly dissipated from the medicine. She felt that the spirit she had maintained throughout these years was like the bowl of dark, bitter medicine before her, and was about to grow cold drop by drop. Yet she was unwilling to accept it. She refused to give up. Regardless of what feelings His Majesty truly held for Xue Shaoyin, Jiang Ningyan loved him deeply. That devotion would never change in this lifetime. Jiang Ningyan picked up the bowl and lowered her head to drink. Although drinking it would not increase her chances of becoming pregnant—for she, the Consort Shu who monopolized His Majesty’s favor, had not truly attended his bed even once in all these years—Jiang Ningyan still drank the bowl of medicine, cold through and through, until not a single drop remained. She would become her Cousin’s principal wife. She would become Daqi’s Empress. She would become the birth mother of the Crown Prince in the future. One day, she would. She would. After the Son of Heaven suddenly bestowed such generous rewards, the Xue family’s residence—which had been nearly deserted in recent years—was no longer as quiet as before. Visitors began coming and going frequently. Although the noble families and officials were still waiting to see clearer signs of His Majesty’s intentions and would not rashly visit in person to curry favor, some high-ranking ladies had already come to the Xue residence at their husbands’ behest, visiting the women of the Xue family and cultivating a warmer relationship. Whenever there were guests in the household, Shaoyin would always politely decline Sister-in-law’s kind invitations, staying alone in Yurong Court instead of going to the front hall to watch the performances and attend the banquet. Unlike in the past, when she had enjoyed liveliness, Shaoyin now preferred a quieter life. She liked to remain peacefully in her study, copying scriptures to pray for her late husband and their child. Only when she wrote down the prayers one character at a time did the sorrow in Shaoyin’s heart seem to ease a little. While quietly copying the scriptures, it was as though her late husband Helan and their child were silently keeping her company. And only while quietly copying scriptures could Shaoyin temporarily forget the thread of unease in her heart. Ever since she had encountered Xiao Heng at Puan Temple that day, a baffling sense of unease had lingered within her. Even she could not explain where it came from, but whenever she thought of him, her heart became unsettled. Only when she concentrated on copying scriptures for her late husband and child could she temporarily forget that unease. Today, however, Shaoyin could not remain alone in her room and copy scriptures in peace, because palace servants had suddenly arrived at the Xue residence. Acting on Consort Yi Wei-shi’s orders, they invited her into the palace to admire the flowers and attend a banquet. Author’s Note: None.