Chapter 31

Chapter 31 Xie Run blinked innocently, then glanced at Lady Han, as if telling Fang Yuan'er, 'You two look a bit alike.' Fang Yuan'er: ...This naive fool! Did she really think she couldn't see through it? And she even dared to signal her with her eyes? Fang Yuan'er hadn't been angry at first, but seeing Xie Run signal her like that, she felt a surge of blood rush to her head. She took a deep breath, ignored Xie Run's presence, and suppressed the restless irritation in her heart. Regardless of what each person was thinking, Lady Li and Lady Han both served tea according to protocol and officially became Prince Jing's proper concubines. The Princess Consort gave each of them a red envelope, then said with a smile, "The Prince once said that the two of you were personally selected by his mother to enter the residence, so naturally you cannot be treated the same as ordinary concubines." The two women looked up, both turning their gazes to the Princess Consort. Only then did the Princess Consort unhurriedly drop a bombshell. "At present, there is only one position of Concubine Consort in the rear courtyard. The Prince said that whichever of you becomes pregnant first will be promoted to Concubine Consort." These words were no less than a thunderbolt from a clear sky. Even Lady Li, who maintained an aloof demeanor, showed a faint flicker of emotion on her face. With just this one statement, the two became natural rivals the moment they entered the residence. This wasn't a matter of competing for a few taels of silver or a few hairpins. The position of Concubine Consort concerned life, death, honor, and disgrace—and even more so, it concerned offspring and posterity. Once inside Prince Jing's residence, even a bodhisattva with no desires or ambitions would have to fight for it. Fang Yuan'er and Consort Yun, who had just been promoted, now found themselves in the mood to watch the show, the smiles at the corners of their lips carrying the most profound meaning. The Princess Consort continued her virtuous instructions. "The rear courtyard of the residence has not been blessed with many children. Whichever of you becomes pregnant will be a meritorious person and will receive a generous reward. I also hope that you two will support each other within the residence and live in harmony with the other sisters." The two bowed simultaneously. "We respectfully await the Princess Consort's instructions." After the tea ceremony, the Princess Consort assigned them their living quarters. Concubine Li was assigned to Qingzhu Pavilion, and Concubine Han was assigned to Pearl Court. And so, this gathering to meet the newcomers came to an end. Xie Run had only come as a bystander anyway; once she had memorized everyone's faces, she returned to her quarters. As soon as the doors of Linxuan Pavilion closed, she removed her hair ornaments, changed into a loose and comfortable set of clothes, and let Yueya'er fan her. Xiaoshu drank a bowl of iced yogurt before sharing the news she had just gathered. "Lady Han is the youngest daughter of the Dingyuan General of Jiangzhou. She was raised with great care since childhood and was originally being prepared for next year's imperial beauty selection. Somehow, the Noble Consort learned of her and chose her to serve the Prince instead." Xie Run perked up at once upon hearing this. A woman originally meant for the Emperor had been intercepted by Noble Consort Rou and instead given to Prince Jing. Was this truly an attempt to give Prince Jing concubines to carry on the family line, or was it to eliminate a competitor in advance and satisfy her own selfish desires? Xie Run suddenly felt that Noble Consort Rou didn't have much genuine affection for her son, Prince Jing, after all. "Lady Li's background is a bit more complicated. She's said to be the granddaughter of Grand Chancellor Li." Xie Run paused mid-bite of her fruit. "Grand Chancellor Li? Since when has there been a Grand Chancellor Li in the court?" Even though Xie Run didn't understand politics, she had still heard a thing or two about the major figures in the court. Xiaoshu lowered her voice. "She's the granddaughter of the Grand Chancellor from the twenty-third year of Yuanhong. He was accused of recklessly discussing the matter of establishing the Crown Prince, his household was confiscated, and the women of his family were sent to the Yeting as slaves." "Lady Li is well-versed in poetry and calligraphy. The Noble Consort took a liking to her and promoted her from the Yeting to read and paint for her. Everyone thought she would be made a companion for the Tenth Princess, but unexpectedly, she was given to the Prince instead." The Tenth Princess was Prince Jing's full sister. Noble Consort Rou had given birth to three children: the First Prince, Prince Su; the Sixth Prince, Prince Jing; and the Tenth Princess. Xie Run's eyes went wide. So Concubine Li was following the Shangguan Wan'er archetype? No wonder she was so aloof and ethereal, carrying the fragrance of books and learning. After a pause, she felt something wasn't quite right. "Didn't you say the Noble Consort chose daughters of official families this time?" Even if Concubine Li had been promoted by the Noble Consort, she was at most a palace maid—she could hardly be called a daughter of an official family. To put it bluntly, she was also the descendant of a disgraced official. Xiaoshu continued, "Originally, Lady Li wasn't the one chosen." "The other family somehow got word that the Prince had only offered the position of concubine, so a few days ago, they feigned illness and declined the Noble Consort's offer." Xie Run didn't feel much about Prince Jing and Noble Consort Rou being rejected. After all, everyone had their own thoughts—you couldn't just allow yourself to look down on others while forbidding them from looking down on you, right? In her previous life, Noble Consort Rou had also bestowed these same two women, and at that time, the position had been that of Concubine Consort. The other family had probably used a different excuse to decline. The general plot and characters hadn't changed. Xie Run asked again, "Do you know what their temperaments are like?" Xiaoshu shook her head. "Lady Han was raised in the inner chambers since childhood; I couldn't find out much about her. As for Lady Li, everyone says she has a good temperament, just a bit cold and aloof—not someone who likes to compete or argue." "Doesn't like to compete or argue?" Xie Run nodded. "Then she's someone with foresight." Seeing Xiaoshu and Dantao both look puzzled, Xie Run smiled. "She came from the Yeting. If she didn't have even a shred of ambition, how could she have caught Noble Consort Rou's attention and gained her regard?" "If she truly had a gentle temperament, she would have been ground to dust in that deep palace long ago." "She's not contending for temporary gains or losses—she likely has a grander goal in mind." If such a person were truly an enemy, she would be far more difficult to deal with than Lady Han. And indeed, that proved to be the case. In the original storyline, Fang Yuan'er had always been vigilant against Lady Han, paying little mind to Lady Li. Yet in the end, she suffered a great loss at Lady Li's hands. Had it not been for the third female lead's brilliant medical skills, secretly poisoning Lady Li and ruining her health without anyone knowing, Fang Yuan'er would have narrowly lost to her opponent. Facing so many capable women, Xie Run thought for a long time before finally settling on one word—lie low! However, in this life, both Lady Li and Lady Han started as mere concubines, far less threatening than in the original story. Thanks to Prince Jing's unexpected move, Xie Run wasn't afraid of being targeted by these two. In fact, she rather looked forward to watching them tear each other apart. That said, with Prince Jing absent from the residence, there wasn't much fighting to be had. —Pearl Court By the time Concubine Han arrived at Pearl Court, a fair amount of sweat had gathered on her brow. She had been raised in the inner chambers since childhood, delicate and frail, least able to endure summer heat or winter cold. But a beauty was a beauty after all—even drenched in sweat, she exuded a unique charm. Hua Tang and Yu Tang, who had been waiting early, bowed in greeting while discreetly sizing up their new mistress. At first glance at her appearance, they felt nothing but delight. With such looks, she was no less than Consort Fang or Concubine Xie in the residence—she would likely win favor easily in the future. As servants, their honor and disgrace were tied entirely to their mistress. They naturally hoped their mistress would rise, and even more so that she would be blessed with exceptional qualities, effortlessly winning the Prince's affection. Concubine Han was, after all, the legitimate daughter of General Dingyuan. She lacked no money and was generous with rewards. She gave each of the two maids a silver ingot—a full five taels, exactly one month's allowance for a concubine. Concubine Han spoke in a soft, delicate voice: "If you serve me well, rewards will be plentiful. But if you dare harbor thoughts of betraying your mistress..." A bewitching smile curved across her beautiful face, yet her words were ice-cold. "Then don't blame me for staining my hands with blood." The two maids shuddered in fear and hastily knelt to pledge their loyalty. Concubine Han let her dowry maid attend to her as she reclined on the couch, lazily asking: "When I entered the residence, I also learned about the household's situation. I know that Consort Fang is currently the most favored, followed by Concubine Xie, and both are now with child." "Then there's Consort Yun—though her health is failing, she at least has a daughter and receives the Prince's pity..." Concubine Han let out a light laugh. "Which of you two can tell me more in detail? If you speak well, rewards will naturally not be lacking." The two maids exchanged glances. After only a moment's hesitation, they began to recount the situation of the residence's inner quarters one after another. Despite her delicate appearance, Concubine Han was a woman of strong opinions and resolute character. The Han family had originally raised her with great care precisely to send her into the deep palace to curry favor. Concubine Han felt the Emperor was old and senile, that most of the princes had already proven capable, and that the exceptionally favored Consort Chen stood in the way. Entering the palace would be a fight for survival with little chance of rising. She therefore found ways to make a name for herself in the capital, and "accidentally" caught the eye of Noble Consort Rou, who had two sons. Concubine Han had originally assumed Noble Consort Rou would bestow her upon the First Prince, Prince Su. But Princess Consort Su was fiercely jealous, held three legitimate sons, and had the backing of the Zhenguo General's household—she outright refused Noble Consort Rou's gift. Having failed to get her way with Princess Consort Su, Noble Consort Rou vented her anger on Princess Consort Jing and conveniently gave Concubine Han to Prince Jing instead. In the Han family's eyes, Prince Jing was the sixth among the princes—neither eldest, nor youngest, nor legitimate heir—so his chances of inheriting the throne were slim. Naturally, he wasn't worth investing in. The Han family had wanted to decline politely by claiming illness, as another family had done. But after learning about the situation in Prince Jing's household, Concubine Han took it upon herself to accept, and even persuaded her family to agree. The Emperor had eight princes in total. The First Prince, Prince Su, held the position of eldest, with a powerful wife's family, a Noble Consort mother, and military authority in his hands. He seemed the most likely to inherit the throne, yet he was also in the most perilous position. The Emperor was not yet old, but the First Prince's wings had already grown full. With the saying "how can another snore beside one's own bed," the First Prince likely found it hard to sleep soundly even for a single night. The Second Prince, Prince Taiyuan, was the son of the late Noble Consort Roujia, but he was not favored by the Emperor and had been sent early to his fiefdom. He rarely returned to the capital even for festivals, and had long since lost any hope of inheriting the throne. The Third Prince, Prince Wei, was fond of poetry and literature, a refined and elegant gentleman, but held no real power and had no interest whatsoever in the imperial seat. The Fourth Prince had died young; the Fifth Prince, Prince An, was the son of a minor consort, with no real foundation. As for the Seventh and Eighth Princes—one held the position of legitimate heir, the other of youngest—but both were far too young to amount to anything. Prince Jing, the Sixth Prince, seemed unremarkable at first glance, yet over the years no ill reports had emerged about him. On the contrary, he served in the Ministry of Revenue, accomplished no small number of tasks, and earned the Emperor's praise. Prince Jing's birth mother was Noble Consort Rou. Though she was no longer favored now, her rank still stood. He didn't face the First Prince's suspicion, nor did he suffer from a low-born mother like the Fifth Prince. He was of age, had proven his capability, and enjoyed considerable trust from the Emperor. If the Emperor were to meet with misfortune one day, Prince Jing's chances of inheriting the throne would be far from slim. If one were to speak of Prince Jing's shortcomings, it would likely be that he married a princess consort from the Xia Dynasty. In the eyes of outsiders, from the moment the Emperor bestowed the princess consort upon Prince Jing, his path to succession had already been cut off. After all, if Prince Jing were to become Emperor, how could the Empress be a woman of Xia? The Emperor surely did not wish for Prince Jing to be his heir, which was why he gave him a princess consort from a neighboring kingdom. What outsiders saw as a great flaw, however, was Concubine Han's greatest opportunity. If Prince Jing were to ascend the throne one day, and the Princess Consort Jing were unworthy of the position of Empress, would the throne of the Empress not have to be chosen from among the women of Prince Jing's household? The Prince Jing manor was the place where Concubine Han had the greatest chance of reaching the Empress's seat. And so, without hesitation, she entered the manor. Just now in the main courtyard, Concubine Han had taken note of the expressions on the faces of the Princess Consort and Consort Yun. They were nothing more than the belief that her appearance and voice were not dignified, and the fear that she would use her allure to bewitch and capture Prince Jing's heart. Such looks were something Concubine Han had seen countless times since she was young. Far from being angered, she was actually quite delighted. This meant that the Princess Consort and Consort Yun were envious and jealous of her, feeling that she would pose a threat to them. So what if she wasn't dignified? What did it matter if she was called a fox spirit? As long as Prince Jing favored her, no one in this household would dare utter a single word of nonsense! As long as she could make Prince Jing dote on her and love her, then that seemingly distant and intangible position would be within reach. She had entered the Prince Jing manor precisely to rise above others! Unlike Concubine Han's lofty ambitions, things were very quiet on Concubine Li's side—so quiet, in fact, that it was almost cold and desolate. Concubine Li had originally been a palace maid in the imperial palace and had no attendants of her own. Before entering the manor, she had personally begged Noble Consort Rou to grant her the company of her good sister Feishuang, and only then did she gain a trusted confidante. When Concubine Li entered the manor, aside from a few things bestowed by Noble Consort Rou, all she brought was a chest of books—she had very few clothes or jewelry. Feishuang finished tidying up Concubine Li's belongings and saw her sitting by the window, staring blankly outside. Unable to resist, she approached. "Mistress, is something weighing on your mind?" Concubine Li's gaze drifted faintly toward the window. "I was just thinking about how I should live my days from now on." "Your days ahead?" Feishuang asked curiously. "Does mistress have a plan in mind?" Concubine Li said, "There are only four positions for Concubine Consort in the manor's rear courtyard, and three are already occupied. The Princess Consort said today that whoever among me and Han conceives first will be promoted to Concubine Consort first." Feishuang, having come from the palace, immediately discerned the danger in those words. "We've only just entered the manor—is the Princess Consort trying to sow discord between mistress and Concubine Han, to make them fight?" "Mistress has such a gentle nature—how could she endure the scheming and infighting of this rear courtyard?" As she spoke, Feishuang was filled with worry, and her eyes instantly reddened. She had thought they had escaped the tiger's den of the imperial palace, only to walk into the wolf's lair of the Prince Jing manor. There truly was not a single day of peace. Concubine Li shook her head. "Those words came from the Prince himself." Feishuang was silent for a moment, then couldn't help but let out a soft sigh. "Mistress, what are we to do from here on?" "What are we to do?" Concubine Li let out a light laugh. "Having entered the rear courtyard of the manor as a concubine, a struggle is unavoidable." With that, her eyes grew deep and resolute. "I am determined to fight." "What?!" Feishuang was slightly startled. She felt that these words were completely out of character for Concubine Li. Concubine Li took her hand and smiled faintly. "No one is a deity without desires or wants. I too have my cravings, and I have things I seek. So there's no need to be surprised." "When the time comes, I will not be soft-hearted either." Xie Run had spoken truly. Concubine Li never concerned herself with the gains and losses of the moment because she harbored a far more long-term and steadfast goal. Becoming a Concubine Consort was merely the first step toward achieving that goal. The arrival of the two new concubines stirred ripples across the lake's surface before settling back into calm. Everyone assumed it was truly calm now, but only those within the game knew the truth. The undercurrents beneath the lake had never ceased—each wave surging more fiercely than the last.