Chapter 337

Chapter 337 After leaving Fengyi Palace, the faint smile on Xie Run's face gradually faded, replaced by a hint of solemnity. She asked Dantao, "Dantao, how long did we stay in Fengyi Palace just now?" Dantao thought for a moment. "About the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea." "Only half a cup of tea..." And the Empress had already been unable to hold back her exhaustion. Just how badly had her health deteriorated? Back at Zhaohua Palace, Xie Run sat in a chair, troubled, accepting the tea Xiaoshu handed her and dismissing everyone else. "I originally thought that although the Empress's health had suffered some damage, she was still in the prime of her life and could hold on for another thirty to fifty years without issue." "But today, when we stayed in Fengyi Palace for no more than half a cup of tea's time, she already showed signs of weakness and fatigue—clearly her body is nowhere near what it used to be." Xie Run said, "And that was right after she had taken her medicine." A trace of worry also appeared between Dantao's brows. "Your Ladyship is worried that the Empress..." She lowered her voice, "Her body has been depleted too severely, and her Life-span won't be long?" Xie Run sighed. "I'm afraid it's already past the point of merely having a shortened Life-span." Previously, Xie Jiang had hinted to Xie Run that the Empress's surgery would affect her Life-span. What Xie Run had imagined "affecting Life-span" to mean was going from living a normal fifty or sixty years down to forty or fifty. The Empress was only twenty-five now, with plenty of years still ahead of her. But seeing her today, it seemed she might have misunderstood? What Xie Jiang meant by damaging her Life-span might be that the Empress simply wouldn't live long at all. But wasn't it just a miscarriage surgery? Xie Run was puzzled and wanted to seek out Xie Jiang to ask for information. But she was in the palace now—not only could she not come and go freely, even correspondence was inconvenient, so she couldn't easily ask about this matter. Both Xiaoshu and Dantao knew that their mistress had no ambition to compete for the position of Empress, and they also understood that Xie Run's family background was her weakness. If something truly happened to the Empress and a new Empress came in, the first thing she would do would be to make an example of Xie Run, the favored consort, to establish her authority. Xie Run said, "Forget it. If the Empress's health has truly deteriorated to such a degree, signs will eventually appear. There's no need to keep speculating blindly." Xie Run had already prepared herself to assist the Empress in managing the Six Palaces, but to her dismay, the Emperor had refused. In the past, the Emperor never concerned himself with harem affairs—the Empress made the decisions and then reported them to the Emperor, merely as a formality of notification. But this time, when the Empress sent word to the Emperor, it was rejected. "Consort Zhaode was injured saving me and needs proper rest. It wouldn't be appropriate for her to expend too much mental energy." "Why not have Consort Wen and Consort Li assist you in managing the Six Palaces instead." The Empress was displeased and didn't accept the Emperor's suggestion. "This concubine was inconsiderate. Let me think it over carefully for a couple more days." Nanny Li was utterly confused. "His Majesty having Consort Wen assist Your Ladyship might be because Consort Wen is Your Ladyship's own sister, but why bring Consort Li into it?" "If it's to be Consort Li, might as well have Consort Jing assist Your Ladyship instead." Nanny Li cast a sidelong glance and sniffed. "That Consort Li is not one to stay content. Ever since she moved into Chonghua Palace, she's been clashing with Xiurong Gong every other day." "That Xiurong Gong was never easy to get along with, yet she's suffered losses at Consort Li's hands several times in a row. It seems Consort Li has her own tricks as well." Nothing that happened in the harem could escape the Empress's eyes—it only depended on the severity of the matter and whether the Empress wanted to deal with it. The old retainers who had followed from the prince's residence knew the Empress's temperament and would cause trouble within limits, while only the newcomers tended to overstep. Moreover, Nanny Li was from the Xia Dynasty, serving a mistress who was a Xia Dynasty princess, so of course she couldn't stand Consort Li, a princess from the Luosha Kingdom. She couldn't help muttering, "A princess from some minor kingdom isn't even as impressive as the daughter of a Yu Dynasty provincial governor. She only got her rank by currying favor with the Emperor through gifts." "Not to mention earlier dynasties—even during the Retired Emperor's time, minor kingdoms were never given high positions. But now His Majesty is generous, granting a Fei rank at once—something even the old retainers from the prince's residence never received." "She doesn't deserve it!" In the past, the Empress used to scold Nanny Li for speaking out of turn. But now that her health was failing, she cared even less about such trivial matters. Besides, Nanny Li knew her limits—she only complained quietly when the Empress's palace was empty, and the Empress simply let it go in one ear and out the other. After listening, she asked, "I heard Wu Baolin has been making a fuss for days about the courtyard she's staying in being unsatisfactory and wanting to move?" Nanny Li said disdainfully, "It's not the living quarters that are the problem—it's her neighbor, Talented Lady Ye!" "She's a difficult one too." The Empress leaned back against her chair, listening to Nanny Li recount the trivial affairs of the palace. Nanny Li continued, "Wu Baolin was punished last time and finally settled down a bit, but recently she's been getting arrogant again." "A few days ago, she complained that the Imperial Kitchen's food was poor and had upset her stomach, so she called for the imperial physician in the middle of the night." "She's carrying the Imperial Heir in her belly—who in the Imperial Kitchen would dare to truly neglect her?" Any settling of accounts would have to wait until after Wu Baolin gave birth. That thought passed through Nanny Li's mind as she continued, "It's just that when she was a Cairen, the Imperial Kitchen prepared her meals according to the Lady of Beauty rank because she was pregnant. Now that she's a Baolin, naturally things can't be the same. But she's not satisfied, so she keeps finding fault, wanting the rations of a Lady of Beauty." "Talented Lady Ye lives right next door to her. One day, for some reason, Wu Baolin snatched one of her dishes, and she immediately brought people to Wu Baolin's courtyard to snatch it back." Nanny Li paused, then whispered, "I heard that before Talented Lady Ye left, she dumped the entire dish onto Wu Baolin's bed, saying that if it weren't for the Imperial Heir, she would have thrown it in her face." Had this been anyone else, Nanny Li might have praised it as showing true character. But when it came to the Imperial Concubines of the harem, it meant more burdens for the Empress to deal with, cleaning up these messes. Nanny Li said disapprovingly, "Luckily it's summer. If the bedding had been soiled in winter, I don't know what would have been done." "Those two have since become enemies, clashing over small matters every few days. Talented Lady Ye's methods are cunning and eccentric, while Wu Baolin, mindful of the child in her womb, dares not act recklessly. Between the two, it's Wu Baolin who often ends up at a disadvantage." The Empress said calmly, "How could it be such a coincidence that Wu Baolin just happened to take Talented Lady Ye's meal?" The Empress was well aware of the petty schemes and tricks of those beneath her. "I suspect Wu Baolin offended the Imperial Kitchen, and they deliberately set her up." Nanny Li lowered her head. "Your Majesty sees clearly." The Empress continued, "But she carries the Imperial Heir in her womb after all. If she's constantly aggrieved, it may not bode well for her pregnancy. That Talented Lady Ye is quite arrogant, showing not a hint of leniency." "Now she gains a small advantage by quarreling with Wu Baolin. But if anything truly goes wrong with Wu Baolin, half her life wouldn't be enough to pay for it." Nanny Li massaged the Empress's shoulders and asked gently, "Does Your Majesty intend to have Wu Baolin move to another residence?" The Empress nodded. "She's narrow-minded, but not truly wicked. Arrange for her to stay in Peace Pavilion, to keep Concubine Fang company."