Chapter Eleven: Contemplation in Solitude

Yi Kun Palace.

"Your Highness, the Emperor went to the Fengyi Palace, but for reasons unknown, he left before an hour had even passed after offending the Empress."

"The Emperor has not stepped foot in the inner palace for five years! To think she failed to seize such an opportunity when he finally visited her palace!"

The Noble Consort let out a cold snort, her eyes filled with derision.

"Zhi, help me dress."

Wei Ranzhu narrowed her eyes. The Emperor was clearly driven by desire tonight; since he could not find satisfaction with the Empress, it was a golden opportunity for her. Perhaps she could use this to have him lift her confinement. The more she thought about it, the wider her smile grew.

...

"Your Majesty, the Noble Consort has ordered me to bring you ginseng soup."

"Leave it there."

Feng Yu did not look up. The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but he paid it little mind. The maid stepped forward slowly, set down the soup, and then deliberately tripped.

"Ah!"

Caught off guard, Feng Yu felt the maid collapse into his arms. His brush clattered to the floor, spilling ink and ruining the pages he had been writing.

"Your Majesty, I did not mean to!"

Feng Yu frowned, his anger rising, but when he looked down at the person in his arms, his brow furrowed even deeper.

"It is you? Are you not supposed to be in confinement?"

Wei Ranzhu wrapped her arms around Feng Yu’s neck, her eyes fluttering with seduction as she purred, "Your Majesty, I have missed you."

The pungent scent of heavy perfume assaulted his nose, causing Feng Yu to sneeze violently. He shoved her away.

"Audacious! Have you no sense of propriety?"

Wei Ranzhu, assuming he was merely playing hard to get, grabbed his leg and looked up with a sycophantic gaze. "Your Majesty, I had no choice but to resort to this. Please forgive me."

She continued to speak in a coquettish tone, unaware that her fox-like display only made her appear even more vulgar in Feng Yu’s eyes. He thought of Jiang Daiyin—her righteous demeanor and her genuine concern for the people—which made his disgust for the woman before him only sharper.

"Scoundrel!" Feng Yu rarely lost his temper like this. He kicked Wei Ranzhu in the shoulder, sending her sprawling to the floor.

"Your Majesty, have mercy!" Wei Ranzhu had never seen him like this. She scrambled to her knees in terror, trembling as she clutched her aching shoulder. What was happening? Could it be that the Emperor was venting his frustration from his visit to the Empress on her?

The wretched Empress! It was she who had ruined everything again!

"As a palace consort, I do not expect you to share my burdens, but this behavior of yours is truly disheartening."

"Fu Linhai, issue a decree: the Noble Consort is to face the wall in the Empress’s palace for one hour every day. Furthermore, she is stripped of her attendance at the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet due to her lack of virtue."

Feng Yu’s eyes were icy, his heart feeling barren. As he spoke, he noticed the color draining from the Noble Consort’s face, yet he felt no ripple of sympathy. These women were obsessed with fighting for his favor, and it disappointed him deeply. If only everyone possessed the Empress’s level of awareness, perhaps a harmonious society would not be such a distant dream.

"Your Majesty, I was wrong..."

"Your Majesty—"

Wei Ranzhu could not comprehend how she had offended him so deeply. To be banned from the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet was essentially being cast into the cold palace.

Jiang Daiyin! It must be her doing! Why else would the Emperor order her to face the wall in that slut’s palace every day? It was definitely her scheme! Wei Ranzhu was consumed with resentment, her hatred for the Empress reaching its peak.

Fu Linhai sighed deeply. He had warned her that the Emperor would not see her, but she had refused to listen. Now look at the outcome. The Empress had just acted with such integrity and broad-mindedness, and the Noble Consort had immediately rushed in to seduce the Emperor—was that not jumping into a pit of fire? In the Emperor’s heart, he likely believed only the Empress was sincere, while all the others were merely coveting his body.

Fu Linhai blushed at the thought and hurriedly lowered his head after glancing at the Emperor’s face.

Feng Yu crumpled the ink-stained paper and threw it heavily to the floor. His temper flared again. He would have to stay up all night to rewrite it. He suddenly felt his punishment of the Noble Consort had been too lenient.

"Fu Linhai, from now on, no one is allowed to enter the Yangxin Palace!"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Except for the Empress," Feng Yu added after a moment’s thought.

"As you command."

Fu Linhai nodded, though he noted to himself that the Empress had not sent anyone with Eight-Treasure Tea for several days now. He dared not mention it, however, and resigned himself to staying up all night with the Emperor.

...

The next morning, Chunyu was chirping like a sparrow. "Your Highness, you wouldn't believe it! The Emperor was furious last night and punished the Noble Consort!"

"Oh? He punished the Noble Consort?" Jiang Daiyin was bewildered. Had something happened last night that she didn't know about?

"Yes, Your Highness! She’s outside our palace gates right now, facing the wall in penance!"

"Facing the wall?" Jiang Daiyin’s interest was piqued. "Quick, tell me everything that happened last night."

As it turned out, gossiping and watching the spectacle was human nature. Summer’s End and Wintergreen joined in, and the group pieced the whole story together.

"Well, that’s a turn of events that actually made me laugh," Jiang Daiyin said, nearly choking on her own laughter.

"Your Highness, the concubines have come to pay their respects," Qiutong reported timidly.

"Hmph, didn't the Empress exempt them from morning greetings?" Chunyu, always quick-tongued, remarked sarcastically, "Are they here to pay respects, or are they here to suck up to you and watch the Noble Consort make a fool of herself?"

"Enough. Wintergreen, go oversee the Tenth Prince’s calligraphy and recitation. I’ll go meet them."

This was the first time Jiang Daiyin would be seeing the other concubines since her arrival.

"Your Highness, let me do your makeup today—something that will leave them all in the dust!" Chunyu promised confidently. She was gifted with her hands; though she was poor at writing and arithmetic, she was a master of makeup and hairstyling.

"No need to be too exaggerated," Jiang Daiyin cautioned, sensing trouble.

"Don't worry, Your Highness!"

...

"It’s quite lively today. Consort De, Consort Li, and Consort Xin are all here." The Virtuous Consort swept her gaze over the group, her smile enigmatic. These were the concubines who had borne princes or princesses.

"I haven't had the chance to congratulate you on gaining the authority to manage the Six Palaces!" Consort Xin said with a sycophantic smile.

"Enough. We are in the Fengyi Palace. Do you not know what should and should not be said?" The Virtuous Consort rolled her eyes, her tone sharp.

Consort Xin shrank back, her attempt to show off cut short.

"I wonder how the Noble Consort offended the Emperor. It’s such a public humiliation." As someone brought up Wei Ranzhu, the conversation shifted entirely to her.

"I heard the Emperor has never been this angry before. It seems she’s lost his favor."

"But the Emperor visited the inner palace twice in the last few days, could it be..."

The women’s thoughts were a jumble. For those who had not yet borne children, this was undoubtedly welcome news.

Jiang Daiyin did not keep them waiting long. When she finally appeared, everyone present held their breath.