Chapter 17

Noble Lady Xu’s decision to send soup to the Imperial presence had been cleared with the Empress beforehand, a deliberate probe to see if the Emperor’s heart had been swayed by the rumors. After all, the gossip circulating was truly vicious, clearly intended for the Emperor’s ears. Since Noble Lady Xu had indeed acted imprudently, she was forced to swallow the bitterness of her own mistake in silence.

As soon as the news broke that the Emperor intended to revoke Noble Lady Xu’s name from the imperial registry, the Empress learned of it immediately, her expression darkening instantly. Lianyin, the lead maid of the Phoenix Palace, said softly, "Your Majesty, do not be angry. They are newcomers, and it is natural for them to be ignorant of the rules for a time. The Emperor is preoccupied with state affairs; I imagine he will forget this in a few days. When that time comes, you can make new arrangements, and Noble Lady Xu will be able to regain favor."

"The real concern is the Noble Consort; we must not let her take advantage of this situation."

The Empress closed her eyes, her face grim. "I thought Noble Lady Xu was clever, but I never imagined she would act with such a lack of decorum. She has only been in favor for a few days; even if she wanted to guard against Attendant Tong, she should not have snatched someone in the middle of the street, and of all people, she chose Sang Qingyun. Who is Sang Qingyun? The Emperor’s fate could be decided by a few words from her. To be so reckless—it truly disappoints me."

The Noble Consort had held power for years, bolstered by a childhood bond with the Emperor. The two women had been at odds since their days in the Prince’s manor, and for years, she had been stifled under the Noble Consort's shadow as the mistress of the harem. Just as she had finally found a moment when the Noble Consort was quiet, her own carefully cultivated pawn had stumbled, leaving her feeling anything but at ease.

Noble Lady Xu was a lost cause now. Who else could be pushed forward to compete for favor? She could not let the Noble Consort's people reap the benefits.

Lianyin pondered, saying, "Your Majesty, do not worry. I do not think Sang Qingyun is the type to stir up trouble. Given her character, she is unlikely to gossip before the Emperor. She has served before the throne for years, always keeping a low profile and avoiding entanglements. Didn’t you hint at her yourself in the past? If she truly had that kind of ambition, would you and the Noble Consort have overlooked her? It is clear she is one who knows her place. Noble Lady Xu may be indiscreet, but these rumors are too intense to have been orchestrated by those few alone."

The Empress scoffed. "Who else but the Noble Consort would care enough to target the newcomers? I am well aware of Sang Qingyun’s nature, but Noble Lady Xu is not. To act so rashly without knowing the facts—what if Sang Qingyun was the Noble Consort’s person all along? She would have been suppressed without the slightest effort."

Sitting on a soft couch, her cold, jeweled fingernail guards tapped rhythmically against the gold-inlaid table, creating a crisp, clicking sound. Sunlight filtered into the hall, making the phoenix-tail gold hairpin in her hair shine brilliantly. "Noble Lady Xu is simply not good enough. I must find a better candidate."

Lianyin said slowly, "Among this batch of newcomers, Noble Lady Xu has the most distinguished background. If one considers lineage, appearance, and temperament—and given that her father is on good terms with your maternal clan—she was logically the most suitable choice. If she is not enough, could it be that Your Majesty already has someone more favorable in mind? In fact, before the newcomers entered the palace, Lady Yan Ronghua had also enjoyed a modicum of favor."

The Empress sipped her tea and shook her head. "Lady Yan Ronghua had a modicum of favor, but how many people were in the harem then? If she couldn't stand out then, she certainly cannot now. Besides, she and Noble Lady Xu suffer from the same flaw."

Lianyin nodded with a faint smile. "Your Majesty is right; both Lady Yan and Noble Lady Xu lack patience. They are too impulsive."

"Survival in the harem rarely favors those who are overly hurried," the Empress said flatly. "Without the heart for endurance, how can one achieve great things? If I could not endure, I would likely have lost my position as Empress under the Noble Consort's relentless pressure long ago."

She deliberated, "However, there is an advantage to this: I feel more at ease using those who are not overly clever. It is a pity, though; if there were someone who was both easy to use, possessed superior beauty, and had a steady temperament, that would be ideal."

Lianyin laughed. "Your Majesty is the mother of the world; how could the Noble Consort compare to your quality? But such a perfect candidate is hard to find. It seems I must keep a closer eye on the remaining ladies to see if there is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered."

The Empress shook her head with a wry smile, feeling her own requirements were too demanding. "In the end, I want too much. Regardless, keep a close watch during these days; if you find someone suitable, inform me."

"However, we cannot do nothing for now. Go and have the small kitchen stew some cooling, soothing soup. When Yu'er returns from the Imperial Academy this evening, have him take it to the Emperor. It just so happens that the Emperor has not asked after Yu'er's studies for a long time."

As long as the Emperor saw Yu'er, and saw how bright and sensible he was, he would easily recall how the Noble Consort had foolishly blocked him when he had gone to visit the boy. If the Emperor valued Yu'er, the Noble Consort would not be able to regain favor so easily.

In this world, there is a proper order of high and low; there is no reason for those of lower status to humiliate those of higher. She was the Emperor's primary wife, bestowed by the late Emperor, the rightful Empress of the Middle Palace. She was born to assist the Emperor, manage the harem, and instruct the imperial concubines. The harem should be harmonious, with the Middle Palace as the supreme authority. There could be those who served the Emperor and those who held favor, but they must never overstep their bounds, nor forget their duties. It was just as her mother had done in their household: the mistress managed the inner chambers, servants were diligent, concubines were respectful, and the progeny flourished.

Having endured for so many years, it was high time to correct this unhealthy trend.

Lianyin nodded with a smile. "I shall make the arrangements, but Your Majesty must also take care of your own health. You were suffering from chest tightness and fatigue this morning, and you have been troubled by the matter of Noble Lady Xu. Since the Second Prince is there to please the Emperor, you should put your mind at ease."

***

By dusk, the golden clouds gradually sank into a deep blue. The entire palace was shrouded in the afterglow; under the red walls, palace attendants walked with hurried steps, looking solemn and magnificent.

Calculating the time, the Emperor would soon be having his evening meal. Sang Qingyun stood in the Hall of Diligent Government, looking out. She could vaguely see the shadows of people through the window paper; it seemed to be Dai Zheng speaking with someone.

Before long, Dai Zheng entered to report to the Emperor that the Second Prince had come to request an audience, bringing with him soup personally brewed by the Empress. After the Second Prince had recovered from his illness, he had returned to his studies at the Imperial Academy. It was said that his talent was quite exceptional, far outpacing the First Prince’s speed of learning.

A prince with talent was a blessing to the state; the Emperor would surely be pleased.

Indeed, not long after Dai Zheng went in, he walked out quickly, personally leading the Second Prince and his wet nurse into the hall. Sang Qingyun stood by the door to open it for the Second Prince, seeing that his steps, though small, were steady. When he stood before the Emperor to offer his respects, his voice was tender and soft. "Your son offers greetings to Imperial Father."

The wet nurse beside him curtsied and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, this is a soup for moisturizing and nourishing. The Empress went to the small kitchen to brew it herself this morning. After it was ready, the Second Prince said he missed you very much and insisted on delivering it himself. Please, have a taste."

The Second Prince looked up at his father, his eyes full of hope. "Imperial Father, drink the soup."

Seeing the small child before him, so well-behaved and sensible, Xie Yanheng felt his heart soften. "Hm, Imperial Father will drink the soup."

Seeing this, Sang Qingyun brought a bowl of milk custard from the inner chamber, curtsied, and placed it on the table beside the Second Prince.

Xie Yanheng glanced at her and said coldly, "I will be dining with Yu'er tonight. You may withdraw and rest. I grant you three days of leave; let Dai Zheng attend to me before the throne."

Sang Qingyun was startled, then nodded and curtsied. "Yes, this servant thanks His Majesty for his consideration."

After leaving the Hall of Diligent Government, she felt a long-lost sense of ease. Regardless of why the Emperor had suddenly let her rest, she did not want to over-analyze his thoughts. After all, surviving in the imperial palace occasionally required one to be a bit muddled; overthinking was of no use.

Since it was rare not to have to serve before the throne, and she hadn't visited Elder Tan in a long time, she decided to go see him now. With the sun setting, it was less likely to attract attention. Furthermore, the palace had been busy preparing for the Dragon Boat Festival banquet, and with the festival only a few days away, Elder Tan must be quite busy.

She took a shortcut to the Internal Affairs Department. As soon as she entered, she saw Elder Tan in the room assigning tasks to several young eunuchs. Aside from the banquet, it was almost time for the Emperor to flip the tablets, and everyone was busy.

The young eunuchs at the door greeted her with smiles. Sang Qingyun walked inside, feeling more relaxed here than before the throne. "Have you had your evening meal, Elder? Would you like me to fetch some for you?"

She smiled, watching Elder Tan turn around in surprise, his eyes twinkling before he pretended to be displeased. "You girl, you’re getting more mischievous. You startled me."

He waved his hand. "Why come at such a busy time? Have you eaten? Come quickly; I was just about to have my meal."

Sang Qingyun walked over, smiling; only in front of Elder Tan could she be so relaxed. "I was waiting to share your meal, so I came on an empty stomach."

Elder Tan was clearly in a good mood. He signaled the others to go eat as well, then led Sang Qingyun to the back room to talk. "At this hour, shouldn't you be serving the Emperor? Why are you here? I heard there is no one to rotate shifts with you at the front these days; you must be exhausted."

Whenever he saw Sang Qingyun, Elder Tan had endless concerns. He asked a series of questions, but Sang Qingyun did not find it annoying; instead, her heart felt incredibly warm. "The Emperor understands how hard I work alone at the front and granted me three days of rest. I haven't seen you in days, so I came as soon as I was free."

She sat on the edge of the couch. "I was also thinking about the meat zongzi you sent me today."

Elder Tan laughed, wrinkles appearing at the corners of his eyes, looking very kind. "I knew you liked them, so I had them prepared. When you told me that the new Lady Li was your childhood friend, I had someone secretly send her a portion when I sent yours."

Sang Qingyun had always known Elder Tan was meticulous, but she hadn't expected him to be so thoughtful, remembering to look after Xixi even when she herself was too busy to spare a moment.

Moved, her eyes reddened slightly. "You are always so kind to me."

Elder Tan smiled noncommittally and lit a candle in the darkened room. With a sizzle, dancing flames illuminated the dim space. "If I don't dote on you, who else would I dote on?"

He moved slowly to the table and sat down, glancing out the window before pondering, "Since you’ve come, there is something I must warn you about in advance."

The Internal Affairs Department was the center of the harem's operations; no movement could escape it. Sang Qingyun knew that if Elder Tan brought something up, it must be a matter of great importance to her, so she sat up straight and listened quietly.

"For the Dragon Boat Festival banquet, Noble Consort Dowager Zhao has entrusted the Empress to organize a play for her. I hear the Dowager attaches great importance to it."

Elder Tan sighed. "Human hearts are unpredictable. When you see her in the future, you must be exceptionally humble and careful."