Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Zhen Huan Chronicles, An Ling Rong

The next day. The three of them traveled together. Without permission from the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, or the Empress, the consorts still had to go to Jing Ren Palace to pay their respects, even if they were pregnant. Li Si Qi and Noble Lady Fu Cha were fine.

But Xia Dong Chun had pregnancy nausea and barely ate, and she also had other issues. She looked weak and drained.

“Attendant Jing, why don’t you ask Her Majesty the Empress for leave?” Noble Lady Fu Cha could not help worrying. “The weather is only going to get colder, and I’m afraid you won’t be able to hold out.”

“Being pregnant makes you look like a sick person.” Li Si Qi mocked her. “Now you’re completely a sick kitten. Let’s see if you can still bully people.”

“An Ling Rong, you bad person. You only ever pick on me.” Xia Dong Chun glared at her and stopped paying attention to her.

Compared to how arrogant and foolish she had been when she first entered the palace, she had reined in her temper a lot.

“Do you want to be excused from paying respects?” Li Si Qi raised her brows at her. “If you take my advice, Her Majesty the Empress might even excuse you on her own.”

“Really?” Xia Dong Chun looked doubtful. “You’re not lying to me?”

“Why would I lie to you?” Li Si Qi rolled her eyes. “What would I gain?”

“Alright.” Noble Lady Fu Cha took over the conversation. “Noble Lady Xin, don’t keep us guessing. Tell her already.”

“It’s simple.” Li Si Qi leaned in and whispered her idea into their ears.

Xia Dong Chun could not believe it. “J-just like that?”

“You’re so wicked.” Noble Lady Fu Cha covered her mouth and laughed.

Then she said to the person beside her, “It’s a lousy idea, but it should work. If you’re not afraid of people talking, you can try her idea.”

“I’m not afraid of people talking.” Xia Dong Chun muttered in a low voice. “As long as I don’t have to get up so early every day. I can nap a little longer.”

Hearing that, the two beside her could not help exchanging smiles. When they reached Jing Ren Palace, some consorts had already arrived ahead of them. They greeted one another and each found a place to sit. Since Li Si Qi’s rank was one step higher than Xia Dong Chun’s, the two of them switched seats.

After that, the other consorts arrived one by one. When Noble Lady Xin came in, she deliberately looked toward Li Si Qi. Li Si Qi looked back and happened to catch the gratitude in her eyes. She immediately understood what she meant.

So she returned a smile. After a while, everyone except Consort Hua had arrived. The Empress finally came out, putting on airs. The consorts quickly stood up and saluted.

With a gentle smile, the Empress instructed, “Sisters, rise.”

“This consort (this concubine) thanks Your Majesty the Empress!” After everyone thanked her, they all sat down.

“These days, there have been more and more happy events in our palace.” The Empress’s gaze fell on several Noble Ladies. “Yesterday, Noble Lady Wan, Noble Lady Xin, and Attendant Jing were all diagnosed with pregnancy. I congratulate you.”

Hearing that, the three of them obediently rose again, saluted, and thanked her. “This concubine thanks Your Majesty the Empress.”

“Sisters, there’s no need to be so polite. Sit.” The Empress smiled. “His Majesty promoted Noble Lady Xin and Noble Lady Xin in rank, and he also granted honorific titles to Noble Lady Hui, Noble Lady Yu, and Attendant Jing. These are all His Majesty’s blessings. I hope you sisters take good care of the imperial fetus and add a few princes to the palace next year.”

“Your Majesty the Empress, they may not all be princes.” Consort Qi grew jealous and even dared to shoot back at the Empress. “They might all be princesses. In this consort’s view, it’s not too late to wait until the children are born.”

“…”

The room fell silent. Everyone could not help looking toward the Empress. The Empress’s expression stiffened, and before she could say anything, Consort Hua’s voice came from outside.

“Consort Qi is right. Whether it’s a prince or a princess, you only know after the child is born. If they all give birth to princesses, wouldn’t that be slapping Your Majesty the Empress in the face?”

Consort Hua came in, stroking her belly, her face full of pride. Her gaze swept over the consorts present. She snorted coldly. She only half-bent her knees to the Empress, then flicked her handkerchief.

“This consort greets Your Majesty the Empress.” Without waiting for the Empress to speak, she rose and sat down in the empty chair beside her. Ignoring everyone else, she went straight for Zhen Huan and demanded sharply, “I heard that yesterday, Noble Lady Wan suggested to His Majesty that he promote you to Concubine Wan. You even used your status as a Noble Lady to demand to move into the main hall?”

“Reporting to Your Highness Consort Hua.” Zhen Huan straightened her back, lifted her chin, and answered righteously. “This is His Majesty’s grace to this concubine. Besides, I’m not the only one living in the main hall as a Noble Lady.”

As she spoke, she looked toward Noble Lady Tian (of the Fu Cha Clan) and Noble Lady Yu (of the Borjigit Clan). They had moved into the main hall the moment they entered the palace, while still holding the rank of Noble Lady.

“What kind of thing are you, a mere Noble Lady Wan?” Consort Hua gave a snort of laughter. “Do you want to compare family background with Fu Cha and Borjigit? I really wonder how thick your skin is, thinking that you, the daughter of a fourth-rank official from the Han Army Banner, can be mentioned in the same breath as them. If so, Noble Lady Wan’s ambition is not small. You won’t be satisfied unless you press them under your heel.”

“This concubine would not dare.” Zhen Huan hated it in her heart, but she still kept a respectful look on the surface. “This concubine follows His Majesty’s arrangements. His Majesty allowed this concubine to request the main hall because he felt this concubine was qualified. This concubine feels no need to compare myself to anyone. After all, everyone is different. No one is anyone else.”

“What a sharp tongue, Noble Lady Wan.” Consort Hua’s face was full of mockery. “So you truly don’t take the Manchu Banner and Mongol Banner consorts seriously. You think that with His Majesty’s favor, you can step on them. This palace is just waiting… Waiting for you, Noble Lady Wan, to suppress the Manchu Banner and Mongol Banner consorts.”

“Your Highness Consort Hua, Noble Lady Wan doesn’t mean that.” Shen Mei Zhuang could not stand it anymore.

She had no choice but to speak for her close sister. “Everyone knows the Manchu and Mongol Banners are noble. In the harem, we are all His Majesty’s consorts. We should follow His Majesty’s will above all.”

“Noble Lady Hui, you really are Noble Lady Wan’s good sister.” Consort Hua sneered again and again. “I understand your meaning. No matter what great family, what Banner, what official rank, none of it is as good as His Majesty’s favor. As long as you have His Majesty’s favor, you dare do as you please.”

“Your Highness Consort Hua is joking.” Zhen Huan’s face looked worse and worse. She could only lower her head and answer, “This concubine keeps to her place and would not dare overstep!”

“You, Noble Lady Wan, keep to your place?” Consort Hua stood up, curling her lips into a cold smile. “In this palace’s eyes, among all the consorts in the entire palace, no one is more impressive than you, Noble Lady Wan. Maybe one day, even Your Majesty the Empress will be pulled down from the phoenix seat by you, and you’ll sit there instead.”

“This concubine would not dare!” Zhen Huan’s face went white, and she dropped to her knees at once.

Those words were far too serious. For now, she truly could not bear them.

“Consort Hua, watch your words.” The Empress, caught in the crossfire, was furious, yet she still held on to her imperial dignity. “Noble Lady Wan is a newcomer. It’s normal for her to be ignorant. It’s fine if you are willing to guide her, but you should not speak carelessly. There are things you should not say. You must keep to a consort’s proper duties.”

Consort Hua rolled her eyes. “This palace loves speaking the truth. Even if Your Majesty the Empress doesn’t like hearing it, this palace won’t change. Besides, who doesn’t know His Majesty likes it when this palace throws little tantrums?

Your Majesty the Empress should be more tolerant.” The Empress gave her a flat look. Her gaze shifted to the person still kneeling on the ground. She smiled faintly.

“Noble Lady Wan, get up.”