Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Zhen Huan Chronicles, An Ling Rong

“You know it too. With so many pregnant consorts in the whole palace, she only plans to excuse Attendant Jing from paying her respects.”

The Empress Dowager looked helpless. “Does she really think she’ll feel good sitting in Jing Ren Palace every day, staring at a whole crowd of pregnant consorts? Refusing to excuse the pregnant consorts from morning greetings is nothing but her showing off her Empress’s authority. She never thinks about it – those consorts finally managed to get pregnant.

Would the emperor really want to see her tormenting them like this? If nothing happens, fine. But if something happens, the first person the emperor will blame is her. I truly don’t know whether she’s foolish or stupid.

She’s clearly a smart person, yet she insists on doing muddleheaded things.”

“Your Majesty, the Empress just hasn’t thought it through for the moment,” Zhu Xi said with a smile. “With you keeping an eye on things, nothing will happen.”

“If only it were that easy.” The Empress Dowager gave a bitter smile and shook her head. “Yi Xiu is far too stubborn. I just hope she won’t go too far. Otherwise, sooner or later, the emperor won’t tolerate her.”

“Your Majesty is protecting Her Majesty the Empress. Nothing will happen.”

“You can’t put it that way. The emperor has far too few children.” The Empress Dowager sighed softly. “I hope these pregnant consorts can give the emperor a few sons.”

Zhu Xi smiled. “They will.”

“I hope so.” The Empress Dowager brushed it off. “The consorts all suffered today. Take people and send them some things. Consider it a small token from this dowager.”

“Yes!” Zhu Xi answered and went to make arrangements.

… Once the Empress Dowager’s comforting gifts went out, the harem became lively again. Yi Kun Palace.

“The Empress, that old hag, should be even more of a headache now.” Consort Hua looked delighted by her misfortune. “Both the emperor and the Empress Dowager slapped her in the face at the same time. Let’s see if she still has the nerve to put on her Empress’s airs. She walks around with a saintly face, yet she loves doing vicious things. It would be best if she had no face left to show anyone.”

“Whether the Empress puts on airs or not, she can’t control you anyway, Your Highness,” Song Zhi said with a smile. “Once you give birth to a son, you can sit even in the position of Imperial Noble Consort. You don’t need to lower yourself to bicker with her.”

“You’re right. That old woman is nothing but a decoration in the harem.” Consort Hua picked up a crab roe pastry from the table and took a bite, looking a little disgusted. “When it’s not crab season, crab roe pastries just don’t taste as good.”

“Your Highness, at this time of year where would we even get fresh crab roe?” Song Zhi stepped forward and took the plate away. “You’ve already eaten two today. You can’t have any more crab roe pastries. The imperial physician already warned you – crab is a cold food. A little once in a while is fine, but Your Highness’s body is what matters right now. What you should avoid, you still have to avoid.”

“Take it away. Hurry up and take it away.” Consort Hua waved her off. “I won’t eat it. I have to listen to you nag every day.”

… In the days that followed, the pregnant consorts stayed tucked away in their palaces, nurturing their pregnancies behind closed doors. The harem became especially calm. The weather grew colder and colder. Winter was clearly coming.

The first snowfall was about to arrive. At this time, the plum trees in Yi Mei Garden already had buds. In another ten days or so, they would become full blossoms. When snow fell, they would bloom on the branches, forming a breathtaking scene.

“Master, Her Majesty the Empress has already started preparing a plum blossom banquet,” Little Teapot reported with the latest findings. “She’s arranged small ‘accidents’ all around Yi Mei Garden. One careless step and someone will slip and fall. She’s also prepared several cats, and she had people make a lot of medicine that will drive cats mad. When the time comes, she’ll have people scatter it everywhere to create chaos. The main goal is to get rid of Noble Lady Wan’s child. As for the other consorts, if she can take one down, she’ll take one down. In short, she won’t spare a single pregnant consort.”

“What an appetite.” Li Si Qi rubbed her slightly rounded belly.

Because she was carrying twins, even though she was only a little over three months along, her belly already showed a curve. She absent mindedly stroked her stomach and continued, “Whether other people can keep their children will depend on their skills as mothers. But the children in Yan Xi Palace must be protected. Little Teapot, when the time comes, the three of us can get frightened and need to stay in our palaces to rest and nurture the pregnancy.

But we absolutely cannot have a real accident. Understand?”

“Don’t worry, Mistress. With Little Teapot here, I will absolutely not let anything happen to you.”

“Of course we can’t let anything happen.” Li Si Qi’s lips curled slightly, a cold smile flashing. “Her Majesty the Empress really is heartless and ruthless, like a devil crawled up from hell. She won’t take revenge on that dog of an emperor and the true master mind, the Empress Dowager, for harming her son. Instead, she vents her anger on innocent children. If we don’t teach her a lesson, she’ll really believe she can do whatever she wants. Little Teapot, this lady wants the Empress to reap what she sows that very day. Even if we don’t take her life, she should be stuck in bed for a few months. Perfect – it’ll give us time to nurture our pregnancies. When everyone has given birth, she can come out again then.”

“No problem.” Little Teapot answered eagerly. “Not taking her life won’t affect us at all. Making her lie in bed for three to five months is no issue.”

“Handle it as you see fit.” Li Si Qi showed a vicious smile. “This lady wants her to suffer as miserably as possible. As long as she dares to lay a hand on innocent children, you make her unlucky and make her get hurt. I want to see whether, with punishment striking her again and again, she’ll finally learn fear.”

… Time flew. Ten days later, the first snowfall after winter arrived had already fallen. The majestic Forbidden City became a world of white. The pregnant consorts had been carrying for more than three months.

Her Majesty the Empress sent people to their doors, saying in so many words that all consorts had to attend the plum blossom banquet three days later. The moment anyone showed even the slightest reluctance, whether it was Jian Qiu, Jiang Fu Hai, or Hui Chun, their words carried a faint threat. One charge of “disrespecting the Empress” was enough to cut off any excuse. Whether they wanted to or not, they had to attend in three days.

Yi Kun Palace. A small slip of paper was delivered inside. “Your Highness, it’s a note sent from Yan Xi Palace.” Song Zhi hesitated, but still handed it over to her mistress.

“Yan Xi Palace sent a note to me?” Consort Hua was a little surprised. Pregnant, she was still guarded. She didn’t take the note, only ordered, “Open it and see what they wrote.”

“Yes!” Song Zhi glanced at it and immediately showed shock. “Your Highness, this…”

“What is it?” Seeing Song Zhi make that face, Consort Hua snatched the note and swept her eyes over it. At once, her expression changed, fury flashing across her face. “How dare she!”

“Your Highness, this will cause a disaster.” Song Zhi was panicking. “Right now the authority over the harem is still in your hands. If that plum blossom banquet turns into chaos, Her Majesty the Empress will definitely shove the blame onto you. The emperor will also blame you for failing to manage the harem well. Your Highness, you’ll be so wronged.”

“You’re right. That old hag Empress is using this method again to frame this consort.” Consort Hua gritted her teeth. “This time, she won’t succeed. This consort will make her steal a chicken and lose the rice instead, and I’ll make everyone in the harem see her true face.”