Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Zhen Huan Chronicles, An Ling Rong

“Young Mistress, this servant thinks His Majesty’s favor matters most.”

Huan Bi continued, “An Ling Rong is only a First Attendant, yet she already dares to make trouble for Young Mistress. If she gains favor and rises in rank, who knows how she’ll bully Young Mistress.” Those words hit Zhen Huan right where it hurt. A flash of hatred burst into her eyes.

She refused to give An Ling Rong any chance to climb higher. She immediately ordered, “His Majesty should summon a new girl tonight. We’ll get ready.”… That night. Not only did Zhen Huan wait for His Majesty to summon her, the other new girls waited too.

His Majesty was bound to disappoint them all. The emperor visited Yi Kun Palace again. Three days in a row. With his actions, the emperor told everyone that Consort Hua was the true favored one.

The old hands in the palace were used to it long ago, and the newcomers did not dare complain. These past few days, Consort Hua looked radiant and smug, even more arrogant than before. Even Her Majesty the Empress did not dare cross her. The main hall of Yan Xi Palace.

“Consort Hua is getting more and more overbearing.”

Xia Dong Chun could not help complaining. “She doesn’t respect Her Majesty the Empress at all. It’s just that Her Majesty the Empress is kind and doesn’t stoop to argue with her. In front of any other principal wife, a concubine who doesn’t know her place would deserve to be beaten to death.”

“What are you talking about?”

Li Si Qi rolled her eyes at her. “Leaving aside His Majesty’s favor toward Consort Hua, just look at Consort Hua’s brother, Nian Geng Yao. He rose as far as Si Chuan Governor-General, Governor-General of Si Chuan and Sha An Xi, and the Supreme Commander Who Pacifies the Distant. He was even granted the title of Grand Guardian and First-Rank Duke, with power and honor all in one.

With a sister of that status, who would dare shout about killing her? Forget Her Majesty the Empress – even His Majesty probably wouldn’t form that idea lightly.”

“You really dare to say it.”

Noble Lady Fu Cha shot her a glare. “If your words get out, you’ll offend people again.”

“I’m just telling the truth.”

Li Si Qi picked up some fruit from the side and ate. “Consort Hua has the capital to be arrogant. If it were me, I’d probably be even worse than her. She’s not only beautiful, she’s bold and generous too.

She’s the kind of favored consort I like.” Consort Hua had said there would be rewards, and sure enough, everyone in Yan Xi Palace received gifts. Not only did the three mistresses all receive rich rewards, even the maids and eunuchs got silver. That big, hearty generosity was truly more lavish than His Majesty himself.

“She really is very beautiful.”

Noble Lady Fu Cha nodded in agreement. “I’ve seen it for myself now – what it means for all the women of the six palaces to lose their color. No wonder His Majesty’s favor for her never fades. Ling Rong was right.

She has the qualifications to act like a tyrant in the palace.” Xia Dong Chun could not help adding, “But she’s disrespectful to the Empress-” “The Empress, the Empress – why do you keep chanting about the Empress?” Li Si Qi could not help cutting her off. She had known Xia Dong Chun’s family told her to rely on the Empress after entering the palace.

She had not expected her to have such a thick filter, convinced the Empress was a kindhearted person. Xia Dong Chun refused to back down. “What, I can’t talk about her?” Li Si Qi raised her brows.

“Let me ask you: if you were the one running the household as the principal wife, would you like concubines?” Xia Dong Chun looked utterly confused. “Why would I like concubines?”

“Then why do you think the Empress would like you?”

Li Si Qi snorted with laughter. “The Empress doesn’t like Consort Hua, so you think she’ll like us concubines? Is your head full of water, or did a door pinch your brain? And you actually think Her Majesty the Empress will treat concubines well?”

“Y-you, how can you say that…”

Xia Dong Chun was completely stunned. Clearly, this kind of question was outside her understanding.

“A principal wife will never like concubines. No matter who becomes the principal wife, she won’t like them.”

Noble Lady Fu Cha also agreed. “Her Majesty the Empress looks gentle and treats the harem women well, but I think that’s only because of her status as Empress. If anyone harms her interests, I don’t believe she’ll show mercy.”

“Heh.”

Li Si Qi laughed twice. “Whoever dares treat someone who climbed to the empress’s seat like a living bodhisattva will get eaten until not even bone dust is left. Attendant Xia, do you want to try?”

“No, I don’t!”

Xia Dong Chun’s voice was not confident at all. No matter how foolish she was, she could understand what the two of them meant.

“Think more, and stop acting like an idiot.”

Li Si Qi did not say anything else and looked at the person before her. “His Majesty should summon someone new tonight. Noble Lady, get ready.”

“Will he?”

Noble Lady Fu Cha froze. Her expression turned a little unnatural as she muttered, “Who knows who His Majesty will summon.”

“It’ll definitely be you!”

Xia Dong Chun blurted out. “It definitely won’t be Noble Lady Borjigit!” Just then, a voice came from outside. The three of them stopped talking.

They walked out together. A little eunuch from the Bedchamber Office stood there, grinning from ear to ear. “Greetings to Noble Lady Fu Cha. His Majesty flipped your name card.

Please prepare, Noble Lady.”

“Thank you, little eunuch.”

Joy appeared on Noble Lady Fu Cha’s face as she ordered, “Sang Er, give a reward.”

“Yes!”

Sang Er was thrilled and hurried forward. She handed the little eunuch a scented pouch. With the reward in hand, the little eunuch left happily.

“Tonight is Noble Lady’s good day. We won’t disturb you.”

“Prepare well. We’ll take our leave first.”

Li Si Qi and Xia Dong Chun took the chance to say goodbye and leave. Noble Lady Fu Cha nodded and watched them go. Needless to say, the main hall immediately became busy. News of Noble Lady Fu Cha attending His Majesty quickly spread through the harem.

Consort Hua said a few sour words, while the others accepted it calmly. The newcomers, especially, were full of anticipation. That night.

“So you’re saying Zhen Huan didn’t pretend to be sick to avoid favor?”

“Yes, Master.”

“It seems this time changed quite a lot.”

Li Si Qi smiled. “No hot-spring bathing, no pepper-chamber favor, no wedding-night candlelight – none of it has anything to do with her, Zhen Huan.”

“Master, Zhen Huan is set on fighting for favor. After she becomes a favored consort, she’ll come looking for trouble with Master again.”

“Trouble with me?”

Li Si Qi was delighted. “Trouble is good. I’m most afraid she won’t come looking for trouble. If she doesn’t, how can I take revenge for An Ling Rong?

Right – feed His Majesty the Daughter-Bearing Pill. Starting tonight, make every consort who attends him get pregnant.”

“No problem.”

Little Teapot accepted the task, then asked, “What about you, Master? You don’t plan to have a child?”

“Of course I’m having a son.”

Li Si Qi lifted her brows. “An Ling Rong wants a son and wants to be Empress Dowager. As for the others, let them have daughters. When that dog emperor is a few years from dying, then I’ll let them have sons.

Hurry and go!”

“Yes!” Little Teapot answered and vanished in an instant.

Noble Lady Fu Cha enjoyed favor for three days in a row. The emperor granted her the title “Tian” as her honorific. On the fourth day, the emperor summoned Noble Lady Borjigit to attend him. She only got one night.

And only rewards. After that, the emperor flipped Shen Mei Zhuang’s name card. So Zhen Huan’s little clique finally opened for business. Look at how those sisters finally held their heads high.

Even the maids around them started looking down their noses at people, like they wanted to step on everyone underfoot. Shen Mei Zhuang also got three days. The emperor did not grant her an honorific. She traded the line, “Rather die clinging to the branch with my fragrance, than ever be blown down by the north wind,” for the emperor to reward her with pots and pots of chrysanthemums.

As for her other line, “This concubine likes it for its integrity. The person this concubine hates most is someone who is glamorous and beautiful, yet stupid to the core.” Both Consort Hua and Li Si Qi felt she was pointing at them. Compared to Consort Hua’s fury over her “insolence from below,” Li Si Qi did not care at all.

Watching their little clique swagger around, putting on the airs of favored consorts, Li Si Qi only found it interesting. After Shen Mei Zhuang attended His Majesty, the emperor did not summon anyone else. He stayed in the imperial study and worked hard, as if he had forgotten there was a whole group of women in the harem waiting for him. Seven or eight days later, as the harem women waited until their eyes ached, the emperor finally stepped into the inner palace again.