CHAPTER 84: CHAPTER 79: CONSORT XI? CONCUBINE XI!

"The Emperor and the Empress have truly hardened their hearts this time,"

In Changle Palace, the old maid spoke to the person on the southern couch: "Consort Jiang, who has always been proud of her status, will find this hard to bear."

The Empress Dowager was playing with a small pug. The dog, with its small body, short legs, and long fur, looked cute, though it tended to have a crooked mouth. The one kept by the Empress Dowager was, of course, well-bred without a crooked mouth. Her hand, adorned with a jade bracelet, gently patted the dog’s back. Upon hearing this, her face showed no sign of compassion: "She has needed a lesson for a long time; she acts without consulting her elders, and when she causes trouble, she seeks my help to plead with the Emperor... how can such things happen? Losing her Concubine status should wake her up."

"If it really doesn’t work, she should learn from the Ji Family and have a girl from a collateral branch sent into the palace."

The Empress Dowager didn’t particularly like having concubines lingering around her; serving her wouldn’t result in pregnancy anyway. It was better for them to curry favor with the Emperor and conceive the emperor’s child as soon as possible. She knew her son’s true love was for handling state affairs, and it was already fortunate for the concubines when he occasionally visited the harem. Therefore, she never interfered with whomever he favored.

"Just earlier, when the Emperor came to dine, even he didn’t seem to realize how evidently he was showing his favor towards Concubine Xi."

During the meal, the Empress Dowager didn’t reveal this matter.

The noblest mother and son in the world believed only in their own judgment. She could already imagine the Emperor refuting her with well-reasoned points: "Otherwise, just demote Jiang Family’s rank; there’s no need to elevate Concubine Xi. If she’s now a concubine, what title should she get when she conceives? Just reward her with some things as compensation. Seeing his determination, I dare not obstruct it."

The Empress Dowager couldn’t help but complain with a hint of mockery.

The old maid hurriedly said, "The Emperor is very filial to you, my Lady! It’s just that out of a mother’s love, you couldn’t bear to go against his wishes, thus letting it be."

The Empress Dowager curled her lips into a smile and said no more.

At this moment, a palace maid raised the curtain and bowed: "My Lady, Consort Jiang seeks an audience outside."

"Haven’t I instructed that aside from the Emperor, I see no one?"

"But..." the palace maid hesitated, "Consort Jiang said if you don’t see her, she won’t leave."

The Empress Dowager’s expression didn’t change, though she felt somewhat annoyed inside. She could imagine how Jiang was throwing a fit at the old maid, forcing the palace maid to lower her head and come inside to ask her. The Empress Dowager waved the pug off her lap and calmly said, "Then let her wait."

She paused and asked, "Did Consort Jiang come by sedan chair?"

"Yes, my Lady."

Only those above the rank of Consort could use sedan chairs, but when demoted, they usually weren’t taken away intentionally.

"Remove her sedan chair."

Consort Jiang waited foolishly outside Changle Palace, convinced that sincerity could move even the most obstinate hearts.

She waited and waited, only to hear that the Empress Dowager had ordered her sedan chair removed.

Dusk fell, and Consort Jiang glared at the eunuchs taking away her sedan chair, her eyes almost seeming ready to pop out, rolling after them as they moved... Consort Jiang stood alone for a while but ultimately refrained from staging a drama of standing outside Changle Palace all night; she dejectedly slinked back to her own palace.

However, worse news came.

Before closing her doors again, the Empress Dowager interceded for the Empress, and the Emperor, considering that he would need the Empress to manage the harem in the future, decided a minor punishment was sufficient. Thus, he lifted the Empress’s house arrest, and the concubines were to resume paying respects at Jianzhang Palace immediately.

Many concubines regretted the lifting of the Empress’s house arrest.

But no one was as utterly defeated as the newly demoted Consort Jiang.

Having just been lowered to the rank of Consort, she now had to go to Jianzhang Palace to face public scrutiny. She felt socially humiliated and, thinking of the possibility of encountering that wretched Yun Family woman and having to salute her, she immediately felt her pulse weaken at the thought of that socially fatal scene.

As soon as Consort Jiang claimed illness, Dong Hua from Jianzhang Palace arrived.

The Empress had anticipated that Consort Jiang would be reluctant, yet because she barely counted as part of the Empress’s little faction, and having just been freed from house arrest, she wanted more people on her side. There was no way she would allow anyone to feign illness and skip the formality.

"I’m going right now, Miss Dong Hua, please wait a moment."

After some consideration, Consort Jiang realized she had to go.

The Empress had a smaller heart than a eunuch, and skipping the courtesy at this critical time wouldn’t make her consider Jiang’s difficulties; she’d only see it as a slight, and wait for a chance to harm her.

With a deep sigh, Consort Jiang had never been so reluctant to go pay respects at Jianzhang Palace.

She dressed properly, walked outside the hall, and instinctively asked, "Isn’t the sedan chair ready yet? Has Little Pebble been lazy?"

"My Lady..."

Seeing the palace maid’s embarrassed look, Consort Jiang remembered that her sedan chair had been taken away by the Empress Dowager.

Shame and anger mingling, Consort Jiang slapped the palace maid across the face:

"Don’t show me a face like that. It’s just walking, isn’t it? Let’s go! It’s not far to Jianzhang Palace anyway!"

...

At the same time, in Xianfu Palace.

Yun Jiao received the imperial edict yesterday, but the attire for a concubine’s rank hadn’t arrived yet. She was still wearing her old clothes, delightfully sitting on the sedan chair, striking a pose as if she recognized no kin: "Sister, having two concubines in Xianfu Palace, both with titles—how impressive is that?"

It made Attendant Lady Sun, walking alongside, feel unworthy to speak.

Concubine Li glanced at her sidelong: "It’ll only be impressive for two days; now that you’re a concubine, you should have your own palace."

"I find Xianfu Palace quite comfortable, I was even thinking of telling the Emperor I don’t need to move, though it’s a bit crowded."

Xianfu Palace was indeed quite spacious with new furnishings.

But with a concubine’s attendant eunuchs and palace maids, even the single west side room wouldn’t suffice.

"That’s easily fixed; have Attendant Lady Sun move out, and the other side can be yours, though it’s a pity you can’t have the main hall."

Concubine Li didn’t think she couldn’t bear to part with Yun Jiao; she simply didn’t want an unfamiliar newcomer since she was used to the current arrangement.

Attendant Lady Sun, following beside the sedan chair: ?

She merely held too low a position to speak up, not dead.

"That’s a great idea, with two concubines in Xianfu Palace, perhaps we can ask the Emperor for a small kitchen."

Not every palace had a small kitchen, and Xianfu Palace didn’t.

Usually, only palaces with Princes and Princesses had them, since the Kitchen had many workers, and more care was needed for children’s meals.

Also, Yun Jiao didn’t want to have neighbors.

"It’d be interesting if you and Consort Jiang were to share one palace, making her greet you daily, wouldn’t it be delightful to imagine?"

As soon as Concubine Li finished, she spotted Consort Jiang not far away.

At first, she didn’t recognize her.

"Oh? Has the Emperor even taken away her sedan chair?" Concubine Li’s mind turned as she urged the eunuchs carrying the sedan chairs: "Quickly, go that way; I want Consort Jiang to pay grand respects. Why are you hesitating? Come on!"

Before Yun Jiao could speak, the eunuchs below instinctively followed Concubine Li’s orders.

The two sedan chairs picked up speed, one making a sharp turn to block Consort Jiang’s path.