“Father! Why do you always side with Jiang Nian? Am I not your daughter?” Xu Wanqing stormed into the tent, flicking her sleeves, turning her face away in anger.
Xu Shi looked at her puffed cheeks and couldn’t help but chuckle: “Enough. Just now, I was only putting on a show before His Majesty. You’re truly upset?”
Xu Wanqing huffed: “A show? I saw you clearly helping Jiang Nian. Before entering the palace, you promised me that no one would bully me. And now look—I was nearly bullied to death, yet you defend an outsider!”
Knowing his daughter’s temper, Xu Shi realized reasoning was useless, so he coaxed her instead: “Alright, alright, my precious girl. How could I ever help anyone else?”
“But tell me—today you brought palace guards and your own retainers, barged into His Majesty’s tent without a word. Wasn’t that going too far?”
Xu Wanqing protested: “That was only because Consort Jiang offended me!”
Seeing her about to flare up again, Xu Shi patted her shoulder gently: “Even so, His Majesty is the Son of Heaven. Your actions today challenged his authority. I could stand against him for you—after all, he still relies on me to lead his armies—but think carefully. If His Majesty swallows his anger today, will his feelings for you be genuine or false in the future? That’s uncertain.”
A little mischief is harmless, but truly disregarding the emperor’s dignity would leave lasting resentment. Xu Wanqing thought it over, though she remained unwilling. “So I must let Consort Jiang bully me for nothing?”
Xu Shi dismissed her concern. A man could never truly fall for a woman who once tried to kill him—such a fool he would not be. Still, since his daughter couldn’t swallow her pride, lending her a hand was no trouble.
“Consort Jiang has plenty of weaknesses. Any one of them could crush her. Don’t worry—no matter how she struggles, she’ll never climb over your head.”
“It’s late. I shouldn’t linger. Rest early, my daughter.”
Remembering the long journey, Xu Wanqing didn’t press him to stay. She rose to see him off. “Then Father, rest well too.”
After closing the tent, Xu Wanqing sat on her chaise longue, pondering his words. What leverage did Jiang Nian have against her?
Thinking it over, one person came to mind. She quickly summoned Xia Wei: “Go fetch Beauty Li at once.”
Since Li Yinyao had come with Consort Xu, their tents were close. Soon, Li Yinyao arrived.
“Greetings to Consort Xu.” Dressed in pale blue finery, with only a few hairpins, she looked much the same as in the palace—quiet and unassuming, never overreaching for favor.
Consort Xu sipped the freshly served tea and instructed: “I called you here to help me find out if Consort Jiang has any faults—anything unworthy of her rank.”
Li Yinyao’s fingers twitched. When she raised her head, her expression was innocent: “Does Your Ladyship not know of Consort Jiang’s deeds?”
Xu Wanqing’s eyes lit up: “What deeds?”
Li Yinyao recalled: “She repeatedly harmed His Majesty… until at last, His Majesty decreed she be confined to Fu Garden.”
Xu Wanqing rolled her eyes impatiently, her tone dripping with sarcasm:
“Those stale palace rumors—do you take me for deaf? Of course, I know them. I meant something else.”
“Something else…” Li Yinyao hesitated, biting her lip as if making a decision. “Has Your Ladyship ever heard about Consort Jiang and the Huo family’s son?”
In the capital, there was only one prominent Huo family. But the eldest son was already married, living harmoniously with his wife—what connection could he possibly have with Jiang Nian?
Xu Wanqing frowned: “Are you certain it’s the eldest son of the Huo family?”
Li Yinyao shook her head quickly: “Not the eldest son, but the concubine-born son, Huo Fan. I heard it from a relative in the palace. They say that one year, on His Majesty’s birthday, Consort Jiang secretly met with Huo Fan. When His Majesty discovered them, she even blamed him—saying that because everyone only remembered His Majesty’s birthday, no one cared about Huo Fan’s. His Majesty was furious and wanted to execute Huo Fan, but Consort Jiang threatened to die with him.”
“And this year, Consort Jiang insisted on attending the hunting festival. On the surface, it was to regain favor, but in truth, it was to see Huo Fan. Otherwise, why would General Huo bring the concubine-born son instead of the eldest, who is far more skilled at riding and archery?”
The name Huo Fan rang faintly familiar to Xu Wanqing—wasn’t he the one who cheated during yesterday’s contest, only to be exposed with filth spilling out? She sneered inwardly. Jiang Nian’s taste was truly appalling, to fancy such a disgrace. No wonder Father said she had plenty of weaknesses.
If Jiang Nian longed to fly away with Huo Fan, then Xu Wanqing would gladly “help” this pair of doomed lovers. She summoned Xia Wei and whispered instructions.
Xia Wei’s eyes lit up: “Rest assured, My Lady. This servant will see it done flawlessly.”
The next morning.
When Qi Yi awoke, Jiang Nian was still asleep. Unlike the other consorts, she slept restlessly, sprawled out with arms and legs wide, leaving no space beside her.
Two quilts had been laid out—hers had somehow been kicked to the floor, while his was half-stolen to cover her.
Qi Yi felt a headache coming. He should never have softened last night, allowing her to sleep at the edge of his bed. As a result, he had been squeezed into the corner, clutched tightly in her arms, unable to shake her off no matter how he tried.
“Jiang Nian, Jiang Nian.” He nudged her, but she only muttered, “Don’t bother me.”
Qi Yi was momentarily speechless. With a sigh, he tugged at the quilt, hoping the chill would wake her. The bright yellow bedding slipped aside, revealing smooth, pale skin. Heat from sleep had left a sheen of sweat at her collarbone. Her sash had come undone, the neckline loose, exposing a glimpse of soft curves.
Jiang Nian shifted, seeking warmth, and the collar gaped wider—white and faintly pink.
Qi Yi’s heart lurched. Hastily, he pulled the quilt back over her, wrapping her tightly until not a breath of air could slip through. It was already late; he could not linger. He rose, dressed, and stepped outside.
Rong Chengguang greeted him: “Your Majesty, the weather is finer today. The noble sons and foreign envoys have gone into the mountains for sport. The Empress and the ladies have also gone to admire the blossoms…”
Noticing the emperor’s flushed ears, he asked with concern: “Ah, was it too warm last night? Shall I have more ice sent in tonight?”
Spring had only just begun—there was no need for so much ice. Qi Yi coughed lightly. “No need.”