Since their unpleasant parting that day, Nan Shu had not seen Yan Pingxiao again.
In the blink of an eye, the eve of the Empress Dowager’s birthday arrived.
Consort Rong had hired embroiderers to stitch a screen using a copy of Buddhist scriptures she had transcribed as the template. Nan Shu’s task of transcribing the scriptures had also come to an end, but Consort Rong clearly had not forgotten about her. She specifically instructed Nan Shu to rest early that night and accompany her to the Empress Dowager’s birthday celebration the next day.
Nan Shu guessed that Consort Rong was insisting on her attendance at the banquet most likely to scheme something during the event, forcing Yan Pingxiao to take her in.
Getting her drunk? Or drugging her?
Before falling asleep, Nan Shu repeatedly reminded herself to be extremely cautious the next day. As long as she remained vigilant, Consort Rong wouldn’t be able to knock her out and deliver her to the Long Chuang.
In the dead of night, however, Nan Shu had a nightmare.
She dreamed that Yan Pingxiao discovered her true identity. He was furious, feeling deceived by her, and Sui Sui was implicated as well, stripped of her princess title.
She also dreamed of the Separate Courtyard in the outskirts of the capital. Her gentle nature and Yan Pingxiao’s prolonged absence made it impossible for her to control the servants.
They constantly whispered in her ear that she was merely a mistress without status, that Your Highness was going to marry someone else and would no longer want her or Sui Sui.
They drove her out, but her parents had long passed away, and her uncle’s family refused to take her in. She no longer had a home.
Sui Sui clung to her, crying and fussing, wanting her father.
Nan Shu broke free from the nightmare, her eyes snapping open to find her face streaked with tears.
She missed her father and mother so much.
She still remembered her father holding her hand on his deathbed, urging her to go to the northwest to find her uncle and beg them to take her in. At that time, Lan Shu didn’t understand why she had to live under someone else’s roof. Couldn’t she stay in Lingzhou forever, guarding their home?
But later she realized how naive she had been.
Her mother had passed away from illness when Lan Shu was five, and her father ran a small business, leaving the family with some savings. The day after her father’s death, distant relatives she had never met came to seize their family’s wealth. The steward tried to stop them and nearly had his leg broken protecting young Lan Shu.
Later, people claiming to be her father’s friends also showed up. The way they looked at her was disgusting, and they even dared to make advances toward her right where her father’s body lay in repose.
It was then that Lan Shu understood why her father had swallowed his pride and written so many letters to her uncle in the far northwest before he died. In this world, women were destined to be vulnerable.
A beautiful orphan like her was especially easy prey.
Steward Liu and Chun Ming helped her sell some of the family’s belongings, and the three of them used the saved silver to hire escorts to take her to the northwest.
Even with the escorts’ protection, Lan Shu endured many hardships along the way.
During her two years in the northwest, she gave almost all her silver to her uncle’s family. Her uncle and aunt never mistreated her in terms of food, clothing, or shelter—they simply ignored her.
They would scold her without question whenever she clashed with her cousin, and they used her marriage for their own gain. It was as if a stray kitten had entered their home—providing enough food was sufficient, but nothing more.
Lan Shu didn’t dare complain. Living under someone else’s roof made it impossible for her to stand tall.
It was at this time that Yan Pingxiao appeared.
During her time at the Prince’s manor, he taught her to read and write, instructed her in poetry, literature, and etiquette, and gave her the affection she had been missing.
Over five years, he raised her like a caged bird, stripping her of any ability to survive independently, leaving her with no choice but to cling tightly to him.
Perhaps it was precisely because of this that Yan Pingxiao could confidently confine her in the Separate Courtyard, never worrying that she might feel sorrow or heartache, because he knew she couldn’t leave him.
Nan Shu could no longer sleep.
She wiped away her tears, rose from the bed, and sat by the window all night, lost in thought.
The next day.
At noon, Consort Rong sent Granny Qu with attendants to help Nan Shu with her makeup. Nan Shu remained vigilant, using only her own powders and rouge, not allowing Granny Qu to intervene.
By evening, as dusk began to fall, Nan Shu followed Consort Rong to Jin Luan Hall.
This year marked the Empress Dowager’s fiftieth birthday, and the banquet was particularly grand. Imperial relatives, ministers of the third rank and above, along with their families, were all invited to the palace to offer their congratulations. From afar, the sounds of ceremonial music could be heard emanating from Jin Luan Hall.
Consort Rong seemed to be in low spirits, sitting in her palanquin without saying a word.
As they passed by Chang Yuan Lake, another palanquin approached from a side path. Chunlan, who was accompanying Consort Rong to the banquet, craned her neck to look and said, “Your Highness, it’s Consort Xie’s procession.”
Consort Rong opened her eyes and let out a meaningful, cold laugh. “Does her route from Chengming Hall require taking this path?”
Despite her displeasure, Consort Xie held a higher rank, so Consort Rong had no choice but to order her attendants to halt and let Consort Xie pass first.
Unexpectedly, Xie Zhaozhi also stopped. The two processions paused at the intersection of the paths. Xie Zhaozhi smiled warmly and said, “I thought the scenery around Chang Yuan Lake has been lovely lately, so I specially had my attendants take this route.” I didn’t expect to run into you, Sister Rong.”
Consort Rong maintained a flawless composure, covering the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief. “It’s rather late, Sister Xie. You still have the leisure to enjoy the scenery? It seems everything for the palace banquet has been well arranged. You truly are capable.”
Xie Zhaozhi, who was in charge of organizing the banquet, showed no reaction to the remark. “I’ve been managing palace affairs for many years and have handled numerous banquets, big and small. There’s no need for you to worry on my behalf, sister.”
“However, I have been quite busy lately. For the next palace banquet, I may need your help with some minor tasks, sister.”
Consort Rong nearly let out a cold laugh. Without granting her any authority to assist in managing the six palaces, how could she expect her to share the responsibility? Such a favorable arrangement was simply unrealistic.
She did not respond.
Xie Zhaozhi, seemingly oblivious to her displeasure, abruptly changed the subject. “Is this your cousin, Sister Rong?”
Nan Shu had been standing beside Chunlan with her head bowed, doing her best to remain unnoticed.
She knew the woman before her was the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Chu Manor. Hearing her voice brought back the memory of those heart-wrenching words from years ago.
At first, they had filled her with resentment, but on her way back, she couldn’t help but think that Yan Pingxiao’s words weren’t entirely wrong. Miss Xie came from a noble family and had grown up with him, while she herself was an orphan with no parents. In their eyes, she was insignificant and hardly worth mentioning.
Chunlan nudged her gently, pulling Nan Shu out of her reverie. She curtsied and said, “Your humble subject pays respects to Consort Xie.”
Xie Zhaozhi gripped the armrest of her palanquin tightly, her tone forcibly calm. “Miss Nan, lift your head and let me have a look.”
Nan Shu slightly raised her chin, her eyes quickly sweeping over Xie Zhaozhi before immediately lowering them again.
But that one glance was enough for her to see clearly—the woman on the palanquin wore a palace dress of pale blue-green satin, adorned with glittering gold pearls, truly a peerless beauty.
When Xie Zhaozhi saw Nan Shu’s face, she could no longer maintain her composure. She desperately tried to lift the corners of her mouth and retain her usual calm, but found herself unable to move a muscle, her expression turning slightly comical.
How could there be someone so similar?
Consort Rong, observing her demeanor, assumed Xie Zhaozhi was feeling threatened—after all, Nan Shu’s beauty had also made her momentarily dazed upon their first meeting.
She curled her lips slightly and said, “What’s wrong, Sister Consort Xie?”
Xie Zhaozhi pinched her palm, forcing herself to regain focus. “This lady Nan is so beautiful, even I was captivated.”
Consort Rong felt she had regained the upper hand. “Indeed, Nan Shu is lovely and well-behaved. Both Your Majesty and the princess are quite fond of her.”
“Is that so?” Xie Zhaozhi’s eye twitched slightly, the panic within her nearly overwhelming her completely.
Nan Shu, however, felt that Consort Rong’s words revealed a loss of her usual composure in front of Consort Xie.
And she had become the pawn in their rivalry.