If you were to ask Li Zhu what it felt like to be a consort.
She could only say—it was absolutely, incredibly wonderful!
The residence was spacious, the food delicious, and the sleep restful.
The palace maids were extremely attentive—almost excessively so, to the point of wanting to hold the teacup and feed her water!
News of Li Zhu moving into Huaqing Palace had reached all the imperial concubines in various palaces.
Lower-ranking concubines, though curious, refrained from disturbing her rashly, while higher-ranking ones disdained visiting in person.
Though they didn’t come, their eyes remained fixed on her.
As a Gui Pin personally appointed by the Emperor, everyone speculated whether His Majesty would visit Huaqing Palace that night.
Only Li Zhu, who saw through it all, knew that Li Shengyuan would not come.
And indeed, he did not.
Li Zhu’s first day after moving was relatively peaceful.
Many concubines breathed a sigh of relief, but their confusion only deepened.
So, why did the Emperor not set foot in the rear palace or favor any concubines?
~~
On the second day after moving to Huaqing Palace, Li Zhu woke up early.
She had to pay respects to the Empress Dowager, whom she had never met, at Cishou Palace.
Li Zhu dressed modestly and appropriately, though Zhi Zi felt her mistress’s attire was too plain.
Fortunately, Li Zhu’s face could carry any outfit!
After traversing half the palace grounds, Li Zhu arrived at Cishou Palace.
Led into the main hall, she noticed two other imperial concubines, likely also there to pay respects to the Empress Dowager.
Fo Shou promptly whispered in Li Zhu’s ear that they were Consort An and Su Jieyu.
“Greetings to the Empress Dowager.”
The Empress Dowager wore a gentle smile. “Rise, Li Gui Pin.”
“Greetings to Consort An and Su Jieyu.”
Their eyes swept over Li Zhu before they permitted her to rise.
Li Zhu finally took her seat.
“Li Gui Pin, as a consort personally selected by the Emperor to enter the palace, you must strive to bear heirs for the imperial family and expand its lineage.”
Li Zhu obediently agreed.
Afterward, the Empress Dowager casually inquired about her living conditions.
Though their interaction was brief, Li Zhu found the Empress Dowager quite amiable.
“Li Gui Pin, it is said that your beauty is unparalleled. Seeing you today, it truly is so.”
Though the words were complimentary, the underlying envy was unmistakable to anyone.
“Su Jieyu, you flatter me.”
As she spoke, Li Zhu discreetly activated the large exclamation mark above Su Jieyu’s head.
“Hmph, you’re too modest, sister. I had thought that since you were personally appointed Gui Pin by the Emperor, he would surely visit Huaqing Palace.”
“Indeed, the Emperor is occupied with state affairs.”
Unable to detect any flaw in Li Zhu’s expression, Su Jieyu was somewhat disappointed.
Meanwhile, Li Zhu had already finished reading Su Jieyu’s shocking secret.
Good heavens, my brain can’t process this!
Explosive and scandalous!
Su Jieyu’s mother was actually involved with her uncle, Su Ju!
Even Su Jieyu’s posthumously-born younger brother was actually Su Ju’s son!
Li Zhu clicked her tongue in disbelief.
She pitied Su Ju’s wife, who thought she had married into a prestigious family, only to find her husband’s heart never belonged to her.
Even the son she had struggled to bear had become a servant to the illegitimate child, unable to hold his head high.
Using his wife’s frail health as an excuse, Su Ju confined her to the residence, where she lived for years like a ghost, devoid of dignity.
Li Zhu inwardly cursed the adulterous couple.
“Very well, I am tired. You may all leave.”
At the Empress Dowager’s words, the three took their leave.
Once outside, Li Zhu realized she had been so engrossed in Su Jieyu’s secret that she hadn’t checked the Empress Dowager’s.
Fortunately, Li Zhu and Consort An were heading in the same direction, so she casually glanced at Consort An’s secret instead.
Most of Consort An's gossip occurred during her time in the women's quarters, mostly involving petty rivalries and schemes with her sisters in the household.
From Consort An's various domestic conflict stories, Li Zhu discovered one thing:
Although the Empress Dowager and Consort An were aunt and niece, Consort An's father was actually the Empress Dowager's half-brother from a concubine.
The Empress Dowager wasn't particularly close with the current An family either.
Li Zhu remained engrossed in consuming gossip throughout the journey, while Consort An, being naturally reserved, maintained silence during the entire return to the palace.
Back in her own Huaqing Palace, Li Zhu changed into comfortable, lightweight clothing and picked up a storybook to read.
After so many days of reading obscure and difficult texts, Li Zhu became even more convinced that these storybooks were her true source of happiness.
~~
Qinzheng Palace.
An Yi reported: "Your Majesty, thirty years ago, Chen Boyu's father Chen Han served as prefect of Qing Zhou. While inspecting Pinghe County, he happened to meet Zheng Jian. Though Zheng Jian's family was poor, Chen Han recognized his talent for scholarship and provided silver to support his education, continuing this support for over ten years."
Li Shengyuan understood – the Chen family had been planning this for such a long time.
"Zheng Jian and Chen Boyu both passed the provincial imperial examination in the tenth year of Yuantai. At that time, Chen Han was transferred to Yizhou as deputy prefect. At the end of the twelfth year of Yuantai, Chen Han sent a letter saying he had found a famous teacher for Zheng Jian. Zheng Jian brought his family and moved to Yizhou." (There was a three-year gap between provincial and metropolitan examinations)
"During the spring metropolitan examination in the thirteenth year of Yuantai, Zheng Jian fell ill and couldn't travel to the capital for the exam. Chen Boyu passed the imperial examination. Zheng Jian returned to Qing Zhou, and the following year, his home caught fire with no survivors."
"Does anyone still remember what Zheng Jian looked like?"
"Yes, Zheng Jian had an elder sister ten years his senior who married into neighboring Anning County before he passed the provincial examination, thus escaping the fire. When I found her, she was initially reluctant to speak about Zheng Jian. I didn't press her, but after a few days, she voluntarily described Zheng Jian's appearance."
An Yi took out a portrait from his robe. "This was drawn by Shadow Guard Twelve based on Zheng Jian's sister's description."
Li Shengyuan took the portrait. The person in the painting indeed resembled Chen Boyu – at first glance, it looked like Chen Boyu in his youth.
The truth was now clear, with no more mysteries.
Chen Boyu had limited talent. With his family's support, he barely managed to pass the provincial examination, but passing the imperial examination was unlikely.
Chen Han must have held some leverage over Zheng Jian – perhaps through gratitude or threats to his family's safety – making Zheng Jian agree to take the exam for Chen Boyu.
Zheng Jian sacrificed his future, but he had underestimated the Chen family's ruthlessness.
From the day Chen Han first laid eyes on Zheng Jian, Zheng Jian's fate was no longer in his own hands.
And the Chen family, for their own selfish desires, showed contempt for human life, the imperial examination system, and national laws.
Since this was the case, the Chen family should pay the price for their actions.
Since Li Shengyuan learned about the exam substitution from Li Zhu, he decided to give her some hints.
"To Huaqing Palace."
Ji An was overjoyed to hear these three words – was the Emperor finally showing some initiative!
~~
In Huaqing Palace, Li Zhu had already finished two storybooks.
By the third one, she was starting to find it rather dull.
The stories in these books were far less exciting than the tales about Su Jieyu's family.
The sky outside was already growing dark. Just as Li Zhu was about to ask when dinner would be served, a loud announcement came from outside the palace:
"His Majesty has arrived!"
Zhi Zi and Fo Shou hurried in to help Li Zhu straighten her wrinkled clothes.
Zhi Zi frowned – there wasn't enough time to change clothes now. She could only hope the Emperor wouldn't take offense.
"Greetings to Your Majesty."
Li Shengyuan waved his hand dismissively and stepped forward to directly claim Li Zhu's soft couch for himself.
With a casual glance, Li Zhu's storybook was still lying on the low table.
Before Li Zhu could stop him, the picture book had already fallen into Li Shengyuan's hands.
After flipping through a few pages, Li Zhu saw a look of confusion and disdain appear on his face.
"I taught you to read so you could read books like these?"