After finishing breakfast, Su Qingyao finally saw the imperial favor bestowed by Chu Shaoyuan.
A set of jadeite head ornaments, four bolts of imperial silk brocade, and twenty taels of gold—all glittering brightly as they were carried by four Junior Palace Attendants—made for an extremely lively scene.
Just as Su Qingyao was about to have Liu Qin pick up the food box, another Junior Palace Attendant suddenly appeared from somewhere, eagerly offering to escort them back.
Since it saved her the effort, she didn’t mind. Su Qingyao thanked Tingqin once more before quickly boarding the sedan chair to hurry back. The morning court session would begin soon, and The Emperor would be heading to Qinzheng Hall at the front. Running into him would not be ideal.
One attempt at currying favor was enough; doing it repeatedly would only breed annoyance.
On the way back, Su Qingyao clearly noticed a change in the palace servants’ gazes.
Indeed, she didn’t know how things had been for the other consorts during their first night attending the bedchamber, but among the palace ladies who had entered the palace in the same year as her, no one else had received such generous imperial favor.
Previously, the most favored had been Wu Jieyu, who received only two bolts of Luo silk and ten taels of gold, with nothing more beyond that.
With just that, Wu Jieyu had been smug for several days. Little did she expect that there would always be someone surpassing her, and now the one who seemed the least ostentatious had reaped the benefits.
The palace servants marveled in whispers, but Su Qingyao had no time to care about their opinions.
Having stayed awake all night, she was now utterly exhausted. If not for the many eyes watching her, her eyelids would have drooped shut.
Liu Qin kept reminding her from the side, “Mistress, stay alert. We’re almost there.”
The back alley of Qianyuan Palace was also the front alley of the empress’s main palace, Kunhe Palace. This long, secluded alley had a beautiful name—Lianli Lane. Emerging from Lianli Lane, they immediately arrived at Ruyi Lane on the western side of the Eastern Six Palaces. Just as the sedan chair turned into Ruyi Lane, they came face-to-face with another procession.
Su Qingyao, still drowsy, didn’t notice at first, but Liu Qin, being sharp, tugged at her sleeve. “Mistress, it’s Hui Pin.”
Su Qingyao jolted awake, all sleepiness instantly vanishing.
The main occupant of the rear hall of Biyun Palace, where she resided, was Hui Pin, a fourth-rank consort. Due to the limited number of palace halls, even consorts of Pin rank might reside in rear halls. However, the Eastern Six Palaces were livelier than the Western Six Palaces, and since there were no other main occupants in the front hall of Biyun Palace, Hui Pin didn’t live in too cramped conditions.
Living under someone else’s authority, Su Qingyao couldn’t afford to offend her now. As soon as she saw Hui Pin’s procession, she immediately ordered the sedan chair to stop.
Liu Qin helped her down, and the two stood obediently beside the sedan chair, waiting for Hui Pin’s procession to pass.
Hui Pin didn’t recognize her at first. Such a grand display was unlikely to be orchestrated by a mere Xuanshi. However, upon noticing the Junior Palace Attendants following behind, she immediately understood.
Living in the same palace, it wouldn’t do to be too unapproachable. Since Su Qingyao had specially dismounted to greet her, Hui Pin also ordered her procession to pause briefly.
Su Qingyao led Liu Qin in a bow. “Greetings to Hui Pin.”
Hui Pin waved for her to rise, uttering “Congratulations,” but her eyes couldn’t help scanning Su Qingyao.
She saw Su Qingyao’s pale face, dark circles under her eyes, and overall listlessness. If not for the palace maid supporting her, she might have struggled to stand, clearly exhausted from the previous night.
Hui Pin felt a surge of turmoil in her heart. She tightly gripped the armrest of her sedan chair, barely managing to maintain her composure.
“You…” she uttered only one word before her voice trailed off.
The head maid of Hui Pin immediately said, "Mistress must be tired, please go back and rest quickly."
After sending Su Qingyao away, Hui Pin's procession resumed, but she still couldn't collect her thoughts.
Su Qingyao's appearance just now… that look… was truly maddeningly enviable.
The maid Qingsui hurriedly comforted her in a low voice, "Your Highness, don't worry. She's just a Xuanshi. Let's see what happens in the future."
Hui Pin bit her lip lightly, her eyes dark and inscrutable. Her throat felt tight, unable to utter a single sound. Her looks, background, and character were all better than that Xuanshi's, so why did The Emperor… just not take notice?
The words of Qingsui echoed in Hui Pin's mind, and her gaze deepened instantly.
Just a Xuanshi? Wasn't she also a Xuanshi when she first entered the palace? Over the years, she had slowly worked her way up to the rank of Pin. To others, she seemed to be living quite comfortably, but she knew in her heart that she only had the title of a Pin consort, with nothing substantial beneath the surface.
The Zhao family might be respectable now, but how much better were they than the Su family?
Hui Pin pursed her dry lips, still unable to let go of her resentment.
"Let's go."
Today, Consort Yi had invited her for tea and music. It was just as well—she had much to say to her sister Consort Yi.
Meanwhile, Su Qingyao returned to Biyun Palace. Without needing to call for water to wash up, she changed into her inner garments and lay down on the bed. Finally, she instructed Liu Ye, "Your sister Liu Qin has been busy all night without a wink of sleep. You keep watch at the door for now, and wake her at lunchtime."
Seeing how much imperial favor she had brought back after attending the bedchamber, Liu Ye's attitude immediately improved. She spent a long time admiring the bolts of silk before finally hearing Su Qingyao's instructions: "This servant understands, mistress need not worry."
Her smile was sweeter than ever before.
Su Qingyao was gentler with Liu Qin: "Go and rest quickly, be good."
Liu Qin waited until she had settled into bed before leaving the bedroom. "I'll trouble you to keep watch. Be careful—if anyone comes, say the mistress is asleep."
After giving her instructions, though she still couldn't fully relax, she was too exhausted to stay awake and had no choice but to go and rest.
She slept until noon, when Liu Ye first woke Liu Qin, who then came to wake her.
"Mistress, please wake up. Get up and shake off the drowsiness so you can have lunch soon."
Having suddenly become decades younger, Su Qingyao slept much better than before. Every time she slept, she felt exceptionally happy. Though she had only slept for a short two hours, she still felt deeply satisfied.
Seeing her cheeks flushed from sleep, Liu Qin couldn't help but smile. "Is mistress happy?"
Su Qingyao sat there and thought for a moment. Was she happy? Indeed, she was.
In the past, the ancients lamented, "I urge you not to cherish your golden-threaded robe, but to cherish the time of your youth," or "How short the day is, a hundred years pass all too easily." Now, living as if from ancient times to the present, Su Qingyao truly felt the beauty of youth.
What she hadn't cherished before, she now treasured exceptionally.
After a moment of thought, she nodded seriously. "No matter how life is now, I am very happy."
One must know how to cherish blessings to have blessings. This was something she often told the young palace maids when she grew old, and now she told it to herself.
Seeing her happy, Liu Qin felt joyful too. Before long, Liu Ye returned with lunch, and even the dishes looked different from usual.
Originally, Su Qingyao enjoyed southern-style dishes, but she always had to spend extra silver to get them. Over time, she grew reluctant to part with the money and stopped ordering them separately. Today, without her even mentioning it, the Imperial Kitchen thoughtfully added not only a pot of radish and pork rib soup but also a famous Nanyang dish—fish-flavored eggplant claypot, which Su Qingyao used to order most often.
Seeing Liu Ye’s delighted expression, it was clear the Imperial Kitchen had been quite enthusiastic.
Liu Ye had initially wanted to scold her a little, warning her not to get carried away, but Su Qingyao shook her head at her. After Liu Ye went out to wash the dishes, she said, “In a couple of days, if His Majesty doesn’t summon me, the Imperial Kitchen won’t be so attentive anymore. She’s just a fickle opportunist—no need to pay her any mind.”
The reason she kept Liu Ye around was simply to share some of Liu Qin’s workload. Before her own rank was elevated, everything remained uncertain. Since Liu Ye couldn’t cause any real trouble anyway, it was better to keep her around for now—it wasn’t a loss.
After lunch, Su Qingyao paced around her room dozens of times before taking her afternoon nap. Meanwhile, in the rear hall, Hui Pin found it impossible to rest.
Recalling the conversation earlier at Consort Yi’s Jinxiu Palace, she narrowed her eyes.
Consort Yi was a year younger than her but had been granted the title of Consort early due to her background. She was the only descendant of nobility in the palace—her great-grandfather was the only non-imperial prince, Prince Luo. However, since the title wasn’t hereditary, by her father’s generation, it had been downgraded to Marquis Zhongyong.
Her father wasn’t particularly capable, relying solely on inherited privileges and ancestral wealth. The only thing worth mentioning was the sheer number of his children—how many? Ten sons and even more daughters, twelve in total.
With so many children and mothers of varying backgrounds, raising them wasn’t done with much care.
Consort Yi was unlucky—her mother was just a maid. As a concubine-born daughter of Marquis Zhongyong, the best fate she could hope for was to become the principal wife of a minor official’s son. Yet, somehow, during the Jianyuan era’s first Selection of Beauties, she was chosen to enter the palace and directly granted the title of Consort Xi.
Perhaps it was out of respect for her ancestors that she was granted a principal consort title directly. Even so, Consort Yi didn’t mind—she was thrilled.
However, lacking proper upbringing yet holding a high rank, and now unable to advance further to the title of Consort Yi while new, fresh-faced beauties kept entering the palace—it was no wonder she was anxious.
Hui Pin lowered her gaze, thinking of the look in Consort Yi’s eyes when she heard about Xuanshi Su’s “exhausting night,” and chuckled softly.
She couldn’t take action against someone in her own palace—if anything happened, she’d be held responsible.
But there were others who couldn’t sit still.
As for the matters of the rear palace, Chu Shaoyuan didn’t concern himself with them at all.
After concluding the morning court session with just a few words, he returned directly to Qianyuan Palace.
For him now, reviewing memorials took only two or three hours a day, leaving him plenty of leisure time. Naturally, his thoughts began to wander elsewhere.
Having just finished reading a book on agriculture, he turned to Lou Douzhou and said, “Tomorrow, summon Li Fanchun and Zhou Peiming to the palace, and invite Uncle Yu as well.”
Li Fanchun was the Minister of Works, and Zhou Peiming was the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works. Both were trusted aides recently promoted and highly capable.
As for Uncle Yu, he was the closest living paternal uncle in terms of blood relation.
Lou Douzhou noted down the tasks and, seeing His Majesty in a good mood, quickly asked, “Does Your Majesty wish to flip the placard tonight?”
Chu Shaoyuan stroked the memorial presented by the Yiluan Guard in his hand, pausing briefly before saying, "No, recently… I won’t be selecting any. Suspend the records."
Lou Douzhou was slightly taken aback. He had originally thought that after the mistress Su’s efforts yesterday, His Majesty would at least show some consideration. He hadn’t expected that today, the records would be suspended outright. Could it be that even yesterday’s efforts failed to move His Majesty?
Chu Shaoyuan glanced at him, noticing his troubled expression, and felt a warmth in his heart. "It’s only temporary. It depends on whether the Yiluan Guard proves capable."
Since His Majesty had spoken this way, Lou Douzhou had no choice but to withdraw and attend to the matter.
Left alone in the study, Chu Shaoyuan gently stroked the memorial.
A beam of bright sunlight fell upon the document, revealing the neat and formal script of the imperial secretariat: "Your servant has heard that Master Jingchen, the abbot of Xichuan Lingyin Temple, recently returned from his travels. I went especially to pay my respects and extend an invitation. The master asked nothing else, only stating that he would come to the capital in June and advising the benefactor not to be anxious."
The Yiluan Guard was the imperial guard, obeying only the Emperor’s orders. When they went to invite Master Jingchen, they would certainly not reveal their identities. Yet, judging by Master Jingchen’s words, it seemed he had already understood everything. Truly, he possessed extraordinary insight.
Chu Shaoyuan lowered his gaze and sighed softly.
He hoped that this time, it would not end in disappointment.