第25章
After the midnight hour had passed, the banquet at the Hall of Supreme Harmony dispersed, and Cao Yue rose and left with the others.
When passing Jingren Palace, Cao Yue hesitated for a moment, drew the cloak around her body tighter, turned her steps, and went straight on.
Anshun bent his body and carefully supported Cao Yue. “Your Majesty, where are you going?”
An Ning shot Anshun a sidelong glance in secret and said softly, “Just follow along and serve. Why do you have so much to say?”
Although she and Anping still did not know why, every time New Year’s Eve came around, the girl looked so preoccupied, as the one who understood the girl best, she would not ask more. She would only silently keep her company from the side.
Anshun was also a smart man. Hearing An Ning say this, he could also see a little of what was going on, and immediately shut his mouth.
Cao Yue paid the two of them no mind. She kept walking forward until she reached the imperial garden. Seeing the red plum blossoms in the Plum Garden blooming wantonly, with their faint fragrance floating in the dark night, she suddenly felt heavy in her heart.
She remembered that back then, Ruyi was poisoned to death by Empress Lü on just such a day when plum blossoms were in full bloom.
At that time, she was imprisoned in the dark, sunless Baoshi Room and could not distinguish what day or hour it was outside. She could only use the little bit of red plum blossoms that climbed in through the only window of the Baoshi Room to roughly determine the date.
After Ruyi died, she was immediately seen to be dismembered by Empress Lü, her eyes dug out, her ears smoked deaf, a dumb drug poured down her throat, and she became a human stick with only one breath left.
Later, she could not endure the torture and also died in winter.
In the more than ten years of being reborn, what she hated most was winter, and what she hated most was plum blossoms.
So she had gone to every effort to plant a patch of peach blossoms at the estate, not because she liked them so much, but purely because she wanted to deceive herself, wanted to completely forget that painful memory.
It was only now that she realized some things, the more you wanted to forget them, the less you could forget them.
Cao Yue raised her head and stared at the plum blossoms before her for a long time.
Snowflakes suddenly began to fall from the sky, one after another landing on the plum blossoms, as if trying to cover them up.
Cao Yue closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she reached out to grasp the plum blossom branch, wanting to break off some plum blossoms to take back and place in the sleeping hall, using this to warn herself that in this life, she must absolutely not end up in the same situation as in her previous life.
Just as her hand touched the branch, An Ning hurried forward to help. “Your Majesty, this servant will break them for you. Please be careful not to hurt your hand.”
Anshun also came up to persuade her. “This servant has rough skin and thick flesh, let this servant do it.”
Cao Yue reached out and blocked the hands they extended. “No need, this palace will do it myself.”
Some things could only rely on her own self.
Anshun and An Ning knew Cao Yue’s temperament, so they did not persuade her further and stepped back two paces.
After finishing breaking the plum blossoms, Cao Yue held the plum blossoms in front of her, the branch blocking off Cao Yue’s chin. “Anshun, this palace remembers there is a Baohua Hall in the palace?”
“Yes, Baohua Hall is in the Western Six Palaces, in front of Yuhua Pavilion.”
Anshun respectfully answered, but in his mind he thought many things. Since the empress had suddenly asked about Baohua Hall, could it be that she wanted to go to Baohua Hall to pray for blessings at this time?
Just as Cao Yue was about to order Anshun to lead the way, she heard some faint sounds around her, not knowing whether they were the sound of branches trembling as they were blown by the wind, or sounds made by someone intentionally. But no matter which it was, she would know after trying.
She slightly curved her lips, the voice carrying a bit of shyness. “Then let’s go to Baohua Hall. It is a new year, this palace will go pray for blessings for the emperor, hoping the emperor can be in a pleasant mood every day.”
An Ning reacted very quickly. Without Cao Yue giving her much of a look, she hurriedly picked up where she left off, giggling, “Just now at the banquet, when Your Majesty toasted the emperor, you did not say it like that. At that time, you said to wish the Great Qing prosperity and flourishing, peace all under heaven.”
“That, that was at the banquet. The blessing words had to be proper, so I could only say it that way.”
An Ning wore an expression of teasing, her eyes rolling around, her tone drawn out very long. “Oh, so that’s how it is~”
Cao Yue, annoyed and embarrassed by the teasing, swung the plum branch toward An Ning’s arm. “Shut up quickly. This palace does not want to hear you speak anymore.”
An Ning dodged while her mouth did not stop moving either. “If Your Majesty does not want to hear this servant speak, that won’t do. If this servant became mute, how would this servant serve by your side?”
Anshun held up a palace lantern with one hand, clearly somewhat dumbfounded by the scene before him. Before he could figure it out, he saw Cao Yue, in the midst of their horseplay, somehow trip over something underfoot, her body tilting as she was about to fall. Then a figure emerged from behind him and steadily caught Cao Yue.
Taking a careful look with the palace lantern, when he made out the newcomer’s appearance, Anshun did not even dare look a second time, and lowered his head to kneel down.
Kangxi helped Cao Yue steady herself on her feet, but the hand around her waist did not withdraw. Lowering his eyes to glance at the plum branch scattered on the ground, he smiled and said, “It’s late at night. You didn’t return to the palace to rest, so why did you come to the imperial garden to break plum blossoms?”
Because she had drunk two cups of fruit wine at the banquet, Cao Yue’s cheeks were somewhat flushed at this moment. Smelling the wine fragrance on Kangxi’s body, her gaze began to become hazy, while the awareness in her mind remained clear.
She did not answer Kangxi’s words, but instead laughed softly and said, “Then why are you here? Could it be you are also here to admire the plum blossoms?”
Seeing Cao Yue reveal a cute and innocent expression, Kangxi’s eyes darkened slightly. He had drunk quite a bit at the Hall of Supreme Harmony earlier, his mind carrying some drunken haze, and had thought of coming out to catch some wind. He had never expected to run into Zhaobin in the plum garden, and even less expected to hear such words.
As that servant named An Ning said, at the banquet, whether it was the court officials or the consorts, the New Year blessings were all proper and measured, either wishing the Great Qing well or wishing him ten thousand years of peace and safety.
He was an emperor, but he was also an ordinary person. He also had the joys and sorrows of a normal person, but these had never been cared about by anyone, not even Liang Jiugong, who had served him since childhood.
It was just that he had never thought that such a simple and pure wish, hoping that he would be in a pleasant mood every day, would come from Zhaobin’s mouth.
In an instant, Kangxi only felt as if something had struck his heart.
Gently stroking Cao Yue’s face, Kangxi also did not answer Cao Yue’s words, and only said in a low voice, “Aren’t you going to Baohua Hall to pray for blessings? I’ll accompany you.”
Seeing Cao Yue leave together with Kangxi, An Ning hurriedly picked up the plum blossoms on the ground and quickly followed.
Anshun climbed up from the ground and trotted after them all the way, the doubts in his mind still without an answer to this day.
How did the empress know that the emperor was right nearby? Could it be that there were eyes on the back of her head?
This New Year did not truly finish until after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.
And the matter concerning Imperial Concubine Yi that Cao Yue had asked about before the new year also had an answer.
Just now at the Lantern Festival viewing at Shangyuan, Imperial Concubine Yi, in front of Kangxi, personally announced that she had been pregnant for more than a month.
Kangxi naturally would not dislike having too many sons, and in the Shangyuan bestowals, the gifts to Imperial Concubine Yi were increased by another thirty percent according to the consort-rank allotment.
In Jingren Palace, seeing Cao Yue trimming the plum blossom branches, An Ning did not go forward to disturb her, and personally lit the calming incense that Anping had just mixed in the incense burner. “It’s getting late. Your Majesty should go to bed earlier. Chengqian Palace has resumed morning greetings, and we still have to get up early tomorrow.”
“I know.” Cao Yue responded casually, put away the silver shears, and used the clean silk cloth beside her to wipe her hands. “Imperial Concubine Yi is with child. What has our palace prepared as the congratulatory gift?”
An Ning had originally thought that Cao Yue would be unhappy because Imperial Concubine Yi was pregnant, and she had not even dared ask about it in front of Cao Yue, directly telling Anshun to prepare according to the rules.
“There is a squirrel and grapes ornament in the storeroom. Anshun took it out and is preparing to send it to Yikun Palace tomorrow. What do you think?”
Cao Yue went around the screen and entered the sleeping hall, sitting before the dressing table to remove her earrings. “Anything is fine, only one point: tell Anshun to remember that anything sent out from Jingren Palace must be recorded in the register, and we also must not let anyone exploit a loophole and tamper with the things. Better safe than sorry.”
An Ning came forward to help Cao Yue remove her ornaments. “Rest assured, Anshun has been in the palace for some years, he is clear about these matters in his heart.”
After removing the ornaments and taking down her hair, she took the rhino-horn comb and combed Cao Yue’s hair little by little. Looking at Cao Yue’s expression in the bronze mirror, she carefully probed, “Girl, Imperial Concubine Yi is pregnant. You really are not unhappy?”
Cao Yue froze for a moment, then smiled lightly. “Why would I be unhappy? If it is not Imperial Concubine Yi, there are still Noble Consort and Noble Lady Tong. Since this kind of thing cannot be avoided, then why should I make things difficult for myself?”
For one who is emperor, women around him will never be lacking, and the same goes for heirs.
She had not deluded herself into hoping the emperor could be single-minded toward her. She only hoped that she could occupy a special place in the emperor’s heart, and that was all.
Seeing that Cao Yue showed no reluctance at all, An Ning let out a breath of relief. “That’s good then. This servant was afraid you would not say anything on the surface, but keep everything bottled up inside.”
“But speaking of which, Imperial Concubine Yi’s fate is truly good enough. She gave birth to the Fifth Prince and the Ninth Prince, and now she is pregnant again. If it is still a prince, then she will be the consort with the most princes under her knees.”
“Alright, why are you so concerned with other people’s matters? Hurry up and make the bed.”
“Oh.”
An Ning wrinkled her nose, spread out the quilts and bedding on the bed, and after tidying everything up, Anping came in to take her place.
The first morning greeting of the twenty-fourth year was especially lively. As soon as Cao Yue entered Chengqian Palace, what she heard was the sound of everyone fawning over Imperial Concubine Yi.
Cao Yue paused in her steps, then went forward with the current to offer congratulations as well.
Imperial Concubine Yi stroked her belly and sat on the rose-carved chair. Because she was pregnant and had not applied powder, her face, apart from a complexion that was not quite white enough, was clean and without a single blemish.
She seemed to be especially satisfied with the sound of congratulations filling the palace, the smile on her face becoming a few parts more genuine. “Alright, I know the sisters’ intentions. It’s just that the Imperial Noble Consort will be coming out soon, so everyone should quickly sit back down.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the Imperial Noble Consort came out from the rear hall holding Xia Lan’s hand. After sitting on the throne seat to receive the consorts’ bows, she ordered the palace maids to change the tea, then feigned ignorance and asked about what had just happened. “This palace heard it was especially lively out here from the back. What were you all saying?”
Concubine An glanced at Imperial Concubine Yi and forced a smile. “Replying to the Imperial Noble Consort, Imperial Concubine Yi sister is pregnant again, so the sisters are all offering congratulations.”
The Imperial Noble Consort smiled faintly. “It should be congratulated. This palace has checked the Veritable Records. Last year, after the emperor returned to the palace, he only went to Yikun Palace once, yet unexpectedly Imperial Concubine Yi was pregnant.”
The implication in the Imperial Noble Consort’s words was unclear, causing the smile on Imperial Concubine Yi’s face to pause slightly.
Hearing this, Concubine An could no longer hold back the smile on her face, and said sourly, “Imperial Concubine Yi sister is truly blessed. Unlike this subject, who has been hoping for a child for so many years and has almost despaired from waiting. Not to mention a prince, I don’t even have a gege.”
Because of the Imperial Noble Consort’s words, Imperial Concubine Yi was already unhappy in her heart. Concubine An had bumped into her at this time, and Imperial Concubine Yi did not leave any face at all for Concubine An. “The emperor doesn’t even go to Qixiang Palace. Even if Concubine An were to kneel through her little Buddhist shrine, I’m afraid she still would not be able to get what she wishes.”
“You…”
Concubine An’s face turned green and then red, how could it not be more精彩.
The Imperial Noble Consort’s gaze swept over the quietly seated Cao Yue, a glint flashing in her eyes. First she reprimanded Imperial Concubine Yi. “Where the emperor goes and where he does not go is not something for you, Imperial Concubine Yi, to comment on. Imperial Concubine Yi, you have overstepped.”
Imperial Concubine Yi had taken revenge on the spot, and did not care about the Imperial Noble Consort’s reprimand. She lowered her head and accepted it, and that was the end of it. “This concubine misspoke.”
The Imperial Noble Consort nodded slightly and let out a slow sigh. “The emperor really was busy some days before the new year, and the number of times he entered the rear palace was not many either. It will be better after the year turns over. Besides, this year the plum blossoms in the imperial garden have bloomed especially well. If everyone has free time, you may as well go admire the flowers. If you are like Zhaobin and are fortunate enough to meet the emperor, that is also a good thing.”
When the others heard this, they all began to whisper among themselves. When had Zhaobin encountered the emperor in the imperial garden?
How come they had not received even the slightest bit of news?
Because of Cao Yue, Concubine Xi had been confined for a month, and had long since cursed Cao Yue countless times in her heart. Now that she saw the person, she naturally would not let it go so easily. “Wasn’t it said that Zhaobin does not like to go out and wander about on ordinary days? How is it that the moment she went out, she ran into the emperor?”
Concubine An immediately blurted out, “Then it must be that she knew the emperor’s whereabouts, otherwise what else could it be.”
Concubine Xi cooperated by revealing a shocked expression, covering her mouth and saying, “Ah? Then isn’t that spying on the emperor’s traces? That is a major crime.”
The person involved did not say a single word, but Concubine Xi and Concubine An were remarkably in sync, singing in and responding to each other as they pinned the crime of spying on the emperor’s traces on her.
Cao Yue lazily sipped her tea, with no intention whatsoever of paying attention to the two of them. If she still did not understand by now what the Imperial Noble Consort was trying to do, then she was stupid.
It was just that she also had not expected that the matter from New Year’s Eve, under the emperor’s sealing of mouths, the Imperial Noble Consort would still know about it.
As for how the Imperial Noble Consort knew, that was rather interesting. She kept saying that Cao Yue was spying on the emperor’s traces, but she did not know that she was also digging a pit and burying herself in it. Wasn’t she also spying on the emperor’s traces by broadcasting this matter publicly?
The Imperial Noble Consort did not see the panic and loss of composure on Cao Yue’s face as she had expected, and could not help but speak up in cooperation. “Zhaobin, is this matter true?”
The others only saw Zhaobin slowly raise her eyes, her cool face showing not the slightest trace of anger at being questioned. “This concubine is stupid, and does not know which matter the Imperial Noble Consort is asking about. Is it that this concubine encountered the emperor in the Plum Garden, or that this concubine spied on the emperor’s traces?”
Being questioned like this by a mere concubine in front of all the consorts, the Imperial Noble Consort only felt her face could not be held up. She steadied her suddenly quickened breathing and angrily shouted, “Zhaobin, you are insolent! Who gave you the胆子 to speak to this palace like that?”
Cao Yue remained calm. Just as she was about to continue speaking, the Imperial Consort De rushed ahead of her to plead for her. “Please calm your anger, Your Highness. Zhaobin is still young, and her words were unintentional. Please be magnanimous and do not bother with her.”
The Imperial Noble Consort did not like Cao Yue, and she also did not like the Imperial Consort De. Not to mention that the grudges between her and the Imperial Consort De had existed for a long time. Imperial Consort De’s action would only fan the flames and make the Imperial Noble Consort even angrier.
As expected, after hearing the Imperial Consort De’s words, the Imperial Noble Consort was angered into a violent fit of coughing.
Xia Lan hurriedly handed over the ginseng tea that the Imperial Noble Consort drank without fail every day, so that the Imperial Noble Consort could better steady her spirit and vitality.
In the brief moment of chaos in front, the Imperial Consort De raised her head and from afar gave Cao Yue a smile she herself considered friendly.
Cao Yue slightly furrowed her brows and did not appreciate it, instead feeling that the Imperial Consort De was minding other people’s business.
The Imperial Noble Consort finally stopped coughing. Lifting her eyes, she saw this scene, her face becoming even more sullen. She also did not wish to continue entangling further, and only coldly looked at the still calm-faced Zhaobin, then said sharply, “Zhaobin shows no respect toward this palace, commits an offense from below against above, and verbally insults one of higher rank. She is to kneel outside Chengqian Palace for one hour as punishment, to serve as a warning.”
The Imperial Consort De got up in alarm and knelt down, pleading, “Your Highness the Imperial Noble Consort, please think twice. Right now it is freezing cold, and it even snowed a few days ago. If she is made to kneel as punishment, how could Zhaobin endure it?”
The Imperial Noble Consort shot back, “She can’t endure it? Then she could endure offending this palace to the point that this palace’s coughing illness has relapsed?”
The Imperial Consort De still wanted to speak, but the Imperial Noble Consort did not give her another chance to continue. “Imperial Consort De, do not think that you have no fault at all. If this palace had not remembered that you are the mother of princes and princesses and left you some face, do you think you could still be properly pleading for Zhaobin?”
The Imperial Consort De fell silent. In the end, the Imperial Noble Consort was the one who held the power of the six palaces. If she insisted, she had no way to do anything. It was not worth it to sacrifice herself just to obtain Zhaobin’s trust.
The Imperial Noble Consort looked at the silent Imperial Consort De with eyes full of triumph, then shifted her gaze onto Cao Yue. “This palace punishes you. Are you convinced?”
Cao Yue dusted off her clothes and slowly stood up. “Whether this concubine is convinced or not, what does it matter? In any case, the Imperial Noble Consort has already punished me. This concubine is of low rank and does not dare disobey the Imperial Noble Consort’s decree, so I will just accept it.”
After speaking, she did not care what the Imperial Noble Consort’s expression was, and turned to walk outside, kneeling down outside the Chengqian gate.
Aside from the Imperial Consort De pleading for her twice, not a single one of the consorts sitting in the entire hall was willing to offend the Imperial Noble Consort at this time for Zhaobin.
Not to mention, the Imperial Noble Consort and Zhaobin fighting it out was something they were happy to see happen, and even more wanted to see who the emperor would side with after he learned about it.
Seeing that Zhaobin was so unruly and unyielding, the Imperial Noble Consort was angered to the point of pain in her chest. She ordered the consorts to go back, then returned to the rear hall and took a pill to nourish her qi, after which she slapped the table and said, “Go, have someone keep watch over Zhaobin. One hour, not a quarter hour less.”
The little palace maid took the order and left. Xia Lan’s heart thumped wildly. She only felt that this time the Imperial Noble Consort had acted too impatiently. Zhaobin was favored, and if the empress punished her like this, how would she explain it after the emperor found out?
If because of this matter the Imperial Noble Consort and the emperor developed a rift, would that not be losing the big because of the small?
Xia Lan took several deep breaths, steadied her panic, and said softly, “Your Highness, Zhaobin has been disrespectful toward you. It is only right that you punish her. It’s just that we should also do it secretly. Otherwise, if the emperor hears some rumors from somewhere and misunderstands you, that would be unfavorable to you.”
“Do it secretly?” A trace of mockery appeared on the Imperial Noble Consort’s face. “How do you do it secretly? Like Zhaobin secretly seducing the emperor on New Year’s Eve and taking him together with her to Baohua Hall to pray for blessings?”
If it were any other time, that would be one thing. She was angry, yes, but she would not be as uncontrollable as today.
But New Year’s Eve was different. In previous years, when the empress was alive, cousin-brother had always been with the empress.
After the empress died, she became the Imperial Noble Consort, but she still was not the empress, and cousin-brother had never once come to Chengqian Palace on New Year’s Eve to keep her company.
Now Zhaobin had stepped on her to obtain such a glory that only the empress could enjoy. How could she tolerate her?
Xia Lan plopped to her knees. “Your Highness, this servant is afraid that if you do this, you will lose the emperor’s favor. That imperial palace maid named Lanxi secretly told you about this matter, and it may not necessarily be for your own good. She only wants to use you. You absolutely must not be deceived by her.”
“Enough.” The Imperial Noble Consort was extremely impatient. Right now she could not hear anyone’s advice, and was only thinking about tormenting Zhaobin.
Just as the Imperial Consort De said, it was freezing cold, and if Zhaobin knelt outside for an hour, her body would suffer a severe chill. Added to the good things in Jingren Palace, in this lifetime she could forget about getting pregnant. If her body became even worse, it would be best if she simply died cleanly, and did not have to keep getting in her way.
By then the deed would be done. She did not believe cousin-brother would really be able to move against her for Zhaobin?
Xia Lan could not move the determined Imperial Noble Consort, and could not help feeling somewhat discouraged, while her heart was even more terrified. Once the matter was exposed, the Imperial Noble Consort was of noble status, and the emperor perhaps would not do anything to the Imperial Noble Consort. But whether the Imperial Noble Consort would protect her and not push her out to take the blame, she had not the slightest confidence in her heart.
Xia Lan’s brain kept turning. How exactly should she preserve herself without betraying her master?