Now, Emperor Zhangping met with several high-ranking officials in the Imperial Study today, including the Minister of Justice.
Seeing the Minister of Justice, Emperor Zhangping naturally thought of his full sister, Consort Xi.
Remembering that a palace Attendant from Jingren Palace had reported yesterday that Consort Xi was unwell and suffering from a headache, Emperor Zhangping decided to make time today to visit Jingren Palace and check on Consort Xi.
Emperor Zhangping decided to go suddenly on the spur of the moment, without notifying the Attendants at Jingren Palace to prepare for his arrival.
Thus, when the imperial carriage reached Jingren Palace, the guards at the gate were startled to realize the Emperor had arrived.
The palace Attendants guarding the gate were terrified, hastily kneeling and kowtowing.
This was clearly not a normal reaction, as the two Attendants had just been slacking off and chatting, and were suddenly caught—by the Emperor, no less!
This wasn’t just a bit of bad luck; it was the worst luck imaginable.
Naturally, they were trembling, walking on thin ice, and stuttering their words, terrified that Emperor Zhangping would hold them accountable for their mistakes.
Emperor Zhangping vaguely heard phrases like “punished by kneeling” and “Attendant,” and his heart tightened.
An ominous premonition welled up from the bottom of his heart.
“Who did you just say was punished to kneel?” Emperor Zhangping asked in a deep voice.
The Emperor’s oppressive aura washed over them, and the two servants instantly felt a chill run through their bodies, as if they had fallen into an ice cellar.
These two servants never imagined that things could get worse.
Their vision instantly went dark.
How did the Emperor hear what they were talking about?!
These two servants dared not betray their own master or gossip about her affairs.
But deceiving the Emperor was a crime of treason, a far greater offense, which they dared not bear.
They could only honestly tell him everything they knew.
After listening, Emperor Zhangping’s face was frosty.
He no longer had any intention of visiting Consort Xi.
He simply flicked his sleeve and left, heading instead to the Imperial Garden.
Emperor Zhangping even found the imperial carriage too slow, and began walking quickly himself.
None of the palace Attendants behind him could keep up.
Only Zheng Fu managed to barely keep his pace.
Although he had been a Chief Steward for over ten years, his legs were still nimble.
Suddenly, Zheng Fu widened his eyes in disbelief, his face showing astonishment.
What did he just see!
He saw the Emperor actually running!
One must know that the Emperor had been the Crown Prince since childhood, receiving the most rigorous education.
Renowned scholars and Confucian masters served as the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince.
Therefore, the Emperor’s every move adhered to the rules of propriety.
Walking, sitting, and standing must be measured and graceful, demonstrating good cultivation and etiquette.
How many years had it been since His Majesty had been so agitated and disrespectful of propriety?
Yet now, it was all for Attendant Pei…
Zheng Fu secretly elevated Attendant Pei’s status in his mind and started running himself.
Based on the current situation, Attendant Pei was bound to be the next Favored Concubine, a certainty.
No, Attendant Pei was clearly already a Favored Concubine, otherwise why would the Emperor summon Attendant Pei to attend him in bed repeatedly, and even personally visit Attendant Pei’s residence?
Attendant Pei was probably more than just a Favored Concubine; she had truly entered the Emperor’s heart.
Even Consort Hui had not caused the Emperor to go this far for her back then.
Emperor Zhangping had only one thought in his mind: Little Concubine was so delicate that a slight bump could make her cry from pain.
How could her frail body endure kneeling for so long under such intense sun?
She was probably in so much pain she would faint, or perhaps she already had.
When Emperor Zhangping rushed to the Imperial Garden, the first thing he saw was the swaying figure of Qing Luo, kneeling with her back to him, her body constantly trembling.
The next moment, her body tilted and she softly fell sideways.
Emperor Zhangping quickly reached out and caught her at the last second, preventing her from falling to the ground.
When the palace Attendants arrived, panting heavily, they saw the Emperor already carrying a woman who was unconscious—presumably Attendant Pei, who had been punished to kneel.
“Immediately summon the imperial physicians to the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Do not delay.” Emperor Zhangping’s tone was extremely cold, his anxiety impossible to hide.
“Yes.”
Zheng Fu quickly found the quickest and most clever young eunuch and sent him to the Imperial Medical Academy, instructing him to preferably bring several imperial physicians…
Meanwhile, Consort Xi heard the news that Emperor Zhangping had come to her Jingren Palace but had left angrily before even entering the gate.
Her heart sank, her legs went weak, and Qin Lan quickly helped her sit down on a chair.
Consort Xi thought for a moment and urgently said, “Quickly send someone to the Imperial Garden and tell Attendant Pei not to kneel anymore, and to return to her Xianfu Palace.”
Kneeling at this moment wouldn’t just be Attendant Pei embarrassing herself; it would be her slandering Consort Xi to the Emperor.
If things went wrong, Consort Xi would be the one losing face.
Consort Xi finally snapped out of her jealousy and regained her composure.
She hadn’t wasted her years in the palace, but she just couldn’t suppress the jealousy in her heart.
Qin Lan secretly sighed in her heart.
“It’s already too late, my Lady. Your servant sent someone to inquire. The Emperor just went to the Imperial Garden. We can’t rush there in time now. If only we had been half an hour earlier…”
Consort Xi understood before Qin Lan could finish.
Half an hour earlier, and it would have been fine.
Then the Emperor wouldn’t have humiliated her so badly, and perhaps wouldn’t have known about Attendant Pei being punished to kneel, or at least not so quickly.
So what now?
Would the Emperor shift his anger onto her out of pity for Attendant Pei?
Consort Xi forced herself to calm down, muttering, “It’s fine, it should be fine. She is only a Little Attendant. I have accompanied the Emperor for many years; that deep affection cannot be less than what he feels for a Little Attendant.”
“Besides, my punishment was justified and legitimate. She was the one who spoke disrespectfully first, and I punished her for it. It was merely normal discipline. The Emperor won’t get angry at me because of this.”
Consort Xi suddenly grabbed Qin Lan’s hand, a fierce expression on her face.
“I didn’t do anything wrong, did I? Qin Lan, Attendant Pei disrespected me. I had every reason to punish her, didn’t I?”
Qin Lan had to nod, truthfully saying, “Naturally, my Lady did nothing wrong.”
After a pause, Qin Lan added, “It was just a bit excessive.”
It was more than just excessive; judging by the Emperor’s reaction, it was far too much.
If Attendant Pei had still been that little nobody from before, it would have been fine.
Even if their mistress went too far in disciplining her, it wouldn’t have been a big deal, because the Emperor wouldn’t inquire, and even if he did, it would be easy to handle.
But Attendant Pei was currently favored.
This was the time to avoid crossing her.
Other Consorts and Concubines either showed respect or kept their distance, yet only their mistress refused to suffer the slightest loss or give an inch, insisting on teaching Attendant Pei a profound lesson.
She was likely to be the one to suffer in the end.
In the palace, everyone had to suffer some losses and give ground a few steps.
No one could have a smooth sailing time forever.
Moreover, the mistake Attendant Pei made could be considered major or minor. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
If minor, it was just a slip of the tongue.
If the Emperor favored Attendant Pei and deemed it a momentary slip, their mistress, though having the moral high ground, would end up being in the wrong.
“My Lady should have backed down a bit.”
Consort Xi suddenly laughed, a somewhat sarcastic laugh, her Phoenix Eyes filled with unwillingness.
“For the first sixteen years of my life, I never knew what it meant to suffer a loss or to give ground. I always got whatever I wished for, until I met the Emperor. First, I had to humble myself to become his Secondary Consort. Later, I watched helplessly as he favored one woman after another, even that despicable wretch Consort Hui was elevated. I tolerated that. Now, I have to tolerate a Little Attendant climbing over my head? How ridiculous.”
She had tolerated too many times; she was close to her limit.
Qin Lan was not a palace maid; she was a Bondservant from Consort Xi’s maternal family, who grew up alongside Consort Xi and was exceptionally allowed to follow Consort Xi first into the Eastern Palace(crown prince residence) and then into the main palace.
Seeing the mistress she had served since childhood become like this made her feel terrible.
“But my Lady, this is the Imperial Palace, and the Emperor is the Son of Heaven. A woman of the Emperor is destined to be magnanimous and virtuous, never jealous. Otherwise, the only one who gets hurt is herself.”
“Yes, the one who gets hurt is myself.”
Consort Xi gave a desolate smile.
This was the path she had chosen; she had to continue, even if she cried.
Besides, there was no turning back…
Qixiang Palace.
In recent years, the Imperial Noble Consort’s health had not been good, suffering from intermittent ailments.
The weather had been muggy recently, and after using ice for cooling, the Imperial Noble Consort caught a chill.
After taking medicine, she only got up around noon.
Hearing the series of events that transpired today from Yun Lan, the Imperial Noble Consort held her teacup and sighed softly, saying, “Consort Xi is too competitive. She is never willing to fall behind anyone. Over the years, she has suffered many losses, both overtly and covertly. Her temperament has toned down a bit, but tolerance is ultimately not her nature.”
“Consort Xi is far too impatient,” Yun Lan said.
The Imperial Noble Consort said, “Impatient? How can she be patient? Attendant Pei is barely twenty, in the prime of her youth and beauty. Consort Xi, by age, could almost be someone’s mother. If she doesn’t fight for favor now, her hope of conceiving a dragon fetus will become even slimmer.”
“Consort Xi is still hoping to…” Yun Lan was surprised.
She thought Consort Xi, like the Imperial Noble Consort, had long since given up that idea.
After all, if she couldn’t conceive when she was young, there was even less hope now that she was older, especially considering the Emperor used to favor Consort Xi greatly.
The Imperial Noble Consort glanced at her.
“Otherwise? With her competitive nature, how could she not be terribly envious seeing several Consorts and Concubines conceive a dragon fetus over the years? She hasn’t stopped taking various medicines, and the Lin Family is also counting on her to give birth to an Imperial Prince soon.”
“The Lin Family’s influence is too great; I fear the Emperor has some reservations.”
“The key is having the fate to conceive. If you lack the luck, you lack the luck, and you must accept fate. If she truly became pregnant, the Emperor would certainly be delighted. Haven’t you noticed the Emperor getting anxious these past few years?”
Having powerful Maternal Relatives is a hidden danger, but it’s not as harmful as the realm having no heir.
Furthermore, as long as the Emperor himself is strong enough, he can surely suppress a family with excessive influence.
“Now the Emperor favors Attendant Pei. She is young and beautiful. Let’s hope she is blessed with good fortune.”
The Imperial Noble Consort had a decent impression of Qing Luo.
When she came to pay respects, she seemed quiet and compliant.
Since the fact that the Emperor favored her couldn’t be changed, it was better to let nature take its course.
It didn’t matter who the Emperor chose to favor; to her, what difference was there between Attendant Pei and Attendant Li?
It didn’t concern her anyway.
In the end, it was because she loved him too much that Consort Xi always had to fight, the Imperial Noble Consort sighed inwardly.
For someone like her, whose heart wasn’t completely filled with the Emperor, life was much easier, and at least there wasn’t so much pain.
“Forget it. Consort Xi ultimately made a mountain out of a molehill and went too far. Now Attendant Pei has fainted. Send someone to Xianfu Palace to make a trip and deliver some topical ointment.”