In the middle of summer, as Han Yu’s poem says: “In the fifth month, pomegranate blossoms shine bright against the eye; among the branches, the first fruits are occasionally seen forming.”
The bustle of the Dragon Boat Festival had only recently passed, and the weather was growing slightly sultry. A thin mist rose in the morning, and beneath the swirling vapors, one could almost still smell the fragrance of mugwort. These few days following the Dragon Boat Festival were a rare time of relaxation for the ladies of the household who had just finished managing the holiday rites. Little did anyone expect that a sudden imperial decree would shatter the peace of the capital.
When Lady Zhou, the wife of the Heir to the Marquis of Jinxiang, heard the decree, she felt a burning anxiety in her chest. Facing a table laden with a hearty breakfast, she found she had no appetite at all.
Lady Zhou was thirty-five years old, with a round face, a smooth and full forehead, and thick earlobes. Her features were pretty, making her appear as though she were only in her twenties. She was a woman of great fortune; after giving birth to a pair of fraternal twins, she had later birthed a pair of identical twins. She had managed the household of the Marquis of Jinxiang for several years, and her husband had never taken a concubine. There wasn’t a noblewoman in the capital who didn’t envy her.
“Madam, you must eat at least a little. You have to go to the palace to offer congratulations in a short while,” the head maid at her side urged.
Lady Zhou appeared deeply worried. “It is precisely because I must go to the palace that I cannot eat.”
The head maid stiffened and could not help but sigh. “The custom of our Great Yong has always been that as long as there is an Empress, an Imperial Noble Consort is not appointed. How is Her Majesty the Empress supposed to handle herself now?”
As for the current Empress, she hailed from the prominent Ruan clan of Jiangling. The Ruan clan had produced high-ranking officials for four generations and was a breeding ground for legendary figures. Empress Ruan’s father was the Commander of the Step Guards, and her uncle was the most distinguished of the titled nobility, having been enfeoffed as the Duke of Bohai.
Yet, an Empress with such a background had been pushed to such a state. The maid could not help but feel saddened for her. What a wonderful person the Empress was…
“Is the Virtuous Consort not afraid of becoming a target for everyone? To think her title is ‘Virtuous’.”
Hearing the maid mention the Virtuous Consort, Lady Zhou lost her appetite entirely. She simply set her chopsticks on the table and could not help but say, “That Virtuous Consort is merely from a branch of the Ruan clan. Years ago, if not for the fact that the Central Palace had no sons, the Ruan family would never have sent her into the palace. She shows no gratitude for their kindness and instead forces the Emperor’s hand.”
At that moment, Han Qi, the Heir to the Marquis of Jinxiang, walked through the door and struck the heart of the matter: “I fear the Virtuous Consort’s goal is not limited to this. In the harem, Consort Guo Jin, who gave birth to the Eldest Prince, has always been out of favor. The mother of the other three princes, Consort Cui, fell out with the Emperor and was long ago deposed to the rank of commoner; thus, they are even further removed from the throne. Our dynasty has always favored appointing the legitimate or the eldest. The Virtuous Consort’s next step is likely to replace the Empress, so that her own son can legitimately become the Di son.”
Lady Zhou was shocked. “This… this… then what will happen to Her Majesty the Empress? Last year, Consort Guo Jin placed the Eldest Prince under the Empress’s care specifically to give him a better status. No, the ministers outside will not agree, and the Ruan family will not agree.”
At this thought, Lady Zhou slowly calmed down.
Han Qi knew that his wife had once received kindness from the Empress. To some extent, the fact that the two of them were together was thanks to the Empress’s great assistance. Now that the Empress was pushed to this extremity, they both wished to help.
“Indeed, an Imperial Noble Consort is not an Empress after all. Do not overthink it; just go to the palace to pay your respects. It is a good chance to check on the Empress and see if there is anything we can help with. Things haven’t reached that point yet; the ministers certainly won’t stand for it.”
Emperor Yonglong had already issued a clear decree appointing Lady Ruan, the Virtuous Consort, as the Imperial Noble Consort, and commanded the titled ladies to enter the palace to offer congratulations. The Marquis of Jinxiang’s household certainly had to go; otherwise, it would be a mark of disrespect toward the Imperial Noble Consort.
Lady Zhou was helpless. Fortunately, the outcome was as Han Qi predicted; the ministers submitted memorials one after another requesting that the Emperor establish the national foundation, and even darkly hinted that the Imperial Noble Consort was a “wicked consort.”
Only then did Lady Zhou feel a bit more cheerful, and her reluctance to enter the palace faded.
Establishing the national foundation meant appointing the Eldest Prince as Crown Prince. If the Eldest Prince were made the Crown Prince, who knew if that “treacherous consort” would be able to sit securely in the position of Imperial Noble Consort?
The day to enter the palace arrived quickly. Lady Zhou dressed in her full formal regalia. According to the rules, titled ladies usually paid their respects to the Empress Dowager or the Empress first before greeting other concubines. However, as soon as she entered today, an eunuch led her directly to Chenyou Palace.
Though Lady Zhou was not exactly a literary scholar, she knew very well what the words “Chenyou” meant. It clearly referred to the Emperor’s personal residence; she hadn’t expected the Emperor to give it to the consort.
Passing through the ceremonial gate, she could already hear laughter and chatter inside. Lady Zhou did not dare to be negligent and entered with great caution.
Chenyou Palace featured steps made of white marble. Outside the hall stood bronze crane incense burners, breathing out thin wisps of blue smoke. Entering the main hall, she found the rooms to be exquisite and magnificent; it would not be an exaggeration to call it a celestial palace. The rank of a wife of a Marquis’s heir was not low, but many of the women present today were wives of Dukes or Grand Secretaries, making her rank look meager in comparison.
Walking to the right, Lady Zhou knelt on a prayer mat to kowtow. From the corner of her eye, she observed the Imperial Noble Consort sitting at the head. The consort was the same age as her. Years ago, they had both been sent into the palace by the Ruan family as female officials. Back then, the Imperial Noble Consort’s situation was wretched; upon entering the palace, she offended the heavily favored Consort Cui and was tormented for a long time.
At that time, the Empress lived in fear because she had no son and could not speak up before the Emperor. Lady Zhou herself had been powerless to help.
Yet it was that very Lady Ruan, the female official who had been so ruthlessly suppressed, who had somehow risen step by step from a Chosen Attendant to the Virtuous Consort. It must be noted that the ranks of concubines in the Great Yong were Empress, Imperial Noble Consort, Noble Consort, Virtuous Consort, Pure Consort, Virtuous Consort (De-fei), and so on. When this woman became the Virtuous Consort, she didn’t have any children.
It wasn’t until she gave birth to a prince that, although she held the rank of Virtuous Consort, her stipends and treatment were those of a Noble Consort. Everyone assumed that at most, she would eventually be titled Noble Consort.
No one expected that Emperor Yonglong would actually personally appoint her as the Imperial Noble Consort.
After finishing her salutations and standing up, Lady Zhou stole a glance at the Imperial Noble Consort. Though they were of similar age, the consort remained beautiful and moving. It was heard the Son of Heaven loved the “palm dance,” and those in the harem who were lithe and beautiful were very favored; the Imperial Noble Consort was the pinnacle of such beauty. Her waist was slender enough to be held in one hand, delicate as a willow branch. Even more outstanding was her face—almond eyes and peach-blossom cheeks, skin like congealed fat, looking like a crabapple drunk on the sun. When she frowned slightly, she looked like pear blossoms bathed in rain, and her voice was like that of a precious oriole.
Lady Zhou sat there thinking that she remembered when the consort’s Mandarin hadn’t even been as good as her own.
Outsiders said she was like Daji, possessed by a nine-tailed fox, which was why she was so skilled at bewitching the Emperor.
The several noblewomen seated in front of Lady Zhou were flattering her to the extreme, but the Imperial Noble Consort showed no sign of pride. Instead, she said, “You ladies congratulate me, but what joy do I have? Everything is merely by the grace of His Majesty.”
After spending a short time with the Imperial Noble Consort, Lady Zhou went to Kunning Palace to pay her respects to the Empress. The Empress’s face was pale, and a faint smile touched her weakness. Fresh gardenias were still placed on her table; approaching slightly, one could smell their delicate fragrance.
The fragrance was just like the Empress herself—forever kind, ignorant of the world’s evils, possessing the virtue of forgiveness.
“Your Majesty…” Lady Zhou was very emotional.
The Empress said softly, “You’ve come.”
“Your Majesty, I have something to tell you.”
The Empress dismissed her attendants. Before Lady Zhou could even speak, she said, “Have you come because of her appointment as Imperial Noble Consort?”
Lady Zhou nodded. “Your Majesty is wise. This Imperial Noble Consort has the heart of a wolf and the ambition of a tiger; I fear she has birthed a mind to usurp your position. You have always been indifferent and do not seek trouble with others, but she is different. She likely has her eye on your throne now. Your situation is critical!”
The Empress gave a knowing smile. “What can be done? In this palace, it is the Emperor who has the final say.”
“But Your Majesty, you must think of the Eldest Prince. His maternal family is humble, and he long ago recognized you as his mother. Since he calls you ‘Mother,’ you cannot fail to plan for him. All the officials in the court are cheering for him, submitting memorials to eradicate the wicked consort. Your Majesty, you must plan more for him.”
“That is true.” A flicker of emotion finally appeared on the Empress’s face.
Lady Zhou added more fuel to the fire. “If not for you, the Imperial Noble Consort would still be in the Jiangling countryside; how could she have today? She has always been one who knows nothing of repaying kindness. Li Guan’s family were old family friends of hers. When she was a consort, Li Guan spared no effort to help her, yet when Li Guan fell into trouble, she stood by with folded arms. Not to mention Lady Jian—when she was being bullied by Consort Cui, Lady Jian was the one who moved about to help her. But last year when the Jian family’s house was raided, the Imperial Noble Consort was indifferent. The Son of Heaven has always loved and respected her; he had intended for her to say a few words for the Jian family so he could release them. Unexpectedly, her bout of weeping actually caused the Emperor to punish them. The Emperor had barely finished raiding the house when the Jian family’s assets entered the Imperial Noble Consort’s personal treasury. Lady Jian has built bridges and roads for so many years and supported orphans; she is a rare good person. Yet the Imperial Noble Consort bit the hand that fed her.”
The Empress smiled bitterly. “I am aware of all you have said. But it is not that I am unwilling; it is that I am unable.”
Lady Zhou was stunned.
Meanwhile, inside Chenyou Palace, the Imperial Noble Consort was flipping through a book. Her expression was indifferent. Those around her knew she did not like to laugh; despite her flower-like beauty, she rarely showed a smile.
Soon, a slip of paper was brought in. The head maid, Su Yan, took it and whispered a few words into the Imperial Noble Consort’s ear.
The Imperial Noble Consort laughed. “To think they want to compete with me using only this. Pure wishful thinking.”
“This wife of the Heir to the Marquis of Jinxiang is far too bold. She actually dared to incite the Empress to deal with you,” Su Yan said, full of indignation.
The Imperial Noble Consort snorted coldly. “The Empress was born with a good life, the eldest daughter of the Ruan clan’s main line, with uncles and brothers who are all pillars of the state. Zhou Furou was born with good luck; she always manages to turn bad luck into good. Even a person she saves at random turns out to be a scion of a noble house. She has an uncanny ability to avoid harm and attract benefit, as if she were born with it, meeting countless benefactors. I am not as good as the Empress at reincarnating, nor is my luck as soaring as Zhou Furou’s. But even so, what of it? I still believe that man can triumph over heaven.”
Having said this, she straightened up and looked directly out the window, her tone very cold. “The Emperor is getting older and is increasingly wary of factions. My appointment as Imperial Noble Consort likely touched a nerve with certain people. The more they form factions and the more they try to coerce him, the more the Emperor will dislike them. Go and have someone spread a word to the Eldest Prince; have him beg the Empress to take action.”
Su Yan was incredulous. “Madam, aren’t you letting them come after you?”
“Can they really deal with me? The closer the connection between the Eldest Prince and the Empress’s natal family, the more the Emperor will be wary. It is better for the Eldest Prince and the Ruan family to be tied to the same boat. When the Emperor ascended the throne, he had more than enough of the regent ministers’ interference. Since taking personal power, he has been weakening these nobles and imperial clans while promoting military officers. For the Eldest Prince to act this way… it would be a miracle if he didn’t bring about his own destruction.”
At this, Su Yan finally understood. “Madam is truly far-sighted.”
The Imperial Noble Consort smiled slightly. “What far-sightedness? It is nothing more than saving my own life. Previously, Emperor Taizu said that concubines who had given birth would not be subjected to sacrificial burial. Later, during Emperor Chengzu’s time, Empress Dowager Wei forced Consort Lu, who had birthed three sons, into sacrificial burial. Fortunately, the late Emperor had only the Empress Dowager as his one Empress, so no such inhumane things occurred. If I do not sit in that position, once the mountain collapses, I fear I will be the first one to be buried with him.”
The mention of sacrificial burial was terrifying to hear, and Su Yan couldn’t help but shudder.
The Imperial Noble Consort said calmly, “Go and add a layer of clothing.”
Su Yan shook her head. “I am not cold. I was just thinking that the Empress did not actually agree with Lady Zhou’s views. Even if the Eldest Prince begs further, she probably won’t agree.”
“I know she has always been useless. And it is precisely because of this that the Eldest Prince will hook up with the Ruan family to seek stability. Those in the Ruan family surely won’t refuse. As for whether she agrees or not, it’s useless; the Emperor stopped listening to her long ago. Years ago, that dowry maid of hers named Liusu… she acted as though she were promoting me, wanting me to facilitate a surrogate birth for her. I thought back then that while the surrogate birth was the excuse, displacing the mother to seize the child was the true intent. It’s not that I never thought of placing my child under the Central Palace’s care after birth, but if I can do it myself, why should I pin my hopes on someone else?”
The Imperial Noble Consort added mockingly, “The Empress has always been like a white lotus, loving the purity of the gardenia she grows. Pity that the people around her are each more calculating than the last.”
Su Yan deeply admired the Imperial Noble Consort. When it came to the control of hearts and the ability to strategize and win from a thousand miles away, no one surpassed her.
A year later, because he had associated with foreign ministers, Emperor Yonglong publicly declared that the Eldest Prince did not respect his sovereign father and had birthed rebellious intentions. As for the Empress, having no sons, she requested her own deposition. Emperor Yonglong built a royal nunnery for her and bestowed upon her the title Miaoshan Zhenren.
Anyone could see that this was paving the way for the Imperial Noble Consort and the Fifth Prince.
Outside the palace, the public was enraged and demanded the removal of the “wicked consort.” Naturally, the Marquis of Jinxiang’s household was there pushing things along. Zhou Furou cried, “The wicked consort actually framed the Empress and the Eldest Prince! Her Majesty held her position in the Central Palace for thirty years without any great error!”
Han Qi sighed. “The elder officials have been knocking at the palace gates for a long time now. I wonder if the Emperor will change his mind?”
Chenyou Palace, however, was a picture of serenity. Su Yan listed the names of those who had submitted memorials to curse the Imperial Noble Consort. After listening for a long while, the consort showed no reaction, even laughing. “If they didn’t make a fuss, I actually wouldn’t be used to it. All these years, ever since I gained favor, people have said the Son of Heaven neglected the Central Palace to favor me alone. They wish they could treat me like Daji or Yang Yuhuan, as a femme fatale bringing ruin.”
Su Yan said with heartfelt pain, “Madam, we will soon be through the worst of it. Once you are officially established in the Central Palace and our Prince is named Crown Prince, you will have made it through.”
“Silly girl, what are you pained for? I am not even pained myself. Take my meals, for example—back at home, I could eat so much. But the Emperor likes slender women, so every day my food never exceeds two chopstick-fulls of rice or three chopstick-fulls of side dishes. And my feet—back then they were natural feet. My father and mother took me to Jiangling Prefecture to eat rice balls, and I could walk back and forth many times without feeling tired. Later, in order to enter the palace, I had my feet bound while I was alive and well. It was uncomfortable at first, but I got used to it later.”
The Imperial Noble Consort’s tone was gentle. She rarely spoke to her maids this way; aside from her witty banter before the Emperor, she was usually quiet in private, her only hobby being reading.
Su Yan knew that the Imperial Noble Consort would soon make it through. Even if she wasn’t titled Empress, she would be the Mother of the Emperor in the future. Even if she were pointed at by a thousand fingers, the Imperial Noble Consort would not have to be buried with the Emperor in the future, and that was a great thing.
“It is late. Let me serve you to bed.”
The Imperial Noble Consort seemed exceptionally happy today. She removed her jewelry and clothes, and as she lay on the bed, she showed a childlike smile to Su Yan for the first time. “I wonder if I can meet my parents in my dreams tonight. I hope they can protect me and my child, keeping us safe and sound.”
Su Yan coaxed her, “You will, Madam. You certainly will.”