This year’s winter seemed to have arrived exceptionally early.
October had only just passed when Chang’an City saw its first snowfall of the year. Overnight, the palace’s blue-gray bricks and green-glazed tiles were covered beneath a thick layer of snow. The draft that swept through the corridors came swirling in, biting to the bone.
On the eastern side of the imperial palace stood a palace called Chengxi Palace, the closest palace to the Emperor’s sleeping quarters, Qinzheng Hall.
This palace had always been a coveted auspicious place among the beautiful women of the imperial harem. As a result, its mistress was regarded as the Emperor’s most favored consort among the six palaces of both the eastern and western sections.
Moreover, the current Emperor belonged to the generation bearing the character “Cheng,” which gave this place an additional, indescribable air of nobility and imperial favor. Even compared with Fengyi Palace, where the Empress resided, it was in no way inferior.
Of course, the current mistress of Chengxi Palace was also, in name and in fact, the foremost woman in the imperial harem. Her name was equally renowned throughout the palace—
Imperial Noble Consort Zhuo Xi.
All the consorts in the palace said that ever since the Imperial Noble Consort rose to power, the harem had not enjoyed a moment of peace.
The Imperial Noble Consort, who held authority over the harem, was ruthless, harsh, and vicious. No one could match her.
In this vast imperial palace, aside from the Emperor, there was no one capable of restraining her. Yet the Emperor favored her to the point of allowing her to do as she pleased.
Not only that, rumors had recently begun circulating that the Emperor intended to establish the Imperial Noble Consort as Empress.
The moment the news spread, it caused an enormous uproar both inside and outside the palace.
Regardless of whether the rumor was true, it was enough to show just how deeply the Imperial Noble Consort had won the Emperor’s favor.
Compared with the chaos and commotion outside, Chengxi Palace, which stood at the center of the storm, was unusually quiet at this moment.
Zhiwei paid no attention whatsoever to the person kneeling outside the door. She walked beneath the corridor, stamped her feet a few times to drive away the cold surrounding her, and then headed back into the main hall.
The palace maid holding back the curtain did so with practiced gentleness. As she raised and lowered it, not the slightest sound was made.
Zhiwei quickly glanced at the apricot-yellow figure seated on the red sandalwood couch carved with plum branches. Her expression immediately became more restrained, and she bowed as she reported, “Your Highness, His Majesty said he will come to Chengxi Palace for the meal in half an hour.”
Xian Nong casually set aside the book in her hand and lazily raised her eyes. Her voice was languid, with a hint of drowsiness still lingering in it. “Oh. Then have the Imperial Kitchen prepare the midday meal first.”
Zhiwei understood and, as she had done countless times before, passed her mistress’s instructions down through the palace.
In the blink of an eye, she noticed that her mistress was now playing with a jade ruyi that was white with a faint green translucence. The long red-gem hairpin at her temple trembled almost imperceptibly, its dangling beads swaying slightly, as though revealing a trace of its owner’s emotions.
True to her name, Zhiwei was observant enough to notice the smallest details. She immediately put on a smile and said, “In a little while, the two little princes will wake up. If they see all the snow in the courtyard, they will probably make a fuss about wanting to see a snowman. But it will take some time to build one. Your Highness, shall I have someone build two in advance?”
Hearing this, Xian Nong turned her head and glanced out the window. Instead, she said, “It has been several years since I last saw such heavy first snowfall.”
Zhiwei nodded and instinctively continued, “Your Highness has an excellent memory. Chang’an City hasn’t snowed in the past two years. The last time I saw snow like this was during the winters of Yuansheng Year Nine and Year Ten—”
Her voice abruptly trailed off.
Zhiwei suddenly dropped to her knees and pleaded for forgiveness. “This servant spoke out of turn.”
Seeing how cautious she was being, a trace of helplessness passed through Xian Nong’s heart.
Zhiwei had been serving her for so long. How was it that she was still so cautious?
Could it be that her reputation for being ruthless and merciless outside the palace had become so deeply ingrained that even Zhiwei, who had followed her for so many years, had been affected by it?
In the corner of the hall, a gilt incense burner released wisps of smoke. The faint fragrance of cedar and plum blossoms intertwined in the air, lingering almost imperceptibly and harmonizing perfectly with the snowy scene outside.
“I also remember that the snow was particularly heavy those two years,” Xian Nong sighed, her gaze calm and distant. “It has been several years since I’ve seen such a scene. I find myself missing it terribly.”
She had never avoided speaking about her origins or anything from her past.
But as her position rose higher and higher, and after she gave birth to a prince and a princess, those who had once dared to point at her face and curse her gradually left the palace one after another. After that, no one in the palace dared mention her past in front of her anymore.
Who knew what they were afraid of? It wasn’t as though she would actually eat them.
She lowered her eyes and smiled faintly, her gaze shifting as though she could see the figure kneeling outside through the courtyard.
It was rare for her to encounter someone who dared to bring up the past today, yet that person had only dared to speak behind her back. The moment she saw Xian Nong herself, her legs had gone weak, and she had immediately knelt down and started repeatedly banging her head against the ground in apology.
Tsk. She had never even said that she intended to blame her.
And yet she insisted on kneeling outside Chengxi Palace, inviting gossip from others. Those who knew nothing about the matter would only add another accusation against her.
How annoying—
Xian Nong thought with a hint of cold indifference.
Did they really think she couldn’t see through that woman’s little scheme?
She thought that by kneeling outside Chengxi Palace, she would be able to attract the Emperor’s attention, then gain his sympathy in front of him. Better yet, perhaps she could make the Emperor develop a rift with his Imperial Noble Consort and abandon his intention of making her Empress.
Xian Nong immediately lost interest. She found it utterly boring. She had seen too many such petty tricks, and they could hardly stir the slightest ripple in her heart anymore.
The court officials attacked her humble origins, while the consorts united in an effort to prove that she was unworthy of her position. But what of it?
That day, while she was handling memorials in the Imperial Study, the Emperor had written an imperial edict appointing her as Empress right in front of her.
It was Xian Nong who had persuaded him to hold back, which was why the edict had yet to be announced to the world.
She simply wanted to see how far these people would go to prevent her from becoming Empress, and who they thought could possibly replace her and take the position of Empress.
She had already witnessed the consorts in the harem revealing their ugliest sides. The Emperor’s court was probably no different.
Thinking of this, she couldn’t help curling her lips into a faint smile and letting out a soft laugh.
What a pity. Her period had just begun, and she wasn’t feeling particularly well. Otherwise, she would certainly have gone to see the spectacle for herself.
As Xian Nong had expected, the scene at Qinzheng Hall was much the same.
After listening to the court officials repeat the same arguments over and over, Rong Chengye was thoroughly irritated. Estimating that enough time had passed, he waved his hand decisively and settled the matter once and for all.
“Enough. I have already made up my mind. The Imperial Noble Consort is virtuous and distinguished, possessing the virtue befitting a mother of the empire. The position of Empress belongs to none other than her.”
The ministers below exchanged glances before finally withdrawing, angry but daring not speak against him.
The Emperor held supreme authority, and the position of Empress had remained vacant for a long time. They had long hoped that the Emperor would appoint an Empress.
It was just that they were unwilling to accept this.
There were clearly so many consorts in the harem born into official and aristocratic families. Why had the Emperor chosen an Imperial Noble Consort who had come from the ranks of palace maids?
They couldn’t understand it.
They truly couldn’t understand it.
Rong Chengye couldn’t care less what they thought. After dismissing them, he immediately rose and walked out of the hall.
The eunuch serving at his side immediately called out with great discernment, “Prepare the imperial carriage for Chengxi Palace—”
Chengxi Palace.
The moment Rong Chengye stepped down from his imperial carriage, someone blocked his path.
“This concubine pays her respects to Your Majesty.”
There were guards and palace servants all around, and no one could get close to him. The woman who had appeared from who knew where was no exception.
Without waiting for him to issue an order, the palace servants immediately pulled her away.
The woman’s face was as pale as snow, and she wore a pitiful, delicate expression. Her voice, however, remained fairly melodious.
“Your Majesty—”
Rong Chengye swept his eyes over her without revealing his thoughts, unable to keep himself from frowning.
He looked up at the plaque bearing the words “Chengxi Palace,” then glanced toward the faint sunlight visible in the east. For a moment, he found the situation rather peculiar.
“Why are you kneeling here?”
The little eunuch guarding the entrance to Chengxi Palace answered, “Your Majesty, the Imperial Noble Consort left the palace for a while during the hour of the Snake. Not long afterward, this mistress suddenly came and knelt here. She also forbade this servant from informing Your Highness. The Imperial Noble Consort still does not know about this matter.”
That statement was three parts true and seven parts false.
He was a servant of Chengxi Palace. Who could possibly stop him from reporting the matter if he wanted to?
Yet Rong Chengye seemed not to notice anything unusual. He merely responded with a faint “Mm” before walking straight toward the inner hall.
Behind him, the woman kneeling on the ground was quietly dragged away by the palace servants. Not a single person showed any regard for her status as a consort.
The harem had long since changed.
Inside the sleeping quarters, the intermittent sound of conversation could be heard.
Rong Chengye brushed the nonexistent snow from his shoulders and walked past the rows of kneeling palace servants. With a smile in his eyes, he approached Xian Nong, who was sitting on the couch with the two imperial children in her arms.
“I’ve kept the Imperial Noble Consort waiting.”
Xian Nong was already accustomed to his habit of arriving without sending word ahead. A smile appeared on her face at just the right moment.
“As luck would have it, our two little highnesses have both woken up. They’ve been clamoring to see their Imperial Father.”
With that, she handed the prince in her arms over to him.
Rong Chengye naturally took the little prince into his arms. Hearing this, he couldn’t help laughing.
The prince and princess were still very young and couldn’t even speak clearly yet. She already found the two of them troublesome enough that she couldn’t be bothered to call them by their names, instead referring to them as “the little highnesses,” just like the palace servants did.
What a truly affectionate mother.
Rong Chengye held each of the two little highnesses in turn before directly instructing the palace servants to take them away to be fed.
The two children were actually quite well-behaved. They rarely cried or fussed. According to the Empress Dowager, they were much more lovable than he had been when he was young.
However, he didn’t believe that.
It was merely something the Empress Dowager said out of affection for her grandchildren and wasn’t meant to be taken seriously.
Besides, he distinctly remembered that the Empress Dowager had always used the exact same words to praise him in front of others in the past.
Xian Nong raised an eyebrow. Seeing his reaction, she swallowed the words that had reached the tip of her tongue.
Forget it. It seemed he must have something important to discuss with her.
Sure enough, once only their close attendants remained in the hall, Rong Chengye spoke.
“I intend to announce to the world soon that I will establish you as Empress.”
Xian Nong wasn’t surprised, and this time, she didn’t stop him.
When she remained silent, however, Rong Chengye seemed somewhat unaccustomed to it.
“What? You’re not happy?”
“Of course I’m happy.” Xian Nong shook his arm, making a great show of sincerity. “I’ve been happy ever since the day Your Majesty wrote the imperial edict. I’ve remained happy all the way until now.”
Rong Chengye pinched her cheek and couldn’t help laughing.
“If you’re so happy, why did you stop me from announcing the edict to the world back then? Did you bring this trouble upon yourself for nothing?”
Xian Nong knew that he had seen the consort kneeling outside. She merely pursed her lips indifferently.
“Since Your Majesty has already written the imperial edict, I don’t have to worry about Your Majesty going back on your word.”
Rong Chengye had long grown accustomed to the way she spoke. A hint of tenderness and indulgence filled his eyes.
“The Imperial Noble Consort is right.”
He put an arm around Xian Nong, his voice low.
“That is very good.”
The woman she was now had brought him comfort.
Xian Nong buried her face against his chest and gave a muffled “Mm,” as though she too had sensed his emotions.
“Without Your Majesty, there would be no Zhuo Xi,” she said.
The name Zhuo Xi was one she had chosen for herself. It meant washing away the past.
She remembered the path she had walked to get here more clearly than anyone. It wasn’t something that could simply be erased by changing her name.
Before she became Zhuo Xi, she had been Xian Nong, an ordinary little palace maid.
It was Rong Chengye’s appearance in her life that completely changed her fate.
He was the one who personally handed her a “knife” called power, allowing her to be reborn.
From a palace maid to the Imperial Noble Consort, several years had clearly passed during that time. Yet when she suddenly thought back on it, Xian Nong realized that she still remembered many of the details from those days with perfect clarity.
Especially the ninth year of Yuansheng.
Rong Chengye seemed to have heard her, yet also seemed not to have heard her. He merely held her even more tightly.
Naturally, he also remembered that year with perfect clarity.
That was the year she had just turned seventeen—
Author’s Note:
This is a prologue. The main story begins in the next chapter, starting with the female protagonist, Xian Nong, as a palace maid. This is a traditional imperial-harem power-struggle novel with a growth-oriented female protagonist. Please read the content warnings carefully before deciding whether to read! If you don’t like this type of story, please proceed with caution.
My currently serialized novel next door, Her Highness Is the Emperor’s Sole Favorite 【Short story, 1v1 with both leads having no prior sexual relationships】
A Ying grew up deep within the imperial palace. As a palace maid, she had witnessed the warmth and coldness of human relationships from a young age and had grown accustomed to seeing a life of fine clothes and delicacies.
She believed that no matter how many disappointments there were in this world, wealth, glory, and power could solve them all.
Therefore, when the young Emperor lowered his eyes and asked her what she wanted, she said, “This servant wishes to remain by Your Majesty’s side.”
Her eyes were like autumn waters, shimmering and radiant, seemingly filled with tender affection.
At first, Fu Xiao kept A Ying by his side because she had no one to rely on and had accompanied him for many years.
Later, however, he placed his heart before A Ying, allowing her to become the sole recipient of his imperial favor and rise from a palace maid to the position of Empress.
He cleared away every obstacle in her path and left the imperial harem empty for her.
【A Ying, you only need to remain where you are. I will give everything I have to walk toward you, one step at a time.】
【I only hope that, at the summit of power, I can stand shoulder to shoulder with you.】
Next planned novel: Her Highness’s Favor Never Fades
On the eighth day of the ninth month of the third year of Changning, Su Zhanxue entered the palace for a banquet, where she happened to encounter the Emperor.
That same month, she was formally invited into the palace with the rank of Noble Consort.
From then on, she enjoyed the Emperor’s enduring favor for years.
Step by step, she ascended to the throne of Noble Consort.
Everyone said that relying on beauty to win the Emperor’s favor could never last, and they eagerly awaited the day she would fall from her lofty position.
Yet the faces in the palace changed one group after another, and still no one could surpass her.
No one knew how the Noble Consort had first caught the Emperor’s eye, nor how she had managed to monopolize his favor for years.
In their efforts to win his favor, the other consorts competed to imitate her.
When this scene fell into Su Zhanxue’s eyes, she remained outwardly composed, but inwardly she sneered coldly—
In truth, at the very beginning, she had merely been a target the Emperor had deliberately set up.
When she was young, Su Zhanxue became famous throughout the capital for both her talent and beauty and was the woman of many young noblemen’s dreams.
When Xiao Huaizhuo was still a prince, he had also briefly crossed paths with her several times.
At that time, he was no exception.
The stirrings of youthful love were like the blazing summer sun, scorching the heart.
They were difficult to forget.
Thus, even after he became Emperor, when he encountered Su Zhanxue again, he still lost himself for a moment.