The staff from the Imperial Household Department bustled for nearly two hours, finally moving all the treasures bestowed by Emperor Zhaoheng into the West Side Hall and arranging them roughly in place.
Initially, Consort Yi stood by the entrance watching, but as the endless stream of gifts continued to be carried in, her face turned ashen, and she turned back to the main hall.
As for Attendant Song, she watched with blatant envy as load after load of treasures was moved into Shuixian’s West Side Hall.
Just moments ago, she had mocked Shuixian for never having seen fine things—who could have imagined the Emperor would grant her so many precious items?
In the end, Attendant Song, too, stomped back to the East Side Hall in a huff and slammed the door shut.
Inside the West Side Hall, Shuixian stood alone.
The surroundings were extravagantly adorned.
The shimmering Yunjin and lustrous pearls all radiated the Emperor’s favor.
This honor was her weapon, yet she knew it was something Yi Guichun would never tolerate.
Consort Yi would never let this rest.
Sure enough, as soon as Shuixian finished arranging everything and sat down, before she could even take a sip of hot tea, Xuemei, Consort Yi’s chief maid, arrived.
“Mistress, Her Ladyship requests your presence.”
What was bound to come had come.
Shuixian rose calmly. “Please lead the way.”
Stepping once more into the main hall of Changxin Palace, she found Consort Yi seated in the main seat, a strained smile on her face.
On the table, the bowl of medicinal brew remained, still exuding a bitter scent, though much of its warmth had faded.
“Sit,” Consort Yi said, her tone unreadable.
Shuixian obediently took a seat on the embroidered stool below, her posture humble.
“The Emperor’s favor is truly overwhelming, enough to startle the heart. Even I have never received so many gifts at once…”
Consort Yi spoke slowly, a flash of deep jealousy in her eyes.
So many rewards, and the Emperor had never bestowed them upon her!
“How could this humble one dare outshine Your Ladyship?”
Shuixian immediately knelt, her demeanor submissive:
“Perhaps the Emperor pities my lowly origins and the frostbite I suffered in the snow, hence granting me a few extra items for comfort. I am truly anxious!”
Consort Yi stared at her for a long moment, a cold glint in her eyes.
Pity? Since when had the Emperor shown such pity for another woman?!
“Enough.” Consort Yi waved a hand, as if unwilling to dwell on the matter. She picked up the bowl of medicine, stirred it with a spoon, and handed it to Shuixian.
“I specifically had the imperial physician prescribe this—it strengthens the foundation and nurtures vitality, good for your health. If it cools, the potency weakens. Drink it while it’s warm.”
The dark brown liquid emitted a strong, bitter odor.
In her previous life, Consort Yi had never offered her any tonic.
Whether this medicine was beneficial or harmful, Shuixian had no way of knowing.
Yet, under Consort Yi’s gaze, she had no choice.
Shuixian accepted the bowl with both hands.
The porcelain felt cool, the brew thick and viscous.
Under Consort Yi’s icy stare, she slowly brought the bowl to her lips, tilted her head back, and drank it down in large gulps.
“Very good.”
Consort Yi looked satisfied at the empty bowl, a hypocritical smile spreading across her face. “That’s more like it. I only have your best interests at heart.”
She did not dismiss Shuixian but instead drew her into another topic.
“Now that you’ve suddenly gained the Emperor’s favor, you’re in the spotlight. Countless eyes are watching you, envying you. The rear palace is treacherous—open attacks are easy to dodge, but hidden arrows are hard to guard against.”
She spoke with feigned concern, as if advising Shuixian for her own good:
“In my opinion, you should… feign illness for now and rest properly in Changxin Palace for some time.”
“Firstly, this will keep you away from the center of the storm, leaving those who envy you no opportunity to strike… Secondly,” she paused meaningfully, “it will allow His Majesty… to miss you.”
Consort Yi covered her mouth with a light laugh. “Men never treasure what comes too easily. By keeping your distance and whetting his appetite, you’ll make him think of you more often, ensuring lasting favor in the future. Don’t you agree?”
If Shuixian successfully gained the Emperor’s favor now while he was newly intrigued, she would likely be promoted after just a few encounters.
Consort Yi thought to herself that if she made Shuixian keep the Emperor waiting, he might forget about her entirely. Then Shuixian would completely fall into her hands, to be manipulated as she wished.
Shuixian lowered her eyes, showing a grateful expression.
“Your Highness considers everything so thoroughly! This humble one was too foolish to have thought of this! I shall follow Your Highness’s arrangements completely!”
“Good, I’m glad you understand.” Consort Yi nodded with satisfaction at Shuixian’s obedience.
“Then it’s settled. I’ll have the Bureau of Palace Affairs remove your placard later. Rest peacefully in the West Side Hall and don’t go out unnecessarily. If you need anything, just have your maid find Xuemei.”
“Yes, thank you for Your Highness’s grace.” Shuixian kowtowed in gratitude before rising and taking her leave at Consort Yi’s gesture.
Upon returning to the West Side Hall, Shuixian immediately rushed to the spittoon in the corner, pressing hard on her stomach.
With violent retching, she vomited most of the black medicinal brew!
Only when she could bring up nothing more than bitter fluid did she collapse against the wall, breathing heavily.
Her eyes turned icy as she stared at the dark, turbid liquid in the spittoon.
Whether this was actually a pregnancy-preserving medicine or not, anything given by Consort Yi must never be consumed!
After catching her breath for a moment, she forced herself to walk to the dressing table.
Among the items bestowed by Emperor Zhaoheng were several simple silver hairpins.
Shuixian picked up one and tested the vomited medicine.
Moments later, when she withdrew the hairpin, the originally shiny tip was covered with a dull bluish-gray tint!
It was indeed poisoned!
Consort Yi truly had a vicious heart! In this lifetime, just because she had been promoted to Changzai, she wanted her dead?!
With a cold expression, Shuixian picked up the spittoon, walked to the window where a pot of blooming begonias stood, and poured the medicinal liquid decisively into the flowerpot’s soil.
The dark brown liquid quickly seeped into the earth, leaving only a dark stain behind.
Consort Yi wanted her to feign illness and avoid imperial favor? She merely wanted the Emperor to gradually forget about her.
But what Consort Yi didn’t know was that during those three days in Qianqing Palace, she hadn’t actually served the Emperor in bed!
How could a mere Green Head Placard stop a man who had tasted some sweetness but hadn’t been fully satisfied?
For several consecutive days, Emperor Zhaoheng hadn’t set foot in the rear palace.
Mountains of memorials filled the Emperor’s time.
Yet whenever night fell and silence prevailed, lying on the Dragon Bed, Emperor Zhaoheng couldn’t help recalling those three days of recklessness.
This evening, having finally dealt with the accumulated state affairs, Emperor Zhaoheng leaned back in the dragon throne, closing his eyes to rest for a moment.
Feng Shunxiang seized the opportunity, carrying a tray filled with Green Head Placards as he approached the Imperial Desk silently and knelt respectfully: “Your Majesty, it’s time to choose a consort.”
Emperor Zhaoheng slowly opened his eyes, his profound gaze sweeping across the tray.
Consort Wan, Noble Consort Li, Consort Rong… His gaze instinctively searched for that familiar name.
Yet after scanning twice, he couldn’t find the Green Head Placard engraved with Shuixian’s name!
“Where is Attendant Shuixian’s placard?”
Emperor Zhaoheng’s voice was low, betraying no emotion, yet it made Feng Shunxiang’s heart skip a beat.
Feng Shunxiang hurriedly replied, “Your Majesty, Changxin Palace sent word to the Bureau of Palace Affairs that Attendant Shuixian caught a chill in the snow days ago and hasn’t fully recovered. She needs quiet rest for some time, so… her placard has been temporarily withdrawn during her convalescence.”
“Caught a chill? Still unwell?”
Emperor Zhaoheng’s brow tightened.
That day at Qianqing Palace, the imperial physician clearly stated the cold had been expelled and she only needed proper care.
How could she fall ill again in just a few days? How is Consort Yi looking after her?
“Prepare the carriage,” Emperor Zhaoheng stood up. “To Changxin Palace!”
He would see for himself how ill she was! How could she be too unwell to even have her placard displayed!
Inside Changxin Palace.
Upon receiving news of the emperor’s sudden visit, Consort Yi immediately sent someone to inform Attendant Song to prepare for the imperial reception.
Attendant Song rushed over to confirm, and Consort Yi gently reassured her:
“Don’t panic, sister. The Emperor hasn’t visited the inner court for so long. His coming to Changxin Palace today is your opportunity. I will definitely recommend you to His Majesty later. Prepare well and be sure to display your most captivating charm.”
Attendant Song was overjoyed upon hearing this.
The Emperor had finally come! She had waited for this moment for so long!
She quickly curtsied, her voice trembling with suppressed excitement: “Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness! This humble one will go prepare immediately and will not disappoint your expectations!”
She turned and hurried toward her East Side Hall, deliberately pausing when passing Shuixian’s tightly closed West Side Hall door.
Thinking of the lowly maid inside who couldn’t see the imperial countenance due to illness, Attendant Song curled her lips in a scornful sneer:
“This sister is going to serve the imperial carriage. Younger sister should rest peacefully in your room! When the Emperor arrives, don’t wander about and catch another chill!”
Attendant Song’s proud boasting carried into the West Side Hall.
Inside the West Side Hall, Shuixian was applying makeup before her mirror.
Hearing Attendant Song’s provocation outside, Shuixian’s lips curved slightly.
Serve the imperial carriage? I’m afraid Attendant Song’s expectations will be dashed!
Before long, shouts of “Ten thousand years” echoed from outside the hall – Emperor Zhaoheng had arrived.
In the main hall, Consort Yi led the meticulously dressed Attendant Song in respectfully welcoming the imperial carriage.
Attendant Song wore a light pink silk dress, her head bowed low with shy anticipation, waiting for Consort Yi to make the recommendation.
“Your Majesty’s blessings,” Consort Yi said with a bright smile. “Attendant Song, hearing of the imperial carriage’s arrival, specially came to…”
“Where is Shuixian?” Emperor Zhaoheng directly interrupted Consort Yi, his gaze sweeping the hall without finding that slender figure.
“I heard she’s ill? How is her illness? Has the imperial physician seen her?”
The smiles on both Consort Yi and Attendant Song’s faces froze. Consort Yi hadn’t expected the emperor’s first words upon entering to be about Shuixian!
Unprepared, she couldn’t fabricate an illness name on the spot.
She could only force composure and reply: “Your Majesty, Shuixian… still isn’t well. The cold penetrated her bones days ago, damaging her vitality. The imperial physician said… she needs quiet rest and shouldn’t be exposed to wind…”
Seeing her poorly concealed guilt, Emperor Zhaoheng grew suspicious.
“What exactly is her illness? What are the symptoms? Where is the prescription from the imperial physician?”
“This…” Consort Yi was left speechless by the questioning.
She had merely used an excuse to avoid imperial favor—how could there truly be any illness or prescription?
She stammered, “It’s probably… a lingering chill that requires gradual recuperation…”
Emperor Zhaoheng noticed her evasive expression and vague words, deepening his suspicions.
Ignoring Consort Yi, he abruptly stood up and strode toward the West Side Hall.
“Your Majesty!” Consort Yi panicked, stepping forward to block his path. “Shuixian is still unwell—she might transmit her illness to you! Your dragon’s health is of utmost importance!”
“My dragon’s health is of utmost importance?” The emperor’s voice was cold as ice. “As her superior, you don’t even know what illness she has, do you? Or perhaps… she isn’t ill at all?”
As he spoke, Emperor Zhaoheng had already reached the door of the West Side Hall and pushed it open without hesitation.
The hall was brightly lit by candlelight, filled with the faint scent of ink.
What met the emperor’s eyes was not the scene of an invalid confined to bed.
Instead, Shuixian sat upright by the window at a writing desk, dressed in plain robes, her dark hair loosely tied up.
She held a brush in her hand, with a sheet of snow-white xuan paper spread before her, wholly absorbed in writing something.
The warm candlelight cast a soft glow around her, serene and beautiful—there was no trace of sickness at all.
Hearing the door open, Shuixian looked up in surprise. Recognizing Emperor Zhaoheng, she hastily set down her brush and rose to bow. “Your… Your Majesty? Why are you here? This humble one is unprepared…”
The emperor strode to her desk, his gaze sweeping over her healthy complexion before settling on the paper filled with Hairpin Small Script.
Though the handwriting appeared somewhat unpracticed, it was neat and elegant, clearly the result of diligent effort.
The text she was copying was a Buddhist sutra for blessings and warding off calamities.
“Aren’t you ill? Instead of resting properly, why are you copying these?”
Shuixian hung her head low, as if she had done something wrong, her voice barely a whisper:
“This humble one… is not seriously ill. It was Consort Yi’s kindness—she said that since I had suddenly received imperial favor, it might provoke jealousy, so she advised me to feign illness and remain in the hall to rest quietly for a while, to avoid attention…”
Her voice grew even softer. “Staying in the hall all day, I grew anxious and unsettled. Thinking of Your Majesty’s great kindness to me, I… I wished to copy Buddhist sutras to pray for Your Majesty’s health and the longevity of the dynasty…”
Emperor Zhaoheng watched her hands, nervously clutching the corners of her robe, and the displeasure he had felt over her deception vanished like mist. In its place was a quietly pleased satisfaction.
The feigned illness was Consort Yi’s idea, and yet she, even in seclusion, was copying sutras and praying for him.
What a foolish girl…
He set down the sutra and lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.
In the candlelight, her face, free of heavy makeup, was exquisitely beautiful—timid, yet irresistibly stirring a desire to cherish her fiercely.
“Tell me,” Emperor Zhaoheng’s voice lowered, carrying a hint of coaxing, his thumb gently stroking her delicate jaw.
“Tonight… do you wish to attend me?”