“I will go take a look.”
“Greetings to the Noble Consort, greetings to all older sisters,” Jiang Wangnan greeted with a proper, respectful bow.
Inside Zhuxuan Pavilion, there was only one stone table and four stone stools. Gao Shuman sat in the middle, Yuan Bing sat beside her, and everyone else stood behind them, not daring to sit or make a sound.
As for Jiang Wangnan’s side, only he and Qiu Ruo were present, looking exceptionally solitary and isolated.
“Noble Consort Jiang, please dispense with the formalities. Now that you are the one favored by His Majesty, I will have to rely more on you in the future.”
Someone nearby chimed in, “The Noble Consort is truly the most blessed person. At the Lotus Banquet, if Your Ladyship dances the water-sleeve dance, graceful as a startled swan and lithe as a frightened dragon, His Majesty’s gaze will definitely be unable to look away.”
“Indeed, across the capital, no one can rival the Noble Consort’s dancing posture.”
“What you elder sisters say is entirely true. What virtue or ability do I possess? It was merely a fluke.” Jiang Wangnan had strained his brain for a long time, and these were the only polite formulas he could muster. Please let me go, big sisters, wuwuwu.
Initially, Gao Shuman disdained even casting a glance at him. However, after taking a light sweep, she found herself uncontrollably unable to look away.
When she had seen him previously, he was bare-faced and wearing coarse, shabby clothes. He was pretty, but not remarkably so. Now, after being dressed up, he looked completely different, to the extent that it forced her for the first time to tacitly admit she had been outshone.
“Hmph, dressing up like this to wander outside, wondering who you are trying to seduce. Which little vixen did your makeup?”
In her peripheral vision, Qiu Ruo’s figure shifted forward slightly, but Jiang Wangnan stepped ahead of her and claimed responsibility: “Replying to the Noble Consort, I did it myself.”
“You? Are you trying to fool me?” Gao Shuman looked him up and down in sheer disbelief.
Yuan Bing nudged her secretly, and the two exchanged glances. The latter said, “Unexpectedly, Noble Consort Jiang possesses such skillful hands. Coincidentally, the Noble Consort has recently selected her outfit for the Lotus Banquet yet has not finalized her makeup.”
Gao Shuman curled her lips into a smile without seeking Jiang Wangnan’s consent: “It is settled then. Come to Xiuxiu Palace tomorrow at the Mao hour. If you are late by even a quarter of an hour, watch out for this consort breaking your legs.”
“Understood.”
The moon hung like a silver shield in the night sky.
Xiuxiu Palace.
Gao Shuman sat before the dressing table while Miaojuan unpinned her hair. Yuan Bing approached carrying a cyan jade porcelain jar.
Gao Shuman opened it to take a look: “Bath beans? This consort has plenty of those.”
Yuan Bing smiled and said, “Your Ladyship, these bath beans are quite different. Take a sniff.”
Gao Shuman leaned in slightly, and a wave of peppermint scent surged straight to her crown. She immediately covered her nose with a handkerchief and commanded, “Take it out. Just smelling it makes me nauseated. Wait, you are not planning to frame me, are you? How audacious.”
Yuan Bing anxiously urged, “Your Ladyship, if you do not risk the child, you cannot catch the wolf. Moreover, this tiny amount will recover within two hours and will not affect Your Ladyship’s beauty, but it will be enough to suppress Noble Consort Jiang’s momentum.”
“Did you really only put in a little bit?”
“This concubine would never dare to deceive Your Ladyship.”
“Very well, I believe you. If there is the slightest mishap, not only you, but even your father, Imperial Censor Yuan, will not be spared by this consort.”
“Understood, Your Ladyship.” Yuan Bing did not dare utter another half-word.
Gao Shuman glanced sideways at her and chatted idly: “I heard your lover’s gambling addiction flared up recently?”
Yuan Bing lowered her head, unsure whether she was unwilling or afraid to speak.
Gao Shuman frowned and said, “Why are you so utterly spineless? He is merely an inner palace guard, and a gambler at that, with no money, power, or influence. I truly do not understand what you even like about him.”
Yuan Bing smiled bitterly: “Your Ladyship, who does not know that His Majesty took us into the inner palace entirely to keep our fathers in check? A woman in her prime, trapped in the inner palace day after day acting as a chess piece, what meaning is there in that?”
“I will put it plainly here, whether you wish to listen or not. Furthermore, if you insist on maintaining a romantic relationship with that gambler, this consort will pretend to know nothing. When it is exposed at that time, do not drag me down with you.”
“Your Ladyship, rest assured.”
A moment later, Gao Shuman pulled out a drawer and retrieved five ingots of gold: “I know you must have given all your money to that gambler. This bit is a token of my regard for you. Remember to keep it yourself; a woman must always have some personal wealth. Perform well tomorrow, and there will be additional rewards.”
“Thank you, Your Ladyship.” Yuan Bing’s heart was a tangle of conflicting emotions.
The next day, Mao hour.
The sky was dimly lit. Outside Xiuxiu Palace stood two figures, one tall and one short.
Qiu Ruo intercepted a young eunuch: “Please pass along a word, just say Noble Consort Jiang has arrived punctually.”
The person replied, “I cannot pass any messages. The Noble Consort has not yet woken up; you had better wait a while longer.”
Jiang Wangnan sighed: “It is fine, Qiu Ruo.”
No matter how slow-witted he was, he could guess that this makeup trial was a trap devised by Gao Shuman and Noble Lady Yuan. He simply had not expected that the moment he stepped foot into Xiuxiu Palace, he would be snared like a fish on a cutting board.
Moving forward, he only hoped Qiu Ruo would not be implicated; as for himself, it did not matter.
Morning light pierced through the cloud layer, and daylight spread from the edge of the sky. Before long, a ray of morning sun shone upon Jiang Wangnan, causing his fair skin to reflect a faint gloss.
The sun gradually revealed its full face, the temperature began to rise, and the earth warmed up. Jiang Wangnan’s body began to grow stuffy and hot, sweating until he felt slick and greasy.
Qiu Ruo was used to heavy labor, so she was holding up fine, but she was deeply worried about Jiang Wangnan: “Your Grace, should this maid go fetch an umbrella?”
He shook his head: “You go back first, I will be fine here.”
Qiu Ruo said, “Please forgive this maid for disobeying, but wherever Your Grace is, this maid will be.”
Approaching the Si hour, the sun hung high, Jiang Wangnan’s collar was completely soaked through, and his temples were damp with two beads of sweat sliding down.
At this moment, the main gates of Xiuxiu Palace were pushed open.
“Noble Consort Jiang truly does not disappoint this consort’s trust. Splendid.” Gao Shuman had not yet washed or dressed, giving a light yawn without sparing him a single glance. “Come in.”
Jiang Wangnan barely managed to lift his foot when a wave of numbness surged from the soles of his feet up to his lumbar vertebrae. His vision wavered slightly, and he stumbled abruptly.
Qiu Ruo hurried to support him: “Your Grace, your complexion does not look well.”
Jiang Wangnan patted her hand: “I can hold on.”
After entering, they stood to the side, having to wait while Gao Shuman washed, dined, and changed clothes, treating them no differently from ordinary servants.
Just waiting for her to change into that outfit took about half an hour. Adding everything together, from six o’clock until nearly eleven, it was at least five hours.
That was a bright red, magnificent gown, several shades more dazzling than her daily attire. The collar and cuffs were embroidered with delicate phoenix flowers, and upon closer inspection, the flowers actually shimmered as though crafted from gold threads.
She wore a high bun with two peonies blooming in the center, one yellow-white, the other rose-red. Pearl hairpins and swaying tassels were inserted on both sides to balance the overall weight, looking opulent and resplendent.
If an uninformed outsider attended the Lotus Banquet in two days and saw Gao Shuman looking this grand and noble, they would likely mistake her for the Empress of the realm.
She sat before the dressing table, her wide and expansive skirt spreading out like a peacock’s tail, leaving Jiang Wangnan with barely any room to stand.
“Has Your Ladyship washed your face with bath beans?” he asked.
“Mn, hurry up.” Gao Shuman urged him, not out of impatience, but because she feared that substance would take effect too quickly, ruining her plans if the timing did not match.
“Alright, I will begin.”
Gao Shuman lazily closed her eyes, feeling only the warm, gentle touch of the other’s fingertips. The cosmetics applied to her face felt like a massage, and unconsciously, she grew somewhat drowsy.
Half-asleep and half-awake, Miaojuan was calling out to her: “Your Ladyship? Your Ladyship?”
“Mn? Is it done.” Gao Shuman opened her eyes and stared wordlessly at the person in the bronze mirror. “Is this my face?”
Her jawline was relatively square, causing the center of gravity of her facial features to shift downward with slightly uneven lines, appearing somewhat rough and rustic. Compared to the other sisters in the inner palace, she was the eldest, her skin had begun to yellow, and crow’s feet grew at the corners of her eyes. Every time she looked in the mirror, she felt deeply disgusted with herself.
However, the person in the mirror at this moment had a face that clearly appeared much smaller and more rounded, with smooth facial contours. Her eyebrows abandoned the long arched shape of previous days, replaced by a willow-leaf shape with a delicate, fuzzy texture that appeared even more tender and languid. The rouge color was switched to a light pink, looking as though it were veiled in mist, appearing to give her a healthier complexion than her usual crimson. Overall, it looked exceptionally harmonious, a natural beauty that could not be easily concealed.
Gao Shuman sighed inwardly, though outwardly maintaining her arrogant expression and a thin, cold tone: “Hmph, barely acceptable, it passes.”
Jiang Wangnan exhaled a breath of turbid air: “Thank you, Noble Consort. Then I will take my leave first.”
Setting aside the various tricks and traps, the feeling of reclaiming his old trade was truly wonderful. To be honest, doing what he loved, he did not feel quite so unhappy anymore.
“Ah.”
The moment he turned around before taking a step, a shriek echoed from Gao Shuman.
Miaojuan and the other servants all swarmed forward.
“Your Ladyship, what is wrong?”
“Your Ladyship! Your face…”
“A mirror! Give me a mirror! Quickly!”
“Call the imperial physician, go call the imperial physician quickly!”
There were too many people and it was too chaotic. Jiang Wangnan could not see what was happening at all, and figuring it had nothing to do with him, he prepared to leave.
Just as he reached the door, Gao Shuman suddenly raised her voice in a command: “Stop him for this consort! It was definitely this vixen who pulled off this trick!”
Jiang Wangnan: “(Silence)”
“Noble Consort, I…” When he saw the other person’s face, his words cut off abruptly. “How could this be?”
That delicate and pretty face had turned completely crimson, with bean-sized pustules clinging to the surface, swollen like blisters.
Was this an allergic reaction?
That made no sense; everything used belonged to her own palace, so how could something go wrong? Jiang Wangnan’s brain buzzed.
“You have the gall of a bear and the heart of a leopard! You actually dared to harm this consort!” Gao Shuman flew into a rage, cursing as she prepared to pounce and scratch him. Before taking two steps, her body swayed, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted on the spot.
Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Sun Nianhai announced, “Your Majesty, Grand Chancellor Wen has arrived.”
Deliberately dragging his feet for a quarter of an hour, Xiao Quanchuan finally strolled in a leisurely, composed manner from the inner chambers to the outer hall.
That Gao Ye stood in the center of the hall, sporting white temples and a long beard, possessing a benevolent expression and an elegant demeanor, the epitome of an upright, proud scholar.
Upon seeing the Emperor, he merely bowed slightly without kneeling: “This subject pays respects to Your Majesty.”
This act violated the protocols between ruler and subject. Or rather, this stubborn old man had never regarded him as the monarch of the realm.
Gao Ye was older than him by over twenty years and served as the Chancellor across two reigns. When his father was on the throne, this man stood above all others with unmatched power and authority, feared by everyone in the court.
After Xiao Quanchuan ascended the throne, the very first policy he pushed through was the division of the chancellor’s power, two chancellors sharing court affairs, balancing civil and military administration.
Anyone with sense could guess that he did this to weed out the old emperor’s faction led by Grand Chancellor Wen and establish a new imperial faction spearheaded by military officials.
Naturally, Gao Ye bore the brunt and became the first person targeted as a warning to others.
Before completely rooting out the old emperor’s faction, Xiao Quanchuan had to treat him with civility: “Grand Chancellor Wen, please dispense with the formalities. Be seated.”
Gao Ye asked, “How has the Retired Emperor’s health been lately?”
Unquestionably, every opening line began with inquiring after his father’s health.
Even though Xiao Guangjian had abdicated and was paralyzed, in Gao Ye’s mind, he remained the true sovereign of the country, whereas Xiao Quanchuan was merely a wet-behind-the-ears kid.
“He is well, everything remains as usual.”
Xiao Quanchuan’s expression was indifferent, giving roughly the same reply every time.
Why bother putting on a pleasant face for someone who showed him no respect?
Xiao Quanchuan went straight to the point: “I heard that Grand Chancellor Wen’s recent strategy of establishing academies in the former Zhao-Yue borderlands has made great progress. I must reward you handsomely.”
Gao Ye chuckled twice: “Thanks to the Retired Emperor’s immense fortune, the court officials cherish all living beings and advocate non-aggression as a creed. This subject merely played a small assisting role.”
Universal love? Non-aggression? Hmph, taking covert jabs at his cold, absolute ideology of territorial expansion through military force and governing by the rule of law once again.
“Post-war citizens, supported by Zhao State silver, though not materially affluent, have enough for food and clothing. Establishing academies for poetry and literature fills an indispensable spiritual need. It is truly what the people desire and the mandate of heaven.”
After he finished speaking, Xiao Quanchuan had already emptied three cups of tea, offering a completely unrelated remark: “This batch of Longjing tea is quite good, would Grand Chancellor Wen like to take some back with him?”
Gao Ye delivered a high-quality speech, yet received not a shred of response, feeling somewhat awkward as he forced a smile: “This subject is getting old and cannot handle too much tea.”
“Ah, then does Grand Chancellor Wen desire anything else?”
Gao Ye’s eyes were somewhat clouded and yellowed: “This subject desires nothing else; I only hope Man’er fares well and lives out her life in peace and happiness.”
“Very well, I will certainly treat her well.”
Once Gao Ye departed, a man stepped out from behind the curtains. With thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a tall, robust, and fierce build, he spoke in a booming voice: “Your Majesty taking the daughters of all officials into the inner palace back then truly showed brilliant foresight.”
This was the current Military Chancellor, Ren Qian, the commanding general who had conquered Yue State, having grown up alongside Xiao Quanchuan like a sworn brother.
Xiao Quanchuan sneered, “A tiger does not eat its cubs, especially this Gao Ye. As long as his daughter remains in My hands, he can only tuck his tail between his legs and walk carefully.”
At that opportune moment, Sun Nianhai rushed in flustered to report: “Your Majesty, something has happened to Noble Consort Gao!”
Xiao Quanchuan took a leisurely sip of tea: “Speak.”
“Noble Consort Gao suffered a severe peppermint allergy, and her face is completely ruined.”
“Oh.”
“Word is that Noble Consort Jiang is behind it.”
“What?”
Sun Nianhai added, “Presently, Noble Consort Jiang is detained inside Xiuxiu Palace, and Noble Consort Gao appears ready to resort to private torture.”
He slammed his teacup down onto the table, his brows pressing low: “I will go take a look.”
“Imperial carriage approaching.”
The moment Xiao Quanchuan stepped into Xiuxiu Palace, Gao Shuman’s retinue began wailing and covering their faces in unison, making noise with their cries but shedding no tears, buzzing like flies and driving people mad.
Seeing Xiao Quanchuan’s expression darken further, Sun Nianhai shot a fierce glare and barked an order: “All of you, shut your mouths!”
Entering the inner chamber, Gao Shuman excitedly scrambled off the bed, kneeling before him while crying and shouting, “Your Majesty, this concubine has been disfigured, Your Majesty must seek justice for me!”
Ordinarily, this sorrowful expression would not look unsightly, but paired with that entire face covered in blisters and red rashes, it appeared fierce and terrifying.
Mindful of Gao Ye’s recent contributions, Xiao Quanchuan did not avert his gaze: “Rise.”
In the blink of an eye, his gaze fell upon the corner by the window where Jiang Wangnan stood, nervously and restlessly twisting his fingers, his eye rims pink and thin lips pressed into a straight line, looking as though he were about to cry.
Xiao Quanchuan walked past Gao Shuman: “What do you have to say?”
Jiang Wangnan lifted his pale, delicate face, his voice sounding like a mosquito: “It was not me. I do not know.”
Gao Shuman strode forward aggressively: “How could it not be you? You clearly tampered with the bath beans and used them on me! Everyone here can testify!”
Xiao Quanchuan feigned stepping aside to support her, planting himself solidly right in front of Jiang Wangnan.
“What did the imperial physician say?” Xiao Quanchuan asked.
The imperial physician stepped forward, holding a cyan jade porcelain bottle: “Replying to Your Majesty, there is indeed peppermint powder mixed into these bath beans, and the surface layer contained at least a qian of it. Fortunately, the Noble Consort applied it by scooping deep rather than dabbing with her fingertips; she is truly blessed and fortunate.”
The voice sounded somewhat familiar. Jiang Wangnan heard it and realized it was the outsider he had encountered flying a kite yesterday.
Gao Shuman hastily asked, “How long will it take for my face to recover?”
The imperial physician hesitated and said, “It will be very difficult in a short time. If Your Ladyship cooperates with the medication, applying remedies internally and externally, it will take at least three days at the absolute fastest.”
What? Wasn’t Noble Lady Yuan saying it would only take two hours!
“Why have I never seen you before?”
“Replying to Your Majesty, this subject is a newcomer to the Imperial Hospital, named Liu Boshen.”
Xiao Quanchuan gave a bland hum, not pursuing the matter further.
Gao Shuman relentlessly pressed on: “Your Majesty, that one-qian amount was enough to cause this concubine to suffer an allergic death! It shows how vicious and venomous this Noble Consort Jiang is. I beg Your Majesty to severely punish Noble Consort Jiang!”
“Did you not survive?” He lifted his eyelids.
Jiang Wangnan: “(Silence)”