Consort Liang thought that since Jiang Xinyue had fallen out of favor, everyone in the harem would have a chance again. However, not only did they fail to successfully attend to the Emperor in bed, but they also angered him several times with their inappropriate words, causing a great loss of face.
Fortunately, she wasn't the only one who was embarrassed. During this period, Noble Consort Ye, Zhang Wanrong, and even Empress Zhu were all scolded by the Emperor, so she didn't stand out too much.
The most unfortunate was a palace maid who entered the palace at the same time as Jiang Xinyue. She had been favored by the Emperor once but was then forgotten, not even receiving a promotion in rank. After accidentally encountering the Emperor in the Imperial Garden, she only managed to say, "Concubine Zhen is arrogant and willful..."
Before she could even finish her sentence, she was banished to the Cold Palace by the Emperor.
No wonder the Emperor forgot about her after favoring her once. She really didn't know which topics to avoid.
Did she think that by speaking from the Emperor's perspective and criticizing Concubine Zhen, she would make herself stand out?
What a fool!
No one in the entire palace dared to mention even half a word about Concubine Zhen, yet she thought she was clever enough to seek attention in front of the Emperor.
Consort Liang finally realized that this wasn't a case of the Emperor neglecting or punishing Concubine Zhen.
It was clear that the Emperor had done something to anger Concubine Zhen, and she refused to pay attention to him, closing her palace doors on her own.
Once she understood this fact, Consort Liang's resentment grew even stronger. She cried to Empress Zhu, "The last bottle of scar-removing gel I had, the Emperor borrowed it to give to her. It's so infuriating! It's so unfair! Empress, are we just going to watch as the Emperor disregards the entire harem for her sake?"
The Emperor hadn't favored any of the harem concubines for a month. He would just occasionally stand outside the Hexi Palace gates, and when Concubine Zhen didn't open the door, he would return to Chengqian Palace, as if showing his loyalty.
What's going on?
Did they, the beautiful concubines, no longer hold any attraction for the Emperor?
In the end, it was because the Emperor felt that if he favored them at this time, Jiang Xinyue would become even angrier, so he was unwilling... or rather, he didn't dare.
Didn't dare?
Empress Zhu was startled by her own thought.
How could the Emperor possibly put the entire harem in an awkward position just because he was afraid of offending one concubine?
In the past, even when Consort Shu was the one the Emperor protected, or when Concubine Li was the favored one he cherished, it had never been like this.
She shook her head, "What's the hurry? We shouldn't be the most anxious ones. The one in Xihuo Palace is even more anxious than us!"
Consort Liang's tears suddenly stopped falling. "Your Majesty, do you mean... Concubine Li?"
Having figured out the connection, Consort Liang became cheerful again. "That's right! How could I not have thought of that? Concubine Li has just fallen out of favor, and it was only her feigned strength that made her seem fresh to the Emperor for a few days. She was just one opportunity away from reconciling with the Emperor. But at this crucial moment, Concubine Zhen and the Emperor are having a tiff, occupying all of the Emperor's attention. If this continues for two more months, the Emperor might forget Concubine Li even exists."
This was the reason why Minister Pei of the Privy Council was in such a hurry to send Pei Wu into the palace.
"Beauty fades, and favor is lost; leaning against the incense burner, she sits until dawn." This was too cruel for Concubine Li.
Without the Emperor's favor, her days had lost all hope.
Consort De pondered for a moment: "Could she be doing this on purpose? Is she deliberately putting on this act because she doesn't want Concubine Li to regain favor?"
This question silenced both Empress Zhu and Consort Liang.
When Jiang Xinyue first entered the palace, their initial impression of her was that she was just a beautiful but empty vessel, with some scheming ability but not much, and she was often outmaneuvered by others.
As they spent more time with her, they felt that although she wasn't very clever, she made up for it with her pure and kind nature, which had its merits.
Later, as those who tried to scheme against her all met with great misfortune, and even Concubine Li and Consort Shu combined were no match for her, they became wary. They realized that she had been playing dumb all along, and she was truly terrifying.
Now... now they could no longer see through Jiang Xinyue, nor did they know what she was thinking. Why did she make this move?
It was simple: this was a high-stakes game, and Jiang Xinyue had no intention of letting them play.
"Your Majesty, it's time to select a concubine for the night."
Li Zhong, the head eunuch of the Palace Eunuch Office, glanced at the limping Wang Dequan, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
He was also very afraid!
In the past, those ladies would always send him silver, flattering and fawning over him, just to have their green plaques placed in the most conspicuous position where the Emperor was most likely to see them.
Now those ladies still sent him silver, but it was to have their green plaques hidden away, placed where the Emperor couldn't see them.
Or they would simply claim to be ill, saying they were afraid of passing their sickness to the Emperor, and would wait until they recovered.
When would this "recovery" be?
Li Zhong thought it would probably be the day Concubine Zhen reconciled with the Emperor.
There were only two or three green plaques on the tray. The Xuanwu Emperor casually asked about it and learned that the other concubines were either sick, unwell, or having their monthly period – each had their own inconvenience.
Only Empress Zhu, Concubine Li, and Consort De were available to serve him.
Even Noble Consort Ye and Consort Liang said they were having their monthly period and had their green plaques removed first.
These two were the most jealous and petty besides Concubine Li. If even they were unwilling to serve the Emperor, it showed how full of complaints the harem had become during this period.
The Xuanwu Emperor's hand paused for a moment over Concubine Li's green plaque. He suddenly remembered Jiang Xinyue's accusation that his love changed from dawn to dusk, loving Consort Shu one moment and Concubine Li the next...
His fingers recoiled as if they had touched something scalding hot.
No!
He was not someone who was fickle in love or had a wandering heart.
"You may all withdraw. I will not select anyone tonight."
Wang Dequan and Li Zhong exchanged a glance, and finally Wang Dequan shook his head. Li Zhong had no choice but to return to the Palace Eunuch Office the same way he had come.
After everyone had left, the Xuanwu Emperor began to sigh again, feeling that appeasing Concubine Zhen was more difficult than handling state affairs. "Wang Dequan, I've already given Concubine Zhen a way out. Why is she still angry with me? Could it be that those dog servants in Hexi Palace didn't tell her I went there?"
Wang Dequan still spoke fairly: "That shouldn't be the case. Didn't Lady Li say that Concubine Zhen said, 'The reason love is love is that it can only be given to one person. If it's given to many people, it's not called love, but promiscuity.' This servant thinks that Concubine Zhen's meaning is probably that if Your Majesty loves too many people, and she's just one of them, she'd rather not have it at all!"
Concubine Zhen wanted not just abundant favor, but exclusive favor.
She could accept that the Emperor's body belonged to many women because he was the Emperor, and this was beyond his control.
But she couldn't accept that the Emperor's heart also contained many women, because this was something the Emperor could control himself. No one could influence a person's heart.
Neither the court officials nor the empire could.
Only the Emperor himself could decide whom he wanted to love, whom he kept in his heart.
The Xuanwu Emperor remained silent for a while, sorting out his tangled emotions, and finally looked at Wang Dequan with determination: "But there is truly only her in my heart."
Concubine Li and Consort Shu, those were all things of the past. Everyone has a past.
