It was early morning, and the palace maids were busily attending to their masters in their respective palaces, with few people coming this way.
"Concubine Zhen!"
A young palace maid appeared under the willow tree, respectfully bowing to Jiang Xinyue: "This servant is from Concubine Shu's palace. Our mistress would like to invite Concubine Zhen to Jingren Palace for a chat. Would now be convenient?"
Jiang Xinyue looked at the maid's face, recognizing her as someone she had seen around Consort Shu before. She recalled that Consort Shu had mentioned wanting her to visit Jingren Palace for a chat, but she hadn't gone yet. Now they had come to find her.
Xi Que, supporting Shuang Jiang, said to Jiang Xinyue, "My lady, you should go! I'll escort Shuang Jiang back."
Shuang Jiang nodded, indicating her agreement.
As a gentle breeze rippled across the lake, there was a splash of someone falling into the water. Then, two figures emerged from nearby bushes.
"My lady, they've fallen into the water. Should we...?"
Consort Zhang cast a cold, almost indifferent glance at Jiang Xinyue struggling in the water, then looked away. "We saw nothing today. Do you understand?"
The palace maid was instantly struck silent, feeling a chill run through her body. She lowered her head and followed behind Consort Zhang, not daring to utter another word.
In Yikun Palace—
Empress Zhu was sipping Biluochun tea, freshly brewed by the palace's most skilled tea-making maid. The lingering fragrance on her lips and teeth made her eyes close in contentment.
The daily greetings from the concubines made her life tiring. Facing a room full of delicate beauties, she had to put on a brave face and deal with them, despite her extreme reluctance.
Those women, clever or not, all had their eyes on her position as Empress. They were just waiting for her to make a mistake, to drag her down from her pedestal and climb over her fallen body to take her place.
Over the years, she had exhausted herself, treading carefully with each step. Outsiders only saw her glory, second only to one and above all others, but they didn't see her heartache and suffering.
The tea grew more bitter as she drank, yet it pleased her more.
Though bitter tea was astringent in the throat, the more bitter it was, the more fragrant its aftertaste, lingering endlessly.
She hoped that although the first half of her life had been bitter, the latter half would be like this fine tea, full of pure fragrance.
"Your Majesty, we've found out that yesterday's wishing lantern came from Hexi Palace."
Her half-closed eyes suddenly opened wide, a smile gradually appearing in Empress Zhu's gaze. "I heard that yesterday the Emperor chose Consort Shu's tablet?"
Fen Yun nodded: "Although Consort Shu isn't greatly favored, she still holds the position of the Emperor's cousin and has the Empress Dowager's protection. The Emperor won't neglect her. This time, Consort Zhen intercepted Consort Shu's move. Even if she's usually easy-going, the Empress Dowager won't let Consort Zhen off easily."
Empress Zhu let out a scornful laugh. "That old hypocrite still thinks the Emperor's heart and eyes are full of nothing but Consort Shu! Little does she know that people's hearts change easily. Now, Consort Zhen is the one the Emperor cares about most."
In this palace, the one least favored by the Xuanwu Emperor was the Empress, yet the one who understood him best was Empress Zhu.
She was the only one who had entered the Xuanwu Emperor's harem when he was still the Crown Prince. They had been together since their youth, already thirteen years.
How could she not recognize the look in the Emperor's eyes when he favored a woman?
Long ago, he had looked at Consort Shu that way. But after the Pei family fell from grace and Consort Shu began to hate him, their feelings faded with time.
Later, he looked at Concubine Li the same way, but Concubine Li was arrogant and domineering, unable to tolerate others. When she became jealous, she was uncontrollable, more than even the Emperor could bear.
Not to mention that the Pei and Song families were becoming increasingly disrespectful to the Emperor in court. Several times, it had angered the Emperor so much that he came to Yikun Palace in a rage, venting his dissatisfaction with the two families.
It was likely that whatever affection the Emperor had for Concubine Li had long been worn away by her family members.
Until recently, she noticed that the Emperor looked at Consort Zhen in much the same way he had once looked at Consort Shu and Concubine Li.
She understood then that Consort Zhen had already entered the Emperor's heart.
But the Emperor's emotions were as intense as they were fleeting. They came quickly and left even faster. Who knew how long Consort Zhen would remain in the Emperor's heart?
If she were like yesterday's Consort Shu and Concubine Li, it wouldn't be worth expending much effort over.
This was how she had survived all these years. As long as she didn't make any major mistakes, no one could shake her position.
As she was lost in thought, a eunuch rushed in from outside: "Empress! Terrible news! Consort Zhen was pushed into the lake. The Imperial Physician says she may have been entangled by underwater weeds and swallowed a lot of water. They're still trying to save her. The Emperor flew into a great rage and had all the servants of Hexi Palace beaten with planks."
Empress Zhu remained calm internally, rising gracefully. "Let's go to Hexi Palace and see."
Has the Empress Dowager made her move so quickly?
"What use are any of you? Consort Zhen knows how to swim. Even if someone pushed her in, she should have been able to save herself. Why did you leave her alone by the lake? Was someone holding her down underwater? Now you claim to know nothing. What use are you to me? You should all be beaten to death!"
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"
As soon as Empress Zhu entered, she heard the Emperor threatening to execute everyone. For the sake of reason and emotion, as the Empress, she should step forward and advise against it: "Let's not speak of the others, but Xi Que, Shuang Jiang, Jiang Chuan, and Xiao Xuanzi are Consort Zhen's most trusted servants. If she wakes up to find these four gone, how sad would she be?"
The Xuanwu Emperor let out a cold snort, suppressing the anger in his heart. He turned to look at Jiang Xinyue lying on the bed, her head full of silver needles, and felt a wave of panic and fear.
He didn't know what was happening to him, nor did he have the heart to investigate. He just wanted the woman on the bed, hovering between life and death, to wake up quickly.
Xi Que secretly raised her head to glance at Empress Zhu, finding her beautiful face suddenly repulsive.
While appearing to plead for the servants of Hexi Palace, she was actually inciting hatred against the four of them, and even dragging her mistress into the scheme.
What did she mean by "let's not speak of the others"?
Wasn't she clearly telling everyone in Hexi Palace that apart from the four of them, the lives of others were unimportant? That even if they were beaten to death, Consort Zhen wouldn't say a word in their defense?
Wasn't this sowing discord?
Fortunately, she had learned a lot by her mistress's side recently. Otherwise, she might have felt grateful for the Empress's apparent familiarity in those words!
The Xuanwu Emperor also knew that while Xi Que and the others were at fault, their crime didn't warrant death. They had already received twenty lashes each. If he pursued the matter further, there would be no one left to attend to Consort Zhen's bedside.
Shuang Jiang was still fine. She had grown up in the palace since childhood, and before coming to serve Consort Zhen, she was just an unremarkable palace maid. Getting beaten was a common occurrence for her.
After receiving twenty strokes, aside from the initial pain, she was completely fine now.
Xi Que was different. She had grown up alongside Jiang Xinyue. The most suffering she endured as a child was accompanying her young mistress in hunger and cold. Lady Zhou wouldn't personally hit people, fearing it would dirty her hands and displease her husband.
So when Xi Que was beaten this time, her movements became somewhat stiff, and her buttocks stung with waves of burning pain.
