Xiao Jingheng had just finalized the title he would bestow upon Song Zhao when the Palace Affairs Department was already rushing to curry favor.
Chen Minzhong, the head of the Palace Affairs Department, personally came to offer his congratulations to Song Zhao. He bowed to her and said,
"Congratulations, Your Majesty. The Emperor personally bestowed upon you a title."
One of his subordinates respectfully handed over a scroll, and Yun Shan received it and opened it. Song Zhao saw a neatly written character 'Yi' in golden ink on the scroll.
"'Yi'?" Song Zhao asked.
Chen Minzhong nodded with a flattering smile and said, "Your Majesty possesses great virtue, and this title is befitting. It is a special honor personally bestowed by the Emperor. Apart from Consort Chen, no one else in the palace has received such recognition. It shows the Emperor's high regard for you."
Song Zhao hurriedly declined, saying, "This character represents a major title. I have only recently entered the palace, and my experience is limited. How can I bear such a responsibility? Please convey to His Majesty on my behalf..."
"You need not belittle yourself," Chen Minzhong interrupted Song Zhao and continued, "The Emperor anticipated your reluctance and specifically instructed me to inform you that this title is already modest. If you refuse again, the Emperor will have to elevate it to a dual-character title."
The term "dual-character title" meant exactly what it implied: the title would be expanded to two characters, similar to the former titles of the Empress Dowager and the Virtuous Consort.
Typically, such dual-character titles were granted to the maternal families of imperial consorts from the previous dynasty or to the birth mothers of crown princes. Song Zhao, of course, could not accept such an honor that she was currently unprepared for.
Song Zhao hastily replied, "Sir, you must not play such jokes."
Chen Minzhong smiled and said, "Then, Your Majesty, please do not decline the Emperor's heartfelt intentions."
With that, she reluctantly allowed Yun Shan to accept the character 'Yi.'
Xiao Fuzi showed Chen Minzhong some tea, but he did not drink it. Instead, he engaged in casual conversation with Song Zhao.
"In fact, initially, it was Consort Chen who was responsible for choosing a title for Your Majesty. She first proposed the characters 'An,' 'Shun,' and 'Xi.' However, when she presented them to the Empress, the Empress felt that these titles were not quite suitable. So, she advised the Emperor to personally choose a title for you. Hence, the grand title 'Yi' came into being."
In this palace, every piece of "casual conversation" spoken by a servant with influence carried a deep meaning.
For example, Chen Minzhong's words were meant to inform Song Zhao that her favor with the Emperor was entirely due to the Empress. Furthermore, Consort Chen, who appeared to be supportive, was actually creating obstacles for her.
From his implications, it could be inferred that the Empress persuaded Xiao Jingheng, and only then did Song Zhao receive the honor of a personally chosen title. This indicated that if Song Zhao were to align herself with the Empress in the future, she would receive even greater benefits.
Understanding the underlying message, Song Zhao said, "Thank you for informing me. The Empress is benevolent and gracious to all the consorts. I will personally express my gratitude."
Chen Minzhong smiled and nodded, saying, "The enthronement ceremony is scheduled for the 16th of February. It is only a few days away, so Your Majesty should prepare in advance."
After he left, Yun Shan stared at the dazzling "Yi" character on the tribute paper, lost in thought.
"This title is very good, 'Yi' is also an extremely noble and grand title. But in this way, the Empress's favor will be too excessive, and she will become even more targeted," she mused.
Song Zhao calmly replied, "Ever since the news of my pregnancy became known in the harem, I have already become a target of criticism. There is no way to avoid it."
She gently traced her fingers over the tribute paper, her slender nails brushing against the gold powder embedded in the characters. She raised her gaze and looked at Yun Shan, saying,
"At times, one must learn to temper their sharpness. But if the sharpness becomes too intense to hide perfectly, it is better to boldly expose it. People should look at it with fear and trepidation.
In doing so, even if someone harbors malicious intentions against me, they would have to weigh my position and status before making a move."
Song Zhao knew that she would definitely receive a good title.
If Xiao Jingheng casually bestowed upon her a title like "Yi" or "Rou" (meaning gentle and soft), it would undermine her long-held calculations.
So, the current "Yi" character was not a burden for her. Instead, it resembled her spoils of war.
However, her true concern lay elsewhere.
While she was talking with Yun Shan, Xiao Fuzi entered.
He said, "I've inquired and confirmed that Consort Chen had a miscarriage on the 16th of February last year."
"Ah, as expected," Song Zhao coldly sneered, then calmly rolled up the scroll.
Yun Shan was surprised and said, "Doesn't that mean the day of Your Majesty's promotion coincided with the unfortunate day of Consort Chen's unborn child? The people in the Palace Affairs Department wouldn't be so negligent. It seems they did it intentionally."
"Whether intentional or unintentional, I cannot delay the grand ceremony of my pregnancy and title bestowment. The most auspicious day in the entire month of February is indeed the 16th. The Empress personally chose the day for the bestowment. If she truly wanted to avoid it, the 15th or the 21st of February would have been suitable dates, but she deliberately arranged it this way."
Song Zhao felt that Yun Shan had grown a lot recently, showing more thoughtfulness in her words and actions. She raised an eyebrow and smiled as she asked her,
"Think about it, what does the Empress's insistence on such an arrangement mean?"
