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Chapter 43: What’s the Intention? (用意为何?)

It wasn’t a secret in the harem that Noble Consort Shu had been permitted to visit her paternal family. The Su family wasn’t the most distinguished in the court. However, because the emperor had specially given Noble Consort Shu this privilege, the court officials watched them more carefully. 

Although it’s said that the court and the imperial harem could not interoperate, sometimes this would happen. If one put it more seriously, they were on the same boat.

In court, the Zhao family was somewhat dejected. Previously, their niece from the Sun family had framed the emperor’s favored daughter of the Zhuang family, causing the emperor to punish the Sun household. Even the Zhao family received his indifference. Now the emperor had given the Su family’s daughter, whom they had previously suppressed, special permission to visit her family. Once this happened, the Zhao family would truly be unable to show their faces.

Everyone in the imperial harem watched as the empress lost prestige. And they wondered whether she would cause trouble for Chongyi Zhao. After all, wasn’t it because of her that the empress faced such embarrassment? What a pity that the empress had been in the imperial harem for many years, and would not do something like this out of impulse. In this period, other than often sending people to ask about Chongyi Zhao’s health, she gave her many nourishing items. She showcased the virtuousness of an empress thoroughly, somewhat disappointing those who craved to watch a show.

The date that Noble Consort Shu could visit her family was set to the sixth day of the next month. In this period, some of the lower-ranking imperial concubines came forward to curry favor with her. The other imperial concubines watched her with an indifferent gaze, treating this matter as if it had nothing to do with them.

In these past few days, Zhuang Laoyan had watched the movements of the palace. For some reason, she recalled in her previous life a masterpiece of a story. One that detailed visiting one’s family as an imperial concubine. Such a privilege seemed grand, but it was merely a state of flourishing before the final moment. In recent times, the emperor did not treat the empress much differently than he had from the past. But Zhuang Laoyan suspected she was upset the emperor allowed Noble Consort Shu to visit her family.

In this imperial harem, every woman was pitiful. Even if their hands were stained with blood, they weren’t truly malicious to the extreme. Even if they penetrated deeply into the imperial harem, were favored immensely throughout, and seemed to have an unlimited future, they were all the sacrifices of their families, exchanging their lives for their families’ stability and perhaps glory and splendor.

“Truly a pity.” Blowing at the tea leaves upon the surface of her tea, Zhuang Laoyan raised her head and sighed. There weren’t many imperial concubines without mental burden like her remaining. These beauties who were delicate as flowers and refined as precious jade were squandered like this on a man. Truly such a waste. If this happened in her previous life, wouldn’t other men rain curses on this kind of man?

“Master, Her Majesty the empress sent people to pass a message: during noon, there will be a banquet in the imperial gardens to admire the chrysanthemums and eat crab. Your honored self has been invited,” said Tingzhu as she entered the room. She saw her master leaning against the beside, holding a teacup as she fell into her thoughts. As such, Tingzhu continued softly, “Many of the masters have been invited. This slave has heard that if His Majesty finishes his government affairs, he might also attend.”

“Admire the chrysanthemums and eat crab at this time?” Zhuang Laoyan gazed at the bright sunshine outside. Right now wasn’t the time when chrysanthemums bloomed the most magnificently. Nor was it the best time to eat crab. Why would the empress do this?

“Crabs in this season aren’t the most plump and wouldn’t be mature enough. It seems this banquet is merely for the taste. I’m afraid we’d still have to wait one to two months to eat mature crabs,” said Zhuang Laoyan. 

Tingzhu smiled, changing the withered flowers from a vase. She turned to look at Zhuang Laoyan, who had a neutral expression. “Anyway, one should not eat much crab meat at this time. Master, even if your honored self likes it, you must restrain yourself. Eating too much might give trouble for the stomach.”

Merely indulging in an experience, but not eating too much?

Zhuang Laoyan snickered. She set down the teacup. Lifted the fan by her side and slowly fanned herself. “Then I need to take this into consideration. Have the servants prepare the sedan. Whenever it’s fine to go, we will set off.”

It wasn’t easy being the empress. The past couple days, Noble Consort Shu had been under a peerless limelight. So she used this banquet to warn the imperial concubines who were flattering Noble Consort Shu too much. No matter how favored Noble Consort Shu was, she was only a noble consort. Whereas the empress was the true master of the imperial harem.

As a woman of the imperial harem, perhaps she didn’t care if the emperor favored her the most. However, she definitely would care about her position as the empress. And Noble Consort Shu’s act of being in the limelight made her somewhat discontent.

Perhaps this banquet was also to warn Noble Consort Shu. Yet, the emperor actually might show up. This emperor certainly wanted the harem to be in disarray. At this time, he was supporting the empress from the background.

Zhuang Laoyan arrived at the imperial garden right on time. However, the hostess, the empress, had long since arrived. Zhuang Laoyan stepped forward and performed the full ceremony of paying respects in a courteous manner. The empress treated her very gently, and even prepared her a decent seat, sufficiently showcasing her “important and favored” position in the harem. 

Shortly after, the other concubines arrived together in groups. Compared to the rest, Noble Consort Shu and Xiuyi Su came late. Noble Consort Shu wore a fully pink gauze dress. Her face was as beautiful and tender as a peach blossom. At the banquet, even some imperial concubines younger than her could not hold a candle to her.

“This concubine greets Your Majesty, the empress. This concubine has arrived late. May Your Majesty the empress grant forgiveness.” Noble Consort Shu seemed as usual. Sweet-tempered and graceful. One glance, and others would find her a peerless beauty. Even if she had arrived comparatively late, it wouldn’t make others think she was slighting the empress. Such people seemed to be born with an aura that made others like them, causing those who didn’t know the truth to praise her with every synonym for the word beautiful.

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Zhuang Laoyan knew that such a woman was frightening. A beautiful to the point of calamitous appearance, a graceful bearing, a distinguished background, and intelligence and great measures to boot. Moreover, she was great at enduring silently. A woman like Noble Consort Shu could not be offended if it wasn’t absolutely necessary. Because having such a woman as an enemy was a situation full of intractable suffering.

“Recently, Noble Consort Shu has been busy. It’s normal that you would be a little late. Not to mention, this palace arrived early,” said the empress with a smile after the person in question had sat down. Then she turned to a nearby eunuch and said, “Since Noble Consort Shu and Xiuyi Su have arrived, let us start the banquet.”

Wasn’t this to hint to everyone present that the banquet had been waiting on Noble Consort Shu and Xiuyi Su? The empress was actually an expert in getting people to hate those two women of the Su family.

Although it wasn’t the season when chrysanthemums bloomed the most brilliantly, every pot of precious chrysanthemums displayed caused Zhuang Laoyan’s mood to rise. Since the empress had said to admire the chrysanthemums, she should not squander the empress’ painstaking efforts.

The way to eat crab was very complicated, but none of those present needed to lift a finger. Zhuang Laoyan ate a crystal crab roe bun¹ that was a bit bigger than a thumb. She found it somewhat greasy, and rinsed her mouth with a sip of chrysanthemum tea. Then she glanced at the side at the chrysanthemums, lost in thought.

“His Majesty has arrived!”

Zhuang Laoyan used this chance to stand and digest the food. After she had paid respects, she saw the emperor and empress sit together, unconsciously catching sight of Noble Consort Shu on the side. The other party’s smile never changed. Whether she was smiling this happily inside was anyone’s guess.

“No need to stand on ceremony, beloved concubines. Originally, We would not have come to today’s feast. However, because the empress had worked hard for a while, We could not bear to squander her efforts.” He personally picked up a crab roe bun and placed it onto the empress’ plate.

Once the other imperial concubines had seen this, they immediately said the empress had worked hard and that the feast was very sumptuous.

“If Younger Sister Chongyi Zhao does not like crab roe buns, why don’t you have a taste of steamed crab meat with eggs? It is tender and smooth, not at all greasy. It should be to Younger Sister’s taste.” After the feast had continued on for a while, Zhaorong Xu, who sat next to her and closer to the seat of honor, smiled and lightly said, “Thoroughly cooked, resembling piles of glittering jewels. A sauce of orange paste, accentuating the taste. Cracked open a hint, filled with red jade. Two claws emitting an exquisite fragrance. Younger Sister should not waste such delicacies.” 

Zhaorong Xu’s sudden poem shocked Zhuang Laoyan. But in no time at all, she reacted. Seeing that the emperor and empress had already noticed what was going on here, Zhuang Laoyan allowed a smile to spread on her lips. “Of course crab meat is impeccably delicious. However, the chrysanthemums are beautiful as well. Younger Sister was only paying attention to the flowers, and unexpectedly forgot about the culinary delicacies.” Then she rose to her feet and curtsied toward the emperor and empress. “The chrysanthemums Your Majesty the empress prepared are beautiful. This concubine is not used to splitting my attention, and only focused on admiring the chrysanthemums, forgetting about the crab meat.”

“It’s rare that someone like you who solely likes to eat only appreciated the flowers. It’s evident that the chrysanthemums prepared by the empress are truly a sight for the eyes. Even Chongyi Zhao, this kind of common person who only knows how to eat, forgot to eat.” In an instant, Feng Jin revealed a smile and bestowed the empress many gifts. As he turned to Zhuang Laoyan, he noticed she seemed embarrassed. He teased, “Empress, in a little while remember to give some of the delicacies to this common person to take back. Otherwise, when she remembers there were things to eat, she would feel sad and frustrated.”

These words did not seem to hold a hidden meaning. But if one listened carefully, one would think the empress and Chongyi Zhao shared a good relationship.

Noble Consort Shu smiled as she glanced at the empress and emperor. In an instant, she lowered her head.

Everyone present understood that the emperor was telling them the empress was still the master of the harem. And that the matter with Ronghua Sun and Chongyi Zhao had already been settled. In the future, people should no longer involve the empress with this.

There were no stupid women in the imperial harem. Everyone understood, and the emperor, Feng Jin, also understood. When the moods of the emperor and empress were high, the feast naturally went without a hitch. And Zhuang Laoyan, whom the emperor had teased a couple words, did not lose face in front of everyone. Rather, she gained a lot of face.

That the emperor knew Chongyi Zhao liked to eat made it clear he cared about her. In the future, they would treat her more courteously, and not bring trouble to themselves without knowing it.

However, that was merely it. Because there were some imperial concubines who were even more favored. Someone like Zhuang Laoyan could at most be considered somewhat favored. Not the most.

Perhaps only Gao Dezhong, who stood in the corner, knew. That from the few words of the emperor today, the thing he cared about wasn’t just the dignity of the empress in the imperial harem. But also…

…The imperial concubine that could not be considered the most attention grabbing: Zhuang Laoyan. An imperial concubine who was not considered too high of a rank could not be where the wind and waves were the fiercest. It was not a good thing. Let alone, this matter had also involved the court and the empress.

LOL that sudden poem of Zhaorong Xu reeks of pretentiousness. I can’t wait until she gets knocked down a few pegs.

For those of you still interested in advanced chapters, please refer to this post. Read it carefully! There are only three advanced chapters left this month, so if you pledge a tier that gives four chapters now, you’re basically my suga daddi.

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