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Chapter 107

After the sixth day of the first month, the officials of the court started to impeach the Su family without restraint. To the point where some people even mentioned the Su family’s servants snatching vegetables from shops without paying. After this news broke out, the Su family’s crimes increased by one: allowing their servants to commit wrongdoings and not disciplining them enough. 

This was the so-called “hitting a man when he was down” brought to life. Not to mention, there were people who wanted to curry favor with the Zhuang family. The Su family seemed reprehensible in the eyes of others during this period, wicked beyond redemption. These days, in order to avoid arousing suspicion, the officials of the court belonging to the Zhuang family avoided this topic of conversation, just stating that the emperor would know how to proceed. The Zhuang family ultimately shut their estate doors and declined any visitors.

Within the palace, Zhuang Laoyan also caught a whiff of this news. When she recalled that Noble Consort Shu, the most favored imperial concubine in the past, had even be the target of ridicule by someone like Noble Imperial Concubine Yan, Zhuang Laoyan could not help but believe these two sayings: that “fate was fickle” and that “the emperor was heartless.” Things were unfair for women of this age. They were bound to one man their whole lives, yet a man could have countless women to toy with.

Some aloof men had this to say about those of the fairer sex: Virtuous women were old-fashioned and boring; courtesans were not chaste enough; beauties lacked intelligence; ugly women dirtied their eyes; wealthy women were too headstrong; poor women were petty; scholarly women were argumentative; crude women lacked manners. These men all wished that women would wholeheartedly love them, while they remained standing at that high place, nitpicking.

This type of man was the most sickening. They were too picky about women, even though there might not be even a single woman who liked them.

Expressionless as she pushed away the bowl in front of her, Zhuang Laoyan listened to Fu Bao’s report. Then she said in a low voice, “Send out this order: If any of our people comment on the masters, then punish them severely.”

Noticing the poor expression on his master’s face, Fu Bao thought she felt worried about her own circumstances. He rushed to sound his agreement. Glanced at the bowl of fish soup that had barely been touched. He signaled to Yunxi with his eyes.

Yunxi shook her head faintly at him. Approached the table to clear away the bowl of fish soup, handing it to a little palace maid by her side. Then she hinted to the other irrelevant servants to withdraw. Concerned, she said, “Your Highness has recently been in low spirits. What is wrong?”

A sigh left Zhuang Laoyan’s lips. “If Noble Consort Shu meets disaster this time, who would be the most happy?”

Yunxi furrowed her brows a hint. “It would be… Noble Consort Xian?”

“Yes. She would gain the most benefits.” Zhuang Laoyan picked up a dried plum and placed it into her mouth. “The empress is childless. As long as she sits in her position steadily, she doesn’t care who is favored. But Noble Consort Xian is a different story. Although the emperor does not favor her, she is raising the eldest prince. Once Noble Consort Shu topples over, she would become the second most noble woman in the harem.”

Once she heard these words, Yunxi shifted her gaze to Zhuang Laoyan. With a dark expression, she said, “If she wants to make a move on Your Highness in the future…” She clenched her teeth. “Your Highness, please forgive this slave for daring to say the following: How about striking first and gaining the upper hand?”

Zhuang Laoyan fell silent for a good while. All of a sudden, she laughed. “Let’s not be too hasty. The emperor is a wise ruler. He has well-defined likes and dislikes. Even if the people of the Su family commit crimes, he views it as having nothing to do with Noble Consort Shu.” At this moment, what she needed to do was to wait. Not to do pointless things.

If her deduction was correct, with the emperor’s temperament, Su Ruizi would be allowed to stay in her position of noble consort even if the Su family was no more. Even if he did not treat Noble Consort Shu as great as he had in the past.

I wonder how hard Su Ruizi would take losing everything except the hollow position of noble consort?

On the twelfth day of the first month of the new year, when the heavy snow started to come to a halt, the glazed roof tiles of the imperial palace shone like gold, reflecting the light of the sun. And it was Zhuang Laoyan’s first time seeing Noble Consort Shu during the new year. She knelt at the front entrance of Xihe Palace, whereas Zhuang Laoyan was in the middle of sending off the emperor who had stayed overnight.

The clothes on Noble Consort Shu’s body proved plain to an immense degree. She did not wear any makeup, calamitous beauty of the past having changed into a silent haggardness. Xiuyi Su, who had previously liked to accompany her, was nowhere in sight. Rather, the one accompanying Noble Consort Shu in kneeling was Lingsha, her maidservant who followed her everywhere.

“Your Majesty!” said Noble Consort Shu when she saw Feng Jin coming outside; she did not spare Zhuang Laoyan even a glance, merely staring at the emperor in silence afterward. This was the sole man in her life. “Your Majesty, please be lenient in punishing this concubine’s elder brother!”

Quiet, Zhuang Laoyan retreated a few steps, staring at the emperor as she stood at the side. She could only see his tall and straight rear figure. Could only hear his uninterrupted footsteps.

Watching as Feng Jin boarded his personal sedan, Zhuang Laoyan curtsied. “Respectfully sending off Your Majesty.”

The bright yellow imperial procession slowly disappeared from view. Yet, Noble Consort Shu remained kneeling in the same exact spot. It was as though she were a puppet that had lost its life force, unable to grow angry or sad. So much so that she did not feel anything toward Zhuang Laoyan, who was standing not too far away from her.

Zhuang Laoyan’s mouth twitched. In the end, she simply turned around without a word using the support of Yunxi’s hand. Returned inside. Toward Su Ruizi, she felt admiration, regret, and dislike. However, the dislike was not enough to make her want to see this cold joke of a situation.

Since men were heartless, there was no need for women to make things difficult for women. She and Noble Consort Shu took precautions against one another, unable to transgress the boundaries. If there had been such a woman in her previous life, then said woman would have found happiness.

Two hours later, all the imperial concubines of the seventh rank and above arrived at Jingyang Palace to pay the empress respects. Zhuang Laoyan sat below Noble Consort Xian. Diagonally above Zhuang Laoyan was Noble Consort Shu, and across was Consort Rou. They were the only people in the harem of a consort position and above.

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Smiling, Noble Consort Xian looked at Noble Consort Shu. “Recently, Noble Consort Shu has grown much thinner.”

A flavor of ridicule to her smile, Noble Consort Shu looked at the other party. “Noble Consort Xian seems to have grown plumper these past two days. And your cheeks are so rosy. Did something good happen?”

In the past, Noble Consort Shu used to dress up her insults with pretty words. Now, she had suddenly become so sharp with what she said, catching Noble Consort Xian off guard. A good while passed before she replied, “Never had I expected that after Noble Consort Shu rested in Anqing Palace for a few days, you would grow more of an imposing manner.”

“Just like how you’ve become ever more plump.” Noble Consort Shu looked at her with narrowed eyes. “A few days of not seeing Noble Consort Xian, and you’ve become more fond of exciting things.”

At the sound of these words, Zhuang Laoyan and Consort Rou smiled. It’s precisely that they both liked exciting things, like a hen that had its feathers plucked as it laid eggs, its clamor annoying those around.

At that moment, Noble Consort Xian’s expression changed. Just as she was about to flare up in anger, Zhuang Laoyan said, “Did something good happen to Your Highness Noble Consort Xian to make you so happy?”

Noble Consort Xian forcibly swallowed the words in her mouth. Put on a fake smile. “Younger Sister Consort Zhao is joking. This palace is simply concerned about Noble Consort Shu.”

“Indeed, Noble Consort Xian is virtuous,” said Consort Rou, arching a brow at her. “She is so concerned about us.” Then she cast a glance at the empress. You think that because you have a title that means “virtuous” that you’re actually that? You’re just a noble consort with a “virtuous” title. What do you think the empress is?

With indifference, the empress glanced at Noble Consort Xian. Neither lightly nor heavily, she set down her teacup. Neither quickly nor slowly, she said, “If there’s nothing wrong with Noble Consort Xian, then go have a stroll in the imperial gardens. When women often relieve their boredom, they become more generous.”

Face stiff, Noble Consort Xian did not speak again.

After the crowd of women had finished paying respects and exited the front entrance, a court eunuch rushed over, expression one of fear and urgency. Zhuang Laoyan found him somewhat familiar. He seemed to be one of Noble Consort Shu’s people.

“Your Highness, bad news! The emperor has sentenced Young Sir Su to be beheaded in seven days. Even Sir Su has been thrown into the Sky prison, never to be released,” said the eunuch in blue, dropping to a kneel in a bang before Noble Consort Shu.

“What?!” Noble Consort Shu swayed, leaning against Lingsha to support herself with much difficulty. “Then how about the others? Have they been punished too?”

The court eunuch looked at Xiuyi Su, who was standing within a crowd. “The other branches are fine. Only Young Sir Su and Sir Su were sentenced.”

First, she stared on blankly. Then, a strange smile spread across her lips at once. “Good, good!” The moment these two words had come out, she fainted. The other imperial concubines retreated two steps away from her one after the other. As though approaching Noble Consort Shu would condemn them as well.

Zhuang Laoyan looked at Xiuyi Su, who was rushing to move farther away from her cousin. Following that, she sent a tranquil gaze at Noble Consort Shu, whom the palace maids and court eunuch were eagerly yet chaotically attempting to lift. She sneered. “Xiuyi Su won’t be going to take a look? You and Noble Consort Shu are such great sisters. You’re not going to see what the imperial physician diagnoses her? Will you feel reassured by this?”

All of a sudden, everyone’s gazes converged on Xiuyi Su. As they stared at her pale face, their eyes held ridicule.

Zhuang Laoyan snickered. She boarded her sedan and left the front doors of Jingyang Palace, the sound of people seeing her off all around.

“Your Majesty the empress, since such a thing has happened to Noble Consort Shu, one would fear that she shall never possess as much glory as she had in the past,” said Heyu, seeming to sigh with regret yet also indulging in Schadenfreude. “That said, Noble Consort Xian’s words today were excessive.”

“Noble Consort Xian would naturally be the happiest among everyone. What a pity that she is merely raising the eldest prince, and did not have the honor of adopting him.” A sigh left the empress’ lips, a flavor of regret. “Today, it’s Noble Consort Shu that has fallen. But who knows what would happen to this palace in the future?”

“Your Majesty,” blurted Heyu. “It’s good fortune that your honored self and the emperor have been together for many years. His Majesty definitely would not be that heartless toward you.”

Yet the empress merely laughed at herself. “Did the emperor favor Noble Consort Shu only a little?” Rubbing the teacup in her hand, she said in a soft voice, “One would fear that the speck of mutual affection between this palace and the emperor has already whittled away to nothing.” 

She walked to the doorway. Looked at the glazed roof tiles outside that were reflecting the bright sunshine. And she could not help but narrow her tired eyes.

Just when the period of Wu passed, as Feng Jin finished his noon meal, he heard Gao Dezhong enter the room and announce the following: Noble Consort Shu was seeking an audience. Furrowing his brows, he said unenthusiastically, “Declined!”

Gao Dezhong retreated at those words. When he reached the main entrance, he caught sight of Noble Consort Shu kneeling outside. And he said in a consoling manner, “Your Highness the noble consort, His Majesty is currently busy. It’s best if your honored self returns.”

She glanced at him, before kowtowing with much force against the shining golden bricks. “Begging Your Majesty to meet with this concubine!” Another heavy kowtow.

Gao Dezhong could not bear such sounds. He turned and made for the interior of the palace. Within, he could still hear the thumps from outside.

Once more before the emperor, Gao Dezhong walked to the side without a word.

Afterward, the entire room sank into silence. The sole sound was the thuds as Noble Consort Shu continued to kowtow.

Each thud lighter, more despairing than the last.