Chapter 13 Promotion

The move had to be put on hold for the time being. Jiang Ling walked to the eaves and sincerely apologized to Gao Cairen: "I will move as soon as I get back. Please don't blame me, Sister Gao."

Consort Gao looked rather unwell, but managed to say, "Consort Jiang, you're too kind."

Jiang Ling was preoccupied with a host of troubles and didn't care what Gao Cairen thought. He followed Zhang Shan to the Chuigong Hall.

The group remained quiet, the sound of their wooden clogs mingling with the rain. Walking in the deep autumn rain, the narrow alleyway felt strangely desolate.

Upon arriving at the Chuigong Hall, Jiang Ling looked up. The large characters "Chuigong Hall" seemed shrouded in a layer of gloom in the dim light, much like her current mood.

Raindrops from the tung oil umbrella dripped onto her cheeks, and Jiang Ling instinctively closed her eyes. The rain was icy cold, and she shuddered, secretly delighted.

Emperor Yuanming summoned her in the afternoon; it certainly wasn't to serve him in bed.

After all, regardless of their moral character, emperors still had to be mindful of their conduct; indulging in debauchery in broad daylight was ultimately a breach of morality.

The imperial harem had dozens of women, and Emperor Yuanming had only favored one of them from beginning to end. He was already twenty-six years old (by the traditional Chinese age reckoning), and according to the average lifespan of ancient people and emperors, he was already halfway to his imperial tomb.

Moreover, given his weak physique, he might be willing but unable to do so.

The joy quickly faded, and new worries welled up in my heart.

Why did Emperor Yuanming summon her?

Jiang Ling followed Zhang Shan to the Qionghua Pavilion in the rear garden. The buildings were partially obscured by the rain and mist, a babbling brook flowed by, and lush grasses grew, with osmanthus, chrysanthemums, and camellias in full bloom.

Huang Lianghou was at the door. Seeing them approach, he bowed and went inside to report. Soon, he turned around, came out, lifted the curtain, and gestured for A'Ruo Fanghe to step back: "Please come in, Lady."

Jiang Ling couldn't help but feel nervous. He folded up the umbrella, handed it to A'Ruo, and nodded his thanks to Huang Liang.

As soon as she stepped into the house, she stumbled forward and almost fell over.

"Damn it!" Jiang Ling waved his arms to steady himself, and the curse slipped out.

Wherever Jiang Ling went, the ground was paved with bluestone. Who would have thought that the floor of Qionghua Pavilion would be covered with a luxurious wool felt mat, so thick that it almost reached the instep.

Emperor Yuanming sat by the window, seemingly nonchalant, but his eyes were fixed on Jiang Ling as he entered the room.

The concubines and palace maids who entered the palace all had impeccable family histories for eight generations.

Jiang Ling's father was the magistrate of Linping County, and her mother died early. She had two siblings and a clean family background. In the third year of the Yuanming era, she entered the palace and was given the title of Cairen (a low-ranking concubine).

She was indeed beautiful; the imperial harem was never short of beautiful women. Emperor Yuanming had almost forgotten her; she certainly hadn't stood out before.

Judging from the jumbled thoughts in her head, she can only be considered intelligent occasionally; most of the time, she's neurotic.

Emperor Yuanming, fearing that he might have missed something, met with all the concubines in the harem, but found nothing.

Fearing he might be having hysteria, Emperor Yuanming summoned Jiang Ling again. He was startled to see her rush forward as soon as she entered the room, but then couldn't help but want to laugh.

Upon hearing her use of the word "grass," Emperor Yuanming, unaware of its meaning, instinctively felt it was not a compliment, and the smile on his face gradually faded.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Jiang Ling was filled with remorse; this was a breach of etiquette before the Emperor!

"I might as well just fall down, pretend to be dizzy, pretend to be weak. This ground is quite comfortable, it won't hurt if I fall..." In a short time, many thoughts flashed through Jiang Ling's mind.

Hearing her scheming clearly, Emperor Yuanming felt relieved and instantly pleased.

Only emperors are worthy of possessing such magical and unique abilities!

Jiang Ling greeted the emperor with trepidation, and Emperor Yuanming raised his hand to tell him to rise, pointing to the brocade bench opposite him and saying, "Sit down."

Seeing that Emperor Yuanming didn't take it to heart, Jiang Ling secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He walked over and sat down properly, unable to help but mutter a complaint under his breath.

"Cow dung is such a luxury! Such expensive wool carpets on the floor, and one person lives in several palaces. The concubines don't eat or dress well, a bunch of people crammed together, what stingy people! If you can't afford to support them, don't support them!"

Emperor Yuanming kept his lips tightly closed, staring blankly at Jiang Ling. She was wearing a nearly new lotus-colored blouse and a pale white silk half-sleeved top.

Just like last time, she was still without makeup, her smooth and firm face as bright as osmanthus. A dull gold hairpin adorned her hair, clearly an old piece.

She sat stiffly and awkwardly, seemingly timid and petty, but that was far from her true nature.

Emperor Yuanming was torn between his conscience and his desire to kill her, yet he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Her words were harsh and rebellious. Without her, he lost the ability to hear the thoughts of others. Since it concerned the emperor, Yuanming Emperor was extremely wary.

And some of what she said wasn't too outrageous. Huang Liang replied that she rarely went out, at most walking around under the eaves, and at most standing under the osmanthus tree in the courtyard for a while to pick osmanthus flowers to make tea.

The other concubines in Xiefang Pavilion would go to the main house to talk, but she never took the initiative to interact with them. Apart from eating and sleeping, her days were comparable to those of a monk.

Huang Liang led the eunuchs to serve tea and snacks, and Emperor Yuanming took the opportunity to forgive her: "Have some tea."

After Jiang Ling expressed his gratitude, he took a couple of sips of tea. The warm tea made him feel less reserved, and he casually picked up a chestnut cake to eat.

"It's so sweet it's like I've beaten the candy seller to death." Jiang Ling put down the chestnut cake and picked up a piece of snowflake crisp.

Jiang Ling took a small bite, then put it down again: "It's oily and sweet. Heh heh, please, you cow dung, can't you eat something decent?"

Emperor Yuanming stared at the chestnut cake in his hand, tossed it into a dish, and gently wiped his hands with a handkerchief.

Jiang Ling kept her eyes down, focused on her inner thoughts, without glancing to the side. Chestnut cake jumped into her line of sight, causing her to abruptly raise her head and look over in alarm.

When Emperor Yuanming met her gaze and saw her fear, his initial displeasure turned into joy.

"Why are you wearing old clothes, with no makeup and no rouge?" Emperor Yuanming asked casually.

According to palace rules, Jiang Ling had four sets of everyday clothes for each season and two sets of formal clothes for grand ceremonies. Because of her low rank, she wasn't entitled to wear formal clothes for grand ceremonies, but since it concerned the royal family's reputation, formal clothes were essential. However, there were rules regarding wearing formal clothes, so she usually wore her everyday clothes. She rotated through her four sets of autumn everyday clothes; the precious fabric was delicate and would fade after just one wash.

She also had rouge and face powder, but since she usually stayed indoors and didn't go out, Jiang Ling certainly wouldn't put them on her face.

Emperor Yuanming's question left Jiang Ling at a loss for words. Her mind raced as she tried to answer appropriately: "The new clothes aren't finished yet, it's more comfortable without powder..."

She closed her eyes in despair and shut her mouth at the same time.

Look at how damn well-behaved she is, her mouth always beats her brain!

Emperor Yuanming was speechless, unsure how to respond. Both fell silent, an awkward silence filling the room.

Feeling awkward, Jiang Ling wanted to burrow into the ground. Staring at the carpet, her thoughts drifted: "This ground isn't easy to burrow into; underneath the carpet is bluestone. Stone, a stone that shatters the heavens. Shock, the capital city..."

Emperor Yuanming almost burst out laughing. He was truly ignorant and incompetent; his words were far more than just "astonishing" to the capital!

"You may return now," Emperor Yuanming said, rubbing his temples.

He would shorten his lifespan if he listened to the endless arguments of the court officials and her rambling nonsense all day long.

Jiang Ling breathed a sigh of relief, quickly stood up, bowed, and took his leave. The rain continued to fall, and a layer of water covered the bluestone ground.

After leaving Qionghua Pavilion, exiting Chuigong Hall, and arriving at the entrance of Xiefang Pavilion, Jiang Ling suddenly remembered something.

What exactly did Emperor Yuanming call her?

The water droplets splashed from her wooden clogs, soaking her skirt halfway. A gust of wind made Jiang Ling shiver with cold. Her health was more important; she couldn't care less about Emperor Yuanming and hurried back to her room to change into dry clothes.

Rainy days get dark early. Jiang Ling, thinking about moving, looked out the window at the dim light and said to A'Ruo Fanghe, "Keep packing, we'll move soon."

Consort Gao was clearly unhappy; she was Emperor Yuanming's new favorite and could not be offended.

Peaceful days are rare, so moving sooner will save you trouble.

When A'Ruo Fanghe saw that Jiang Ling had not been chosen to stay and serve the emperor again, both of them were extremely disappointed. Their hopes of her gaining favor faded, and they resignedly packed their trunks.

Just as Huang Liang finished tidying up all the clothes, Zhong Shanggong from the Shangqin Bureau arrived with the cloth, headdresses, eunuchs, and maids.

Huang Liang said, "Consort Jiang, receive the imperial decree."

Jiang Ling was stunned. Seeing Aruo Fanghe kneeling on the ground, she quickly followed suit and knelt down to receive the imperial decree.

Huang Liang said, "By imperial decree, Jiang is known for her frugality and gentle nature, and is hereby granted the title of Beauty. She is also awarded five bolts of brocade, a set of kingfisher feather and filigree hair ornaments, and a set of pearl headdresses."

Now that she is a fourth-rank beauty, she will no longer be a fifth-rank concubine who is blooming everywhere in the harem!

Jiang Ling was completely stunned and didn't react for a moment. A'Ruo quietly tugged at her and whispered, "My beauty, quickly thank her."

"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty," Jiang Ling blurted out.

Huang Liang's cheek twitched slightly, and he said with a smile, "Please rise, Consort Jiang. His Majesty has just designated the spacious Fanying Pavilion for you to live in. Zhongshang Palace has already sent people to prepare and assist you in moving there."

Fanying Pavilion is a courtyard located to the west rear of Kunning Palace in the central palace, near Chuigong Hall, and has been vacant for a long time.

A while ago, Aruo and Fanghe were still whispering about how Fanying Pavilion had been separated from Kunning Palace, and they wondered who Emperor Yuanming would grant it to.

I was inexplicably promoted, received a reward, and was given a new residence.

Jiang Ling stood up, staring at the dazzling headdress and the fabric as radiant as rosy clouds, feeling completely dizzy.

What a coincidence! Her trunks and bags are all packed and ready for moving, which will make room for Gao Cairen!