Chapter 57 Princess Chengbi
Chapter Fifty-Seven: Princess Chengbi
When white banners were hung in Shuning Palace and news spread that Consort Wan, née Mu, had died along with her child due to lingering poisoning and a weak pregnancy, it was as if a boulder had been thrown into the seemingly calm lake of the harem, instantly stirring up a thousand waves.
Upon hearing the news, the concubines of the various palaces reacted in different ways. At first, they were shocked, followed by various sighs and secret calculations.
"What a terrible misfortune..." some concubines whispered among themselves. "They thought that if they could just get through these few months and give birth to a prince, they would be guaranteed a good fortune and might even be made empress. Who knew that they would pass away like this and not even be able to save their child."
"Indeed, I heard that the Emperor was quite fond of her before, after all, she was his savior. It's so sad that she's gone so suddenly. It's truly a case of beauty being short-lived." Another person chimed in, their tone carrying a touch of sympathy for their kind, but more so a sense of relief—one less formidable competitor.
As a result, many people began to have their own thoughts. With Consort Wan gone, the Emperor was heartbroken, and someone in the harem was needed to comfort him.
Suddenly, the number of concubines dressed up and hoping to "bump into" the emperor in the Imperial Garden and along the palace road leading to the Qianqing Palace increased significantly. Each of them wanted to take this opportunity to fill the void when the emperor was "sad" and win a favor that would lead to a meteoric rise in rank.
In the Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager remained silent for a long time upon hearing the news. She twirled her prayer beads and sighed to the old woman beside her, "Such a fine grandson of the Emperor, gone just like that... What a pity. That Lady Mu was also unfortunate."
Her words conveyed genuine regret and heartache. The Empress Dowager may have had many political struggles with the Emperor, and may have harbored resentment towards certain favored concubines, but on the matter of royal offspring, her stance remained steadfast—any imperial heir is the foundation of the nation and cannot be lost.
Su Su observed all of this with a cold eye, especially the Empress Dowager's reaction, which gradually clarified the vague guess in her mind. She seemed to understand why the late emperor had entrusted his only legitimate son to the Empress Dowager, who was not his biological mother, for upbringing.
Perhaps it was precisely this deep-seated respect and protection for the royal bloodline that Su Su valued. Regardless of the changing political landscape, the Empress Dowager always regarded maintaining the continuity and purity of the royal bloodline as her supreme principle. This bottom line ensured that even when her desire for power swelled, she would never use the imperial heir as a pretext. This understanding gave Su Su a clear and insightful understanding.
Consort Wan's funeral was conducted according to protocol, not on a grand scale, but no one dared to be negligent, and it was quickly settled. Just when everyone in the harem thought they could finally breathe a sigh of relief and focus on vying for the emperor's favor, news arrived from the court that instantly united the six palaces in indignation—the defeated kingdom in the southwest, to show its submission and sincerity in seeking peace, intended to send its king's most beloved Princess Chengbi to marry into the imperial family. The marriage procession had already entered the capital region in a grand procession and would arrive at the palace soon!
In an instant, all the jealousy and personal grudges seemed insignificant in the face of the "foreign enemy's" invasion. All the concubines instantly became united. Their worry was no longer for each other, but for the young, beautiful foreign princess who was about to arrive, a princess of special political significance.
"That princess from that barbarian land, what does she know about rules and etiquette!"
"I've heard that women in the Southwest are skilled in singing and dancing, and adept at bewitching people!"
"Will the Emperor neglect us because of this?"
Anxiety and a sense of crisis permeated the six palaces. Unexpectedly, the concubines, who used to act independently and even sabotage each other, all turned their attention to Yongshou Palace and to Consort Su Su, who now held the highest rank and enjoyed the emperor's favor.
At this critical juncture of "uniting against external forces," they need a pillar of support, someone who can represent them and perhaps find a way to make the princess back down.
Thus, Yongshou Palace, which had been quiet for so long, suddenly became bustling with activity. Today, Consort Liu brought Consort Gu to "discuss" the etiquette for receiving guests, and tomorrow Consort An would come with several lower-ranking concubines to "instruct" on how to display the grandeur of the Celestial Empire. In reality, they all wanted to find out Su Su's opinion and discuss how to join forces to deal with Princess Chengbi.
Faced with this group of visitors who had suddenly become "sisterly affectionate," Su Su found it somewhat amusing, yet she couldn't refuse their "good intentions." She neither expressed her opinion nor offered any advice, but simply instructed the palace servants to prepare fine tea and delicate snacks, treating them with great courtesy.
If they mentioned the potential threat the princess might pose, she would smile and steer the conversation toward the newly acquired tea leaves; if they discussed how to intimidate the princess, she would invite them to play a game of chess, or to appreciate the newly opened chrysanthemums, or to discuss the latest colors of rouge and face powder, and patterns of clothing.
Strangely, this seemingly haphazard response actually helped the previously anxious and scheming concubines gradually relax. In the elegant and comfortable environment of Yongshou Palace, sipping imperial tea, tasting exquisite pastries, playing chess, admiring flowers, and chatting about girlish matters, they found themselves more relaxed and comfortable than when they were constantly scheming in their own palaces.
Over time, the concubines all started to frequent Yongshou Palace, not entirely to discuss how to deal with the princess, but also because they coveted the rare leisure and peace that came with not having to constantly be on edge vying for the emperor's favor.
This was a real hardship for Li Qianche, who was constantly thinking about Su Su. For several days, after finishing his official duties, he would excitedly go to Yongshou Palace, only to find it filled with jewels and laughter. Either Consort An was playing chess with Su Su, or Consort Liu was playing the zither, or a group of concubines were discussing cosmetics. He, the one in question, was left out, unable to even find a chance to have a private conversation with Su Su.
After being turned away several times, or rather, after being rejected by all the concubines, His Majesty the Emperor's long-standing jealousy was completely overturned.
That evening, after Su Su finally saw off all her "sisters" and took a bath alone, she was pulled onto the brocade bed by an emperor who had been holding back his anger for several days, and was given a good "punishment".
The curtains swayed, and soft breaths filled the air. Li Qianche nibbled on her earlobe, complaining breathlessly, "I think your Yongshou Palace is even more lively than my Qianqing Palace! Will I have to submit a formal request in advance to even see my beloved consort in the future?"
Su Su was so aroused by him that she was panting heavily, her whole body went limp, and she didn't even have the strength to object. She could only turn into a pool of spring water and let him do whatever he wanted.
As for the soon-to-be Princess Chengbi, Su Su remained outwardly composed, but inwardly she had her own plans. She did not proactively inquire about Li Qianche's arrangements, whether he would be made a concubine or a member of the imperial clan would be chosen for marriage.
She thought to herself, if he really wanted to take her into the palace, she would be content to be his Noble Consort, but he could forget about spending the night in Yongshou Palace like he was now. She had her own pride and bottom line.
Amidst this atmosphere of apparent harmony within the harem, where undercurrents surged and the emperor harbored secret jealousy, the night of the palace banquet to receive the envoy from the southwest and Princess Chengbi arrived as scheduled.
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