Chapter 27 The Power to Assist in Managing the Six Palaces
Inside the Baohua Hall.
Amidst the expectant gazes of the crowd, Consort Yi stepped forward gracefully.
“My father sent a letter to the palace by express courier the day before yesterday. The letter mentioned that in my hometown of Chuncheng, strange phenomena occurred a few days ago. After days of heavy rain, the river swelled and washed away an ancient riverbed.”
Her voice was clear: "When the river workers were dredging the river, they found a strange rock deep in the silt of the riverbed!"
As Consort Yi spoke, she reached out her slender hand and gently lifted the brocade.
In an instant, a gasp filled the hall!
Beneath the brocade was a stone, about the height of a person, with an ancient and simple shape.
The stone is warm and smooth, neither gold nor jade, and presents a deep and restrained dark green color, as if it has been deposited for thousands of years.
Most surprisingly, the surface of the stone is naturally formed with unique textures. These textures meander and coil, and under the light, they can be faintly outlined as clear and powerful characters.
North, victory!
"The stone's texture is naturally formed, without any trace of artificial carving!"
"My father, having acquired this extraordinary stone, dared not neglect it. He invited learned scholars and several reclusive monks to appraise it together. They all said that it was an auspicious omen sent from heaven, a great sign of good fortune!"
Consort Yi's voice was filled with excitement as she looked intently at Emperor Zhaoheng. "My father said in his letter that this stone was nurtured by the Spring River and appeared after the storm. The characters 'Bei' and 'Sheng' are visible on it, which is a testament to Your Majesty's benevolence in inspiring Heaven and Earth!"
"This further foreshadows that our mighty Qi army will surely sweep away the Northern Barbarians and defeat them!"
The four words "to defeat the enemy" accurately resonated with Emperor Zhaoheng's heart.
"Good! Good! Good!"
Recently, the Northern Barbarians have repeatedly offended us, and urgent military reports have been flying into the Qianqing Palace like snowflakes.
Those fierce barbarian cavalry burned, killed, and looted in the northern border. Although the border troops fought hard, they were repeatedly thwarted by the enemy's elusive nature and supply difficulties. The battle became a stalemate, and the border troops suffered considerable losses.
In the imperial court, voices advocating war and peace were locked in endless debate, and even a prince from the imperial clan was stirring with ambition, proposing the adoption of a son as a precaution...
Now, this naturally formed wonder stone is right before our eyes!
He suddenly stood up, took a few steps down the imperial steps, and walked straight to Consort Yi.
His gaze was fixed on the dark green, unusual stone, examining it with excitement.
"Auspicious omens descend from heaven... Victory is assured..."
He murmured to himself, his fingers unconsciously tracing the natural texture of the stone surface.
Every stroke of his pen seemed to contain boundless power, soothing his restless mind that had been churning for days.
Narcissus, sitting below the stage, quietly gazed at the strange rock, a faint smile curving her lips.
I see.
No wonder she thought he looked familiar.
In her previous life, about half a year later, Consort Yi also presented a strange stone that was almost identical to the one in front of everyone.
However, at that time, the words on the stone were "Nansheng".
Consort Yi's explanation at the time was: "Auspicious omens descended from the heavens, indicating that the Great Qi will surely quell the chaos in the southern border region!"
At that time, this also greatly pleased the emperor, and Consort Yi's favor with him increased even more.
North Victory? South Victory? A difference of just one word reveals the key to the matter.
Should we follow the will of Heaven, or... the will of man?
Just then, a clear voice rang out; it was Consort Rong, who was sitting not far from Consort Yi:
"Your Majesty! I just heard from Consort Yi that this strange stone was discovered in Chuncheng! Chuncheng... Consort Yi's given name is Guichun, so the character 'Chun' must be fitting for her, right?"
"This auspicious omen is not only a blessing from Heaven for the Great Qi, but also a sign of good fortune for Consort Yi. It is a blessing brought by Consort Yi! In my opinion, this is truly a double celebration!"
Her words instantly bound Consort Yi herself firmly to this auspicious omen!
Upon hearing this, Emperor Zhaoheng's gaze towards Consort Yi softened further, even taking on a hint of warmth:
"My beloved consort's name is Guichun, and auspicious omens originate from Spring City. It is the will of Heaven. My beloved consort, you are also a lucky star for our Great Qi!"
He was overjoyed. Looking at Consort Yi now, he felt that she was gentle and quiet, and even her family seemed particularly pleasing to the eye.
With such auspicious omens, Emperor Zhaoheng also began to find Consort Yi more agreeable.
"Your Majesty flatters me. I am unworthy of such praise." Consort Yi lowered her eyes, two shy blushes rising on her face, making her appear even more gentle and charming.
He surveyed the hall and proclaimed in a loud voice: "Heaven has bestowed auspicious omens upon my Great Qi! This is the best gift Heaven has given to me and all my people for the Emperor's birthday! We shall celebrate this with the whole world!"
"Minister Yi is loyal to the country and has rendered meritorious service by presenting the treasure! Consort Yi is virtuous and has won my heart!" Emperor Zhaoheng was overjoyed and immediately announced:
"Bestow upon Consort Yi the title... Qi! It signifies good fortune and lasting blessings! From this day forward, Consort Qi, together with Consort Li, will assist the Empress in managing the six palaces and reassuring her in palace affairs!"
"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great favor! Long live the Emperor!"
Consort Yi—no, she was now Consort Qi—was trembling with excitement.
She succeeded! She won her gamble! This stone propelled her to unprecedented heights!
The title she was given was already an immense honor; the next step was the position of Imperial Concubine, which she had long coveted!
"Rise!" Emperor Zhaoheng personally helped her up. "My beloved consort is my lucky star and a blessing to the country. I hope that you and the Imperial Consort will work together to share my burdens and manage the harem well."
"Your Majesty, I will do my utmost to live up to your expectations!" Yi Guichun's voice was firm, her eyes gleaming with pride.
In an instant, congratulations filled the hall. Everyone understood that Consort Qi, Yi Guichun, had gained immense favor from the Emperor after this incident, and her position was as secure as a mountain!
The threshold of Changxin Palace will probably be worn down by people coming to curry favor and flatter.
Narcissus stood at the back of the crowd, observing the grand award ceremony with detached indifference.
She wore a respectful smile, but inwardly she calmly thought:
Just as I expected.
As long as the Yi family doesn't fall, Yi Guichun will never truly fall.
Her gaze swept over Consort Rong, who stood beside Consort Qi, smiling more obsequiously than anyone else. Consort Rong's sudden appearance and flattery of Consort Yi also aroused suspicion.
Narcissus did not hesitate for a moment.
Later that day, she found an excuse to have Yinzhu secretly go to the vicinity of Zhaoyang Palace.
Following Shui Xian's instructions, Yin Zhu avoided all possible paths that could be monitored and went to find Fang Fei to tell her all of Shui Xian's suspicions.
All Shui Xian needs to do now is wait and see, and wait for Consort Li to send her family to investigate the Yi family and drag Yi Guichun down from his high position!
However, the tree may wish to remain still, but the wind will not cease.
Shui Xian wanted to wait for the right opportunity, but Yi Guichun, who had just been promoted to Assistant Manager of the Six Palaces, would not let her have any peace of mind.
A few days later, Narcissus was summoned to Changxin Palace.
Now, Consort Qi exudes an even more dignified air. She sits upright in the main seat, looking at the respectfully bowing Narcissus with a fake smile on her face.
"My esteemed Narcissus has arrived. Please have a seat."
Yi Guichun gestured for a seat, and only after Shui Xian sat down did he slowly begin to speak.
"I am currently assisting in the management of the six palaces, and the affairs are complicated. I am thinking that the manpower in your Chengming Palace is still a bit insufficient. You are young and have no experience in managing a palace. Without a mature and prudent person by your side to help you, it is inevitable that people will feel uneasy."
As soon as she finished speaking, an old nanny dressed in a dark brown palace gown with her hair neatly combed came out from behind the screen.
The old woman was around fifty years old, with sharp eyes like an eagle. She bowed to Yi Guichun and Shuixian respectively, her voice completely calm: "This servant, Yan, greets Consort Qi and Noble Lady Shuixian."
"This is Granny Yan," Consort Qi introduced with a smile. "She is an old hand in the palace, and she is most proficient in rules and etiquette. She also served several imperial concubines during the reign of the late emperor, so she is very experienced."
"I specially transferred her to your Chengming Palace to help you manage the palace staff, handle palace affairs, and teach etiquette. With her here, I feel more at ease."
Narcissus sneered inwardly!
What help or control? It's clearly Yi Guichun's spy planted next to her!
She immediately stood up, her face showing fear: "Your Majesty's kindness is deeply appreciated! But... but Chengming Palace is small and the affairs are simple, I really dare not trouble someone as experienced as Granny Yan..."
“That’s not quite right,” Consort Qi interrupted her, raising her hand. “Although Chengming Palace is small, it’s a place the Emperor frequents, so the rules and etiquette cannot be neglected in the slightest. Granny Yan is experienced and can help you with that. Besides…”
Yi Guichun abruptly changed the subject, lowering his voice and carrying a threatening tone that only the two of them could understand: "Your parents and sister have been well taken care of in the Yi household and are living a relatively peaceful life. Does Your Highness not want them to continue living such a peaceful life?"
She skillfully used her family to threaten Narcissus.
Yi Guichun looked at Shuixian with satisfaction and reluctantly complied: "Yes... Your Majesty is very thoughtful. It was I who was ignorant. Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. I will definitely respect Granny Yan properly."
"That's right." Yi Guichun smiled with satisfaction and instructed, "Granny Yan, the noble lady is young, so you must take good care of her and assist her well in the future."
"This servant obeys." Granny Yan replied expressionlessly, then turned to Shui Xian, her posture once again rigid to the point of being indifferent. "Your Highness, please rest assured, this servant will certainly do her duty to share Your Highness's burdens and manage the Chengming Palace well for Your Highness."
That evening, Granny Yan brought a package and kicked Yinzhu out of her private room, taking over the cozy room that Yinzhu had decorated.
Shui Xian saw everything. She stood at the entrance of the main hall, her eyes fixed on Yan Mama, who was disciplining the palace servants of Chengming Hall with overwhelming force.
Yi Guichun, unable to resist in the end, sent people to torture her!
Little did she know, what she handed over was exactly the leverage that Narcissus needed at that moment!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com