Lin Wanwan's "turning the rotten into the magical" feast finally unfolded as scheduled.
She used those misshapen and cracked radishes to carve an exquisite "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" food sculpture, which amazed everyone; she used a not-so-fresh fish, deboned and skinned it, and made an incomparably delicious "Chrysanthemum Fish Soup"; she used the tenderest heart of the vegetables with wormholes to stir-fry a plate of bright green and refreshing "Jadeite".
That evening, Xiao Che ate with great relish, while the head chef of the imperial kitchen, Eunuch Wu, reportedly had a face even darker than the bottom of the pot.
From then on, no one dared to tamper with the ingredients in the Kunning Palace's small kitchen; everything sent was the freshest and of the highest quality. The "red-eye disease" in the Imperial Kitchen ended with Lin Wanwan's complete victory.
Her time with Xiao Che seemed to have entered a sweet and stable period. He came to Kunning Palace every day without needing any excuse, as if it were a matter of course. They ate together, read together, and occasionally, she would accompany him to review those not-so-confidential memorials, offering him some imaginative ideas.
His initial testing and wariness towards her has transformed into complete trust and indulgence.
Kunning Palace truly became his haven of rest, and also her most secure home in this deep palace.
However, there was never true peace in the palace.
Their increasingly solid relationship was like a sharp thorn, deeply piercing the eyes of the Empress Dowager in Cixi Palace.
She watched helplessly as her niece, Consort Shu, whom she had supported, became an insignificant pawn in the harem; she watched helplessly as the emperor's health improved day by day, and he was no longer under her control; she watched helplessly as the "pawn" she had personally chosen to bring good fortune to the emperor gradually entered his heart, and even began to show signs of challenging her authority.
This threat made her more uneasy than any political turmoil in the court.
The Empress Dowager finally realized that a simple-minded fool like Consort Shu, who only knew how to compete for favor, was completely unable to control Lin Wanwan, the "lucky star empress".
After lying low for a long time, she finally decided to play the trump card she had been holding for many years.
A decree for a talent show was suddenly issued without any warning.
The imperial edict was written in a grand and dignified manner, claiming it was to enrich the imperial harem and ensure the continuation of the imperial line. But everyone knew perfectly well that it was nothing more than a pretext.
Just days before the imperial edict was issued, news had already spread throughout the capital that Su Jinxiu, another niece of the Empress Dowager and known as the "most talented woman in the capital," was about to come of age.
This Su Jinxiu is completely different from the arrogant and domineering Consort Shu.
Although Lin Wanwan had never met her, the rumors about her were already widely known.
It is said that she was well-versed in poetry and literature from a young age, able to compose poetry at seven and paint skillfully at ten. She was proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She was gentle, virtuous, and kind, never arguing with anyone, and enjoyed a very high reputation among the noble ladies of the capital.
She was like a perfect piece of jade that had been carefully carved over many years. She was flawless in terms of family background, talent, and character, and was the most ideal candidate for "Empress" in everyone's heart.
If the Lin family hadn't held military power and hadn't been associated with the "marriage to ward off bad luck," the Empress's position should have belonged to her.
Now, the Empress Dowager has suddenly issued an edict to select candidates for the imperial concubine selection, and her intentions are obvious.
This was essentially a ceremony tailor-made for Su Jinxiu to enter the palace.
When the news arrived, Lin Wanwan was grinding ink for Xiao Che. Her hand paused slightly, and a drop of thick ink fell onto the edge of the inkstone.
Xiao Che raised his head, glanced at her, and said nothing. He simply took the ink stick from her hand and continued grinding ink himself.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the side hall froze.
They both knew perfectly well that the Empress Dowager's actions were a show of force against them. She was using the most proper and irrefutable method to forcefully drive a perfect nail between them.
The talent show was held as scheduled. The process was entirely predictable.
With her unparalleled beauty and outstanding talent, Su Jinxiu stood out among the many candidates and was unsurprisingly selected.
Immediately afterwards, a second imperial edict was sent to Kunning Palace.
This time, it is an imperial decree to confer titles.
The eunuch who delivered the imperial edict was a trusted confidant of the Empress Dowager. Standing in the hall, his face beaming with undisguised smugness, he read it aloud in a high-pitched, melodious voice:
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Therefore, Lady Su Jinxiu, born into a distinguished family, possessing both virtue and talent, and of a virtuous and gentle nature, is hereby conferred the title of Virtuous Consort and granted residence in Changchun Palace. This is the imperial decree—"
"Virtuous Consort".
The single word "virtuous" encapsulates all of the Empress Dowager's expectations and ambitions.
This was not merely a title, but a form of flattery intended to kill. She was telling everyone that Su Jinxiu was the most virtuous woman in the harem.
What's even more shocking is that this imperial decree also exceptionally bestowed countless gold and silver treasures, a favor and scale far exceeding what Consort Shu had received when she first entered the palace.
Consort Xian was second only to the Empress in rank.
The Empress Dowager was clearly telling the entire harem that her Su family had produced another person who was capable of standing on equal footing with the Empress.
Lin Wanwan knelt on the ground and calmly accepted the imperial decree: "Your Majesty, I... accept the decree and thank you for your grace." Her voice was devoid of any emotion.
She slowly rose after the eunuch who delivered the imperial decree left, satisfied.
She glanced at Xiao Che, who was sitting upright to the side, and he was looking at her as well. His face remained as deep and unfathomable as the sea, revealing neither joy nor anger.
He offered no explanation or comfort, but simply watched her quietly, as if waiting for her reaction.
He knew that this was the first difficult problem the Empress Dowager had presented to them.
If Lin Wanwan makes a scene, she will confirm her reputation for being "jealous," which would play right into the Empress Dowager's hands. If she doesn't make a scene and silently accepts the situation, it would be tantamount to acknowledging Su Jinxiu's existence and admitting the Empress Dowager's victory. It's a dilemma.
Lin Wanwan looked at him and slowly smiled. That smile was as gentle and peaceful as ever.
“Your Majesty,” she said softly, “it is a blessing for me and Your Majesty to have another virtuous sister in the harem. I should prepare a generous gift to welcome my sister, the Virtuous Consort, into the palace.”
Her demeanor was impeccable. She maintained the dignity of the Empress without revealing even the slightest hint of panic or jealousy.
Xiao Che looked at her, a barely perceptible hint of approval flashing in his deep eyes. He nodded, gave a soft "hmm," and said nothing more.
He didn't seem surprised that she handled the matter so calmly.
However, Lin Wanwan knew that his heart was far from as calm as he appeared on the surface.
Because, at the very moment she received the imperial decree, at the instant the words "Virtuous Consort" resounded throughout Kunning Palace, she clearly saw a brand new emoji that she had never seen before appear in the empty space above his head.
That's no longer complaining, nor acting cute, nor a cozy "home".
Instead, it was a tiny pixelated figure, cautiously hiding behind a thick corner of a wall. It didn't fully reveal itself, only peeking out half its head, showing a large, wary eye, quietly and intently observing in a certain direction.
Next to it was a line of small text—【窥屏.gif】.
Upon seeing this meme, Lin Wanwan's heart sank slightly.
In her view, "peeping" means lurking, observing, and... being highly vigilant against unknown dangers.
The fact that Xiao Che was so wary of this virtuous concubine, Su Jinxiu, whom he had only heard of but never seen, meant that she was no ordinary person.
She knew that those warm and peaceful days in Kunning Palace were coming to an end.
A new and more dangerous storm is coming.
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