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nThe next day, Zhuang Laoyan rode her sedan to the empress’ residence to pay respects. Just as she had arrived at the front gates of the residence, a few low-ranked imperial concubines arrived in a group. As soon as they saw Zhuang Laoyan, they approached her to greet her, more deferential than in the past.

n“These younger sisters need not be so polite. We are sisters after all.” Zhuang Laoyan disembarked from her sedan, gesturing for them to stand. No one could sense even a trace of arrogance from her, but none of those present truly believed Chongyu Zhao was this kind.

n“That Elder Sister Chongyi Zhao takes care of us younger sisters, it is natural that we younger sisters will not forget our roles,” said the young lady standing at the front in a deferential manner.

nZhuang Laoyan’s gaze fell upon that young lady. She wasn’t old. Although she was pretty, in this imperial harem she could not be considered eye-catching. Her words were filled with the intention to curry favor and an implication that could not be said aloud.

n“Greetings to Chongyi Zhao.”

nThe voice coming from Zhuang Laoyan’s side made her realize what this cairen¹ in front of her had meant in those words before. The corners of her lips slightly tilted upward. Her tone was more gentle than usual. “Cairen Ma.”

nCairen Ma glanced at her palace maid who had greeted Zhuang Laoyan. In an extremely reluctant manner, she curtsied and paid respects. She lowered her head in a flash and felt as if the gazes of all the women present were full of ridicule, making it even harder to bear. Never had she expected that in merely one night, she would be demoted from a jieyu to a cairen. She could only strive to endure.

n“Enough, it’s getting late. We sisters should enter and pay respects to Her Majesty the empress.” Zhuang Laoyan wasn’t as foolish as to make things hard for Jieyu Ma at the front doors of the empress’ abode. She wanted the empress to think her mind pure, and also didn’t want the emperor to find her willful and stupid. In this world, every man had this common failing: they did not want women to be too smart to control, or too stupid to present in public.

nAllowing the women by her side to leave with smiles of mockery, Cairen Ma stood in place. She let the cold morning breeze scrape her cheeks, pain in its wake.

nNoble Consort Shu arrived at the empress’ abode neither early nor late. As she disembarked from her sedan with the support of her palace maid, she glanced with her peripheral vision at Cairen Ma, who stood in a corner. The corners of her lips tilted upward, as if she had just seen a joke. She stepped through the front doors without pause, totally ignoring Cairen Ma’s greeting.

nOnce she had entered the main chamber, she purposely looked at Chongyi Zhao, who sat three seats away from the empress to the right. After she had paid respects to the empress, Noble Consort Shu sat down at the first seat to the left of the empress. A smile graced her lips. “Today, us sisters have arrived early.”

nEveryone present knew that Noble Consort Shu’s elder brother accused Chongyi Zhao’s paternal family of misconduct in government affairs. At present, Noble Consort Shu’s light as a feather attitude clearly illustrated that she did not place Chongyi Zhao in her eyes.

nZhuang Laoyan pretended not to know that everyone around was calculating against her. Lowering her eyes, she only acted as if nothing had happened. When it was all said and done… the harem could not intervene in politics.

n“Nowadays, the weather is growing colder. Yet you sisters still come early to pay respects to this palace. It must have troubled you sisters,” said the empress in a tender manner at this particular moment. “He Yu, serve the hot tea.”

nNoble Consort Shu laughed grimly in her heart. If the empress wanted some excitement, she also had to see if Noble Consort Shu herself was willing to put on a show. What was a chongyi even worth? The true thousand-year-old fox was sitting in the seat of honor.

nThe tea served was made from the new tea leaves sent by the Department of the Palace. The low-ranked imperial concubines would not even receive the powder of those tea leaves. That the empress served this tea to her guests, it was uncertain whether she was showing off or truly magnanimous.

n“Your Majesty, this tea truly leaves a fragrant aftertaste,” said Consort Xian after a sip of tea, a mouthful of praises.

nZhuang Laoyan blew at the tea leaves floating at the surface of her tea. Watched as they bobbed up and down. A smile bloomed on her lips. Consort Xian was consistently on the same side as the empress. These words of flattery almost seemed as if they were true and from the heart. That said, although these tea leaves were precious, they weren’t rare. How could Consort Xian not have any in her own palace?

n“You’ve always been fond of tea. Tomorrow, I’ll have He Yu deliver some to you, so as to avoid you yearning for this palace’s tea leaves all day long.” The empress did not hide her closeness with Consort Xian in the others’ presence. She merely changed topics all of a sudden: toward Zhuang Laoyan. “This palace heard that yesterday, Cairen Ma talked back against Chongyi Zhao. The Department of the Palace has already penalized her of half a year’s worth of salary. You’ve always been generous and good-natured, so there’s no need to forget yourself with this sort of unreasonable person.”

nThe empress wiped the corners of her lips softly with a handkerchief. Then she smiled once more. “Although we present are all sisters, the rules and customs must be observed. Disrespecting one’s superiors and growing arrogant due to one’s favor are heavy crimes in the harem. Cairen Ma’s conduct yesterday was absolutely unforgivable. You must all remember this.”

nGrowing arrogant due to one’s favor?

nIn what way did Cairen Ma have favor?

nThe imperial concubines understood the implications. The empress had not been talking about Cairen Ma in her words. Her words didn’t have to be meant for only one person. Although everyone thought this, they all agreed aloud. No one spared a glance at the pale Cairen Ma sitting in a corner.

nRegarding the empress’ action of provoking others’ hatred toward herself, Zhuang Laoyan openly sighed. On the surface, those words had referred to Cairen Ma. But underneath, they pointed out Zhuang Laoyan as someone who grew arrogant due to favor. And when the empress had told the others not to disrespect their superiors, well that was merely finding different answers to the same question due to different perspectives. In any case, the empress was the master of the imperial harem. Apart from the emperor and empress dowager, there was no one else above her.

nEver since the case with the lightning strike, the empress dowager did not appear often in the harem. For this reason, she had relieved them from paying respects. And this was why after the imperial concubines left the empress’ abode, they had completed their duties for the day.

n“Younger Sister Chongyi Zhao had been wronged yesterday.” Noble Consort Shu held a palace maid’s hand for support as she faintly smiled. “This palace has a hundred-year-old ginseng. Later on, I will have someone send it over to nourish your body.”

n“Many thanks to Your Highness, the noble consort, for the sympathy and care. With His Majesty and Her Majesty’s tender affection, this concubine does not feel wronged.” Zhuang Laoyan bent her torso and knees in a bow, a sneer in her heart. One would fear that the more one consumed that hundred-year-old ginseng, the more one’s body would suffer from excessive internal heat².

n“Having the emperor’s favor is naturally good.” Noble Consort Shu softly sighed. She boarded her sedan. “However, some flowers are like fireworks at night, beautiful in their bloom but withering without a sound. Younger Sister Chongyi Zhao, do you agree?” Then she raised her hand in a light manner. The servants lifted the sedan steadily. She closed her eyes, paying no heed to the crowd of kneeling women.

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nZhuang Laoyan stood with the help of Tingzhu’s support, gazing in the direction from which Noble Consort Shu had left, gazing at the procession fit for a noble consort. In no rush, she lowered her eyes

nTingzhu’s worried gaze fell upon her master. However, she noticed a trace of a smile on her master’s lips, and her own heart chilled in an instant.

nIn this cold season, only withered lotuses remained in the lotus pond. Zhuang Laoyan stood by the edge of the pond staring at the stalks of the lotuses. She rejected the cloak Yunxi had tried to give her. Sat on a stone chair on the side and pointed to the water. “During the summer, this lotus pond is a grand sight for the eyes. But in the winter, it has fallen to this state.”

nAs soon as Yunxi heard these words, she broke into a smile. “Master, although these lotuses cannot bloom every season, they grow more beautiful each year. Tomorrow this slave will have people clean up the withered leaves and stems. Next year, these lotuses will be more prepossessing than they were in this year.”

n“Moreover, when these lotuses bloom, they are quiet and exquisite. Fortunately, they are not delicate. It’s better if these flowers aren’t.” Zhuang Laoyan sighed in her heart. Once delicate flowers bloom one season, one would fear they would not have the chance to bloom ever again.

n“This concubine greets Chongyi Zhao.”

nZhuang Laoyan looked behind her. And she caught sight of a familiar woman who looked older than her. From her appearance, she did not seem to be a high-ranking imperial concubine. Zhuang Laoyan found it strange. Why did this person specially come to pay respects to her?

n“No need to be so polite, Cairen Kong.” Yunxi was extremely skilled in discerning what people thought from their body language. Furthermore, she and Tingzhu were the trusted personal attendants of Chongyi Zhao. For this reason, when they went to support Cairen Kong to her feet, it also illustrated Chongyi Zhao’s courtesy.

nBecause Yunxi had spoken, Zhuang Laoyan remembered who this Cairen Kong was. The night in which Third Prince had passed away, this Cairen Kong had persistently begged for more than half a night, yet had been unable to see Third Prince for the last time. And the emperor had punished her to kneeling for six hours. Zhuang Laoyan remembered that when she had left that place, this Cairen Kong’s gaze was terrifying. However, at this moment, she could not see even a trace of that night’s madness. Rather, Cairen Kong seemed sweet-tempered to the max.

n“Many thanks to Chongyi Zhao.” Cairen Kong appeared only in her twenties. In the modern age, she would still be in her prime. Even in the ancient times, she was similar in age to Noble Consort Shu. But with just a glance, Zhuang Laoyan was unable to discern a trace of vitality. She seemed wooden and slow of speech, and also pale.

nOnce Cairen Kong had risen to her feet, she said, “This concubine thought that since the lotuses had all withered, no one would be here. Never had this concubine expected to disturb Chongyi Zhao’s aesthetic mood.”

n“Even if these lotuses have withered, they still possess their unique beauty. Cairen Kong is a refined person. It is I who disturbed your aesthetic mood.”

nCairen Kong sat on a cushioned stone chair. She swept her gaze through the smiling Chongyi Zhao. This person could be considered someone who had experienced the legendary reversal of fortune. In the past, the emperor had forgotten about her and the empress had grown disdainful of her. Unexpectedly, she once again gained favor. Even the most favored Noble Imperial Concubine Yan could not compare to her. Cairen Kong had heard that Chongyi Zhao only had her looks, and lost her favor because of her extreme arrogance. Now, it seemed those rumors had been false.

n“Since Chongyi Zhao knows that even a pond of withered lotuses contains its own beauty, this concubine thinks that Chongyi Zhao is also a refined person.” Cairen Kong’s gaze wandered. Landed on the dried up leaves upon the pond’s surface. “This concubine is a common person. However, my elder sister liked quiet places. This concubine is only looking in her place.”

nZhuang Laoyan didn’t expect Cairen Kong to mention her elder sister at this time. Surprise peppered her heart. “You sisters shared a great bond.”

nCairen Kong smiled. “This concubine and elder sister shared the same mother. When His Majesty had still been a prince, our father had already sent us to the prince estate. Mother had a humble background and was also just a concubine. His Majesty took pity on this concubine and elder sister and gave us the position of cairen. It was only because of this that Mother could enter the ancestral tomb of our clan after passing away…” She paused. As if she had thought of something. A bitter smile spread across Cairen Kong’s lips. “This concubine had a breach of etiquette, and actually said such things in front of Chongyi Zhao.”

nZhuang Laoyan recalled the indifference the emperor had shown Cairen Kong back then. And she somewhat understood why Cairen had smiled in such a way. A smile also appeared on her lips. “It’s no bother. There’s no breach of etiquette for sisters to talk about intimate matters.”

nThe woman before Cairen Kong had smiled in a dignified and magnanimous manner. And also, with an inexplicable beauty that confused others. Cairen Kong’s heart trembled. With such an appearance, no wonder she would recover the emperor’s favor. She wanted to say more, but from far away rang three claps³.

nThe emperor’s procession?!

nShock collided with Cairen Kong. She rushed to stand from the chair and kneeled on the ground in a well-behaved manner. She did not dare to lift her head. As the footsteps approached, she caught sight of a pair of bright yellow boots stopping by her left.

n“Why is beloved concubine here in such cold weather? What would you do if you catch a cold?” The emperor’s voice was extremely gentle. Gentle to the point of being unreal. Even when Cairen Kong and her sister had first entered the prince estate and had received some favor, she had never experienced the emperor using such a tone when speaking to her.

n“This concubine isn’t that frail. Could it be that Your Majesty thinks this concubine is a delicate flower that cannot be touched?”

n“Beloved concubine is as beautiful as a delicate flower but does not have its manner. We are pleased.”

nSo the emperor could actually be this easy-going sometimes. How many imperial concubines dared to speak like this to the emperor? Was this Chongyi Zhao truly this ignorant or did she forget her place due to the emperor’s favor?

n“We have a jade lamp with lotuses engraved onto it. Since you like lotuses, Gao Dezhong will deliver it to Xihe Palace to avoid having you visit this lotus pond in the winter and gazing at it foolishly.” Feng Jin reached out to hold Zhuang Laoyan’s soft hands. Their chilled temperature caused him to furrow his brows. But he did not release his hold. He turned to look at Cairen Kong, who was bowing at the side. In a neutral tone, he said, “You’re dismissed. It’s enough to have Chongyi Zhao attend to Us.”

n“This concubine will take her leave.” Cairen Kong retreated with her head still lowered. Once she was behind an artificial mountain, she peered through its gap. Saw Chongyi Zhao tug at the sleeve of the aloof and remote emperor, the tassels of his crown shaking from that action.

nOh my goodness, these imperial concubines are so catty! It’s like Mean Girls LOL

nFor those of you interested, advanced chapters for May are out! Please read this post for more details. A max of four advanced chapters will be available until May 8th.

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