Was it because she was too young, or too rash? Honored Lady Jiang wondered. Do I need a reason not to want to serve him? The Emperor was indeed remarkable—handsome as a jade tree in the wind, a sovereign ruling all under Heaven—but his heart was not hers alone. Nor could they ever achieve the harmonious accord of perfectly tuned lutes. So, is it wrong for me to wish to maintain my purity? Honored Lady Jiang thought with aloof pride. If there is no one man devoted solely to me, I would rather grow old alone.
But then, the Empress shattered everything for her. Just because of her looks, she was forced to serve the Emperor! Even worse, she was held down by several people and stripped of her clothes for an inspection! The very thought filled her with humiliation.
Honored Lady Jiang’s gaze was icy cold. She hated herself. If I had any backbone, I would have dashed my head against a wall long ago, she thought bitterly. It would never have come to this.
But now, she wasn’t willing to die. I haven’t done anything wrong—why should I be the one to die? she reasoned. Meanwhile, the true culprit remained the noble Empress in her lofty position, possessing ultimate authority over the Harem, receiving the worshipful reverence of all. Why should that be?
So, she couldn’t die yet. Even if she was surviving on sheer spite, she had to live on. Although she was only a minor Honored Lady and couldn’t bring down the Empress now, as long as she lived, there would always be a chance. Someday, she would make the Empress repay the humiliation she had suffered. What she needed to do was survive and wait patiently!
「...」
October 16th was the Empress’s birthday, only four days different from the Third Princess’s.
She still remembered this time last year; the Noble Consort’s child had just passed away. The Empress, wanting to show off her kindness and generosity, had taken the initiative to propose not celebrating her birthday, but instead praying and mourning for the deceased Little Prince.
But this year was quite different. Xia Jieyu was about to give birth soon, which was considered a joyous occasion. The Empress took advantage of this to hold a feast celebrating her birthday.
Early on the 16th, Zhao Junyao received the news. He frowned slightly in displeasure, but ultimately, it was not appropriate for him to say anything. One couldn’t simply ignore the Empress’s Thousand-Autumns Festival. So after some thought, he instructed Li Shengan to find some items from the storehouse and present them as gifts.
Li Shengan knew how to handle things. The items he picked were not particularly rare, but they were all valuable enough. After choosing, he personally attended the banquet and presented the gifts. His speech was beautifully and respectfully delivered, giving the Empress great face.
The Empress then smiled and said, "The Emperor is busy with a myriad of state affairs. Those are of the utmost importance. For him to remember such trivial matters of mine is already an honor for me!"
After saying this, she instructed Yu Lan to accept the gifts. The Empress also personally offered, "Eunuch Li has taken the trouble to come here. Please have a cup of tea before you go!"
"Thank you, Empress, but your servant must return to report and... won’t trouble Your Majesty any longer!"
The Empress nodded her head and didn’t insist further.
「...」
After Li Shengan left, the Empress looked extremely gratified.
She then laughed and said, "Originally, I did not plan to celebrate my birthday.
"But... Xia Jieyu is about to give birth, which is truly a joyous event...
"Having nothing better to do, I also wanted to join in on the fun!
"It’s been a long time since we sisters have gathered. We have a rare opportunity to be together, so let’s not be restrained by the rules..."
After finishing her speech, she continued to urge, "Come on, eat up, everyone hurry and eat..."
Having said that, she herself began to enjoy her soup with delight.
Jiaofang Hall was spacious. The stage was set up in the center, far more luxurious than it had been for the Second Princess’s birthday. The opera singers on stage performed their lilting arias, ensuring the atmosphere wasn’t too awkward.
As for what everyone else thought, well, they all felt somewhat at a loss for words, tinged with a hint of irony. Especially Noble Concubine Shih; her complexion looked as if she had swallowed a fly.
The Empress has gone too far! My child perished at this time last year!
A year had passed, and this matter was still the deepest scar in her heart. Every time the wound was about to heal, the Empress would tear off the scab and sprinkle a handful of salt into it. Time and again, she had done so. Does the death of my child please Fan Mengzhen that much?
As Noble Concubine Shih brooded, her hands clenched tightly inside her sleeves. Her fingernails dug into her flesh, yet she felt no pain.
Noticing the tension in the air, Honored Lady Shih by her side didn’t dare to speak and just sat there quietly.
As for everyone else, many held scorn in their hearts. But who would dare voice it?
The banquet was abundant with delicacies and fine dishes, yet almost everyone felt as if they were chewing wax. Fortunately, there were opera performances; otherwise, the atmosphere would have been unbearably awkward!
After the meal, the Empress, having shown off enough, walked away satisfied. The others then made their departures.
As they left, scorn filled their hearts. Humph! The Empress behaves like this. Isn’t she afraid she might stumble one day?
Others thought, It’s a good thing the Emperor doesn’t favor her. Otherwise, with that temperament, she’d probably try to ascend to the heavens!
「...」
For the Empress’s birthday feast, Xia Ruqing directly pleaded illness and did not go.
In the morning, Yu Lan had come to invite her repeatedly, claiming, "Xia Jieyu is a woman of great fortune. The Empress eagerly anticipates your presence to add to the auspiciousness!"