When Apricot returned, Layue was walking in the courtyard. She had already handed the items over to the senior maid of Consort Fu, while Consort Fu herself had supposedly been invited by the Empress Dowager.
The Virtuous Consort and the Wise Consort had also been invited. It wasn’t really a secret. It was said that the Emperor had already issued an order for Consort Fu to learn to assist in managing palace affairs. This was a top priority, and the news had already stirred up the palace. How could people not speculate when someone was assigned to assist in palace matters?
Shen Layue wore a faint, ambiguous smile. It seemed that since her rebirth, she had especially enjoyed smiling. Yet beneath those various smiles lay a heart of what kind of sorrow?
With the Empress’s position vacant, wasn’t the entire palace restless?
For now, all she could do was wait and see.
Time passed quickly. Although she had received the Emperor’s favor early, it was nothing particularly special, as the Emperor hadn’t summoned her again for five or six days. She was well aware of this, after all, the Emperor’s words that day had implied as much.
Besides, she didn’t think that sleeping with the Emperor once and receiving a promotion meant she had gained his special favor.
Everything should be pursued gradually.
Fortunately, the Emperor hadn’t repeated his visits to others either. Among the newly selected maidens, seven had already been favored.
However, not every woman who received the Emperor’s favor was promoted. Layue had already anticipated this.
Xiao Deng had sneaked out secretly, but the Empress Dowager and others showed no reaction. Layue hadn’t really expected any reaction from them. All she needed was for them to know. Initial groundwork always yielded more results with less effort compared to last-minute scrambling.
Without the need to pay morning respects, Layue rarely went out, usually staying obediently in her room or courtyard. She seldom visited the imperial garden.
Before her wings were fully developed, she wouldn’t give others a chance to humiliate her. There were many in the palace with higher ranks than hers! Not everyone was like Lady An, who remained calm not out of kindness or because she viewed Layue as a sister, as her appearance might suggest. Rather, Lady An’s rank was still not high enough to allow her to act arrogantly.
Who in the palace dared to act haughtily when there was already a Wise Consort?
“Your Ladyship,” Tao’er returned from outside to report.
“Any interesting news today?” Tao’er was enthusiastic and lively, always chattering but never crossing boundaries, and was quite skilled at gathering information.
“Your Ladyship, yesterday the Emperor was walking in the imperial garden and encountered Lady Bai praying for him there. Last night, the Emperor summoned Lady Bai to accompany him.”
Bai Xiaodie?
Layue gently lifted her beautiful eyes, a slight smile forming on her lips.
“Wasn’t there an edict yesterday summoning Lady Shan to attend the Emperor?”
“Indeed. The servant heard that Lady Shan had already prepared herself, but Lady Bai snatched the opportunity away, causing her to angrily smash her teacup.”
Nodding, Layue watched Tao’er quickly leave to attend to other matters.
Lady Shan, aged fifteen, was the legitimate daughter of Minister Shan of the Ministry of Rites, doted on since childhood and spoiled. This Bai Xiaodie stealing the Emperor from her would surely not end well.
However, Layue showed no other reaction. She was always happy when it came to Bai Xiaodie.
Let’s see what happens today; there might be an interesting show.
No wonder even Lady An wasn’t present. Yesterday’s event of Bai Xiaodie gaining the Emperor’s favor served as a reminder to the newly entered palace women: opportunities were everywhere.
The imperial garden would probably be quite lively today.
She ordered someone to bring a chair, and Layue sat in her small courtyard in Liufu Palace, drinking tea and enjoying the scenery, appearing perfectly at ease.
Autumn sunlight spread across the palace walls inside and out. Layue shielded her eyes with her hand, gazing at the sky, truly clear and cloudless.
Liufu Palace had always been quiet, and today, with her sitting in the courtyard, it was even more tranquil and peaceful. Somehow, it felt a bit desolate.
But Layue herself didn’t notice, playing with her teacup with a leisurely mood, occasionally making soft giggling sounds.
Apricot served her mistress nearby, watching her play with the teacup. The deep blue cup contained a few floating green tea leaves, and she couldn’t figure out what was so amusing.
Not long after, news came that Lady Bai had been promoted to the rank of Changzai.
In earlier years, reading stories about women rising to prominence overnight, she hadn’t realized until entering the palace that such tales were mere fiction. The palace had strict rules and regulations regarding promotions and rewards.
Unless she achieved great merit, she would likely climb only one or two ranks slowly.
Not every woman who received the Emperor’s favor was promoted. Bai Xiaodie must have had some schemes.
But she was no longer infatuated with Lian’s second son, her dear uncle. How come she was now focusing on pleasing the Emperor? Indeed, once a woman entered the palace, the sea was vast, and who would willingly remain ordinary?
“Tomorrow is the fifteenth, right?”
The first and fifteenth days of each lunar month were the days for paying respects to the Empress Dowager. Yesterday, Bai Xiaodie had received the Emperor’s favor and wouldn’t go out and become a target. But what about tomorrow? Although no one dared to cause trouble in front of the Empress Dowager, there might be incidents on the way back.
“Your Ladyship, yes.”
Although Layue seldom spoke or acted, both Apricot and Tao’er, as well as other maids, felt a bit of fear towards her. They always felt that their mistress was not as simple as she appeared.
Bai Xiaodie had the good fortune to successfully encounter the Emperor in the imperial garden, but others were not so lucky.
That night, surprisingly, the Emperor summoned Consort Fu.
Layue paused thoughtfully. Was the Emperor genuinely fond of Fu Jin Yao?
Every first and fifteenth day required paying respects to the Empress Dowager, and both times the Emperor favored Fu Jin Yao were on the nights before those days.
Early the next morning, Layue wasn’t dressed extravagantly, but she did wear something festive. Lady An mocked her with a sneering smile.
Layue ignored her somewhat disdainful expression and remained warm and enthusiastic.
Those who had previously come from the Crown Prince’s mansion all knew the Emperor favored the color blue. They often wore blue, and even the newly entered Consort Fu likely knew this, hence her consistent choice of light blue. But Shen Guiren seemed unaware, always dressing in garish colors, which was truly vulgar.
As before, everyone waited until the Empress Dowager arrived.
She glanced at the group.
Slightly satisfied, she nodded.
“You all dress so nicely; it makes me feel comfortable to see you.”
Virtuous Consort, skilled at flattering the Empress Dowager, quickly agreed, which annoyed the Wise Consort, who held the same rank.
“I’ve already arranged for each palace to receive some nourishing supplements. You should take good care of yourselves and bear sons for the Emperor early. I also hope to see many grandchildren soon.”
At that moment, all the consorts blushed slightly.
Yet there was also a hint of anticipation.
Indeed, no matter how prestigious one’s status was, without a son, it would ultimately fade like a passing cloud. Take Virtuous Consort and Wise Consort as examples.
Wise Consort came from a noble family, the daughter of a great general. Although Virtuous Consort’s father held the title of Imperial Tutor, his status was still inferior to that of Wise Consort’s family. However, in terms of the Emperor and Empress Dowager’s favor, Virtuous Consort clearly surpassed Wise Consort, showing how important it was to have a son.
Now, Emperor Jing had only two sons: the eldest prince born to the deceased Empress, and the second prince born to Virtuous Consort.
Currently, the eldest prince was raised by the Empress Dowager.
After a few more casual words, the Empress Dowager claimed to feel tired. Naturally, someone of Layue’s low rank couldn’t engage in idle chat with the Empress Dowager. She sat there obediently drinking tea, appearing quite at ease.
Unbeknownst to her, all of this was noticed by the Empress Dowager.
As the Empress Dowager grew tired, everyone quickly stood up and left.
Virtuous Consort, Wise Consort, and others left first, followed by the lower-ranking consorts.
Lady Shan and Layue were both of the same rank, but Lady Shan seemed to want to show off her superiority by pushing ahead.
Layue didn’t bother to compete; after all, what difference did it make who left first or last?
“Cousin, let’s walk together,” Chen Yulan pulled Layue along.
However, they hadn’t gone far when they heard a loud “slap” from ahead.
Just outside the Empress Dowager’s Huici Palace, Lady Shan, for some unknown reason, had slapped Bai Changzai. Bai’s eyes filled with tears as she softly sobbed.
Since no one had gone far, everyone saw what happened, but no one stepped forward to help.
Although Lady Shan was disliked, Bai Changzai wasn’t particularly liked either.
Even Wise Consort and Virtuous Consort hadn’t gone far, but they acted as if they knew nothing. Fu Jinyao also left with a cold, indifferent expression.
“Cousin, Lady Shan is too arrogant. How can she punish others at will? Can’t Xiaodie receive the Emperor’s favor?” Yulan bit her lip, looking at Layue.
Layue said nothing.
“If I had a higher rank, even if it was just equal, I would never let her do that.”
Seeing Yulan’s expression, Layue couldn’t help but laugh.
“Cousin, it’s better to mind your own business. Haven’t you always understood the importance of being cautious with words and actions? Why have you become so reckless since entering the palace?” Without saying more, Layue left on her own.
Seeing her behavior, Chen Yulan’s eyes reddened, looking utterly aggrieved.
“Big cousin has changed…” she murmured.
Others passed by her, and she quickly wiped her eyes with her handkerchief, looking in Shen Layue’s direction with a sorrowful shake of her head.
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