Chapter 2

Chapter 2

When Tun’er turned one, the emperor passed away, and His Highness ascended the throne. I became the Empress, while Lady Xue was granted the title of Noble Consort. As for the other concubines, their ranks were not especially high. In any case, none of them had children.

By then, Lady Xue was already three months pregnant. Her morning sickness was terrible, and she had grown noticeably thinner. She had never been plump to begin with; never mind His Majesty-even I felt sorry for her.

Even so, I prayed in secret that it would be a daughter. Once the mourning period for the late emperor ended, I took advantage of Lady Xue’s pregnancy and sent several more women to His Majesty.

In my view, the harem ought to flourish. It would never do to let one faction dominate. After that, I settled down and devoted myself to raising Tun’er. A child just over a year old, raised by me until he was fair, plump, and adorable beyond words.

I often used the excuse that Tun’er missed his Imperial Father to bring him to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. I did not care much for favor myself, but I hoped His Majesty would show my child a little more partiality.

When Lady Xue was seven months pregnant, she went into premature labor and gave birth to a thin, tiny daughter. The moment I saw her, I thought she was even smaller than Tun’er had been back then. In my heart, I felt this child might not survive.

Compared with the child, His Majesty seemed to care more about Lady Xue. I instructed the Imperial Physician to take good care of the little princess. But the child still died two days after she was born.

When I went to visit Lady Xue, her eyes were still red. I chose my words carefully and comforted her for a while. The dead were gone, but the living still had to go on.

Before she had even finished her postpartum confinement, good news came from Noble Lady Kang’s quarters. His Majesty was delighted. But when I thought of Lady Xue, I could only sigh softly in my heart.

His Majesty placed great importance on Noble Lady Kang’s child, and I also sent people to care for her carefully. Noble Lady Kang had been someone I recommended in the first place. She was proper by nature, neither fighting nor grasping for favor, and I liked her very much.

Once Lady Xue’s health improved a little, her green tablet was hung up again. I gathered together the current consorts and concubines of the harem and sorted them into groups: the obedient and proper in one, those with ulterior motives in another, and those with ambition in yet another. Only after classifying them properly would it be convenient for me to manage them.

For the sensible ones, I gave private reminders and had them avoid Lady Xue. Lady Xue, by nature, was not really the arrogant or domineering sort, so it was best if everyone kept to themselves. As for the disobedient ones, I deliberately arranged for them to run into Lady Xue. Lady Xue might be tolerant and kind, but His Majesty stood behind her.

And as for me, it was enough to be a virtuous Empress.

The Imperial Physician told me privately that Noble Lady Kang’s child was likely twins. I dismissed the Imperial Physician and told him to keep it hidden for now. After thinking it over, I found myself hoping they would be two princes. A boy-and-girl pair carried too auspicious a meaning; I did not wish for Noble Lady Kang to chance upon such luck.

As for a pair of princes, His Majesty would surely like the blessing of many sons. More importantly, children like that would have no claim to the throne from the moment they were born. I liked that too.

At six months, the Imperial Physician gave a definite answer, and everyone in the palace learned of it as well. Naturally, they all envied Noble Lady Kang’s good fortune. I had the Imperial Physician adjust Noble Lady Kang’s pregnancy-preserving medicine, hoping she would deliver this pregnancy safely.

Because of this, Noble Lady Kang once again pledged her loyalty to me and even expressed her willingness to send the children to me to raise. Naturally, I refused. Raising children consumed a great deal of energy. It was not as if I had no child of my own-why would I trouble myself for no reward?

She was very happy about it. I told her that once she gave birth to imperial princes, I would speak to His Majesty about raising her rank. She was so moved she nearly cried.

During this period, the harem also had a few minor disputes, all of which I resolved with ease. Since the emperor’s whole heart was set on doting on Lady Xue, the others did not receive much favor, which made them easier for me to manage.

When Noble Lady Kang reached eight months, she went into labor. After an entire day and night, she gave birth to a pair of princes. I had kept watch for the whole day, and when I finally heard that the children had been delivered, I also let out a breath of relief.

His Majesty immediately promoted her to the rank of Pin. Looking at his pair of identical sons, he was so delighted he could not stop smiling. I was happy to see it too, though Lady Xue seemed somewhat depressed.

When Tun’er heard that he had gained two younger brothers, he urged me to bring him over to see them. At his age, he was at his most restless and active, while newborns did little but sleep all day. After watching them for a while, he found it boring and wanted to go back.

On the way back, we ran into Lady Xue, so I chatted with her for a few moments. As we talked, the conversation turned to children, and she began to shed tears again. I comforted her, saying that she would have children again in the future. Whether she took those words to heart, I did not know.