Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Consort Lan was the most brazen and unrestrained woman in the entire harem.
In the two years since she entered the palace, she had received minor promotions every three months and major promotions every five. From a lowly changzai, she had swiftly risen to become the Consort Lan of today.
She had originally been slated to be promoted to Noble Consort Lan, but because my elder sister passed away, the conferment had no choice but to be put on hold.
She had once complained about my elder sister.
“She could have died sooner or later, but she just had to choose this time. How unlucky.”
That time, in a rare departure from his usual indulgence, Zhao Ye’s face darkened, and he viciously ordered her to shut her mouth.
Consort Lan knew she had gone too far.
Zhao Ye sat alone in my elder sister’s bedchamber for an entire night.
So she waited outside the bedchamber for him for an entire night.
At dawn, Zhao Ye came out. Seeing her there, bleary-eyed with sleep, he easily forgave her improper words and behavior.
He ordered my elder sister’s bedchamber sealed and forbade anyone from entering it ever again. Even the Thirteenth Princess was moved out of my elder sister’s palace.
Zhao Ye did not say where the Thirteenth Princess should live.
So the palace servants arranged for her to stay in a very small palace, living together with her wet nurse.
If I had not entered the palace, I feared the little princess born of the Empress would have been completely forgotten.
The nanny said awkwardly, “When Consort Lan first entered the palace, she was still respectful toward Her Majesty the Empress. It was only later, after she gained His Majesty’s favor and His Majesty protected her through several mistakes, that Consort Lan grew more and more arrogant.”
So arrogant that when a rash broke out on her face after she accidentally ate the wrong thing, she summoned the entire Imperial Academy of Medicine to wait outside her palace.
She said my sister had harmed her.
Zhao Ye believed her.
When he heard that my sister was gravely ill and needed an imperial physician, he felt even more disgusted, convinced my sister was using cheap tricks to fight for his favor.
After twelve years together, he did not believe his own wife.
He listened to only one side, blinded by lust.
He deserved to die.
The Thirteenth Princess moved in with me.
As usual, the concubines came to pay respects to the Empress.
Only Consort Lan was special.
Zhao Ye said she had worked hard attending to him and sent someone to say Consort Lan was excused from the morning and evening greetings.
The person he sent was his personal chief eunuch. In front of everyone, he shattered my dignity as Empress with a resounding slap.
I had no feelings for Zhao Ye, yet even I felt embarrassed.
My elder sister, who had loved Zhao Ye, could only have suffered even more back then.
Ignoring the gazes around me, each filled with a different expression, I rose and went to find Zhao Ye.
Zhao Ye was in the Hall of Diligent Governance. He summoned me inside, a hint of anger hidden between his brows at my disobedience.
In his eyes, since he had already made his decision, I should simply carry it out.
He did not want an Empress who tried to control the harem. He only wanted a puppet on strings, one who would sit obediently in that position and not disturb him and Consort Lan.
He thought that by not touching me on our wedding night, he had made his stance perfectly clear.
“Empress, what exactly do you want?”
I lifted my robes and performed a grand salute.
“This consort petitions to be demoted from wife to concubine and respectfully welcomes Consort Lan to take charge of the Central Palace and become the Empress.”
I knelt quietly on the ground. It was so silent all around that one could hear a pin drop. Only Zhao Ye’s breathing gradually quickened, carrying the ominous air of an approaching storm.
“Song Mingtang! What nonsense are you spouting?”
“This consort is not speaking nonsense. Even outside the palace, this consort had heard of the deep affection between Your Majesty and Consort Lan. This consort does not wish to stand between you. I only hope Your Majesty and Consort Lan may be happily joined and become a celebrated tale. This consort is willing to step back to the rank of consort and honor Consort Lan above myself.”
Zhao Ye was silent for a long time before he said, “What are people outside saying about me and Consort Lan?”
I said nothing and only lowered my eyes to the floor.
Zhao Ye slowly walked up to me.
“Consort Lan will only ever be a consort. She will not become Empress. I married you as my second Empress in the hope that you would manage the harem properly and not create trouble for me. I thought you understood that.”
“Your Majesty, the harem can only have one mistress. If Your Majesty wishes to make Consort Lan Empress, this consort will naturally follow her lead in all things. Since Your Majesty is unwilling to make her Empress, yet also unwilling to grant this consort the true honor due to an Empress, then this consort cannot manage the harem properly. Only when authority and responsibility are clearly defined can orders be carried out smoothly. When authority and responsibility are unclear, it only makes things difficult for those below. If Your Majesty cannot give this consort affection, this consort has no complaints. But if Your Majesty will not give this consort authority either, it is no different from sending soldiers to war without provisions. This consort dares not obey.”
Consort Lan was the daughter of a minor ninth-rank official. Riding on Consort Lan’s momentum, her father had only risen to the sixth rank in these past two years, which was already a remarkably rapid rate of promotion.
If she became Empress, every official of the sixth rank and above at court who had a daughter in the palace would be dissatisfied.
Not to mention that she had caused my elder sister’s death, and her foul reputation had already spread beyond the palace.
If she became Empress, my father would be the first to submit a memorial impeaching her.
My father had only two daughters: my elder sister and me.
My elder sister was already dead. He would not allow me to be bullied as well.
After a long while, Zhao Ye said coolly, “You are more eloquent than your elder sister.”
“My elder sister loved and valued Your Majesty, so she was willing to tolerate everything. This consort is shallow. I only want to live comfortably.” My voice was calm.
The aura around Zhao Ye sank, revealing a trace of desolation.
He knew I was right.
My elder sister had loved him.
He knew it perfectly well.
It was only that, in the past, he had gradually grown tired of that love. Later, when she was gone, that love became a regret.
“I will grant you the authority of the Empress, but I hope you use your power properly and do not make things difficult for Consort Lan.”
“If Consort Lan makes a mistake, may this consort punish her?”
I looked straight into Zhao Ye’s eyes. I would never promise not to make things difficult for Consort Lan simply because he had just granted me authority.
Consort Lan and I were destined to be enemies.
I would kill her without anyone noticing, and I would make her die a death more wretched than she could imagine.