Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The moment I stepped out of Yikun Palace, I collapsed heavily into the deep snow. A bone-deep sense of helplessness tightened around my throat like a rope, choking the breath from me.

My maid, Xiao Liu, helped me up through her tears. “Your Highness, why don’t we just let it go?”

“Perhaps this is simply Her Ladyship’s fate.”

Women without imperial favor in the depths of the palace were like rootless grass in winter.

One night of freezing rain, one heavy snowfall,

and they would vanish without a sound.

But she was my Mother Consort, the only person in the world who truly loved me.

I could not give up.

I went to beg First Imperial Brother Chu Song for help.

He was eight years older than me and the son of Her Majesty the Empress. He had already begun participating in court affairs and was highly regarded by Imperial Father.

The servants did not make things difficult for me, and I was soon shown into his hall.

First Imperial Brother personally poured me a cup of hot tea, then ordered someone to bring me a cloak and a hand warmer.

But when I asked him to save Mother Consort, his face filled with reluctance. “Noble Consort Lan presides over the imperial harem. It would be inappropriate for me to overstep my authority.”

I pleaded with him again and again.

He let out a long sigh. “Your Mother Consort is Imperial Father’s consort. Imperial Father must be the one to intervene in this matter.”

“Imperial Father is currently receiving court officials at Qinzheng Hall. Why don’t you go and appeal to him?”

I murmured, “But the guards are too strict. I cannot enter the outer court.”

He smiled. “I can help you…”

I changed into a palace maid’s uniform, and one of First Imperial Brother’s men escorted Xiao Liu and me through layer after layer of guards until we reached Qinzheng Hall.

The heavy wooden doors did little to muffle the impassioned voice of an official inside. “Your Majesty, have you forgotten? Before the Late Empress passed away, you personally promised her that you would never appoint another empress in this lifetime…”

Xiao Liu trembled and gently tugged at my sleeve. “Your Highness, don’t… please don’t…”

So that was it.

First Imperial Brother intended to use me as his weapon.

But if I wanted to save Mother Consort, I could not afford to care about that now.

Besides, if Noble Consort Lan truly became empress, Mother Consort and I would only suffer more.

I dropped to my knees with a thud and cried out at the top of my lungs, “Imperial Father! Imperial Father, please save Mother Consort…”

For news that one of his consorts had been mistreated to emerge at such a critical moment was a tremendous humiliation for Imperial Father. In front of everyone, he harshly rebuked Noble Consort Lan.

With her elevation to empress on the verge of falling through, how could Noble Consort Lan possibly accept it?

She removed her hairpins and jewelry, tears streaming down her face as she defended herself. “This consort did not deliberately mistreat Attendant Lin. It was because she… she has been unfaithful to Your Majesty…”

“This consort considered that she had, after all, raised the Fifth Princess for Your Majesty. I was also concerned for the imperial family’s reputation, so I thought it best to leave her to live or die on her own.”

Dozens of Inner Attendants swarmed into Ningcui Palace and turned the place upside down, searching every corner.

Mother Consort, bedridden with illness, was dragged straight onto the floor.

From her dressing case, they “found” a sheet of paper bearing an erotic poem.