Chapter 38 - Keeping out of trouble does not mean being timid

The trial at Yan Fu Palace that day ended without any results. Consort Xin was very unhappy when she left, and her skeptical eyes almost swept everyone. She came from a disinterested family. Affected by her family culture, she had acted inconspicuously since entering the Imperial Harem. She consciously disdained to fight with other concubines, but it didn’t mean that she was timid!

The result, however, was not satisfactory. She led a peaceful life at Cheng Yue Palace by playing the qin (a seven-stringed plucked instrument in some ways similar to the zither) and making tea, but someone still framed her up!

They thought she was a coward, didn’t they!

Empress Ji noticed Consort Xin’s facial expression, comforting her perfunctorily, “I know you well…”

“Because of languor, I often stay at Cheng Yue Palace and contact little with sisters in other palaces.” Consort Xin smiled unexpectedly and said indifferently, “You might not really know me well? I always keep out of trouble, but I am not afraid of being framed by others!”

She had the confidence to say so, so even the Empress kept smiling and promised to make it clear after hearing her words.

Consort Yue was severely controlled by Mammy Zhu recently. It was rare for her to say nothing and make no trouble from the beginning to the end. But things were changing. Today she was well behaved, however, Consort Xin, the most unassuming concubine, wanted to embarrass her. Before she going out, Consort Xin glanced at others coldly, insinuating, “If only Her Highness wants to make it clear, I feel uneasy. How do you think, Your Majesty?”

It was clear that she still doubted Consort Yue. She had a reason, for Consort Yue was the only one who had ever conflicted with her, and other people had no reason to take aim at her considering personal interests.

Noble Consort Gui, who lived in Yan Lan Palace, was pregnant at least. Cui Lianye, however, had never been pregnant those years, and Emperor Chunjia rarely went to Cheng Yue Palace. As the leader of upright officials, her natal family have always been courted by other forces and respected by them even they failed to rope her family in. Her natal family had always kept low-key and stood its ground unless great changes happened… She had such a background. Except Consort Yue, who was jealous, who else would get her involved?

Who dared to get her involved?

“You…” Consort Yue was irritated immediately, pointing at Consort Xin without thinking more. Mammy Zhu, who responded rapidly, stopped her and smiled at Consort Xin, “I’m afraid that you misunderstood Consort Yue. Xin Qing disappeared on the way to Hu Zhu Palace, so, she is more eager than you to know the truth. What’s more, Consort Yue is bad-tempered, while she is candid, right?”

Consort Xin frowned. She didn’t say more, and left with a snort.

At this moment, Consort Yue was almost crying. She looked at Mammy Zhu angrily, but Mammy Zhu seemed not to see it and pulled her to salute the Empress for leaving.

Empress Ji teased, “This is the first time that I have seen people who can persuade Consort Yue.”

“I was a maid of Queen Mother of Mercy before, so, Consort Yue considered her feelings.” Mammy Zhu replied respectfully and behaved properly, “How could I dare to be praised by Your Highness?”

Empress Ji smiled and allowed them to go. Seeing them go out, she leisurely asked the expressionless Emperor Chunjia, “Your Majesty, why not follow to comfort her? I noticed that she was almost crying… She was aggrieved.”

“I haven’t visited my mother for some days.” Emperor Chunjia said indifferently, “Will you go together?”

Empress Ji said perfunctorily, “I have to greet her every day. She might not want to see me… Also, I am eager to find out the truth at this moment, so as to give you and those sisters a result. I am really busy.”

Noble Consort Shu looked at Yun Fenghuang frequently. Seeing so, Empress Ji said, “How about Noble Consort Shu go instead of me? Just now, Minghui said that she wanted to show you the materials sent by Prince Regent.”

Noble Consort Shu got along well with Princess Minghui, otherwise Empress Ji wouldn’t expect that the princess would be an excuse for her to end the conversation.

Although Noble Consort Shu was unwilling, it was not easy to refuse the advice of the Empress. She stood up, “All right.”

After the Emperor and Noble Consort Shu went away, the Empress glanced at the woman dressed like a concubine, saying, “Go back and tell Noble Consort Gui that I will handle this matter and find the truth for her.”

From the talk, Yun Fenghuang guessed that maybe Noble Consort Gui didn’t want to leave Xin Li Hall because of her pregnancy, so, she sent her trusted concubine to show up.

After the woman went away obediently, the Empress asked Wei Hengyan and the maids to go away, only leaving Yun Fenghuang there.

“You have seen the whole thing. Do you have any ideas?” Only two persons were in the big hall. So, the hall seemed empty. Empress Ji sat in her seat, looking down at Yun Fenghuang, who lowered her head and stood there obediently. After a while, she asked.

Yun Fenghuang said, “I will be more faithful to you, Your Highness.”

Empress Ji smiled for this answer, saying, “The thing was a little strange, and I suspect that the Palace Guard did it!”

As she said so, she observed Yun Fenghuang calmly, but at this time Yun Fenghuang didn’t know the relationship between Prince Regent and the Palace Guard. She did not need to hide anything, saying immediately, “Your Highness, I also think Xin Qing’s disappearance is strange. I am favored by Your Highness and His Majesty, so, I received three ranks in a short time. Even so, among all the concubines, I am still an insignificant one!”

“And Xin Qing was just a small maid.”

“If only Xin Qing and I were in trouble, it would not be a big deal. But why did His Majesty, who doesn’t usually ask about things in the Imperial Harem, show up in person?”

“I’m afraid that Noble Consort Gui and Consort Yue were the real targets!”

“The reason why they chose the people around me… was probably to protect Consort Yue!”

Empress Ji didn’t say anything until she heard the last sentence. She was slightly excited, saying, “Protect her? So, you are sure that it was Consort Yue? Although she is reckless and vicious, she really acts uprightly.”

Yun Fenghuang said, “Your Highness, I have evidence to say so. Every time my rank was raised, I went to Ning Bi Hall to pay respects, and Consort Yue was unwilling to see me. For the first time, the maid, who was on duty at the gate, was frightened and asked me to go back quickly! For the second time, the maid stopped me at the gate, but soon a maid whom I have seen before went out to give me some rewards… As you know, it is really surprising that Consort Shu didn’t show up. How could she bear to give me rewards?”

She added, “I think it must be the mammy behind Consort Yue just now who let the maid to give me rewards the second time.”

Empress Ji slightly agreed, saying, “This makes sense. You offended Consort Yue for several times, so, the people around her disliked you… But I think the mammy is sober, therefore, even if she wanted to vent Consort Yue’s anger on you, there was no reason for her to choose Xin Qing, because that would alert other people. Besides, Consort Yue was too weak to displease either Noble Consort Gui or Consort Xin, right? Consort Yue might be muddled, but if the mammy didn’t understand this, they would let Queen Mother Yuan down, for she deliberately sent the mammy to Ni Bi Hall, right?”

“Your Highness… Please forgive my outspokenness.” Yun Fenghuang lowered her head, “I think maybe the mammy did so not for pleasing Consort Yue. From Consort Yue’s appearance, she might have a rough time recently. So, Queen Mother of Mercy sent the mammy to Ning Bi Hall for the sake of His Majesty!”

“… For His Majesty?” Empress Ji kept silent for a while, and then said, “In the past two years, Consort Yue did often bother His Majesty. Queen Mother Yuan always favored her, but it seemed that she couldn’t bear her anymore.”

Yun Fenghuang said, “Your Highness, I heard that Consort Yue has acted so since she joined the Imperial Harem. Why does Queen Mother of Mercy want to change her temper until now?”

Before Empress Ji responded, Yun Fenghuang continued, “I didn’t think more originally, but Princess Minghui said that the second legitimate son of Prince Regent would worship Wei Liushou when I paid respects at Mian Fu Palace today. I think something significant will happen whether at the Imperial Court or in the Imperial Harem.”

“…” Empress Ji stared at her for a while, and then said slowly, “Mei Ren Yun, do you know what you are doing?”

“I know.” Yun Fenghuang nodded, looked up at Empress Ji, and frankly said, “I also know that if Consort Yue has the upper hand, she would kill me cruelly and even my natal family in the north would be implicated… Although I am insignificant, I would fight back, like the small but insistent ants. Although I know that Consort Yue is favored by His Majesty, I won’t wait to die!”

“I don’t want to die, so, I could only let Consort Yue and those who spoil her die as early as possible!”

Empress Ji narrowed her eyes for a long time, and then suddenly smiled, showing some real feelings, “I have been in charge of the Imperial Harem for so long, but it is the first time that I have seen such a bold girl like you.”

Then she changed her words, “Consort Yue is bad-tempered, but your temper really frightens me. After all, Consort Yue is a hostess of one palace, no matter how unkind she is. You are determined to fight back and kill her, and even care nothing about His Majesty and Queen Mother Yuan… I punished you this morning, but now you want to make use of me for revenge. Who knows what will you do next? Maybe I will have the same fate as Consort Yue.”

“Your Highness, how could you say so?”

Yun Fenghuang was not feared after hearing this. She shook her head, “Consort Yue comes from a noble family, but she acts arrogantly! It is hard to get along with such a person, because rules do not work for her. Therefore, swallowing humiliation and bearing a heavy load is useless. This is the reason why I fought with her from the very beginning, or I would die soon just like those concubines maltreated by her before.”

“But you are different, Your Highness. Your family is more honorable than hers. Now you are the empress, totally different from Consort Yue, but you are still kind to lowly-ranked concubines like me!”

“If I say that I am easily moved by kind people like you, you must not believe me. But in my eyes, what you have done means that you are not a cruel and unsympathetic person!”

“As long as I obey the rules and work for you, You Highness, I believe that you will not ignore my future or my safety.”

“But Consort Yue won’t do that.”

Yun Fenghuang snorted softly, “In spite of her temper, she has many favorable conditions. But now she puts herself in such a situation. Although she is in charge of one palace, to be honest, I really disdain her, let alone pleasing her.”

After thinking a while, she added, “Your Highness, you punished me this morning, because I had made mistakes. I am not as unreasonable as Consort Yue, so, I would not complain. Besides, you punished me by grounding me for one month. I know you want to protect me, because I have been flashy recently and I will attract more envy if I continue to behave so. I am really grateful, so, how will I set you up?”

Empress Ji pursed her lips and thought to herself, “The words are half-true. The point that she thinks me more reliable than Consort Yue is true. But only she knows whether she trusts me and feels grateful to me or not… Well, now I need someone to help me, and she is resourceful to some extent, so, I’d like to give her a chance.”

As an empress and the one who come from a noble family, Empress Ji had a lot of subordinates, and even some concubines were loyal to her.

She relied on but also feared her natal family. Those subordinates were sent by Ji’s Family, so, they were totally loyal to Ji’s Family, not her. For this, Empress Ji sometimes didn’t want to use those people.

… If Yun Fenghuang was not as obedient as she expected, she could kill her easily!

After careful consideration, she finally said, “No matter who becomes a high-ranked consort, that is fine and I don’t care. If you can share my concerns, I don’t mind giving you a bright future.”

The Empress said so two days ago in order to discourage Yun Fenghuang, but it was sincerer at the moment.

After all, compared to what Yun Fenghuang said, the rank of a hostess was nothing!

Yun Fenghuang’s natal family was not so powerful, and her relationship with Duke Yi’s Mansion was not in real harmony, so, she would be easily controlled even if she became stronger… Considering this, Empress Ji suddenly see the light. Why not support her?

If she was capable enough, she could be a trusted subordinate!