Chapter 39 - It doesn’t matter who acts first

That day when Yun Fenghuang left Yan Fu Palace, she had been promoted to be a Gui Ren. As for the punishment of being grounded… it fizzled out certainly.

Empress Ji didn’t think what she did was improper, because Queen Mother Ji ordered her to make a final decision. Now she indeed made the final decision, didn’t she?

Empress Ji raised Yun Fenghuang’s rank this time by using the excuse that Xin Qing died distressingly, so, her master should be comforted.

Whether others believed it or not, Empress Ji thought so.

Of course, Yun Fenghuang had to pay something.

“No matter what methods you would use and even you would pester him endlessly, I want to see the evidence that His Majesty did something secretly, especially something that could be discussed at the Imperial Court.” Empress Ji told Yun Fenghuang seriously, “If you can do that, I will let you be one of the noble consorts. At that time, whether you want to use your surname ‘Xie’ or to thrive your natal family, it will be a mere trifle!”

Yun Fenghuang tentatively asked, “Since you have such thoughts, why…”

“Why do I let you finish it, instead of ordering someone who have won my trust?” Empress Ji kept silent for a while and then said, “Do you have any brothers at home?”

Yun Fenghuang replied, “I have four legitimate brothers.”

“You are smart, so, I guess that you’ve done well in your studies since you are a child.” Empress Ji sneered, “But when something important happened, and when your father wanted his children to discuss it, were you qualified to participate in?”

“…” Yun Fenghuang thought for a moment and then said, “I left home at 12, and so, I only participated in a few discussions.”

She meant that she was allowed to discuss things, which shocked Empress Ji. She said, “Your family…” She immediately thought of something important, and looked Yun Fenghuang up and down, “You look so outstanding, even in the Palace Harem. I’m afraid that your family had big plans for you.”

Yun Fenghuang replied perfunctorily, “I was too young to know it at that time.”

But she agreed what Empress Ji said in her mind.

When she was a child, she was affianced to Zongzi of Qi’s Family. Their families were in the same social status.

Qi’s Family was a long-established clan in the north, and its foundation was better than that of Xie’s Family, but there were less offspring in recent years.

Especially in the main branch, her fiancé only had two brothers, both of whom were illegitimate, and one of them suffered poor health and took medicine every day.

The betrothal between them was mutually benefited. Xie’s Family needed the support of Qi’s Family, while Qi’s Family valued the flourishing population of Xie’s Family, hoping that the daughter of Xie’s Family could bring luckiness to have more children.

Yun Fenghuang shared the same tutor with her youngest brother in her childhood, and her family even allowed her to learn martial art. Except the facts that she was a legitimate daughter and her parents were in a high status in the family, Xie’s Family fostered her in such a way because they hoped that she could make decisions to seek more benefits for Xie’s Family after she married Zongzi in Qi’s Family.

The power to make decisions in Xie’s Family was not limited to family affairs.

After all, Zongzi of Qi’s Family was cultivated by the whole clan. How could a casual woman convince him?

Women were treated unfairly in this world…

Yun Fenghuang subconsciously thought of Xie Fenghuan.

“Women were treated unfairly in this world.” Empress Ji also said so at this moment, “I have thought about what you said just now, but my natal family only told me to manage the Palace Harem and not to care about other things… so, your doubt is useless, and the key is to find evidence, understand?”

Yun Fenghuang knew it clearly. Empress Ji relied on Ji’s Family, but her family didn’t depend on her. Though she was the empress, she had few rights in her family.

If the Empress was really submissive and was willing to be controlled by her family, everything was fine.

But obviously she was not.

She had her own ideas, and she even tried to use her identity to make decisions in Ji’s Family… Unfortunately, it seemed that her father, brothers, and uncles didn’t appreciate that.

In this case, Empress Ji had to gather her own people and do it alone. When she got the conclusive evidence, she would make a decision.

Except for the children who did not know the sorrow in this world, no one was really carefree…

Yun Fenghuang suddenly felt that it was alright. In the palace, the Queen Mothers, the Emperor, and the Empress were all cheerless, so it was not a big deal for her, a humble Gui Ren, to be burdensome.

The imperial decree of raising Yun Fenghuang’s rank was made at the same time when that of Mei Ren Xue was made. The latter was within everyone’s expectation, because it was the unspoken rule for low-ranked concubines to rise one rank after being bedded by the emperor. But Yun Fenghuang received two ranks in a row several days ago and was upbraided by the Empress and Queen Mother Ji successively this morning. Many people waited to laugh at her, but they finally heard this news!

This was simply…

What surprised people most was the reason, which was that the trusted maid died distressingly so her master should be comforted. Xin Qing was actually implicated by Yun Fenghuang, but she was safe and even made use of the death of her maid to gain a higher rank?!

If it was not because that Empress Ji had great prestige, and she was always dignified and reserved, many people would doubt that she had colluded with Yun Fenghuang…

“Sis, were you muddled?” Others were furious but dared not speak, but Zhao Yuan Ji, the younger cousin of Empress Ji, was bold enough to speak. The time she knew it was rather later, but she hurried to Yan Fu Palace and asked the Empress, “Yun Fenghuang is a pitiful creature, who was listed forcefully in the cordial invitation by Duke Yi and Noble Consort Shu. Even if you wanted to embarrass Consort Yue, there was no need to raise Yun Fenghuang’s rank, right? This time, Xiaoge’s rank was also raised, but no one would mind that! Xiaoge is our younger cousin!”

Empress Ji said slowly, “I thought something terrible happened. You came here in a hurry just to say this… She is now a small concubine in Deputy Fourth-Grade, who is not a hostess of one palace, so is she worth our attention?”

Zhao Yuan Ji said unwillingly, “As an outsider, she…”

“Since you know that, there is no need to say more.” Empress Ji interrupted, “Do you really think that I am muddled? Did I really profit her at our expense? Think about it. Yun Fenghuang has made troubles several times since she joined the Palace Harem, but what’s the result? Leave alone the subordinates. Since Noble Consort Gui is pregnant, people like us have no mood to pay attention to Hu Zhu Palace!”

“Sis, you mean…?” Zhao Yuan Ji thought for a moment, and subconsciously slowed her tone, “Look one way and row another?”

Empress Ji agreed, saying, “His Majesty has no children. Princesses could be delivered by other concubines, but princes… Even if they are not our sons, their mother must be our people! How do you think?”

Before Zhao Yuan Ji began to speak, she continued, “Well, I have my plan, so don’t worry. It’s a little late, so go back and tell Xiaoge not to think more. Pleasing His Majesty and having babies with him is the key thing. Bluntly speaking, winning the emperor’s favor is useless, or why is Consort Yue still being grounded? Xiaoge is too young to know it, so you should tell her more.”

After sending Zhao Yuan Ji away, Empress Ji pondered for a moment, and then asked her maids around, “Do you think whether there is a collusion between Yun Fenghuang and the Palace Guard or not?”

Her maids said carefully, “We haven’t found it.”

“The Palace Guard…” Empress Ji said in a low voice, “The former emperor had misunderstanding with Ji’s Family, so we couldn’t put someone in the Palace Guard. Now we can find nothing, but it doesn’t mean that everything is fine… But Yun Fenghuang has no power to rely on, so we can control her. Even if she colludes with the Palace Guard, she will not be able to make big troubles. Maybe she could make use of the Palace Guard to earn benefits for me!”

After a careful thought, she calmed herself down. With her eyes closed to refresh her spirit, she said gently, “Let’s see what trouble Gui Ren Yun will make!”

… When Yun Fenghuang returned to Hu Zhu Palace, she was stopped by a maid, saying that she was called by Consort Yue.

“Her Lady is being grounded, so does she have time?” Before Yun Fenghuang spoke, Xi Jing, who was arranged around Yun Fenghuang by Empress Ji, said so. She sneered, “Furthermore, people all know that Xin Qing died miserably, so Gui Ren Yun is frightened today. She is too tired now. Sis, would you mind telling Consort Yue that Gui Ren Yun will visit her tomorrow?”

After she finished speaking, she looked back at Yun Fenghuang, and whispered, “Consort Yue is bad-tempered, so you’d better ask the idea of Her Highness before you go.”

Xi Jing said that to show that she cared much about Yun Fenghuang.

The maid sent by Consort Yue was unhappy, but she dared not to argue with Xi Jing who came from the palace of the Empress. She smiled, “Her Lady said that Mei… Gui Ren must visit her today, so please have a mercy on me.”

“Since my hostess wants to see me, I’d like to go.” Yun Fenghuang narrowed her eyes, staring at Xi Jing for a while. She cleaned her sleeves and then said slowly, “It is time for meal. Xi Jing, go to the Imperial Kitchen to bring our food.”

Xi Jing hesitated for a moment, and barely smiled, “But Her Highness said…”

“Her Highness let you serve me well.” Yun Fenghuang looked at her friendly, “Did she say that you can’t pick up the meal?”

“Since Gui Ren let you do this, you should go.” Seeing that the atmosphere was abnormal, Xi Le, who was also sent to Xi Xing Building, pushed Xi Jing instantly, saying, “If you don’t know the way, you can ask other maids. Do you want Gui Ren to show you the way?”

Xi Jing was angry and aggrieved, but she had to go.

Yun Fenghuang pretended not to see this. She followed the maid sent by Consort Yue to Ning Bi Hall.

Unsurprisingly, it was Mammy Zhu who was waiting under the red steps, and Consort Yue was not there.

“Gui Ren Yun, please sit down.” Seeing Yun Fenghuang come in, Mammy Zhu smiled to welcome her, “Gui Ren, you are beautiful and smart, brave and resourceful. It was a pity that you are not a member of Yuan’s Family… Since Xie’s Family has such a girl, what else will your family want? It was a pity that your elder sister was so young that she was slandered by others and you were involved.”

“It was not too bad.” Yun Fenghuang sat down, and said sincerely, “If not because of my sister’s affair, I would be a master of a big family in the north. If so, how could I have the honor to serve His Majesty in Dijing City?”

Mammy Zhu chuckled, “Do you really think so? The palace is the richest place in this world, but it is also the most… dangerous place!”

“It is okay.” Yun Fenghuang said calmly, “Seeking wealth shall take risks. It has always been the case.”

Mammy Zhu was not surprised to hear it. She said, “There is such a thing, and I want to tell you. Gui Ren, will you mind my speaking?”