Chapter 18: The Story of Zhen Huan – Summer, Winter, and Spring, Part 17

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“Your Ladyship, since Her Majesty the Empress has a headache, shall we return?”

Noble Consort Nian had laughed enough. She cast a disdainful glance at the plaque above Palace of Gathered Benevolence.

“Let’s go!”

After that, the harem once again returned to the era of Bright Splendor Palace’s unrivaled dominance. No one in the palace could even drink the broth, let alone see a scrap of meat floating in it. Under Noble Consort Nian’s relentless efforts, the Empress suffered intermittent headaches and continuous irritation.

One morning, an imperial decree was announced throughout the Six Palaces:

“Concubine Jia is promoted to Consort and shall henceforth bear the title ‘Chen.’”

The entire harem fell silent.

Whether it was the Empress, busy having headaches, or Noble Consort Nian, busy devising new ways to anger her every day, both of them came to a halt.

The Empress hurriedly sent someone to investigate.

“Jianqiu, go find out what happened! Is she pregnant? How else could she have been promoted so suddenly?”

At Palace of Earthly Tranquility, Noble Consort Nian also sank briefly into gloom. Xiang Concubine said bluntly, “My lady, weren’t you made a noble consort despite having no children?”

The words immediately restored Noble Consort Nian’s spirits.

“That’s right! If I had a child, I would have become an Imperial Noble Consort long ago!”

She then glared fiercely in the direction of Palace of Gathered Benevolence.

“Let’s go! We’re paying Her Majesty the Empress a visit.”

Xiang Concubine: “…”

“Oh, and what about Noble Lady Li? Why haven’t I seen her lately? She hasn’t come to pay her respects at my palace for half a month.”

Only then did Xiang Concubine remember. Indeed, they had not seen that simpleton in a long while—nearly two months.

“Would you like me to go check on her later?”

Noble Consort Nian nodded indifferently.

“Mm.”

The Empress was already fretting over whether Consort Chen was pregnant when word arrived that Noble Consort Nian had come to visit. At once, she felt another headache coming on.

Rubbing her forehead, she said, “Tell her to get lost!”

Huichun immediately ran out to drive her away, though naturally she did not put it quite so bluntly.

“Your Ladyship, Her Majesty is feeling unwell and is not receiving visitors. Please return.”

This was an old routine by now. Noble Consort Nian simply led her attendants straight inside. Sure enough, she found the Empress sitting there perfectly well.

“Oh my, isn’t Her Majesty perfectly fine? Why did Huichun make it sound as though the Empress were on her last breath?”

“Impudent Huichun! How dare you curse Her Majesty! Guards, drag her out and beat her to death!”

The Empress: “…”

She waved a hand and dismissed the guards.

What followed was yet another battle of words between the two women. Noble Consort Nian brought up Consort Chen once more and, as usual, ended the exchange with a narrow victory.

Noble Consort Nian was thoroughly pleased. She swept away in her sedan chair as swiftly as the wind.

~

Meanwhile, the Empress had simply overthought matters. Xia Dongchun was not pregnant.

Having once again returned to a schedule of reversed days and nights, Xia Dongchun was curled up in Yinzhen’s arms, reading a storybook while eating slices of watermelon he fed to her mouth.

She was utterly blissful.

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Absolutely delighted.

Of course, she would have been even happier if Yinzhen had not spent every waking moment staring at her belly.

When Yinzhen once again placed a hand on her stomach and sighed with deep regret, Xia Dongchun nearly slapped him on both cheeks at once.

“Nuonuo, when do you think we’ll have a baby?”

As he spoke, he let out a faint sigh.

“Could it be that Nuonuo hasn’t been trying hard enough?”

Could she possibly tolerate such a remark? Xia Dongchun immediately shot back, “Ye Yun said that the deciding factor in this matter lies with the man.”

She then looked at Yinzhen with an expression that plainly said, It’s because you’re useless.

Yinzhen accepted that look remarkably well. He even immediately set about correcting his mistake. Thus, Xia Dongchun, who had fallen for the same trick countless times, was once again taken aboard the boat by that shameless man.

When the rocking finally ended, Xia Dongchun climbed down from the boat with limp hands and trembling legs. Her little eyes glittered with four unmistakable words:

You are a bad man.

Yinzhen was satisfied. He hurried to coax her, showering her with endearments—his darling, his beloved, his precious treasure.

Xia Dongchun was easy to placate. After a thorough round of persuasion, the two of them quickly reconciled and became cheerful again.

The trio watched the familiar scene before them with faces full of speechless despair.

“…”

After dinner, Yinzhen sat at the table reviewing memorials while Xia Dongchun wandered about the courtyard, enjoying the beauty of the star-filled night.

Everyone else quietly attended to their duties. From time to time, cicadas called out a few notes.

The entire Bright Splendor Palace resembled a peaceful little farmhouse somewhere in the countryside, so tranquil and beautiful that no one could bear to disturb it.

When Yinzhen finished reviewing the memorials, he too came out into the courtyard and, with practiced ease, gathered Xia Dongchun into his arms.

“What are you looking at?”

“The stars.”

“Which one?”

Xia Dongchun turned to glance at him.

“All of them.”

Yinzhen smiled indulgently.

“Good. Every one of them.”

~

The next day, Xia Dongchun attended the long-awaited morning greetings.

When she entered Palace of Gathered Benevolence once again, she felt both familiarity and estrangement.

Ever since she had left the last time, she had never returned. Her main purpose today was to show off a little. She was now Consort Chen, after all.

After her previous promotion ceremony, the sight of the Empress’s constipated expression had made Xia Dongchun eat several extra bowls of rice that very evening. Her appetite had been rather poor lately, so she had come to irritate the Empress again.

Everyone had already arrived when she entered, including Noble Consort Nian. Xia Dongchun bowed to Noble Consort Nian and then took her seat.

The Empress maintained her dignity and only appeared after Xia Dongchun had sat down.

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“We pay our respects to Her Majesty the Empress.”

Everyone present bowed in greeting—except Xia Dongchun, who remained steadfastly seated like an immovable pillar.

Noble Consort Nian smiled as she sat down.

“What is the matter, Your Majesty? Your complexion looks terrible. Could it be that seeing Consort Chen has displeased you?”

The Empress sat down with a stiff expression.

“How could that be? I have not seen Younger Sister Chen in so long. I have missed her dearly.”

“Oh? What about me have you missed? I certainly haven’t missed you.”

Xia Dongchun lifted her teacup and took a sip.

“Pfft!”

“Was this brewed from rotten cabbage leaves? Why does it taste so peculiar?”

“I know Her Majesty is frugal—oh, no, I mean thrifty—but you are still the Empress of the realm. Must you be so miserly with even a cup of tea?”

She glanced at the Empress.

“So petty. No wonder the Emperor would rather find a Pure Yuan Empress outside than use you. What terrible luck.”

Noble Consort Nian was utterly stunned. She suddenly realized that she still had a great deal of room for improvement.

Everyone else: “…”

I heard nothing. I am not here.

The Empress slammed her palm onto the table.

“Consort Chen! I am the Empress!”

“Yes, yes, you’re the Empress. The Pure Yuan Empress was the one who begged the Emperor to make you one.”

Xia Dongchun dug at her ear and prepared to leave.

Who could have expected that, when she reached Noble Lady Fucha, the other woman would suddenly collapse at her feet? Xia Dongchun sprang three feet away.

“Who is this? Don’t try to frame me! I didn’t even touch a single hair on her!”

The Empress now wished she could tear Xia Dongchun apart. Every one of the girl’s remarks was not only an insult, but struck directly at the most painful places in her heart.

Still, they could not simply ignore someone who had fainted.

“Guards, carry Noble Lady Fucha to the side hall. Huichun, go summon the Imperial Physician.”

Seeing this, Xia Dongchun did not leave after all. She promptly returned to her seat and continued eating osmanthus cakes.

Noble Consort Nian also dropped herself into a chair and waited for the news.

The Imperial Physician arrived shortly afterward.

Noble Lady Fucha was two months pregnant.

The Empress beamed so broadly that her teeth nearly disappeared. She hurried over, eager to deal a blow to her two enemies. As for the child, that could be handled later.

“This is wonderful! The palace has not seen a happy event in so long. Noble Lady Fucha is truly blessed. Jianqiu, hurry and report the good news to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager!”

As she spoke, she cast an unmistakable glance at Xia Dongchun’s belly.

Xia Dongchun immediately fired back, “You’re smiling so broadly that anyone who didn’t know better would think the child belonged to the Empress. Unless I’m mistaken, the Empress’s First Prince isn’t…”