Chapter 4: Kunning Palace

Wan Anran was praising Consort Xuan to the skies.

While Haitao listened attentively, she couldn’t help but feel puzzled. Perhaps if she saw Consort Xuan paying her respects to the Niohuru Empress in Kunning Palace, she would understand why Consort Xuan was so satisfied with Wan Daying.

When the Empress brought up the New Year’s arrangements, all the imperial consorts’ eyes lit up. Life in the deep palace was lonely, and everyone looked forward to the excitement of the New Year, hoping to watch operas and enjoy some lively entertainment. Moreover, with His Majesty recently occupied with handling the Revolt of the Three Feudatories and rarely visiting the inner palace, the New Year was the best opportunity to see him.

The only exception was Consort Xuan, sitting quietly in the back.

Just like Wan Anran earlier, Consort Xuan lowered her head, composed her expression, and kept her gaze fixed on the bowl of tea soup before her. She let the words of all the imperial consorts flow in through her left ear and out through her right.

After all, the Emperor’s favor had nothing to do with her.

Only when the guest list for the Xianfu Palace banquet was mentioned did Consort Xuan rise slightly to acknowledge with a soft “yes,” merely to fulfill her duty.

After discussing some arrangements, the conversation soon shifted to other topics—the usual routine of morning and evening greetings, with the Empress as the central figure. Consorts like An Pin, Jing Pin, and Duan Pin would take turns conversing with her.

For example, An Pin covered her lips with a smile and said, “This morning, I heard magpies chirping merrily. As expected, Your Majesty the Empress looks even more radiant than usual today.”

Consort Xuan secretly rolled her eyes.

The Empress’s makeup was noticeably thicker today, clearly covering up her exhausted complexion from overwork.

Then, Jing Pin would chime in, “The refreshments here in Your Majesty’s palace are far tastier than those in my own. Truly, Your Majesty knows how to instruct your palace maids well.”

Consort Xuan couldn’t help but roll her eyes again.

Goodness! A single plate of pastries with five pieces, and even now, it’s still five pieces. Are you eating air?

Consort Xuan silently shook her head.

Looking at the Niohuru Empress’s unwavering smile, she could only admire her. Once the flattering was done, the next phase would be the veiled jabs and subtle attacks aimed at the consort who had received favor the previous day.

For instance, Noble Consort Tong, who was favored yesterday.

Unlike the Niohuru Empress, who would give people some face, Noble Consort Tong’s personality was naturally aloof and indifferent. She responded to everyone’s mocking remarks with calm detachment, often not even sparing them a glance, resolving everything with a simple “hmph.”

Faced with such indifference, some imperial consorts couldn’t help but feel like clowns putting on a show.

For example, Yi Pin felt quite uncomfortable inside.

But Noble Consort Tong was like a hedgehog—impossible to approach. Yi Pin’s peripheral vision happened to catch sight of the absentminded Consort Xuan, and an idea instantly sparked in her mind: “Sister Xuan, I heard that Wan Daying in your palace… has recovered?”

Don’t be fooled by Wan Daying’s lowly rank. Despite being just a Daying, she was quite famous in the inner palace. Hearing Yi Pin mention her, the other consorts couldn’t help but perk up their ears, their curious gazes all turning to Consort Xuan.

“That’s right.” Consort Xuan placed her teacup back onto the small table, answering calmly.

“Wan Daying…?” Rong Pin exclaimed in surprise, “I remember she’s been ill for nearly two months, hasn’t she? Sister Xuan’s skills are impressive. When she was moved to Xianfu Palace, I recall she was on the verge of death, wasn’t she?”

This matter was well-known.

After all, Wan Daying couldn’t even walk at the time and was carried all the way to Xianfu Palace in a sedan chair. For Wan Daying, who back then wasn’t even officially a Daying but merely a palace woman, being moved out wasn’t considered a big deal. However, bringing it up now made Noble Consort Tong seem somewhat harsh and unfeeling.

As soon as she finished speaking, Rong Pin realized she had misspoken and immediately shut her mouth tightly.

The atmosphere in Kunning Palace turned silent.

Almost everyone’s gaze secretly shifted to Noble Consort Tong.

Noble Consort Tong sat upright in her seat.

She was exceedingly beautiful, with a pair of phoenix eyes as cold as frost, carrying an innate air of arrogance and aloofness. Especially when she wasn’t smiling, her presence was overwhelming.

Yi Pin, with her head lowered, secretly pursed her lips.

Acting all lofty like a plum blossom? As if you’re not burning with jealousy. Wan Daying was practically dying in Yikun Palace but miraculously recovered once moved to Xianfu Palace? If you ask me, Wan Daying must’ve suffered quite a bit in Chengqian Palace!

Noble Consort Tong was displeased.

But she remained composed, her expression as serene as ever: “Sister Xuan took good care of her. I am ashamed to admit I fall short.”

Consort Xuan couldn’t possibly accept such praise from Noble Consort Tong.

She quickly stood up and respectfully replied, “This concubine merely followed the imperial physician’s instructions. How could I dare accept Your Highness’s praise?”

Noble Consort Tong nodded.

Seeing the awkward atmosphere in the hall, the Niohuru Empress smoothly changed the topic, “The imperial physicians have done well. Reward them.”

With just one sentence, the matter was brushed aside.

Having vented her frustrations by using Wan Daying to poke at the Noble Consort, Yi Pin didn’t give this incident a second thought.

However, when Noble Consort Tong returned to Chengqian Palace, her expression remained unpleasant. She truly hadn’t intended to move the gravely ill Wan Daying out. It was simply that, at the time, she herself had caught a severe cold and had been bedridden for several days without recovering.

In ChengQian Palace, rumors inevitably spread, most of which pointed directly at Wan Daying, blaming her for Consort Tong’s illness. At first, these were mere casual talk that no one paid much attention to, but then Consort Tong’s mild cold lingered for ten days without improvement, and the matter was brought up again.

As the saying goes, “The mouths of many melt the hardest metal”—in the end, three or four tenths of those in Chengqian Palace believed the rumors.

Seeing Consort Tong’s condition worsening, the palace supervisors Zhao Momo and Xu Momo finally decided to move Wan Daying out. Not long after Wan Daying was relocated to Xianfu Palace, Consort Tong’s health began to improve gradually, and within two days she had fully recovered.

This turned the original three or four tenths of belief in Wan Daying’s guilt into seven or eight tenths. Since it was widely accepted that Wan Daying had transmitted the illness to Consort Tong, naturally no one dared punish the palace maid for this. Besides, Wan Daying was already gravely ill, so Consort Tong quickly put the matter out of her mind.

If Wan Daying died…

Then it would just be over.

But unexpectedly, Wan Daying was remarkably resilient—she literally wrested a life back from the jaws of the grim reaper.

Consort Tong herself felt uneasy.

She was uncomfortable standing, uncomfortable sitting, and even lying down she felt ill at ease.

Her discomfort made the palace maids feel distressed as well. They exchanged worried glances, and soon Zhao Momo and Xu Momo stepped forward to offer their apologies.

“You did this for me; I understand,” Consort Tong said.

“Master… should we… perhaps offer some gifts to Wan Daying?” Zhao Momo hesitated as she asked.

Consort Tong gave a bitter smile.

At this point, it was no longer something that could be swept away with a gift. Whether they gave gifts or not, Wan Daying’s matter was a heavy burden on her head and unlikely to fade anytime soon.

Though troubled in her heart, Consort Tong had no intention of blaming the palace maids. She furrowed her distant-mountain-like brows and leaned on the soft couch, quietly lost in thought.

A mere palace maid like Wan Daying was insignificant.

But if she became a thorn between Consort Tong and her cousin, it would make her restless and uneasy.

Thinking of how the Empress Dowager had treated her with growing coldness these days, Consort Tong pursed her lips. Along with her vexation came a twinge of regret.

She ought to have sent palace maids to deliver some tonic medicine…

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In Kunning Palace, Consort Xuan was still talking with Empress Niuhuru.

Though they shared the same clan name, Borjigit, as the Empress Dowager and the Empress, it was clear to everyone the Emperor would not allow another Empress from the Borjigit clan, and even the favored Consort did not aspire to it.

Empress Niuhuru was wary of Consort Tong, but she never regarded Consort Xuan as a rival. As such, the two maintained a relatively harmonious relationship, among the few in the harem who could actually talk to one another.

Empress Niuhuru was also somewhat curious about Wan Daying.

She slightly furrowed her brows. “Has this Wan Daying really recovered?”

Consort Xuan smiled. “She has indeed recovered.”

Empress Niuhuru breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes shining with delight. “It’s a blessing that she pulled through. Wan Daying certainly suffered quite a bit. I hope that in Xianfu Palace she can learn from you and Noble Lady Nara to become more sensible and steady.”

Become more sensible and steady?

Consort Xuan’s mouth twitched, caught between wanting to say more and holding back.

Empress Niuhuru immediately noticed Consort Xuan’s strange expression and narrowed her smile. “Did she do something improper right after waking up?”

Consort Xuan shook her head.

She recounted what had happened earlier that morning, then laughed. “If I may say, her nature is rather innocent and amusing. Looking at her… she’s like the five-year-old little sister I left behind on the steppe.”

Comparing the teenage Wan Daying to a four- or five-year-old little sister?

If not for Consort Xuan’s earnest expression, Empress Niuhuru might have thought she was mocking Wan Daying.

Curious, Empress Niuhuru pressed on. “Coincidentally, I haven’t seen Ninth Prince for several days. So I had Zhou Momo visit Xianfu Palace and invited Ninth Prince, Noble Lady Nara, and Wan Daying to Kunning Palace.”