Chapter 40 – Before the Longevity Festival

The palace maids nearly couldn’t hold back their laughter.

Had Consort Wuya gone mad from anger? Palace maid Zhihe curtsied and said, “This servant will go take care of it right away.”

However, before she could leave, she was stopped by Madam Zhao. Noble Consort Tong, sensing something suspicious, raised her eyes with mild curiosity and looked at Madam Zhao. “Is there still something, Madam?”

Madam Zhao gave a light cough.

She wore a stern expression. “This servant deserves death. I did something behind Your Ladyship’s back.”

Noble Consort Tong was momentarily stunned.

The next second, seeing Madam Zhao not the least bit guilty, she couldn’t hide her curiosity. “Go on, Madam Zhao. What is it you’ve done?”

Madam Zhao signaled with her eyes.

A palace maid stepped forward, holding a tray.

And the contents on that tray—!

They truly opened Noble Consort Tong’s eyes. She leaned back into her chair, clutching her stomach and laughing with exaggerated cries of pain. “You all—honestly, each one of you is so wicked!”

Madam Zhao chuckled. “Your Ladyship, shall we proceed?”

Wiping her teary eyes, Noble Consort Tong was gleefully gloating. “Since everything’s already prepared, then let’s go ahead!”

---

In the side chamber.

Consort Wuya changed into a palace gown of crescent-white silk embroidered with pink peach blossoms, then carefully applied a delicate, gentle makeup look.

Once everything was ready, she picked up a mirror and admired herself. The girl in the mirror had skin as fair as snow and jade, elegant brows like carefully cut silk, eyes fluid like water, her expression shy and lovely—just like a peach blossom bud about to bloom in spring: refined yet radiant…

All of the above was, of course, how novels describe such scenes.

Consort Wuya held her hairpiece while gazing at her lovely reflection in the mirror, and a flicker of determination flashed in her eyes. She was sick of the cramped Yonghe Palace, sick of the lofty Noble Consort Tong, sick of that smirking Miao Changzai, and sick of all these snide palace servants.

Just a bit longer… Just a bit more time…

Suddenly, the serene expression in the mirror twisted in anger, then smoothed out again. Consort Wuya set the mirror down and gracefully walked to the window. She pushed it open, took a deep breath of fresh air, and took in the full bloom of spring in the courtyard.

She was in an absolutely wonderful mood.

And right at that moment—Miao Changzai’s joyous exclamations rang out nearby.

Miao Changzai was overjoyed.

She hadn’t expected such a fortunate opportunity to land in her lap!

Grinning and fawning, she tearfully said, “This servant will never forget Her Ladyship’s grace! I must go kowtow and thank her now!”

Tch! Spineless flatterer!

Absolutely disgraceful! Consort Wuya had always looked down on such people. She shot a contemptuous glance at Miao Changzai and prepared to close the window.

But Miao Changzai had already noticed the sounds from the side chamber.

Perceptive as ever, she caught the subtle signal from a palace maid and suddenly raised her voice slightly. “I never thought I’d be able to attend the Longevity Festival banquet! What a delightful surprise! If only I had prepared ahead of time… I’d hate to embarrass Her Ladyship…”

Palace maid Zhihe was very pleased by Miao Changzai’s tact.

Smiling, she responded, “No need to worry, Mistress Miao. Her Ladyship has already made arrangements.”

She waved behind her.

Two young maids stepped forward, each holding a tray. One tray carried a palace gown of pale moon-white with floral embroidery; the other held a full set of matching jewelry.

This truly stunned Miao Changzai.

Her mouth parted slightly in astonishment before she wiped her tears and choked out, “This servant thanks Her Ladyship for her grace!”

Consort Wuya’s expression changed drastically.

The fabric of her own outfit was yunjin duan—cloud-pattern brocade tribute from the Jiangning Weaving Bureau—its surface faintly luminous and vividly colored. It was something the Wuya clan had saved from her time as a Noble Lady.

But now… her heart trembled.

From afar, she caught the flash of fabric glinting in the sunlight—it was clearly the exact same fabric as what Noble Consort Tong had bestowed on Miao Changzai!

Consort Wuya’s dainty face contorted.

And the moment Miao Changzai unfolded the garment and praised it, she could no longer maintain composure. The faint pink peach blossoms on that yunjin duan robe… were identical to her own!

You wretched Noble Consort Tong!

Consort Wuya understood instantly—her request to the Imperial Household Department for custom clothing had already been known to Noble Consort Tong, who had used it to mock her.

All her painstaking effort—ruined!

If she and Miao Changzai wore identical outfits to the banquet, no matter where she sat, wouldn’t she just become background decoration? Like some palace maid? Maybe she would catch the Emperor’s eye—but would he remember her as a charming beauty, or just be amused by the joke?

Consort Wuya was so furious she nearly collapsed backward.

She darkened her expression and made to storm out and confront someone. But she was only a Changzai—how could she argue with a Noble Consort? She’d probably just get confined and forbidden from attending the Longevity Festival banquet at all…

Suddenly, she realized something she had overlooked—something crucial:

As a mere Changzai, she didn’t even have the right to attend the Longevity Festival in the first place!

Consort Wuya truly panicked.

If she couldn’t reveal her pregnancy at the banquet, if she couldn’t stand out during this golden opportunity when the Empress Dowager and Grand Empress Dowager were urging consorts to conceive—how would she ever catch the Emperor’s eye? A chill swept over her. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed by a giant hand, every breath difficult.

Her vision darkened and her head rang. Then—sharp pain stabbed through her, and she instinctively clutched her abdomen. Her lips turned white as snow. She even felt a slight dampness beneath her skirt—a dreadful thought crept into her mind.

Consort Wuya’s expression drastically changed.

She cried out in panic, “Quick! Quick! Call the Imperial Physician!”

The noise in the side chamber drew attention.

A terrified palace maid ran out frantically, catching Zhihe’s frown. She signaled sharply, and two eunuchs stepped forward, blocking the maid and scolding harshly, “What’s with the racket!?”

The maid turned pale.

Glancing back at the writhing, screaming Consort Wuya, she could no longer hide the truth. Raising her voice, she shouted, “Mistress—Mistress has had a miscarriage!”

Zhihe’s heart seemed to skip a beat.

Miao Changzai’s once-beaming face twisted in horror. She shrieked, “How could the Wuya woman be pregnant?! That’s impossible!”

The maid fell to her knees.

She kowtowed desperately, her voice piercing the still air of Chengqian Palace. “Mistress truly was pregnant! I beg Miss Zhihe for mercy, I beg Her Ladyship the Noble Consort for mercy—please, let the Imperial Physician be summoned!”

Zhihe’s whole body turned cold.

If word of this got out, what kind of scandal would it be?

She raised her hand and delivered a harsh slap across the palace maid’s face, shouting sternly, “Silence! When did your mistress ever forbid you from summoning the imperial physician?”

Zhihe immediately ordered the palace maid to be bound and had someone assigned to watch over Lady Uya, then turned on her heel and rushed toward the front hall.

The palace maid’s shrill screams were piercing.

Even before Zhihe could report back, the sound had already reached Noble Consort Tong’s ears. Just moments ago she had been enjoying the show with great interest, but now she stood frozen in shock.

The Emperor had few heirs.

There were only four princes and just two princesses—one adopted Grand Princess and the Third Princess born of Consort Rong. Regardless of gender, any pregnancy was of utmost importance. Moreover, wasn’t the entire reason Noble Consort Tong was seeking to favor someone simply so she could adopt a child herself? She was stunned for a moment, but faster than joy, what surged forward was fury.

Noble Consort Tong’s face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.

So that mysterious air Lady Uya had about her—was it because she was pregnant? Noble Consort Tong felt no joy at all. Instead, she slammed the table in rage. “Why was Lady Uya being so secretive? Hmm? Was she planning to slap my face during the Longevity Festival?”

Even with her eyes closed, Noble Consort Tong knew exactly what Lady Uya was thinking. It was bad enough that she’d already been demoted to First Class Attendant—if she were still a Noble Lady and revealed her pregnancy during the Longevity Festival banquet, it would surely attract the attention of the Emperor and both Empress Dowagers. Meanwhile, she, the palace mistress, would be the one clueless about a pregnancy in her own quarters. She would become the laughingstock of all the consorts.

Noble Consort Tong’s chest heaved with anger.

If it weren’t for the possibility that Lady Uya was carrying an imperial heir, she would’ve— Noble Consort Tong’s eyes flashed coldly. She raised her voice, ordering Lady Uya’s palace maid to be immediately sent to the Office of Punishments for disposal. Then she instructed other servants to summon the imperial physician.

Of course, she didn’t forget to give a few more commands.

Finally, Noble Consort Tong told Nanny Zhao, “Go to the Palace of Heavenly Purity and deliver this ‘good news’ to the Emperor.”

Nanny Zhao obeyed at once.

For an entire year, there had been no happy news. Now, upon receiving word of a potential miscarriage? The news incited fury in the Grand Empress Dowager. Together with the Emperor and the Empress, the three of them hurried to Chengqian Palace.

Lady Uya was in excruciating pain.

But the moment she saw the yellow-robed figure, her heart surged with excitement—indeed! As the heroine of the story, no matter what, she would win the Emperor’s favor with this child.

She delicately furrowed her brows and tilted her chin upward at a perfect forty-five degree angle, looking toward Kangxi. Lady Uya’s tears streamed down in torrents. “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty… this humble concubine’s child… please save this humble concubine’s child…!”

Kangxi was silent for a moment.

Lady Uya had forgotten that she had just applied heavy makeup. Now, as cold sweat poured and her face twisted in pain, the makeup around her eyes had started to run, leaving fine black streaks down her cheeks. Her face looked as ghastly as could be.

And yet she still thought she looked beautiful.

Kangxi’s stomach churned, and he even wondered how his past self had ever taken an interest in Lady Uya.

He kept a stern face and didn’t respond to Lady Uya’s pleas. Instead, he gave a flat command to the imperial physician: “Physician Chen, I’ll leave everything to you.”

“Your servant will give his utmost,” Physician Chen responded respectfully. He laid a silk handkerchief on Lady Uya’s wrist and closed his eyes to concentrate on her pulse.

As for Kangxi, the Grand Empress Dowager, and the Empress, even casting a glance at Lady Uya was already a great favor. They now turned back to the front hall to question Noble Consort Tong.

“Noble Consort, were you unaware of Lady Uya’s pregnancy?” the Empress asked first.

“I truly didn’t know,” Noble Consort Tong answered as she twisted her handkerchief, her eyes full of grievance. “Had I known, why would I have moved her to such a remote room?”

The Grand Empress Dowager carefully observed her expression.

Once she was certain that Noble Consort Tong had no guilty conscience, her tone softened considerably. “No wonder the Emperor had demoted Lady Uya—she truly is a schemer.”

Kangxi nodded.

His dislike for Lady Uya had only grown. First, she showed not the slightest respect to the Empress and tried to get away with reciting scriptures perfunctorily. Now she was hiding a pregnancy and nearly caused a miscarriage? If there weren’t so few children in the palace, Kangxi wouldn’t even bother sparing her a glance.

Physician Chen soon returned to the front hall.

He flicked his sleeves and knelt on one knee. “This humble servant pays respects to Your Majesty, the Grand Empress Dowager, and Noble Consort Tong.”

“Rise and report,” said the Grand Empress Dowager, who had just been thinking about pregnancy matters yesterday and now appeared the most anxious.

“Is Lady Uya truly pregnant?”

The imperial physician respectfully confirmed it.

Upon hearing that it was true, the Grand Empress Dowager finally allowed a smile to appear on her face. But in the next second, she remembered the suspected miscarriage and her heart tightened. “Is the child all right?”

“Reporting to the Grand Empress Dowager, the child in Lady Uya’s womb is unharmed.” After reassuring them, Physician Chen changed his tone. “However, Lady Uya has been suffering from emotional distress and liver fire excess. Her persistent mouth sores have not healed for a long time. If this continues, her health may deteriorate. She must rest and recover properly.”

Emotional distress and liver fire excess.

It seemed Lady Uya’s rank might be low, but her temper was quite considerable.

The Grand Empress Dowager’s thoughts shifted. Any intentions she had of elevating Lady Uya were reduced by several degrees. Her expression turned faint. “Prescribe more formulas that won’t harm the child. Make sure Lady Uya restores her health.”

After instructing the physician, the Grand Empress Dowager looked at Noble Consort Tong again. “Since she’s in your palace, you’ll be in charge of everything. Don’t let Lady Uya’s noise endanger our imperial descendant. Noble Consort, don’t disappoint me again.”

Noble Consort Tong shivered all over.

She lowered her head meekly. “This concubine obeys.”

Once the Emperor, Grand Empress Dowager, and Empress had departed, the nervousness on Noble Consort Tong’s face immediately faded. In a gentle tone, she said, “Everyone heard the physician’s orders. Have people watch Lady Uya closely—she is not to leave the side room on her own.”

News of Lady Uya’s pregnancy quickly spread throughout the palace.

The expressions of the consorts all took on complicated shades. After a full year, a joyous announcement tugged at everyone’s hearts.

Could Lady Uya rise again because of this child?

Everyone had their doubts while also making their own calculations. For example, Consort Yi was holding a letter from home, her brow furrowed tightly.

As for Xianfu Palace—

It was probably the liveliest and most cheerful place in the harem. After marveling at the news for a brief moment, Wan Anran quickly tossed it to the back of her mind.

What mattered most right now was the embroidery before her!

Wan Anran felt like her eyes were going cross-eyed. Her face was all scrunched up as she looked at her embroidery and sighed repeatedly.

The Longevity Festival was only three days away.

She had been so busy copying Buddhist scriptures for the Empress and then celebrating her recovery that she had completely forgotten about the birthday gift for the festival. If Consort Xuan hadn’t sent someone to ask, she probably wouldn’t have remembered until the very last day.

Wan Anran shed tears.

Lamenting her own carelessness, her hands moved slower and slower. Just then, a ruler came down hard on the back of her hand with a loud snap. Consort Xuan, her face dark and thunderous, glared at Wan Anran. “Still dawdling? Get moving now!”

Tearfully, Wan Anran replied, “Yes, yes, yes!”