Chapter 63

Qianqing Palace

Anshun stood respectfully beside Emperor Jun Zechen, holding a booklet in his hands.

“Your Majesty, the Empress has already assigned the palaces and ranks for the new ladies. Would you like to review them?”

Emperor Jun Zechen was handling official documents. Upon hearing Anshun’s words, he stopped writing and waved his hand impatiently.

“It’s fine, the Empress can decide. No need to show it to me.”

He really had no interest in these women. If it hadn’t been for his mother insisting, he wouldn’t have participated in the palace selection at all.

Besides, the women selected were mostly at his mother’s request, focusing on their family backgrounds and appearances.

For Jun Zechen, a woman’s family background didn’t matter much. If he wanted to promote someone, it was all up to him. As for looks, although Jun Zechen admitted he liked beautiful women, he valued a woman’s character and the feelings they brought him much more than just beauty.

On the day of the selection, no woman left a strong impression on him.

Anshun, hearing that the Emperor didn’t want to see the list, showed a conflicted expression on his face. His lips moved slightly, and after a pause, he hesitantly spoke.

“Your Majesty…”

Jun Zechen, hearing him hesitate, turned to look at him with a hint of impatience in his eyes.

“Is there something else?”

Anshun lowered his head and quietly said, “Your Majesty, the Empress has sent two of the ladies to Zhaochun Palace.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he lowered his head even further, feeling uneasy.

From his recent observations, the Emperor seemed to care a lot about Consort Chunshu.

If he didn’t report this, and once the new ladies entered the palace and others moved into Zhaochun Palace, Anshun worried the Emperor might punish him.

So, Anshun gathered his courage and reported it.

When Jun Zechen heard this, his expression immediately hardened, and he said in a low tone, “Show it to me.”

Anshun hurriedly handed over the booklet, and Jun Zechen took it and started reading it carefully.

Indeed, the Empress had assigned two ladies to Zhaochun Palace.

Moreover, the ranks for this batch of ladies were generally low.

Jun Zechen frowned, his expression darkening as he thought for a moment.

“Consort Chunshu is responsible for taking care of the First Prince. When the First Prince grows up, Zhaochun Palace may not even be big enough. Tell the Empress not to assign any other consorts to Zhaochun Palace. As for the rest, she can arrange as she pleases.”

Jun Zechen didn’t understand the Empress’s decision. He and the Empress Dowager had given her the authority, hoping she would think things through carefully and consider everything comprehensively.

They wanted her to be capable of handling the responsibility of the Empress’s power over the Six Palaces.

However, after glancing at the ranks and palace assignments in the booklet, it seemed his mother would not be happy with the Empress’s decisions.

After all, the imperial court and the palace were closely connected, and daughters of second-rank officials were only given the title of “Beauty.” The court officials would likely become more dissatisfied with the Empress.

Jun Zechen shook his head helplessly.

He wasn’t sure whether Ling Yue had made these decisions due to her lower status or out of jealousy towards other women, leading her to assign such low ranks.

But Jun Zechen was clearly dissatisfied with these titles and even felt a hint of disappointment.

Could Ling Yue really handle being his Empress?

Ling Yue was waiting for Anshun’s report in Yikun Palace. Upon hearing Anshun’s words, her expression immediately darkened.

A storm of anger rose in her heart, and her eyes blazed with fury.

Through gritted teeth, she whispered, “Why is it always Pure and Virtuous Concubine?!”

She suddenly turned to look at Mei Xiang beside her, her emotions a little stirred.

“Mei Xiang, why is it always Pure and Virtuous Concubine? I only sent two people to Zhaochun Palace.”

“And I didn’t only send people to Zhaochun Palace; I also sent people to Yikun Palace. Does the Emperor really not want Pure and Virtuous Concubine to suffer even a little bit?”

Her voice was full of frustration and resentment, and her chest was rising and falling rapidly.

Zhaochun Palace was already the largest palace in the harem after Kunning Palace. Even though the birth of the First Prince added more servants, Zhaochun Palace still had plenty of space with many empty halls.

Why couldn’t they let more new people live there?

Mei Xiang quickly tried to comfort her softly, “Your Highness, didn’t the Emperor say that Pure and Virtuous Concubine has the First Prince? When the First Prince grows up, he’ll take up more space. It’s normal for the Emperor to consider this.”

She knew that her mistress had always felt that the Emperor should treat her well because of their past bond.

But Mei Xiang, being an outsider, could see things more clearly.

The Emperor had changed his heart. His favor was no longer solely for her.

Then Mei Xiang carefully continued, “Your Highness, the female officials who were appointed last time wanted you to raise the ranks of the new concubines. Why didn’t you do that and just presented the list of ranks to the Emperor?”

Ling Yue furrowed her brows and said dismissively, “My ranks are based on how the late Emperor gave the ranks during the previous selection of beauties. What’s wrong with that?”

She didn’t think there was anything wrong with her decision. After all, she wasn’t the first one to give ranks this way.

When the late Emperor was around, didn’t the Empress Dowager do the same?

“But Your Highness, that was already during the late Emperor’s fourth selection of beauties, so lower ranks were normal.”

“Now, this is the Emperor’s first selection. With such low ranks, do you think the Emperor will be unhappy?”

Mei Xiang spoke with concern.

Ling Yue sneered softly.

“The Emperor only sent a message with An Shun saying that no one else will enter Zhaochun Palace. Do you think the Emperor cares about the ranks of the new concubines?”

The reason she wanted to give lower ranks to the new women was because there were a few women with noble backgrounds this time. If they had high ranks, wouldn’t they pose a threat to her future as Empress?

Now, there was only one Pure and Virtuous Concubine, and she already felt threatened.

However, she understood Pure and Virtuous Concubine. She wasn’t someone easy to compete with. Although the Emperor didn’t like her, Pure and Virtuous Concubine had saved her and helped her many times.

With the other new concubines having lower ranks, even if the Emperor promoted them, it would be gradual, and the threat to her would be much smaller.

Mei Xiang frowned, looking worried. She just didn’t think the rank distribution was right, but she couldn’t point out the exact reasons.

However, her mistress still had some special connection with the Emperor, so there shouldn’t be much of a problem.

Time passed quickly, and soon it was the day when the new concubines entered the palace.

In Zhaochun Palace.

“Your Highness, thirty-five new concubines have entered the palace today,” Miao Yun softly said.

Then she added, “Among them, five are Beauties, ten are Talented Women, ten are Baolin, and ten are Imperial Women.”

Upon hearing this, Su Jingyao furrowed her elegant brows slightly.

Were the ranks of these new women too low?

“Yue Yaqin and Chu Yinxue are both Beauties?” Su Jingyao asked, turning slightly to look at Miao Yun.

After all, these two had high statuses, so they were likely the highest-ranked among the new concubines.

“Yes, Your Highness. Beauty Yue has been assigned to Zhongcui Palace, sharing a palace with An Zhaorong. Beauty Chu has been assigned to Yanxi Palace, sharing a palace with Bai Jieyu,” Miao Yun explained calmly.

“What about Lin Miaoxue?”

Su Jingyao asked about Lin Miaoxue because she had some impression of her from the palace selection.

At least when she first saw Lin Miaoxue, she felt that she looked a bit like Tang Ronghua, delicate and gentle.

But Lin Miaoxue came from a good family, so she didn’t have the same insecurity as Tang Ronghua. Overall, she seemed delicate but confident.

“Beauty Lin has been assigned to Liushuang Pavilion, which is near the Imperial Garden, a good location.”

“She doesn’t need to share a palace with other concubines. Since there is no Empress now, Beauty Lin doesn’t need to greet the main concubine every day like the lower-ranked concubines,” Miao Yun continued, explaining in detail.

Su Jingyao fell into thought, absentmindedly running her slender fingers through her hair.

This time, whether it was the rank promotions or the palace assignments, the Empress Dowager had left everything to the Concubine.

Su Jingyao didn’t think the Empress Dowager trusted the Concubine. Instead, she felt this was a test for the Concubine.

The Empress Dowager truly was a master at palace intrigue.

In front of Emperor Jun Zechen, she showed how much she valued the Concubine, leaving all matters to her.

If the Concubine handled things well, she would earn favor in the eyes of both the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. But the problem was, the rank assignments didn’t feel right to Su Jingyao.

The Concubine was so petty, lacking grace. She didn’t know the Emperor’s opinion, but it seemed like he didn’t care much about the new concubines during the selection.

However, the Empress Dowager might become more and more disappointed in the Concubine.

“Has the Emperor’s seal been turned tonight?” Su Jingyao suddenly asked, her gaze shifting from her thoughts with a hint of curiosity.

“It has. The Concubine personally ordered the head eunuch from the Palace Service to go to Qianqing Palace. The Emperor turned Lin Miaoxue’s seal,” Miao Yun replied.

Upon hearing this, Su Jingyao’s brows furrowed again, showing some doubt.

Does the Concubine no longer mind the Emperor favoring other concubines?

That night, Lin Miaoxue was carefully and respectfully served by the bedchamber maids, changing into the delicate, thin silk garment meant for sleeping with the Emperor.

Lin Miaoxue never expected that she would be the first one to serve the Emperor. Did he notice her during the palace selection day?

With a nervous heart, Lin Miaoxue sat in the magnificent Fengluan Spring En carriage, heading toward Qianqing Palace.

When she arrived at Qianqing Palace, she sat in the western side hall of the Qianqin Hall, her fragile body trembling slightly.

The side hall was particularly spacious, and the Emperor was still handling state affairs in his study. She wore a thin, almost transparent silk gown, sitting quietly on the dragon bed.

Though she had seen the Emperor from afar during the palace selection, she had not been able to see him clearly.

She only vaguely felt that the Emperor exuded a majestic aura that commanded respect.

So, Lin Miaoxue was both nervous and afraid, but more than that, she was filled with anticipation.

When Jun Zechen entered the side hall, he immediately saw the woman sitting with her hands nervously tangled in her lap, as if she were trying to crush her delicate hands.

Hearing the sound, Lin Miaoxue quickly looked up and saw the Emperor, then hurriedly stood to salute.

“Your Majesty, this servant pays her respects.”

Jun Zechen’s expression remained calm, and he said淡淡ly, “Rise.”

Then he stood tall, stretching out his arms.

Lin Miaoxue, having received strict training from the bedchamber maids, knew that it was her duty to help the Emperor undress.

She slowly walked behind him, carefully unbuttoning the dragon robe.

Every movement was gentle, as if afraid to disturb the esteemed Emperor.

Then, Jun Zechen lazily half-leaned on the bed, slightly raising his head to observe the woman, who kept her head lowered shyly.

If it hadn’t been for the Concubine sending someone to ask him to turn the card tonight, Jun Zechen really didn’t want to call on a new concubine. However, he didn’t want to repeatedly disappoint the Concubine.

Lin Miaoxue felt the Emperor’s gaze and slowly moved closer to the bed.

With shy and timid eyes, she looked at him, “Your Majesty…”

Jun Zechen glanced at her with his deep, unfathomable eyes, and Lin Miaoxue’s heart fluttered like a deer’s, beating wildly.

The Emperor truly was handsome and extraordinary.

Jun Zechen, still speaking in a calm tone, said, “Proceed.”

Lin Miaoxue became even more bashful. Her cheeks were as red as the sunset as she kneeled on the bed, trembling hands slowly removing her clothes.

Jun Zechen turned over and pinned her beneath him.

Half an hour later, Jun Zechen got up, dressed, and left the side hall with an expressionless face.

Lin Miaoxue stared blankly at the Emperor’s retreating figure, a bit dazed.

Her first time serving the Emperor was marked by a painful memory that went deep into her bones, but she didn’t dare to cry out.

The bedchamber maids had taught her that when serving the Emperor, she mustn’t hurt his body, and she should not scream or shout, so as not to lose her manners.

She gazed at the Emperor’s stern back, a chill rising in her heart.

Could the Emperor truly be this cold-hearted?

No, she was the first new concubine to serve him. The Emperor should treat her differently. It was just that he had a cold nature.

Lin Miaoxue slowly composed herself and then returned to her palace in the same carriage.