I See the Noble Consort's Charm - Chapter 51:
Chapter 51:
Having suffered such a great ordeal, Xie Cai Ren remained dazed upon waking. Her eyes barely open, her gaze swept across the faces in the crowd.
It wasn’t until she spotted Su Qingyao that she slightly relaxed, closing her eyes and softly collapsing back down.
Throughout the entire episode, she didn’t utter a single word, yet the meaning in that one glance was perfectly clear. Su Qingyao immediately understood and stepped forward to address Consort Shun: Your Highness, the wind here is cold. It would be best to send Sister Xie back to Jinxiu Palace and settle her in as soon as possible.
Consort Shun understood the situation perfectly well. Knowing this wasn’t the time to quarrel with Su Qingyao, she promptly turned to the arriving imperial physician: Master Zhang, can Sister Xie be moved at this moment?
Physician Zhang appeared rather young, likely a newly promoted medical official, but he was quite decisive. Upon hearing Consort Shun’s question, he hurriedly bowed and replied: Reporting to Your Highness, Xie Cai Ren should be returned to her palace immediately.
Only then did Consort Shun say: Then let us depart.
Since the incident had occurred right before Consort Shun and Zhao Jieyu’s eyes, they knew they couldn’t leave. They followed at the rear of the procession without saying much.
Su Qingyao, concerned about Xie Cai Ren and being a witness herself, also followed behind instead of returning directly to her palace with Consort Sun.
When they reached Jinxiu Palace, perhaps frightened by the grand procession, the Junior Eunuch guarding the gate was startled. He hastily welcomed them in before rushing to the main hall to report – clearly going to inform Consort Yi.
Consort Shun glanced toward the main hall, her expression growing increasingly unpleasant.
Upon returning to the eastern side hall of Jinxiu Palace, the medicine from the imperial hospital arrived just in time. After two bowls of medicine were administered, the medical maid instructed Xie Cai Ren’s palace maid to bathe and change her clothes.
While the bedchamber buzzed with activity, the outer reception hall remained utterly silent.
Consort Shun didn’t take the main seat directly, instead calmly settling into a secondary position. Su Qingyao and Zhao Jieyu exchanged glances before sitting opposite each other in the lower seats, neither speaking.
Consort Sun remained standing behind Su Qingyao, appearing somewhat restrained.
The atmosphere grew tense for a moment, but Su Qingyao calmly drank her tea, completely unruffled. Those who should be panicking now were likely others.
Sure enough, within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Consort Yi arrived in haste.
Everyone rose to pay respects to Consort Yi, who naturally took the main seat. Her eyes fixed directly on Consort Shun as she said: Sister Consort Shun, please explain what exactly happened here.
That she immediately questioned Consort Shun among all those present clearly indicated she already knew the general outline of events.
When Su Qingyao had asked earlier, Consort Shun could remain silent. But now that Consort Yi had spoken, she had no choice but to respond.
Su Qingyao watched as Consort Shun’s face darkened further, yet she still managed to briefly recount the incident to Consort Yi. Her account was quite clever – she absolved both herself and Zhao Jieyu of responsibility. Since there had been no one else nearby when the incident occurred, naturally no one could provide a different version of events.
Consort Yi listened impassively, her usually bright and lively face now lacking its customary cheerfulness, appearing quite displeased.
This was understandable. Regardless of her relationship with Xie Cai Ren, any incident involving Xie Cai Ren would reflect poorly on her as the presiding consort, so she naturally had little patience for Consort Shun.
Oh? Consort Yi finally spoke after hearing the account. According to your version, Sister Xie simply had an accident through her own carelessness?
Consort Shun paused, then gritted her teeth and said, Consort Xian, at that time, I truly did not pay much attention. In the blink of an eye, Sister Xie had already fallen into the pond. I have never witnessed such a scene before—I was frightened out of my wits. If there were any oversights, it was only due to my inexperience and excessive panic.
She no longer dared to address Consort Yi as sister, instead respectfully calling her Your Highness. Yet Consort Yi remained relentless.
Our palace has had ill fortune this year, Consort Yi said with a darkened expression. Sister Xie was perfectly fine, yet she met with misfortune after just a visit to the Imperial Garden. My heart aches deeply, and if my words have been unpleasant, I ask for your forgiveness.
With things put so plainly, how could Consort Shun not forgive her?
Su Qingyao watched as Consort Shun tightly gripped her teacup, bowing her head to hide her expression. Whether intentional or not, she had been present when the incident occurred, and she would inevitably be implicated. There was no escaping it.
Consort Shun clearly understood this. Instead of pleading in the face of Consort Yi’s questioning, she responded indifferently.
After all, it was not Consort Yi who held ultimate authority in the palace. The final decision rested with the Empress Dowager. Any tears shed would be most effective in front of Her Majesty.
Seeing her remain silent, Consort Yi glanced at Zhao Jieyu. Zhao Jieyu had always kept a low profile, much like Consort Shun, and the two were known to be close. As Consort Shun stayed quiet, Zhao Jieyu also remained silent.
Consort Yi snorted coldly and took a sip of tea.
She did not bother to look at Su Qingyao again. Since Su Qingyao had not been present during the incident, questioning her would be futile.
After pondering for a moment, Consort Yi turned back to Consort Shun. I heard that Senior Grand Secretary Feng is about to retire. The old Master has served the nation loyally for forty years, dedicating himself entirely. Even His Majesty is reluctant to let him go.
This Senior Grand Secretary Feng had served through three reigns. He was a trusted confidant of Chu Shaoyuan’s grandfather, assisting Emperor Liping and later Emperor Shen. Even in the Jianyuan era, he remained steadfast.
By age, he should have retired seven or eight years earlier. However, Emperor Shen was gravely ill at the time, and the Crown Prince was young. The Empress Dowager pleaded earnestly, and the old Master reluctantly stayed on, loyally supporting the young Crown Prince.
With him in court, the officials dared not stir up trouble.
Hearing Consort Yi suddenly mention Senior Grand Secretary Feng, Su Qingyao felt a stir in her heart.
This Senior Grand Secretary Feng was renowned as a capable minister. He achieved the top honors in the imperial examinations in his twenties, earning fame as a talented scholar. He then spent ten years in the Hanlin Academy compiling books, only to be reused by Emperor Liping after his ascension, directly entering the Hall of Literary Profundity as a Grand Secretary.
Yet in her previous life, Chu Shaoyuan had been so reluctant to part with the old Master that he kept him in court. Around the sixth year of Jianyuan, the old Master, exhausted from overwork, suddenly fell ill while on duty at the Hall of Literary Profundity and passed away.
Because of this, Chu Shaoyuan had suspended court for three days to honor the old Master’s loyalty.
Why, in this life, was the old Master retiring early? Su Qingyao was puzzled but maintained a calm expression, as if she understood nothing of what Consort Yi was saying.
However, Consort Shun’s face had turned pale.
Consort Yi was clearly implying that, due to conflicts in the imperial court, Consort Shun had targeted Xie Cai Ren and could not escape blame.
Forcing a smile, Consort Shun said, Your Highness worries too much. How could we women of the inner palace understand court affairs? Even if we vaguely know something, there is nothing we can do about it.
Her meaning was clear: matters of the household and court affairs had little to do with palace consorts. Even if she had been capable of killing Xie Cai Ren at that moment, could it have secured her family a seat in the Hall of Literary Profundity?
Consort Yi, however, was not so easily fooled. She retorted, If one less woman served as a consort in the palace, what do you suppose the outcome would be?
Her words struck at the heart of the matter, and the atmosphere instantly turned cold. Despite the sweltering summer heat, the main hall felt like early winter, sending chills down one’s spine.
This was the first time Su Qingyao had witnessed Consort Yi’s anger. Unlike the previous occasion, this time Consort Yi displayed an unyielding, relentless demeanor. Consort Shun was no match for her in argument and hung her head, not daring to speak further.
Every word Consort Shun uttered was met with a sharp retort from Consort Yi, making the situation increasingly unpleasant.
Fortunately, Physician Zhang emerged from the bedchamber at that moment. After paying his respects, he reported, In reply to Consort Yi, Consort Shun, Zhao Jieyu, and the two Junior Mistresses, Xie Cai Ren has been settled and is out of danger.
Consort Yi raised an eyebrow. Are you certain you examined her thoroughly?
Physician Zhang paused briefly, hesitating for a moment before responding, In reply to Your Highness, it is currently midsummer, and the pond water is not cold. The Talented Lady did not suffer from chill. However, she was in the water for some time and experienced fright, leading to symptoms of convulsions and insomnia. She will require about half a month of Tranquility Soup to fully recover.
Upon hearing that Xie Cai Ren was not seriously harmed, Consort Yi breathed a slight sigh of relief. But learning that she needed medication for half a month saddened her again.
She said, My poor sister, I wonder what misfortune she has provoked to suffer such a great ordeal. We must bring this to the Empress Dowager for judgment—we cannot let her endure this humiliation without clarification.
Physician Zhang immediately lowered his head, pretending he had heard nothing.
It was clear Consort Yi intended to use this incident as leverage. No matter what Consort Shun said now, it would be useless, so she refrained from further argument.
Zhao Jieyu, however, grew anxious at the mention of the Empress Dowager and stammered, Consort Yi, please do not be angry. It is almost time for the evening meal. Perhaps we could… wait until tomorrow to disturb Her Majesty?
Consort Yi glanced at her and sneered, Do you think Her Majesty will not inquire if we do not go to her? How naive.
To be honest, Su Qingyao still disliked Consort Yi because of the previous incident. But today, seeing her eloquence leave Consort Shun and Zhao Jieyu gasping for breath, she found it somewhat amusing.
However, as it was getting late, Consort Yi, despite her relentless words, knew they could not casually disturb the Empress Dowager. They would have to wait for her summons to present their case.
Thus, she had no desire to keep this room full of outsiders any longer. After Physician Zhang prescribed the medicine, she dismissed everyone: You may all return.
Su Qingyao did not hesitate. She rose, paid her respects, and led Consort Sun out.
On their way back, Consort Sun whispered, Will Her Majesty intervene? I wonder how Xie Cai Ren is faring.
Su Qingyao patted her hand and said softly, This is different from last time—it’s a matter of life and death. Look at how that railing suddenly broke. Such a thick log couldn’t have been snapped by someone as frail as Sister Xie. It was clearly done by human hands.
Hearing this, Consort Sun trembled in fear.
Su Qingyao knew she was timid, but the truth needed to be spoken.
Speaking of which, quite a few people went to the Imperial Garden today—including us, there were five in total. That railing might not have been targeting only Sister Xie.
Whether it was intentional or not, the fact remains that Xie Cai Ren was the one who fell into the water. That is precisely why Consort Yi seized upon this incident, determined to make life difficult for Consort Shun.
Upon returning to Azure Cloud Palace, the two went their separate ways.
Su Qingyao entered her bedchamber and sat down, frowning. Since her rebirth, she had found palace affairs increasingly perplexing and impossible to decipher clearly.
She had once believed she understood everything perfectly—with absolute clarity and insight.
Yet the facts before her now revealed that in her previous life, she had comprehended nothing and seen nothing for what it truly was.
Su Qingyao sighed and was about to call for dinner before retiring for the night when she looked up and saw Liuqin enter with a smile.
Junior Mistress, someone from Qian Yuan Palace has come to summon you for Imperial bedchamber service.
Su Qingyao couldn’t help but sigh again.
Well then, before Empress Dowager even arrives, His Majesty wishes to question me first.
What should she say when she reaches Qian Yuan Palace later?
Author’s Note:
His Majesty: I’ve been stuck in these side stories all along.
Talented Lady Su: If you don’t behave, even your side story appearances will be cut. Comrade, you must work harder.
His Majesty: …I’ll strive to improve…