Little Palace Maid Desires a Higher Seat of Honor - Chapter 100

Chapter 100: Bitter Medicine Is Good for Health

As autumn gradually cooled, the clothing of the women in the palace grew heavier. When Yun Si went to pay her respects, she also had to drape a cloak over her shoulders.
Osmanthus blossoms drifted down, adding a touch of withered chill to the palace’s beauty.

The people in the palace had very short memories.

After the Eldest Prince moved to the Princes’ Quarters, no one discussed the matter of Yihe Palace anymore, or rather, at certain times, the people in the palace were smarter than anyone else, knowing how to protect themselves.

After Consort De fell seriously ill, Tan Yuanchu had not entered the inner palace for three or four days.

Consort De of Yihe Palace had waited a long time, shut away in a hall no one visited. Each day, aside from meals, not a single person spoke to her. Whether she ate or not, no one inquired. After three or four days, Consort De finally realized she was afraid.

That day, the hall doors were opened again. Consort De originally thought it would be palace servants bringing her food.

But when she looked up, she saw Lu Yuan, one of the Emperor’s personal attendants.

Consort De’s heart gave a sudden lurch. She quickly raised her head, her gaze falling on the medicine bowl carried by the person behind Lu Yuan. In that instant, all her calm shattered completely.

She cried out in horror. “What are you going to do?!”

Lu Yuan bowed his head respectfully. “Your Ladyship is ill. This servant has brought you medicine.”

A chill of terror shot through Consort De. She stared at the medicine bowl as if it contained wolves and tigers bent on her life, her whole body turning cold. She shook her head violently.

“No! I am not ill! I am not ill!”

Consort De knew very well what kind of medicine was in that bowl.
Medicine to heal her?

What a joke!

She wasn’t sick, why should she drink medicine?

Consort De shook her head. “I am not ill! I want to see His Majesty! I want to see the Eldest Prince!”

Lu Yuan sighed. “Your Ladyship, bitter medicine is good for health. You must take it promptly so you can recover faster.”

When he finished speaking, Lu Yuan knew there was no hope of Consort De cooperating obediently. He glanced at the palace servants, and they immediately stepped forward to hold her down. Someone grasped her chin and prepared to force the medicine down her throat.

Consort De struggled desperately in horror, but how could a pampered mistress possibly break free from the restraint of several palace servants?

Tears were forced from the corners of her eyes, and the bitter taste of the medicine filled her mouth. Her voice was laced entirely with terror.

“No—!”

Lu Yuan did not spare her disheveled state a glance, merely lowering his head respectfully.

When the bowl of medicine was finally forced down, the palace servants around her withdrew. The hall was dimly lit, and Consort De could not clearly see their faces, she only felt they were all executioners. One hand clutching her throat, she coughed frantically, but nothing came back up.

She collapsed to the floor in a wretched heap, even more disheveled than Yun Si had been that day in the temporary palace when Tan Yuanchu had pulled her from the lake.

No one comforted her.

Lu Yuan cupped his hands respectfully toward her. “This servant takes his leave.”

Whether it was her imagination or not, Consort De felt certain the medicine was not an instantly fatal poison, but her whole body was cold.

She was sure that if this happened two more times, she would be dead!

The Emperor was serious, he truly meant to take her life!

He wouldn’t care in the least about the Eldest Prince!

As Lu Yuan turned to leave, Consort De suddenly lifted her head, her voice hoarse,

“I want to see His Majesty!”

Lu Yuan answered truthfully, “His Majesty is occupied with state affairs and likely has no time to see Your Ladyship.”

Consort De only gave a mocking laugh, like a venomous snake that had been hiding in the dark and finally revealed itself. She laughed lowly, her body trembling slightly from it.

Lu Song had betrayed her.

And there was only one person who could have made Lu Song betray her.

“The Emperor refuses to see me because he thinks I have disgraced the royal family. But does he really think that the Yun Jieyu he dotes on so much is any better?!”

Lu Yuan’s expression instantly changed. His voice grew cold. “Your Ladyship, mind your words. Yun Jieyu’s noble personage cannot tolerate your slander.”

Consort De merely looked at Lu Yuan without speaking.

Lu Yuan cursed silently in his heart. This Consort De was truly a scourge, was she trying to get them all killed?!

Did she not know that he served by the Emperor’s side at all times, how could he not be aware of His Majesty’s feelings toward Yun Jieyu?

Qi Guipin had nearly ruined Yun Jieyu’s innocence, and now His Majesty was considering who should care for the little princess.
Qi Guipin still felt bewildered to this day, not even understanding why the Emperor had treated her so ruthlessly.

No matter how cold His Majesty could be, he had, indeed, truly developed feelings for Yun Jieyu.

If Yun Jieyu were merely slandered, it would be one thing, but if what Consort De said turned out to be true, then what good end could await those of them who knew His Majesty’s affections had been misplaced?

Lu Yuan looked at Consort De, no longer able to maintain a respectful demeanor.
Cursing her as a troublemaker in his heart, he hurriedly led the palace servants out of Yihe Palace.

Xu Shunfu was guarding the palace gates, and from a distance, he saw Lu Yuan returning with a troubled expression.
Perplexed, he asked, “What happened?”

Lu Yuan’s lips twisted bitterly, and he repeated Consort De’s words to Xu Shunfu.

Xu Shunfu’s face darkened, and he couldn’t help but curse in a low voice, “Is she trying to drag everyone down with her to die?!”

No matter what Consort De intended to do, Xu Shunfu didn’t have the guts to not report this matter.

Inside the Yangxin Hall, only a single candle was lit, its dim glow casting shallow light. Tan Yuanchu sat before the imperial desk, leaning over to write something, the atmosphere in the hall indescribably cold and still.

Xu Shunfu pushed open the door and entered quietly, treading lightly. He carried a cup of tea, replacing the cooled tea on the imperial desk before respectfully lowering his voice.

“Your Majesty, Lu Yuan has returned.”

Tan Yuanchu’s brush paused mid-stroke. In the end, without even raising his head, he responded with a tone neither warm nor cold.

Xu Shunfu knew that His Majesty had been busy these past few days.

Saying “execute Consort De” was easy, but the aftermath left quite a mess. Qi Guipin had just been demoted, and finding a proper place for the little princess had already left His Majesty somewhat worn out, now there was also the matter of the Eldest Prince.

From ancient times, the principle of appointing an heir was to favor the eldest and the legitimate son. Since the Empress had long remained without child, the Eldest Prince’s standing in court was not insignificant.

Finding a place for the little princess was difficult, finding one for the Eldest Prince would be even harder.

When Xu Shunfu stood still for too long, Tan Yuanchu sensed something was wrong. He raised his head to see Xu Shunfu holding the cup of tea with a tangled expression, looking as if he wanted to speak but hesitated.

Tan Yuanchu set down his brush. Since Lu Yuan had just returned from Yihe Palace, the only person who could make Xu Shunfu act this way was Consort De.
Tan Yuanchu’s tone was indifferent. “What is it?”

Xu Shunfu, still holding the teacup, dropped to his knees with a thud after hearing the question. Yet the teacup in his hands was held so steadily that not a single drop spilled.

Seeing this, Tan Yuanchu realized whatever Xu Shunfu was about to say could not be good news. A cold glint flashed in his eyes.

Xu Shunfu swallowed before stammering out Consort De’s request.

After a long silence, the stillness of the hall was suddenly shattered by the muffled crash of jade hitting the ground and breaking. Even Lu Yuan, waiting outside, couldn’t help shrinking his neck.

Tan Yuanchu’s expression was emotionless as he let out a cold, soft scoff.

“How many lives does she think she has to squander?”

Xu Shunfu kept his head lowered to the ground, not daring to breathe, inwardly resenting Consort De, she only ever caused trouble for others!

Yet Xu Shunfu had to admit, Consort De was clever.

She could see whom the Emperor cared about, so the moment she struck, she aimed straight for the vital point. Her words hinted that Yun Jieyu had been involved with another man. No matter how much the Emperor disliked her, he would still go to see her one more time.

—

The day waned, the setting sun leaving only a faint afterglow, red clouds tinting the sky.

That day, Tan Yuanchu still did not enter the harem.

Or rather, not exactly.

In the stillness of the late night, the gates of Yihe Palace opened. Consort De heard movement and suddenly opened her eyes. She climbed down from her bed, there were no attendants in the hall, no one to help her wash and dress.

Wanting to maintain her last shred of dignity, she would dress herself every day, but after days without bathing, her black hair seemed coated with a heavy layer of grease, no matter how she tried to tidy it, it was in vain.

The doors of the hall swung open, and under the pale moonlight, Consort De met the gaze of the newcomer, eyes utterly devoid of emotion.

She froze for a moment.

She had never imagined she would one day fall so low, nor that meeting the Emperor would happen under such circumstances.

The hall was dim.
Xu Shunfu entered carrying a lantern, lighting the candles, then quickly left with Lu Yuan and the others.

The doors closed with a creak, leaving only two people in the hall, silence hanging heavy.

Consort De knelt on the floor, raising her head to look at Tan Yuanchu.

Suddenly, she asked, “If this concubine had not mentioned Yun Jieyu today, would Your Majesty still have come to see me?”

Tan Yuanchu did not even lift his eyelids.

“Stop talking nonsense.”

He had not come to listen to Consort De speak of such meaningless things.

But though he had no desire to hear them, from his attitude she could already see her inevitable fate. Without humoring him by stopping, she gave a self-mocking laugh.

“This concubine had originally intended to beg Your Majesty to spare my life.”

As long as she lived, there would always be a chance to turn things around.

But now she understood, the Emperor would never let her walk out of Yihe Palace alive. To plead for mercy again would only humiliate herself.

Consort De’s face turned cold.
Facing death, she no longer cared if she offended the Emperor.

Her family?
The Emperor would not touch them.
At least not in the short term. The Crown Prince was still young; the Emperor would surely keep the Zhou family around to inspire caution in others, thus protecting the Crown Prince.

He might be cold to his consorts, but toward his children, he was full of affection and care.

Seeing her like this, Tan Yuanchu frowned.

But Consort De did not look at him. The moonlight from outside fell upon her, making her disheveled state even more apparent. Her face was calm, and when she spoke of her crimes, it was only as a plain statement.

“You despise this concubine for having an affair with a palace servant, for bringing shame to the royal family, and you cannot wait to rid yourself of me.”

At this, Consort De suddenly gave a low laugh, filled with indescribable mockery, though it was unclear at whom it was directed.

“You have your three palaces and six courts, and you favor a different consort each day, never repeating in a month. But do you remember how many times you have come to this concubine’s palace in the past month?”

Tan Yuanchu naturally had never bothered to keep track of such things, and he looked at her coldly.

Consort De’s lips curled in derision as she gave him the answer: “At most, three times; at least, not even once. Out of the three hundred sixty-five days in a year, Your Majesty has come to this concubine’s palace only twenty or thirty days in total. And yet, somehow, I am still considered to be rather well-favored.”

Tan Yuanchu’s movement paused; at last, he was willing to lift his eyes to her.

“There are many in this palace who never see the Emperor’s face even once in their whole lives. Your Majesty, do you know how many concubines in this harem are like this concubine?”

She was asking him, or perhaps, she was mocking him.

The coldness in Tan Yuanchu’s eyes deepened. “Consort De, you are being impudent.”

Though he spoke of impudence, his tone was indifferent, lacking any strong emotion.

“Do you not realize that, for these words alone, I could execute your entire clan?”

Consort De could not detect any anger in his tone. She suddenly lifted her head and looked at Tan Yuanchu, and sure enough, she did not see the expected fury on his face. For a moment, she felt she could no longer see through the emperor before her.

“You…”

Tan Yuanchu looked at this Consort De, to whom he had granted honor for so long. His brows and eyes held a faint, emotionless calm, and his voice carried no discernible feeling:

“Consort De, you must understand, people are not all the same.”

He had grown up in the palace since childhood; it was not as if he was unaware of the circumstances of the women within it. It was simply that some matters did not need to be brought to the table.

The buying and selling of concubines, widows remarrying, these were commonplace in this dynasty.

The records of the Jingshi House regarding which concubines attended the emperor’s bed existed only to prevent confusion of the imperial bloodline.

As for the concubines he never laid eyes on, he had no concern for what they did in private. They were destined to spend the rest of their lives in the palace, and Consort De had misunderstood one thing: even if these women felt lonely, they would not dare go too far, after all, not everyone was unafraid of bringing disaster upon their families.

Tan Yuanchu looked at her, his tone faint yet laced with a touch of mockery.

“You are the mother of a prince. Some things, even if others may do them, you cannot.”

Consort De caught the unspoken meaning in his words, and in an instant, all color drained from her face.

After a long silence, she closed her eyes, her voice hoarse.

“Lu Song… he once worked together with Yun Si in the Heyi Hall. He and Yun Si knew each other from before, outside the palace…”

“If Your Majesty does not believe this concubine, you may send someone to investigate, they could not possibly be completely clean.”

She did not care whether Yun Si and Lu Song were truly innocent; even if they were, that could not shield them from the suspicion of those in power.

“Does Your Majesty truly believe that someone literate and capable of writing would enter the palace only to become a mutilated slave?”

Naturally, it was because he sought something.

Consort De lowered her head, hiding the cold malice in her eyes. Even if she was going to die, she intended to drag a few others to the grave with her.

Could Lu Song really think that after betraying her, she would allow him to go on living?