Little Palace Maid Desires a Higher Seat of Honor - Chapter 110

Chapter 110: Consort De Has Passed

Tan Yuanchu had always known he could hardly be considered an upright, abstinent gentleman. If he were, he would never have become entangled with Yun Si back when she was still in the Heyi Hall—

—behind Lu Pin’s back.

In the dim hall, he had caressed the woman’s cheek, the skin beneath his fingertips fine and smooth. She had stood there, tense and flustered, her apricot eyes brimming with unshed moisture, on the verge of bending her knees.

How to put it, she was only tender and affectionate toward him before she had achieved success.

When Lu Pin was still present, this connection between them had seemed, on the surface, to be his initiative, but in truth she had always, subtly, wound herself around him.

In the past, Tan Yuanchu could restrain himself, even knowing the woman harbored other motives toward him.

But once she had gained rank, it was plain to see she gradually grew perfunctory.

She was very clear-minded, now that she was pregnant, as long as she safely delivered the imperial heir, even if his feelings for her changed in the future, she would still be granted extra favor, just as it had been with Consort De and Qi Guipin.

She had achieved her goal, and thus he became less important.

In the hall, lit only by a single candle, the light was dim. Tan Yuanchu sat with his eyes closed, his expression unreadable. The defined joints of his fingers tapped lightly against the desk, sending a slow yet heavy rhythm through the room.

No one knew what Tan Yuanchu thought about that night.

His gaze gradually fell to a corner of the hall.
The room was silent, but his eyes were deep.

At some point, the pot of white magnolias in the Yangxin Hall had been replaced with camellias. The pale moonlight spilled over the white blooms, filling them with a delicate, captivating grace.

Camellias bloomed in the tenth month.

And it was now the tenth month.

—

Yun Si made another trip to the Yangxin Hall, but her feelings over the camellia matter had already faded somewhat.

Until the next day at morning greetings, when she noticed that everyone’s attention was on her, their words and hints all laced with envy over Tan Yuanchu’s favor toward her.

She endured half an hour of these sour remarks, and when the greeting ended, the Empress glanced at her and said, shaking her head.

“The early months of pregnancy are delicate. You need not come to pay respects every day.”

Yun Si’s lashes quivered as she caught the meaning behind the Empress’s words. For the first time, outside Chu’an Palace, she let her hand rest lightly on her lower abdomen.
After a moment, she bowed.

“Your servant understands.”

Pregnancy was a good thing, and being in favor was a good thing, but for the moment, she was the only one in the harem who enjoyed favor, and the only one who was pregnant. That was not necessarily a good thing.

All eyes would be on her.

When Yun Si returned to Chu’an Palace, the first thing she did was send Qiu Yuan to the Jingshi House to have her green tally removed. By rights, once her pregnancy had been confirmed, the green tally should have been taken down, but since neither the Emperor nor the Empress had given the order, it had remained hanging in the Jingshi House all this time.

To be pregnant and still hold on to a spot for the bedchamber, that was bound to invite resentment.

Tan Yuanchu had ordered Imperial Physician Lin to oversee this pregnancy specifically. Yun Si summoned Imperial Physician Lin to Chu’an Palace, had him inspect every part of the palace thoroughly, and after confirming there were no issues, she sent Song Fu to Kunning Palace to request leave from morning greetings.

Once everything was arranged, Yun Si stood in the covered corridor, looking toward Chu’an Palace’s main gates, as two palace attendants, one on each side, closed them shut.

The red passageway was sealed from sight, and Yun Si pressed her lips together lightly.

By the time word spread, everything was already settled. No one had expected her to voluntarily retreat to Chu’an Palace at such a time. Some felt relieved, without Yun Si, their chances of serving in the bedchamber increased considerably, but there were also those who, almost imperceptibly, frowned.

Everyone’s thoughts were different.

Inside Chu’an Palace, all was peaceful. Yun Si prepared to focus entirely on resting and nourishing the pregnancy. When the news reached the imperial presence, Tan Yuanchu merely paused for a moment before saying lightly,

“Good.”

Outside Chu’an Palace, the white camellias were in full bloom.

Unfortunately, the one who ought to have seen the sight happened to miss it entirely.

Yun Si’s decision to rest peacefully did not mean everyone else was content to see it happen.

Under the surface, the palace was seething with hidden currents.

In Yihe Palace, palace attendants stood guard outside. Consort De lay on the bed; since her illness had worsened, she had been forcibly made to drink medicine sent from before the throne three times, her body growing weaker by the day, to the point where she could hardly leave her bed now.

Consort De knew in her heart, she did not have long to live.

After marrying into the Prince’s mansion, she had done many things. For instance, regarding the Empress, she had always believed the Empress would be the one to go before her.

When that time came, the position of Empress would be hers for the taking.

But the affairs of the world were full of irony, no one could ever calculate everything without flaw.

Consort De was seized by a violent coughing fit. She had been waiting in Yihe Palace for a long time, thinking the Empress would come to kick her while she was down. Yet now, with so little time left, she still had not seen the Empress.

A flush of sickly color stained Consort De’s cheeks. Thinking of the Empress, she pulled at her lips in a sarcastic smile.

This Empress of theirs truly had a Bodhisattva’s heart.

Even after being betrayed, she could still soften so easily.

Truly, she never learned her lesson.

While Consort De was still coughing, the doors of the hall were pushed open. A palace maid entered, her face also pale. Upon coming in, she knelt and said quietly,

“Your Ladyship, Su Jieyu has sent word again.”

All she wanted was for Su Jieyu to establish a solid network of influence in the palace.

Consort De gave a cold laugh, forcing out her words with difficulty. “Truly… cough cough… so impatient, such a temper… cough, cough, cough…”

Pan Qiu looked at her mistress in worry. Anyone from outside who saw her now would instantly realize she was already at the point of burning the last drop of oil from her lamp.

“Then… will Your Ladyship agree to Su Jieyu’s request?”

Consort De closed her eyes.

“…Of course.”

She wouldn’t live much longer anyway, so naturally she wanted the harem to descend into complete chaos.

Su Jieyu had grievances with Yun Si, once Su Jieyu had capable people at her disposal, she would never let Yun Si off.

Consort De and Yun Si actually had no personal enmity, but it just so happened that Yun Si was pregnant with the imperial heir at this time. Before her own death, she had to lay the road properly for her Shu’er.

Pan Qiu didn’t understand. “Then why has Your Ladyship delayed giving Su Jieyu an answer?”

Consort De’s voice was edged with sarcastic coldness.

“I… don’t trust her.”

It wasn’t that she didn’t believe Su Jieyu’s words, but that she didn’t believe in her ability.

Su Jieyu?
Just a fool, she couldn’t even read the situation as clearly as Qi Guipin. Expecting her to topple Yun Si would be quicker done in a dream.

Consort De was suddenly seized by a violent coughing fit. She clutched at the bedclothes, the veins on the backs of her hands standing out as her whole body shook violently, the pain plain to the eye.

Pan Qiu was horrified.

It was a long time before Consort De calmed.

A bright splash of red had fallen to the floor.

Consort De stared at it, knowing full well that her end was near. Even if she dragged it out, it wouldn’t be for long.

But she still didn’t trust Su Jieyu.

Her eyes narrowed as she suddenly turned to Pan Qiu.

“…After I die… are you willing… to serve at the Eldest Prince’s side?”

Consort De was no fool, once she was gone, no one in Yihe Palace would be spared. Tan Yuanchu would never truly allow so many people who knew royal scandals to live.

The only way for Pan Qiu to survive was to send her to serve the Eldest Prince.

Pan Qiu’s eyes reddened. “This servant would rather follow Your Ladyship to the grave.”

She and Gui Qiu had entered the Prince’s Mansion with her mistress. After the Eldest Prince was born, she had been assigned to serve at his side, but when upheaval struck Yihe Palace and the prince was sent to the princes’ quarters, Pan Qiu, unable to set her mind at ease, had begged to remain with her mistress.

Consort De’s voice was weak. “Don’t say foolish things.

“You must live… and protect Shu’er for me…”

Pan Qiu couldn’t hold back her sobs.

A flash of viciousness lit Consort De’s eyes as she said with difficulty, “Hand over the people… to Su Jieyu… and before… have her… go find… Qi Guipin…”

Pan Qiu lifted her head, eyes still red, and asked in confusion, “She was demoted because of Your Ladyship, would she still listen to you?”

Consort De’s lips curled.

Qi Guipin was nothing but a fool. She wouldn’t believe her words, but could she bear to give up the Emperor, or the little princess?

She couldn’t bear it, so she would inevitably take the risk again.

Why should Yun Si be able to rise without obstruction from the moment she appeared?

In the past, Consort De hadn’t known. Now she faintly had her suspicions.
She spoke in a low voice, “Remember this… no matter what Su Jieyu wants to do… you must follow my instructions…”

She trusted only herself.

Su Jieyu wanted her network?

That was the only thing she could leave for Shu’er. How dare Su Jieyu covet it?!

Let’s see, would Su Jieyu get what she wanted, or would she end up as the blade wielded after Consort De’s death?

Consort De’s low, cold laughter filled the hall. Pan Qiu said nothing for a long time, wiping her tears. She was not a clever woman, but she had always been loyal, and had always known her mistress was a clever one.

Therefore, she only needed to do exactly as Her Ladyship instructed, no one could be allowed to become an obstacle to the Eldest Prince!

As the twelfth month drew near, after a long period of silence, shocking news suddenly came from Yihe Palace—

Consort De had passed away.

The news arrived at night, spreading through the entire harem in less than an hour. Everyone was stunned; no one had expected that Consort De would die so quietly in Yihe Palace.

She was, after all, the only concubine with an imperial son under her knee.

Chu’an Palace might have shut its doors to visitors, but that did not mean news couldn’t get in. Yun Si was woken in the middle of the night by Qiu Yuan; still groggy with sleep, she was jolted fully awake by the news Qiu Yuan brought.

“What?!”

She had long known that Consort De would eventually succumb to illness, yet when that day truly came, she couldn’t help her surprise.

Yun Si sat straight up at once. Qiu Yuan didn’t try to stop her and instead brought clothes over to help her dress.

“It’s nearly winter. The nights are cold, Your Ladyship should wear more layers.”

After dressing her in a thick palace gown, Qiu Yuan fetched a pale red cloak embroidered with cranes to drape over her shoulders. Once everything was in order, she crouched to put shoes on her mistress before helping her to her feet.

Regardless of anything else, His Majesty had never stripped Consort De of her rank; she still remained a second-rank consort, with her title in the Imperial register and a seal of office. Upon her death, all concubines were required to attend at Yihe Palace.

Song Fu had long since prepared the palanquin and was waiting outside with a lantern.

But when Yun Si saw it, she inexplicably thought of Su Jieyu’s sorry state at that time, and her brows furrowed.

“I won’t take the palanquin.”

In any case, Chu’an Palace was not far from Yihe Palace.

Song Fu said nothing, but since Her Ladyship was pregnant, even without the palanquin she could not simply go out at night with only Qiu Yuan beside her. A Consort of Xiurong’s rank was the same as a Zhaoyi’s, she was served by twelve attendants, not counting the Qu Mama assigned personally by His Majesty. Leaving four people to watch the palace, Song Fu and Qiu Yuan led the remaining six in escorting Yun Si in an imposing procession.

There were people in front and behind, shielding her securely. Even if someone without eyes tried to run into her, they had enough hands to block them.

The palace servants ahead carried lanterns, lighting the path. The night was thick and heavy, nearly impenetrable, and all around came the low murmur of palace staff and concubines whispering. Yun Si kept her eyes on her footing, never once looking at the camellias by the roadside now shrouded in shadow.

When she arrived at Yihe Palace, Tan Yuanchu had not yet come. Inside the hall were only the Empress and a scattering of other concubines.

The palace staff of Yihe Palace knelt in a row, sobbing without pause. Yun Si, having come quickly, happened to catch sight of Consort De before the white cloth was drawn over her. She had grown frighteningly thin, her face deathly pale; the palace gown that had once fit her perfectly now hung loose. It seemed someone had applied makeup, preserving for her the last shred of dignity.

When the white cloth came down, Consort De’s face vanished from Yun Si’s sight.

Her lashes trembled faintly. She knew there would never again be another Consort De in this palace.

She cast an almost imperceptible glance toward the Empress, curious to know her thoughts, but when she saw the Empress’s expression, she couldn’t help pausing.

The Empress’s eyes held very little emotion, no joy, no sorrow, only a faint, hidden daze.

Before Yun Si could look again, the rest of the concubines began to arrive. The hall grew noisy, and Yun Si withdrew her gaze. Feeling somewhat unwell, she gave a slight frown, and Qiu Yuan carefully guided her a little way toward a quieter spot.

It seemed Yun Si caught the faint scent of blood, stirring a vague nausea within her.

Glancing around, she happened to see a spot of crimson that had not yet been cleaned away inside the hall.
Almost imperceptibly, she looked away.

Yihe Palace had once cultivated a bed of peonies.

It was said that while she lived, Consort De had been very fond of peonies.
Peonies resembled tree peonies, and when Yun Si lifted her gaze toward them, she found herself unable to tell at a glance whether these were truly peonies or tree peonies, or perhaps a few tree peony plants had been mixed in.
She could not be sure whether Consort De had truly liked peonies or had simply regarded them as tree peonies.

All the concubines were crowding toward the main hall, and Yun Si, having yielded her place, stood on the veranda, her gaze absently falling on the peonies.

Their fragrance was faint, drifting bit by bit into her breath with the cool breeze.

Only now did Tan Yuanchu finally arrive. As soon as he stepped inside, he caught sight of the woman standing on the veranda. She seemed a little distracted and had not noticed him; the pale moonlight fell over her, “The moon rises bright; the fair one shines.”

Someone spotted him and called out, “Your Majesty!”

Yun Si abruptly came back to herself. She turned her head toward the direction of the hall doors, meeting Tan Yuanchu’s gaze head-on.
Their eyes met, and Yun Si made as if to curtsy, but was stopped by him.

“Did I not tell you, you needn’t bow to me?”

Yun Si tilted her head to look at him, her voice soft.
“I’m afraid if I grow used to it, I might truly forget the rules someday.”

Tan Yuanchu’s tone was calm.

“There are very few people to whom you must bow.”

Yun Si was taken aback, for a moment not understanding what he meant, or perhaps she understood but found it impossible to believe.

Was he saying that even if she forgot the rules, it wouldn’t matter?

No one explained.
All around them, concubines and palace staff knelt in a circle. Tan Yuanchu turned toward the shrouded figure in the hall, pausing briefly before saying in a mild voice,

“Rise.”

His tone was so even and indifferent that for a time no one could tell whether he felt anything at all, yet they all fell quiet at once.

Standing behind him, Yun Si saw the somber expressions on many of the concubines’ faces and guessed they thought him too cold-blooded. She lifted a hand to her lips.

The veranda was airy, and the fragrance of flowers kept threading into her nose with every breath. Whether from standing too long in the breeze or breathing too much of the scent, Yun Si began to feel a little unwell. She gave a faint frown and turned to leave, only to nearly collide with a palace maid behind her.

The maid started as well, nearly dropping the basin she was carrying.

Yun Si, startled, patted her chest to calm herself. The maid was about to kneel and beg pardon, but Yun Si stopped her.
Her glance fell on the basin in the maid’s hands; faintly, it carried an unpleasant scent of blood.

She understood immediately, this was the basin used just now for Consort De’s laying out. Pregnant as she was, Yun Si had some aversion to objects touched by the dead, and she stepped back slightly in distaste.

“I’m fine. Go on.”

The maid breathed a sigh of relief, gratitude flashing across her face as she hurried away.

There were people to tend the body, and as Consort De was not the Empress, there was no need for concubines to keep vigil. As soon as Tan Yuanchu arrived, he coldly ordered everyone to disperse.

Yun Si was about to turn to leave when she was stopped by the newly arrived Xu Shunfu.

“Your Ladyship, His Majesty says he will accompany you back.”

The imperial carriage was waiting outside Yi He Palace. Yun Si had only waited a moment before footsteps came from behind her, and the newcomer took her hand, asking, “Why didn’t you take the palanquin?”

Yun Si blinked, surprised he had noticed even that. She gave an evasive answer:

“The night is deep, I worried the palace attendants might not see the road clearly.”

Tan Yuanchu was silent for a moment, glancing at her with an unreadable expression.

She said she feared the attendants wouldn’t see the road, but as for what she was really worried about, how could Tan Yuanchu not know?

He only tightened his grip on her hand and said quietly, “I’ll take you back.”

The Empress had in fact been only a step behind Tan Yuanchu, but she waited a little before stepping out of Yihe Palace. She looked toward Bai Zhi and asked, “Did you hear what His Majesty just said?”

Bai Zhi, having paid no attention, could only look at her in confusion.

The Empress merely shook her head.

In the past, no matter how much His Majesty favored someone, there was always a trace of casualness in it. Since when had he been so openly close with Xi Xiurong?

A gust of cold wind made her cough lightly, her voice low.

“I chose the right person.”

Bai Zhi was startled. She quickly, cautiously glanced around, and only after confirming there was no one nearby did she finally breathe a sigh of relief. She pulled the collar of the Empress’s robe tighter and said, “Your Highness the night air is cool, let’s return to the palace quickly.”

—

Yun Si was escorted back to Chu’an Palace by Tan Yuanchu. She had thought he would leave once he delivered her, but instead, he walked with her straight into the inner hall.

Only then did she realize that what he had been saying all along was to “accompany” her back, not merely to send her back.

Yun Si felt a slight headache and widened her apricot eyes to ask, “Your Majesty, are you not returning to Yangxin Hall?”

He lifted his eyelids slightly and asked coolly, “Is Xi Xiurong driving me away?”

By now, Yun Si had learned to read Tan Yuanchu’s mood from the way he referred to himself.

She pressed her lips lightly together, her delicate brows knitting faintly as if gathering a trace of sorrow.
In a hesitant, quiet voice, she said, “Consort De has only just passed away. If you were to stay the night in my palace, I fear others might harbor unkind opinions of you.”

Her tone seemed entirely concerned for him, but Tan Yuanchu pinched her waist through her undergarments and said carelessly,
“Let them.”

Yun Si’s apricot eyes widened in silent indignation.

Of course it was easy for him to say, who would dare speak ill of him?
They would only curse her behind her back as a seductress.

She grumbled inwardly.
Truly, he was not easy to fool.

Still, for all her words, when Tan Yuanchu really did stay the night in Chu’an Palace, she accepted it readily enough. She meant to rest and nurture her pregnancy, but that didn’t mean she had to be so timid as to refuse his favor entirely. Otherwise, she might as well have kept hiding in Central Province Hall from the start.

As night deepened, Yun Si nestled into Tan Yuanchu’s embrace, and he naturally wrapped his arms around her, his long fingers resting at the small of her back.

Perhaps from too much time in the cold night air, Yun Si began to feel vaguely unwell.

In the stillness, she buried her face against his neck. Sleepiness tugged at her, yet she could not fall asleep for a long time.

Her brows knitted; she felt listless.

She could not quite say what was wrong, only that her whole body felt uncomfortable. She bit her lip, frowning more tightly in distress.

Whether from pain or drowsiness, she felt muddled, and only after a while did she realize where the pain was coming from.

It was her lower abdomen, sending waves of pain through her.

Once she became aware of it, the pain seemed to intensify. Or perhaps her growing anxiety made it worse. Yun Si felt faint for a moment, her face suddenly draining of color until not a trace of blood remained.

She couldn’t help curling in on herself.

She still remembered Tan Yuanchu at her side and called softly, “Your Majesty…”

Tan Yuanchu was a light sleeper. The moment he heard the sound of her trying to endure pain, he instinctively patted her back, but when his hand came away damp with an icy sweat, he realized something was wrong and woke fully with a start.

The sight that met him was her deathly pale face.

He felt the cold sweat born of pain on her back. She was so overcome that she was barely conscious, tears streaming down her face.

For a moment, Tan Yuanchu’s mind went blank.
“…Yun Si?!”

She did not respond.
His gaze seemed to catch on something, his expression changed abruptly, and his composure shattered as he roared, “Xu Shunfu! Summon the imperial physician!”