"Are you angry?" Jiang Yuan leaned in to look at her and sighed, "How could I truly let you suffer like that?"
Seeing Qi Daiyu still wouldn't speak, he said meaningfully, "News has come from the border. A young officer named Qi Chuchu captured a team of Northern Li scouts. I was just thinking about how to reward him..."
Before he could finish, Qi Daiyu immediately turned to look at him, her eyes sparkling.
"Speaking of which, this young officer shares your surname. Could he be some distant relative of yours?" Jiang Yuan's eyes were filled with amusement.
Qi Daiyu had already thrown herself at him, giving his waist a light pinch. "Your Majesty enjoys teasing your consort!"
Jiang Yuan caught her hand and pulled her into his embrace. "Your temper has grown fiercer lately. How would I dare tease you?" Though he said this, his tone held no trace of anger.
Qi Daiyu, however, felt a twinge of guilt. When she first interacted with the Emperor, she was constantly cautious and fearful, terrified that a single misstep could cost her her head. But as time passed, she realized the emperor was also human, and a rather good-tempered one at that. The limited sense of hierarchy she originally held was occasionally pushed to a corner, manifesting in her words and actions as boldness and willfulness.
And Jiang Yuan, for his part, naturally favored the bold and willful. Qi Daiyu's mannerisms suited his temperament perfectly. Over time, Qi Daiyu sometimes forgot herself, even daring to address Jiang Yuan with the informal "you and I."
Qi Daiyu was like a cat, constantly testing the boundaries set by Jiang Yuan, the master of the palace. The more he indulged her, the bolder she became.
Hearing Jiang Yuan's words now, Qi Daiyu felt a jolt of alarm, reminding herself silently: while affection lasts, a little willfulness is a delight; once affection fades, that same willfulness becomes presumption.
She must constantly remind herself to maintain proper boundaries.
So she nestled obediently in Jiang Yuan's arms. "It's only because Your Majesty indulges me that I dare to be willful."
Jiang Yuan was indeed pleased. He truly liked Qi Daiyu's way of occasionally scratching like a cat without overstepping. She had her own personality and charm, which he found novel and gradually captivating, yet she still held him in awe and never thought of breaking free.
This was where Qi Daiyu differed from the other consorts.
The Empress was dignified and graceful. He regarded her as his wife, bestowing respect and affection, but constrained by her status, she had to conceal her sorrows, joys, angers, and happiness. Sometimes even he couldn't discern her true feelings. Consort Shu wore all her thoughts on her face, but such overt displays of emotion could sometimes feel grating. Consort Zhuang was always smiling, as if nothing could trouble her. Being with her was always lighthearted and joyful. Sadly, the world is unpredictable; Consort Zhuang had already passed away. Concubine Nie was serene and tranquil. Visiting her could calm the most troubled heart; occasionally reading a scroll or playing a game of chess with her was a fine way to relieve weariness.
As for Qi Daiyu, Jiang Yuan sometimes felt she was like a civet cat. When doted on, she would cling sweetly; when neglected, she could still live happily on her own.
Jiang Yuan remembered a period when he deliberately cold-shouldered Qi Daiyu, curious to see her reaction. Yet Qi Daiyu was busy with hotpot and mahjong, enjoying herself immensely every day. It seemed she could live perfectly well even if he never entered her palace again.
To be honest, Jiang Yuan had felt a slight sense of defeat then. He was the Son of Heaven! The Supreme Sovereign!
The consorts of the rear palace all depended on him for their lives. If he didn't visit them for long periods, they would grow melancholic and lament their loneliness. Only Qi Daiyu... she was even more attentive to the Empress than to him...
Jiang Yuan concluded that even if Qi Daiyu was a civet cat, she was one that appeared docile on the surface but was truly wild at heart. This could be seen even in her unrestrained sleeping posture.
Yet such a woman, though infuriating, was also immensely interesting, making him want to conquer her.
To see her become wholly devoted to him.
This was also why Jiang Yuan was willing to favor Qi Daiyu—even though her appearance wasn't originally to his liking.
Perhaps out of habit, he sometimes even thought she was indeed quite beautiful.
A flicker of desire appeared in Jiang Yuan's eyes, but he took no action.
Consort Zhuang had not been gone long. Given her close friendship with Consort Zhuang, she likely had no desire for intimacy with him in the near future.
After composing himself, Jiang Yuan finally spoke: "I know that Qi Chuchu is your elder brother. Qiu Sheng has already promoted him to a personal guard and petitioned to have him appointed as a Loyalty Manifesting Commandant." Fearing she might not understand, Jiang Yuan specifically added, "Rank six, lower grade."
"You have a good elder brother indeed."
Qi Daiyu was so happy she couldn't close her mouth. Military officials indeed rose quickly! Her eldest brother was almost catching up to her nominal father!
"My brother had little success in his early years. No one in the family ever imagined he could achieve this today. This clearly shows that Lord Qiu has a discerning eye for talent and knows how to employ people well, allowing my brother to display his abilities." Qi Daiyu offered a few words of flattery for Qiu Sheng, as he was now Qi Chuchu's direct superior.
"Qiu Sheng's abilities are indeed good. Otherwise, I wouldn't have felt secure sending him to the border. However, he still falls short of the late Duke Zhongzheng's courage and strategic mind..." Mentioning the old Marshal Jiang, Jiang Yuan felt deep regret. The old marshal's reputation alone was a natural deterrent at the border. Qiu Sheng was ultimately not quite his equal.
His gaze suddenly turned profound. Northern Li harbored wolfish ambitions. Even if they sought peace now, once their domestic situation stabilized in a few years, they would likely stir up trouble again. Although the Zhao state was founded on military prowess, these years of recuperation and development across the lands had been led primarily by civil officials. The generals in court were either aged or lacked significant experience, creating a gap between generations.
Last year, considering this situation, Jiang Yuan had specially established military examinations and indeed selected some promising talents, but these individuals still needed experience.
In the coming years, he would deliberately nurture some military commanders.
Thinking of this, Jiang Yuan's eyes inevitably fell on Qi Daiyu's head, a hint of amusement coloring his gaze.
She was indeed fortunate...
If that Qi Chuchu truly had capability, she would have a powerful maternal family in the future.
Spring blossoms and autumn moons passed, and in the blink of an eye, a year had gone by. Si Yu had learned to walk. Her daily routine involved clinging to Qi Daiyu's leg whenever she was about to go for morning greetings, preventing her from leaving.
She didn't cry or make a fuss. She would just hug Qi Daiyu's leg, sitting on the threshold, her eyes blinking as she stared.
That pitiful look was enough to melt anyone's heart.
Shiliu was the least able to withstand the Third Princess's adorable assault, almost blurting out: "Mistress, perhaps you should take leave today?"
In the entire Changchun Palace, only Qi Daiyu could resist Si Yu's cuteness attack.
Ruthlessly, she placed a hand on Si Yu's head. "Be good. Wait for me to return."
She pulled her leg free and left.
On the way to Kunning Palace, she encountered Consort Li—during the recently passed New Year's banquet, the Emperor had conducted a major round of promotions. Nie Zhiyu, having given birth to the Third Prince, was promoted to Concubine He. Consort Li was promoted to Consort Li, Wei Chaorong was promoted to Concubine, Ye Qiong was promoted to Concubine, Feng Qi was promoted to Consort, and the other Attendants and Beauties were also promoted one rank within their original categories.
"Her Majesty the Empress has summoned everyone today without fail. Do you know what it's about?" Consort Li walked side by side with Qi Daiyu. Knowing that Qi Daiyu was close to the Empress, she figured asking her was sure to yield an answer.
Qi Daiyu didn't state it directly, only saying, "This is the seventh year of the Yanli reign."
Consort Li caught on quickly. "Is it for the imperial selection?"
It had been three years since the last selection. Now, with spring's arrival, it was indeed time to put it back on the agenda.
Consort Li remarked, "I see. No wonder the Emperor promoted so many at the New Year's banquet. It seems with new faces coming to the palace, he's giving us old-timers a little compensation."
The Emperor wasn't particularly generous with ranks. Consort Ning and Consort An, for instance, hadn't seen a change in their status for years. For others to be promoted, they either had to bear a royal child, enjoy the Emperor's favor, or else wait for a major event like the imperial selection to bring a batch of promotions.
Consort Li enjoyed considerable imperial favor, which was why she rose directly from Beauty to Consort. But if she never bore a royal child, she would likely remain at the rank of Consort for many years.
"With newcomers arriving, aren't you afraid?" Qi Daiyu asked jokingly.
"What do I have to fear? Those unripe young girls?" Consort Li gave a bewitching smile, full of allure. Her charm was something ordinary people couldn't hope to match. Even if the new girls were beautiful, they likely posed no threat to her.
"Are you perhaps the one who's afraid?" Consort Li retorted, turning the question back on Qi Daiyu.
Qi Daiyu replied, "Naturally, I'm not afraid either." She had never been interested in competing for favor. After taking in Si Yu to raise, she had practically entered a state of early retirement, hardly even paying attention to the Emperor anymore.
Though, to be fair, the Emperor hadn't visited the Changchun Palace much this past year either.
When they arrived at the Kunning Palace, they found almost everyone was already there.
Two seats below Consort Ning were empty, reserved precisely for Qi Daiyu and Consort Li.
Actually, based on their titles, the "Hui" in Concubine Hui came before the "An" in Consort An, so Qi Daiyu should have been seated opposite Consort Ning. However, considering Consort An's seniority, Qi Daiyu had voluntarily given up that seat to her, resulting in the current seating arrangement.
Sitting opposite Qi Daiyu was Nie Zhiyu.
Seeing her arrive, Nie Zhiyu gave her a nod and a smile, which Qi Daiyu returned.
Not long after, Her Majesty the Empress emerged. Today's summons for everyone was indeed about the imperial selection.
"The imperial selection is a significant matter. I cannot manage it alone. Consort Ning, Concubine Hui, Consort An, you three have experience in this. Along with Concubine He, you shall assist me in handling the affairs."
The four of them stood and bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty."
The Empress continued, "You are all senior members of the palace. When the new ladies enter, you must not bully them arbitrarily based on your seniority. Remember your positions and lead by example. Is that understood?"
Everyone responded in unison, "We heed Her Majesty the Empress's instruction."
Once the major business was concluded, the Empress, as usual, inquired after the health of the princes and princesses before dismissing everyone. The morning audiences had been just as brief all year.
Qi Daiyu did not leave but followed the Empress into the rear hall. Upon entering, she caught the scent of medicinal herbs.
She sighed inwardly.
This past year, the Empress's health had been steadily declining. The passing of Old Marshal Jiang still affected Her Majesty profoundly, an impact that was both physical and psychological.
Physically, since those episodes of coughing up blood, the Empress's constitution had not been strong.
Psychologically, perhaps because the Jiang family had lost Old Marshal Jiang as their pillar, the Empress had become the family's greatest reliance. She had to plan for the entire Jiang clan, arranging various family affairs which was mentally taxing, all while managing the affairs of the inner palace. This often left her spirit weary.
In the past, the Empress might have been willing to delegate some authority for others to assist. But without Old Marshal Jiang, she instead tightened her grip on power. It was as if only the Empress's seal could offer her a greater sense of security.
The psychological pressure was like a tightly drawn bowstring, which in turn aggravated her physical ailments.
Compared to a year ago, the Empress had grown noticeably thinner.
Qi Daiyu had tried to advise her, but the Empress would only smile and say, "I know my own limits."
After first finishing the medicine brought by Ju Yi and rinsing her mouth, the Empress finally spoke to Qi Daiyu. "Have you come to ask about Lingyi's matter?"
Qi Daiyu nodded.
