As evening fell, the imperial procession stopped at a relay station.
Though they could have reached the hunting grounds by continuing their journey that day, the Emperor, concerned for the Empress Dowager’s well-being after a full day in the carriage, ordered the party to rest at the station overnight and depart again the next morning.
The station had been prepared well in advance—being a royal-exclusive facility, it had been thoroughly cleaned and staffed with attendants awaiting their arrival.
No sooner had they stepped inside than hot meals were delivered to their rooms.
The dishes steamed with warmth, clearly freshly prepared.
Qi Daiyu walked over to inspect the spread: four dishes and a soup. Though it couldn’t compare to the fare in the palace, it was decent enough.
Having spent the day traveling, her appetite was lacking. She ate only half a bowl of rice with a side of spicy shredded chicken before setting down her chopsticks, opting instead to sip slowly on a bowl of steaming fish broth.
The leftovers were left to Shiliu and Pingguo. Qi Daiyu didn’t mind—after all, serving chopsticks had been used, so it was more like sharing than eating her scraps. Besides, the maids would have refused to eat the cold, inferior meals meant for lower-ranking palace servants.
Xiao Li, however, had no such privilege and had to dine with the other attendants.
Since they were outside the palace, Shiliu insisted on staying close to Qi Daiyu for safety. She and Pingguo spread thick bedding on the floor to sleep there for the night.
Seeing the padding was ample, Qi Daiyu didn’t object.
With the hour still early and sleep elusive, only two lamps remained lit. Shiliu and Pingguo sat on their bedding, sewing garments—mostly undergarments, socks, and menstrual cloths for Qi Daiyu, tasks reserved for personal maids.
At the sight of the menstrual cloth, Qi Daiyu’s face twisted in displeasure. She recalled last month’s ordeal—despite being the finest and cleanest available for imperial consorts, the cloths were still inconvenient, prone to leaks, and practically confined her to bed during her cycle.
She resolved silently to invent "sanitary pads" as soon as she returned to the palace.
"Shiliu-jie, have you heard the latest gossip from the capital?" Pingguo asked softly, head bowed as if recalling something.
Shiliu scoffed, "How would I know anything about outside the palace?"
Qi Daiyu, who had been pondering her sanitary pad project, immediately turned toward them. "What happened?"
Pingguo, nervous under her mistress’s gaze, stammered, "I only heard it from Xiao Li on the carriage ride. The eunuchs have their own channels for news, but who knows if it’s true?" Some eunuchs were permitted to leave the palace for errands, making them conduits for outside rumors.
"Just tell me. I’m only curious," Qi Daiyu reassured her.
Pingguo obliged: "It’s about Miss Wang, the daughter of the Minister of Justice. They say she recently visited Fangyuan Temple to pray, tripped, and was helped up by the youngest son of the Earl of Changjun. The two fell in love at first sight, and both families agreed to the match, calling it a heaven-sent union. The story spread like wildfire—even inspiring a play! People are calling them a fairy-tale couple, and now Fangyuan Temple is overrun with visitors seeking blessings for their own romances."
As she spoke, her face glowed with wistfulness.
Shiliu, initially intrigued, suddenly frowned. "If Miss Wang fell, where were her maids? How could an unrelated man be the one to help her?"
Pingguo faltered. "Maybe… her maids weren’t nearby?" Even she didn’t believe it—a noblewoman’s attendants would never leave her unattended in public.
Qi Daiyu’s expression turned thoughtful.
Sensing the topic was delicate, Pingguo hastily added, "Oh! There’s another tale. Recently, Madam Lu of the prominent Lu family hosted a banquet, but two young ladies quarreled during the event—one even got pushed into a lake! The Lu family’s Second Young Master rescued her. Humiliated by the public ordeal, the girl tried to drown herself, but he pledged to marry her on the spot. Rumor has it, matchmakers have already been sent to her family."
Shiliu set down her sewing. "Impossible! At elite gatherings, men and women are seated separately. Even if not at the main banquet, female guests would be in the inner quarters. How could Second Young Master Lu wander into the women’s area? Pingguo, Xiao Li must be spinning tales!"
Convinced by Shiliu’s logic, Pingguo clenched her fists. "That scoundrel! I’ll confront him tomorrow!"
Qi Daiyu interjected, "Was the girl who fell into the lake the daughter of the Left Vice-Minister of the Censorate?"
Pingguo hesitated. "I’m not sure… Xiao Li only said her surname was Zhang."
Given the Lu family’s status, their guests would be high-ranking officials’ kin—and the Left Vice-Minister of the Censorate, surnamed Zhang, fit perfectly.
Qi Daiyu’s suspicion arose because the earlier gossip’s protagonist was the Minister of Justice’s daughter—the same two young women whom the imperial consorts had regarded as potential rivals during the Double Ninth Festival gathering in the Empress Dowager’s garden.
Back then, the concubines had seen them as future threats. Yet now, one had a "divine romance," while the other was "saved by a hero."
Could such coincidences truly happen?
Within days, both women were effectively removed from next year’s imperial selection.
A chill crept down Qi Daiyu’s spine.
Who was behind this?
Recalling the attendees that day—Consort Ning? Consort An? Noble Lady Qin? Concubine Miao?
To wield such influence beyond the palace walls… the perpetrator’s power was terrifying.
The placid surface of the harem concealed undercurrents far more turbulent than she’d imagined.
---
Next door, Noble Lady Qin swallowed the last bite of her noodles and sighed contentedly, rubbing her full belly.
Her maid, Xiangchun, tidied up with a frown. "My lady, you should heed the physician’s advice—no heavy meals before bed, and never more than a small portion." A whole bowl of noodles would surely cause indigestion and weight gain.
Xiangchun fretted. While other consorts had recently gone to extremes to slim down, her mistress seemed unbothered by her widening waistline.
Noble Lady Qin waved her off. "I know my limits." Plumpness could be alluring, but outright obesity would repel the Emperor.
Tonight’s indulgence wasn’t just for pleasure—it was strategic.
Her recent invention of hotpot had earned her the Empress Dowager’s favor and unwanted attention.
"Indigestion" was a convenient excuse to lay low during the hunting trip.
"Oh, and one more thing," she added. "Whatever rumors are circulating about the capital—ignore them. Act as if you’ve heard nothing."
Xiangchun didn't understand the reason but still replied, "Yes. This servant will relay the orders."
Noble Lady Qin nodded, a trace of worry coloring her gaze. She wondered how much longer the peace in the palace could last.
In the room across from Noble Lady Qin resided Consort An.
She sat before a simple dressing table, staring at her reflection. The increasingly stiff muscles of her face twisted into an ugly, unnatural expression.
A flicker of disgust passed through Consort An's eyes.
Her maid, Puying, entered. Without turning, Consort An asked, "Has the Second Princess fallen asleep?"
Upon arriving at the relay station, Consort An had ordered the Second Princess to be brought back from the Empress's quarters.
Puying chuckled softly. "She must have tired herself out playing during the day—she fell asleep without needing to be coaxed."
"That ungrateful little thing." Consort An sighed. "Once we return to the palace, Concubine Shu will surely make trouble when she learns of this."
That woman was petty. Knowing that the Second Princess had been sent to the Empress's carriage would infuriate her for half the day, and who knew what difficulties she would create in retaliation.
Troublesome as it was, Consort An didn't regret it. Being able to come on this trip was worth enduring Concubine Shu's temper for a while.
"What's that in your hand?" Consort An noticed the object Puying was holding.
"It's something the Second Princess brought back. She said Concubine Qi gave it to her today."
Consort An quickly pieced together the situation. "Probably a gift meant for the Eldest Princess, with ours as an afterthought. Let me see it."
Taking the small lamb doll, she clicked her tongue in distaste. "What an ugly thing. Has Concubine Qi lost her mind? Is this how she curries favor with the Empress?"
Puying was accustomed to her mistress's blunt remarks. "This servant noticed that the Second Princess seemed quite fond of it. I heard the Eldest Princess also likes it—perhaps children's tastes differ from adults'..."
Consort An grew concerned about her daughter's aesthetic sense. "Is there anything wrong with it?"
Puying reassured her, "This servant has already inspected it. There are no issues—it's just ordinary cotton fabric and stuffing." While the Second Princess slept, she had taken the doll apart to examine it thoroughly before sewing it back together.
Finding no fault, Consort An waved her hand dismissively. "Fine, let her play with it. Children forget things quickly—she'll tire of it soon enough."
Her interest lay elsewhere.
"Tell me, is Concubine Qi gaining favor?"
Once as lifeless as rotten wood, Concubine Qi had never been seen as a threat by anyone in the palace. Yet now, against all expectations, she was flourishing. If she had remained as invisible as she had been in the Eastern Palace, it wouldn’t matter—but this month alone, Concubine Qi had already been summoned to the Emperor's bedchamber twice.
The Emperor was not particularly enthusiastic about his harem, visiting it only about eleven or twelve times a month at most. This month, with Concubine Shu in confinement after childbirth, the Emperor had only stayed overnight in the Empress's Kunming Palace, Qixiang Palace, Jingren Palace—and Changchun Palace, where Concort Qi resided.
Since developing "facial paralysis," Consort An had lost the Emperor's favor. However, because of the Second Princess, he still visited Yanxi Palace once or twice a month. Even if he didn’t touch her, it maintained the appearance of favor in the eyes of others. But this month, he hadn’t come to Yanxi Palace even once.
Puying, fearing her mistress would spiral into obsession again, offered comfort. "His Majesty has been preoccupied with state affairs this month, spending only seven nights in the inner palace. It’s understandable that he hasn’t visited Yanxi Palace..."
"Seven nights—yet twice he went to Changchun Palace." Consort An's eyes darkened. It seemed that upon their return, she would need to remind Concubine Shu of this.
The thought of collaborating with Concubine Shu gave her a headache. "I hope the arrangements I made earlier will put her in a better mood and keep her from causing me trouble."
At this, Puying grew even more uneasy. "Mistress, our recent activities in the capital have been rather frequent, especially regarding the Lu Family. They may already suspect something."
"What if they do? Not only will they not expose it, they’ll do everything to push it forward."
Puying was puzzled. Wouldn’t the Lu Family be furious if their children’s marriage negotiations became gossip fodder for the common folk?
Consort An almost laughed at her naivety, though no mirth reached her eyes. "Think about it. Lord Wang and Lord Zhang have boundless futures, while the Changjun Earldom and the Lu Family, though noble and prestigious, are in decline. Gold and mines will eventually run out—especially now that the Emperor has forbidden them from acquiring new mines. What do you think they’re most desperate for now?"
She answered her own question. "A powerful ally in court."
"A marital alliance is solid enough. I’ve practically handed them a daughter-in-law—they should be thanking me. Why do you think these marriage negotiations progressed so swiftly?"
As long as the benefits were substantial, even a future imperial consort was fair game. These wolves wouldn’t hesitate to snatch their prey!
Puying’s eyes gleamed with admiration. "Mistress, it’s a pity you weren’t born a man. With your intelligence, you might have been a high-ranking official commanding respect across the land."
Consort An chuckled dryly. "Silly girl, what do I know? It’s just that life in the palace is so dull—all I can do is scheme over these trivial matters." A shadow of melancholy flickered in her eyes.
She stood to change into her nightclothes, pausing midway. "Still, you’ve reminded me of something important."
The Lu Family might not be angry, but that didn’t mean the Zhang Family wouldn’t be. They had intended to send their daughter into the palace to secure the Emperor’s favor, but now Consort An had ruined their plans and entangled them with the old faction. If the Zhang and Lin Families traced this back to her, they would surely hold a grudge.
She quickly devised a solution. Turning back, she instructed, "Erase all traces of our involvement. If anything can’t be erased, ensure our people are protected—blame the rest on the Yuan Family."
Puying was startled. "Huh?"
"Do it."
The Yuan Family had been part of this from the beginning. Without their influence, how could Consort An, given her modest background, have commanded so many resources outside the palace?
Since this had all been done to clear obstacles for Concubine Shu, it was only right that the Yuan Family bear the consequences if needed.
Consort An finished undressing and walked expressionlessly toward her bed.
