Chapter 10: Save Me, Your Majesty

Chapter 10: Save Me, Your Majesty

"A lowly woman should never receive favor in her entire life!"

At that moment, the palace servants had just finished rearranging the middle of the banquet area and were just about to hand the lucky draw box to Shen Huai.

The Empress, holding the eldest princess, smiled warmly and elegantly next to the Emperor, saying, "Let's see which of the sisters is fortunate enough to perform first for His Majesty."

All the long-neglected palace concubines were all eagerly waiting, never expecting such an incident at this moment.

Lady Ji, unable to care what others might think or how they might look at her, knelt on the ground, crying desperately: "Your Majesty! Please save me!"

She wore a light pink cloud gauze gown, a color that should have looked delicate, but now appeared utterly disheveled. Her hair was disheveled, her makeup smeared from tears, and her fair neck clearly showed several red marks, a shocking sight.

Shen Huai immediately lost his amused expression.

The Empress, who had been watching the Emperor's expression, felt a sinking feeling in her heart. She handed the eldest princess to the wet nurse beside her and frowned, saying, "Why are you crying like this for no reason? If you have something important to say, then speak properly. The Emperor and I will make sure justice is served for you."

The Spring Banquet was organized by her, meant to win the Emperor's favor. But if something went wrong, not only would the Emperor not remember her efforts, but he might also blame her. Lady Ji had recently pledged her allegiance to her and was the newcomer she intended to mentor. Who would have thought she'd dare to spoil the Emperor's mood at such a crucial time? How foolish!

Hearing the Empress say she would uphold justice for her, Lady Ji seemed to grasp at a lifeline and suddenly raised her head. Her tears flowed even more profusely as she kept saying, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty...! I've been poisoned, I've been poisoned! It's so itchy... I'm so itchy! Save me!"

Her voice was hoarse and desperate, crying and shouting, even unable to restrain herself from scratching at her arms and neck right in front of the Emperor. Each scratch left five distinct red marks; her once snow-white neck was now crisscrossed with red streaks, her face contorted in agony and terror.

The charming beauty she had displayed upon arriving at the Spring Banquet was nowhere to be seen.

Noble Consort Wang, sitting below Shen Huai, was also startled by Lady Ji's appearance. She felt both disgust and fear, quickly covering Shen Nanzhou's eyes and pulling him behind her, handing him to the wet nurse, whispering, "Escort the prince away."

Only then did she turn back with a look of disdain, saying, "Is it a sudden illness or poisoning? How can you speak so carelessly?! With His Majesty present, who dares to cause trouble!"

Shen Huai frowned at the woman before him, who was acting wildly and without any decorum, his voice calm but cold, "Empress."

This was a sign of dissatisfaction, a warning, and an indication that his patience had run out.

The Empress's expression hardened, and she said sternly, "Attendants! Take Lady Ji back to her palace and summon the imperial physician for treatment!" After speaking, she turned to the Emperor and curtsied, her tone gentle yet filled with self-reproach, "Such an incident occurring in the palace is my failure. I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness. I will ensure the imperial physicians treat Lady Ji and get to the bottom of this matter."

After the palace servants carried the disheveled Lady Ji away and back to her palace, Shen Huai glanced at the Empress.

His tone was neither warm nor cold, making it hard to discern his emotions, "The Empress will handle it."

With this unexpected interruption, the romantic and ambiguous atmosphere of the Spring Banquet dissipated. Shen Huai lost interest and was unwilling to waste more time on these trivial matters that fell under the Empress's jurisdiction. He stood up and returned to the Taiji Hall.

With the Spring Banquet disrupted, Su Jiaojiao's goal was achieved.

With the Emperor leaving, the palace concubines' plans were thwarted, and in the end, she was the one who benefited. However, even she hadn't expected Lady Ji's symptoms to appear so quickly and severely, reducing her to such a pitiful state in front of the Emperor in less than a quarter of an hour, which was indeed surprising.

Lady Ji was the first among the newcomers to receive favor, but she was not as outstanding as Lady Miao nor as beautiful as Beauty Zhong. Yet, it was she who encountered trouble today, which was somewhat perplexing.

Who would benefit from Lady Ji's downfall? She had only been favored for a few days; the high-ranking concubines wouldn't care about such minor favor, let alone cause such a scene at such an important event.

Was it someone close to her, or another newcomer?

She suppressed her thoughts and looked in the direction where the Emperor had left.

At that moment, the Emperor was almost at the stone archway of the imperial garden, followed by a large crowd.

Su Jiaojiao fixed her gaze on him.

In her clear, beautiful eyes, there was shyness, unease, and a hint of disappointment. She bit her lip timidly, fully displaying the fluttering heart and delicate demeanor of a young girl.

She was gambling that the Emperor would turn back to look at her.

As long as the Emperor turns back today, the opportunity to serve him will be inevitable. Su Jiaojiao had this confidence.

After today's incident, the chances for other palace concubines to stand out were essentially gone. Lady Ji had lost her composure in front of the court and appeared terrifying. Whether the mastermind behind the incident was found or not, she would most likely fall out of favor.

Throughout the day, she was the one who left the deepest impression on the Emperor, and it was evident that the Emperor was very interested in her during their interactions.

When it came time to choose someone to serve him tonight after Lady Ji had composed herself, she would be the flower the Emperor most wanted to pluck in the harem.

Moreover, the Emperor was known for his strong desires; he would surely want to sample her and make her his own.

One step... two steps...

Just as the Emperor was about to entirely pass through the stone archway.

The Emperor, seated high on the dragon carriage, turned his head and glanced with a faint glance at Su Jiaojiao.

When their eyes met, Su Jiaojiao subtly maintained her delicate and pitiable expression, yet she had an inexplicable feeling that she had been seen through by him across the layers of space, her heart involuntarily pounding.

Fortunately, this oppressive feeling lasted only a second.

As the Emperor's figure disappeared behind the archway, Su Jiaojiao suddenly felt a wave of relief.

After the Emperor left, the expressions of the other palace concubines still at the spring banquet also darkened.

Moreover, with such an incident occurring, the Empress had to demonstrate the demeanor of a nation's mother by personally visiting Lady Ji.

On one hand, to clear her name, and on the other, to set an example for the harem, especially for the newcomers.

To correct the harem's atmosphere and earn everyone's sincere submission as the Empress.

The Empress stood at the forefront, scanning the surroundings, and sternly declared, "This palace will get to the bottom of today's incident to find out if Lady Ji suddenly fell ill or if someone maliciously poisoned her. The concubines of the harem should live in harmony and serve His Majesty. We cannot allow those with wicked hearts to disrupt the order of the harem!"

"If this palace uncovers the truth, punishment will be swift and merciless!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Yu He, who was beside the Empress, supported her as she quickly walked a few steps and boarded the phoenix carriage, leaving the imperial garden.

The once lively Spring Banquet in the morning instantly quietened down.

Seeing that the Emperor and Empress had left, the remaining concubines also stood up one after another and gradually dispersed.

Noble Consort Wang took Shen Nanzhou, who was with the wet nurse, and comforted him for a while, coldly watching the concubines disperse in all directions. When she saw Su Jiaojiao's figure, her eyes narrowed, and she thoughtfully called out in a loud voice, "Su Jiaojiao—"

Su Jiaojiao's steps to leave paused.

She naturally recognized who was calling her.

Noble Consort Wang, apart from the arrogance of Consort Mi, was the most notorious for her sharp tongue and harshness. She came from the prestigious Wang family, was of noble birth, and was a former concubine of the Crown Prince's residence, having given birth to the eldest prince, Shen Nanzhou. She was a formidable opponent in the palace.

Everyone said that Noble Consort Wang was fierce and harsh, even disregarding the Empress, making her the most difficult person to deal with.

Su Jiaojiao had just recently allied herself with Consort Mi and had not yet secured her position, naturally unwilling to cross such a powerful figure.

Moreover, Noble Consort Wang and Consort Mi were not the same type of people.

Although Consort Mi was spoiled and arrogant, she was not deeply scheming. However, Su Jiaojiao could see that Noble Consort Wang was not so easy to deal with.

She had long been at odds with the Empress and came from a noble background, so the Empress must despise her to the extreme. Yet, despite this, Noble Consort Wang had steadily surpassed the Empress to give birth to the eldest prince first. This alone showed that she was by no means simple.

Su Jiaojiao stopped in her tracks and timidly turned around, offering a proper greeting to Noble Consort Wang: "Your Highness..."

Her voice trembled with fear: "I don’t know... what matter does Your Highness have with me?"

Noble Consort Wang looked her up and down, taking in her fragile appearance, and raised her finely shaped eyebrows: "I don’t eat people, so why are you so scared?"

Just as Su Jiaojiao was about to respond, she caught a glimpse of Consort Mi rising with the support of Yu Ling, giving them a displeased look.

Still wearing that meek and fearful expression, Su Jiaojiao looked at Noble Consort Wang and said timidly: "I have lived in the palace for several years and rarely seen others. Hearing of Your Highness’s majesty, I’ve always been afraid... I beg Your Highness’s forgiveness."

Her words were honest.

This display of weakness and fragility didn’t make Noble Consort Wang dislike her.

Many in the palace feared the Wang family, and she was just another one.

However, the more fragile a woman was, the more men liked her, and naturally, the Emperor was no exception. Though Noble Consort Wang disliked such affectations, as long as the Emperor liked it, it was useful and good.

Noble Consort Wang gently held Shen Nanzhou, then turned her head with a smile and glanced at Su Jiaojiao: "You’re being quite honest. Countless people in the palace fear me, but you’re the first to say so to my face."

With a faint smile, she looked at Su Jiaojiao: "You’re afraid of me, but you don’t seem to be afraid of the Emperor. Today, you arrived in the Emperor’s imperial carriage, catching everyone’s attention. It’s only natural that you’d gain his favor. Though you’re the legitimate daughter of the Minister of Revenue, I recall your father remarried early on, so you probably don’t have much say at home."

Noble Consort Wang spoke unhurriedly, but Su Jiaojiao felt a deep sense of vigilance, as if her schemes ran deep.

She then asked casually: "If you’re thrust into the spotlight, can you stand your ground?"

Su Jiaojiao hesitated, gripping her sleeve. Noble Consort Wang’s intention to recruit her was clear.

But Consort Mi was standing nearby, listening. Noble Consort Wang didn’t fear Consort Mi and didn’t care about recruiting her in her presence.

Su Jiaojiao, however, had to clarify her position.

Since she had chosen Consort Mi, even if it was for her benefit, she couldn’t let Consort Mi become suspicious, nor could she let herself be controlled by Noble Consort Wang.

After some deliberation, Su Jiaojiao lifted her tear-filled eyes to look at Noble Consort Wang, her voice trembling with a mournful sob: "I have lived cautiously in the palace for three years, always in fear and adhering to my duties. I never imagined that one day I would serve at the Emperor’s side... I am like a fragile willow or a drifting duckweed, only wishing to live peacefully. I truly dare not seek any spotlight."

Seeing Su Jiaojiao so terrified at the mention of palace intrigues, Noble Consort Wang frowned, feeling a hint of disdain.

This Su Jiaojiao was indeed beautiful, and the Emperor liked her, but if she was this timid, she would be of little use. Life in the palace seemed glamorous, but it was a treacherous place, not something just anyone could endure.

If she was always like a startled bird, only thinking of escape, even the Emperor would grow tired of her in a few days.

If someone under her command was so useless, it would only drag her down.

Having lost her desire to recruit Su Jiaojiao, Noble Consort Wang also lost interest in speaking with her. Her tone turned cold as she held the Crown Prince and said: "Enough, enough. I was just talking to you, and look how scared you are!"

With that, she walked away, her entourage of maids following in two rows, gradually disappearing from sight.

Consort Mi, standing to the side, watched Su Jiaojiao coldly but said nothing.

She had long known that Su Jiaojiao was weak-willed and indecisive, which was why she had agreed to take her under her wing. It was only natural that she would have such an exchange with Noble Consort Wang.

Yet, looking at Su Jiaojiao made her heart ache and filled her with anger.

When Su Jiaojiao arrived in the Emperor’s imperial carriage today, her heart felt as if a heavy stone was blocking it, suffocating and painful. She wished she could pull Su Jiaojiao down from the carriage!

But she had to suppress her desire to monopolize the Emperor.

Because Su Jiaojiao was the one she had pushed forward herself!

She hoped to use Su Jiaojiao's favor to her advantage in the future, but didn't want her to become too favored and steal the Emperor's attention.

The women in the harem are truly miserable!

After Consort Mi left first, Yu Ling, who had stayed behind, said to Su Jiaojiao, "Her Highness is not feeling well, so you don't need to check in for the next two days. You've gained some favor today, and you'll probably be called to attend the Emperor in the next couple of days. Her Highness is having a hard time during her pregnancy, and if you care for her, you should help by encouraging the Emperor to spend more time with her, alright?"

After speaking, Yu Ling curtsied to Su Jiaojiao and said with a smile, "When you are granted a title, Her Highness will naturally send gifts to congratulate you on your promotion. I must return to Jiangyun Hall now, so I won't keep you any longer."

Su Jiaojiao waited quietly for Yu Ling to leave first.

Once Yu Ling was out of sight, Yu Ying supported Su Jiaojiao as they exited through a small path on the side of the imperial garden, away from the scrutinizing gazes of the other concubines.

The two of them chatted casually for a while, and when they reached the gate of Junwu Pavilion, several porcelain items were hurled from the door of Hanxiang Hall with a loud crash, shattering into pieces on the ground.

Su Jiaojiao was startled and clutched her chest with a handkerchief, a bit annoyed.

Yu Ying, beside her, frowned and said, "What is Talented Lady Jiang up to now? She doesn't even calm down after getting a beating!" As soon as she finished speaking, the sound of Talented Lady Jiang's shrill curses came from inside Hanxiang Hall, drifting faintly to Su Jiaojiao's ears.

"Bitch! How dare she seduce the Emperor! Ugh! Serves her right to be ruined, a bitch like her should never receive favor!"

Hey guys, sorry for the delay in updates—I was waiting on the rankings and feel super guilty about it! First twenty readers to comment on this chapter will get a red packet! Thanks so much for your support, qaq. Female lead is about to be summoned to the Emperor!