Chapter 27: Distant Gaze

Chapter 27: Distant Gaze

"Stop pretending."

It was a long time after the Emperor left that Su Jiaojiao finally emerged from the chaotic scene that had just unfolded.

She looked towards the palace door and softly asked, "Ling Xiao, you've been by the Emperor's side for so long, do you have any insights about him?"

Ling Xiao was tidying up the mess in the inner hall with the others. Hearing this, she looked up and said, "What aspect of understanding does the lady refer to?"

"The Emperor's thoughts are hard to predict. I can only guess his possible preferences based on my own observations. I'm not sure if it will be of any help to you."

Su Jiaojiao lowered her eyes: "I'm asking about the Emperor's past."

Su Jiaojiao knew that before the Emperor was made Crown Prince, he was not the son of the Empress, but of another consort in the palace. After that consort passed away, the late Emperor placed his only son under the care of the Empress Dowager—who was then the Empress—and had him recognize her as his mother.

After the Emperor ascended the throne, the Empress naturally became the Empress Dowager.

She wondered who the Emperor thought of when he saw the deranged Talented Lady Jiang, which led him to show her leniency despite such a grave crime.

Could it be his birth mother, whose name is now forbidden to be mentioned?

Ling Xiao shook her head and said gently, "Although I served in the Emperor's presence before and was later assigned to Yongshou Palace, I have only been in the palace for a few years. Matters concerning the Emperor's private life and palace secrets are highly taboo in the palace, so I am not privy to such information."

"Perhaps... some of the old nannies in the palace might know a thing or two, but they have been in the palace for a lifetime and are very tight-lipped. If it's something that shouldn't be said, they would never easily reveal it."

Su Jiaojiao lay back on the couch thoughtfully and asked again, "Has the Emperor ever particularly favored any consort before?"

Ling Xiao pondered for a moment and said, "The Emperor often visits the inner palace, and the favor of the consorts changes frequently. Many have had their moments of glory. But it's mostly just a few more nights of attendance, and the Emperor's rewards are more generous. If you're asking about someone he treated specially, in my humble opinion, there hasn't been anyone in the past three years."

Su Jiaojiao hummed in acknowledgment and closed her eyes wearily: "I see."

The reason she cared about the Emperor's past, apart from the mixed feelings she had when he saved her, was mostly because the Emperor's state today was quite unusual.

In Su Jiaojiao's eyes, the Emperor had always been someone with great skill and ideas in political matters, but in the inner palace, he was very fickle and followed his whims.

He would favor many, but it was all like a performance, never lasting.

In many instances, he could even be described as unfeeling and indifferent.

Every time she interacted with the Emperor, Su Jiaojiao had to use all her wits to barely manage to keep him from growing tired of her and to maintain a bit of his favor.

But today, he had shown leniency towards Talented Lady Jiang.

One must know that Talented Lady Jiang had long fallen out of favor, and it's possible the Emperor had even forgotten her name. It was definitely not because of her that she was spared.

So what could have stirred the Emperor's heart so intensely, to touch the heartstrings of such an indifferent ruler?

Su Jiaojiao had a premonition that if she could uncover the truth and act accordingly, she might be able to leave a true mark in the Emperor's heart.

Such a mark could become the foundation of her survival and the source of her enduring favor.

Unfortunately, as years have passed, that trace is hard to find, and she can only proceed slowly.

In these seven days, the Emperor unusually did not summon any consort to attend him.

The list of those going to the summer retreat was finalized the day before, with a total of ten people.

Besides Su Jiaojiao herself, there were the Empress, Noble Consort Wang, Consort Mi, Lady Wen, Beauty Zhong, Talented Lady Xiao, Yun Baolin, Zhu Shaoshi, and also Noble Consort Shu, who had been unwell since her miscarriage.

It is strange to say that before this batch of new concubines entered the palace, although Consort Shu was not as favored as Consort Mi, she still enjoyed some favor. However, since her miscarriage, she has been continuously reporting illness and staying behind closed doors, even when paying respects to the Empress, she has never been seen.

According to the Emperor's temperament, Consort Shu would never come to the summer resort. She quietly and unexpectedly did something significant.

As Su Jiaojiao walked towards the Xuanzheng Hall with Ling Xiao and Yu Ying, they discussed Consort Shu. Su Jiaojiao smiled faintly and said, "Did you see? No woman in the palace is simple."

Ling Xiao, following beside her, whispered, "Consort Shu is beautiful, perhaps she has come to a realization. The palace has always had few offspring, and the Emperor must feel some pity for Consort Shu's miscarriage."

Su Jiaojiao nodded slightly and looked up towards the direction of the Xuanzheng Hall.

Today, the sunlight was brilliant, the sky was clear and high.

From the direction of the Xuanzheng Hall, the drumbeats grew heavier, solemn and majestic, each beat causing a slight tremor in the heart, making one feel even smaller within the vermilion palace walls.

Below the Xuanzheng Hall, there were ninety-nine white jade steps, exuding the awe-inspiring aura of the dragon. In the vast square, the army escorting the imperial carriage stood in perfect order on both sides, leaving a path in the middle for the carriages, extending all the way to the Kaize Gate, which connected the rear palace and the Xuanzheng Hall.

The order of the carriages was arranged according to status, and Su Jiaojiao's carriage was right behind Consort Shu's.

For this trip to the summer resort, she left Yu Ye and Ling Yun to guard the Pixiang Hall, in case someone tried to make trouble while they were away. Ling Yun was steady, and Yu Ye was reliable. With them there, Su Jiaojiao was not very worried.

Passing through the Kaize Gate, Su Jiaojiao entered the front of the Xuanzheng Hall. She slightly lifted her eyes to look, feeling somewhat dazed by the majestic scene.

At this time, the Emperor had already retired from the court with the ministers, and it was the moment for the civil and military officials to respectfully see off the Emperor's entourage to the summer resort. The officials stood in the center of the square, quietly waiting.

Su Jiaojiao's brows slightly furrowed as she saw a figure she was somewhat unfamiliar with but could never forget.

Her biological father—Su Chang.

Since her father became a minister and she entered the palace three years ago, Su Jiaojiao had not seen her father for a long time.

She stared for a while, and unexpectedly, Su Chang also glanced from afar, his gaze falling on her.

Su Jiaojiao's heart trembled, instantly filled with a complex and indescribable emotion.

Her feelings towards her father had always been complicated.

She resented him, yet she didn't; she admired his worldly talents and the love he showed her in her childhood, yet she hated his heartlessness and his sole focus on politics.

Su Jiaojiao was precocious, and her memories from her childhood were still clear.

Back then, although her father was a capital official, he was not as busy as he is now, rarely entering the house. He was in harmony with her mother and was very patient with her, and their life was quite happy.

Unfortunately, later, her father rose rapidly in the court, and her mother died during the difficult birth of her second child, resulting in two deaths. Her life then fell from the clouds.

He paid no attention to her, leaving all the affairs of the rear courtyard to the stepmother bestowed by the late Emperor, focusing solely on political affairs.

But as his official position grew larger, the relationship between father and daughter became more distant, and Su Jiaojiao lived more cautiously.

Until three years ago, when she was about to be sent to the palace for the selection by her stepmother, she finally had the most conversation with her father.

"Jiaojiao is my legitimate daughter, and she is not yet of age. As her legitimate mother, how could you be so heartless as to send her to the palace! If I hadn't returned home today, how long would you have kept this from me!"

"Master, you misunderstand! I made this decision for Jiaojiao's sake. What's wrong with entering the palace? Jiaojiao is intelligent and beautiful, she will surely have a bright future in the palace. If she becomes a concubine in the future, it will be a great help to the master in the court. Besides, the list has already been submitted. If we back out now, what will the Emperor think of the Su family!"

"The contributions I have made to the court are countless! I will go to the Emperor now..."

Su Jiaojiao, with tears in her eyes, entered the inner room. The young girl, with her lively and charming demeanor, rubbed her eyes and sobbed, "Father, don't make it difficult for me. Perhaps mother really has Jiaojiao's best interests at heart. Jiaojiao is willing to go."

This farewell lasted three years.

Su Jiaojiao lowered her eyes and chuckled softly, wondering if he had repaired his relationship with her stepmother by now.

With her gone from the Su residence, her stepmother would no longer see her as a thorn in the side, but who knows if she was happy or not.

Now, both the court and the palace knew that Su Chang's eldest daughter was a favorite of the Emperor, a beloved consort. What must she be feeling?

Counting the years, her two younger sisters would soon reach the age of maturity. Had they found suitable husbands?

Initially, Su Jiaojiao had willingly entered the palace because she couldn't swallow her pride.

She wanted to prove to her indifferent father, to her harsh stepmother, and to those siblings who looked down on her, that she, Su Jiaojiao, was the chosen one, the most intelligent and capable daughter of Su Chang.

Even in the treacherous depths of the palace, she could carve out a path of blood and rise to a position that no one else could reach.

Only by standing high enough could she make the world look up to her.

Su Jiaojiao straightened her back, her slender neck adorned with a captivating beauty. Her hair was meticulously styled, adorned with precious jewels, and she walked gracefully towards the carriage in front of the officials and commoners.

Su Chang watched her silently as she walked away, suddenly recalling the words the Emperor had spoken to him that day in the Tai Chi Hall.

"Minister Su, among the court's senior officials, only you share my heart. Not for yourself, not for wealth, but for the sake of the country and its people. In this, many fall short."

"Now, I wish to reform, to redefine the imperial examinations. The noble families, originally each for themselves, are now mutually restraining. Who would have thought that my move to elevate the commoners would intimidate them, and now they are secretly forming alliances, pressuring me with joint petitions, which saddens me."

"But the tide of the times will inevitably sweep through. If we wish to select truly capable talents, the commoners must enter the officialdom, and I am determined to achieve this. Minister Su, there are many things I cannot personally handle, and I need you to mediate carefully. Once the reforms are settled, I will reward you heavily."

Su Chang bowed deeply and spoke slowly, "Your Majesty, I have an impertinent request."

"Speak."

Knowing the sensitivity of matters concerning the palace, Su Chang bent even lower, his words sincere, "Noble Consort Lian entered the palace at the age of twelve or thirteen, and now it has been three years. I have had little control over her since she was young, and I feel guilty. Now that both Noble Consort Lian and I have caught Your Majesty's eye, this great fortune is something I dare not forget. Your Majesty's wishes are my wishes, and I would gladly go through fire and water for Your Majesty."

He paused, then got to the point, "Only Noble Consort Lian is the only daughter of my late wife and me, and I feel remorse towards them both. I only hope that Your Majesty can be slightly lenient towards Noble Consort Lian. If she makes a mistake, please consider my years of service to the country and spare her life."

Su Chang's voice carried an indescribable bitterness and regret, "As a father, I have only done this one thing for Noble Consort Lian, and I beg Your Majesty—"

"Granted."

Su Chang knelt on both knees, performing a grand salute to the Emperor, and did not rise.

After a moment, Shen Huai chuckled softly, personally helping him up, and said, "Noble Consort Lian is gentle and kind, much to my liking. You have raised a good daughter."

He looked at Su Chang, meeting his gaze for a few seconds, then slowly said, "Minister Su, your heartfelt intentions are approved."

As his thoughts returned, Noble Consort Lian's figure had already disappeared into the carriage, no longer visible.

Su Chang stood with his hands behind his back in front of the officials, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

The time had come, the long horn sounded nine times, the dragon drums thudded, and the Emperor's procession set out from Chang'an.

The journey from Chang'an to the summer resort took about seven days.

The scenery along the way was quite beautiful, offering a fresh experience for the noble ladies who rarely ventured out and the consorts who had even less freedom after entering the palace.

Each of them lifted the curtains to look outside.

The order of the carriages was also according to rank. Although Su Jiaojiao's carriage was not as luxurious as those in front, it was still fully equipped, elegant and refined.

Su Jiaojiao leaned against the window with a round fan, looking out, her mood lightened somewhat from the earlier heaviness caused by Su Chang.

As the carriage was moving forward, the carriage of Noble Consort Shu in front suddenly stopped, and a beautiful woman with snow-white cheeks and bright eyes was helped down. Though she was radiant, her expression was quite cold.

Su Jiaojiao looked out and heard Yu Ying say, "My lady, this is Noble Consort Shu."

She nodded. Indeed, someone who could still garner some favor under the shadow of Consort Mi must have some charm.

Su Jiaojiao was about to close her eyes for a nap when Noble Consort Shu unexpectedly walked towards her direction. The leading guard cupped his hands and said, "Lady Noble Consort Lian, Noble Consort Shu's carriage has encountered some issues and she can only share your carriage now. Many things cannot be adjusted on such short notice, so we ask for your understanding."

As soon as he finished speaking, the maid beside Noble Consort Shu stepped onto the carriage shaft and lifted the curtain, saying softly, "My lady, be careful."

With Noble Consort Shu's carriage having problems, Su Jiaojiao, being the next in line, naturally became the alternative.

Ahead was Lady Wen, the head of the palace, who naturally could not be offended.

Thus, the misfortune fell upon Su Jiaojiao.

The carriage was spacious enough for two or three people, but with Noble Consort Shu joining, it immediately felt cramped. Su Jiaojiao felt uncomfortable and subtly leaned closer to the carriage wall, maintaining a gentle and polite demeanor on her face: "Sister Noble Consort Shu."

After sitting down, Noble Consort Shu glanced at Su Jiaojiao and said indifferently, "All of you, leave."

This was directed at their maids on the carriage.

Su Jiaojiao frowned imperceptibly but did not stop them.

Noble Consort Shu held a higher rank, and Su Jiaojiao could not afford to break decorum, especially since she always appeared delicate in front of others.

She asked timidly, "Sister Noble Consort Shu, what is this..."

Her soft voice was drowned out by the galloping hooves outside.

The sound of the carriage moving was loud, and with such a grand procession, the noise hardly ceased during the day. As long as they were slightly far away, their voices would not be heard.

Noble Consort Shu looked at her steadily, still lowering her voice, "Noble Consort Lian, no need to pretend."

"I know this is not your true character."

Author's note:

Next chapter, guess how this Noble Consort Shu was arranged!