Chapter 35: Mid-Autumn Banquet

Chapter 35: Mid-Autumn Banquet

The Empress Dowager's Niece

She only glanced briefly before looking away, not dwelling on the matter.

On the way back to Chang'an, Su Jiaojiao had heard that Zhu Shaoshi was suffering from pregnancy discomfort and had been taken into the Empress's carriage for careful care. The Empress's carriage was directly behind the Emperor's, so it was natural for the Emperor to notice her.

Especially now that Noble Consort Mi had miscarried, and Zhu Shaoshi was the only consort in the palace with a child on the way, it was only natural for the Emperor to show her extra compassion.

Although Zhu Shaoshi's family background was not high, and her appearance was not outstanding, she was highly ambitious. She also appeared to be connected to the poisoning of Lady Ji, which led to her fall from favor. Additionally, her medical knowledge and pregnancy made her a formidable rival.

Now, she was reveling in the attention her pregnancy brought, and Su Jiaojiao, who had kept a low profile for over a month, had no reason to confront her.

Yu Ying, who was attentively assisting Su Jiaojiao, glanced over with a touch of subtle mockery: "I still remember the sachet Zhu Shaoshi lost in the Yuzhou rain. The scent clung to my hands for a long time, quite ingenious."

Su Jiaojiao smiled faintly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing: "The palace is full of capable women, and there will be no shortage of drama in the future."

After the consorts alighted one by one, the carriages all entered the rear palace through the side gates, each returning their belongings to their respective palaces.

The Emperor and Empress mounted the dragon and phoenix carriages and departed in two directions under the bows and watchful eyes of the ministers. Finally, the unassuming Zhu Shaoshi also boarded a sedan chair and slipped away through the Kaize Gate.

Nearby, Consort Shu passed by her in a sedan chair and softly advised, "After returning to the palace, have everything carefully inspected before resting. Don't be careless."

Su Jiaojiao nodded slightly and smiled gently: "I understand."

Before long, the palace servants gathered in front of the Xuanzheng Hall had dispersed by eighty to ninety percent.

She looked around at the familiar yet unfamiliar vermilion walls and swaying willows, feeling as if a lifetime had passed.

"Let's go."

Su Jiaojiao no longer lingered and slowly walked towards the rear palace.

The Pixiang Palace was not far away. After a few turns, she saw the palace servants of Pixiang Palace welcoming her at the gate of Guanju Palace.

Ling Yun was the first to notice, her eyes lighting up as she immediately stepped forward and performed a grand salute, respectfully saying, "This servant welcomes the mistress back to the palace."

Yu Ye, who seemed to be lost in thought, reacted upon hearing Ling Yun's voice and immediately knelt beside her with a smile, joyfully saying, "The mistress has finally returned! These two months without you, Ling Yun and I have been so bored in the palace!"

This was the first time Su Jiaojiao had been separated from Yu Ye for so long since she could remember. She affectionately helped them up and softly said, "Rise."

Pixiang Palace looked no different from when Su Jiaojiao had left, but she remembered Consort Shu's advice. After returning, she didn't rest immediately but had Yu Ying and Ling Xiao thoroughly "clean" the palace before feeling at ease.

She briefly recounted the trip to the summer resort, mentioning a few major events that left everyone in silence. Only when Su Jiaojiao spoke of being framed by Noble Consort Wang and being held accountable for Noble Consort Mi's miscarriage did Yu Ye finally speak up: "Noble Consort Wang is ruthless and cunning, the mistress must be careful."

Su Jiaojiao nodded and said no more, retiring to her inner chamber for a short nap.

When she woke up, it was already dusk. Outside, people were constantly coming and going on the palace paths, seemingly moving something.

Xiao Songzi went out to inquire and returned saying, "After returning to the palace, the Empress granted Zhu Shaoshi a move to a new palace. She is now moving from the Jingyi Pavilion of Yuxiu Palace to Yong'an Palace."

Ling Xiao brought a cup of tea to Su Jiaojiao and softly said, "Yong'an Palace is a good place, close to the Empress's Fengyi Palace and as quiet as Guanju Palace without a main consort. The Empress is truly generous for her pregnancy."

Su Jiaojiao took the teacup and slowly lifted the lid: "The Empress is a master of timing. Her willingness to elevate Zhu Shaoshi like this is mostly due to the Emperor's compassion for her."

"There are only two weeks left until the Mid-Autumn Festival. The Empress and Consort Mi will soon be busy. These two weeks will be Zhu Shaoshi's time to shine."

The Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and Spring Festival are the three most significant festivals in the palace.

Every Mid-Autumn Festival, the Emperor invites the royal family and the harem to celebrate together, enjoying the moon and chatting, which is essentially a grand palace feast.

Well before returning to Chang'an, the Emperor had taken away Noble Consort Wang's authority to manage the six palaces. The task of organizing the Mid-Autumn banquet naturally fell to the Empress and Consort Mi. However, Consort Mi had just had a miscarriage a month ago and should not be overworked, so most of the work still had to be done by the Empress.

With the Empress being busy, the attention on Zhu Shaoshi would be much less. Without someone pressing down on her, she would now rely on the royal child in her womb, and it was unclear how far she would go.

How could someone like Zhu Shaoshi be content to be a pawn under the Empress? She would surely seize every opportunity to rise.

In the Jingyi Pavilion of Yuxiu Palace

Zhu Shaoshi watched the servants below busily packing and moving things out, stroking her belly, her joy evident.

Cui Mei, serving by her side, smiled and said, "My lady, you are now the only one in the palace who is pregnant. The Emperor and the Empress are very concerned. I just went to the Huizhu Hall, it was so grand, Jingyi Pavilion pales in comparison."

Zhu Shaoshi glanced at her lightly, curling her lips coldly: "The Empress is only doing this because the Emperor now favors me. If it weren't for this, she would have arranged it for me immediately after that day's greeting."

She knew very well what the Empress was thinking.

For her, the truly useful thing was the child in her belly. Zhu Wenrui was merely an afterthought. But since it was a child born after ten months of pregnancy, why should she let her own child call someone else mother, and make a wedding dress for the Empress without any benefit.

In the harem, a mother's status depends on her children. She must find a way to keep this child for herself.

In the meantime, the Empress was busy, and she could also think of ways to see the Emperor. Zhu Shaoshi touched her belly, helped onto the sedan by Cui Mei, this child was her greatest reliance...

As dusk fell, the moon gradually rose.

The palace servants from the Siqin Bureau came one by one to light the lamps, and the darkness in front of Yuxiu Palace was somewhat dispelled.

The things in Jingyi Pavilion were almost packed. From now on, she would rise steadily, and would no longer have to return to such a cramped and isolated residence.

When passing by Luanming Palace towards Yong'an Palace, Zhu Shaoshi's sedan was abruptly stopped just after turning a corner.

Looking over by the light of the lantern held by the palace maid, the person who stopped her turned out to be Lady Ji.

Zhu Shaoshi was not surprised, but pretended to be startled, sitting on the sedan in a dilemma, saying, "Sister, what brings you out so late?"

Her face showed apology and weakness: "Sister is now in a delicate condition, so I won't get off to greet you."

Although Lady Ji was a lady, she was one rank higher than Shaoshi.

But she knew she had long been out of favor, not as favored as Zhu Shaoshi, who was specially granted a sedan by the Emperor and was about to move to Yong'an Palace. She could only look up at this "sister" who had never been in her eyes, and said sourly: "I know that sister is now of high status, not as before. I wonder if sister will still remember me after moving to Yong'an Palace."

Zhu Shaoshi sat upright on the sedan, with no intention of getting down to talk, but her mouth said softly: "Sister, where are these words coming from? You and I were familiar outside the palace, and now we both serve the Emperor in the harem. How could our sisterly bond change so easily?"

She spoke sincerely, and hearing this, Lady Ji's eyes also showed a trace of hope: "If that's truly the case, that would be wonderful."

After saying that, she lowered her head slightly, as if feeling inferior, and said with a bitter tone: "Since the poisoning incident, I have been out of favor for a long time, and I have never seen the Emperor's face again. If... if sister could mention me a little in front of the Emperor, I would surely remember sister's kindness."

Zhu Shaoshi agreed very readily, smiling with curved eyes: "Sister, don't worry. If I have the chance, I will definitely mention you in front of the Emperor."

"It's getting late. After the Huizhu Hall is packed, I still have to report to the Empress, so I won't chat with sister anymore. When I have time another day, I will invite sister to the Huizhu Hall for a sit." After Zhu Shaoshi politely finished these words, she turned her head and changed her expression, saying lightly: "Let's go."

After the person had gone far, Cui Mei finally spoke: "Before you gained power, Lady Ji always looked down on you, treating you as a subordinate. Now it's the other way around, making her look at your face to make a living, it's really satisfying!"

Zhu Shaoshi smiled, sitting leisurely on the sedan, and said leisurely: "This is the life with favor—you see how glorious she was before, relying on being the first among the new concubines to gain favor, never truly putting me in her eyes. Times have changed, and now she has to beg me to put in a good word for her."

Finally, as if speaking to herself, she coldly uttered, "Foolish dreams."

Cui Mei smiled, curtsied, and said, "Your words are wise, my lady. Your fortune lies ahead, and what does a mere Lady Ji matter to you?"

Then, as if remembering something, she lowered her voice and said, "My lady, this afternoon, the maid from Lady Yun's side came to relay a message. She said Lady Yun has run out of medicinal ointment and would like to ask you for more. Would you..."

Zhu Shaoshi glanced at her with a mocking expression, "The Imperial Medical Bureau’s ointment heals wounds, but mine prevents scars. What woman in the palace doesn’t care about her looks? Since she’s willing to take it, then give it to her. I’ve already explained the risks. If she’s willing, let her remember the favor I’ve done for her."

Quiet days fly by, and half a month passed in the blink of an eye, marking the true arrival of autumn.

The summer heat in Chang'an began to wane, and the morning and evening breezes carried a hint of coolness, signaling that autumn had truly arrived.

During these two weeks, Consort Mi and Zhu Shaoshi were the emperor’s most frequent companions. Zhu Shaoshi had gained the emperor’s favor by carrying the royal heir and was elevated to the Baolin rank before even giving birth.

As the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet approached, word spread through the palace that the Empress Dowager’s niece would be entering the palace that evening. Many were curious to see this cousin of the emperor who had been summoned by the Empress Dowager’s decree.

But most were curious about the rank she would hold upon entering the palace.

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet.

Pixiang Palace.

Yu Ying and Yu Ye helped Su Jiaojiao with her makeup, while Ling Xiao and Ling Yun discussed selecting jewelry for her.

The Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was a grand event. All concubines of the selected rank and higher would attend, along with other members of the royal family. Every gesture had to be perfect.

Moreover, it had been so long since Su Jiaojiao had seen the emperor after returning to the palace. Although she knew the emperor was still reeling from Consort Mi’s miscarriage, she couldn’t shake a sense of uncertainty.

Tonight, everyone would put their best foot forward in hopes of catching the emperor’s attention, and with luck, gaining his favor.

Su Jiaojiao naturally couldn’t do nothing.

Yu Ye held up a set of light green palace robes and said, "My lady, how about wearing this color today?"

Su Jiaojiao glanced down and shook her head, "No."

When the emperor first met her, she had been wearing this color. Later, during the Dragon Boat Festival, she had used a kite to regain his favor, capitalizing on the emperor’s fleeting impression of her from that day.

While this strategy worked, overusing it might have the opposite effect.

Besides, tonight the new concubine from outside the palace would be entering, and even if the emperor noticed her, he would most likely choose the newcomer.

Wearing this color would be pointless and a missed opportunity.

Su Jiaojiao’s beauty was undeniable, but even the most stunning face could become ordinary over time. It was novelty that truly caught his eye.

Tonight, she only needed to catch the emperor’s eye once, leaving an impression on him. There was no need to stand out too much.

After considering the different silk fabrics, Su Jiaojiao pointed to an apricot-pink dress embroidered with irises, paired with a light purple embroidered robe and a sheer shawl, highlighting her slim waist and dreamy eyes.

She applied the emperor’s bestowed hibiscus rouge, her lips full and glowing softly under the palace lanterns, looking absolutely enchanting.

Ling Yun styled her hair intricately, adorned with pale pink silk flowers. Even Ling Xiao had to admire, "My lady, you’re so beautiful that even without elaborate dressing, you’re radiant enough."

Su Jiaojiao smiled, "It’s all because of you."

She gracefully rose and left with Ling Xiao and Yu Ying, her figure gradually disappearing into the night.

Yu Ye, left behind in Pixiang Palace, watched their retreating figures and murmured with a hint of sadness, "Ever since my lady got Ling Xiao, she always takes her along. I’m always left behind now..."

Ling Yun paused, taken aback. She put a finger to her lips to signal Yu Ye not to speak carelessly: "What are you saying? Our mistress trusts us, that’s why she left us here. Look at the others doing the hard work—do they have it as easy as us?"

Yu Ye, not in the mood to argue, still felt a bit down and lowered her head as she returned to the inner chamber: "I know our mistress trusts us, but trust comes in degrees. You are not as trusted as Ling Xiao, and I am not as trusted as Yu Ying."

After saying this, she hung her head and walked into the inner chamber, leaving Ling Yun lost in thought as she watched Yu Ye's departing figure. She frowned without realizing it.

Since their mistress left for the summer retreat, Ling Yun felt that Yu Ye seemed different from before, but it just seemed like typical girl jealousy, nothing serious.

After thinking it over, Ling Yun found nothing out of the ordinary and decided to put the thought aside. She told the servants to stay alert and then followed into the inner chamber.

As they approached Liangyi Hall, lanterns lit up every corner. As they walked along the white jade steps, early autumn chrysanthemums bloomed, bright and fragrant.

Even with the full moon, Liangyi Hall was lit up like daylight, a stark contrast to the selection hall, resplendent and dazzling.

Su Jiaojiao, after three years in the palace, was finally attending a grand family banquet.

She straightened her posture, lifting her skirt gracefully as she climbed the stairs. She tilted her head slightly to look at the stars.

Inside the banquet hall, the Empress and Noble Consort Mi had already arrived, with most of the other consorts seated, greeting each other and chatting, creating a scene of harmony and celebration.

Noble Consort Mi, sitting to the Empress’s right, watched Su Jiaojiao approach. She gave her a cold look but said nothing.

Though she resented Su Jiaojiao for winning the Emperor’s favor, she also knew that her miscarriage was not Su Jiaojiao's fault; the real villain was that despicable Noble Consort Wang.

The palace dynamics had shifted dramatically. No matter what, Su Jiaojiao was still under her command, and her favor was more valuable than others’.

After the miscarriage, Noble Consort Mi stopped caring about the Emperor’s favor and finally accepted that the Emperor would never be hers alone.

Now seeing Su Jiaojiao again, what she had once deeply cared about seemed no different from the other women in the palace, all competing for the Emperor’s attention.

Su Jiaojiao meekly lowered her eyes, not daring to look directly at the Empress and Noble Consort Mi, and properly paid her respects before sitting to the right of Consort Shu.

As soon as she sat down, Consort Shu leaned over slightly and whispered, "I see that Noble Consort Mi, though cold towards you, does not seem to despise you as much as imagined. Perhaps she also knows that the one who ultimately wanted to harm her was Noble Consort Wang, not you."

Su Jiaojiao pretended to sip tea, actually whispering, "The Emperor publicly punished Noble Consort Wang, and everyone in the palace has acknowledged her guilt. Noble Consort Mi would naturally know after she woke up. Previously, Noble Consort Wang was the most prominent in the palace, but now Noble Consort Mi has the upper hand. Watch, with such deep hatred and new people entering the palace, they will have much to contend with in the future."

Consort Shu deeply agreed but worried about eavesdroppers, so she sat up straight and stopped talking to Su Jiaojiao.

Before long, the palace family banquet gradually filled up, and the vast Liangyi Hall was packed, a sea of beauties at a glance.

From the front came a loud announcement: "The Emperor has arrived!"

Everyone stood up to welcome the Emperor, who walked in with a calm demeanor and spoke clearly, "At the Mid-Autumn family banquet, no need for formalities."

He glanced around and immediately spotted Su Jiaojiao seated below. Their eyes met briefly, but the Emperor subtly shifted his gaze to the royal family members and casually asked, "Is Prince Xuan not here today?"

The Empress gently spoke from the side, "Your Majesty, Prince Xuan is unwell and has taken leave. It's a pity he can't join you for a drink today."

Shen Huai nodded slightly and said, "He has always been free-spirited. If he's truly unwell, it's fine if he doesn't come."

He raised his golden cup, his cool and deep voice resonating in the hall, "Today is the palace's Mid-Autumn family banquet. I celebrate with you all. Everyone, be at ease, treat it as a regular family reunion."

As his words fell, Cai Shan, observing the Emperor's expression, flicked the whisk in his hand.

The palace musicians timely played the palace music, and dancers entered from both sides, dancing to the music, officially starting the Mid-Autumn banquet.

The Empress raised the wine cup on her table and smiled warmly, "Your Majesty, I toast to you."

At today's family banquet, Shen Huai naturally gave the Empress face. Cai Shan filled the wine cup and presented it, and he then said indifferently, "The Empress has worked hard managing the palace. I am very pleased."

Flattered by the Emperor's praise, the Empress's smile deepened as she gracefully set down her wine cup and turned her gaze to the performance in the hall.

Before long, the eldest princess, Shen Lanying, and the eldest prince, Shen Nanzhou, were brought over by their wet nurses to pay their respects to Shen Huai and offer their Mid-Autumn greetings. A hint of a smile finally appeared in Shen Huai's eyes as he first took the eldest princess, saying, "Lanying has put on some weight; the Empress has taken good care of her."

Holding the eldest princess, he looked at the eldest prince standing before him, looking bewildered, and couldn't help but think of his birth mother, Noble Consort Wang, feeling a twinge of displeasure.

However, the child was innocent, a blank slate after all, and he should not hold the mother's faults against the child. So, he put down the eldest princess and also picked up Shen Nanzhou, softly reassuring him, "Be good, Nanzhou, and listen to Lady Wen."

But Shen Nanzhou suddenly started wailing, crying and shouting in his childish voice, "No... Father... Waaah!"

Shen Huai's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly as he set the child down, "Let Lady Wen take the child back."

Seeing that the eldest prince had displeased the Emperor, the Empress's eyes gleamed with satisfaction before she softened her voice and said, "Take the eldest prince back and take good care of him. Lady Wen has not raised a child before. If there is any issue, bring him to the Fengyi Palace first, and I will personally look after him."

The Empress's words were thoughtful, and Shen Huai naturally had no objections. He gave a nod of approval and let them go, then turned his attention to the dance and music in the hall, though his thoughts seemed to wander.

Observing the Emperor's expression, the Empress spoke up at the right moment, "Your Majesty, by my calculations, Qingwu will soon enter the palace. I have arranged for her to stay in the main hall of Yong'an Palace. What do you think? If you fear she might feel slighted, I can have the Imperial Household Department make changes."

Shen Huai tapped the armrest, lowering his eyes as he said, "Yong'an Palace is closest to the Empress Dowager's Yongshou Palace and has been recently renovated. It won't be a slight for her to stay there. The Empress is thoughtful."

The Empress smiled warmly, "If Qingwu adjusts well to palace life, then I will be at ease."

As the Empress, she was well aware of the weight this soon-to-enter-the-palace person held in the Emperor's heart.

In fact, she had known the Emperor even longer than the Empress herself, having been acquainted with him when he was just an obscure prince. Such a bond was naturally incomparable to anyone else in the palace.

After a song and dance performance ended, the voice announcing at the entrance of the Hall of Two Powers sounded again, "The second daughter of the Marquis of Kaiguo, Xu Qingwu—bearing the Empress Dowager's decree—pays her respects to the Emperor—"