Chapter 40: Promotion of Rank

Chapter 40: Promotion of Rank

"The Emperor has arrived, how could Su Jiaojiao not welcome him?"

The shallow pond was planted with rare lotus flowers. Now that it was autumn, only the bare stems remained, densely packed. Although the water was not as deep as the Taiye Pond, it was still deep enough to be fatal for an adult who couldn't swim if they accidentally fell in.

Calculating the distance, if Su Jiaojiao were to chase after him immediately, she could catch him before he reached the shore. But if she saved the Crown Prince twice in vain, neither Lady Wen nor Noble Consort Wang, his birth mother, would likely thank her even a bit. Instead, some might think she was meddling in others' affairs.

Su Jiaojiao did not do things that brought no benefit.

In a flash, her eyes flickered, and her face immediately showed concern. She lifted her skirt and ran forward, softly saying, "I will go after him."

She deliberately controlled her speed, creating the appearance that her elaborate and luxurious palace dress hindered her running.

When the Crown Prince, not far ahead, stumbled into the pond while wailing and crying, the wet nurse following them shrieked, "The Crown Prince has fallen into the water! Help! Help!"

Standing on the shore, Su Jiaojiao turned to look at the figures hurriedly approaching, her face filled with anxiety. But she only hesitated for a moment before turning and jumping into the pond, soon pulling the nearly submerged Crown Prince into her arms.

The Crown Prince choked on several mouthfuls of water, his little face pale with fear, clinging tightly to Su Jiaojiao and refusing to let go. She carried him to the shore, soothing him gently, "It's okay, it's okay, Noble Consort Lian has saved you."

As she spoke, Su Jiaojiao was also shivering from the cold pond water, her lips turning blue, her beautiful hair soaked and dripping water.

Palace servants from all around rushed over upon hearing the commotion. Without hesitation, Su Jiaojiao pushed the Crown Prince forward. The once composed and delicate beauty was now disheveled but still concerned, saying, "Quick! Take the Crown Prince up and summon the imperial physician."

The palace servants scrambled to pull the Crown Prince up with ropes. Seeing that he was unharmed, the two wet nurses' terrified expressions eased slightly, and they quickly came forward, calling, "It's good that he's up, it's good. Oh, Crown Prince, you scared us to death!"

Su Jiaojiao was still soaking in the water, the cold wind making her shiver uncontrollably.

"My lady! Quickly, rescue my lady!" Yu Ying shouted anxiously from the shore, calling for palace servants who could swim to rescue her. She turned to Ling Xiao and whispered, "Quickly go find a cloak, my lady is completely soaked, be careful not to catch a cold."

Ling Xiao nodded, immediately understanding, and ran to the nearest palace.

When the palace servants pulled Su Jiaojiao up, Ling Xiao had just arrived. She pushed through the crowd and immediately wrapped Su Jiaojiao in a cloak, anxiously saying, "First, take my lady and the Crown Prince to the nearest palace to rest. Has the imperial physician been summoned yet?"

A palace servant on the side said, "Someone has already gone to call the imperial physician. Perhaps my lady and the Crown Prince should first head to Yuxiu Palace, which is the closest, to warm up."

Yuxiu Palace was the closest palace to the Willow Embankment, currently inhabited only by the long-neglected Lady Qi. Shivering, Su Jiaojiao nodded, and the group immediately turned towards Yuxiu Palace.

The autumn lake water was icy cold. Although Su Jiaojiao and the Crown Prince were rescued in time, they inevitably caught a chill.

Inside Yuxiu Palace.

The Crown Prince, who had been brought in with her, was still crying in shock, continuously calling for his mother.

Not long after, there was a commotion outside, and hurried footsteps approached, heading straight into the room. Pale-faced, Su Jiaojiao looked up and saw the Empress entering with a grave expression, accompanied by a panicked Lady Wen.

Wrapped in a blanket, Su Jiaojiao was about to rise to pay her respects when the Empress promptly raised her hand, saying, "Sit down quickly, there's no need for formalities."

"Imperial physician, quickly check the Crown Prince and Noble Consort Lian's pulses, then go prepare some ginger soup to ward off the cold, quickly!" The Empress frowned, instructing the imperial physician behind her to diagnose, then sat in the main seat, slamming the table heavily, her voice deep, "Where are the two wet nurses serving the Crown Prince!"

This startled Lady Wen, who immediately knelt on the ground, crying, "I have failed in raising the Crown Prince, please punish me, Your Majesty!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the two wet nurses were brought in and forced to kneel on the ground. As soon as the people holding them let go, they kowtowed several times, crying, "Your Majesty, spare us! We failed to watch the Crown Prince, allowing him to run out alone and fall into the water. We were momentarily negligent, please forgive us!"

The Empress coldly said, "Both of you are seasoned palace servants, experienced in caring for the royal heir, yet you allowed the Crown Prince to run out alone and fall into the water! Fortunately, Noble Consort Lian rescued him in time. If anything had happened to the Crown Prince, you would have been buried with him!"

She turned to Lady Wen, her gaze sharp, "The Emperor entrusted you with the Crown Prince for only half a month, and you dared to make such a mistake! You have betrayed the Emperor's trust and disgraced me!"

Lady Wen, aware of her fault, could not stop her tears, murmuring sorrowfully, "Your Majesty, I..."

Seeing her tearful appearance, the Empress took a deep breath and softened her tone slightly, "His Majesty will soon be informed of this matter. You will have to explain it to him yourself."

At this moment, the physician who was responsible for examining the Crown Prince and Noble Consort Lian came out from the inner room and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince and Noble Consort Lian were rescued in time and are not in serious danger. However, they have been exposed to the cold and may catch a chill. I will prescribe some medicine for them to take for two or three days. With proper rest and care, they should recover fully."

Hearing this, the Empress breathed a sigh of relief and said gently, "The Crown Prince is still young. Please be cautious when prescribing the medicine."

"Yes."

After receiving the order, the physician went to the back room to write the prescription. The Empress then said with a tone of disappointment, "Fortunately, the Crown Prince is unharmed, otherwise even I would not be able to protect you!"

"This matter is of great importance. I have already sent someone to inform His Majesty, and the subsequent handling of this matter will be left to him." The Empress took a sip of tea from Yu He's hand, her brows relaxing slightly, and the heavy stone in her heart finally settled.

"Zhou'er! Zhou'er!" Suddenly, an anxious voice came from outside, quickly approaching.

The Empress looked up and saw Noble Consort Wang stumbling in, her face full of worry and anxiety, rushing straight into the inner room to find Shen Nanzhou.

Seeing Shen Nanzhou curled up in a small ball under the covers, the usually strong and decisive Noble Consort Wang's eyes immediately reddened, tears streaming down her face as if they were worthless, filled with the heartache of a mother.

"Zhou'er, it's your mother, it's your mother..."

Her trembling hands reached out to touch Shen Nanzhou's face, feeling only coldness wherever they touched. Her hatred for Lady Wen and the two wet nurses peaked in that moment, wishing that it was Lady Wen, that wretched woman, lying in bed shivering with cold.

Noble Consort Wang got up from the bedside and walked into the hall, raising her hand and slapping Lady Wen hard across the face, leaving a bright red palm print on her cheek. She shouted angrily, "His Majesty entrusted you with raising Zhou'er, and this is how you treat my child! This is how you treat His Majesty's Crown Prince!"

As if one slap wasn't enough to vent her anger, she raised her hand to strike again when the Empress sternly shouted, "Stop! Noble Consort Wang, look at what you're doing! I know you're anxious, and His Majesty will give you an explanation!"

"What am I doing?" Noble Consort Wang looked at the Empress with red eyes and sneered, "If it were your daughter lying in bed, I wonder if you could still sit so calmly!"

The Empress, being publicly and blatantly challenged by Noble Consort Wang, couldn't help but feel anger rising. She slammed the teacup down, splashing half of the tea, and said sternly, "Noble Consort Wang, remember that I am the Empress! If it weren't for my mercy today, you would still be in seclusion and would not be able to see the Crown Prince at all! If you continue to speak so arrogantly and disrespectfully, don't blame me for not understanding your motherly love!"

Noble Consort Wang looked at her with a cold sneer, finding it ridiculous, and without looking back, she went into the inner room.

The Empress looked displeased as Noble Consort Wang entered the inner room but said nothing, only frowning at Lady Wen. "I know you feel wronged, but you must also recognize your own mistakes. When His Majesty arrives, you may face severe punishment. It will be much more painful than the slap from Noble Consort Wang."

Lady Wen, holding her cheek, cried, "I know I have failed in my duty and have let down His Majesty and Your Majesty's trust, but I only asked the wet nurses to take the Crown Prince to the front of Luanming Palace..."

"Enough!" The Empress scolded Lady Wen into silence, displeased. "What's the point of saying all this now!"

At this point, no matter how many reasons she had, it would only seem like she was making excuses. Lady Wen collapsed to the ground, letting her tears fall in despair.

The eunuch on duty at the hall announced loudly, "His Majesty has arrived—!"

The Empress immediately stood up to welcome him, glancing sideways and whispering, "Clean up the table." She stepped forward and bowed gracefully, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects."

Shen Huai said in a deep voice, "All rise."

Before the Empress could say anything more, he bypassed her and went into the inner room to check on the Crown Prince and Noble Consort Lian, who had fallen into the water.

The Empress opened her mouth but finally swallowed all the words she wanted to say, coldly watching his back.

Behind the screen, Shen Huai immediately saw Su Jiaojiao and Shen Nanzhou lying on the bed, their faces pale, wrapped in quilts, looking unwell.

Shen Nanzhou lay on the outer side, his eyes closed as if he were asleep. Noble Consort Wang knelt by the bed, holding his small hand in her palm, rubbing it while tears fell, murmuring, "Zhou'er, wake up, your mother is here by your side. Look at me, okay?"

Moved by the deep maternal love, Shen Huai looked at Noble Consort Wang, who was heartbroken over the Crown Prince.

Even though Noble Consort Wang had done many things behind the scenes that could not be brought to light, there was no evidence, and after all, she was the Crown Prince's birth mother, the one who loved him most in the world. Lady Wen had only been caring for the Crown Prince for less than two months and had already made such a mistake, proving herself unworthy of being the Crown Prince's foster mother.

Since Noble Consort Wang had already tasted the pain of separation, she must have learned her lesson. It would be most appropriate for the Crown Prince to be raised by his birth mother.

He spoke softly, not wanting to disturb the two sleeping on the bed: "When Zhou'er wakes up, take him back to the Yutang Palace to raise him."

Hearing the voice, Noble Consort Wang realized someone had approached from behind. With red eyes, she looked at the Emperor, hesitated for a moment, then let go of Shen Nanzhou's hand and greeted him.

She struggled to stay composed, her voice quivering with fear: "Your Majesty, when I heard about Zhou'er's accident, I rushed out of the Yutang Palace in a panic. Please forgive me this once, considering my deep love for my child."

Shen Huai said indifferently: "Given the circumstances, I will let it slide. I recall you’ve been in seclusion for some time now. From today, you are released from seclusion and can focus on taking care of Zhou'er."

He stepped forward and felt Shen Nanzhou’s head, which was still cool but had warmed slightly. He glanced at Su Jiaojiao lying there, her face paler than usual, her damp black hair adding to her fragile appearance.

He wanted to reach out, but with Noble Consort Wang still present, he calmly withdrew his hand from Shen Nanzhou's forehead and summoned the imperial physician to check on their condition.

Learning that both were now stable and would recover after a few days of medicinal soup, he felt somewhat relieved.

Shen Huai stood with his hands behind his back and ordered calmly: "Have another sedan chair prepared. When Noble Consort Lian wakes up, send her back to the Pixiang Palace to rest. Noble Consort Wang, take the child back. I will visit Zhou'er when he is better."

Noble Consort Wang, tears of joy streaming down her face, hugged Shen Nanzhou tightly and kissed his cool forehead, her voice shaking: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great kindness!"

After she took Shen Nanzhou away in the sedan chair, Shen Huai walked back to the hall at a leisurely pace and took his seat at the head of the room.

The Empress sat beside him, casting a subtle glance. Lady Wen remained kneeling on the ground, visibly disheartened, while two old wet nurses kept their heads down, not daring to look up.

Shen Huai glanced at the people below, his index finger habitually tapping the armrest: "Are you two the ones usually attending to the Crown Prince?"

The wet nurses glanced up nervously at the Emperor and stammered: "Your Majesty, there are four wet nurses taking care of the Crown Prince in the Luanming Palace. We are two of them."

"Two of them," Shen Huai repeated, his voice cold and his eyes like ice. "Caring for the Crown Prince is a grave responsibility. As wet nurses, not staying by his side, you must have been slacking off somewhere."

"Given your age and years of service in the palace, I will spare your lives. But though death is avoided, punishment is not. You will each receive thirty lashes and be sent to the Yeting Palace for hard labor."

Shen Huai turned his cold gaze to Lady Wen, his eyes devoid of any warmth: "Lady Wen has failed in her duty to care for the royal heir, betraying my trust. Effective immediately, the responsibility of raising the Crown Prince is revoked and returned to his birth mother, Noble Consort Wang. She is demoted to the rank of Jieyu."

"Take them away to be punished."

Seeing the Emperor's command, the Empress frowned slightly and sighed, then said timely: "Your Majesty, with punishment should also come reward. Today, Noble Consort Lian has protected the royal heir. I suggest she should also be rewarded—"

"I have already decided," Shen Huai raised his hand to interrupt her, speaking in a low voice: "Noble Consort Lian has protected the royal heir and is promoted to the rank of Concubine. Additionally, she and Zhou'er will each receive a box of century-old snow ginseng for nourishment."

The Empress’s smile faltered briefly before she quickly regained her composure as she smiled and said: "Then I shall thank Your Majesty on behalf of Concubine Lian."

Shen Huai nodded, stood up, and glanced at her: "Many incidents have occurred in the palace recently. As the Empress, it’s your duty to oversee the harem, maintain harmony, and share my burdens, not leave everything to me."

"If the Empress struggles, I may assign additional responsibilities to the Virtuous Consort."

With that, Shen Huai exited the Yuxiu Palace without a backward glance.

The Empress stayed in the hall, watching him leave, her fists clenched tightly beneath her wide phoenix sleeves.

Pixiang Palace.

When Su Jiaojiao slowly woke from her dream, it was already evening.

The windows were tightly shut, letting in no cold wind, only the faint light of the night visible through the semi-transparent window paper.

Though she had been rescued in time, the cold water and weather had inevitably caused her to catch a cold. The cold had invaded her body, and she had developed a low fever in the Yuxiu Palace, falling into a deep, powerless sleep.

Fortunately, she had drunk a bowl of ginger tea in the Yuxiu Palace and had been helped up by Yu Ying to drink a dose of medicine prepared by the imperial physician while half-asleep. The treatment had been timely, and now that she woke up again, she felt much better, her body not as cold and heavy.

But she had been so deeply asleep that she didn’t remember being moved back to the Pixiang Palace.

Su Jiaojiao weakly propped herself up against the bed frame, her smile faint, and softly called out, "Yu Ying, how did I get back?"

Yu Ying, carrying the medicine, was thrilled to see her mistress awake the moment she entered. She hurried forward, exclaiming, "Mistress, you're awake!"

She set down the tray and bowed deeply, saying with a smile, "I congratulate Consort Lian on her promotion."

Su Jiaojiao was momentarily stunned but not particularly surprised, as if she had anticipated it. She smiled faintly, "Catching a cold for a promotion isn't a bad deal."

Among the favored newcomers of the third year of Tianyuan, she was the one who rose the fastest and was the most favored. In less than a year, she had risen from a selected rank to a beauty, granted a title, then promoted to a Noble Consort, and now, just as autumn began, she was elevated to the rank of consort.

Her rapid ascent had long left her peers behind.

When she made this decision, she knew the Emperor would reward her in some way, if not with a rank then with some other honor.

More importantly, she could once again gain the Emperor's pity, increasing her weight in his heart, which was very worthwhile.

The shallow pond wasn't deep, and Su Jiaojiao had timed her rescue perfectly, ensuring it was foolproof.

As for whether Noble Consort Wang would remember her kindness—

Su Jiaojiao didn't care.

Noble Consort Wang was ruthless and wicked, involved in many of the palace's dirty deeds to varying degrees.

Such a person, who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals, Su Jiaojiao was certain, could even abandon Min Jieyu in a critical moment.

The only thing she truly cared about was her precious son.

Yu Ying handed over a bowl of plain porridge from the tray, saying softly, "Mistress, have some plain porridge to settle your stomach. You'll need to take medicine later."

Su Jiaojiao took the porridge from her but hadn't taken a sip when someone burst in, her face as cold as frost, asking, "Su Jiaojiao, jumping into the water to save someone on such a cold day, are you out of your mind?"

She calmly took a spoonful of porridge and ate it, smiling, "Consort Shu has arrived."

"Yu Ying, serve the tea."

Seeing Su Jiaojiao looking well and still smiling, Consort Shu's worry slightly subsided, though she still maintained a stern expression, "I heard the Emperor promoted you to consort, but is a promotion more important than your health?"

Su Jiaojiao dabbed the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief, her voice clear, "Sister, at that moment, jumping in to save the Crown Prince was the best solution."

"Not only did I gain the Emperor's pity, but I also got promoted, killing two birds with one stone," she said gently. "The pond wasn't deep, I can swim, and I quickly pulled him out. Now, just a minor cold, it's not a loss."

Seeing that Su Jiaojiao had it all figured out, Consort Shu knew she had worried for nothing. She always knew Su Jiaojiao was decisive, but she never expected her to be so ruthless even to herself, leaving her repeatedly astonished.

Consort Shu sighed helplessly, still somewhat concerned, "Your return to favor last night was already very noticeable, and now with the merit of protecting the imperial heir and your promotion, the focus of the entire harem is likely to be on you again. I was planning to lay low until Noble Consort Mi's attitude towards you improved before making any moves. Now, with Noble Consort Mi's issue unresolved and having offended Noble Consort Yu, how will you manage in the palace?"

Su Jiaojiao smiled faintly, "Noble Consort Yu got what she deserved; she willingly took the blame for Lv Yao, so she has no one to blame but herself. As for Noble Consort Mi, I have a plan, it's just a matter of the next couple of days."

"Originally, I didn't want to attract too much attention, but being favored is one thing, not being favored is another. Having favor is always better than not having it. I saved the Crown Prince, even if Noble Consort Wang doesn't remember my kindness, she'll be busy taking care of the Crown Prince for a while, one less adversary, and I'll be more at ease."

Consort Shu nodded, took a cup of clear tea from Yu Ying, lifted the lid, and gently blew on it, saying softly, "Are you prepared for Noble Consort Mi? Is there anything I can do?"

"Yes," Su Jiaojiao smiled, "Sister, just come and sit with me more often, and I'll naturally copy the Buddhist scriptures more quickly."

After saying that, she took a couple more sips of porridge and looked up at Yu Ying, "Did the Emperor come by while I was asleep today?"

Yu Ying curtsied and said with a smile, "The Emperor came as soon as you arrived at Pixiang Palace and stayed by your bedside for a while before being called away by the eunuch. He must have had official duties, otherwise, he would have stayed longer."

"Also, the Emperor rewarded you with a century-old snow ginseng, which I've stored in the treasury. The imperial physician said this medicine is too potent for your current cold, so it's not needed yet."

Consort Shu immediately chimed in with a smile, "It's just a cold, yet His Majesty has sent such precious medicine, fearing something might happen to you. This level of concern is truly rare."

As they were chatting and laughing, a voice suddenly announced from outside, "His Majesty has arrived—!"

Su Jiaojiao was momentarily stunned. She handed the bowl of porridge to Yu Ying, pushed aside the covers, and got up, wearing only a thin undergarment as she went to greet him.

Already ill, her delicate and fragile appearance now seemed even more vulnerable, like a piece of easily shattered glass, evoking pity.

The moment Shen Huai saw her, he frowned, strode forward, and swept her up in his arms, his voice calm but firm, "Who allowed you to get up while you're sick?"

Su Jiaojiao didn't fuss, wrapping her arms around the Emperor's neck and nestling into his embrace. Her long lashes fluttered as she gazed up at him with teary eyes, her voice soft and tender, "Your Majesty is here, how could Jiaojiao not come to greet you?"