Chapter 63: The Mystery of Consort Lian

Chapter 63: The Mystery of Consort Lian

Suspicions Linger

The Empress rested her wrist on Yu He's hand, her back facing Su Jiaojiao, pausing her steps for a moment.

Before her was the pitch-black night, and behind her was the bright candlelight of Pixiang Hall. Her luxurious bright yellow phoenix-patterned robe was half in darkness and half in light, as if coated with a flickering candlelight when facing Su Jiaojiao's back.

Su Jiaojiao looked up at her, her face calm, almost icy.

The Empress slightly turned her head, her smile not reaching her eyes, and finally said, "Consort Zhen, rest well."

The Empress's retinue trailed behind her as she exited Pixiang Hall. The cold wind rushed into the hall, and Su Jiaojiao's cold sweat seemed to freeze on her body, chilling her heart and ears.

Seeing this, Yu Ying hurried forward to close the palace door and approached Su Jiaojiao to pour her a cup of tea, saying, "My Lady, warm yourself up quickly."

Su Jiaojiao took the tea and drank it all in one go. The warmth from her stomach spread to her limbs, helping her regain her composure.

At this moment, the servants of Pixiang Hall were still on standby. Su Jiaojiao said in a deep voice, "Yu Ying, from now on, all the servants in Pixiang Hall must be vigilant. You decide how to handle it, but remember, if anyone harbors disloyalty and cannot be used by me, find a reason to send them back to the Palace Service Bureau and select better ones. Pixiang Hall will not tolerate any traitors!"

Yu Ying bowed and said, "Yes, we will do our best."

After speaking, as Yu Ying was about to leave to arrange the servants, Su Jiaojiao grabbed her wrist and whispered, "Be wary of people from Fengyi Hall and Yutang Hall, and avoid unnecessary complications. From now on, anyone serving me, whether it's menial or personal service, must be someone close and loyal to me, understand? My standing in the palace is still precarious, and the relationships among the servants are crucial. You must all clear the path for me."

"Yes," Yu Ying said with determination, "I will follow your instructions, My Lady."

After they went to arrange the servants, the tightness in Su Jiaojiao's chest loosened slightly.

She struggled to rise from the small table beside the couch and looked at the warm jade pillow placed on the round stool under the bead curtain. She picked it up and examined it for a while but found nothing unusual.

The more she failed to uncover anything, the more her anxiety grew. Her anxiety brought back the memory of the Empress's earlier smug expression, and a wave of inexplicable anger surged within her.

In her anger and frustration, she almost lost control and smashed the jade pillow in her hand.

At the peak of her extreme anger, her rationality suddenly returned, like a kite string pulled taut to the limit. Su Jiaojiao's mind cleared, and she regained her composure.

She took a few deep breaths, placed the warm jade pillow on the table in the hall, and sat back in her chair.

Since growing up, Su Jiaojiao had never been so discomposed.

She had always prided herself on her wit, deftly maneuvering through schemes and manipulating others, keeping everything under control, and handling everything with ease. She had never before felt such a profound sense of crisis.

But today's intricate schemes, the layers of plots, the Empress's terrifying tactics shattered her understanding of the women in the harem and crushed her long-held pride and confidence.

This forced her to question whether her decisions were still entirely sound and whether her judgments were still within the Empress's calculations.

Without her usual calm and confidence, Su Jiaojiao felt like a ladybug trapped in a droplet of water, surrounded on all sides but unable to breathe freely.

Su Jiaojiao rolled up her sleeve and pinched her left arm. The more it hurt, the harder she pinched, until her fair and soft left arm was marked with bright red bruises. The pain radiated through her body, and the sharp clarity it brought helped her regain her composure.

She instinctively dug her nails into her palm, lowered her lashes, and fixed a cold stare on the table, asking herself:

The Empress has only just begun to use her schemes, Su Jiaojiao, are you already afraid? You must survive and rise higher than anyone else. What is a mere Empress to you?

The more she seeks to instill fear in you, the more you must remain composed and steady. The more you panic, the more you will fall into her traps. Didn't you manage to avoid today's scheme?

The sting in her palm swiftly restored her calm. Su Jiaojiao lifted her eyes and looked towards the direction outside the hall, her gaze turned frosty.

Shortly after, Xiao Songzi and Ling Xiao, today's duty attendants, entered from outside.

Looking at Su Jiaojiao in the hall, Ling Xiao said, "My lady, shall I help you freshen up and change? It's getting late, and it's time to rest."

Su Jiaojiao remained silent for a moment. Then she glanced at Ling Xiao and Xiao Songzi, suddenly frowning slightly, and said, "Ling Xiao, I remember you once served the Empress Dowager. Do you know who Consort Lian is?"

Consort Lian?

Ling Xiao entered the palace in the Tianyuan 1st Year, when the Emperor had just ascended the throne. Because of her beauty, impeccable family background, and refined manners, she was exceptionally assigned to serve tea in the imperial presence.

After about half a year in the imperial presence, she was transferred to serve the Empress Dowager.

At that time, the Empress Dowager was already seriously ill and could not be exposed to wind, so the palace servants of Yongshou Palace took extra care. They were busy all day, and with few concubines at that time, they did not pay much attention to the affairs of the imperial concubines.

Even so, Ling Xiao remembered the names of the palace concubines very clearly. Apart from the fact that there was no Consort Lian in the harem, there was also no Consort Lian among the previous imperial concubines.

She thought hard for a long time, but could only shake her head and say, "I have considered all the ladies in the palace, but I have never heard of Consort Lian. Even the previous Empress Dowager never mentioned her."

Hearing Ling Xiao say this, Su Jiaojiao felt even more puzzled. As she frowned in thought, she heard Xiao Songzi, as if remembering something, say on the side, "My lady, since the Empress brought it up, it means this person must have existed before. Perhaps... it's just that we are not allowed to talk about it."

"There are things they don't want future generations to know, so they order that they not be recorded in history books, and palace servants are not allowed to mention them, making it seem as if this person never existed. I dare to speculate, could Consort Lian be one of those? After all, it's no secret that the Emperor is not the Empress's own son."

Xiao Songzi lowered his voice and said, "But what's strange is that after the Emperor ascended the throne, most of the palace servants were newly selected. Many of the old servants were sent back to their hometowns before they reached retirement age. The new servants know nothing, and the old ones who remain keep silent, so naturally, we don't know. But I remember, just now the Empress said that if this warm jade pillow were to be broken, the Emperor might be furious. Do you think Consort Lian could be..."

Su Jiaojiao looked up at Xiao Songzi, her heart suddenly tightening, "Are you saying that Consort Lian might be the Emperor's birth mother?"

Xiao Songzi lowered his head and said, "I dare to speculate, just to give you a thought."

He shook his head and frowned, saying, "But I don't understand, where did the Empress get the warm jade pillow that Consort Lian used before, and why did she give it to you? Why was Consort Lian a taboo in the palace before?"

"When you went to Fengyi Palace that day, Aunt Yu Ying followed you. After you returned to the palace, Aunt Yu Ying told me that the Empress received two warm jade pillows, but now she has given one to you."

"Warm jade is precious, how could there be two?"