Chapter 78: The Emperor’s Favor

Chapter 78: The Emperor's Favor

"The imperial edict has arrived—"

A gentle warmth spread through his knees, and upon hearing Su Jiaojiao's concern by his ear, the lingering melancholy in Shen Huai's heart was gently eased.

He swiftly masked his emotions, softening his tone slightly, he spoke indifferently, "It's nothing."

Su Jiaojiao sensed that the Emperor was unwilling to elaborate and that his mood was somber at that moment.

However, she did not press further or probe deeper, instead, she obediently fell silent and sat quietly by his side.

She hadn't expected the Emperor to be deeply moved by her concern, but she had deliberately intervened, hoping to intertwine her presence with the emotions evoked by Concubine Lian.

After this incident, it was likely that Concubine Lian would be the one chosen to attend to the Emperor tonight.

The bond of their childhood friendship, coupled with the sorrow stirred today, meant that no one else was likely to catch the Emperor's eye this evening.

Su Jiaojiao suddenly remembered encountering Lady Yun when she left Pixiang Palace.

At that time, Lady Yun had clearly been prepared, but who could have foreseen the series of unexpected events during the New Year's banquet?

Seeing the Emperor in such a low mood and disinterested, Lady Yun's plans were likely to fail.

She subtly glanced and saw Lady Yun standing at the back, her face filled with disappointment.

Not only Lady Yun, but everyone in the hall who had not been chosen by the Emperor wore the same expression.

Lady Yun had once betrayed Noble Consort Mi to side with Noble Consort Wang, only to be punished by Noble Consort Mi and then forgotten by the Emperor.

Now, with Noble Consort Wang busy caring for the eldest prince, she naturally had no time to spare for Lady Yun.

As a discarded pawn, Lady Yun's resilience was much greater than Su Jiaojiao had imagined.

At the very least, during their earlier casual conversation, Lady Yun had maintained impeccable manners, neither subservient nor arrogant, which was quite rare.

Noble Consort Wang, with her cold and ruthless nature, would likely not spare much thought for a discarded pawn like Lady Yun. It was unclear how Lady Yun had managed to endure these past days.

There was still some time before the New Year's banquet concluded. Although the Empress was inwardly furious, she maintained her composure and spoke gently, "Your Majesty, Concubine Lian's Green Waist Dance was truly exquisite. Even I found it delightful."

"Now that the banquet is halfway through, would Your Majesty prefer to draw lots or have the concubines volunteer to perform?"

Shen Huai, burdened by his thoughts, had no interest in drawing lots. He frowned slightly and said, "The Empress may decide."

He leaned back, resting his left arm on the armrest, propping his head up absentmindedly, clearly disinterested.

Seeing the Emperor in such a state, the Empress casually called upon a few individuals to come forward and perform. However, regardless of their skill, the Emperor paid little attention.

Realizing that dragging things out further would be pointless, the Empress tactfully suggested, "It's getting late, and Your Majesty has had quite a bit to drink. Perhaps it would be best to retire early?"

According to palace protocol, the Emperor should spend nights in the Empress's palace during festivals and on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month.

However, this was the fourth year of the Emperor's reign, and the number of nights he had spent in Fengyi Palace could be counted on one hand. The rules had become mere formalities, and the Empress had long since abandoned any hope.

Rather than clinging to what was destined to remain out of reach, it was better to go with the flow and be the Empress who pleased the Emperor.

As expected, Shen Huai had already been considering leaving. Seeing the Empress's tactfulness, he took the opportunity to say, "I am somewhat weary from the wine. I shall return to Taiji Palace first. You may all do as you please."

With that, he prepared to rise to his feet.

The Empress spoke up at the right moment, smiling as she said, "Your Majesty, the night is deep and the dew is heavy. It's not good for you to be without someone to attend to you. Today, all the sisters have shown their talents. I wonder which sister Your Majesty favors? Let her accompany you back."

The palace concubines had put in so much effort, actually waiting for this moment.

As soon as the Empress finished speaking, the palace concubines immediately looked forward with hope, eagerly waiting for the Emperor to speak.

Shen Huai's heart was still in turmoil. He glanced around the room and finally rested his gaze on Concubine Lian.

Although he had made this decision, his feelings at this moment were a tangled mix of pity, guilt, and the discomfort of a change in status. He averted his eyes from Concubine Lian's overly eager gaze, looked straight ahead, and stood up.

Shen Huai raised his hand and patted Su Jiaojiao beside him, speaking lightly, "Let Concubine Lian attend to me."

After saying this, he took the lead and walked out of the Liangyi Hall.

Concubine Lian was immediately overjoyed, the tears in her eyes turned to tears of joy. She quickly stood up and followed the Emperor out of the hall.

The others knelt and bowed, respectfully bidding farewell to the Emperor's carriage. Only after it had completely vanished into the night did the atmosphere in the Liangyi Hall begin to shift subtly.

When the Emperor was present, the hall was dignified and elegant, a scene of harmony. The palace concubines sat upright, smiling, afraid that any slight impropriety might be seen by the Emperor. No one dared to engage in idle chatter.

But after the Emperor left, the palace concubines relaxed considerably, and their previously concealed expressions became more apparent.

Su Jiaojiao was about to get up from her seat and return to her original position to talk to Consort Shu when Talented Lady Xiao below sneered, "Oh, it seems some people do possess self-awareness. If they truly intended to remain seated and not rise, it would be laughable."

At this time, the Empress and Noble Consort Mi were still present. Talented Lady Xiao's loud sarcasm, though not explicitly naming Su Jiaojiao, was clearly directed at her.

Su Jiaojiao looked up at Noble Consort Mi, softly bowed, and said, "Your Highness."

Noble Consort Mi had always disliked this presumptuous cousin. Now that the Emperor had just left, she was making such a fuss, as if she hadn't caused enough trouble!

She immediately frowned and sternly rebuked, "How dare you! The Empress and I are still in the hall. What are you shouting about? Do you still have any sense of propriety and decorum?"

Talented Lady Xiao wanted to say more, but seeing her cousin rebuke her, she felt even more indignant and angry. She was her cousin's sister, yet her cousin always looked down on her, only scolding her, treating Consort Zhen better than her own cousin!

The issue of her sword dance remained unresolved, but she didn't need to think twice to know it was undoubtedly that wretch Miaoyu!

Talented Lady Xiao wanted to retort, but the Empress was still standing majestically in front. Seeing the Empress's displeased expression, Talented Lady Xiao suppressed her anger and reluctantly lowered her head, saying, "I spoke out of turn. Please forgive me, Your Highness."

Seeing her quick apology, Noble Consort Mi didn't want to continue scolding in front of outsiders. After all, everyone in the palace knew they were cousins. Whether she spoke or not, it would cause gossip.

She stood up and glanced lightly at the Empress, saying unhurriedly, "I've indulged in a few too many drinks and now feel indisposed. I'll return to my palace first. Tomorrow will likely be busy, so Empress, you should also retire early."

Noble Consort Mi's voice was charming, even when speaking calmly, it carried a haughty tone.

Though she suggested the Empress retire early, there was an undertone of provocation, not truly respecting the Empress.

The Empress looked steadily at Noble Consort Mi, a cold glint in her eyes, smiling insincerely, "I never knew before that Noble Consort Mi was such a magnanimous person, willingly elevating other concubines to the Emperor's presence. In the past, I wouldn't have dared to think of it."

Yu Ling supported Noble Consort Mi as she took a few steps, then paused slightly.

She didn't turn back, her luxurious deep purple palace dress shimmering under the hall's lanterns, looking noble and indifferent, "Your Highness jokes, people change, and so do I."

After saying this, Noble Consort Mi gracefully left.

Having disrupted the Empress's plans today, Su Jiaojiao knew the Empress disliked her and didn't want to face the Empress's cold and probing gaze. She knelt and said, "I feel unwell and won't disturb the Empress further. I'll take my leave."

The Empress didn't stop her, watching Su Jiaojiao leave, and sneered.

With the Emperor gone, the remaining attendees naturally had no cause to linger, and they gradually took their leave.

On the way back to the palace, Su Jiaojiao sat on the palanquin, lazily yawning.

Yu Ying, who was beside her, whispered, "Mistress, today His Majesty originally asked you to sit by his side, but who knew that Noble Consort Lian would suddenly appear and steal your favor. Yet, I see that you are not the least bit upset?"

Su Jiaojiao glanced at her, her smile lazy with a hint of intoxication: "His Majesty has many favorites, why would I be upset? Besides, I’ve already spent the most nights with him in the palace, missing one night isn’t a big deal."

"Instead, Min Jieyu was demoted to Talented Lady and placed under house arrest, Talented Lady Xiao offended the Empress and Noble Consort Mi in front of His Majesty, and Noble Consort Mi disrupted the Empress’s carefully laid plans. Each of these is a good thing for me. The chaos in the harem is more satisfying than His Majesty’s attention. I should be happy."

Mistress has always been level-headed and reasonable, so Yu Ying’s lingering resentment faded away.

Speaking of the Empress, Yu Ying softly asked, "If that's the case, I’m worried that the Empress might focus her attention on you even more."

Su Jiaojiao narrowed her eyes and said, "After the incident involving the eldest prince, and with Zhu Baolin about to give birth, the Empress won’t act again so soon out of fear, otherwise, His Majesty would also suspect her. Besides, the eldest prince’s poisoning is being treated by Imperial Physician Liu, which further delays the Empress’s plans. Now, Noble Consort Wang holds the deepest grudge against the Empress. The Empress has too much on her plate, so there will still be moments of peace."

Hearing this, Yu Ying also breathed a sigh of relief.

On such a fine day, she also wanted to say something cheerful to make Su Jiaojiao smile, her tone quite lively: "The strategy you suggested to Noble Consort Mi last time seems to have worked perfectly today. From the look on His Majesty’s face, it seems that the grand promotion in the harem is about to happen. Since it’s a grand promotion, and His Majesty favors you so much, you’re sure to be included. What rank do you think His Majesty will give you?"

Speaking of the grand promotion in the harem, Su Jiaojiao couldn’t be entirely sure either.

The grand promotion involves many aspects, and His Majesty would surely discuss it with the Empress and Noble Consort Mi before finalizing everything.

She stands out too much in the harem, having been favored for less than a year, she’s already been promoted to the fourth-rank Consort position, which is unparalleled. Even the noble daughters who entered the palace at the same time, Beauty Zhong and Talented Lady Xiao, are still at the sixth rank.

When she spoke with Noble Consort Mi a few days ago, she also mentioned that there are too many low-ranking concubines and not enough high-ranking ones, making management difficult and prone to disputes. Presumably, Noble Consort Mi has also discussed this with His Majesty.

The court is now looking to curb the power of the noble families, so the harem must compensate them more.

Su Jiaojiao was only sure of one thing: Beauty Zhong and Talented Lady Xiao’s ranks would surely be elevated significantly.

As for herself, a promotion is inevitable, but it won’t be too noticeable, which is not a bad thing.

Most likely, it’ll be between Jieyu and Noble Consort.

The fourth-rank Jieyu and the third-rank Noble Consort, though only one rank apart, are worlds apart.

The third-rank Noble Consort is the head of a palace, in charge of a palace, with much greater power.

But Su Jiaojiao has been favored for less than a year and has no children. If she were promoted to Noble Consort so quickly, it would be quite alarming.

While it’s true that His Majesty favors her greatly, it also stirs up resentment.

If it’s Jieyu, it’s still a promotion, but not to a leadership role, so it won’t draw as much attention.

What His Majesty’s attitude is, Su Jiaojiao can’t be sure.

At the New Year's Eve banquet, Su Jiaojiao drank a few more cups of wine, returned to the palace, hastily washed up, and went to sleep. When she woke up, it was almost lunchtime.

Today is the first day of the year, the best day of the year.

Yu Ying didn’t want Su Jiaojiao to stay in bed, so she and Yu Ye coaxed her to get up.

Just after she finished washing and dressing, it was announced that Consort Shu had arrived.

Su Jiaojiao smiled and went to greet her, saying, "It’s snowing outside today, sister, aren’t you cold coming so early?"

Consort Shu took off her lake-blue cloak and handed it to the maid behind her, smiling, "Today I came specifically to your palace to enjoy your food, and I brought a gift to congratulate you on your promotion. I think His Majesty’s decree will arrive soon, so I came to accompany you to receive it. You wouldn’t refuse, would you?"

Su Jiaojiao smiled and said, "The decree hasn’t arrived yet, but sister’s gift has already come. If there’s no share for me, I would be left in an awkward position by sister."

Yu Ying and Yu Ye covered their lips with handkerchiefs, laughing softly, as the atmosphere in the hall was warm and joyful.

As Ling Xiao brought over the tea, before it could be taken, ceremonial announcements were heard from outside.

"An imperial decree approaches—!"

Su Jiaojiao and Consort Shu exchanged glances, both rising to welcome the decree. They saw Cai Shan personally delivering it, smiling politely and saying, "Ah, it's fortunate that both of you are here, saving me the trouble of making another trip."

The eunuch behind him handed over a bright yellow imperial decree, causing Su Jiaojiao to pause in surprise.

Promotions below the rank of a principal consort do not require the emperor's personal decree; a verbal order and registration in the records suffice.

But today, it was different...

Su Jiaojiao dared not delay, bowing deeply and kneeling to receive the decree.

"By the will of heaven, the emperor proclaims: Consort Zhen of the Su family, virtuous and pure, graceful and virtuous. From this day forward, she is hereby promoted to Noble Consort Zhen, of the third rank, effective immediately—!"

Cai Shan handed the decree to Su Jiaojiao with both hands, bowing and smiling, "Noble Consort Zhen, please accept the decree. His Majesty has also personally arranged for the move to the main palace, scheduled for an auspicious day after the New Year."

Yu Ying and the others' eyes lit up with joy, all bowing in unison to congratulate Su Jiaojiao on her promotion.

Su Jiaojiao accepted the decree with both hands but remained kneeling, smiling as she asked, "What about Consort Shu, then?"