Chapter 117: Merit and Demerit Offset

Chapter 117: Merit and Demerit Offset

A Crisis

Lvwan's expression darkened as she listened to the rumors. Glancing toward the bushes, she recalled yesterday’s incident when she had advised Concubine Lian to bring a sour plum drink to Lingbo Pavilion for Cooling Breezes. It had seemed like a perfect plan, but Noble Consort Zhen had beaten them to it, leaving Concubine Lian humiliated and furious—and dragging them all down in disgrace.

She had assumed the matter would end quietly, but within just one night, these vicious rumors had spread throughout the already small summer retreat. Concubine Lian had been in a bad mood and wanted to take a walk to clear her mind, yet even sitting in the pavilion brought no peace—such gossip had still reached her ears.

When Concubine Lian slammed down the teacup, Lvwan was startled and immediately scolded the attendants nearby, "Hurry up! You—clean up these shards before they injure Her Ladyship!"

Rou Xin took another cup of tea from a palace maid behind her, swept the broken pieces aside with her foot, and gently placed the new cup on the table before Concubine Lian. Softly, she soothed, "Your Ladyship, why trouble yourself with the words of lowly servants? The weather is already hot—don’t let anger harm your health."

"Thankfully, Sister Lvwan was thoughtful enough to bring an extra set of tea utensils. We originally intended to serve you a sour plum drink, but now they’ve proved useful."

Hearing this, Lvwan’s expression eased slightly.

She cautiously observed Concubine Lian’s face and, seeing her anger gradually subside, felt a flicker of pride. Rou Xin was so considerate, arranging everything meticulously and even managing to cheer up Concubine Lian—she truly was the perfect fit. Seizing the moment, Lvwan also added, "Your Ladyship, please don’t be upset. His Majesty has always cherished you. Just think—since your entry into the palace during last year’s Mid-Autumn family banquet, your living conditions have been nothing less than the best. Whenever newly arrived exotic treasures come, hasn’t His Majesty always thought of you first? This proves you hold a special place in His Majesty’s heart. It’s just..."

Lvwan hesitated, unsure whether to continue, but Rou Xin smoothly took over, gently massaging Concubine Lian’s shoulders as she said, "Noble Consort Zhen may be presumptuous, but His Majesty is currently fond of her. There’s no need for Your Ladyship to provoke His Majesty’s displeasure. No flower blooms forever—sooner or later, His Majesty will tire of Noble Consort Zhen. It’s just a pity that Your Ladyship must endure this humiliation for now."

Though meant to console Concubine Lian, these words only stoked her pride. She had always considered herself above the other women in the harem and never bothered to demean anyone—yet now, she was expected to suffer indignities at the hands of that Su woman? Unbearable!

Furious, she hissed, "How dare that Su woman presume above her station! I’ve always disdained the petty rivalries of the harem and never wasted time tormenting anyone. Yet now, she dares to challenge me!"

A growing sense of crisis gnawed at her. If she did nothing, she feared His Majesty would no longer see her as the most special and important woman—she would be replaced by that Su woman.

She refused to stand by and watch what was rightfully hers be stolen. Never!

She had to find a way—a way to ensure that woman would never regain favor.

Soon, hurried footsteps rustled through the bushes, and three palace maids were dragged before Concubine Lian.

Terrified at the sight, they immediately dropped to their knees, kowtowing and pleading, "Your Ladyship, spare us! Your Ladyship, forgive us! We spoke nonsense, we were careless with our words! We’ll slap ourselves—please, have mercy!"

Desperate to save themselves, they began striking their own faces with such force that blood trickled from their lips.

Concubine Lian picked up the tea Rou Xin had served, her cold gaze resting on the maids without a shred of warmth.

Beside her, Rou Xin sneered, "Worthless creatures, hardly deserving of life! How dare you gossip about Her Ladyship behind her back? If not for Her Ladyship’s mercy, you’d be dragged to the punishment hall and sentenced to hard labor—never to see daylight again!"

Hard labor meant endless toil in darkness—inhumane, starving, freezing, and utterly hopeless. Once condemned, life was as good as over—a fate worse than death.

At this, the three maids turned ashen, wailing as they kowtowed, their pleas testing Concubine Lian’s patience.

Frowning, Concubine Lian was about to have them removed when Rou Xin’s eyes gleamed cunningly. Leaning in, she whispered, "Your Ladyship, these maids are worthless creatures, hardly deserving of life. But since you’ve caught them, why not give them a chance to redeem themselves?"

Concubine Lian frowned, lowering her voice. "How?"

"Isn’t Noble Consort Zhen the one you despise most? Rather than using your own people, why not send them? Just ensure they don’t betray you," Rou Xin murmured with a faint smile. "What does Noble Consort Zhen have, really? Just her looks. If those were ruined... do you think His Majesty would still visit her? And since it’s only disfigurement—not murder—even if discovered, a few well-placed words could easily deflect blame."

Concubine Lian hesitated. "Would that work? They’re not my trusted servants."

Rou Xin countered, "Think of Consort Mi’s case—wasn’t that the perfect example? She was brought down by someone close to her, demoted and confined. If it’s not your own people, denial becomes much easier. Besides, you’re His Majesty’s cousin—your bond is unshakable. Even if exposed, you need only say you acted out of jealousy because Noble Consort Zhen kept His Majesty all to herself. Would His Majesty truly punish you for a jealous moment?"

Their whispers were too soft for Lvwan to catch, but seeing them deep in discussion, she couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

Seeing that Her Ladyship seemed in a decent mood, perhaps they were merely discussing how to deal with the three attendants, so she didn’t dwell on it further. Knowing only that Her Ladyship didn’t wish outsiders to overhear, she turned to the surrounding attendants and said, "Go, all of you, step back further."

Concubine Lian truly despised Lady Su. Now that there was a method to deal with her without using her own people and without taking a life, it was hard not to be tempted. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "If we want to ruin her looks, how should it be done?"

Rou Xin covered her lips with her hand and whispered, "Your Ladyship need only lay out the terms first. The method can be thought of later, can it not?"

Hearing this, Concubine Lian found it reasonable and cleared her throat lightly before saying, "I want you to know—you have committed grave offenses. Though death may be spared, punishment is inevitable."

The young maids, seeing an opportunity, immediately pleaded, "We submit to Your Ladyship’s judgment!"

Concubine Lian set down her cup and said coolly, "I want you to do something for me. If done well, not only will you avoid punishment, but you shall be rewarded. But if you fail, you will be sent to hard labor camps at once."

The three exchanged glances and hesitated, asking, "What does Your Ladyship wish us to do...?"

"There’s no hurry. When I’ve decided, you will be told." Concubine Lian eyed them coldly and continued, "This matter is not simple. If mishandled, it may cost you your heads. You must think carefully before agreeing. Once you commit, should anything go awry, you are not to implicate me."

Two of the three were terrified and shook their heads repeatedly, saying, "We dare not, we would never..."

Only one remained silent, her eyes darting before she kowtowed and declared, "Your servant is willing to serve Your Ladyship without question!"

Concubine Lian gave a satisfied hum and said, "Take those two away to hard labor camps. They are never to appear in public again." Then, she turned to the only one bold enough to act and smiled faintly. "You are good. Rise. When I have need of you, you will be summoned."

"Rou Xin."

"Yes."

Understanding Concubine Lian’s intent—to learn the maid’s name, duties, and temperament—Rou Xin waved her handkerchief and said, "Come, walk with me."

Meanwhile, Lvwan attended to Concubine Lian as she returned to her palace.

The summer heat was sweltering, making the days feel unusually long and sluggish.

For over a month, the Emperor had doted on Noble Consort Zhen almost exclusively. All the finest treasures were sent to Yingzhou Yuyu.

Apart from handling state affairs, he spent most of his time with Noble Consort Zhen. The other consorts, left out in the cold, grew restless, and the days dragged on endlessly.

Before long, summer faded into early autumn, and the royal procession returned to the palace, marking the end of their retreat at the summer villa.

With the summer heat gone, the early autumn air was pleasantly cool. Having rested for over half a year, they heard upon returning that the Empress had fully recovered from her illness.

Though the news of the Empress’s recovery had been announced to all palaces, including the Emperor’s, he had not mentioned reinstating her authority over the harem.

In the days following their return, the affairs of the harem remained under Noble Consort Shu’s management.

The Emperor’s stance set tongues wagging both in court and the harem. Yet during court sessions, he merely stated that the Empress, having just recovered, was too frail to resume her duties—thus shutting down any objections.

Outwardly, it seemed considerate of the Empress. But in truth, she had been recovering for over half a year. If she was now declared well, how could she still be too frail?

With no recent missteps from the Empress, none could fathom the Emperor’s thoughts. They had no choice but to drop the subject for now.

Not long after autumn’s arrival came the every-three-years autumn hunt. In the Tianyuan 1st Year, the Emperor had held one to celebrate his ascension. Now, in Tianyuan 4th Year, it was time again.

The Empress, having recovered, could accompany the Emperor.

The autumn hunt was a major event, attended by royalty, ministers, and top soldiers—a great chance to enjoy a ride.

It was scheduled for the first of the month, just under a month away.

After the noon meal, Su Jiaojiao was dozing off with her head propped up in Yaoxian Palace, lost in that groggy post-lunch haze.

Yu Ying came running in cheerfully from outside, saying, "Your Highness, the Grand Eunuch is here, bearing gifts with quite a few people from the imperial presence."

Su Jiaojiao had seen this scene too many times in recent days; any excitement had long worn off, leaving only weariness.

Especially since the Emperor now demanded her sole attendance, day and night—how was she supposed to keep up?

She opened her eyes, mustered a smile, and said, "Please invite them in at once."

Cai Shan led the group into the hall, bowed to her, and said politely with a smile, "Your humble servant greets Your Highness and wishes you eternal peace. The gifts bestowed by His Majesty—even your humble servant does not know what’s inside. Would Your Highness like to open and see for yourself?"