Chapter 143 Stirring Trouble

Chapter 143: Rising Storm

The morning and evening rituals of paying respects.

The grip on her suddenly slackened, and icy air rushed violently into her oxygen-deprived chest. Su Jiaojiao clutched her throat, gasping for air in ragged breaths.

Leaning against the trunk of the blossoming plum tree, she panted heavily, her cold gaze fixed on Shen Huai’s retreating back as she let out a derisive snort.

How was the current emperor any different from the late one? Both were capricious men obsessed with momentary thrills.

He demanded her wholehearted love. But why should she give it?

What good would loving him do her?

Was it possessiveness or desire? Or simply his inability to accept that a woman he favored did not hold him in her heart? Had the emperor even distinguished it for himself?

This absurd confrontation, masquerading as some tragic romance, was nothing more than his refusal to accept that Su Jiaojiao did not love him.

An emperor’s love never lasted, and bestowing it upon another was nothing extraordinary.

Let him shower it on anyone he liked. Did he really think such childishness could bruise her pride?

Pathetic.

Su Jiaojiao kneeled to pick up the fallen palace lantern, its light long dead.

From her sleeve, she drew out a flint, carefully reigniting the wick until the lantern dusted with snow glowed once more.

After such a heated argument, it seemed all that needed saying had been said. The knot in her chest had loosened without her realizing.

For the first time in months, her heart was still.

Now that she’d seen the truth, there was no room left for resentment or disappointment.

Even without the emperor’s favor in the future, life would go on.

She adjusted her cloak, shielding herself from the stinging wind and snow, leaving only one hand exposed to hold the lantern as she turned to retrace her steps.

---

In the Hall of Twofold Majesty.

Shen Huai returned with a stormy expression, his whole body exuding cold fury, sending onlookers scrambling back.

Cai Shan rushed over, eyeing the emperor’s expression warily, and took a warm towel from a palace servant to wipe away the snow from His Majesty’s hands. "Your Majesty has been out for so long—if the chill damages Your Majesty’s health, it would be this lowly one’s unforgivable fault. Please, take your seat and warm yourself with some tea."

Shen Huai brushed him aside and ordered coldly, "Bring me wine."

Cai Shan froze momentarily.

Wine dulled the senses, and His Majesty rarely indulged. What had happened today?

Still, drinking at a banquet was hardly unusual. Without further thought, Cai Shan swiftly sent someone to fetch it.

The emperor had left in haste and returned grim-faced, drawing the attention of every Imperial Consort in the palace.

The empress, seated beside him, could tell he was in a foul mood. But she was wise enough not to provoke him further, feigning obliviousness as she offered gentle concern. "The cold outside must have seeped into Your Majesty’s bones. Are you unwell?"

Her voice was soft, her demeanor understanding. Suppressing his fury, Shen Huai replied tersely, "It’s nothing."

At this moment, Le He, the personal palace maid of the Empress, entered from outside. She first cast a wary glance at the Emperor before approaching the Empress.

Le He made a show of pouring tea for the Empress while whispering, "Your Majesty, as per your instructions, I followed the Emperor at a discreet distance and saw him heading toward the plum grove. I didn’t dare get too close, but after trailing him into the grove, I caught fragments of an argument with someone. It seemed... like it was Consort Zhen."

"Consort Zhen?" The Empress was surprised, her eyes shadowed briefly before she lifted her gaze to confirm.

Le He nodded, set down the purple clay teapot in her hand, and retreated behind the Empress to attend to her.

The Empress tilted her head slightly to observe the furious Emperor, recalling that Consort Zhen had claimed illness and stayed absent today. She began to scheme.

When they returned from the summer retreat, everyone said Su Jiaojiao enjoyed the Emperor’s sole favor, enjoying unrivaled prestige.

Yet these past days, there had been no word of Su Jiaojiao committing any offense, yet the Emperor had inexplicably turned cold toward her.

For the Emperor to act this way, either Su Jiaojiao had uttered forbidden words or had offended him secretly.

If the coldness had persisted, it might have been hard to say, but today they had gone out and had a heated quarrel.

Even if the Emperor, out of deference to Su Chang’s standing and the royal family’s dignity, wouldn’t openly punish Su Jiaojiao, his dignity had been wounded. Su Jiaojiao, grown arrogant from favor, had shown disrespect to the Emperor. Having reached this point, it was likely the Emperor would grow to loathe her from now on.

Men, especially the Emperor, valued pride above all. Born aloof, he cared most about dignity.

Good—

Without lifting a finger, Su Jiaojiao had lost the Emperor’s favor. This was truly twice the joy for her.

In a little while, with some scheming, she could eliminate Su Jiaojiao, and the inner palace would have no one left to threaten her position.

Once she safely bore a legitimate heir in the future, why worry about the stability of her position as Empress—or even as Empress Dowager?

The First Snow Banquet proceeded smoothly under the Empress’s direction.

Shen Huai drank heavily, his face slightly flushed, his eyes tinged with a despondent haze.

Yet he concealed it well, maintaining his usual cold and aloof demeanor. Only toward the banquet’s end did he rise to leave.

The Empress promptly called out to him, stepping forward with understanding to straighten his cloak before asking gently and virtuously, "Your Majesty, it has been a long time since you visited the inner palace. Today, with the first snow and such a beautiful scene, why not choose one of the sisters to lift your spirits?"

Every Imperial Consort eagerly awaited this moment. Yet, to their surprise, the Emperor merely glanced indifferently at the Empress before tightly grasping her hand and saying, "Tonight, the Empress shall attend me."

At these words, the others hid their disappointment.

Still, the Empress being chosen was within expectations.

After all, these days, whenever the Emperor entered the inner palace, he only visited the Phoenix Palace. The life-and-death bond was not something just anyone could rival.

But the Empress was the Empress—she was the Emperor’s first wife, the nation’s mother, and the birth mother of Princess Lanying. The Emperor’s favor toward her was a blessing for the realm.

As concubines, they naturally had nothing to say.

The Empress curved her lips in a faint smile, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. The Emperor held her tightly, and she clasped his hand in return, their fingers entwined in an intimate gesture.

Softly, she said, "In that case, I shall accompany Your Majesty back to rest. Sisters, please enjoy yourselves. The snow makes the paths slippery—do watch your step."

The Emperor and Empress departed hand in hand, while the gathered crowd rose to bow: "We send off Your Majesty, we send off Her Majesty the Empress—"

In the Taiji Palace, the Empress took in the long-unseen chambers with rare delight.

Lying on the imperial bed, her heart raced with anticipation.

Footsteps approached, and the Empress sat up, the silken fabric slipping off her shoulders.

She looked up at His Majesty and said softly, "Your Majesty—"

The Emperor was in a terrible mood, his movements rougher than usual. Though he knew full well the person beneath him was the Empress, a smoldering anger choked him. He kept wondering—if he showered affection on another woman, if he took cruel revenge on Su Jiaojiao, would it even matter to her?

He wanted her to hurt, to ache like he did. Love didn't matter; as long as she was stirred by his actions, he could pretend they still had something.

Any emotion would do—even hatred.

But after spending his anger, Shen Huai lay on the vast, opulent dragon bed, swallowed by hollow emptiness.

In the darkness, grief and bitterness drowned him. He thought himself mad, so obsessed with Su Jiaojiao beyond all reason.

Yet no matter what he did, Su Jiaojiao simply did not love him.

From beginning to end, the only fool had been him.

Beside him, the Empress, damp with sweat, slung an arm over his shoulder and rested a hand on his chest, murmuring tenderly, "It's late. Let us rest."

Shen Huai gave her a long look before gently removing her hand. He rose, threw on his robe, and said, "There are still many memorials to review. You may sleep first."

With that, he strode out of the bedchamber, making his way alone to the study in the side hall.

The Empress's warmth was met with cold emptiness. She stared blankly in the direction he had left, clutching the embroidered quilt beneath her.

Though everything seemed to be moving in a favorable direction, she couldn't escape the sense that something was amiss with His Majesty.

His heart was with her...yet not.

He clearly doted on her now, giving her unmatched attention and honor, yet inexplicably, she saw ice in his eyes—as if freezing out someone else.

The illusion lasted only a moment before she dismissed it.

No, impossible.

She and His Majesty had been wed since their youth. No one knew him better than she did.

His Majesty's early life had been fraught with hardship, his birth mother's story shrouded in mystery. Even she had heard only fragments, but she knew that after years of navigating the treacherous harem, he had become the most detached and ruthless of men.

No woman ever really had his heart—just passing fancy at best.

It had been so with Consort Mi, and now it was the same with Su Jiaojiao.

They might be favored, but if they crossed his disdain or became expendable, he would show no mercy.

Everything else always took precedence over women.

The Empress had no doubt that new beauties would enter the palace in time, and others would catch his eye.

So why, then, did this uneasy feeling grip her?

Was it the arrival of new consorts, or merely a trick of her weary mind?

Clutching the quilt to her chest, she lay back in bed, soothing herself.

Perhaps—

It was simply because, after all these years, this was the closest period she had ever been with her husband. Everything had come so smoothly and perfectly that it made her somewhat fearful it might slip away.

In the dead of night, she always felt it was unreal.

The next day, the Queen opened her eyes in bed, only to find the space beside her still cold—had the Emperor not come back all night?

Before she could ponder further, attendants hurried in to serve her, calling out, "Her Majesty the Queen has awakened, everyone may enter."

A palace maid from the imperial entourage smiled as she helped the Queen sit up. The brocade quilt slipped, revealing faint traces of last night's ardor on her skin.

The maids smirked knowingly as they assisted her in rising, bathing, and completing her morning routine. "His Majesty and Her Majesty are truly close," they remarked.

This was the first time the Queen felt such bashfulness after serving the Emperor. Though it wasn’t her first time, the deepened bond between them made the experience entirely different—less like a long-married couple and more like a young girl first discovering love, shy and flustered.

Lowering her eyes with a faint smile, the Queen covered the marks on her skin and gently chided, "To tease me about such matters—His Majesty has truly spoiled you all. I ought to discipline you."

Once her morning routine was complete, Cai Shan happened to enter from outside, bowing with a smile. "This humble servant greets Her Majesty the Queen. I was just about to relay His Majesty's verbal edict."

"From today onward, the Queen shall oversee all matters of the inner court. Considering Her Majesty’s recent recovery from injury, Noble Consort Shu shall continue to assist."

After hearing the decree, the Queen smiled warmly. "Your service is appreciated. Do you know when His Majesty will finish court?"

Cai Shan bowed again. "Unfortunately, His Majesty has summoned several ministers for discussions today, and it’s unclear when they will conclude. Your Majesty may return to Fengyi Palace first. Once His Majesty is free, this servant will inform him on your behalf."

"That will do." The Queen donned her gilded carved fingerguards and, once fully dressed, stepped out of Taiji Hall. "Then I shall return to Fengyi Palace now."

Only after descending the steps did she calmly instruct Yu He beside her, "Inform the six palaces that from tomorrow onward, morning and evening audiences shall resume."

"The palace has grown lax for over half a year. It’s time to restore order."

Inside Yaoxian Palace.

Su Jiaojiao huddled under the covers, her cheeks flushed and her forehead dotted with fine beads of sweat.

Having caught a chill the previous night, she had forced down two large bowls of ginger soup upon returning, yet still succumbed to a touch of fever.

Fortunately, Imperial Physician Liu had been summoned at dawn and diagnosed her condition as not serious—just a few doses of medicine and avoiding further exposure to cold would suffice.

Yu Ying gazed at her mistress, pained, and scolded, "Your Highness must never be so reckless again. A moment of recklessness has left you bedridden for days. Thankfully, it’s not severe, but in this bitter winter, you could have suffered terribly."

A maid entered with a freshly warmed heating pan, and even the usually composed Yu Ying couldn’t help but complain, "The servants in the Palace Domestic Service grow lazier by the day. The underfloor heating grows colder—yesterday it was lukewarm, and today even worse. With Her Highness ill, they should at least keep it warm. If she catches another chill, I’ll have their heads!"

Another maid tending the fire added, "Not only that, but even the charcoal allotment has been reduced. I fear soon we won’t even have enough hot water..."

Just then, Xiao Songzi entered and overheard. Frowning, he said, "I know someone in the Palace Domestic Service. Perhaps I can persuade them to divert more to Her Highness. Failing that, we can seek Noble Consort Shu’s help. Since she assists the Queen in managing the inner court, such a trifling matter should be within her authority."

Mention of Noble Consort Shu brought some comfort to the uneasy group. "We’re fortunate to have Noble Consort Shu. Otherwise, how would we endure this long winter?"

Su Jiaojiao struggled to open her eyes and softly said, "Given my current state, unless absolutely necessary, we shouldn’t trouble Sister Shu."

"This morning’s decree restored the Queen’s full authority—something she values above all. Sister Shu’s closeness to me is well-known, and the Queen will surely limit her power, possibly rendering her a figurehead. Sister Shu is fiercely loyal; if she knew of my plight, she’d cross the Queen on my account. It’s not worth it."

Yu Ye muttered resentfully, "So we’re just to endure this bullying?"

"Noble Consort Shu is your ally, and now you’re... Are we to go on like this forever?"

Su Jiaojiao coughed lightly and smiled faintly. "Even if I never regain favor, I can nurture new allies and quietly position one to rise."

"As long as that person stays true to her roots, once she rises to power, we may yet have good days ahead."

By then, His Majesty would likely have long forgotten that there was ever such a reckless and heartless Imperial Consort like her.

Time would eventually blur all memories.

Ling Xiao, who had been silent all this while, spoke softly: "In this palace, most Imperial Consorts put up with shortages and swallow their pride. If we lack clothes or food, we can make up for it with embroidery and trade it for charcoal to boil water. Winter has only just begun—there will be colder days ahead. If we despair now, wouldn’t that just upset Her Ladyship?"

"In a few days, it will be Her Ladyship’s birthday. On such a joyous occasion, how can we keep speaking such gloomy talk? Wouldn’t that just upset Her Ladyship?"

Yu Ye’s eyes brightened as she said, "Yes! Her Ladyship’s birthday is coming soon. By then, she should have recovered from her illness. Even if we lack other things, our small kitchen can still prepare food. When the time comes, I’ll go to the Shangshi Bureau to fetch our rationed ingredients and make a proper feast for Her Ladyship!"

Su Jiaojiao’s eyes softened as she nodded, her voice slightly hoarse: "I’m deeply moved that you all care for me so much."

The approaching birthday washed away much of the worry and anger in their hearts, and the atmosphere in the hall finally lightened.

Ling Yun brought the freshly brewed medicine from the side hall, and Yu Ying personally took it, helping Her Ladyship sit up.

"When the imperial decree was announced earlier, the Empress also issued an edict to all palaces, stating that morning and evening greetings would resume. Given Her Ladyship’s current condition, she certainly cannot attend. I must go to the Phoenix Palace to ask for exemption on her behalf to avoid further trouble," Ling Xiao said slowly, though her tone still carried concern. "But I worry—since it’s been over half a year since these greetings were last observed, tomorrow’s gathering is especially important. If Her Ladyship doesn’t attend… it may invite criticism. Yet if she goes while still ill, not only would her appearance raise questions from the Empress, but her own health would suffer."

Yu Ying also hesitated, unsure of what to do.

But Su Jiaojiao, lying in bed, seemed indifferent. "Whether I go or not, the Empress sees me as her sworn enemy. What does it matter if I don’t attend?"

I paused briefly before adding, "I’m only concerned that the Empress might speak ill of you before His Majesty..."

Su Jiaojiao burrowed deeper under the blankets, pulling them over her eyes, her voice faint.

"Then there’s even less to worry about. Go ahead."

Ling Xiao nodded and backed out of the room.

Yet an hour passed, and she still hadn’t returned.

Su Jiaojiao frowned slightly, a bad premonition rising in her heart.

She hastily ordered Yu Ying to send someone to check if anything had happened on the way. But before anyone could leave, a young palace maid rushed in, sobbing, "My Lady, something terrible has happened! Ling Xiao went to ask for exemption from the Empress, but Beauty Xiao made up a reason to have her caned! She’s still in the Empress’s palace now!"