Chapter 67 Promotion

Chapter 67 Promotion

On the thirteenth day of the first lunar month, as per tradition, it was the Day of Imperial Blessings. On this day, the emperor would personally write "fu" (blessing) characters on scrolls, which would then be bestowed upon the nobility. The nobles naturally accepted them with deep reverence and gratitude.

A Wu listened and couldn't help but sympathize: "How many blessing scrolls do you have to write? Won’t your hand ache from exhaustion?"

The Jingxi Emperor adjusted his ceremonial robes before the bronze mirror. "You get used to it. Did you think ruling an empire was easy?"

A Wu: "...I thought emperors just sat around looking regal."

Now that the emperor often spent nights with her, she had come to realize that being an emperor was no simple task—it was hard work.

The Jingxi Emperor glanced at her lightly. "If a fisherman can’t catch fish, his family starves."

A Wu: "If an emperor rules poorly, the whole country suffers?"

Jingxi Emperor: "Exactly."

He smiled faintly. "So every decree I issue is weighed carefully. I dare not slacken even slightly."

But A Wu was reminded of something else—like her father, a scholar by training, who had been implicated in a pirate case and thus banned from taking the civil exams.

The Jingxi Emperor noticed her expression in the mirror. "What are you thinking about?"

Startled, A Wu explained the matter.

After a brief pause, the Jingxi Emperor said, "As for your father, he may have been wronged, but from the perspective of the presiding judge in that case, there was no wrongdoing."

A Wu looked at him in confusion.

The Jingxi Emperor continued, "During the previous emperor’s reign, nobles from defeated foreign states led warriors and ronin to the eastern coast, turning to smuggling and piracy, becoming the pirates we know today. These pirates colluded with inland bandits, repeatedly harassing coastal areas and plundering merchant ships. To protect the coastal people and prevent collaboration between residents and pirates, the previous emperor issued a maritime ban."

Though well-intentioned, this ban made fishing and maritime trade difficult, forcing many coastal residents who relied on the sea for their livelihood to resort to smuggling and even collusion with pirates, using locals to transport contraband into Great Hui for huge profits.

Many coastal residents were involved to some degree, gradually forming a custom where they played fishermen for the officials but joined the pirates when encountering foreign raiders.

After ascending the throne, the Jingxi Emperor revised the coastal policy, lifting the maritime ban and permitting legitimate trade. However, shady dealings persisted.

To cut off the pirates’ escape routes, he dispatched imperial envoys to investigate strictly. Many coastal residents were implicated, but given the circumstances, they were pardoned—only those involved were stripped of their academic ranks.

For most, this was a slap on the wrist, a lucky break, and they were grateful. But A Wu’s father, who had already earned the rank of xiucai, lost his chance at the civil exams. Devastated, he turned to the merchant life.

This had happened when A Wu was only seven or eight, and she hadn’t understood the details. Now, hearing the Jingxi Emperor explain the reasons, she realized there was nothing to resent.

Still... she still felt cheated by fate.

The Jingxi Emperor asked, "How old is your father now, and what year did he earn his xiucai rank?"

A Wu: "My father is thirty-eight this year. He became a xiucai in the second year of Jingxi—the same year I was born. Our family had twice the reason to celebrate."

The Jingxi Emperor thought for a moment. He had changed the era name in the second year of his reign—Jingxi’s second year marked his third year on the throne, when he was not yet seventeen and had just fully grasped imperial power, immersing himself in governance. Meanwhile, far away on the eastern coast, a young man in his twenties had passed the xiucai exams and welcomed a daughter—A Wu was born.

He felt an odd connection. "Then your father must have read my imperial proclamation."

He had once written a proclamation specifically for scholars, widely circulated at the time. Even on the distant eastern coast, A Wu’s father, as a xiucai, would have read it.

That xiucai could never have imagined that one day, his crying infant daughter would grow up, drift to the capital, and serve at the emperor’s side.

A Wu was surprised. "Huh? I wouldn’t know."

How could she know? After her father gave up scholarly pursuits for business, he never mentioned the past again.

Later, she did learn to read and studied works like the *Three Character Classic* and *Thousand Character Classic*, but her father only said there was no need to read more—it wouldn’t do any good.

At this memory, she sighed, "Actually, my father... was said to be exceptionally talented, famous in our village. That’s what my mother told me."

The Jingxi Emperor arched a brow upon hearing this. "Oh?"

A Wu felt somewhat displeased by his doubtful tone, sensing he was belittling her father.

She muttered, "I may not be educated, but my father was different. My mother married him precisely because of his vast knowledge!"

The Jingxi Emperor agreed, "That your father earned scholarly honors in such a remote region means he must indeed have been highly talented."

Yet his praise still sounded somewhat dismissive to A Wu. The father she revered and adored was, in his words, just "a provincial scholar from the backcountry."

A Wu asked, "I’ve heard of something called 'the Emperor’s disciple'—what does that mean?"

The Jingxi Emperor explained, "Those who pass the provincial exams earn the *juren* rank and proceed to the metropolitan exams. At the palace exam, I personally oversee the testing of the candidates. Those I select for the top three ranks become my disciples and are called 'the Emperor’s disciples.'"

Becoming the Emperor’s disciple was a lifetime honor. Those chosen would enter the Hanlin Academy as reserve officials, with bright futures ahead.

Turning it over in her mind, A Wu understood.

The imperial examination system consisted of the county, provincial, metropolitan, and palace exams. The Jingxi Emperor personally examined candidates at the palace level, while her father had only passed the county exams—nowhere near the palace exams.

So, in the Jingxi Emperor’s mind, a mere county-level scholar, no matter how talented, was insignificant. The candidates he had selected at the palace exams were likely far more accomplished and younger than her father.

She huffed in annoyance, "My father must have been held back!"

Noticing her irritation, the Jingxi Emperor hurried to her side, embraced her, and coaxed gently, "To raise a daughter as clever and lovely as you, your father must have possessed extraordinary talent. It’s my fault for not spotting such talent and missing such a great scholar."

A Wu stayed quiet, lips pressed tight.

The Jingxi Emperor couldn’t bear to see her unhappy for even a moment and continued soothing her, "When your father returns, if he wishes, I may grant him an exemption to rejoin the academy and take the provincial exams."

This was indeed an exceptional favor. But A Wu thought—even if he passed the provincial and metropolitan exams, and by some miracle reached the palace exams, he’d end up shouting "Long live Your Majesty," and becoming his disciple.

Her father—his disciple?

Pfft.

A Wu retorted, "As if! My father wouldn’t stoop to that!"

Had anyone else uttered such words, it would have been a capital offense. But the Jingxi Emperor knew he couldn’t take offense.

She was his darling, and younger besides. If her words were thoughtless, he could only blame himself for not teaching her better.

—And if he truly couldn’t teach her, then so be it. That was just her nature. What could he do?

For now, he had to set aside his usual authority and patiently coax her, explaining that if her father and brothers returned, they would be rewarded accordingly. Not only her father but even her brothers could be granted official positions, starting as sixth-rank military officers.

While Great Hui frowned on favoritism, with countless officials in the empire, holding a minor post was far from wielding undue influence.

Only then did A Wu reluctantly brighten up.

Calling him "your father" was strangely stiff between intimate lovers. With other consorts’ fathers, he might have referred to them by their titles to avoid such awkwardness. But since her father was a shadowy figure with no official standing, he had no choice but to use this address.

At least now "your father" had become "the old gentleman"—a subtle shift. "Your father" was the detached politeness of an emperor, while "the old gentleman" revealed his perceptiveness and shrewdness.

In truth, she understood that as the Emperor, even the father of the empress would have to kneel before him, so of course her own father would.

For him to act this way now was already being exceptionally gracious.

Moreover, he had promised that her father and brothers could take government positions.

Government positions…

A Wu's eyes lit up—her father and brothers could take government positions!

Seeing her expression soften, the Jingxi Emperor finally felt relieved.

If her family were present, he would naturally reward them generously—as long as she was happy.

He knew that now, when facing A Wu, he instinctively wanted to please her, to make her like him, even if it meant relaxing some protocols.

But that was fine. A young woman like her was going through pregnancy for him—he should spoil her a bit more.

What common men could offer, he could offer. What common men couldn’t offer, he could also give.

So he held her close and said gently with a smile, "I have some exciting news today. Do you know what it is?"

A Wu’s mood brightened even further. "I know."

The Jingxi Emperor looked at her with amusement in his eyes. "Oh?"

A Wu: "The promotions!"

This was a big occasion. On this day, all the imperial consorts and female palace officials would gather in the Ronghua Hall—who would get promoted depended on today!

Because promotions in the Great Hui’s imperial harem worked by set rules—based on evaluations and precedents, one could roughly guess in advance who would be promoted, so there was no reason to fret too much.

Of course, those on the bubble would still worry—would they be promoted or not?

A Wu, having received the Jingxi Emperor’s assurance, knew she would be promoted at least two ranks, maybe even more. She was bursting with anticipation.

Now, her heart was light, all her earlier displeasure forgotten. She was radiant, eager to rush to the Ronghua Hall immediately.

She hurried to rise, no longer lazing about.

The Jingxi Emperor watched her eagerness with amusement. "Remember to make yourself presentable—at least do me proud."

A Wu: "Of course! Don’t worry, your Little Noble Lady will be the most beautiful!"

The Jingxi Emperor couldn't help but laugh.

**********

After taking great care with her appearance, A Wu hurried to the Ronghua Hall, where the other imperial consorts had already gathered, all visibly tense.

Among those A Wu was more familiar with, Zhao Yi Meng had given up hope of promotion and held no expectations. Consort Hui thought she would likely remain in her current rank for a few more years, so she wasn’t hoping for a promotion now. That left only A Wu eagerly anticipating hers.

As soon as A Wu arrived, a female palace official had already prepared an embroidered stool for her, along with a sable fur rug, a cushion, and even a hand warmer.

Now that A Wu was pregnant, the female palace officials around her took extra care in every detail. Even the Ronghua Hall made sure she wanted for nothing, ensuring she was treated with utmost comfort.

The other women looked on enviously—an imperial heir… After over a decade, the imperial harem was finally seeing movement.

One by one, announcements were made—some celebrated while others sighed. Some were promoted in rank, while others, though not promoted, received elevated titles. Zhao Yi Meng and Consort Hui, who had given up hope, were shocked to discover their allowances slightly increased, with a modest rise in their monthly stipends.

Even the most indifferent among them couldn’t help but feel delighted.

Zhao Yi cast off the post-holiday lethargy that had lingered since the New Year, her eyes now bright with joy.

Finally, A Wu heard her name called. With two female palace officials supporting her, she knelt to receive the imperial decree. The edict was concise—she was to be promoted.

To the rank of Noble Consort.

A Wu took a moment to process the words.

Ever since her pregnancy, she had privately speculated about the Jingxi Emperor’s intentions. Both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor favored her, so surely she would be rewarded. Rumors had suggested she would be promoted to Wan Yi—could she now rise even higher?

She had no concrete expectations, only a vague hope.

But now—Noble Consort?

A Wu knew the hierarchy of the imperial consorts was rigid, ranging from the first-rank Empress down to the eighth-rank Attendant. Below the Empress and the Imperial Noble Consort were the Noble Consorts, Zhuang Consorts, Virtuous Consorts, Graceful Consorts, and others. Consort Kang, the mother of Princess De Ning, held the lowest rank among the consorts.

After the nine consorts came the Nine Concubines, followed by Zhao Yi and Jie Yu.

She had never imagined that instead of the expected "Wan Yi," she would leap straight to Noble Consort!

Forget the hierarchy of Great Hui’s imperial consorts—in the current Jingxi Emperor’s harem, only the Empress outranked the Noble Consort. Everyone else was stuck below!

She—had shot up to Noble Consort.

Consort Kang had borne a princess and toiled for over a decade before being elevated to her current rank. A Wu, just pregnant with the imperial heir still unborn, was already a Noble Consort.

And the key point—she was only seventeen!

A Wu was so exhilarated she could hardly speak, her heart overflowing with pure joy, her smile unstoppable.

Meanwhile, those around her, upon hearing the news, were sure they’d misheard.

Noble Consort—such a title was not easily granted in Great Hui’s harem. Zhuang Consort had once saved the Empress Dowager and earned the Emperor’s highest praise, yet she remained only a Zhuang Consort!

As for Consort Kang, she had only been promoted last year. Even the Virtuous Consort, who had borne the Crown Prince, never got higher.

In short, having a child didn’t mean you automatically received a noble title—everything followed a gradual progression. Great Hui’s harem had never seen a Noble Consort before. What did one look like? Where were they?

And now, suddenly, a young lady who had entered the palace mere months ago had leapt straight to Noble Consort—at just seventeen! Such a young prodigy!

For a moment, the crowd was a mix of emotions. Envy was inevitable—every woman in the harem longed to climb higher. Yet they also understood their own lack of opportunity.

For years, the Emperor had ignored the harem. How could they possibly conceive?

Besides, the young lady was stunning. Even they, as women, could appreciate her allure. Had they been men, they’d have fallen for her too. So… there was no comparison.

That thought kept them in check—after all, they had plenty of sisters in the same position.

When Consort Kang first heard, she thought she had misheard. Upon confirmation, she went pale.

She stared fixedly at A Wu, her nails digging into her palms.

She knew many were stealing glances her way, eager to witness her humiliation. She had to maintain composure, avoid becoming a laughingstock—but she was furious, utterly furious.

After bearing De Ning, she had endured years of hardship before finally attaining the rank of Consort Kang.

And now this little fox, just showing signs of pregnancy, the child not even born—had vaulted straight to Noble Consort!

Noble Consort—higher than her. That meant from now on, she would have to kowtow to this upstart.

She truly couldn’t fathom how it had come to this.

Men were so unfair—a girl barely older than her own daughter, yet already showered with such favor!

Too furious to let it go, she first went to see the Empress Dowager and brought up the matter. To her surprise, the Empress Dowager barely reacted, merely stating that since A Wu was now pregnant, all matters must be handled with care, and the ceremony for the Noble Consort title should wait until the pregnancy stabilized.

Consort Kang’s heart turned cold—so the Empress Dowager had known all along?

It dawned on her bitterly—it wasn’t just about being able to conceive, but about timing!

After all, the Jingxi Emperor had gone over a decade without an heir, likely stirring whispers among the court officials. Now, suddenly, this little fox had gotten pregnant, proving the Emperor’s virility. The Empress Dowager must be secretly delighted, hence the generous conferment of the title.

Burning with resentment, she then went to see the Empress, but the Empress brushed her off as if she couldn’t even be bothered to engage with her.

Did the whole palace think that little minx deserved this?

After Consort Kang left, the Empress remained expressionless, her gaze fixed on some distant, empty point.

Ever since that temptress had gotten pregnant with the Emperor’s child, she knew things had spiraled beyond control.

The Jingxi Emperor doted on her, and now that she had proven fertile, his favor would only grow. With the affections of the entire harem concentrated on her, promotions and rewards were just a snap of his fingers.

What was a Noble Consort today? What if an Imperial Noble Consort appeared tomorrow?

As for the future…

The Empress frowned slightly, recalling what Lu Yunjian had mentioned.

So while ruthlessly suppressing her, he had also been diligently visiting his Little Noble Lady, resulting in her pregnancy.

**********

A Wu only found out later how she’d gotten the Noble Consort title. It turned out that when she first entered the palace, it was as a Taoist nun, brought in to serve the Emperor and dispel bad luck.

Now that A Wu had suddenly conceived, the Jingxi Emperor was overjoyed and ordered the Imperial Astronomer to read the omens. Sun Wenbo observed the celestial signs and declared that the nun had cultivated blessings, embodying purity and the foundation of heaven and earth, thereby benefiting the Emperor and enabling him to open the path to fatherhood, allowing the imperial heir to be conceived.

Put plainly, the Emperor was originally fated to have only one son and one daughter—no more. And indeed, Princess De Ning had already reached marriageable age, with no further signs of life in the Emperor’s harem.

But Noble Lady Ning was different. As a practicing Taoist nun, she was a vessel of blessings, capable of bearing imperial heirs—a blessing for Great Hui and the imperial family. Noble Lady Ning would expand the imperial lineage, and according to fate, there would be more to come!

No one really believed the 'more to come' part, but after fifteen years of silence, the harem was finally stirring with new life. The court officials rushed to congratulate him, and the imperial relatives were invigorated.

Thus, rewarding A Wu and securing a better status for the upcoming heir became an urgent priority.

With everyone chiming in, the title of Noble Consort was swiftly established.

A Wu soaked it all in, still unable to believe it, bursting with happiness.

She had truly only hoped for the rank of concubine or consort—after all, the Jingxi Emperor had always been tightfisted with titles. Never had she expected such generosity this time.

Hmph, really, he was just doing right by his own blood!

But never mind—the child was hers anyway!

This time, she carefully studied the palace handbook on consort ranks and learned that the Noble Consort was the highest rank among inner noblewomen, while princess-consorts and married elder princesses were the highest among outer noblewomen. In other words, the Noble Consort’s status was roughly equivalent to that of a prince’s principal wife or a married princess of the same generation.

A Wu quickly counted on her fingers—every other woman in the palace was now below her.

As for those outside the palace, the consorts of the Emperor’s royal brothers and the various princess-consorts were of equal rank, but as an inner noblewoman, they’d have to show her respect from now on.

And then there was Princess De Ning—though a princess and a first-rank outer noblewoman, she was a junior!

As her junior, even she would have to bow to her now.

To put it bluntly, the rank of Imperial Noble Consort was somewhat special. Though still a concubine, she was no longer just any concubine. Both the Crown Prince and Princess De Ning would have to address her as stepmother.

And of course, the Crown Princess would also have to bow to her!

Overjoyed, A Wu couldn’t wait for the conferment ceremony. However, the Empress Dowager and the Jingxi Emperor, fearing she might overexert herself and harm the fetus, postponed the ceremony, making her wait longer.

But she didn’t need to fret. In truth, the official title didn’t matter as much as the child in her womb.

This was her golden ticket—she was carrying a golden egg!

The next two days, A Wu buzzed with excitement. When the Lantern Festival came, the palace relaxed its rules, allowing fireworks—though only pre-approved, mild ones.

A Wu had been dying to see the festival’s hustle and bustle. Fortunately, the imperial physician finally gave permission for her to go out, and she was practically bouncing with anticipation.

The Jingxi Emperor carefully confirmed with the physician before agreeing to take her out that evening.

All day, A Wu fidgeted on the steps, craning her neck for a glimpse outside.

By then, a towering lantern display had gone up before Xuande Tower, surrounded by a thorny basin, with a music pavilion inside and colorful silk decorations outside. When the grand lanterns were lit, the dazzling show was something even the busiest streets rarely saw.

She was dying to see it!

But the whole day dragged on without a trace of the Jingxi Emperor. A Wu sent someone to inquire and learned he was busy receiving court officials, celebrating with the people, and attending various ceremonies. On a big day like this, he was pulled in every direction.

A Wu pouted, convinced he’d stood her up.

On such a day, he was too busy to spare a thought for her. No doubt he and the Empress were cozying up on the city gates, receiving the adoration of the masses.

Fuming, she itched to give him a piece of her mind.

Pacing like a caged tiger, fists balled, she resolved to confront him when he returned.

How dare he ditch her—the woman carrying his precious heir! Was there no justice left?

Just as she was seething, the blare of imperial music suddenly cut through the air, unmistakably signaling the arrival of the Jingxi Emperor’s carriage. In an instant, the palace blazed with light, lanterns illuminating Langhua Hall.

The Jingxi Emperor swept in, dragon robes radiating regal power. His opulent robes swallowed the tiny room whole.

He stepped close to A Wu and asked, "Did my Noble Consort miss me?"

A Wu, who had been brooding, flushed at his words.

"Noble Consort"... She was now the Noble Consort!

Biting back a grin, she put on a pout, complaining, "You’re so late!"

The Jingxi Emperor’s gaze lingered as he smirked.

For the Lantern Festival, A Wu had dressed early in a gold-threaded cloud-patterned jacket and a pleated skirt embroidered with scattered flowers. Her hair was styled high, adorned with a fresh pink peony at her temple, accentuating her radiant, jade-like complexion.

Her beauty—equal parts porcelain doll and spoiled princess—made one yearn to embrace her.

Who could resist her pout? She needed coddling—sweet-talked until she beamed again.

His eyes lingering on her, the Jingxi Emperor chuckled. "The lanterns are perfect right now."

A Wu pouted: "Are you done with your work?"

The Jingxi Emperor nodded: "Mm-hmm."

As he spoke, he took A Wu's hand: "Come, let's get you changed first."

Though A Wu had already dressed up, she was still wearing the snow-silk soft shoes meant for wearing indoors.

The palace maids nearby hurried forward to assist, but since the emperor was still holding A Wu's hand, they hesitated to intervene.

Waiting cautiously on the side, they saw the emperor lead the dainty consort by the hand, seating her on the low couch before personally removing her snow-silk soft shoes.

Seeing this, everyone understood and quietly withdrew.

The Jingxi Emperor held A Wu's foot in his hand, finding it as if sculpted from snow, her toenails like delicate pink seashells. He couldn't bear to let go, admiring them for some time.

A Wu was surprised and ticklish, so she kicked at him playfully with her toes.

So what if he was the emperor? She would kick!

But her foot was firmly grasped by him.

The ticklish sensation grew stronger, leaving her no relief but to whine in protest.

After all, she was expecting, and the imperial physician had said pregnant women were more temperamental. She was entitled to be a little spoiled!

The Jingxi Emperor caressed those alabaster feet and asked with a smile, "Did you ever bind your feet in the past?"

A Wu: "Bind my feet? Of course not."

Great Hui had a foot-binding custom, but unlike some barbarian lands that twisted women's feet into unnatural shapes, Great Hui's practice was merely a gentle shaping to make the feet appear slender and delicate.

The Jingxi Emperor: "This is excellent. Left natural as heaven made them, no need to overly pursue slenderness."

If one were too fixated on delicacy and softness, it would drain vitality and become dull. The Jingxi Emperor had never favored the wan, sickly affectations of noble ladies—no matter how beautiful, they seemed lifeless.

—Of course, if A Wu was delicate, it was because she was naturally so, and her sprightly charm made her endearing, unlike those women.

Moreover, as the Jingxi Emperor gazed at these alabaster feet, their arches were gracefully arched and smooth—truly breathtaking.

A Wu urged him: "Didn’t you say we’d watch the fireworks? We'll miss them, hurry up."

But the Jingxi Emperor slightly bowed his head, holding her foot, and planted a soft kiss upon it.

When his lips touched her skin, A Wu was startled, feeling an electric tingle where he had kissed.

The Jingxi Emperor lifted his gaze to her face, his face impassive: "Silly, if I don’t give the order, how would the fireworks begin?"

A Wu: "..."

Right, the emperor's word was law. If he didn’t go, who would dare start the show?

Flushing crimson, A Wu clutched the embroidered cushion beside her, secretly thinking—yet this greatest emperor in the world was now half-kneeling before her, reverently kissing her foot...

Savoring the moment, her heart fluttered wildly.