Chapter 45
Although the sound of the night watches¹ in the palace was soft, in the quiet night, everyone could clearly hear it .
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Tingzhe rushed through the main doors of Xihe Palace . Because she was walking too fast, light sweat sprang from her head in the autumn night . When the other palace maids and eunuchs saw her appearance, they didn’t dare to block her path . However, they felt uneasy, not knowing what had occurred .
Noticing that the inner chamber was brightly lit, Tingzhe no longer hesitated . She entered the room . Afterward, she caught sight of Zhuang Luoyan just as she had lain on the bed . Yunxi was just about to let down the net-curtains when she noticed something amiss with Tingzhe’s expression . And her hand stilled, before she hooked the net-curtains back up . “What happened?”
“Master, Jingyu Pavilion’s Imperial Concubine Wang has passed away,” said Tingzhe as she gasped for her breath . “At this moment, it’s very chaotic at Jingyu Pavilion . ”
“Jingyu Pavilion’s Imperial Concubine Wang?” Zhuang Luoyan sat up and doubtfully asked, “Didn’t Imperial Concubine Wang fully recover already? A few days ago, I saw her outside . How could she just die?”
“This slave is also unclear and has only heard from the servants at Jingyu Pavilion that these past few days, Imperial Concubine Wang felt ill at ease . Who knew she would have passed away now?”
Zhuang Luoyan drew her brows together ever so slightly . She felt ill at ease? And then died all of a sudden? Was there really not another cause?
Imperial Concubine Wang had been ill for many days and was not favored . Not only that, her family wasn’t prominent . One would fear that even if her cause of death was fishy, Emperor Chengxuan would not send anyone to investigate . And the empress was even less likely to waste energy on this .
“What has the emperor and empress ordered?” Zhuang Luoyan sucked in a deep breath . She did not have much of a relationship with Imperial Concubine Wang, but after hearing that she had died out of the blue, her palms chilled .
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“Eunuch Gao of Ganzheng Palace has already spread His Majesty’s decree . He said that the empress will handle this matter herself . However, Imperial Concubine Wang had been in the palace for many years, and as such would be given the posthumous rank of noble imperial concubine . ” Tingzhe had worked in the palace for many years . How could she not guess that Imperial Concubine Wang’s death was fishy? But because the emperor did not ask about this matter, Imperial Concubine Wang could only leave the world in such a dubious manner .
“The burial rites of a noble imperial concubine . ” Zhuang Luoyan pulled the covers over her body higher . She glanced at the candle stand . The imperial concubines who weren’t favored were this miserable . Even in their deaths, few people cared . They were akin to the withered flowers on the roadside: inconspicuous . “Since His Majesty has already made a ruling, we will offer condolences to the deceased according to custom . ”
“Yes . ” Tingzhe bowed . Yunxi was slightly startled . Then she let down the net-curtains she had originally hooked up, covering the bright candle light in the room .
Zhuang Luoyan lay down on the brocade bed sheet, wide awake .
“Master, should we blow out all the candles in the room?” asked Yunxi softly outside the net-curtains .
“Leave one next to the door . ” Zhuang Luoyan closed her eyes and did not speak any further .
“Yes . ” Yunxi and Tingzhe shared a look . After they had blown out the other candles, they retreated out the door without a sound .
Waking up first thing in the morning, Zhuang Luoyan changed into a lightly-colored blouse with a wrap-around skirt . She exchanged the excessively gorgeous hair ornaments with those made of jadeite . Although her attire wasn’t plain, she didn’t want people to think that after Imperial Concubine Wang’s death, she would dress too beautifully and frivolously .
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She boarded her sedan and arrived at the empress’ Jingyang Palace . And she saw the imperial concubines who had arrived before her . Although their expressions seemed as usual, their spirits weren’t as high as they had been prior . In fact, none of them dressed too beautifully . It was evident that everyone remembered what had happened to Liangyi Jin and learned from her mistake .
Shortly after, the imperial concubines had almost all arrived, coming in groups of two and three . One by one they mentioned that it was such a pity that Imperial Concubine Wang died young . They completely forgot that they did not have much of a relationship with her in the past .
“Virtuous Imperial Concubine Jiang has arrived!”
When the imperial concubines present recalled that Virtuous Imperial Concubine Jiang and Imperial Concubine Wang had lived together, their expressions changed . After all, that person had just died and they had lived together . Everyone more or less thought it was inauspicious .
“This concubine greets Your Majesty, the empress . ” Virtuous Imperial Concubine Jiang’s exhaustion was clear on her face, as if she had not slept for a day .
“No need to be so ceremonious, Virtuous Imperial Concubine Jiang . Imperial Concubine Wang lived together with you . It may be assumed that you did not sleep all night due to managing the matters of Imperial Concubine Wang . Sit . ” The empress’ expression seemed the same as always . She had an eunuch bring over an embroidered stool² .
“Virtuous Imperial Concubine Jiang and Imperial Concubine Wang shared a sisterly bond . Please take a long absence for grieving,” said Noble Imperial Concubine Yan, not really caring .
“Imperial Concubine Wang was considered sisters with everyone here . Noble Imperial Concubine Yan should also take a leave of absence for grieving,” said Virtuous Imperial Concubine Jiang indifferently . She turned to look at Noble Imperial Concubine Yan, her gaze unexpectedly devoid of emotion .
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Noble Imperial Concubine Yan’s expression changed . She glanced at Virtuous Imperial Concubine Jiang but did not open her mouth again .
In a flash, the atmosphere in the room grew tense . Never had anyone expected the always taciturn Virtuous Imperial Concubine Jiang to say such words . There were also others who grew happy seeing Noble Imperial Concubine Yan lose face, revealing smiles of mockery .
Zhuang Luoyan raised her head and looked at the others . Not a word escaped her lips .
“His Majesty’s imperial benevolence is vast and mighty . To have Imperial Concubine Wang buried with the rites of a noble imperial concubine, it seemed Imperial Concubine Wang would be at ease in the heavens,” said Noble Consort Shu gently . The moment she said these words, no one dared to contradict her . Otherwise, could they say that the emperor didn’t do good enough?
Zhuang Luoyan wasn’t interested in such a topic . After she had left Jingyang Palace, she did not want to board her sedan . She only brought a few eunuchs and palace maids to the imperial gardens, to take a stroll and relieve her boredom .
This was the fate of the women in the imperial harem . They would die at a young age, obtain a title that wasn’t too big or small for her burial, and had to praise the benevolence of the emperor as vast and mighty . Zhuang Luoyan narrowed her eyes in thought . Why did those female protagonists of novels have the mood to think about love?
As she passed by the imperial gardens, she heard claps from ahead . And she knew that the emperor’s procession was heading this way . Zhuang Luoyan opened her eyes . She disembarked from her sedan³, and stood at the side with her head lowered . Fortunately, the autumn sun wasn’t that hot .
Sitting in his imperial sedan, Feng Jin did not have the mood to see who stood in the surroundings . All of a sudden, he turned his head and saw someone standing at the roadside with their head lowered, their figure familiar . In a flash, he raised his hand . And the imperial sedan stopped .
“Chongyi Zhao?” Feng Jin lowered his head and permitted Zhuang Luoyan to stand up straight . “Have you just left the empress’ abode?”
Lately, because he had been especially busy with governmental affairs, Feng Jin seldom flipped any name tags . It had been a few days since he had last seen Zhuang Luoyan . Now that he chanced upon her wearing such simple attire under the sun, he found the sight pleasant to the eye .
“Reporting to Your Majesty, this concubine just left Her Majesty’s residence . ” Zhuang Luoyan pretended to carefully sneak a peek at the emperor, before lowering her head in an instant .
Feng Jin grunted in acknowledgement, nodding . Suddenly, he said, “Since this is the case, don’t return to Xihe Palace just yet . Come to the imperial study to serve ink . ”
Although the imperial harem should not intervene in court politics, the women of the harem could enter the imperial study to serve ink . But because Emperor Chengxuan seldom gave any of the imperial concubines the privilege, it made this seem special .
In such a large harem, apart from Zhuang Luoyan, the only other people to have this rare honor and also be of a high rank were Noble Consort Shu and Zhaorong Xu .
Not too far away, a few low-ranked imperial concubines were quite envious of this show . From time to time, they would lower their heads and whisper among themselves .
“She truly knows how to gain favor,” said Xiuyi Su, a smile of mockery on her face .
Noble Consort Shu shot her an impassive glance, and had her sedan continue forward . However, her gaze grew several degrees colder .