From beginning to end, Ning Xuan had said nothing apart from greeting Han Ruifeng, yet he had somehow still become the center of their verbal battle. Amid the smoke of conflict, however, he had managed to grasp a few things—such as the obvious hostility between the two women and the fact that this unfamiliar woman, whose status had risen so dramatically, deserved particular caution.
Once he had assessed the situation and formed a plan, his initial discomfort and bewilderment vanished. His face returned to its refined indifference—neither deliberately aloof nor ingratiatingly pleasant.
“That is enough. Since you are already here, find a place and sit down. What sort of sight is it to remain standing there?” Shen Shuyuan, now Consort Shen, finally spoke from the first seat on the left, directly opposite the woman. She had remained silent until now, and her voice was calm and unhurried.
Perhaps Ning Xuan had once been a poor judge of character, or perhaps he had simply never paid close attention. He had not realized that Shen Shuyuan possessed such an unruffled and quietly intimidating presence.
“Her Majesty the Empress has arrived.”
Before one disturbance could settle, another arose. Ning Xuan had barely warmed his seat when, in response to the palace attendant’s announcement, a young woman emerged gracefully from the inner chamber. She wore magnificent bright-yellow robes, phoenix hairpins and luminous pearls adorned her hair, and gold-woven Eastern Pearls hung from her ears. Her serenity remained entirely untainted, as though she possessed no awareness whatsoever of the position she occupied. Her clear eyes held no trace of calculation or intrigue. Several months had passed, yet she looked virtually unchanged from the first time Ning Xuan saw her in Prince Rong’s residence. Whether she possessed absolute confidence or simply cared about nothing, she displayed neither hostility nor wariness toward the women around her who coveted her position as empress and exhausted every means to compete for her husband. Perhaps they had never entered her eyes at all.
This was the reigning empress, He Yilan, daughter of He Liangyu, the Proper First-Rank Left Chancellor.
“This consort pays her respects to Her Majesty the Empress.” “This subject pays his respects to Her Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty enjoy endless blessings and peace.” Every man and woman in the hall rose, either bowing with clasped hands or bending their knees in formal curtsies. Before the reigning empress—the emperor’s sole lawful wife—even those who were ordinarily arrogant, domineering, and sharp-tongued had no choice but to bow submissively, whether they wished to or not.
“You may rise.” He Yilan’s lips parted slightly, her expression unchanged. Yet the moment she saw Ning Xuan, a ripple suddenly disturbed her dark, tranquil eyes. “Virtuous… Jieyu?”
The empress’s unexpected words made everyone pause midway through sitting down. Some looked surprised, others bewildered or confused, and all raised their eyes toward Ning Xuan. Even Ning Xuan himself found it inexplicable. Could misfortune truly arrive in pairs? This was his first day venturing outside, yet everyone seemed eager to find fault with him at once.
“This subject is here.” Ning Xuan rose from his seat once more and bowed respectfully.
He Yilan reclined against the comfortable, luxurious phoenix chair while a personal maid thoughtfully placed a cushion behind her waist. The phoenix hairpins in her coiffure gleamed brilliantly. The fleeting disturbance in her eyes disappeared, and she once again became the strangely detached empress who seemed to stand apart from everything around her. “Has Jieyu recovered? If you are still unwell, there is no need to hurry here to pay your respects. Rest properly in your palace. Regaining your health is what matters.”
“Thank you for Your Majesty’s concern.” Ning Xuan responded with his usual composure and gentle elegance, though his heart gave a sudden jolt. So the empress had spoken merely to ask after his health. Such kindness might not have seemed strange between wives and concubines in an ordinary household, where they might conceivably become as close as sisters. But within an imperial family, the thought alone was terrifying.
Unlike Ning Xuan, who revealed nothing, the alluring woman who had behaved entirely like the mistress of the rear palace while the empress was absent suddenly laughed softly. Her beautiful, luminous eyes were keen and piercing, while her cloyingly sweet voice raised goose bumps upon everyone’s skin.
“Her Majesty truly embodies the mother of the realm, caring for all six palaces. This insignificant Jieyu has never once visited the Central Palace to pay his respects since entering the palace and receiving his investiture, yet not only has Your Majesty refrained from questioning or reproaching him—or even offering a reminder or warning—you are instead asking solicitously after his health. Even an onlooker like me feels warmed and reassured. With such a magnanimous, understanding empress who treats those beneath her so generously, our lives in the palace will surely become far easier.”
“What does Consort Shu mean by that?” the empress asked calmly, neither angered nor agitated, as though she could not hear the insolence in the woman’s words.
“I mean nothing at all. What meaning could this consort possibly have? Who besides Your Majesty would dare make decisions in the rear palace? Please do not place the accusation of grave disrespect upon my head. I could never bear such an offense.” Consort Shu took a delicate sip of tea and smiled as though utterly unconcerned. She made no attempt to conceal her ambition for the Central Palace, nor did she care that every word was a demonstration of power and every step pressed the empress harder.
“Consort Shu’s words are rather interesting. Whether one dares to do something and whether one wishes to do it are entirely different matters. Your Highness may not dare, but who knows whether Your Highness wishes to?” Liu Yin—Noble Attendant Liu—who had remained silent with his head lowered to the side, nearly causing Ning Xuan to overlook his presence entirely, suddenly spoke with an ambiguous smile.
Elio’s Notes: The source title here is a ranked male-consort title. FD renders it as Noble Attendant; despite the literal wording, it denotes an imperial consort rank rather than an ordinary servant.
Everyone had thought the matter would end because the empress preferred peace and refused to compete. Instead, their nerves immediately tightened again. Liu Yin was notorious for his biting tongue and his refusal to let matters go once he gained the advantage. Fortunately, he rarely spoke, allowing the palace to remain relatively peaceful. No one had expected him to suddenly open his mouth today, much less direct his attack toward the exceptionally powerful Consort Shu.
Before Consort Shu could retaliate, Noble Attendant Liu abruptly stood and bowed. “Your Majesty, this subject suddenly feels unwell today and wishes to return to his palace to rest. Please forgive me.”
Naturally, the empress had no reason to force him to remain. Noble Attendant Liu departed without obstruction, leaving Consort Shu seething with pent-up anger and no one upon whom to vent it. She could no longer maintain even the false appearance of a kind, respectful smile. Her face turned livid, and she answered everyone who spoke with barbed words.
The others were delighted to watch the spectacle, but Ning Xuan was bored nearly to death. He and Consort Shu had no direct conflict of interest. He possessed neither the relationship needed to smooth things over nor any reason to kick her while she was down. Yet the look Liu Yin had given him as they passed each other remained impossible to interpret.
After a few more idle exchanges, the gathering finally ended. The various consorts and young gentlemen dispersed toward their respective palaces. Yet when Ning Xuan stepped through the palace gate, he saw Noble Attendant Liu, who should have returned long ago to rest because of his supposed discomfort.
Liu Yin straightened from where he had been leaning against the glazed tiles of the palace wall and lightly brushed the creases from his robes. He appeared to have waited there for quite some time and had brought no attendants with him. Expressionless, he walked toward Ning Xuan. “Do not demand too much or covet what you cannot have. A person must cherish their good fortune. Remain honest, mind your place, and do not provoke those you should not provoke if you wish to survive for long—especially Consort Shu. In the future, simply stay as far away from her as possible whenever you see her. Do not invite more trouble. It is exhausting enough already.”
Do not demand or covet. Cherish one’s blessings and find happiness in contentment. Ning Xuan had heard similar words before, but that had been in Prince Rong’s residence, spoken by Yi Xuan at a time when Ning Xuan had not understood. Now, hearing the old advice again when everything and everyone had changed, he could not help wondering where Yi Xuan was and how he was living.
Ning Xuan remained dazed for an instant. Liu Yin passed him without pausing or hesitating after delivering his warning, as though someone else had spoken moments earlier and he was merely an unrelated stranger who happened to be passing by.