Chapter 5: Legend of Concubine Zhen, An Lingrong

"I dare not."

Shen Meizhuang looked deeply ashamed, explaining with a hint of unease, "It was my fault for not paying attention and standing in the wrong place. I am willing to accept punishment."

"Noble Lady Shen, you are, after all, of the rank of Noble Lady."

Consort Hua ignored her explanation. Her sharp gaze fixed upon Zhen Huan's exquisite face. "Commoner Zhen, you are merely a Commoner. Yet, you dare to place yourself ahead of Noble Lady Fucha and Noble Lady Borjigit. Are you perhaps preparing to snatch the Empress's position one day?"

"Consort Hua!"

The Empress could no longer merely watch the show. What belonged to her was not to be coveted by anyone. Her tone was displeased. "Do not speak nonsense about things that have no basis. Furthermore, Commoner Zhen is not such an unruly person."

"How do you know she isn't coveting your position, Empress?" Consort Hua raised her right hand, admiring her slender fingers adorned with gemstone-encrusted nail guards. Her words were like a dagger to the Empress's heart. "Could it be that the Empress feels she is unworthy of her status and intends to yield it?"

The Empress’s face turned livid. "Consort Hua, you are insolent!"

"I have been insolent many times, so one more time should not matter."

"You!"

The Empress was left speechless. Looking at the newcomers, who were as frightened as quails, she took a silent breath. She was the rightful wife; these concubines were all required to pay her respects. She pulled a smile to her lips. "The hour is late. You sisters may perform your obeisances."

Before Consort Hua could interject, Jiang Fuhai shouted, "Will all the ladies please perform the grand kowtow to the Empress!"

Noble Lady Fucha and Noble Lady Borjigit led the newcomers in kneeling properly, performing the ritual of one kneeling and three kowtows.

Feeling much more relieved, the Empress smiled slightly. "You may all rise, sisters."

Once everyone stood, the Empress introduced the concubines of higher rank. Consort Hua, intent on establishing her authority, ignored the greetings of the group. Xia Dongchun, whose etiquette was the poorest, nearly collapsed, but fortunately, Li Siqi supported her. The delicate newcomers, having held their curtsies for too long, were all swaying.

Seeing that many were about to give way, the Empress, fearing a scandal at the Jingren Palace, once again donned her mask of benevolence and ordered Consort Hua to let the newcomers rise. Consort Hua, instantly in a foul mood, engaged in another war of words with the Empress. Nearly struck by a migraine, the Empress quickly dismissed everyone.

As they stepped out of the palace gates, Li Siqi noticed Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang glaring at her with malice.

"What? Do you have an opinion?" Li Siqi approached them and sneered. "Are you saying that when you do something wrong, one is not allowed to point it out?"

"Promised Lady An," Shen Meizhuang said with an arrogant air, "our rank is higher than yours; you should be paying your respects to us."

"Noble Lady Shen is correct." Li Siqi nodded in agreement. She gracefully bowed to them. "This concubine greets Noble Lady Shen and Commoner Zhen."

A flicker of triumph crossed the faces of the two proud women. Before they could speak, Li Siqi stood upright and continued, "I heard that after you entered the palace, Noble Lady Shen, you went to visit Commoner Zhen immediately, showing no regard for the head of the palace. For a Noble Lady to curry favor with a mere Commoner is truly unheard of!"

"I..." Shen Meizhuang's face changed, and she was left speechless. She finally realized this was a reckless move; at the very least, she could not escape the charge of disrespecting her superiors. However, she did not view her actions as currying favor with her sister Huan.

Li Siqi ignored her and turned her piercing gaze to Zhen Huan. "I hear that Commoner Zhen not only moved into the main hall of the Jadeite Pavilion but also took the head maid for her own use? If I recall correctly, only a concubine of Pin rank is qualified to reside in the main hall and command the head maid. Commoner Zhen, when were you promoted to Pin? Why is it that no one heard of your promotion?"

"..." Zhen Huan's face turned ashen, and she was completely unable to utter a word.

"Look at that," Li Siqi said with a mocking expression. "I have spoken out of turn again; I am truly sorry. My greatest flaw is that I like to speak the blunt truth. I hope you two will not take offense. If you are unhappy, I will try my best not to speak such 'blunt truths' about you in the future, shall I? Since you are not speaking, I will take it that you agree. This concubine takes her leave!"

She turned cleanly and walked toward Noble Lady Fucha and Xia Dongchun. With a bright smile, she said, "Let's go, I am hungry; let us return!"

Tugging both of the stunned women along, she left the crowd behind, gaping in shock, and headed back to the Palace of Eternal Happiness.

When the others regained their senses, they looked at Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang with astonishment. The two women, filled with shame and unable to meet anyone's eyes, wished they could vanish into thin air. Supported by their personal maids, they left stumbling.

What happened there spread through the inner palace like the wind. As it occurred within the precincts of Jingren Palace, the Empress was the first to hear the news.

"This An Lingrong..." the Empress murmured to herself. "Could she be another fool like Xia Dongchun?"

"As it stands, she does not appear to be clever," Jianqiu smiled. "Your Majesty, whether she is truly foolish or merely pretending to be, she is only the daughter of an eighth-rank official. She is not worth your concern."

"You are right," the Empress smiled. "Apart from Noble Lady Fucha, who requires some attention, let Xia Dongchun and An Lingrong scramble as they please. It is time for our palace to become lively again."

...

Palace of Yi-Kun.

"Very well!" Consort Hua was furious. "I was not wrong; Zhen Huan is indeed an ambitious creature. Having just entered the palace, she dares to occupy the main hall, and she even dares to take the head maid for her own use. She truly has no regard for palace rules. Someone, come!"

"This servant is here!" Zhou Ninghai responded as he entered.

"Zhou Ninghai, go to the Jadeite Pavilion and drive Zhen Huan to the side hall," Consort Hua sneered. "And that head maid of the Jadeite Pavilion, have her sent elsewhere. One by one, they do not take me seriously; it is hateful!"

"As you command!" Zhou Ninghai bowed and immediately went to carry out the order.

"Hmph!" Consort Hua leaned back in her chair, picking up a jade roller from the table to massage her cheeks. She added, "As for this An Lingrong, I thought she was quite clever. To be so boisterous in the palace—is she not afraid that old woman, the Empress, will deal with her?"

"Your Majesty, the Empress probably wishes for someone to turn the palace upside down," Songzhi responded with a frown. "As long as there is turmoil, you will surely be displeased. If you step in to deal with them, word will surely spread that you are bullying the newcomers, causing the Emperor to misunderstand you."

"That old woman, the Empress," Consort Hua rolled her eyes in irritation. "She thinks she is so clever, wanting to make the Emperor misunderstand me."

...

Palace of Eternal Happiness.

"Lingrong, you were too bold," Noble Lady Fucha could not help but be angry. "Now, who in the inner palace doesn't know you are a simpleton who dares to say anything?"

"I spoke the truth, what is there to fear?" Li Siqi replied as she ate a pastry. "Zhen Huan's rank is lower than yours, and she is of the Han-martial banner; why should she stand ahead of you? This is a slap in the face to your Fucha clan and makes you look bad."

"An Lingrong is right," Xia Dongchun took up the conversation. "Look at that fox-like expression of hers; she is certainly not a good person. And that Shen Meizhuang, she also has that look of looking down on others. I think they believe they are the favored concubines and that we are merely their foils."

That was well said! Li Siqi could not help but look at her. She had not expected that someone judged as a fool would have the ability to see through people so clearly.

"I heard they are both from prominent families, the eldest daughters carefully nurtured by their clans," Noble Lady Fucha frowned and said softly. "Even if they were arrogant and spoiled from childhood, it is impossible that they do not understand palace rules. Did their instructors not teach them? How could they have done such things?"