The Empress entered first, with Consort Shu following closely behind.
Qianyang Hall was vast and imposing, with a cool, shadowy atmosphere.
Gao Mingzhong led them to the eastern chamber, where the Emperor sat on a heated couch by the window, reviewing memorials.
“Your Majesty.”
Both women approached and curtsied.
The Emperor, having lost weight from illness, now appeared gaunt, his face sharper and sterner.
“Rise,” he said with a light cough, setting down the memorial and looking at them. “Empress, Consort Shu, what brings the two of you here?”
The Empress glanced at Consort Shu, who wore a concerned expression as she gazed at the Emperor. Her feigned sincerity made the Empress feel sick.
“I’ve come regarding the matter of Shangyang Palace,” the Empress began.
The Emperor nodded slightly. “Has it been resolved?”
Arranging marriages for the Crown Prince and other princes was his directive.
“There’s an issue I find difficult to decide upon, so I’ve come to seek your guidance,” the Empress replied, her face showing hesitation.
The Emperor frowned, his tone hinting at impatience. “What’s the matter?”
Seeing the Empress’s hesitation, Consort Shu let out a cold chuckle inwardly.
Having spent so many years by the Emperor’s side, she could immediately tell he was growing impatient. She seized the moment, saying with a gentle smile, “Since the Empress has official matters to discuss, it wouldn’t be right for me to interrupt. Your Majesty, my concern is a simple one. If you’d permit me to speak first, I won’t take much of your time.”
The Empress, sensing danger, was about to refuse when the Emperor interjected. “Speak.”
The Empress tilted her head slightly, glancing at Consort Shu.
Consort Shu smiled at her warmly.
The Empress: …
To the Emperor, this appeared as a display of respect and deference from Consort Shu toward the Empress, easing his expression.
Harmony in the harem reflected well on him as a ruler.
Consort Shu stepped closer, her voice tinged with indulgent affection. “Your Majesty, I’m here about Muchen’s marriage. You know how aloof he is. He pays no mind to such matters, and I’m truly at my wit’s end.”
Thinking of his son, the Emperor felt a headache coming on. The boy acted like he was the elder.
“What, is he refusing to marry again?” The Emperor’s voice turned stern. Last time, Xiao Muchen had delayed his marriage and been scolded for it.
“It’s not exactly that,” replied Consort Shu, her face filled with helplessness.
Having long been acquainted with her rival, the Empress instantly recognized this expression on Consort Shu as a harbinger of unwelcome news.
Her face tightened, and she wanted to interrupt immediately. She had a strong intuition that whatever Consort Shu was about to say would not be in her favor.
However, before the Empress could act, the Emperor spoke first. “What is it then? Consort Shu, I’ve told you that his marriage cannot be left to his whims. This time, I had you personally visit Shangyang Palace to select someone suitable for him.”
“Your Majesty, I fully understand your good intentions, but this matter has taken an unexpected turn…” Consort Shu quickened her pace, cutting off any chance for the Empress to interject. She carefully recounted the story of how Duan Mingxi saved someone, followed by the dramatic intervention using a bamboo pole to pull Duan Mingxi ashore, painting a picture of beauty and heroism.
To avoid arousing the Emperor’s suspicion, Consort Shu deliberately downplayed Gan Li’s role, emphasizing instead Duan Mingxi’s noble qualities in saving others and Duan Wang’s gallant actions in rescuing her.
Finally, she highlighted how her son, after witnessing Duan Mingxi underwater, was so traditional and principled that he felt compelled to take responsibility for her.
Thus, Consort Shu petitioned the Emperor to decree a marriage.
Though Consort Shu had no particular fondness for Duan Mingxi, she knew better than to let the Emperor develop a bad impression of her future daughter-in-law. After all, the girl would eventually be her son’s wife.
Duan Mingxi’s tarnished reputation would reflect poorly on her as well.
The Empress was utterly stunned.
What?
Consort Shu wanted Duan Mingxi to marry Duan Wang?
She, of all people, had taken a liking to Duan Mingxi?
Previously, the Empress had thought making Duan Mingxi a side consort for the Crown Prince was already a humiliation for her son. Now that Consort Shu was vying for her, the Empress was displeased. What, after disrupting the Crown Prince’s plans with Gan Li, would Duan Mingxi escape entirely?
Would she and her son end up with nothing but wasted efforts?
“Your Majesty, I believe this is inappropriate,” the Empress quickly interjected.
The Emperor turned to her. “What do you mean, Empress?”
The Empress put on a dignified smile, pretending to consider Duan Wang’s interests. “Your Majesty, you may not be aware, but although this Miss Duan is the legitimate eldest daughter of Marquis Dingyuan, she was lost as a child and raised in a merchant household in Jiangcheng. She was only recently reunited with her family.”
“Oh?” The Emperor, intrigued by this new revelation, leaned forward. “Tell me more.”
Consort Shu had anticipated the Empress wouldn’t let this slide. However, she didn’t expect such shamelessness, bringing up Duan Mingxi’s greatest vulnerability right away. Inwardly, she cursed the Empress, but she responded immediately once the Empress finished speaking.
“Your Majesty, though Miss Duan was indeed raised in a merchant household, her manners and propriety are on par with the finest noblewomen of the capital. Moreover, her courage in saving others in such perilous circumstances is a testament to the excellent upbringing her adoptive parents provided.”
Consort Shu knew Duan Mingxi’s merchant upbringing was a weak point. She decided to address it head-on before anyone else could use it against her later.
“Is that so? Then this Jiangcheng family must indeed be different from typical merchants.” The Emperor nodded slightly. A merchant family that raised a child to have such noble qualities and the courage to save lives deserved recognition.
“Indeed,” Consort Shu continued. “I admire this girl’s impeccable character. Though her background has its flaws, her integrity is evident. Besides, Your Majesty, you know how principled Chen Er is. He’s a bookish, traditional soul. He insists on taking responsibility for compromising the girl’s reputation by saving her.”
“Previously, Chen Er was unwilling to marry, and I worried day and night. Now that he’s finally relented, and since I find Miss Duan acceptable, I’ve come to request Your Majesty’s decree.”
The Empress was stunned by Consort Shu’s audacity. Duan Wang had merely pulled the girl out of the water with a bamboo pole—how could that be construed as compromising her reputation?
Utter nonsense!
The Empress now regretted not petitioning for a decree earlier, knowing that Consort Shu had set her sights on Duan Mingxi.
Just as the Empress was pondering other ways to stop this, the Emperor declared, “This girl is indeed somewhat beneath Chen Er.”
The Empress was delighted, ready to agree, but the Emperor continued, “However, it’s rare for Chen Er to make such a request. How can I let him down? Approved!”
The Empress nearly blacked out on the spot, barely stopping herself from fainting.
