novelraw Chapter 299 - 298: Aren’t You Favored Even By Looking?
Chapter 299 - 298: Aren’t You Favored Even By Looking?
The Crimson Moon Pavilion was utterly dilapidated.The wooden attic itself was decent, but it hadn’t been cleaned in many years.
Inside, many of the beds, couches, tables, and stools were moldy and damp, eaten away by insects to the point of being unusable.
They had to be replaced.
Every visible surface was covered with thick dust, and the corners were filled with spiderwebs.
Even walking inside left footprints all over the dusty floor.
There were also rat and cockroach droppings.
Without a thorough cleaning and renovation, it simply couldn’t house anyone.
With each step, Lady Shih’s face grew paler, and she nearly fainted.
Zhaoer barely managed to support her.
"Mistress, what’s wrong?"
"Mistress! Mistress!"
Helpless, Zhaoer first helped her mistress outside, laid her on the ground, and then ran to seek Consort Yun Pin.
She knelt and begged earnestly.
"Your Highness, the Crimson Moon Pavilion hasn’t been cleaned and is unfit for habitation!"
"I beg Your Highness, Consort Yun Pin, to show mercy and save my mistress!"
Consort Yun Pin, having just bathed and changed, was in a very good mood.
She fanned herself, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh? It hasn’t been cleaned?"
With that, she shot Cai Die a glance.
"What happened?"
Cai Die’s eyes darted about before she slapped her forehead.
"My goodness! It’s all my poor memory. I forgot to inform the Ministry of Internal Affairs to come and clean it!"
According to protocol, when a new person is to move in, the leading consort of the palace must make the arrangements. Who else would, if not the one in charge? All matters within this palace, big or small, fall under her management! If something had truly happened to Lady Shih today, Consort Yun Pin would have been held responsible. Therefore, she was determined not to take the blame. So, Cai Die would have to take the fall.
Consort Yun Pin feigned a glare at Cai Die, then frowned and scolded her again before finally allowing Zhaoer to rise.
"Take good care of your mistress. I will immediately send someone to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to find people to repair your residence!"
"For the next two days, you can make do and stay here in my quarters!"
Zhaoer was moved to tears.
"Thank you, Consort Yun Pin!"
Consort Yun Pin waved her hand dismissively, and Zhaoer respectfully withdrew.
She’s just a Lady the Emperor doesn’t favor, Consort Yun Pin mused. Still, she dared not be too presumptuous. After all, the Emperor might not like her, but the Empress Dowager protects her. A small show of authority is enough; I really mustn’t overstep.
And so, Lady Shih stayed at Consort Yun Pin’s place for two days.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs finally had the Crimson Moon Pavilion completely renovated. The furniture inside was all replaced with new items, everything coated with tung oil.
The curtains and flooring were all planed and then relaid.
Decorative items and allotted provisions were also supplied according to the rank of a Lady.
Though not a great deal, it wasn’t a small amount either.
Ultimately, having the Empress Dowager as a backer still made a difference!
「Two days later」
Lady Shih moved into the Crimson Moon Pavilion. It was spotless inside and out; even the carpet on the floor was new.
She was very satisfied.
"Though... the furnishings aren’t of high quality, at least it’s livable!"
Zhaoer also finally relaxed.
"Alas... it seems the Empress Dowager has spared no effort to fully support you, Mistress. When you have time, you should visit Her Highness the Empress Dowager more often!"
Lady Shih smiled.
"Naturally!"
"Zhaoer, I’m tired. I’m going to take a nap first."
After staying at Consort Yun Pin’s for two nights, her sleep had been far from restful.
Now, she really couldn’t endure it any longer.
The bed was new, and the quilts and beddings were all new.
Lady Shih quickly fell asleep.
...
By the time Lady Shih’s arrangements were settled, the other new Honored Ladies had already begun attending to the Emperor.
From the very first night, aside from Honored Lady Du serving the Emperor twice, Zhao Junyao had a different Honored Lady almost every day.
Eight Honored Ladies, one per day.
In the end, among the newcomers to the palace, only Lady Shih had yet to attend to the Emperor.
The Emperor delayed summoning her to his bedchamber.
Whispers and speculative sighs grew more frequent as gossip and rumors spread throughout the palace.
"I heard that during the selection, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor had a dispute. The Emperor didn’t want Lady Shih to enter the palace!"
"But the Empress Dowager insisted, and that’s how she got in!"
Upon entering the palace, while all the others were Honored Ladies, she alone was a mere Lady.
Even a fool could see that this woman was not particularly favored by the Emperor.
So, gradually, the Imperial Kitchen, the Laundry Bureau, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs began to neglect her.
Life for Lady Shih became increasingly difficult.
First, the quality of her meals deteriorated significantly.
At noon, she was supposed to receive two dishes, but look at what they served!
The food was cold, leftover, mere scrapings from the bottom of the pot; sometimes, it had even gone moldy.
The soups were even more outrageous.
If it was porridge, it was invariably thin and watery. If it was a savory soup, it contained no meat, and they didn’t even bother to add salt—just a few vegetable leaves floated inside.
This must be the dishwater from the Imperial Kitchen, Zhaoer suspected with a sinking heart.
Lady Shih endured it as best she could. However, one day in June, shortly after eating, she began vomiting and suffering from diarrhea, then fell ill.
She looked gravely ill, her complexion waxen and sallow, and she was utterly weakened.
Consort Yun Pin dared not delay and hurriedly sent for an Imperial Physician.
When Noble Concubine Shih learned of this, she stormed over and berated Consort Yun Pin.
"Didn’t I tell you not to be kind to her?"
"I’ve given orders to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Imperial Kitchen, and the Laundry Bureau. Do you dare defy me?"
"What does Shih Wanying think she is!"
Consort Yun Pin was so thoroughly berated that she was left dumbfounded.
"Noble Consort, if she dies in this state, I won’t be able to explain it!"
"Even you... if you were to face the Empress Dowager... wouldn’t be able to justify this."
Noble Concubine Shih scoffed coldly.
"The Empress Dowager? Hmph! Of course, she cares about her!"
"But I am determined to ruin her!"
Consort Yun Pin quickly tried to dissuade her.
"You mustn’t, Your Highness! The Empress arranged for her to be under my care, perhaps not without this very intention!"
"Even if the Emperor dislikes her, he still conferred upon her the title of Lady. If you cause her death now, the Empress will be the most pleased!"
If Lady Shih were to die, there would be no doubt it was Noble Concubine Shih’s doing. At that time, never mind the Emperor, what about the Empress? The Empress was known to seize every opportunity; if she obtained evidence, the consequences would be dire!
Noble Concubine Shih finally regained some clarity.
Impatiently, she said, "Fine, let her live!"
"Sometimes, being alive is more painful than death!"
With that, the Noble Consort gave a cold laugh and left.
Lady Shih, by a twist of fate, had narrowly escaped disaster.
...
「In the blink of an eye, June arrived.」
Honored Lady Du, as the only newcomer personally chosen by the Emperor, had certainly stolen the limelight.
First, she was summoned to the bedchamber twice consecutively. Later, on another occasion, she was called to accompany the Emperor in the Imperial Study Room.
She stayed from the afternoon until evening, only being sent back after dining with the Emperor.
She politely saw off Little Zhuzi, Eunuch Li’s apprentice.
With a satisfied and shy smile, Honored Lady Du closed the door of her pavilion.
"Ding Xiang, do you think... that legendary Xia Jieyu is truly as favored as they say?"
"We’ve been here for half a month, and the Emperor hasn’t visited her once."
As she said this, her eyes gleamed with a hint of pride.
Ding Xiang, while helping her undress, replied, "Mistress, Xia Jieyu is pregnant. The Emperor has no sons, so naturally, he values her somewhat more!"