The Job of an Imperial Concubine

Chapter 14: Jade Hairpin (玉钗)

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This was the first time the emperor came to Taoyu Pavilion without indulging in the matters of the flesh. Whether it was because of pity toward her injured knees or because of impotence due to indulging too often was anyone’s guess. In Zhuang Laoyan’s opinion, it was more likely to be the latter. After all, men were, at times, more of an animal than true animals. Such a small injury on her knees shouldn’t have been enough to turn an animal into a gentleman. Of course, in this world there indeed was a type of men known as “Liu Xiahui¹.” However, the emperor did not fall under that classification.

Last night, under the candlelight, the bruises had seemed frightening. When Zhuang Laoyan woke up in the morning, they did not look as serious as before. That said, two large patches of green were still upon skin pale as snow. No matter how one looked at it, it was unpleasant.

Zhuang Laoyan herself found it ugly. One would fear that as the emperor personally rolled up the legs of her inner-garment pants, he would find it even harder to look it. She carefully sneaked a peek at him. Saw that his gaze did not hold disgust. So she let him look as he pleased.

“We have ointment that dispels bruises. In a little while, We will tell Gao Dezhong to send some to you.” Feng Jin let go of the legs of her pants. He rose to his feet. “It’s no longer early. We will attend court.”

“This concubine sends off Your Majesty.”

The moment Feng Jin walked to the door, he turned his head around. And he just caught the love in Imperial Concubine Zhao’s eyes. However, it was only a flash. When he had wanted to see it clearer, he could only see Imperial Concubine Zhao’s courteous manner in sending him off. His mood grew slightly excited. “In a few days, We will promote…” Recalling the previous look in her eyes, Feng Jin paused. Then he calmly said, “Remember to apply the ointment on time. If anything strange occurs, inform the Department of the Palace. “ 

Once he stepped out of Taoyu Pavilion, Feng Jin glanced at Gao Dezhong. Although his tone was calm, he still asked, “Who caused Imperial Concubine Zhao’s injury?” His attitude was composed, as though he were certain Gao Dezhong knew the culprit.

He was the head eunuch of Qianzheng Palace. What he should know, he would know. Since the emperor had asked him, as the emperor’s servant he naturally would speak. “Reporting to Your Majesty, this slave has heard that Consort Yuan and Imperial Concubine Zhao met in the garden. This slave is unsure why Consort Yuan punished Imperial Concubine Zhao to kneel for a while. It didn’t end until Consort Rou arrived and told Master Imperial Concubine Zhao to leave.”

“When did this happen?” Feng Jin said on top his palanquin as strong eunuchs lifted it up, tone neutral.

“Ten days ago,” said Gao Dezhong carefully.

A cold smile slid across his lips. “After ten days, Imperial Concubine Zhao’s knees still had not healed?”

Gao Dezhong hesitated before saying, “Originally, it should have healed. However, two days ago Consort Yuan and Imperial Concubine Zhao met again. What occurred then this slave does not know.”

Consort Yuan’s activities in the imperial palace were not things he had access to. However, what occurred in the garden was fair game for him. Regarding the matters of the imperial concubines, even if he were privy to them, he must act as if he were not.

Once Feng Jin heard those words, he did not speak. He also did not ask for more information. Even so, Gao Dezhong was very clear in his heart that the emperor was not in a good mood.

Zhuang Laoyan had watched the shrinking figure of Feng Jin. Then she lay down on her bed and looked at the servants in her room. “You can all leave. Just Yunxi and Tingzhu are enough to attend to me.” 

Back then, in the Imperial Garden, Consort Yuan had forced her to kneel. Her knees had not been so injured at the time. Yet never had she thought Consort Yuan would be so daring to invite her to her palace.

Before her eyes, Consort Yuan removed her jade hairpin and tossed it to the floor, splitting it in half. Then she punished Zhuang Laoyan to kneel on the pieces for four hours. And she endured this. As one day, she would get revenge.

She climbed down the bed. Let Yunxi and Tingzhu help her freshen up. She opened a box of lip dye, picked some up with a finger, and dabbed it on her lips. After she applied it, the result was breathtaking.

The corners of her lips tilted upward. She closed the box. Then Zhuang Laoyan lazily said, “Apply the rest of my makeup.”

Afterward, she arrived at Jingyang Palace to pay respects to the empress. As usual, the empress was graceful, poised, and noble. The way she looked at Zhuang Laoyan seemed as though she were an intimate older sister of hers. But the way in which Noble Imperial Concubine Yan had smiled at Zhuang Laoyan was too bright.

Although Consort Yuan disliked her, she recalled that the emperor stayed overnight at Taoyu Pavilion yesterday. She did not know if he had seen the bruises on Imperial Concubine Zhao’s knees. If he had…

The entire imperial harem had been searched after the death of two palace maids², but these women here seemed to have forgotten this fact. Instead, they were just talking a bunch of nonsense. They did not mention the two palace maids at all.

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The empress was calm. Even when the imperial concubines stood to leave, she did not mention this topic. They did not know what the empress was thinking.

Zhuang Laoyan used Tingzhu’s hand as support as she walked. She smiled as she left with Imperial Concubine Wang and Virtuous Imperial Concubine Jiang. Not too far ahead was Consort Yuan. Yet this time, Consort Yuan did not cause trouble for her. Once Consort Yuan was outside of Jingyang Palace, she boarded a sedan³ back to her palace.

Expression neutral, Zhuang Laoyan glanced in the direction of Consort Yuan. As if Consort Yuan had not bullied her in the past. Everyone else knew that Consort Yuan and Imperial Concubine Zhao did not see eye to eye. But due to the former’s high position, and the fact that the latter received the emperor’s favor, the other imperial concubines acted as if they were unaware of their circumstances.

However, after they witnessed Consort Yuan’s actions today, they thought perhaps she would not make trouble for Imperial Concubine Zhao for now.

Zhuang Wanqing eyed Zhuang Laoyan’s unchanging expression. Her own lips twisted into a sneer. She turned around and left.

When everyone had thought the emperor would punish Consort Yuan for purposefully making things difficult for Imperial Concubine Zhao, surprising news spread. The emperor had flipped Consort Yuan’s name tag. All of a sudden, the entire imperial harem was watching to see how Imperial Concubine Zhao would make a fool of herself.

Once Zhuang Laoyan heard the news, her expression stayed neutral. She only played with a jade hairpin. If Consort Yuan’s servants saw her now, they would feel shocked. That jade hairpin looked exactly the same as the one Consort Yuan had shattered.

The palace in the middle of the night was silent to the point of frightening. While everyone was halfway into their dreams, Consort Yuan’s palace was still bright. The eunuchs in charge of night duty seemed to hear from inside the palace the sound of things crashing onto the floor. Then they saw the emperor leave Consort Yuan’s palace, his expression frigid. 

It didn’t even take one day for news of this event to spread. In fact, the news had spread the same night through the entire harem. The moment Zhuang Laoyan learned of it, she had just sat down on her bed, Tingzhu massaging her knees.

“What did that Consort Yuan do to make His Majesty so angry?” Yunxi lit another light, her expression nervous.

“How should I know? She must have done something wrong.” Zhuang Laoyan yawned. She squinted her eyes in exhaustion. “It’s the middle of the night. It’s about time to go to bed. The two of you go sleep.” As soon as she finished speaking, she closed her eyes.

Yunxi and Tingzhu shared a look. They went forward to let down their master’s net curtains. After blowing out all the candles, they retreated from the room. Their hearts felt assuaged of anger, yet not completely experiencing peace of mind.

The next day, an imperial edict came from Qianzheng Palace, informing the whole imperial harem.

“Consort Yuan, Maiden Name Lin, has not given an imperial child after so many years. Her personality is narrow-minded, and she lacks the qualification to be a consort. We feel distressed, and will now remove her rank. However, since she has served Us for so many years, she will be given the position of a lesser fourth-rank Imperial Concubine.”

The emperor had denounced a woman with the rank of consort for not having what it took to be one. One would fear that she would never rise to that rank again.

As the head eunuch Gao Dezhong announced this imperial edict, the imperial concubines considered to be high-ranked were sitting in Jingyang Palace. The moment this imperial edit had arrived, Consort Yuan collapsed to the ground.

Once Gao Dezhong left, the imperial concubines turned their gazes at Consort Yuan and Zhuang Laoyan, deep in consideration.

That was how the harem was like. Always chaotic. It wasn’t until the end that one would know who the winner was. The past few days, Consort Yuan could still punish Imperial Concubine Zhao whenever she wanted. Today, she was of the same rank as Imperial Concubine Zhao. What a pity that the latter had a title. As such, when both were compared, Imperial Concubine Zhao was a bit more noble in identity.

The empress looked at the kneeling Imperial Concubine Lin. Her gaze was free of sentiment. From the start, the emperor had not been satisfied with the Lin family. Consort Yuan had recently made trouble for Imperial Concubine Zhao because the latter’s father tried to impeach the former’s father. This Imperial Concubine Lin was really stupid. That she had reached this end should not be considered wronging her.

In the span of one day, she went from a mid-tier first-rank Consort Yuan to a lesser fourth-rank Imperial Concubine Lin. She was demoted so many ranks, and was now even less noble in identity than Imperial Concubine Zhao. This move of the emperor could be considered heartless and ruthless.

The empress watched the imperial concubines in the room. And she studied Imperial Concubine Zhao, whose expression was still neutral. “Since the imperial edict has already been passed down, this palace is tired. You all are dismissed.”

The imperial concubines did so in an honest manner. Even the pale Imperial Concubine Lin performed the full ceremony before taking her leave.

Once they left Jingyang Palace, Imperial Concubine Lin could feel the sting of mocking gazes all around her. As soon as she lifted her head, the gentle and smiling face of Imperial Concubine Zhao came into view. When her gaze landed on the other’s hair, her originally pale face turned green.

Inserted into Imperial Concubine Zhao’s hair was a jade hairpin in full view. And the top end of the hairpin was a simplistic shape of an auspicious cloud. It added to her appearance. Made her seem even more beautiful.

Imperial Concubine Lin felt that the gentle smile on the other woman’s face was cold enough to pierce bone.

Bwahaha. This is what you guys have all been waiting for. Consort Yuan’s fall from grace. And did Feng Jin let it slip that he was going to promote ZL again?

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