The Job of an Imperial Concubine

Chapter 35: Gains and Losses (得失)

Zhuang Laoyan watched as the Su family sisters arrived together. She did not understand a woman like Noble Consort Shu. For this reason, at this particular moment, she didn’t want to be her enemy.

If one ate a loss in the business world, one would only lose money and position. But in the imperial harem, apart from position, one could lose one’s life. Lifting a teacup for a light sip, Zhuang Laoyan concealed the emotions on her face she had accidentally revealed. The tea was good, but the taste was a bit lighter than usual.

After Noble Consort Shu and Su Xiuyi paid respects to the empress, they sat down in a way full of etiquette. The empress looked at everyone. “It rained for half of last night. Today, a message came from Kang’an Palace announcing the empress dowager’s command: that today we are all relinquished from our duty of paying respects to her this morning.” The empress took a sip of tea. “This palace thinks that presently the imperial palace has many high-seniority individuals. Ask the palace maids near you who are twenty-five years old and up if they want to leave the palace. If they do, have them go to the Department of the Palace to receive their payment and return home.”

Zhuang Laoyan was surprised. For this harem to release their high-seniority servants meant that during the next spring, there would be new palace maids selected. If there were one or two new palace maids that captured the emperor’s attention… She finally understood why the emperor had so many women. Every year he got to see young and tender girls. No wonder he would pounce on them like a lecher.

“Your Majesty, the empress, is benevolent.” Noble Consort Shu rose to her feet and curtsied. A smile blossomed on her lips. “Once this concubine returns to my residence, this concubine will ask the servants.”

The empress nodded. Seeing the other imperial concubines stand and praise her kindness, she smiled. “How could this be this palace being benevolent? I am only respecting the rules of the past.”

Zhuang Laoyan sighed inwardly. While the empress wore a pleasant expression on the surface, there were times when she had to do thankless tasks. Zhuang Laoyan felt tired just by looking at it. Not to mention, the things the empress did were complicated to the extreme.

But there was a common saying of, “if you’re not a fish, how could you know how a fish feels?” She thought exhaustion weighed down the empress, but maybe the empress found her position the most distinguished and noble. Even if she was tired, if things were complicated, she was willing to take it on. 

“Indeed. Chongyi Zhao, this palace heard that His Majesty graciously granted you a personal kitchen. Do you have any servants who can cook? If not, let the Department of the Palace know. They will prepare a few capable palace maids for you.” As if the empress suddenly remembered something, she said, “These past few days, you have experienced many hardships. You should nourish your body well. This palace noticed that you have grown thinner.”

“Many thanks to Your Majesty, the empress. This concubine has people who can cook. There is no need to ask for more people from the Department of the Palace.” Zhuang Laoyan smiled, in her eyes a fear that could not be hidden. “How is it that this concubine grew thinner? It’s merely that this concubine did not sleep well these past few days. Looks like this concubine is just not as alert as usual.”

The empress nodded. She looked at her, her gaze speaking of much forgiveness. “Quickly sit. No need to be so courteous. You don’t have to think too much. Gods are everywhere. If you’ve done nothing wrong, the immortals will protect you.”

Zhuang Laoyan gave her thanks and sat. But she sneered inwardly. The empress’ words were on the surface reassuring her, and lightly praising that she had received the heavens’ blessing. However, the hidden meaning was to warn the others not to do sinister things, and that the empress had eyes everywhere in the harem.

The empress was really the empress. She did not like or dislike the group of imperial concubines, only keeping a balance. It didn’t matter why Zhuang Laoyan received a personal kitchen this time. Either way, it really attracted others’ attention. The empress’ reaction to it was already considered mild. It was evident that it wasn’t a big deal to the empress.

After Noble Consort Shu heard the empress’ words, a smile of ridicule appeared on her lips. That the heavens protected Chongyi Zhao had already spread through the entire imperial harem. It would be stranger if the empress didn’t feel bothered by this. But Chongyi Zhao was in fact lucky. No wonder the empress felt sour in her heart.

Did the empress’ words carry another meaning? Whether the other imperial concubines noticed it or not, they only agreed that Zhuang Laoyan should rest well. They did not dare to offend the empress. But they also did not dare to carelessly mock the favored Chongyi Zhao.

Zhuang Laoyan wasn’t someone who liked to argue with others. After the empress had said those words, she did not even have a hint of wanting to talk back. She only pretended to not understand the meaning of those words. She responded to the surface meaning of the empress’ words and did not speak further, putting on an appearance of low spirits.

Jieyu Zhuang looked at Zhuang Laoyan and averted her gaze with a neutral expression. She swept her gaze through the room, before lowering her head in a well-behaved manner. She touched the teacup that was already cold.

Ever since Noble Imperial Concubine Yan had slapped Jieyu Ma, she became more well behaved. The emperor had seen her getting slapped that day. Yet, Noble Imperial Concubine Yan did not receive much punishment. She understood clearly that she was no longer the Jieyu Ma who had been favored two years ago.

Even if she were stupid, she still knew once imperial concubines lost favor, their life would be one of despair. In this harem, she wasn’t the only one, nor was she the last one. She raised her head and gazed at everyone. Among them, who would the emperor favor forever?

“You’re dismissed. This palace is tired.”

Jieyu Ma and the other imperial concubines stood. Then they made to leave Jingyang Palace. Their positions were different, and even their order of boarding their sedans was different, with the noblest ranks leaving first. She watched as Noble Consort Shu, Consort Ning, and Consort Xian, these three highest-ranked imperial concubines, left with their processions. And she looked at the remaining concubines who had their eyes cast down. A mocking smile appeared on her lips. Back then, she had thought that she would also one day be in that position, leading her procession away as the other women watched her enviously. 

Now she had woken from her dream. She realized how stupid she had been. If she had not been so arrogant back then, she would not be in this situation.

“Master, be careful.”

The soft voice of the maid servant advising her caused Jieyu Ma to raise her head. The person who was currently boarding a sedan was Chongyi Zhao, who the emperor really favored right now. And she was also the person she had ridiculed in the past.

Chongyi Zhao wore an inconspicuous light-blue blouse with a wrap-around dress that was tight at the waist. Even her hair was arranged in a rule-abiding manner. Her jade hairpins were not ostentatious nor were they unpresentable. One glance, and people could not find fault with it.

Some people were arrogant but knew when to walk back. Some people were arrogant for too long, and no longer had an opportunity to walk back. Calmly, Jieyu Ma watched as Chongyi Zhao boarded her sedan and left. She took in the other imperial concubines’ envious gazes, and couldn’t help but sneer. In the imperial harem, those who weren’t favored outnumbered those who were. Not to mention, Zhuang Laoyan’s birth was good in the first place. How could the lower-birth imperial concubines compare to her?

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As she noticed Jieyu Zhuang’s face full of unwillingness and anger, Jieyu Ma’s mocking smile grew even larger.  Those sisters really did not seem like sisters. The elder sister hated and was jealous of the younger sister. The younger sister did not care one bit about her elder illegitimate sister. She didn’t even pretend to do so. Such a sight really made everyone laugh.

But in the imperial harem, there were many things to laugh at. There wasn’t just the joke about the Zhuang family sisters.

“Master,” said the palace maid next to her. “Please board the sedan.”

Jieyu Ma did just that. As the servants lifted the sedan, she glanced at the other imperial concubines who were standing with etiquette. And she slowly averted her gaze. She raised her head and looked at the sun in the sky, squinting. Just as the sun would rise, it would also set.

Zhuang Laoyan’s days at Xihe Palace proved very peaceful. Although occasionally, Noble Consort Shu would send her some gifts, Zhuang Laoyan still received them with a smile. While the fact that Noble Consort Shu gave her all these gifts was her way of telling Zhuang Laoyan their positions were nothing alike, in Zhuang Laoyan’s opinion, one would be stupid not to accept such harmless things free of charge.

It was sunny outside. Zhuang Laoyan led a few palace maids and eunuchs for a stroll outside, when they accidentally walked into a bamboo forest. After she remembered this was part of Zhaorong¹

Xu’s area, although Zhuang Laoyan really liked the coolness and shade, she honestly wanted to leave.

“Chongyi Zhao?”

As Zhuang Laoyan was about to leave this place, she caught sight of Zhaorong Xu. Hair arranged in a Falling Wo bun and a wide-sleeved blouse with a wrap-around skirt the color of snow. Seeing this situation, Zhuang Laoyan curtsied in a well-behaved manner.

“Enough. You may rise.” Zhaorong Xu lightly sighed. “It’s always been quiet here. People seldom come. That you have come here can be considered fate.” A melancholic smile spread across her lips. “I don’t really have anything to receive you with. How about we have some light tea?”

“That Zhaorong has invited this concubine is this concubine’s blessing.” For some reason, a faint sense of awkwardness stayed with Zhuang Laoyan throughout.

“I will not blossom and attract the bees and butterflies².” Zhaorong Xu sat down. Sighed. “Everyone in the imperial harem loves the colorful flowers, but they aren’t aware of the different flavor bamboo brings.”

Dry laughter tumbled from Zhuang Laoyan’s lips. As an ordinary person, she liked the coolness of the bamboo and the beauty and fragrance of flowers. But looking at Zhaorong Xu’s free-of-worldly-things appearance, she thought she shouldn’t say anything inappropriate at this moment. So as to not taint this person who did not seem to be part of this world with worldly things. Zhuang Laoyan felt awkward no matter how she looked at this person.

“This is the tea ‘Green Bamboo Leaf.’ It can’t be considered special. Its best quality is that it is refreshing and refined.” Zhaorong Xu had a palace maid by her side pour Zhuang Laoyan some tea. She raised her head and gazed at the dense bamboo forest. “Zhuang Laoyan, do you also like this bamboo forest?”

Once Zhuang Laoyan had heard these words, she naturally could not say that her feet took her here by themselves. She could only say, “This concubine saw that this place seemed refreshing and elegant and came to take a look. Who would have known this concubine would disrupt Your Highness, Zhaorong Xu’s quiet and peace. it is this concubine’s fault.”

“Since you want to admire the bamboo forest, how could it be considered bothering me?” Zhaorong Xu revealed a dimly discernible smile. As if her heart and mind had grown intoxicated with this bamboo forest. “That you understand the bamboo is their greatest joy.”

Zhuang Laoyan lowered her head. She swiftly took a sip of tea. This tea was indeed refreshing and fragrant. But she definitely could not tell how great it was. Thinking that this Zhaorong Xu was a rare daughter of a scholarly family, she quirked the corners of her lips. At first, she had believed this master was the same type of person as Lin Daiyu³, but now she found this too insulting to Lin Daiyu.

Although Lin Daiyu was wholly melancholic, at any rate her words and deeds seemed like they were from a real person. While Zhaorong Xu’s whole body gave off the impression of an immortal, why did it give Zhuang Laoyan an artificial feeling?

However, this was no wonder. This imperial harem had all kinds of women. So it was considered fresh to have such a woman with such a way of way of looking at things. But was she like this every time the emperor visited her?

Zhuang Laoyan imagined the emperor and Zhaorong Xu trading poems, and the hand holding her teacup trembled. It had to be said that the emperor was an occupation that had a wide range of interests.

Speak of the devil⁴. Just as Zhuang Laoyan was thinking this, she heard the emperor’s voice from behind her.

“The two beloved concubines are truly enjoying yourselves, actually drinking tea and admiring the bamboo here.”

As Zhuang Laoyan stood, she saw the joy hidden in Zhaorong Xu’s eyes. And then she understood. Perhaps this Zhaorong Xu had known the emperor would come, and therefore, spoke such words to Zhuang Laoyan. She wanted to attract the emperor’s gaze. Looked like this scholarly woman wasn’t actually as immortal-esque and uninterested in this world as she portrayed herself to be. 

“This concubine greets Your Majesty.” Zhuang Laoyan set down the teacup and curtsied in a courteous manner. When Zhaorong Xu curtsied, she was akin to an immortal. Those snow-colored sleeves drew an arc in the air that was pleasant to the eye. It made Zhuang Laoyan dizzy.

“The two beloved concubines need not be so ceremonious.” Feng Jin smiled as he approached them. “Since there is good tea, We will also have a taste.”

“Reporting to Your Majesty, this tea was made with roasted tender bamboo leaves. This concubine can pour some for your honored self. See if it is to your honored self’s taste.” A faint smile graced Zhaoron Xu’s lips. She personally poured a cup of tea. Steam rose from its surface, pleasant to the eye.

Zhuang Laoyan raised her cup and watched the show before her without a word. No wonder Zhaorong Xu was called a scholarly woman. Let’s not talk about whether she was truly learned; just her whole temperament seemed like one of a scholarly woman. In this imperial harem, it could be considered rare.

“A lingering fragrant aftertaste. What a good tea.” After Feng Jin took a sip, he set down the tea cup. He turned his head and saw Zhuang Laoyan sitting in the corner, a light smile on the lips. “The two beloved concubines indeed know how to enjoy this tea more than Us.”

After hearing such words, Zhuang Laoyan once again set down her teacup. She smiled. “Your Majesty is joking with this concubine. If your honored self says Zhaorong Xu knows how to enjoy tea, no one would refute it. But to deliberately say that this concubine knows how to enjoy tea is a huge joke. Today, this concubine met Zhaorong Xu by coincidence in the bamboo forest. Just drinking one cup of tea from Elder Sister Zhaorong is already the fortune of such an ordinary person like me. If Your Majesty continues to praise me, one would fear this concubine would be ashamed in the future.”

Feng Jin smiled. His gaze fell upon Zhaorong Xu. “Since beloved concubine likes this bamboo forest, it was worthwhile for Us to arrange for you to live here. Fortunately, this has brought beloved concubine happiness.”

A coy expression appeared on Zhaorong Xu’s lips. It made the originally pale face seem even more gorgeous.

Zhuang Laoyan saw this show and placed down her teacup again. Her smile was forced. She rose to her feet and said, “Your Majesty, this concubine remembers that there are still some matters to attend to and cannot stay to drink tea anymore.”

Feng Jin raised his head and glanced at Zhuang Laoyan. He seemed to pause for a moment, while also not seeming so. “Since beloved concubine has matters to attend to, then you should go. Presently, the sun is bright and blinding, so be careful as you return.”

“Many thanks to Your Majesty for the concern and care.” Zhuang Laoyan did not look at the two’s hands that were almost touching and rushed to leave.

Gao Dezhong, who was attending to them at the side, watched as Chongyi Zhao ran off. For a moment, he didn’t know if he should pity Chongyi Zhao or ridicule himself for forgetting his place. There were many women in the imperial harem. What right did she have to want His Majesty to only love her?

On the other hand, Zhaorong Xu was very satisfied with Chongyi Zhao’s tact. As she watched her retreat in quick steps, she said, “Originally, this concubine wanted to have a nice chat with Younger Sister Zhao. Who would have known she would not have the time?”

“Beloved concubine need not feel sorry. There will be more chances in the future to do so. Isn’t that right?” Feng Jin lowered his eyes. Retracted the hand that was almost holding Zhaorong Xu’s own. He drank a sip of tea. “At the start, We wanted to move beloved concubine to Baojin Palace. But since beloved concubine likes this bamboo forest, We will not toss you around here and there.”

Zhaorong Xu’s smile faintly froze. In an instant, the previous expression returned. “That Your Majesty understands this concubine is this concubine’s good fortune.”

The pity that Gao Dezhong had originally felt for Chongyi Zhao transferred to Zhaorong Xu. Who could be certain if this was a gain or a loss?

The emperor had prepared to help move Zhaorong Xu to a new residence, but because he heard that she liked the bamboo forest, he changed his mind. And in the end, this news spread to the ears of the imperial harem.

Consort Rou sneered. “This one loves to put on an act that most. What she did could be considered lifting a boulder and throwing it on her own feet.” A smile of ridicule bloomed on her lips. “What is this about loving the bamboo forest? I’m afraid she might be wanting to burn the bamboo forest right now.”

She pet the snow-white long-furred cat held to her chest. The smile on her face grew brighter and brighter. She had expected that this woman’s act of pretending would eventually bring her downfall. Wasn’t this happening right now?

Phew. Another harem member shows her face. And she’s super pretentious too! I think the emperor was this close to holding hands with Zhaorong Xu in order to get ZL jeaolous. And to bring up Zhaorong Xu’s hopes in order to crush it later. He thinks he’s the puppet master, when ZL actually doesn’t give a crap and was just acting too XD

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