Three days later, the Yanxi Pavilion was brightly lit. Eunuchs on duty stood along the corridors, while palace maids efficiently served tea and water in an orderly fashion.
Today was the day for paying respects.
The bronze mirror reflected green-tinged fingertips tucked into a hair bun. An Lingrong wore a pale moon-white gauze palace gown, the skirt embroidered with half a length of intertwined lotus vines. A few pale pink crushed pearls were pinned in her hair, making her whole appearance look exceedingly aloof and delicate, as fragile as if a breath of wind could knock her over.
"No matter what the mistress wears, it always looks good," Baozhu fussed over An Lingrong's hair.
An Lingrong remained silent, gazing blankly at herself in the mirror. No one knew the excitement churning in her heart. It truly has been a long time, Sister. Empress, are you both ready for this lifetime?
In this life, she would certainly show no mercy.
Stepping outside, she happened to run into Noble Lady Fucha and First Attendant Xia, who were bickering while waiting outside.
The moment they saw An Lingrong emerge, the two halted their skirmish. Xia Dongchun’s eyes lit up, and she hurried over toward An Lingrong with quick steps, leaving Cuier behind looking utterly defeated.
*Cuier: My mistress ah... that is an attendant, just an attendant ahhhhh! Not someone you can just grab and sulk over—bah.*
Noble Lady Fucha adjusted her hair bun, flicked her sleeve casually, and said, "Good thing we aren't late. Let's get moving then," before strolling leisurely forward.
*Is she waiting for me? What a proud little thing,* An Lingrong thought to herself, the corners of her lips curling into a slight smile. She took Xia Dongchun by the hand and followed step by step to catch up with Noble Lady Fucha.
The path from Yanxi Pavilion to Jingren Palace was not long. Taking advantage of the faint dawn light, the three of them walked together toward Jingren Palace.
This road seemed a bit more lively today; after all, they were no longer lonely.
Xia Dongchun chattered away at the side, "Noble Lady Fucha, An Attendant, have you heard the interesting gossip recently? Noble Lady Shen didn't even bother to pay respects to her principal mistress and ran off to Suiyu Pavilion to drink tea instead. Have her manners been eaten by dogs or something?" She rolled her eyes.
Noble Lady Fucha also chuckled lightly beside her. "Who in the palace doesn't know about it by now? If I were Noble Lady Shen, I'd die of shame. Making a fool of oneself right after entering the palace—there will be plenty of lively sights to watch from now on."
In her past life, she had been just as unobservant of the rules, though no such rumors had spread back then. Concubine Jing, the principal mistress of Xianfu Pavilion, was a person who neither vied for favor nor contended with others, possessing little temper and an easygoing nature. Yet, anyone who could stand as a principal mistress in the inner court was far from simple. This time, Noble Lady Shen had probably angered her, which was why Concubine Jing refused to suppress the news.
Walking together, the three chatted and laughed along the way. As An Lingrong walked, she pondered what would happen today. Although Xia Dongchun’s etiquette and palace rules had not been sabotaged in this lifetime and her basic decorum was flawless, An Lingrong still intended to rely on the Xia family's influence to protect herself in the inner court.
Glancing at Xia Dongchun, she advised, "When we pay our respects today, you must not chatter too much, and don't wander with your eyes. Today the new initiates are meeting the empress and consorts, so they will surely be sizing us up. The more you speak, the more mistakes you make."
Noble Lady Fucha nodded from the side, still feeling rather nervous inside. Seeing Xia Dongchun's carefree demeanor, exasperation flared up within her. She gently pressed her finger against Xia Dongchun's forehead and scolded, "Did you or did you not remember what Attendant An just said?"
During their brief days together, neither of the two possessed malicious intentions; they had simply been pampered a bit too much at home. They did take Lingrong's words to heart—although Lingrong was soft and delicate with a humble family background, she clearly had a mind of her own, and both were willing to be on good terms with her, knowing she would never harm them.
"Aiyaya, it hurts! I didn't get enough sleep this morning. I know, I know. We mainly need to take care of Little Sister An; who knows if her frail constitution will get frightened?" After finishing, Xia Dongchun let out a massive yawn, her eye sockets turning red.
"Elder Sister Fucha entered the palace with a higher rank, and Elder Sister Xia was praised by the Emperor on the throne dais for being interesting. Palace gossip is everywhere; both of you must be extremely cautious in your words and deeds, and avoid currying favor with any particular faction while keeping a low profile," An Lingrong continued.
An Lingrong had her own selfish motives. Firstly, the Xia and Fucha families possessed deep-rooted influence. Once she had children in the future, their familial backing could assist her child and save her much trouble. Secondly, palace nights were long and desolate; she needed people to talk to, lest she be framed one day and have no one to rescue her.
Moreover, since both women lacked schemes, they would likely struggle to live in peace without her protection. In return, she would shield them. If they ever conceived, she would ensure their children were born safely.
As long as the two never betrayed her, she was willing to look after them so they could live out their days in the palace without worry, repayment of sorts for her past life.
"Of course Lingrong has our best interests at heart," Noble Lady Fucha smiled. At home, she was the eldest daughter whose word was law, yet here in the palace, she found herself being protected by the frail Lingrong. Since Lingrong wanted to protect her, she would let her; otherwise, what would she do if Lingrong started crying? Still, this feeling wasn't bad at all.
"Don't worry, Little Sister An, Noble Lady Fucha and I know our limits," Xia Dongchun said, holding An Lingrong's hand with one hand while clenching her fist with the other to pump herself up.
Her fist nearly struck An Lingrong's face, frightening Noble Lady Fucha into swatting it down immediately, wishing she could take off her shoe and smack Xia Dongchun on the head.
The maids behind them lowered their heads and giggled behind their hands. Baozhu had also been startled at first and anxiously checked to see if anyone was hurt, but An Lingrong waved her hand to indicate she was fine.
Turning back to look at the two chasing and bickering ahead of her, she couldn't help but smile. *It's so good to be like this.* Quickly gathering her thoughts, she reminded herself that soon she would meet her old friends. How truly anticipated this was.
***
Jingren Palace.
An Lingrong stood at the tail end of the procession, lined up abreast with Pure Attendant. Noble Lady Fucha had originally wanted to move to the front row, but seeing someone already standing there, she reluctantly settled for the second row instead, full of lingering resentment. *Who on earth is that refined-looking woman standing next to me?*
Meanwhile, Xia Dongchun strictly remembered An Lingrong's warning, keeping her head down the entire time like a quail, completely motionless.
*Xia Dongchun: You can't see me, you can't see me, you can't see me...*
Just like in her previous life, right after completing the welcoming-cat ritual for the Empress, Consort Hua arrived fashionably late. A eunuch's loud announcement rang out from outside the hall: "Consort Hua has arrived!"
Before she was even seen, her voice was heard, carrying a trace of arrogance: "I suppose I'm not too late, am I?"
An Lingrong saw the smile at the corner of the Empress's mouth freeze slightly. She said nothing more, raising her eyes to look toward the entrance without uttering a word.
She saw Consort Hua leaning on Songzhi, swaying gracefully as she walked in. Consort Hua offered a perfunctory greeting to the Empress, and without waiting for the Empress to tell her to rise, she sat down of her own accord.
After exchanging a few sharp retorts with Consort Qi, the grand ceremony officially began. The Empress glanced sideways at Jiang Fuhai standing beside her, and he instantly understood. "All mistresses, offer the great kowtow ritual to the Empress!"
The ritual of six bows and three kneelings completed, everyone stood up, turned, and paid their respects to Consort Hua. Looking at the fresh and lovely concubines below, Consort Hua felt a surge of bitterness and inwardly cursed them as sluts.
Songzhi noticed the change in her mistress's expression and gave a subtle hint. Consort Hua withdrew her gaze, then turned to discuss jadeite with the Empress. The two bantered back and forth while the rest of the concubines dared not interrupt—everyone knew that conversation was loaded with hidden barbs. Finally, seeing that the others could no longer sustain their postures, the Empress spoke up: "You may all rise, younger sisters."
Consort Hua had still wanted to flex her prestige a bit more before the new recruits, but since the Empress had spoken, she could hardly pretend not to hear.
Further down, An Lingrong was also nearing her limit, her entire body swaying unsteadily. Consort Hua's stunt today thoroughly cemented her reputation for arrogance, practically pushing the newly entered palace maidens right into the Empress's faction. An Lingrong sighed inwardly.
Then came the Empress's speech about extending the imperial lineage, words that struck directly at Consort Hua's sorest spot—until Consort Hua asked, "I hear there is a First Attendant Xia who is exceptionally beautiful. Which one is she?"
Hearing this, Xia Dongchun was so startled she immediately knelt and offered greetings, fortunately making no errors in etiquette this time and avoiding drawing anyone's ridicule. "This concubine, surnamed Xia, pays respects to Consort Hua."
When Consort Hua did not tell her to rise for quite a while, Xia Dongchun grew bold enough to raise her head, only to find Consort Hua looking her over with a smile in her eyes. She hurriedly retracted her gaze and shrank back again. She thought these little maneuvers went unnoticed, unaware that Consort Hua had seen them crystal clear and found them rather amusing. Realizing Xia Dongchun wasn't some man-eating tiger after all, Consort Hua looked at her a couple more times, decided she was uninteresting, and finally told her to rise and dismissed her.
Yet Consort Hua shifted her gaze and spoke up once more: "Which one is An Attendant?" She was merely the daughter of a minor district magistrate, though the Emperor had personally altered her rank.
An Lingrong’s gaze flickered slightly. The ripples during palace selection could not be concealed from the people in the inner court; today's trial was something she simply could not evade. Thinking of this, she dropped to one knee, lowered her voice slightly, and spoke softly, "This concubine, Attendant An of Yanxi Pavilion, pays respects to Consort Hua."
Consort Hua raised her eyes for a brief, casual glance before looking away. *Pleasing features, but her voice is merely somewhat pleasant—not worth paying extra attention to. Besides, this Attendant An looks frail and delicate, her little face deathly pale; she clearly has a weak constitution.*
However, sitting high on the phoenix throne, Yixiu froze momentarily at the sound of that voice. It was entirely too familiar. Inspecting An Lingrong, she thought, *With a voice like that, she could well win favor for a spell.*
Outwardly, however, she remained utterly composed while her hands clenched tightly within her sleeves. *Why must every single one of them possess something resembling the Elder Sister? Is anyone resembling the Elder Sister truly that important in the Emperor's heart? When will the Emperor ever see that this consort's feelings for him are no lesser than the Elder Sister's?!*
In an instant, however, Consort Hua's attitude shifted once more. "And which two are Noble Lady Shen and First Attendant Wan?"
*That hurdle is finally cleared,* An Lingrong thought. She looked up to see the Empress staring at her with an ambiguous smile. *I've been noticed already; I must be extra careful from now on.*
An Lingrong gathered her wits and quickly summoned her utmost concentration. Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan stepped forward in turn to pay their respects. Consort Hua observed Shen Meizhuang's dignified and elegant demeanor and Zhen Huan's simple attire that failed to mask her beauty. She had long since heard that the daughter of Shen Zishan had won the Empress Dowager's favor during palace selection, while the other had bantered with the Emperor using poetry before the throne, prompting the Emperor himself to order her kept behind.
"This concubine, Noble Lady Shen of Xianfu Pavilion, and First Attendant Zhen of Suiyu Pavilion, pay respects to Consort Hua. May Your Ladyship be blessed with eternal peace."
Seeing their fair countenances, Consort Hua could not conceal the bitterness in her heart, so she told the two to rise.
Just as they were standing up, Consort Li chimed in beside them: "Who is Noble Lady Fucha?" Hearing this, the Empress cast her gaze toward Consort Li as well, her intentions inscrutable. Consort Hua turned her head to look at Consort Li, unsure what she was driving at, and signaled for her to continue.
Zhen Huan, who had just risen to her feet, suddenly felt an ominous premonition, though she could not pinpoint the cause. She could only steel her heart and listen.
Down below, hearing her name called, Noble Lady Fucha immediately knelt and offered greetings. "This concubine, Fucha of Yanxi Pavilion, pays respects to the Empress, Consort Hua, and all the mistresses. May Your Ladyships be blessed with eternal peace."
Consort Li glanced first at First Attendant Wan, then down at the kneeling Noble Lady Fucha, and let out a chuckle. "Your Ladyship, in the inner court, ranks and hierarchies are distinct. According to our tradition of prioritizing the Manchu and Mongol nobility over the Han, how is it that today, on the very first day the younger sisters come to pay respects to the Empress, Noble Lady Fucha is not standing in the first row, but First Attendant Wan is instead?"
At that, Zhen Huan felt her heart skip a beat. She hurriedly dropped to her knees and explained, "Forgive me, Consort Hua; forgive me, Empress. This concubine was merely momentarily negligent and had no intention of standing here deliberately. I beg Your Ladyships to pardon me."
Consort Hua reacted instantly, her long brows arching upward. Just as she was fretting over having no outlet to vent her spleen, one had been delivered right to her doorstep. She let out a cold laugh. "Palace rules are strict and stern. If everyone claims momentary negligence, where would the rules be? How could discipline possibly be maintained?"
Kneeling alongside her, Shen Meizhuang also pleaded for leniency. "Empress, Consort Hua, First Attendant Wan's action was unintentional. I beg Your Ladyships to show mercy."
Consort Hua stared at her own manicured nails, chuckled coldly to interrupt the pleas of Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan, and recalled the gossip Songzhi had mentioned that morning. "Intentional or not, the transgression has already been committed. Noble Lady Shen, you'd better worry about yourself first. Right after entering the palace, you failed to pay respects to your principal mistress and instead ran off to an attendant's quarters—showing utter disrespect to your principal mistress. Tell me, how should this consort punish you?"
At those words, Shen Meizhuang's face turned alternately red and white. Only after returning from Suiyu Pavilion and hearing Caixin's report did she realize she had failed to pay respects to her principal mistress, thereby committing a breach of etiquette. She had hurriedly prepared gifts to offer an apology, only to have doors slammed in her face for days.
Shen Meizhuang felt a mixture of humiliation and annoyance. *How did word spread so quickly? It just shows that Concubine Jing cannot manage her subordinates properly.* If Concubine Jing knew Shen Meizhuang was thinking such thoughts, she would likely have had her driven out of Xianfu Pavilion; not having her beaten for disrespecting her principal mistress was already a display of mercy on her part.
The moment Consort Hua finished speaking, she turned her gaze back to the Empress. "Empress, before these new initiates entered the palace, they were carefully instructed in the rules. Logically speaking, such a blunder should never have occurred. If we let this pass lightly, everyone in the inner court will follow suit and ruin the rules."
Down below, An Lingrong watched the drama unfold on the platform, a cold smile playing in her heart. *Sister, oh Sister, are you pleased with the grand gift your younger sister has prepared for you?*
Just after entering the palace, she had heard Baoying mention that Noble Lady Shen had failed to pay respects to her principal mistress. Remembering Mammy Yunzhu's words about how much the Emperor valued the rule prioritizing Manchu and Mongol nobility over the Han, and recalling how in her past life such a glaring error as Zhen Huan standing in the front row had somehow gone unnoticed, An Lingrong had deliberately directed her attention toward Consort Li. She had spread word that they would pass through the Imperial Garden, orchestrating a little scene where the plot about prioritizing Manchu and Mongol over Han was constantly muttered aloud—serving as her welcome gift.
*It seems the effect is quite good,* An Lingrong thought, lowering her head as the corners of her lips curved upward.
"What punishment does Younger Sister propose?" The Empress sat upright and motionless. In truth, she had no desire to rescue Zhen Huan either; looking at that face made her want to claw it to shreds. Yet Consort Hua's faction currently held too much power in the inner court, and pulling Consort Hua down still required Zhen Huan's utility.
"According to palace rules, the two of them should be given thirty heavy strokes with the bamboo staff. However, considering this is their first offense, let them be confined to their quarters for two months and have their stipends docked for three."
Stipends were a minor matter; no one entering the palace lived for that tiny bit of silver—they lived for familial glory and favor. In just a few days, the wooden tablets would be flipped for attendance, and after three months of confinement, the Emperor would likely have forgotten all about this person entirely.