Beauty Over Throne

The moment I was born, my biological father, the Minister of Revenue, secretly abandoned me in the snow outside the city walls. I nearly froze to death. Later, I became the legitimate daughter of the Grand General who defended the realm. When I watched my half-sister groveling before me, I simply told her the truth—that I was the abandoned eldest daughter of the Song family. She ran home in terror to tell our parents, and the shock literally killed them on the spot. The man I loved held my sister's hand before me, declaring he loved only her. I smiled and said nothing. Later, I became Empress. When my sister came to flaunt her pregnant belly before me, I ensured she died in childbirth. And I—I placed the man I loved upon the supreme throne.

1.

My name is Claire Warrington, legitimate daughter of the Grand General. Originally, this position should never have been mine. I was born on the fifteenth day of the seventh month—the Ghost Festival. My birth parents considered me unlucky, born on such an inauspicious day. And truly, I had tormented my birth mother for twelve full hours in her womb. My biological father ordered a servant to abandon me outside the city. The Capital City was already far north, but that winter came especially early, with thick snow already covering the ground. I was crying loudly from the cold when General Warrington, returning to the capital to report on his duties, heard my cries. My adoptive mother had recently miscarried due to her frail health, losing a daughter. My father picked me up and showed me to her. I stopped crying the moment I saw her and smiled instead. My mother was overjoyed, believing I was a daughter sent to her by heaven. She adopted me. You ask how I know all this? Naturally, my parents investigated and later told me as bedtime stories. I also have an older brother, Marcus Warrington, who now serves as a general in the capital's Imperial Guard.

After returning to the capital, my father voluntarily surrendered his military authority. The Emperor was pleased and granted him the title of Duke Protector-General—meaning he was both a first-rank duke and a first-rank military official. As the only daughter of the Duke Protectorate, my status rose accordingly. But some people with no sense always liked to gossip about my origins, saying I was merely an adopted daughter, worth nothing. I was attending a palace banquet with great enthusiasm, taking a gentle sip of tea. My hearing was excellent, and I clearly heard a woman continue: "It's just that the Duchess Protector is too overbearing, refusing to allow any concubines in the household. She only managed one son, so they had to adopt a daughter." I recognized this woman—my biological half-sister, Sylvia Song. "The peach tree blooms, radiant and bright"—it was a carefully chosen name. But her father was merely a third-rank minister, nothing impressive before the Duke Protectorate. I had no idea where she got the confidence to gossip about me behind my back. I reached out to stop my maid, Lily, who was about to stride forward and slap Sylvia. Lily had martial training; one slap from her would ruin Sylvia's face entirely. So I picked up my freshly filled teacup and walked behind Sylvia. She was still chattering away animatedly. I was quite satisfied with the terrified reactions of the young ladies around her. Tea and leaves splashed onto Sylvia's face and dress. She screamed, "Who dares to splash me!" When she saw it was me, she forced a weak smile: "Sister Warrington, it's you." Sylvia had always acted meek and gentle before me, attracting both men's attention and women's sympathy. If I hadn't happened to rest in the palace pavilion that day, I would never have known how much she looked down on me behind my back. Truly hypocritical.

"My hand slipped. You should go change your clothes, little sister." Sylvia nodded weakly and followed a palace maid to change. Ah, thinking about how I'd have one less sycophant following me around from now on—it was truly delightful. The other young ladies scattered like frightened birds. I shook my head. After all, my father would handle any consequences. I thought Sylvia was merely going to change clothes, but somehow, she ended up in the Crown Prince's bed, caught red-handed by the Empress herself. I happened to be present as well. Sylvia wept delicately, claiming the drunken Crown Prince had mistaken her for me and taken her innocence, leaving her unable to face anyone. She shot me a provocative glance. What a foolish girl—couldn't she see the Empress wanted to kill her on the spot? But then the Crown Prince spoke: "Mother, since I have ruined Miss Song's innocence, I will take responsibility for her!" I understood then—it was a tale of mutual affection. With Sylvia's family background, she could barely even qualify as a candidate for Crown Prince's secondary consort. So she had tried to cook the rice, as they say, while giving the Crown Prince a reputation for magnanimity. The Empress looked at me with a complicated expression. Indeed, I was the one betrothed to the Crown Prince. I spoke up at the right moment: "Since Sister Song and His Highness the Crown Prince are so devoted to each other, perhaps Your Majesty could make the decision..." I paused, then smiled at Sylvia: "Let Sister become a Beauty in the Eastern Palace." The Crown Prince's consorts had four ranks. Becoming the lowest-ranked Beauty—Sylvia should be grateful to me. But instead, she stared at me with a heartbroken expression, while the Crown Prince knelt silently beside her. The Empress had no choice but to say with disgust: "Fine. Song, legitimate daughter of the Minister of Revenue, shall be sent to the Crown Prince's estate today as a concubine." A concubine—not even a rank. Watching Sylvia's defeated expression, I truly pitied her empty head.

Before the palace banquet even ended that day, Sylvia was taken to the Crown Prince's estate—without even a sedan chair, since she was merely an unranked concubine. I heard that when Minister Song and his wife learned of this and tried to send her some dowry items, they were told that concubines weren't entitled to dowries. They were quite depressed for a while. Fearing complications with my marriage to the Crown Prince, the Empress persuaded the Emperor to move up the wedding. On the eighth day of the fourth month in the thirty-third year of Eternal Prosperity, I married the Crown Prince. That very night, the Crown Prince slept in Concubine Song's chamber.

2.

In truth, the Crown Prince and I had grown up together. After my father returned to the capital and voluntarily surrendered his military command, our family naturally settled in the Capital City. From childhood, I attended all kinds of banquets, though no one ever wanted to befriend me. They all knew I was merely an adopted daughter, someone who could be cast aside like a chess piece at any moment. I grew tired of repeatedly showing those noble ladies just how much my parents and brother doted on me. Their mocking or pitying gazes were incomprehensible to me. Then, at one palace banquet—I believe it was the Empress's birthday celebration—I was climbing a rockery in the Imperial Garden when a loose stone gave way. I fell, but someone caught me steadily. His voice was like sunlight breaking through winter clouds: "Little one, are you all right?" The palace maids said he was the Crown Prince. Backlit by the sun, I couldn't see his face clearly, but I felt my heart melting. Aside from my father and brother, no man's warmth had ever touched me before. The Crown Prince was the first. After that, he often sent me gifts through messengers. My father and mother didn't object. As my father put it: "My daughter deserves any man in the world!" I wholeheartedly agreed, carefully storing the Crown Prince's gifts in a room I'd prepared specially, visiting them often to look and touch. My brother, still living at home then, was the only one who disliked the Crown Prince. He believed the Crown Prince was only approaching me to use the Duke Protectorate's influence, so he would intercept and throw away the Crown Prince's gifts. Later, my brother had to guard the Imperial Palace with the Imperial Guard and couldn't return home often. Before leaving, he warned me: "If he deceives you, remember to come to me for justice." At the time, I thought the Crown Prince was wonderful to me—surely my brother would never need to intervene. But I agreed anyway, and only then did he leave for the military camp with peace of mind.

Back then, I believed the Crown Prince and I were perfectly matched. At gatherings of the capital's nobility, he would compose poems and I would respond with couplets. Everyone praised us as a heavenly couple. Sylvia Song was just a timid little shadow following me around. Later, on my coming-of-age day, the Crown Prince came smiling to propose, bringing the Emperor's personal decree of betrothal. I joyfully accepted, kneeling to thank the Emperor. But now, I couldn't remember what kind of smile the Crown Prince wore that day. He must have been satisfied—marrying me. Until that palace banquet, when I first learned how Sylvia slandered me behind my back, and then saw her crimson embroidered bodice hanging on the Crown Prince's... manhood. He claimed drunkenness had made him mistake Sylvia for me. The Crown Prince thought I was just a naive girl who would be moved by such words—see, he loved me so much he mistook another for me. Did he think I was stupid? Genuine drunkenness couldn't accomplish such a thing. In that moment, my heart, which had once beat wildly for the Crown Prince, stopped.

The wedding was moved up. The Empress summoned me to the palace and asked if I felt wronged. With tears in my eyes, I touched the betrothal gift the Crown Prince had given me—a bracelet—and said: "Your Majesty, I don't believe he loves another. I believe that once I enter the Eastern Palace, I will win his heart. He must still love me as before." The Empress seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. With maternal affection, she said: "I know you've been wronged. Rest assured, as long as I live, that Song girl will remain nothing but an unranked concubine." I thanked her with a nod. She descended from her phoenix throne, took my hand, and patted it: "Warrington, help my son, and you will surely enjoy glory and prosperity as your name promises." I followed her advice. After marrying the Crown Prince, whenever he needed something unsavory done, I did it for him. And so, the clever Second Prince became simple-minded, the martial Third Prince became crippled, confined to a wheelchair for life, and even the Emperor's beloved youngest son, the Seventh Prince, was discovered to be the bastard of his birth mother's adultery and was executed. I did even better—I drugged the Emperor so he could no longer create more threats to the Crown Prince. When the Crown Prince needed me, he would come to my chambers, and I would serve him. As the situation grew more favorable to the Crown Prince, I could feel him gradually falling in love with me again. I was very happy. I thought it was time to hand him the throne. I found a secret formula and brought it to the Empress Dowager in the palace. She had long lost favor and any remaining feelings for the Emperor. She accepted the medicine packet, gave me an approving look, nodded, and said nothing as she had her maids escort me out of the palace. Half a month later, the Emperor fell gravely ill, and the Crown Prince became Regent. On the eighth day of the twelfth month in the thirty-third year of Eternal Prosperity—only eight months after my marriage—my husband went from Crown Prince to new Emperor. The new Emperor changed the reign title to Pure Governance and appointed Eastern Palace Concubine Song as Empress and Crown Princess Warrington as Noble Consort. A general amnesty was declared.

3.

After being named Noble Consort, I moved into the Kunming Palace. I claimed illness and didn't attend the coronation ceremony. The Yikun Palace, where Sylvia lived, blazed with dazzling red. I heard the Emperor had specifically chosen folk customs to show that he and Sylvia would be like an ordinary married couple, loving each other for life. The courtiers buzzed with议论 about the Emperor abandoning his Crown Princess to make a concubine his Empress. Remonstrance officials spoke bluntly: "The Crown Princess is the Emperor's original wife, from a distinguished family, worthy of being Empress! What is an Eastern Palace concubine?" Even Sylvia's father, Minister Song, was severely impeached and had his salary docked. I sat leisurely in Kunming Palace, eating foreign tribute—green-skinned, red-fleshed fruit called watermelon, refreshing and thirst-quenching. The Crown Prince—no, the Emperor now—pushed open the door and walked in with a troubled expression just as I was enjoying my meal.

"Noble Consort, I must give the Empress position to Ahua." I pretended not to understand: "Hasn't Your Majesty already made her Empress?" The Emperor looked at me, pursed his lips, and said in a tone that brooked no argument: "Noble Consort, submit a memorial stating that you voluntarily relinquish the Empress position because you have failed to bear children all these years." I gestured around the room for him to look carefully. He glanced around and said: "Kunming Palace is the finest palace in the rear court. Be content." I shook my head. Had the Emperor's mind grown even duller than when he was Crown Prince? "Your Majesty, Kunming Palace is the most splendid because it forms a pair with your Qianqing Palace—it is the Empress's residence. Moreover, the world knows that the Duke Protector's legitimate daughter was the Crown Princess. I have no complaints about being Noble Consort, but how am I to hold up my head if you do this?" I took the handkerchief from Lily and began to sob dramatically. The Emperor pointed at me angrily, his hand trembling uncontrollably. As I wept, I wondered whether I should call a physician. Perhaps remembering something, the Emperor said nothing and left Kunming Palace for Sylvia's Yikun Palace.

The next day, an imperial decree arrived, changing my title to Empress and Sylvia's to Imperial Noble Consort. But there was no coronation ceremony. The Emperor had silenced the court's criticism while allowing Sylvia to skip paying me daily respects. With only the two of us as imperial consorts, the Empress title was truly nominal. But that was fine. If no one came to pay respects to me, I would go pay respects to the Empress Dowager. After the late Emperor's death, the Empress Dowager had wept inconsolably before his coffin for seven days and seven nights, ruining her eyes and damaging her health. The court and palace alike praised her deep devotion to the late Emperor and jointly petitioned to have his beloved Consort Mei removed from the imperial mausoleum. Consort Mei had been the late Emperor's favorite, but she died in childbirth and was buried beside him with honors befitting an Empress. The Emperor readily agreed, having Consort Mei's coffin removed from beside the late Emperor and stuffed into a minor consort's tomb. I entered the Ci'an Palace. The Empress Dowager was playing with a jade ruyi scepter, her complexion healthy, showing no signs of damaged health. Seeing me, she had Aunt Crane seat me before I could even bow. The Empress Dowager sighed: "I thought the Emperor was just playing with that Song girl, never imagining he'd develop real feelings. Poor child, you've suffered." I lowered my head silently. She continued: "But now you are Empress. You must learn to act like one. When I first entered the palace, I was Empress. I never expected one man for one woman—I only hoped the late Emperor would have me in his heart. But later he fell for Consort Mei and had her buried beside him! Now look—she's been moved out and stuffed into another tomb as a minor consort's companion. Empress, don't take it too hard. Learn to be magnanimous." I nodded and whispered: "Mother, I wish to reopen the selection of palace maidens." The Empress Dowager frowned slightly. According to custom, the entire realm should observe three years of national mourning after the late Emperor's death, with no music or weddings. The Emperor absolutely could not be unfilial. I touched my belly sadly: "The palace has only Consort Song and myself. Neither of us has borne children to continue His Majesty's line, and the rear court is truly desolate. I don't mean a grand selection—just choose a few suitable girls from courtier families to serve His Majesty and bear him heirs." The Empress Dowager looked at me with sympathy: "Good child. It's rare for you to see reason so quickly. You may choose the candidates yourself." With the Empress Dowager's blessing, I carefully selected from among the noble ladies. I finally chose several girls past coming-of-age who weren't yet betrothed—all with grudges against Sylvia, and whose families wanted them in the palace. The moment the decree summoning them to serve was issued, the Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Household came to ask: "Your Majesty, yesterday the Imperial Noble Consort smashed quite a few palace ceramics. How should this be accounted for?" I thought for a moment, then smiled: "Since they were palace property, not her dowry, charge it to the Imperial Noble Consort and deduct it from next month's allowance. If the items were too valuable, withhold her allowance until the debt is paid." On the second day of the second month in the first year of Pure Governance, as a proper Empress, I personally welcomed the new ladies into the palace, attending to every detail. Looking at the melting snow on the palace gate bricks, I realized spring was approaching.

4.

Although it was still the mourning period, the new ladies' arrival was a joyous occasion. I instructed the palace staff to decorate the six palaces with cheerful flowers and plants. The new ladies came from influential families. To show the Emperor treated them equally, I gave them all the rank of Imperial Concubine and assigned them to different palaces as principal consorts. After settling them, I arranged their order according to family status so the Emperor could summon them for service in turn. Among them, Lily Lin, granddaughter of Prime Minister Lin, was most favored. Within a month of entering the palace, she rose from Concubine Lin to Virtuous Consort. Meanwhile, Sylvia's star was fading. With so many beautiful women of different temperaments by his side, how could the Emperor remember his beloved Imperial Noble Consort? And so Sylvia, who had never come to pay respects, appeared in Kunming Palace's main hall. The favored Virtuous Consort looked at the Imperial Noble Consort, who had seated herself ahead of her, and asked with confusion: "This elder sister is..." I took a sip of tea and smiled: "Ladies, you haven't met yet. This is the Imperial Noble Consort. Pay your respects quickly." A chorus of "Greetings to the Imperial Noble Consort" arose. Sylvia was about to make them hold their bows when Virtuous Consort stood up and sat down again. The others followed suit, leaving Sylvia, who had intended to assert her authority, dumbfounded. Virtuous Consort laughed lightly: "I've heard that an Imperial Noble Consort is only appointed when the Empress position is vacant, to manage the rear court temporarily. But the Empress seems perfectly fine. Why appoint an Imperial Noble Consort? And why doesn't the Imperial Noble Consort come to pay respects daily?" I nodded inwardly. It seemed the Emperor had indeed been doting on Virtuous Consort—she spoke boldly now. But I wouldn't interfere. Sylvia straightened herself proudly: "His Majesty has exempted me from daily morning and evening greetings!" Tranquil Consort spoke up: "His Majesty exempted you from formal greetings, sister, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't come at all. Wouldn't it make the whole palace think you disrespect the Empress? That wouldn't be good, sister." Sylvia looked ready to explode, her eyes glaring fiercely at me. How could she not be angry? She was the one who married the Emperor, who drank the nuptial wine. She had almost had the Empress position in her grasp, only for me to take it, and now she was being mocked. Of course she was furious. The Emperor was always quick to suppress information. Regarding the altered decree, he claimed the eunuch delivering it had recited the ranks incorrectly and had been executed as a warning. Those in the inner chambers could hardly learn the truth. So outsiders didn't know that Sylvia had originally been appointed Empress. I coughed lightly to stop them: "Ladies, please don't argue. It's unseemly to harm our harmony. We all serve His Majesty together. Don't create discord on my account. These greetings aren't important. As long as you all keep His Majesty in your hearts and bear him children soon, I will be satisfied." The consorts rose quickly: "We humbly receive Your Majesty's instruction! We thank Your Majesty for your guidance!" Sylvia ground her teeth as she followed along. Even though she stood closest to me by rank, I couldn't tell whether she was actually speaking or not.

That evening, the Emperor had originally summoned Virtuous Consort, but Sylvia intercepted him as he passed Yikun Palace. Gentle moonlight spilled like water on the ground. A woman with her robes slightly open danced gracefully in the moonlight, her figure lithe and enchanting. The Emperor's verdict: "My Ahua truly deserves the description 'startling like a swan, sinuous like a dragon'!" The next day during greetings, Virtuous Consort came to me in tears. I comforted her gently and sighed: "I can't do anything about this either. The Imperial Noble Consort has always been the apple of His Majesty's eye. I hear Minister Song is about to be promoted." Watching Virtuous Consort leave with a thoughtful expression, I smiled. How much of this garden full of spring scenery in the palace was still mine? I no longer knew.

5.

On the day Sylvia's father was promoted to Vice Prime Minister, my brother was stripped of his military post and ordered to return home to rest and accompany our parents. I thought of my father—nearly sixty yet still as mighty as ever, capable of lifting mountains. How considerate the Emperor was, sending my brother home to enjoy family happiness, while I could only miss them in this cold palace. Virtuous Consort stormed in angrily. I instructed Lily to send everyone else away and said calmly: "His Majesty saw it and said nothing?" Virtuous Consort had asked her father, Prime Minister Lin, to investigate Minister Song's corruption and bribery during his tenure. After all, the Ministry of Revenue was such a lucrative post—how could he not take a cut? Besides, when Sylvia entered the Crown Prince's estate as a concubine, she hadn't brought much dowry. But now that she was Imperial Noble Consort in the palace, she was suddenly generous with her spending. One could imagine how much money her father had sent her. Virtuous Consort said angrily: "The memorial was submitted. His Majesty read it. But he still promoted him to Vice Prime Minister! Your Majesty, do you know how arrogant the Imperial Noble Consort has become?" Of course I knew. I'd heard Sylvia had thrown White Consort, who had accidentally offended her, into the Imperial Prison. Poor White Consort with her snow-white skin—how much must she be suffering? "Don't worry. I've already sent someone to release White Consort and have her treated properly." "Your Majesty, she's already Imperial Noble Consort, just below you. And now her father has been promoted. From now on, won't she..." Virtuous Consort stopped herself and looked at me. I smiled: "His Majesty dotes on her. That's fine. As long as she can bear a prince soon, she'll have rendered great service. As for her father... matters of the court are best left undiscussed in the rear palace." Virtuous Consort hadn't expected this attitude from me. I continued: "Why are you angry? You were properly selected by me to serve His Majesty. You're different from her. Besides, favor isn't always about the present moment. Virtuous Consort, you may go." Lily Lin, coming from the Prime Minister's household, quickly understood my meaning: "You're right, Your Majesty. I was being foolish for a moment."

After sending Virtuous Consort away, I was about to take a nap when I heard someone wailing at Kunming Palace's gate. Lily hurriedly brought the person in. It was Lotus, White Consort's maid. Lily walked slowly to my side and whispered: "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened. White Consort is dead." I was shocked. I had sent someone to rescue White Consort as soon as I received news. In such a short time, the prison matrons shouldn't have been able to do much to her. Lotus knelt on the ground, weeping and sniffling: "Your Majesty, please see clearly!" I comforted her: "Don't cry yet. Tell me what happened to White Consort. Why would she do something so foolish?" Lotus struggled to form complete sentences between sobs: "This morning, Consort Ji and Consort Hua thought the weather was lovely and invited my mistress to fly kites in the Imperial Garden. The three ladies had been close friends since before entering the palace, so my mistress agreed. They were flying kites happily when a phoenix-shaped kite flew from somewhere and tangled with my mistress's kite. A gust of wind sent both kites into the lake in the Imperial Garden. Then the Imperial Noble Consort arrived. It turned out the kite was hers. My mistress immediately apologized, but the Imperial Noble Consort wouldn't let it go. She insisted my mistress had offended her and threw her into the Imperial Prison!" I frowned: "What about Consort Ji and Consort Hua?" "They begged for mercy on the spot, but the Imperial Noble Consort said she'd throw them in too if they kept pleading... Then why did White Consort take her own life? Didn't she know that suicide by a consort is a crime punishable by execution of nine generations of family?" Lotus looked up and stared at me steadily: "This servant knows Your Majesty is a good person. You sent someone quickly to rescue my mistress. But it was too late! Please, Your Majesty, come see my mistress one last time at the Chuxiu Palace!" Lily shouted: "How dare you! Her Majesty's precious person cannot go see—" I raised my hand to stop her: "It's fine. I haven't seen her in a while. I'll go." At Chuxiu Palace, White Consort's body lay in a coffin in the main hall. The palace maids' weeping was unending. I approached and looked. On White Consort's face was carved a large character: "Ugly." Tattooing the face was a punishment reserved for the most heinous criminals, abolished during the late Emperor's reign. Moreover, women treasured their beauty above all. In the palace, losing one's beauty meant losing favor. No wonder White Consort had taken her own life. I gave orders: "White Consort committed suicide, but she was pitiful. Bury her with the rites due a consort. As for the prison matrons, tattoo their faces and throw them out of the palace." Lily nodded in acknowledgment. The matrons had acted so quickly, clearly trying to curry favor with the Imperial Noble Consort. I looked at Lotus: "You have two choices now. First, since you entered the palace as part of her dowry, you may return to her family. Second, stay in the palace, and I'll arrange a place for you." Lotus kowtowed and said only: "This servant asks Your Majesty: which option better serves to avenge my mistress?" I reached out to help her up: "You are truly a loyal servant. Return to your mistress's family and tell them everything about why you're going back. Especially her parents." I released Lotus from the palace.

That evening, the Emperor came to质问 why I had buried White Consort with consort's rites. I said plaintively: "White Consort committed suicide, but the Imperial Noble Consort was too harsh this time. They carved a character into White Consort's jade-like face." "But consort suicide is a curse. Don't you understand even that, Empress?" "But facial tattooing was abolished during the late Emperor's reign. If this gets out, it will damage Your Majesty's reputation. Rest assured, I've already pacified the maid who entered the palace with White Consort and sent her back. I've instructed her on what to say and what not to say. As for White Consort, she died of a sudden illness, didn't she?" I winked playfully at the Emperor. He finally softened and touched my face gently: "The Empress always thinks of everything for me." I felt the warmth of his palm. It was truly warm. But my heart could no longer be bothered to beat for such warmth.

6.

White Consort's death was quickly suppressed. Officially, she had died of a sudden illness. Consort Ji and Consort Hua came to my palace to weep for her. The Emperor never punished Sylvia. After that, she grew even more arrogant, not only bullying other consorts but also intercepting the Emperor when he summoned others. Even the Empress Dowager summoned Sylvia to Ci'an Palace for a scolding. But unfortunately, the Empress Dowager's health was failing, and she couldn't manage much. After that, Sylvia became even more brazen in the rear court, not even putting me in her eyes, occasionally humiliating me publicly. One afternoon, after hearing some interesting news from outside the palace, I sent someone to invite Virtuous Consort for a chat. When Virtuous Consort first entered the palace, she had stolen much of Sylvia's favor. Now Sylvia was more favored than ever and had made Virtuous Consort's life difficult. In terms of family background, Virtuous Consort far surpassed Sylvia, yet she was being suppressed by her—naturally, she was furious. I instructed the palace staff to bring Virtuous Consort a bowl of refreshing mung bean soup and said slowly: "I've heard some news from outside the palace recently. There's a thug named Song who goes around snatching young women, claiming to be His Majesty's brother-in-law. I wonder if it's true." Virtuous Consort immediately said: "I remember His Majesty only has one brother-in-law—Marcus Warrington. This Song must be the Imperial Noble Consort's worthless brother. How dare he call himself the Emperor's brother-in-law?" I took a sip of tea and smiled: "Actually, snatching young women isn't a big deal. But using His Majesty's name damages his reputation." Virtuous Consort frowned: "Last time I followed your advice, my father gathered so much evidence, but His Majesty still protected her father. Even if His Majesty finds out this time, he probably won't do anything." A hint of ruthlessness flashed in my eyes. I said gently: "Actually, there's no need to tell His Majesty about such matters. If someone happened to witness a thug snatching a young woman on the street and killed him in righteous anger... that would be understandable." Virtuous Consort was startled, then understood and smiled: "I thought Your Majesty was gentle and easygoing. It turns out you're just as ruthless. You're using others to do your killing—quite a scheme. But I'll be your knife one more time." I smiled without speaking. A few days later, weeping came from Yikun Palace. I heard Sylvia had begged the Emperor about the matter, but since her brother was clearly in the wrong and censors had submitted many memorials about the Song family's crimes, the Emperor couldn't show favoritism. He could only comfort Sylvia generously with gifts. So when Sylvia burst into my palace with tear stains still on her face, she raised her hand and slapped me: "Bitch! Don't think I don't know you said something to Lily Lin, making her father constantly cause trouble for my family! You bitch!" I touched my slightly swollen face. Tsk. She was truly enraged, her mind clouded, her strength increased. I said lazily: "The Imperial Noble Consort shouldn't vent her anger in Kunming Palace. I am the Empress. This slap... will cost you a few months of house arrest." Sylvia pointed at me, furious: "You've destroyed the only male heir of the Song family! Now only I am left!"

Only one daughter left? I was transported back to the day my mother told me about my origins. She held me on the couch, telling me bit by bit where she had found me, how they had later discovered my background. Finally, she held me and asked if I wanted to return. I refused. Why return to a place that had abandoned me? "One daughter? Aren't there two? Oh, look at my memory. Your elder sister froze to death in the snow, didn't she?" Sylvia's face drained of color. She screamed: "Impossible! How do you know!" I frowned. Her temperament had been ruined over the years. In the Crown Prince's estate, she had relied on his favor to disrespect me, the legitimate Crown Princess. Now in the palace, she still acted the same way, shouting in Kunming Palace. The Emperor had truly spoiled her. My voice carried a hint of amusement: "Come to think of it, I really should call you little sister, Imperial Noble Consort. If Vice Prime Minister Song—no, Vice Prime Minister Song—hadn't thrown me into the snow outside the city that Ghost Festival, I wouldn't have become the Duke Protector's legitimate daughter. Naturally, this Empress position wouldn't be mine. Little sister, don't you think I should tell His Majesty and go to the Song residence to pay my respects? My... little sister?" Sylvia collapsed to the ground, staring at me as if she'd seen a ghost. I supposed to her, I was indeed a ghost. Screaming "Impossible," she ran out of Kunming Palace. I asked Lily about the medicine. Lily replied respectfully: "Rest assured, Your Majesty. Those who should be using it are using it." I nodded and said quietly: "Tell my brother to prepare as well. The wind is about to rise." After returning to her palace, Sylvia somehow managed to get the Emperor's permission to visit her family. When the Emperor came to my palace to ask my opinion, he said: "I think the Imperial Noble Consort hasn't returned home in all these years. What do you think, Empress?" I knew he was only asking for form's sake, since palace consorts and noble ladies all fell under the Empress's jurisdiction. I pretended to be puzzled: "There has never been a precedent for palace consorts leaving the palace to visit family. If she misses her family, she can summon her mother to the palace. That also avoids any suspicion of meeting with outside men." The Emperor looked displeased: "Ahua just misses home. Why must you say so much to阻止 her?" I sighed: "Your Majesty, how about this? If only the Imperial Noble Consort returns, it might invite gossip. Why not let all the consorts visit their families? That would show Your Majesty's fairness and generosity." As expected, the Emperor fell into thought at anything that benefited his reputation. Finally, he nodded: "Do as the Empress suggests." In truth, aside from Sylvia and myself, all the other consorts had been in the palace less than a year. Everyone said that once you entered the palace, you couldn't leave. Who wouldn't miss home? So when the decree came, they all came to my palace to thank me. Sylvia had originally wanted to go home to verify my words and show off the Emperor's unique favor toward her. But I had turned it into my own achievement. She threw another tantrum in Yikun Palace. But she had achieved her goal. On the day the consorts left to visit their families, no matter how不满 Sylvia was, she had to come thank me first before leaving. I almost pitied her—she must have ground her teeth to powder. As for me, the Empress, mother of the realm, could naturally summon my family whenever I wished. I said I would stay behind to manage palace affairs. When I said this, the Emperor seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

7.

Vice Prime Minister Song and his wife died suddenly. Recently, rumors had been spreading through the streets—that Sylvia was born unlucky and had killed her parents, or that White Consort's death had hidden circumstances, accusing Sylvia of being a modern-day seductress. I exclaimed that this was unfair to the ancient seductress—how could people take opera scripts seriously? Besides, when I read the history of the fall of the Shang dynasty, I always felt most sorry for the seductress. Sylvia was probably stunned. She had only gone home to ask about her long-dead elder sister. She had left the Song residence perfectly fine. How could she receive news of their deaths the moment she returned to the palace? But this wasn't the end. White Consort's father, though a minor official, submitted a deathbed memorial at court, directly accusing Sylvia of tattooing his daughter's face and forcing her to suicide. The civil officials, steeped in Confucian classics, had never heard of such a thing. The Censor-in-Chief immediately delivered a passionate denunciation of Sylvia's actions, with such fierce rhetoric and balanced phrasing that the court historian, writing furiously, recorded it as a widely circulated masterpiece. The Emperor was so furious at court that he ordered the man dragged out and executed on the spot, but Prime Minister Lin stopped him. The Emperor could only flick his sleeve and retreat. Then my face swelled again. I realized the Emperor and Sylvia had some默契—together, their two slaps had just about covered both sides of my face. "Empress! Didn't you say White Consort's matter was handled properly! How did it leak out? Ahua's reputation cannot suffer the slightest damage! Think of a solution immediately!" I knelt on the ground, taking his scolding, barely restraining myself from rolling my eyes. At a time like this, he was still worried about Sylvia's reputation. It seemed he didn't