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Crown Prince’s Side Consort (3)
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
When the empress’s invitation reached the An Duke Manor, Shen first madam was reluctant to accept.
She knew what kind of idea this empress sister-in-law of hers was having. As such, she was further unwilling to let Lan Chi enter the palace.
Shen first madam wasn’t informed of the twist and turns between his Majesty and the Ruan family, only knowing that Lu Zhao Ye and Ruan Bi Qiu had involvement before, and now, he will be taking in a side consort before welcoming in the main consort.
Such behavior, as long as it was a well-reputed family, all won’t do, let alone the current crown prince.
Just as she was about to find an excuse to send away Cien Palace’s palace servant, Shen first master just happened to come at this time. Hearing that Empress Shen wanted Shen Lan Chi to enter the palace, Shen first master said to Shen Lan Chi, “Why are you still not going to pack your clothes?” He was unexpectedly set on letting Shen Lan Chi go stay a few days in Cien Palace.
Shen first madam had a bit of resentment inside and couldn’t help but say, “Master, that crown prince is too outrageous! Which distinguished individual would cause this kind of laughing matter? Setting aside the fact that the side consort comes from a humble family, solely the matter of taking in the concubine in advance is more than enough to make one disappointed! It’s not like he’s a widower or a divorced man taking in a second wife, to actually do such a disgraceful thing that goes against etiquette…….”
Shen Xin Gu fell silent for a while, then slowly said, “One mustn’t presumptuously comment on the imperial family.”
These words of his were said extremely firmly, like simply not allowing anyone to refute.
Shen first madam was stuffed with anger, shooting a glare at Shen first master. Afterwards, she twisted her handkerchief as she left. Shen Lan Chi chased after her mother, tugging on her sleeve and obediently saying, “Mother, this daughter will just go stay in the palace for a few days. Her Highness the Empress isn’t just anyone, she’s this daughter’s blood-related paternal aunt.”
Hearing these sensible words of hers, Shen first madam’s heart slightly wrenched.
That empress indeed wasn’t an outsider, but comparing heart to heart, if the empress had her own daughter, how could she bear to let her marry this kind of man?
Shen first madam affectionately caressed Shen Lan Chi’s cheek, softly saying, “In the past, mother also felt that the crown prince was a good choice, but now, mother doesn’t feel this way anymore.” Afterwards, she let out a sigh and didn’t say more.
She was also just saying it like this.
Even if knowing that the crown prince wasn’t a good husband, what can they do? As long as the An Duke Manor still needs to climb up, then a daughter of the An Duke Manor must marry into the Eastern Palace. If not Lan Chi, then it was just the second branch’s Tong Ying. Once they enter the palace and get mocked by those imperial consorts and princesses, where should they swallow their tears?
Shen Tong Ying……..
Thinking to here, Shen first madam suddenly had an idea.
“Lan’er, why don’t you go back first to rest.” Shen first madam urged her, “Mother feels awfully stuffy inside, so will go look for your second aunt to chat.”
Shen Lan Chi took her leave from her mother’s side and returned to her own courtyard.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
—–Enter the palace?
She naturally needed to go. After all, she still had her own things to do. She can’t, because Lu Zhao Ye is in the palace, just flee before the battle.
Upon nightfall, she originally wanted to sleep after washing up, but when sitting before the window, through the moonlight, she caught a glimpse of a figure repeatedly pacing back and forth outside Fulan Courtyard, hesitantly walking about. That endlessly hesitant-looking man was none other than her father, Shen Xin Gu.
Perhaps because he wasn’t in front of others, Shen Xin Gu shedded that usual stern demeanor of his, revealing a bit of old age. His hair long got dyed frost white, appearing even more eye-piercing under the moonlight.
He paced back and forth for a while, occasionally lifting his head and gazing towards Fulan Courtyard’s direction, seemingly muttering something to himself. A long while later, he let out a long sigh towards the empty courtyard, then suddenly straightened his back and slowly left like strolling away.
From beginning to end, Shen Lan Chi didn’t know what her father originally wanted to say to her.
She sat for a while in front of the window, suddenly recalling a past event.
In the past, when she was suffering from a high fever due to falling into the water, the people of the Shen family took turns to visit her. From that paternal aunt that had just became the empress, down to her tang brothers from the second branch, all thought of ways to come take care of her. Only her father Shen Xin Gu never showed his face before her sickbed.
Just, occasionally, she would hear in her sleep her mother talking with someone. The visitor would always speak briefly and concisely, just asking a few words, mostly “how’s the symptoms”, “has it gotten better”, or simply not speak, leaving her mother alone there as he seemingly muttered to himself nonstop.
At the time, the young Lan Chi once asked Shen first madam, why daddy didn’t come see her, did she do something that angered daddy? Shen first madam silently smiled. After a good while, Shen first madam finally said, “Your father, he’s a stuffy gourd that doesn’t know how to talk. What’s inside this gourd, your mother, I, still isn’t able to grasp thoroughly even now.”
Don’t know after this many years, has her mother finally figured out what’s stored inside this gourd?
. . .
The next day, the horse carriage from the palace arrived outside An Duke Manor, picking up Shen Lan Chi to enter the palace.
Cien Palace had the breezy bamboo curtains half-drawn. Whenever the wind blew, the pleasant fragrance from the whole garden would pass through the pink walls and vermillion tiles, filling the pepper hall[1].
Although the crown prince suddenly gained a side consort that has yet to marry in, Empress Shen didn’t have anything amiss in the slightest on her face, smiling when she should smile, and being gentle where she should be gentle. On her hair that was filled with jade and gold, the northern pearl phoenix hairpin was still very eye-catching. The few inches long hanging pearls hanging down from the hairpin, each were all glistening bright.
“Lan’er, the south recently offered up as tribute a bolt of yunqiao silk[2], an extremely good material. Just looking at it suits you.” Empress Shen was full of smiles, letting the maid in the palace bring over the fabric material and ruler, saying, “Paternal aunt knows that you’ve always loved these things since you were little, so wanted to make a new set of clothes for you.”
The palace maid brought over that tribute silk, just seeing that moon white sprinkled with cinnabar fabric sure enough was woven exquisitely, like flowing clouds, making women unable to turn their eyes. Shen Lan Chi’s eyes slightly lit up, lovingly stroking it again and again, very much praising it, yet she didn’t mention Ruan Bi Qiu’s matter at all.
Seeing Shen Lan Chi’s entire heart all hung on that fabric, Empress Shen slightly relaxed a breath inside.
Presumably, Lan Chi still wants this phoenix hairpin on her head. As such, she refused to mention the matter of the crown prince taking in a concubine in advance.
“Empress auntie,” Shen Lan Chi finished looking at that yunqiao silk, retracting her hand from the fabric that was soft and smooth like water, pretending to inadvertently say, “Lan’er wants to ask about something………this matter, Lan’er has already thought about for a long time.”
“Just say as you please.” Empress Shen leaned against the beauty recliner, her smile soft.
“The former De Consort……” Shen Lan Chi slowly asked, “Did she do something wrong?”
Shen Lan Chi’s voice was extremely nonchalant, her gaze even still lingering on that fabric material, not once shifting. But, it was precisely this nonchalant line that made Empress Shen’s dignified smile slightly stiffen.
Afterwards, she lightly touched the emerald jade bead by her ear, saying in a gentle voice, “Which palace maid dared to wiggle their tongue in front of you? Really just nonsense.” After saying this, her gaze sharply swept around, making those palace maids all lower their head.
“Actually, it wasn’t a certain palace maid that said nonsense…….” Shen Lan Chi sat down next to the beauty recliner, saying to Empress Shen, “I saw brother Zhao Ye always secretly worshipping the former De Consort’s memorial tablet in the library, thus wondered whether or not the former De Consort had done something wrong, making brother Zhao Ye not even dare to openly set up a memorial tablet for the former De Consort.”
Upon hearing, Empress Shen’s breathing became a bit messy.
Her gaze appeared somewhat uneasy. Her fingers that were wearing gilded blue nail covers[3] randomly fiddled with the bracelet on her wrist, making a crisp clanking sound.
A good while later, Empress Shen finally forced out a smile, hurriedly saying, “The former De Consort was very weak after giving birth, thus passing away……..As for the crown prince, he…………This, presumably, was because he’s filial and sincere, thus setting up a memorial tablet in a place within his reach.”
Shen Lan Chi pretended to have suddenly understood, saying, “It was Lan Chi that spoke recklessly, asking paternal aunt to not take to heart.”
“Naturally won’t……..take to heart.” Empress Shen said.
Suddenly, a light clinking sound came from the ground laid with square stones. Turns out, one of the gold bracelets accidentally got loosened by Empress Shen, sliding down from her wrist and falling onto the ground.
A palace maid to the side who had her head lowered hurriedly came over to pick up that bracelet, deferentially holding it up before Empress Shen.
Empress Shen stared at the bracelet in the palace maid’s palm. After a while, she suddenly yelled at that palace maid, “So clumsy! Don’t know who taught you to serve like this?” After saying this, she snatched over that bracelet and angrily said, “Quickly go down to receive the punishment!”
That palace maid dropped down on her knees, saying in a trembling voice, “your Highness please quell your anger”, then retreated out on her knees, her little face deathly pale.
Once that palace maid retreated out, Empress Shen finally softened her voice, turning towards Shen Lan Chi and saying, “Paternal aunt and De Consort couldn’t be more close in the past.” Empress Shen slightly closed her eyes, a reminiscing look appearing on her face, “Paternal aunt and De Consort entered the palace in the same year. To say that we were ‘as close as sisters’ wasn’t an exaggeration at all. Just, unfortunately, the heaven envied beautiful women………”
After a long sigh, Empress Shen fixedly stared at Shen Lan Chi again.
“Lan Chi, did you really see the crown prince privately setting up a memorial tablet for De Consort?” She asked.
In this moment, Shen Lan Chis suddenly felt that Empress Shen was no longer that caring and gentle paternal aunt that was normally very considerate towards her, but instead the intimidating head of the six palaces, an empress of a country.
Shen Lan Chi’s lips slowly bloomed with a light smile.
“Yes, right inside brother Zhao Ye’s library, hidden behind a painting. Just, that library normally didn’t allow people in. I’d secretly slipped in. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known.” Shen Lan Chi said.
Empress Shen’s gaze flickered, her nail cover stabbing into her palm.
“This matter, you absolutely mustn’t mention to anyone.” Empress Shen said, “Not even your parents. Else……Lan’er, afraid you won’t be able to obtain paternal aunt’s phoenix crown, and also won’t be able to become the Shen family’s next empress.”
[1] 椒室 – Technically translates pepper room, but historically, it’s full name was 椒房殿 (pepper house hall). This was the name of the residence of the empress during the Western Han dynasty. The name comes from the fact that the walls of the palace hall were all painted with the powder made from the flower of the 花椒 huajiao (sichuan pepper). This made the walls have a pink color. Additionally, it also helped protect the material itself, as well as repelled insects.
[2] 云鞘绢 – Yunqiao means cloud sheath, which is just its name made up by the author. This particular type of silk is called juan(绢) which refers to a type of plain woven, waterproof, tough silk fabric. The name juan used to refer mostly to wheat or cream colored woven silk fabric, but later derived into a generic name for woven silk. This type of silk is also commonly used for silk paintings as well.
[3] This is a nail cover, very popular among wealthy noble women, particularly in the imperial harem of the Qing dynasty. It originated around the Ming dynasty, but became super prevalent in the Qing dynasty. It’s not only a beauty trend, but also a symbol of wealth and power. Women who wore these generally didn’t need to use their hands to do anything because they had servants serving them.
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I saw women wearing nail guards in c-dramas and I found them terribly unsettling. They really work in giving villaneous vibes, but if I was an emperor, I wouldn’t want my consorts to wear them. It would be like meeting with a witch from some fairytale.