It was in the middle of summer when Yu Xiang left; however, when she returned, it was already the middle of winter, and the north wind was blowing harshly, turning the dew into ice.
The palace was surrounded by an artificially dug lake. In the three seasons ‒ spring, summer, and autumn ‒ the blue lake was covered by a vast sea of greenery, and the view was especially captivating. In winter, however, the lake would freeze into ice. When one looked upon it from afar, it would appear white ‒ beautiful but chilling to the bone.
In the palace, a room was heated by the internal heating system and the fire pit was blazing. However, Consort Sun was still bundled in a fox fur cloak, and her originally bulging belly looked incredibly larger. Her appearance was beautiful with her fair skin. Currently, she was leaning lazily on a soft couch. As the moon was above the sky, her eyebrows were spread out revealing an air of arrogance and nobility.
Madam Sun spoke up attentively, “Niang Niang,[1] your belly looks pointy. You must be pregnant with a little imperial son.”
Consort Sun touched her belly and her eyes smiled into crescents, “Is that so? It doesn’t matter if this child is a boy or a girl, this child will be a blessed one anyway. What is the reason for Sister-in-law’s visit to the palace?”
Madam Sun hastily told her the matter of they were unable to take Yu Xiang in as a concubine and wanted to change to betrothal as a wife instead.
Consort Sun furrowed her brows and said, “Isn’t it better to marry other girls instead of Yu Xiang? She has already acknowledged her ancestry. Her biological brother is about to be dismissed. Her adopted brother is dead, and his title is revoked. She has a bad temper, disabled, and is suffering from a chronic illness. What benefits are you getting from letting her marry Ming Jie? Bengong[2] can help Ming Jie choose a woman who is a hundred times better than her.”
Madam Sun lowered her voice and replied, “Niang Niang isn’t aware, but Ming Jie likes her aggressiveness. To put it plainly, it is more enjoyable to play with her. I don’t dare to let him be intimate with a daughter from a good family. So how about marrying Yu Xiang, and Ming Jie can spend a few years tormenting her. When Ming Jie’s temperament has stabilized, we will let her die of a sudden death. Then afterward, we will marry another noble girl who has an honourable standing.”
Consort Sun naturally knew about her nephew’s condition; moreover, she had even helped to cover them up. After hearing this, she took a moment to deliberate and felt that it would be good to use Yu Xiang to abrade her nephew’s temper. The Shen and Yu family had declined, so who would care about Yu Xiang’s life and death?
“All right then. Let Bengong summon Yu Xiang in to have a look.” Consort Sun waved her hand and sent a palace maid to Kunning Palace to request her presence.
She was currently the only pregnant woman in the palace. Furthermore, she was promoted by Emperor Cheng Kang in two consecutive months, a speed that was unprecedented. Not to mention the rest of the imperial concubines’ envy and resentfulness, even she herself was carried away. She thought that Emperor Cheng Kang doted on her and her child. She also had the thought of seeking a royal title as soon as the child was born. Moreover, she had boarded the new Emperor’s huge ship. Even if Emperor Cheng Kang was to die, she and her child would still be in the care of the new Emperor and would be able to live comfortably and prosperously.
Thus, she gradually forgot her place and did not take the Empress into consideration at all. Otherwise, she would not have sent a small-rank palace maid to Kunning Palace to demand a person. Normally, if she was to do this, it could be considered overly arrogant and could make a person speechless.
Of course, she had endured many similar provocations during her months of confinement, but she would put up with them in silence. Today, she would no longer need to bear them.
Therefore, before Consort Sun’s palace maid stepped out of the inner hall, she saw a lady official from Kunning Palace striding in to say, “The Empress has issued an imperial decree. She is condemning Consort Sun for being ignorant of etiquettes and not knowing how to respect authority. Thus, she will face the wall in Ganquan Palace and repent on her mistakes. She can only rise after kneeling for twelve shichen (twenty-four hours) can she then stand up. Niang Niang, please.”
The female official bowed and bent down to guide Consort Sun to the Buddhist Hall in the back hall. Since every Emperor in the Han dynasty was a firm believer in Buddhism, the concubines in the imperial harem followed suit and set up Buddhist Halls in their palaces. Regardless of whether they were free, they would kneel and recite a few sutras to show their devotion.
Although the windows on all sides of Ganquan Palace were closed tightly, the north wind could still blow through the cracks and the temperature could freeze off a layer of flesh. To let Consort Sun, a pregnant woman who was about to give birth, kneel to reflect on herself was tantamount to asking her to die.
When she heard of this, Consort Sun was so shocked that she almost fell off the couch. Madam Sun didn’t even dare to believe, and she bluntly said she was going to complain to the Emperor that the Empress was using her power for personal gain.
The female official did not stop her; instead, she let her and a palace maid run towards the Hall of Nurtured Heart.
“Does Niang Niang want to go in by yourself or wait for the Emperor to issue an imperial decree?” The female official gave a half-smile at Consort Sun. Her mannerism was very tactful.
“I will wait for the Emperor!” Consort Sun said through clenched teeth as she covered her stomach.
Both of them fell silent at the same time as they waited.
[1] 娘娘 (Niáng-niáng) – an honorific address that generally used for royalty and noble women such as queens, imperial concubines, princesses and also for goddesses.
[2] 本宮 (Běngōng) – I, the one who owns this palace. Such as the queen will call herself ‘the palace’, and the princess with the official title can also call herself ‘the palace’.