Chapter 222 - 191: Grand Conferment

For the six months after winter began, the entire harem was filled with a joyous atmosphere.

First came the third-day bath ceremony and full-moon banquet for Princess Taihua, who had received her title the moment she was born. This was followed by a great bestowment of ranks upon the Six Palaces. Lu Ronghua and Guo Xiao Yi’s ranks remained unchanged, while Ma Wanyi was promoted to Rong Hua. The rest of the promotions were just minor shifts among the various Changzai, concubines, and Noble Ladies. They were unremarkable changes, bringing neither great surprise nor joy, and were certainly not a sign of any special favor. It was all because the big boss was in a great mood after gaining a precious daughter, and everyone else was simply basking in the reflected glory.

For those at the bottom of the harem’s hierarchy, the more such opportunities, the better.

Among them, the one riding the highest wave of success would have to be the lady of Bihua Palace.

"Sister Xin, are you talking about Lady Shufei?"

In the Imperial Garden, Xin Changzai flicked open her feather fan with a SWISH. "Lady Shufei’s imperial favor is everlasting, and she has a son. She’s in a league we could never hope to join," she said, shaking her head with a sigh. "I’m talking about Chen Guiren!"

That’s right. In this latest round of promotions for the Six Palaces, Chen Cairen was elevated to Noble Lady, a position of the Standard Sixth Rank.

This promotion brought her to the attention of the Six Palace Concubines once more.

In terms of looks, she was quite fresh and pretty. Moreover, thanks to the discreet but plentiful nourishment she received at Bihua Palace over the past few years, her face had become as round and bright as a silver platter.

In terms of family background, she had nothing to boast of; she had entered the palace with the low rank of concubine.

As for favor, she had once caught the Emperor’s eye... only for the Emperor to pointedly remark, "Rotten wood cannot be carved."

"For such an utterly unremarkable woman to have never been left out of the holiday rewards, and now to have leaped to the rank of Noble Lady... Standard Sixth Rank! That’s a higher office than her own father holds. And why? Because she chose the right master to follow! In this entire harem, I don’t envy anyone else. I only envy her."

The other three low-ranking concubines also revealed looks of envy and longing.

Although they had palace maids to serve them, their daily lives paled in comparison to those of the Chief Palace Maids who served high-ranking mistresses. After entering the palace and witnessing the beauty of the various high-ranking consorts and the strict hierarchy of the Palace Rules, their lofty ambitions of winning the Emperor’s favor had dwindled into a simple desire to live out their days peacefully in a quiet corner.

Lady Shufei’s path to success was impossible to replicate.

But Chen Guiren was different. Her only distinguishing feature was that she had known Lady Shufei back when they were both nobodies!

"You might laugh, but I originally had the same idea. It’s just..."

Xin Changzai propped her chin on her hand and sighed forlornly. "It seems I chose the wrong person to follow."

When Consort Ji awoke after being in a deep sleep for two days, she was met with two pieces of major news.

First, the Empress had safely given birth to a princess. This princess was deeply favored by the Emperor and had been granted the title Taihua.

Second, Gu Zhaoyi had entered the birthing room to accompany the Empress and assist with the delivery, an act which had deeply moved the Emperor.

The specifics of a high-ranking lady’s childbirth were not for public discussion, so few people knew about the assisted-birth massage. All they knew was that the Empress’s delivery had been perilous but ultimately safe, and that it was safe because Gu Zhaoyi had been of great help. That was why she had received such a grand reward from the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.

Consort Ji was completely dumbfounded.

’Wait a minute. We’re Concubines. Besides kneeling and praying for blessings, the most we can do is write sutras in our own blood to move the heavens with our filial piety. How did you just waltz into the delivery room? How on earth did you help? Isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration! I want to learn her tricks, but where would I even start? It feels like trying to draw a tiger and ending up with a dog... The problem is, Gu Zhaoyi’s ability is like that of the Divine Brush Ma Liang. The tiger she paints on paper gives a roar and leaps right off the page. How is anyone supposed to catch up to that?’

’Being a concubine in the same court as a person like that... I’m destined to lose this competition.’

Consort Ji closed her eyes and lay down again, stiff as a board.

Consort Ji might have closed her eyes and given up, but the Imperial Household had just sprung into action.

The Emperor had issued a decree: the ceremony for the Pure Consort’s formal investiture must be ready before the Eldest Princess’s first birthday celebration. There were to be no oversights; it had to be absolutely perfect.

This caused an uproar in the outer court, though upon reflection, many felt the promotion was long overdue.

The cowpox vaccination had been proven effective against smallpox, and the credit for this monumental achievement was attributed to the Emperor. It was only right, therefore, to handsomely reward the person who had suggested it in the first place. The Emperor had only been holding back the reward out of consideration for the then-childless Empress’s dignity. Now, as if to make up for the delay, he had given her the highly coveted rank of Pure Consort.

The ceremony had yet to be held, but with the imperial edict issued, Gu Zhaoyi’s promotion to Lady Shufei was set in stone.

Rewards and congratulatory gifts flowed into Bihua Palace like a river. Noble Consort Rong paid a personal visit to deliver a vase made of pure gold. It was exquisitely crafted but garishly multicolored. She claimed it was a ward to protect the residence, but it clashed horribly with Bihua Palace’s understated and elegant decor. It was as if someone had aggressively branded the place, ensuring that any visitor who saw the vase would immediately associate its owner with the Noble Consort’s faction.

And what was the new Lady Shufei doing amidst all this?

She was planning how to use her accumulated points for a massive spending spree!