Chapter 258: Regalia of an Imperial Noble Consort

Who can truly live a carefree life? To be free from the struggles of basic survival is a blessing in itself.

The Empress said, “I would like to ask Your Majesty for a favor—to hand over the management of the harem to the Pure Consort.”

The Emperor immediately found this suggestion problematic.

It wasn’t that he thought Jiang Xian was incapable of managing the harem. But it was clear the Empress intended a full retreat, washing her hands of all her duties. If all authority over the harem were handed to a single concubine, how would that differ from rendering the position of Empress completely powerless? It would surely stir up dissent, which would be detrimental to both the Empress and Jiang Xian.

But the Empress had held her position for many years; she wasn’t one to make such a clumsy proposal. So, the Emperor said nothing and listened for what would come next.

“I did consider Princess Consort Zhang and Ma Ronghua to share the duties,” the Empress continued. “But I believe someone must take the lead when working together. While the Pure Consort commands respect, she is technically the same rank as Consort Xian. It would be better to use the occasion of the First Silkworm Ceremony to promote the Pure Consort to Noble Consort. I ask Your Majesty for this favor, and let the new Noble Consort act in my stead.”

The Empress finished speaking slowly, letting out a great sigh of relief internally.

She deliberately omitted any mention of Noble Princess Consort Rong, leaving an opening for the Emperor to fill and thus avoiding his potential opposition.

“In recent years, many things have happened in the outer court, but none of it was related to Noble Princess Consort Rong. I have never taken my anger out on her.”

Even though they’d had a falling out and he no longer visited her palace, the Emperor never reduced her allowance for food, clothing, or other expenses. He also guarded against the palace maids and eunuchs who might curry favor with the powerful while scorning the fallen. He had a group of eunuchs who had disrespected Zhaoyang Palace—and even embezzled funds—beaten to death, quelling the restless ambitions of others. “I believe Noble Princess Consort Rong can continue to manage the Imperial Household,” he said. “This will prevent those sorts from looking down on her. But the overall management of the harem will fall to the Pure Consort.”

Hearing the very words she had expected, the Empress smiled again. “Which is why I believe the Pure Consort can perform the First Silkworm Ceremony in my stead, using the regalia of an Imperial Concubine.”

It was true that this wasn’t an official promotion, just an elevation in status, which was technically improper.

But from another perspective, to enjoy such exceptional treatment meant she was a cut above everyone else of her rank. Especially with a ceremony as significant as the First Silkworm Ceremony. Once Jiang Xian performed it with the regalia of an Imperial Concubine, she would truly hold sway over the entire harem, wielding its power in the Empress’s stead.

After saying all this, the Empress felt an even deeper exhaustion.

It wasn’t a physical weariness, but a mental one. After making such a momentous decision, it felt as if all her strength had been drained away, leaving behind both the lightness of release and the melancholy of a vague loss.

When she finished, the Emperor was silent for a moment before asking for confirmation:

“Empress, have you thought this through?”

The Empress retreating to recuperate in seclusion while Jiang Xian performed the First Silkworm Ceremony with the regalia of an Imperial Concubine—to the outside world, these would all be signs of the Empress’s decline. Hearing the Emperor’s question only strengthened her resolve.

“I implore Your Majesty to grant my wish.”

—————–

When Xie Che brought the news to Bihua Palace, he also brought historical records of concubines who had performed the First Silkworm Ceremony in the past. They were for her reference, so she wouldn’t be going in blind. “I will first promote you to Noble Consort,” he said, “but for now, we won’t announce the details of the ceremony… The later, the better.”

After listening, the first thing Jiang Xian asked was, “Has the Empress’s health taken a turn for the worse?”

‘Unless the Empress was on her deathbed, an Emperor would not normally appoint an Imperial Concubine.’

In that moment, Jiang Xian realized that she cared more about her friend’s health than her own promotion. She mulled over this emotional shift, dazed for a long moment. By the time she refocused, the Emperor had already been speaking for some time. “…I didn’t ask what brought about her change of heart. I only promised her she needn’t worry about anything and should just focus on recuperating. I also approved her request to build a small Buddha hall in Jianzhang Palace. In the future, if she’s ever unhappy, she can come to me. And if she doesn’t want to talk to me, she can go to you. You know, for years now, I’ve felt the Empress is closer to you anyway.”

Xie Che looked down, catching her pensive gaze, and asked with a smile, “What’s on your mind? Are you so happy you’re speechless?”

After all, it was the promotion she had longed for.

In truth, ever since learning of the complications surrounding another promotion, Jiang Xian had stopped mentioning the subject to the Emperor.

But Xie Che, having heard her talk about it constantly in the past, knew she considered promotion to be of the utmost importance, which was why he’d said it.

“I was just thinking…” Jiang Xian paused. “Does Your Majesty want to hear the truth?”

“Of course.”

“More than this promotion, I want the Empress to be well.”

Back when she first earned his favor, Jiang Xian had fed the Emperor some syrupy lines about how rank was just an empty title and all she sought was His Majesty’s affection. It was all pretense, devoid of sincerity. But this sentence, surprisingly, came from the heart. She hadn’t forced the thought; it had surfaced all on its own.

This objective fact upended her perception of herself.

‘But… it wasn’t a bad feeling.’

So she said, “In any case, I must first thank Your Majesty for this grace. I understand that Your Majesty wants to keep this secret for my protection. I certainly won’t spread it around.”

‘She understood the ways of the world. The Emperor’s move was designed to catch the Ministry of Rites completely off guard.’

‘To have a Noble Consort preside over the First Silkworm Ceremony in the Empress’s place, using the regalia of an Imperial Concubine… The Ministry of Rites would have a field day nitpicking the details. What should be scaled back? By how much? Did it violate protocol? It would be enough to keep them working overtime. The best way was to give them no time to react—a clean, decisive strike.’

Jiang Xian could understand the Ministry of Rites’ tendency to nitpick and stir up trouble over minor details.

‘If they didn’t, how else could they emphasize the importance and status of their own department?’

But the Ministry of Rites had plenty of actual work to do. As long as the Emperor announced this at the last possible moment, they would be too swamped to protest and would have no choice but to accept it.