Chapter 7: The Harem, Part 2
Not long after, the metallic taste of blood spread relentlessly in her mouth, accompanied by the continuous sobbing of Cui’er nearby. Yu Qingyan forced herself to endure, clenching her fists until her nails dug into her palms, restraining herself from immediately striking down the person before her.
Damn it! No one has dared treat her like this in so many years!
“All right, I believe Empress Yu has learned her lesson,” Consort Jing said, covering her mouth with a smile. “Oh, I misspoke—it should be Princess Xian instead.”
Yu Qingyan’s cold gaze shot toward Consort Jing.
What a detestable woman she was!
“Miss…” Cui’er quickly crawled over to support her upright.
Yu Qingyan brushed her hand away and looked toward the chubby eunuch with a scoundrel’s smug expression. “Let’s go.”
“Hmph!” The short, stout eunuch snorted lightly and turned to lead the way.
Yu Qingyan followed without expression, Cui’er trailing behind with tears streaming down her face.
They finally arrived at the Zhenning Palace. Seeing the task completed, the eunuch practically flew out of the palace.
“Miss, sit down. I’ll find a cold compress for you,” Cui’er said earnestly.
The burning pain on her face was intense; this young lady’s body was likely unaccustomed to such suffering. But as for Consort Jing…
“Cui’er.”
“…Yes.”
Impatiently, Yu Qingyan turned to her. “If you shed even one more tear, then don’t follow me anymore.”
Cui’er immediately knelt before her. “I dare not, Miss. Please don’t send me away!”
“Enough. What’s the story with Consort Jing? Have you offended her before?”
“Miss has forgotten again,” Cui’er hurriedly replied. “It was because of her that His Majesty banished you to the cold palace!”
“On what grounds?”
“She accused you of killing the child she was carrying! But you didn’t!”
Yu Qingyan frowned. “Who is the Empress now?”
“Since His Majesty deposed you, he hasn’t appointed another Empress.”
“Besides Consort Jing, who else is in the harem?”
“His Majesty ascended less than a year ago. Aside from the favored Consort Jing, there are only Consort Li and Noble Lady He. Noble Lady Cheng has been demoted to Yilan Palace by the Emperor.”
They had barely finished speaking when a large group of people marched in.
“I am Magpie, sent by His Majesty to attend to you, Miss,” one servant announced.
“I am Little Shunzi, here to pay respects to the lady,” another added.
The eunuchs and maids following behind all bowed to Yu Qingyan. “We pay our respects to the lady.”
Yu Qingyan stared coldly at the assembled group. Chu Yuheng had first banished her to the cold palace, then executed her entire family. Within just two days, he had handed her over to Prince Xian. What did this mean?
Perhaps he never truly regarded her as a person at all.
“Everyone, rise.”
“Yes.”
Magpie stepped forward. “Miss, this is Mistress Qin from the Wardrobe Department, here to take your measurements.”
Yu Qingyan stood. “Proceed. The others may leave.”
“Yes.”
After the measurements were taken, Magpie and Mistress Qin left. Yu Qingyan instructed Cui’er to prepare hot water and sat in an ancient wooden tub, closing her eyes to analyze the limited information she had gathered through Cui’er.
As a modern woman well-versed in historical records, she was no stranger to the intrigues and schemes within ancient imperial harems. However, the Southern Chu dynasty and Emperor Chu Yuheng were unfamiliar to her, absent even in the histories she knew.
Consort Li and Noble Lady He were respectively the daughters of Minister of War Geng Qiming and the newly appointed Prime Minister He Qiuxin. Since He Qiuxin had just become Prime Minister, it was likely his daughter would rise swiftly through the ranks.
If the child in Consort Jing’s womb had not been lost by Yu Qingyan, then it could only have been Consort Li’s—Noble Lady He had not yet entered the palace at that time.