RNP Chapter 5 The Imperial Concubines
Chapter 5 The Imperial Concubines
Shen Shixi knew that Li Yuanke had asked someone to give her leave, but she still came today. After all, it was her first time, and it wouldn't be appropriate not to come.
The hierarchy of rank was a social rule she had to abide by. The moment the Empress asked, she knew what was going on.
This is just making her the target of hatred!
Sure enough, several sharp, piercing gazes were cast over.
Shen Shixi rose and replied, "Your Majesty, I deeply respect you. As long as I can still rise, I naturally come to pay my respects!"
The Empress scrutinized her. "You're quite good, really different from your sister. Tell me, what's the story Jiang Jieyu is talking about?"
Shen Shixi said, "I don't know where I offended Consort Jiang. I had no experience serving the Emperor for the first time. Since Sister Jiang thinks I made a mistake, next time the Emperor summons me, I will ask for permission to have Sister Jiang guide me, so that I won't make the same mistake again!"
The Empress was speechless, and the entire hall was filled with astonishment!
Jiang Jieyu was so angry she felt dizzy. Pointing at Shen Shixi, she shouted, "You, you, you're shameless! Your Majesty, this Consort Shen is utterly shameless!"
Shen Shixi remained remarkably calm. "Sister Jiang, do you have any shame at commenting on my private affairs with the Emperor?"
"I...I have never...made any comments about...?" She simply couldn't bring herself to say such a shameless thing.
"As soon as I arrived, Sister Jiang said that I had seduced the Emperor in this and that way. I had only heard from outside that His Majesty was wise and mighty, with the world in his heart, and was a great ruler. But how come, Consort Jiang, said that His Majesty was... like a tyrant?"
"Your Majesty, please understand!" Consort Jiang was truly terrified. She knelt on the ground and kowtowed, "I never thought of such a thing, nor did I ever say such a thing. It was Consort Shen herself who said it. I wouldn't even dare to imagine it!"
Originally, many people saw the Emperor dozing off in his imperial carriage on his way to court today. All the concubines hated Shen Shixi because of this and were determined to attack her. Consort Jiang was just the first to fire the first shot.
But at this moment, who wouldn't be glad that they held back and didn't act impulsively?
In the past, if someone served the emperor in bed, others would say a few sarcastic things, but today no one dares to say anything.
The Empress gave Shen Shixi a deep look. "Alright, Consort Shen, you're overthinking it. Yesterday was your first time serving the Emperor, and Consort Jiang asked you about it. Everyone has gone through this before, so you'll get used to it."
"We're all sisters in the palace; everyone cares about the Emperor. You should be more understanding."
"Oh, so the ladies have this kind of quirk, enjoying discussing such private matters. I'm sorry, I don't like it. From now on, you don't need to concern yourself with my nights with the emperor!" Shen Shixi sat back down.
"Who discussed this..." Jiang Jieyu really didn't expect to encounter such a person.
"Shut up!" the Empress snapped. "One more word and I won't be so polite!"
Jiang Jieyu was furious. It was Shen Baolin who had said the wrong thing, so why was she the only one being reprimanded?
"Yes, I know I was wrong. Thank you for your forgiveness, Your Majesty!" Consort Jiang dared not refuse to bow her head.
Shen Shixi scoffed, and the Empress merely glanced at her without saying anything more.
Everyone felt stifled, but no one dared to speak.
The main reason was also to avoid provoking this troublemaker to say even more offensive things.
"I heard that as soon as Consort Shen entered the palace, she pulled up all the flowers and grass in Zhaoyang Palace. Why is that?" A bright and beautiful woman in a peach-red silk dress asked from a high seat.
Shen Shixi guessed that this person must be Consort Rong, the most favored concubine in the harem.
Of the two positions for the Crown Prince's concubines, one was held by a woman from the Shen family, and the other by her. She came from a distinguished family, specifically the Wei State Duke's Mansion, which was the most prestigious of the four Dukes.
The Duke of Wei's family had rendered meritorious service in supporting the emperor, and the Duke of Wei himself was also a distinguished military figure.
Shen Shixi replied, "Your Highness, I would like to plant some vegetables."
Clearly surprised by this answer, she paused for a moment, "Grow vegetables? Why grow vegetables?"
Shen Shixi said, "It's just because I like it."
Which of those parachuted-in executives and their cronies in the office doesn't have small potted plants on their windowsills and desks?
She's barely gotten any closer!
"I thought you would grow flowers, but I never imagined you would grow vegetables! It's truly unexpected that someone as clever as my sister would do something like this!" Consort Rong laughed heartily.
Even the Empress couldn't help but chuckle. Someone reported it to her that very day, but when she heard about planting vegetables, she couldn't be bothered to care.
"The Imperial Garden is full of flowers; there's no need for concubines to plant them."
Consort Rong clearly didn't understand her hobby. "Does the Emperor know you're such a vulgar person?!"
She sniffed, just like Shen Shixi, who reeked of manure.
Shen Shixi smiled. Rongfei was clearly a proud and aloof person. Such people usually liked to make things difficult for themselves, which is commonly known as getting stuck on trivial matters.
"What Consort Rong says is true. I am a common person, but even as common as I am, I cannot compare to a single word."
"What character?"
"The character 'Rong' is the most vulgar thing in the world, and the most vulgar thing is wealth and honor. If 'Rong' is the first character, isn't that vulgar to the extreme? I think Your Majesty's title will be 'Lan'."
Consort Rong had a great love for orchids.
"However..." Shen Shixi changed the subject, saying, "His Majesty dotes on Your Highness, and he must want to give you the best, which is why he bestowed the title 'Rong' upon you. I am truly envious."
Consort Rong bit her lip and glared angrily at Shen Shixi. In her heart, she couldn't help but think that even Consort Shen, whom she had just met, understood her, but the Emperor did not, and used such a title to humiliate her!
Especially since everyone in the hall was looking at her, their eyes seemed full of sympathy.
The Empress was pleased to see Shen Shixi and Consort Rong clashing, but she did not want to see the two quarrel in such a setting, as it would be difficult for her to back down.
"Alright, the new sisters have all been introduced to His Majesty. From now on, we will all serve him together, and everything will be for His Majesty's sake! Consort De, how are the First Prince and the First Princess? It's been raining these past few days, and the weather has turned cooler. Please make sure the children have extra layers!"
Consort De rose and smiled, "Yes, I will take good care of the First Prince and the First Princess. Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty!"
The Empress merely asked a perfunctory question, then inquired, "Consort Qing, how is the Second Prince? I heard he had a cough yesterday. Has the imperial physician been summoned?"
Consort Qing replied, "Your Majesty, we summoned the imperial physician. He suggested giving the child some loquat syrup first, as the child was likely sweating due to being active and caught a chill while changing clothes."
The Empress frowned and said, "This care is far too inadequate. The Second Prince is still young, so you, as his mother, should do your best to look after him."
"yes!"
A faint fragrance of Buddhist incense wafted over, and Shen Shixi glanced at Consort Qing a few more times.
Consort Qing was the daughter of a fourth-rank prefect. Originally, she was a seventh-rank Zhaoxun in the Eastern Palace. After giving birth to the second prince, she was promoted to Liangyuan. When the emperor ascended the throne and bestowed titles upon the harem, she was elevated to the rank of second-rank Consort because of her son.
The emperor currently has two sons and one daughter, all born when he was the crown prince. Since his ascension to the throne, no sons of noble birth have been born.
Now, the women in the harem are all vying for the chance to have this precious son.
"Consort Qiong, you were feeling unwell yesterday. Are you feeling better today?" the Empress asked.
Qiongfei was a real skinny girl, so thin she was practically skin and bones, looking like an African refugee. She loved to eat and enjoyed cooking, but she was born without any culinary talent, often producing terrible dishes that would upset her stomach.
After three days of diarrhea, she was quite exhausted. Consort Qiong was also in poor spirits and lacked energy. "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am much better!"
"If you haven't fully recovered, don't come to pay your respects for now. Also, the Emperor asked me to remind you that if you keep eating any more of that weird stuff, your little kitchen will be shut down."
"Isn't this going to kill her?" Consort Qiong hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I dare not. I will be careful in the future. Please do not close my small kitchen."
The Empress was just talking; the Emperor didn't say anything about closing the gates, and she was too lazy to play the villain. Consort Qiong was completely unaffected by her.
Consort Rong glanced wistfully at Consort Qiong and suddenly realized that Consort Qiong's title was better than hers.
Qiong, meaning both heaven and earth, is the image of someone breaking off a branch of Qiong as a symbol of shame—what a beautiful sentiment!
The Emperor actually gave such a fine word to such a vulgar person, but didn't give it to her!
Tears silently welled up in Consort Rong's eyes.
The ninth concubine was Consort Hui, who looked at her with disdain. "As an imperial concubine, no matter how reasonable you are, you should speak with caution, not with such vulgarity! I am ashamed to associate with you."
Hui Xiurong was the daughter of the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. She could read at the age of one, memorized three volumes of the classics at the age of three, could speak eloquently at the age of five, and was already skilled in writing at the age of eight.
When she entered the Eastern Palace, she was a fifth-rank official named Chenghui. As a result, this lady would give advice to Li Yuanke every day. If he wore gorgeous clothes, she would say, "The woman weaving under the window has no clothes on her body." If the banquet was too extravagant, she would say, "Behind the red gates, the smell of wine and meat is terrible, while on the road, there are frozen bones."
However, she had a very good reputation in the previous dynasty, which stemmed from a time when she refused to ride in the imperial carriage and was praised by the civil officials, which greatly enhanced her reputation.
Of course, this also makes Li Yuanke seem like a foolish ruler.
Li Yuanke couldn't do anything about her, so Shen Shixi was too lazy to argue with her and ignored her completely.
As for the other beauty and two talented women, Shen Shixi didn't pay much attention to them. The beauty, Fan, was a woman the emperor had been involved with when he was a prince, due to his brother's scheme. She is still a virgin.
As for Consort Yuan and Consort Guo, they were palace maids who were two or three years older than the emperor. They were the ones who guided the emperor in matters of the heart. It is unknown which one Li Yuanke gave his first time to.
But after the emperor had sex with them a few times, the two never slept together again.
As Shen Shixi was leaving Fengyi Palace and about to return with her entourage, someone called out to her, "Shen Baolin!"
Shen Shixi didn't recognize her, so Chao En reminded her, "My lady, this is Consort Li!"
Oh, who was the first one to sleep with you? Want to exchange experiences about sleeping with Li Yuanke? Too bad she doesn't have that kind of fetish!
"What is it?"
Consort Li curtsied. "Consort Shen, the weather is lovely today, and the flowers in the Imperial Garden are in full bloom. Shall we go admire them together?"
She actually wanted to ask Shen Shixi about serving the emperor in bed. She was the first among the newcomers to do so, and she thought she had done a good job, but after seeing her today, she realized that she hadn't done as well as Shen Shixi.
"Maybe next time. I haven't had breakfast yet, I'm hungry, I need to go back!"
After saying that, Shen Shixi turned around and left.
Consort Li stood there, still somewhat bewildered. As fellow concubines in the palace, was Consort Shen being too disrespectful to her?