Chapter 24: The Newcomer

Chapter 24: The Newcomer

In the first year of Jianzhao, the tenth day of the fourth month, it was suitable for marriage, travel, and moving into a new house, but not for breaking ground, setting up a monument, or burial.

A horse-drawn carriage, adorned in crimson satin, slowly stopped in front of Chaoyang Gate.

A maid dressed in ash-green uniform hopped out of the carriage, turning to assist a woman in a light persimmon-colored brocade dress to alight.

Zhang Xingwang, a eunuch waiting at Chaoyang Gate, stepped forward respectfully, "This humble servant, Zhang Xingwang, greets the beauty, madam."

Luo Rou smiled faintly, "Eunuch Zhang, please rise."

Zhang Xingwang beamed, "Beauty, madam, please follow this servant." He then led the way, walking slightly ahead of Luo Rou.

Luo Rou, conferred the title of a sixth-rank beauty and given residence in Changxin Palace's Jinlan Garden, was well favored for her family background. Coming from a family in Yuzhou, she wasn't well-informed about other newly-entered ladies' positions. Walking slowly along the palace path, she signaled to her maid, Sujin.

Sujin moved closer to Zhang Xingwang and handed him a purse from her sleeve, feigning curiosity, "Eunuch Zhang, do you know if any new ladies have arrived? Where are they staying? My lady enjoys lively company and thought of paying them a visit."

Zhang Xingwang, understanding the hint, subtly weighed the purse in his hand, pleased as he tucked it away, smiling, "While waiting for Lady Luo at Chaoyang Gate, I did see several ladies arrive."

Sujin immediately asked, "Who are they?"

"From the Changping Marquis House, Min Jieyu, granted residence in Changchun Palace's Hanzhang Hall; Wancairen and Suncailang from Zhonghua Palace, one in Jiangxue Xuan, the other in Zhuoxia Xuan; and Xie Meiren from Cheng'en Marquis House, granted residence in Yufu Palace's Lanyue Ge."

"Wancairen?"

Luo Rou knew of Min Jieyu and Suncailang, and had a vague impression of Xie, a daughter from Cheng'en Marquis House. But who was this Wancairen, to have received such a title and the name "Wan"?

Zhang Xingwang pointed towards the direction of Zhonghua Palace, briefly adding, "Wancairen's surname is Feng."

So, it was Feng Pingping from Chuxiu Palace. Luo Rou's heart stirred, and she thanked Zhang Xingwang with a smile.

As they continued walking, they turned a corner and saw a small lake, quietly nestled nearby.

"Beauty, madam, that is Suoyue Pond," Zhang Xingwang said with a smile, pointing to the left, "next to it is Yaohua Palace, where the Noble Consort resides. She enjoys tranquility."

Luo Rou understood this as Zhang Xingwang's subtle overture. She smiled and had Sujin pass another purse, before saying, "Thank you for the guidance, Eunuch Zhang."

Zhang Xingwang, pleased with Luo Rou's response, humbly demurred, yet revealed more: "The Noble Consort is of noble birth, deeply favored by His Majesty, and the mother of the Crown Prince. Unfortunately, the Crown Prince is frail and has been ill recently, and the Noble Consort is tirelessly caring for him."

The implication was clear: this was a prime opportunity for the newcomers to the palace.

Luo Rou displayed a look of concern, agreeing with the eunuch's words, but her mind wandered back to her aunt’s advice before entering the palace.

‘The Empress has no sons, while the Noble Consort has birthed the Emperor’s eldest. If my child is selected, remember not to provoke these two powerful figures, nor get involved in their disputes. Just serve the Emperor quietly and safely.’

Luo Rou’s biological mother was her father’s concubine, but respected due to the old lady's favor. Her stepmother had given her a bit of dignity. Although her stepmother led a content life, bearing a son and a daughter for her father without any strife, Luo Rou was determined not to continue living such a life.

Her entry into the palace was to carve out a future for herself and her stepmother.

“Esteemed Beauty, we have arrived at Jinlan Garden,” Zhang Xingwang’s words broke Luo Rou’s reverie. Sujin, the quick-witted maid, asked, “Eunuch Zhang, does Changxin Palace have a principal consort we need to pay respects to?”

“There’s currently no principal consort in Changxin Palace, but next door in Qingxin Pavilion, a Lady Xue Baolin will soon arrive.”

How the newly arrived Beauty Luo established her presence in Jinlan Garden was left unsaid. Meanwhile, in Yaohua Palace, Wan Seng, who had just passed by Suoyue Pond, spotted this group from afar. Her gaze lingered briefly on Luo Rou before returning, taking a medicine package from a young eunuch of the Imperial Pharmacy and tipping him, saying, “Thank you for your trouble, that will be all.”

The young eunuch waved his hands in a simple manner: “No trouble at all, it’s my duty, Sister Wan Seng, you're too polite.”

Wan Seng said no more, turning to enter Yaohua Palace, and proceeded straight to the main hall and into the warm pavilion.

“Sister Wan Seng is here,” Bi Yun, who was guarding the door, greeted her and held up the bead curtain for her.

Passing a floor screen of huanghuali wood, the scent of medicine grew stronger. Wan Seng glanced inside to see the windows slightly ajar, and Jiang Hui personally feeding medicine to the little master, her furrowed brows relaxing as she approached the bed.

“My lady, the last prescription has been collected.”

Jiang Hui nodded, indicating to Wan Seng to hand the medicine package to Hong Ying, finally letting out a sigh of relief.

After taking his medicine, Nian'er played with the strands of Jiang Hui’s hair hanging down. She let him be, noticing Wan Seng seemed to have something to say and asked, "Wan Seng, is there anything else?"

Wan Seng replied, "My lady, I just saw Lady Xie’s maid at the Imperial Pharmacy. Apparently, Lady Xie accidentally sprained her ankle at Lanyue Pavilion.”

"Lady Xie?"

This time, due to the Empress Dowager's influence, thirty-two ladies were selected for the palace, but Jiang Hui, preoccupied with Nian'er, hadn't paid much attention to the ranks of some of the selected ladies.

"She’s from the household of the former Empress Dowager, the daughter of Lord Cheng’en's concubine." The former Empress Dowager was the mother of the late Crown Prince. With Wan Seng’s reminder, Jiang Hui recalled such a person.

"I remember, Lady Xie in the Xu Xiu Palace barely left her quarters except for learning palace etiquette and rituals, didn’t she?"

"Yes, Lady Xie spent her days confined in her room, occasionally playing the pipa, barely interacting with the other selected ladies," said Wan Seng.

"No need to concern ourselves with her," Jiang Hui smiled faintly, "Let's see whose tablet the Emperor chooses tonight.”

"Isn't the Emperor supposed to choose Lady Min Jieyu tonight?" Shan Zha couldn't help but interject.

"Perhaps?" Nian'er, having taken his medicine, had fallen asleep unwittingly. Jiang Hui gently extracted her hair from his grasp, whispering with a soft laugh, "After all, nothing in this world is absolute."

"Before Shen hour today, all thirty-two newcomers are to enter the palace. Even if the Emperor pays attention to the new ladies every day, it would take over a month to meet them all, not to mention the presence of the Empress, the Noble Consort, and Xu Xiuyun. The honor of being the first to serve in the Emperor's bedchamber is certainly something these newcomers would vie for."

"Why not invite the Emperor to Yaohua Palace to show these new ladies your prestige and give them a taste of their place?" blurted out Shan Zha, voicing her thoughts.

Autumn Chrysanthemum, who had been silent, gave Shan Zha a glare. Having been promoted to the head woman of Yaohua Palace, she felt responsible for maintaining order on Jiang Hui's behalf.

"Why should my dignity rely on such transparent and shallow tactics?" Jiang Hui said indifferently, disinterested in asserting her favor through such means.

Yet, unexpectedly, after dinner, the Emperor himself took the initiative to visit Yaohua Palace, something Jiang Hui hadn’t planned for the new ladies.

Within just a few hours, the newcomers had employed various strategies to attract the Emperor's attention, only to receive news of His Majesty's visit to Yaohua Palace.