The Empress Dowager looked at her son and tentatively asked, “Your Majesty, this young lady, she, she—”
A’wu stood there quietly, not uttering a word.
Emperor Jingxi’s expression remained calm as he smiled and said, “Mother, the one who left the Crown Prince’s residence indeed happened to be named Miaozhen, but it’s of no consequence. Since she has entered the Daoist path, she has severed all worldly ties. Now, with her Daoist identity, she accompanies me with a pure heart.”
The Empress Dowager was instantly furious.
She stared at her son in disbelief, “You, you—”
The Empress quickly instructed everyone, “You may all leave now.”
The concubines were all stunned.
Could it be that the Emperor had taken his son’s concubine?
How could Emperor Jingxi do such a thing?
They all wished they hadn’t heard or seen anything.
Upon hearing the Empress’s words, they scrambled to leave, desperate to get out as quickly as possible.
But suddenly, Emperor Jingxi commanded, “Halt.”
Just two simple words, yet they thundered like a storm, exuding the Emperor’s domineering presence.
The concubines all froze in fear.
A’wu lowered her eyes meekly.
She knew that her entry into Emperor Jingxi’s harem would inevitably cause a stir.
The Empress Dowager, the Empress, the other concubines, and even the Crown Prince would all vehemently oppose it.
But it was the Emperor who had ordered her to enter the palace.
She was merely following his command, so she remained silent, leaving everything for the Emperor to resolve.
After all, she was so delicate, so innocent, just a naive young lady…
At Emperor Jingxi’s command, everyone stood rigid, not daring to move.
Emperor Jingxi lifted the hem of his robe, stood up, and walked to the center of the hall.
He spoke respectfully yet with authority, “Mother, this woman’s secular surname is Ning, and her given name is a single character. It is true that she once resided in the Crown Prince’s residence before retreating into the Daoist path.”
“But today, regardless of her past, since I have decreed that she shall enter the palace to accompany me, my word is final. From now on, she shall be part of my harem, my imperial concubine. I will grant her the title of Noble Lady and provide her with a place to reside.”
His gaze swept over the crowd, “I have already bestowed my favor upon her. Where my grace falls, it is the will of the sovereign. This matter is settled. As for anyone who dares to gossip or stir up trouble—”
Upon hearing this, the concubines turned pale and knelt down in unison, “We dare not! Your Majesty, please calm your anger!”
The Emperor’s words were blunt and forceful-he had already taken her, and she was now his, destined to enter the palace!
Anyone who dared to spread rumors would face death!
In their shock, the concubines could only think of one thing: the Emperor had indeed taken a woman.
So, the Emperor’s health wasn’t compromised after all.
He was still capable…
Emperor Jingxi’s lips curled into a faint smile, “Ladies, you are all virtuous and well-mannered. Naturally, you would not spread rumors. I trust you all.”
Everyone quickly expressed their compliance.
Emperor Jingxi’s expression softened slightly as he stood with his hands behind his back, speaking lightly, “With such joyous news in the palace, there’s no need for such formalities. Please rise. From now on, Noble Lady Ning will rely on your guidance and support in the palace.”
His words carried an implicit warning, leaving everyone even more apprehensive.
As for Lady Ning… the Emperor had already started addressing her as Lady Ning…
He had forcefully bestowed upon her the title of a noble lady.
Seeing this, the Empress Dowager’s face turned ashen.
Was the Emperor out of his mind, bullying the ladies in the inner palace like this?
Who wouldn’t be terrified to death by his actions!
At this moment, Emperor Jingxi spoke with gentle concern, “Mother Empress, you seem unwell. Would you like some tea?”
The Empress Dowager replied, “This old one-“
But Emperor Jingxi turned to Awu and said, “Lady Ning, why don’t you offer tea to Mother Empress and the Empress?”
Hearing this, Awu understood the Emperor’s intention and replied meekly, “Yes.”
Immediately, a palace maid hurriedly brought forth the tea.
Awu took it and respectfully presented it to the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager, her face stern, naturally did not accept it.
Awu remained silent, holding the teacup high above her head, presenting it with reverence and silence.
Her delicate wrist, white as jade, held the porcelain teacup, a sight both pleasing to the eye and somewhat pitiful.
Yet, the Empress Dowager did not take it, her face rigid, not even glancing at it.
Awu continued to hold it, her wrist trembling slightly from the prolonged strain, the tea inside the cup swaying.
The bedchamber was eerily quiet, only the sound of the water clock ticking away.
The Empress held her breath, her eyes fixed intently.
She knew that the Empress Dowager was the last barrier to stop Emperor Jingxi.
The Empress Dowager had to refuse; she could not accept this tea.
At this moment, Emperor Jingxi’s voice rang out, “Lady Ning, is it because you lack sincerity that Mother Empress refuses your tea?”
His voice was low and filled with authority.
Awu was momentarily stunned.
What was she supposed to do now?
Countless eyes were on her.
She bit her lip, holding the teacup, and spoke again, “Mother Empress, please have some tea.”
Having held the cup for so long, her hands had grown weak, and her voice became timid and soft.
Hearing that innocent and delicate voice, the Empress Dowager looked at her son, the Emperor.
He was also looking at her, his expression gentle and smiling, but his eyes were resolute, their meaning unmistakable.
He knew that if he consulted her, she would certainly not agree, so he had acted first and reported later.
He was determined to make her accept, or else he would not let the matter rest today.
Finally, the Empress Dowager sighed lightly, “Enough.”
The Empress’s heart skipped a beat.
All the concubines watched cautiously.
Under the varied gazes of everyone, the Empress Dowager eventually accepted the teacup.
Accepting the tea meant acceptance.
Only then did Awu slowly withdraw her hand, her wrist now aching terribly.
But Emperor Jingxi spoke again, “Now, offer tea to the Empress.”
According to palace rules, newly promoted women, especially those of noble lady rank and above, must offer tea to the Empress Dowager and the Empress.
Hearing this, the Empress was immediately thrown into turmoil.
The Empress Dowager had accepted the tea.
Should she accept it or not?
Emperor Jingxi did not spare the Empress another glance.
His demeanor was calm and assured.
In that instant, the Empress felt humiliated.
Emperor Jingxi had determined that she must accept; he had given her no other choice.
He believed she was unworthy and lacked the courage to refuse.
It was a complete display of disdain and contempt.
All the concubines were listening intently.
In front of everyone, the Empress was caught in an internal struggle.
And Awu, holding the teacup high, remained respectful and obedient.
With the Empress Dowager’s experience, she only needed to repeat the process.
In the end, if she couldn’t hold the teacup and dropped it, or fainted, it wouldn’t be her fault-it would be Emperor Jingxi’s.
After all, it was Emperor Jingxi who forced her into this; it was all his fault…
So she simply held the teacup, pretending to be completely clueless.
Finally, in front of everyone, the Empress accepted the teacup.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time, a sense of unease crept into their hearts.
With such a newcomer suddenly appearing in the harem, there would surely be plenty of drama in the future, wouldn’t there?
The atmosphere in the hall was particularly awkward, but as seasoned members of the harem, they were all adept at masking their emotions.
After a brief moment of tension, everything returned to a semblance of calm.
Although the Empress Dowager’s expression remained cold, she reluctantly bestowed a jade bracelet upon Awu.
Awu, overwhelmed by the unexpected favor, kowtowed three times in gratitude.
She thought the Empress Dowager’s chambers were wonderful-the plush carpet was so soft that kneeling didn’t even hurt her knees.
The Empress Dowager commanded her to rise, and naturally, Awu stood up.
With a detached expression, the Empress Dowager instructed the female official beside her, “Go and introduce her to the other ladies.”
The female official then led Awu around, introducing her to each of the ladies, and Awu greeted them one by one.
It turned out that, aside from Empress Lu, the Da Hui harem consisted of three consorts: Consort Zhuang, Consort Kang, and Consort Shun.
Below them were Noble Consort Xian, Noble Consort Hui, and Noble Consort An.
Beyond these, there were also various other titles like Zhaorong, Zhaoyi, and Jieyu, totaling around ten women.
Today, only those of Noble Consort rank or higher were allowed to attend to the Empress Dowager; the others were not permitted to appear.
Awu was only a Noble Consort, but it was clear that the Emperor favored her, insisting that she present herself before the Empress Dowager to offer tea.
Awu greeted each lady in turn, and they all responded with polite smiles.
Through these introductions, Awu began to get a sense of the hierarchy.
Consort Zhuang was the most senior after the Empress, holding the highest rank among the consorts.
However, her appearance was rather plain, and there seemed to be an old scar along her jawline, faintly visible despite the makeup.
It was clear she must have suffered a serious injury in the past.
Awu guessed that she might have earned her current position through some meritorious deed.
Her status as a consort didn’t seem to stem from serving the Emperor but rather from being a respected elder, dignified and composed.
Consort Kang had given birth to Princess Dening.
She was quite attractive for a woman in her thirties, well-maintained, but her eyes carried a hint of disdain—as if she were the true wife.
Below Consort Kang was Consort Shun, whose beauty was particularly striking.
Awu even thought that if Consort Shun were ten years younger, she might rival her own looks.
At first glance, these three consorts all appeared to be in their thirties or older.
The lower-ranking concubines, such as the Zhaorong and Zhaoyi, were relatively younger, mostly in their late twenties or mid-twenties.
Their appearances varied some were plain but gentle and refined, while others were undeniably stunning.
After making her rounds, Awu began to understand that one’s rank in the palace had little to do with appearance.
Instead, it seemed that seniority determined one’s position.
It appeared that Emperor Jingxi showed no particular favoritism in the harem; everyone was ranked by age and experience, progressing step by step.
Awu couldn’t help but feel that, standing among these elder sisters, being a Noble Consort at the age of sixteen was quite remarkable.
Her rank was truly not low-it was almost like being an eighteen-year-old top scholar, a young achiever!
As she was pondering, Emperor Jingxi suddenly spoke, addressing Consort Hui, “Consort Hui, from now on, Noble Lady Ning will reside in Langhua Hall, which is not far from your quarters. She has just entered the palace and is unfamiliar with many things. Please take her under your wing.”
Consort Hui, overwhelmed by the unexpected favor, immediately replied, “Your Majesty, I understand. I will do my utmost.”
Consort Hui came from a modest family, with her father and brothers being scholars.