Emperor's Cunning Wife

21th of August at around 7 a.m. according to modern time calculations

Inside the Loving Piety Palace, Receiving Hall

The hall was decorated with simplicity. On the center, there was small elevated platform where a chair carved with phoenix ascending the heavens. Two mamas was lighting the room with incense.

Consort De, Consort Han, the two consorts, and the rest had mixed feelings. The person that the chair atop belongs to hasn't even entered the room but the atmosphere was already dreadful as if one was walking on thin ice. Everyone was alert. Normally, since the Empress was appointed and started implementing the greeting etiquette, they never felt under pressure in her presence, and would even casually snide remarks while she was not paying attention, but now no one had dared to even blink in case one misses the important person's arrival.

"The Empress Dowager has arrived." The eunuch guarding the door announced and bent his back to greet the person with utmost respect.

The ladies in the room who had been waiting for the Empress Dowager to arrive quickly stood up, went in the center and bent their bodies. The servants and lowest rank concubines kneeled at the back of the four consorts. Everyone greeted in chorus, "Greetings to the Empress Dowager, May you live hundreds and hundreds of years."

The Empress Dowager strode with the help of her dragon cane. Her winter white hair was held up in gongxinji hairstyle and decorated with agates and jades. Her wide sleeves purple brocade was embroidered with phoenix dancing in the clouds. Her back had a long trail of phoenix's tails. Each step she made although light and feeble somehow carried tremendous weight trampling heavily on their hearts.

They held on until the Empress Dowager reached her seat, keeping their composures in check.

"At ease" The old woman spoke. Her voice was a little bit fragile, but it did not diminish her prestige.

"Thanking the Empress Dowager." All of the people present replied in unison. One by one returned to their seat and sat there robotically. No one wanted to get notice, each of them found ways to minimize their presence. They felt distress as if every single action out of norm would earn the Empress Dowager's ire. Their present behaviour had a huge contrast towards the past greeting etiquette. In the presence of true power, one can only succ.u.mb.

It took a while for the Empress Dowager to speak again, "Someone's missing." Those words made some of the ladies stiffened and gazed at the vacant seat belonging to Concubine Ou.

"Zaijia asked who's missing!" Thump- The sound of the cane knocked the floor resounded followed by the screeching table being pushed aside.

"Replying to Taihou Niang Niang, Concubine Ou is recuperating from last night's…activities." The concubine gulped, her hands that touched the floor became sweaty. She inwardly cursed that Ou for putting her in a boiling pot. Now all eyes focused on her form and the attention was overwhelming in bad way.

Consort Han heard the concubine's words and gave her a glare from the corner of her eye. Their distance was about six meters away, but Han's glare was particularly malicious. The Concubine was caught in a bind since her background was nothing compared to the Grand Tutor's household.

Consort De didn't pay attention to them and only blew the steam of the tea the mama had served. Her eyes only darted towards the phoenix incense burner and her eyes slightly constricted.

"Oh, the Emperor finally started flipping the name plates? Zaijia thought he was deeply in love with someone but it turned out that he got tired and switched taste. Someone come and send my decree to Concubine Ou, reward her with a pair of jade bangles and bolts of brocade. Does Consort De have any objections?"

Boom-

The Emperor was with Concubine Ou last night? Some never got this piece of news because someone was obviously trying to cover it up. But with the Concubine and Empress Dowager's sudden acknowledgements, their hearts hurt as if it was squashed and trampled all over. A majority of the ladies in the harem had never even got a glimpse of the Emperor much less sleep with him. That Concubine Ou was sure lucky to obtain an audience. If she was able to get pregnant with just one night, she needed to thank her ancestors for it.

The atmosphere was already dreadful to begin, and now with the addition of the Empress Dowager's words, some ladies that were blocked by Consort Han had a bitter look on their faces wishing that they shouldn't have been shaken by her threats and took the opportunity the Empress had given. Three days have passed and out of six ladies of the harem five had made up excuses to back out, only Concubine Ou ate the guts of a leopard and disregarded Consort Han's threats. If only…If only…Unfortunately time can't be turn back.

They could only lament their fate and hate Consort Han's blunt use of borrowed power.

The Empress Dowager was not the type to sugar-coat her words and in addition a woman when mock by their ability to retain the husband's favour was really an unpleasant topic. Their hearts were uncomfortable for Consort De, but some part it was filled with glee. Some also secretly sent Consort Han's direction hateful glares and cursed her a thousand times inside.

"Your subject doesn't have any complains. This one only wishes for the harem's peace and stability." Those two sentences were said softly with no signs of animosity or discontent. Even the Empress Dowager gazed at her filled with some kind of emotions.

What was the most frustrating rival in the imperial harem? Scheming? Ruthless? No, for the Empress Dowager, indifference is the scariest of all. When your opponent is indifferent, there's no holding them back. This was why the Empress Dowager never likes Consort De.

"That's good, since you care about the peace and stability of the harem, then Zaijia expects you to teach the ladies about serving the Emperor." The Empress Dowager raised voice drawing a lot of attention from the people below.

"Thanking the Empress Dowager's thoughtfulness." The ladies except for Consort Han and Consort De said simultaneously.

"Taihou Niang Niang, if the Emperor wants to be with De'jiejie, then we should respect the Emperor's decision rather than push the Emperor to the others. Wouldn't that make the Empress more stressful?" Consort Han took Consort De's indifference as being caught in a situation so she took it upon herself to defend the 'pitiful' Consort De against the Empress Dowager's pressure.

Consort De looked over at Consort Han and bowed at the Empress Dowager, "This one asks Taihou Niang Niang's forgiveness in behalf of Consort Han's insensible words."

"What a discourteous child, it's the duty of Emperor's cefei to be virtuous and magnanimous. The Emperor had been visiting Consort De for almost two years, but there's no news of her getting pregnant. Isn't it about time for her to be considerate in behalf of the Emperor and give the other women in the back palace a chance?" This Consort Han had really no brain to dare display her clan's power in front of the Empress Dowager.

Consort Han visibly gritted her teeth against the Empress Dowager's mockery. "What this one meant was that we should respect the Emperor's decision! The Emperor obviously wants to be with De'jiejie, one should not be a villain and support them."

Consort De's eyebrows jolted a bit.

"Are you implying that Zaijia, the empress, and rest of the palace ladies are all villains and the harem is ought to be dismissed? Impudent! Since the reign of the founding Emperor, those words have not yet spoken. Zajia really admire Grand Tutor's way teaching his children. The emperor is not the biological son of the Empress, this way are you also implying that his birth mother should never give birth to him as it would only be a hindrance to the previous emperor and empress' happiness? Isn't this a sign of rebellion?" The Empress Dowager had spoken and those who were dissatisfied with Consort Han's bullying couldn't help but cover their smiles behind the teacup. Rebellion is considered treason, the biggest crime punishable by execution of nine generations.

Consort Han had visibly paled at her remarks and trembled all over. Rebellion was no small matter, if the Empress Dowager's words have been spread her reputation and her family's would be at stake. She originally thought displaying her care for the two's true love would shut up the Empress Dowager, but such thoughts were naïve since the Empress Dowager's ability to twist words was worthy to be applauded.

"Taihou Niang Niang, a teacher for a day is a father for a lifetime. The Grand Tutor and Consort Han naturally saw the Emperor as a family and only hopes for the Emperor's happiness. Consort Han just now had spoken out of her worry for the Emperor's wellbeing. The Emperor is already busy from reading memorials and reports, one should not add him more burden." Consort De lowered her head and gazed at her reflection on the surface of the tea. The fragrance of the incense had circulated the room and she took a sniff.

In a split of second, something flashed in her eyes which disappeared immediately.