The Beloved Imperial Consort Chapter 32

Following that day, Mu Xi Yao has tearfully “handed over lands and paid reparation” times and again to finally get his Highness’s consent. She was permitted to complete that set of moves every morning in the courtyard. However, only one person was allowed to stay attending to her. As for the part that was done on the mat, Mu Xi Yao consciously packed it up and secretly practiced it inside the house whenever Zhong Zheng Lin was out of the residence.

Zhong Zheng Lin was very dissatisfied with this matter. On several occasions, he had suggested that the little woman could absolutely shift it to the nighttime to practice so that he could observe and study the full complement. Mu Xi Yao gave it no thought. She directly rolled her eyes at him, rejecting forcefully. You must be kidding. When Zhong Zheng Lin mentioned observing and studying the moves at night – the wolfish look in his eyes – Mu Xi Yao remembered even now. 

—–

Two days later, sitting on a blue-green colored small sedan chair, Mu Xi Ting was carried into the fifth prince Zhong Zheng Ming’s inner yard from the side door. Following behind her was the dowry prepared by lady Yu and the chief-maidservant Rui Zhu who had been serving concubine Wu. 

Mu Xi Yao has already appointed people to sent congratulatory gift as well as instructing her to be careful and that she absolutely mustn’t fight for the momentary benefits. 

The fifth prince Zhong Zheng Ming, being able to receive the assistance from Di Wu Yi Zhao in the previous lifetime, was clearly also a bright person. He has already found out that Zhong Zheng Lin had used schemes to snatch the woman he took interest in. He has recorded this incident inside the heart, waiting to get back at him in the future. Seeing that Mu Xi Ting was quite smart and lovable he recalled the infatuation he felt toward Mu Xi Yao which led him to treat her with a bit more of tenderness. However, this action of his has triggered a jealousy among the women in the inner yard. 

—–

Half a month has passed. An odd thing has happened in the palace. The great Wei’s sixth Highness, who not only wasn’t into the women’s charms but also was upright, rigorous and indifferent, has actually rested in the inner yard for more than half a month! Except for the two nights in between when he had to go out to run his errands, he spent the rest of the time in the chamber of the newly taken shufei. Only, his Highness has obviously taken two shufeis, yet he remembered only that miss Mu of Qingzhou and has thoroughly neglected miss Tang from the capital. To this day, they haven’t consummated marriage, which has become a laughing material. 

Regarding this situation, at first her Ladyship Shu has hinted Zhong Zheng Lin a bit about it. However, what she received in the exchange was the sixth Highness’s one sentence “feeling nothing”, which has scared consort Shu so much that she immediately ceased her words. His temperament wasn’t easy to reverse. It ought not to be brought back by a useless lady Tang. Moreover, she felt a faint expectation. Since her son was willing to stay in the same room as that lady Mu, then she should just let him. Maybe, very soon, she will hear good news. Henceforth, her Ladyship Shu acted as if she knew nothing, adopting a laissez-faire attitude. 

Yuancheng Emperor was very busy as the chaos in Mobei this year was even more serious. The Great Wei has gradually lost control over three provinces in Jibei. The two provincial governors the imperial court had dispatched over have been consecutively stabbed to death. The situation there was not very optimistic. As a result, Yuancheng Emperor hasn’t stepped into the inner palace for half a month and had no spare time to take care of Zhong Zheng Lin’s inner yard affairs. 

—–

This day, the chief advisor Di Wu Yi Zhao entered the sixth prince’s study at the hour of Wu¹. The two have discussed till the moon has climbed up to the center of the sky to reach each one’s satisfactory conclusion and return back to rest. On the following day, Zhong Zheng Lin’s force, Yue Lai Ge, suddenly became busy. Even the portion of shadow guards was transferred out of the capital, with the furthest place one went to being Yunzhou of Mobei. 

Mu Xi Yao quietly fed and raised her rabbits in the courtyard as before. She was faintly aware of the recent movements in the residence. In the past days, Zhong Zheng Lin clearly went even more diligently to the front yard and returned back even later. Di Wu Yi Zhao has also come twice. If she was not mistaken, the last thing Zhao Qing has done for her in Shengjing, should have been carried out. If everything goes well, Zhong Zheng Lin should leave Shengjing and go to Huizhou’s Qianshang in two-three days. When the time comes, should she follow him or stay at the palace and get on well with her sisters? Mu Xi Yao seriously contemplated. 

Mu Xi Yao has not forgot about that little unusualness in Tang Yi Ru. Before, Zhong Zheng Lin would come to Danruo Courtyard whenever he was free, causing her to have no other choice but to keep him a company. If she did not interact more with Tang shufei in private, how was she to obtain any clues? However, Huizhou was also a good place. The flowers blossomed there throughout the year, like brocades. Its provincial capital was even famed as “hometown of orchids”. Not only was it notorious among the forty-one provinces of Great Wei, but it was also  renowned in the two dynasties and thirty-seven regions that were separated from them by a river. In the two dynasty’s provincial capitals Jiangdu and Wuling, the Huizhou orchids were especially popular among the women from the aristocratic families and upper-class women as they considered the orchid hairpin as ideal of beauty. Every year, only the sale of Huizhou’s orchids in Great Wei and two dynasties would bring the imperial court one hundred seventy thousand silver taels of income. This showed the popularity of orchids in Great Wei and two dynasties. 

After Mu Xi Yao has carefully sorted out the major events of the two years to come, she decided to tag along with Zhong Zheng Lin to Huizhou. Although it takes two-three month to go back and forth, it was just in time to catch up with the Empress Dowager’s birthday that would be held early in the beginning of the next year. Compared with the sixtieth birthday of Empress Dowager, Tang Yi Ru was a dreg. Moreover, if she gained Empress Dowager’s fondness, her Jia Yi house would unavoidably rise to fame overnight. No matter how she looked at it, she would receive both fame and fortune. She mustn’t miss this opportunity.

While Mu Xi Yao schemed in Danruo Courtyard, Tang Yi Ru also didn’t stay idle in her Shuhui Courtyard. After half a month of detached observation, Tang Yi Ru was very certain that if there was no special opportunity, his Highness won’t let her serve him any time in the close future. Furthermore, there was a big likelihood that his Highness would only let lady Mu attend to him. Why it was so, Tang Yi Ru seemed to have guessed a little. If it was really the case, then things were not too bad. But if it was not how she had assumed, then…… Tang Yi Ru’s brows knitted. It should not be so. His Highness’s great ambitions won’t allow him such behavior. What’s more, there was also the principal consort, whom lady Mu won’t be able to climb over no matter what, to restrain her. She just needed to be patient.

Fortunately, she had comfort in that whenever the prince’s residence received rewards his Highness would always instruct people to send them to each courtyard. Although the objects she got were not as good as lady Mu’s, they were far better than those of the concubines’. This could also be considered that the rules have been set in the inner yard.

Tang Yi Ru was a smart woman. She understood clearly her position and knew when to stay silent and when to advance bravely with the current. Hence, she was way better than other women.  At the hall, she used Mu Xi Yao only because she was anxious to progress forward. Now that she was neglected for ten days, she was actually able to achieve a tranquil mind and devise plans again.

—–

The news from all parts of the country continued to gather in Wei Zhen’s hands. Di Wu Yi Zhao and Zhong Zheng Lin repeatedly discussed and made plans, and combined with reactions from Yuancheng Emperor and the court, they finally decided to head to Huizhou in two days. Just in time, as they had an assignment from the Ministry of Revenue to cover them.

In the evening, during the bedroom intimacies, Zhong Zheng Lin informed Mu Xi Yao the matter regarding him leaving the capital. What he received in exchange was the woman’s beaming face that pleaded with him, “Your Highness, qie has heard that the orchids of Huizhou were similar to nephrite jade from Hotan. Unbeknownst if qie would have this blessing to behold them?”

“Ridiculous. It’s to run errands.” Zhong Zheng Lin disapproved.

“Qie has heard that it’s recently gossiped in the palace that qie is the person your Highness dotes on. Huizhou is a place all women yearn for. If your Highness took qie, this very favored person, openly to Huizhou, could other people say something about it? ” Mu Xi Yao’s soft voice echoed from inside the muslin veil. Unknown if it was Zhong Zheng Lin’s illusion but that little woman seemed to have put great stress on the word “openly” just now?

Caressing Mu Xi Yao’s black hair, Zhong Zheng Lin had his eyes shut for a very long time. This woman’s intuition couldn’t  be underestimated. Residing in the inner palace, yet capable of detecting situation in the court. She was indeed very bright. But it didn’t matter as she was destined to be his, Zhong Zheng Lin’s, woman. Since she said that she was a doted concubine, even if she acted a bit more ostentatiously, it was understandable. It was truly interesting to use an obvious carelessness to cover up more prepared plans.

On the following day, Mu Xi Yao wrote two letters home. They were sent to Mu father and son respectively. The shadow guard passed this information to Zhong Zheng Lin. Zhong Zheng Lin only contemplated for a while and then permitted shufei’s writtten communication. He sent people to deliver the letters at fast speed by the horse. Sure enough, this woman knew that information from the residence could not by-pass him thus she simply used the legitimate route. So it seems that his yesterday’s guess was certainly correct. His little woman was full of pleasant surprises.

—–

Zhanghe ninth month of the eleventh year. The sixth imperial prince Zhong Zheng Lin took along with him his doted concubine lady Mu to Huizhou. As for the rest of people, Tang shufei was to temporary lead the women of the inner yard, while Zhao momo was to manage Danruo Courtyard and chief steward Tian Fu Shan had to take charge of all the affairs in sixth prince’s residence.

Zhong Zheng Lin and the party went to Huizhou in a simple manner. There were only three carriages and ten something guards. Zhong Zheng Lin was currently in the front one discussing with Di Wu Yi Zhao and handling official documents. Mu Xi Yao and two personal maidservants were at the back carriage that followed them, leisurely and contentedly watching the scenery along the journey. The last carriage was prepared for Di Wu Yi Zhao and his attendants. The sixth prince’s close attendant Wei Zhen, servant Ye Kai and commander of guards Yan Cheng Zhou were all accompanying him.

The carriage went on for seven days, arriving in city of Lin. The group changed their attirement, taking up the manners of noble and prominent family that went on an outing. When they entered an inn and have just sat down after ordering the food, they saw a maiden madly rushing inside, her hair messed and expression panic-stricken. The woman appeared to see Mu Xi Yao and the party. Barely one glance told her that they were people of prominence. She immediately run toward them.

Translator’s notes: 

[1] Hour of Wu means 11 AM – 1 PM  

List of TBIC Character

Relationship Diagram  (by Sith Kazar)

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