The room remained tense, the air still thick with unspoken thoughts. The absence of the Empress had created a crack in the foundation of the palace...a crack that every woman standing there could feel. It was only a matter of time before that crack widened.
Consort Xian, always calm and measured, decided to speak.
"Hmph..hmph"... She coughed out deliberately, with the soft rustle of her blue silk robes drawing attention. Her voice, though gentle, cut through the tension like a blade.
"Noble Consort Ling is right. We must not let worry consume us. The Empress has always been resilient, and we should trust that she will recover swiftly. However…..." Consort Xian paused, her words trailed off as her eyes swept over the gathered women.
"We cannot ignore that her absence leaves a gap in the palace's leadership, even if it is temporal. It is our duty to maintain the order of things and support His Majesty during this time of trial." Consort Xian concluded in attempt to unite everyone but clearly, she was about to be misunderstood, which she herself saw coming but she had to say what she said anyway.
A ripple of unease passed through the group. The subtle shift in her tone hadn't gone unnoticed. Not like it was not expected but not too soon.
Consort Shu, who had remained quiet until now, paused in her fanning midway . Adjusting her emerald robes with golden accents, she was an imposing figure like Xian. Consort Shu's gaze locked onto Consort Xian's, her eyes sharp with suspicion. Her lips curled into a slight smirk.
"Hiao!...Xian fei" consort Shu began, her voice low and laced with derision, "your concern for the palace is so admirable, but one must wonder...why are you so quick to bring up matters of leadership?. Are you implying that someone should step into the empress's role while she recovers?"..Shu paused, waiting for her speculation to cook in the mind of other mistresses.
Feigning ignorance and surprise, Consort Shu continued with her voice sharpened "Or perhaps you've already decided that you are the most suitable candidate?"
A murmur of shock echoed through the hall. Concubine Jia exchanged a knowing look with Concubine Hua, even though both women don't see eye to eye, they were fully alert to the unfolding drama. Noble Lady Yu's eyes widened, her hands trembling slightly.
Consort Xian's expression remained calm, but the slight narrowing of her eyes betrayed her irritation. "Shu fei..that was not my intention,," she replied evenly. "I merely meant that we must ensure the harem remains stable in the Empress's absence. If anything, it is our collective responsibility to maintain harmony, not to pursue personal agendas."
" Collective responsibility!?..huh" Consort Shu raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping of sarcasm. "You speak as if you're above such things, Xian fei. We all know that the palace is no place for modesty. Everyone here has ambitions, and you are no exception. Do not pretend that you are merely concerned for the stability of the harem."
Consort Xian opened her mouth to respond, but Noble Consort Ling stepped forward immediately, her eyes flashing with authority.
"That is enough," Noble Consort Ling said sharply, her voice cutting through the rising tension. She moved to the middle of the hall, positioning herself as the mediator. "We are here to show respect to the Empress and to ensure her well-being. This is not the time nor place to display such characters of yours.
There was a moment of silence, the air heavy with unspoken words. Consort Shu's gaze flickered toward Noble Consort Ling, her lips twitching as if she wanted to continue, but she thought better of it. Instead, she continued fanning herself and leaned back into her seat with expression hard.
Consort Xian on the other hand, nodded her head slightly in acknowledgment of Noble Consort Ling's intervention, though the fire in her eyes had not completely cooled.
Noble Consort Ling turned to face the others, her tone softening but still commanding.
"We must not let speculation cloud our judgment," Ling continued, "The Empress has been nothing but fair and just in her role. We should focus on her recovery and pray for her swift return to health. Until then, the Forbidden city remains as it always has....under her guidance."
The concubines nodded in agreement, though the tension still shimmered beneath the surface.
"Tong will ensure that we are informed of the Empress's condition as soon as there is any change," Noble Consort Ling instructed, her tone leaving no room for argument.
She took a deep breath and looked around the room. "We are dismissed for now. Let us return to our respective palaces and continue our duties as usual."
The concubines exchanged wary glances, but no one spoke. One by one, they stood up to leave the hall, their footsteps echoing against the marble floors.
*************
Back in their respective palaces, the tension that had been held back in the Empress's hall now spilled over.
In Chengqiang Palace, the atmosphere was thick with unspoken frustration. Consort Xian paced in front of her mirror, her expression unreadable, though her mind was anything but calm. Ru lingyi who had accompanied her to the morning greetings knew better not to ask what the problem was .
After a long pause, Consort Xian finally stopped and looked out the window, her voice barely more than a whisper. "Shu fei ..Shu fei.. how daring of you," she said, almost to herself, squeezing her silk handkerchief ..."She is testing the waters, seeing who will break first, Humph?"..Xian let out a soft chuckle
Ru lingyi, knowing her mistress current situation, replied softly, "It is clear that the balance is shifting, naing niang . The Empress's illness... it has left many questioning what comes next."
Consort Xian nodded, her gaze still fixed on the garden beyond the window. "But it's too soon for anyone to make a move. The Empress isn't gone yet." Her voice grew colder. "And as long as I stand, Shu fei will not have her way."
Ru lingyi felt a chill run down her spine. She has never seen this side of Consort Xian
---
In Luyang palace, the mood was entirely different. Shu sat at her vanity, a satisfied smile playing on her lips as she removed the jade hairpin from her elaborate coiffure. Her maid, Cai, helped her unfasten the rest of her ornaments, but Consort Shu's mind was already elsewhere.
" Xian fei," Shu said, her voice light but mocking, "always so composed, so righteous. She thinks she can stand above the rest of us, doesn't she?"
Cai nodded, though her eyes were careful to avoid meeting Shu's directly. "Indeed, Your Highness. But you handled her well." Cai added with a wicked smile.
Consort Shu smirked, her fingers trailing along the edge of her hair. "Handled? No, Cai. This is only the beginning. If the Empress does not return soon... the palace will need a new center. And Xian fei.....well, isn't suited for it."
There was a dangerous gleam in Consort Shu's eyes as she spoke, her ambitions and plans no longer hidden.
---
Meanwhile, Concubine Jia sat quietly in her quarters at the east wing of Luyang Palace, her fingers tapping rhythmically against the arm of her chair. She had watched the entire exchange between Consort Xian and Consort Shu with keen interest. Jia was no stranger to the delicate games of palace politics, and she knew that the days ahead would be crucial or rather eventful .
"We will see who rises and who falls," Concubine Jia murmured to herself, her eyes narrowing. "The Empress's absence has left a void, and in this palace, a void is always filled."
Her maid, Lixin, who has been silently attending to her, glanced up but said nothing. Concubine Jia had no need for reassurances. She knew the game too well.
---
However , in Yanxi palace, the atmosphere was different.Noble Consort Ling sat in her study with her right hand supporting her chin. She looked calm but her thoughts were racing. She had been the one to diffuse the argument today, but even she knew that peace was fragile. The Empress's absence had set the wheels of ambition in motion, and soon, those ambitions would collide.
"Tong will inform me of any changes," Ling said quietly to herself reassuredly, her hands clasped tightly together. "But until then, I must ensure that this palace does not descend into chaos."
Ofcourse the palace was quiet for now, but Ling knew better. The storm was coming, and when it arrived, it would test them all.