Chapter 431: Chapter 429: She Doesn’t Have Any of the Traits a Favored Consort Should Have
Shen Yinning gazed at the child in the cradle.
The little one was sleeping soundly. He was well-behaved, rarely fussing, and hardly giving her any trouble.
Hosting a banquet, why not?
She said lazily, "Then make the arrangements as you see fit. It’s fine to make it lively and festive."
Upon hearing this, a gentle glow flickered in Lu Ying’s narrow eyes.
For the past few months, Zhaozhao had been unwilling to speak to him.
Today’s remark was already among the more wordy things she’d said to him lately.
He tucked the brocade quilt snugly around Shen Yinning, saying, "Rest well. I’ll come see you again tomorrow."
The palace maids in the inner chamber bowed and respectfully saw him out.
Normally, at a time like this, Li Zhu would have left as well.
But tonight, she remained rooted in place, watching Shen Yinning with a gaze filled with complex emotions that defied explanation.
Shen Yinning fiddled with a cloth tiger, her voice faint. "What?"
Li Zhu pursed her lips and walked to the cradle.
She gently rocked it; the little one was deeply asleep. As the cradle swayed softly, he kicked his small legs contentedly.
Leaning over, she tucked the baby’s feet back into the blanket. "I don’t understand."
"Don’t understand why Lu Ying treats me so well?"
Li Zhu frowned, her throat tightening. She was silent for a long time before saying unhappily, "You shouldn’t refer to Cousin by name."
"Empress Dowager Li sent you to Furong Palace to learn how to capture Lu Ying’s heart, not to teach me etiquette," Shen Yinning said smoothly. "Miss Li, what are you pretending to be so high and mighty about?"
Li Zhu’s breath hitched.
High and mighty...
The Imperial Grandmother had also called her high and mighty.
But shouldn’t a woman be virtuous and dignified?
"Good things have to be fought for," Shen Yinning reminded her. "I believe the Empress Dowager sent you to compete for affection not out of a desire for love from a man but for the Emperor’s favor. In this harem, the Emperor’s favor represents the glory and riches of the harem, represents the prominence of your family. If you want to obtain these, you must set aside your pride, fight for it, and use whatever means you can think of to make his heart tilt toward you in a sea of women."
Li Zhu bit her lip.
At fifteen, she had been brought to the Empress Dowager’s side.
The education she had received since childhood taught her that a woman should be reserved, gentle, and never fight or compete.
So despite her feelings for Cousin, she never dared shed her pride to do something as forward as throwing herself into his arms.
She believed that being proud, self-possessed, and virtuous was the proper character of a noblewoman.
She had never considered that good things must be fought for.
Li Zhu looked at Shen Yinning with a complicated expression. "When you returned to the Capital from Gan State back then, did you win Cousin’s heart the same way?"
"Yes," Shen Yinning admitted without hesitation. "I’ve done shameless things plenty of times. The humiliation I’ve endured before your beloved Cousin is something a noble lady of your standing could never imagine. But so what? The benefits I’ve gained have been plentiful. Look at your Cousin—up to now, he still can’t forget about me, can he?"
Li Zhu gripped the cradle tightly.
She lowered her head, her fair face flushing red.
It seemed she couldn’t come to terms with the fact that the magnificent, resplendent harem was no different from a dark jungle—and in this place of survival of the fittest, women had to fight and kill to obtain the best.
Shen Yinning smirked lightly. "Forgive me for being blunt, but you lack even a shred of the qualities a favored concubine should have. Miss Li, the harem is a place that devours people. Someone as high-minded as you doesn’t belong here. Even if I helped you become one of Lu Ying’s concubines, in decades to come, you wouldn’t be able to survive on your own. The faint admiration you feel for Lu Ying isn’t enough to support you through countless endless nights. Miss Li, you will die."
Li Zhu’s face drained of color.
The Imperial Grandmother had told her she must sacrifice herself for the family.
Father had told her she was destined to become the new Empress of the Li Family, paving the way for her brothers’ rise in court.
And since she did happen to like Cousin, she had gladly consented.
But no one had ever told her that staying in the harem would lead to death.
Li Zhu closed her eyes tightly, as though weighing her options.
After a long time, she frowned and said, "But I’ve already entered the game. I’m twenty-one now. Both of my younger sisters have been married for three years. If I leave the palace now, all my prior efforts will have been in vain. Not only will the Imperial Grandmother and my father abandon me, but I’ll also become the laughingstock of the entire Capital..."
Since the age of fifteen, she had determined that she would become her Cousin’s Empress or concubine.
She had served the Imperial Grandmother daily, waiting for her opportunity to ascend, always dismissive of the other noble ladies in the Capital.
But now, Shen Yinning was telling her that she was unfit to become a concubine in the palace.
To her, it felt like being told to give up half her life!
Shen Yinning rubbed the cloth tiger’s ear, half-smiling. "Since you’ve already delayed so many years, do you want to waste even more? To your Imperial Grandmother and father, you’re just a stepping stone for the family’s ambitions. But what about your mother? Perhaps your mother is waiting eagerly for your return."
A wave of bitterness surged in Li Zhu’s chest.
If Shen Yinning hadn’t reminded her, she might have forgotten—it had been six years since she last spent New Year’s with her mother.
As if possessed, she suddenly asked, "Are you advising me to leave the palace just to eliminate one competitor?"
As soon as the words fell, Shen Yinning burst into laughter.
Li Zhu’s face turned alternating shades of blue and red.
Still, she knew in her heart that with her Cousin’s level of affection for Shen Yinning, she was in no position to compete with her.
A deep sense of defeat surged within her, and Li Zhu turned and left in quick strides.
The next day.
Haitang came over to assist Shen Yinning with her morning wash, speaking softly, "Miss Li returned to Cining Palace last night. It’s said that this morning, she requested permission from the Empress Dowager to leave the palace and return home."
"What did Empress Dowager Li say?"
"What else could she say? Miss Li was adamant, so she had no choice but to let her go. But I heard from Xiaocui that the Empress Dowager was furious afterward, smashing two tea cups," Haitang said as she wrung out a towel. "Actually, the Empress Dowager treated the Commandery Princess quite fairly. At least she didn’t kick her while she was down. Is it really appropriate for you to undermine her supports like this?"
"Li Zhu was never of much use to begin with. Advising her to leave the palace early and seek a new path wasn’t undermining her support, was it?" Shen Yinning said casually. "Since giving birth, I’ve grown a soft heart. Seeing Li Zhu standing there all alone last night, pitiful and eager, I couldn’t help but say a few more words to her."
Haitang chuckled softly. "The Commandery Princess is kindhearted."
Shen Yinning scoffed, "Kindhearted? That word makes me shudder. Don’t ever call me that again!"
The inner chamber was filled with laughter.
The young palace maids exchanged mischievous glances but knew in their hearts that their Commandery Princess truly had one of the kindest dispositions.
...
Chunxi Palace.
Shen Yunxi frowned deeply, casting a disdainful glare at Shen Xinya, who lay feverish and unconscious on the bed.
She shouted, "She was like this the day she came back. The Imperial Physician said the external wounds will heal with time, but because she caught a cold, she’s been unconscious!"
Shen Xinghan, sitting on an embroidery stool, looked sullen. "She was beaten and fell into the water. Even if she’s saved, her health will likely be ruined. We hoped she could bear you a Prince, but now it seems she’s even more useless than you!"
Shen Yunxi pouted but felt a secret thrill in her heart.
Shen Xinya, this illegitimate girl, was never her equal to begin with!