Chapter 163: Past Life’s Path

In the quiet spring night, the rain and dew nourished the earth.

Zheng Bao stood outside Qianqing Palace, quietly frowning.

The eunuch from the Respectful Affairs Room saw the Emperor flip the green headplate and hadn’t had time to settle on a decision when a young lady from the Xiao family arrived, making him quite anxious. 

He couldn’t help but lower his voice and ask Zheng Bao, “Do you think we should still summon Zhang Guiren to attend the Emperor?”

Zheng Bao, hearing the commotion inside, had a shadow of gloom on his otherwise delicate face in the warm yellow glow of the palace lamps and said, “It seems that won’t be necessary.”

The next morning, after the Emperor had dismissed the court.

The ministers who had come to the palace at dawn, preparing for the morning court, were all at a loss, except for the well-informed eunuchs who gathered around Duke Xiao Yuan with even more enthusiasm than usual.

Naturally, Duke Xiao Yuan was baffled.

It was common for Xiao Shu to stay overnight in the palace to serve the Empress Dowager, so her absence last night was not a big deal to him. 

Usually, she would return the next morning.

But to his surprise, she still hadn’t come back by the time he returned to his residence.

Just as he was about to send someone to inquire, the steward came in with a shocked expression and reported that the palace eunuchs had arrived with an imperial edict.

This frightened Duke Xiao Yuan greatly, fearing that something serious had happened. 

When he went to the hall to receive the edict, he saw that it was being delivered by Wang Xinyi, the Chief Eunuch of the Bureau of Ceremonies, who held considerable power within the palace, making him even more anxious.

Wang Xinyi, however, had a beaming smile: “Congratulations, Duke! Congratulations!”

Duke Xiao Yuan was stunned and confused: “What is there to congratulate?”

Wang Xinyi, a seasoned palace insider, assumed that the events of the previous night were part of the Xiao family’s elaborate scheme and that Duke Xiao Yuan was just playing along. 

He patted Duke Xiao Yuan’s shoulder and said with a touch of flattery in his smile, “Your daughter stayed overnight in Qianqing Palace last night. This morning, she should no longer be called Miss Xiao but ‘Virtuous Consort’!”

Duke Xiao Yuan was first stunned, then his face changed drastically: “What did you say?!”

*

“It’s true! You should have seen the scene when the edict was delivered this morning!” Xiao Dingfei’s eyes sparkled as he described the scene, gesticulating wildly as if afraid Jiang Xuening wouldn’t believe him. 

“There were so many treasures and silks, and gold and silver, it was like a flood of rewards. When I woke up early, the entire courtyard was filled with them! It turns out that Xiao Shu spent the night with the Emperor, and she’s been promoted to Consort directly! Hahaha, you should have seen Duke Xiao Yuan’s face. He almost looked like he was going to be sick with anger…”

“…”

Jiang Xuening’s fingers tightened around her teacup, her grip slowly tightening.

They were still in the theater.

The white pear blossoms had already bloomed early, hanging on the walls, fluttering like delicate paper in the wind. The music from the theater below, combined with the soft, melodious tones of southern dialect, drew cheers from the audience around.

The upper-level private room was unusually quiet.

Because Xiao Dingfei had been secretly planning discussions about a marriage alliance, he felt it necessary to keep Jiang Xuening informed about external developments. Thus, they had been meeting frequently these days, often choosing this opera house as their venue. 

Firstly, the bustling crowds made it so that the most dangerous place was often the safest. Secondly, both of them shared a similar disposition—they enjoyed entertainment and leisure and had no interest in overly proper establishments like tea houses or music parlors.

Xiao Dingfei was eager to share the gossip and rumors he’d picked up along the way to cheer Jiang Xuening up.

But just as he took a sip of tea to moisten his throat and was about to start talking, he noticed her tense, gloomy expression out of the corner of his eye. 

His heart skipped a beat, and he stopped mid-sentence. “What’s wrong?”

Staying overnight in Qianqing Palace, becoming an imperial consort!

Those words were like needles piercing Jiang Xuening’s ears, bringing her nothing but pain and absolutely no comfort.

“She actually did it…”

In her previous life, Xiao Shu was Jiang Xuening’s mortal enemy.

During their time as companions in the Fengchen Hall, Xiao Shu was like the moon in the sky, the pearl on the ground. She had a superior background, higher learning, and was close to Shen Zhiyi. Everyone flocked to her side.

Later, Xiao Shu also entered the palace. Backed by a powerful family and adept at winning people over, she had the Empress Dowager, that old witch, supporting her. 

Even when Jiang Xuening held the title of Empress, she could hardly gain an upper hand against Xiao Shu, enduring numerous losses both openly and covertly.

In Jiang Xuening’s eyes, Xiao Shu was poised and meticulous, the epitome of a noblewoman cultivated by the aristocratic families of the capital. 

Compared to Xiao Shu, her own wild and unruly temperament seemed entirely unsuited for the position of Empress.

Deep down, Jiang Xuening had always thought of Xiao Shu as proud and self-assured.

Even in this life, Jiang Xuening had never underestimated her.

But she had not anticipated that Xiao Shu would stoop so low as to submit herself to Shen Lang—

For a moment, an unprecedented sense of bewilderment surged within Jiang Xuening, as if she were lost in a fog. 

Then it turned into a strange absurdity that even made her laugh out loud. “Times change—she’s been forced into such a state…”

Xiao Dingfei inexplicably felt a chill run down his spine.

He cautiously moved closer to Jiang Xuening and studied her expression. “Shouldn’t this make you happy?” he asked. 

“Without any status, sneaking into the palace under the guise of visiting the Empress Dowager only to stay overnight in Qianqing Palace—that’s something even prostitutes wouldn’t do! At least they charge upfront. But her? She’s giving herself away for free! What if the Emperor doesn’t pay her? Now the entire capital is gossiping about her. Even if she gains the title of consort, her reputation is ruined thanks to this foolish move.”

“Foolish move?” Jiang Xuening sneered coldly. 

“Do you really think she gave herself away for nothing? Do you think the Emperor’s title of consort is given for free?”

The Xiao family was currently at the center of a storm of public criticism, yet the Emperor’s attitude remained ambiguous.

Although tomorrow was the selection for imperial consorts, Shen Jie would never risk public outrage by selecting Xiao Shu as his main wife. 

Shen Jie was a cultured and affectionate man, but he was also inherently timid. 

When Jiang Xuening married him as his wife, she observed how he always avoided trouble and steered clear of court conflicts.

However, his elder brother, Shen Lang, was a completely different person.

In her previous life, this Emperor’s reign was shockingly brief. Two years after she married Shen Jie, Shen Lang “died suddenly of illness.” 

Aside from Mid-Autumn and New Year palace banquets, they had little interaction. Yet Jiang Xuening could never forget the oppressive and sinister gaze he cast from the throne when he looked down at others.

Capricious, ruthless, and indulgent to excess.

She remembered the last time she entered the palace as Shen Jie’s wife for an audience—it was during Mid-Autumn.

At that time, Shen Jie had already been established as Crown Prince. 

Shen Lang, on the other hand, had been consuming the hallucinogenic Five Minerals Powder for some time. Sprawled on the throne with a dazed expression, he cast a dark, flickering gaze on her and Shen Jie as they entered together. 

After saying a few words, Shen Jie realized something was amiss. He excused himself to speak to Shen Lang privately and had Jiang Xuening withdraw first.

She felt uneasy and lowered her head to excuse herself.

Even after retreating to a side hall to wait, she could still feel that venomous, snake-like gaze clinging to her, sending a chill down her spine.

What the two brothers discussed that day remained unknown, but Shen Jie, typically gentle and refined, emerged from the room with a darkened expression. Upon returning to the prince’s residence, he locked himself in his study and didn’t come out.

At that time, Jiang Xuening still made an effort to please her husband.

She thoughtfully had the kitchen prepare a pigeon soup with termite mushrooms and personally carried it to his study late at night.

Usually, she could come and go from the study as she pleased.

But that night, someone stopped her at the door.

A servant went inside to announce her presence, and only then did Shen Jie come out.

When the study door opened, Jiang Xuening caught a glimpse of several people sitting inside. Near the window, beside the multilevel shelf, a corner of a white Daoist robe was unmistakable. 

Xie Wei turned his face slightly, and their eyes met directly. Before she could react, the door was already closed again. Standing before her was Shen Jie, who greeted her with a gentle smile.

Shen Jie personally took the soup she had brought, assured her he would return to their room later, and instructed the servants to escort her back carefully.

Jiang Xuening lay down but couldn’t fall asleep for a long time.

It wasn’t until the sky began to lighten that a cool body slipped into the now warm bed and held her close. She struggled to open her eyes, seeing the faint bluish-gray light of dawn filtering through the paper windows.

The next time she saw Shen Lang was when he was laid to rest in the grand imperial coffin after the Emperor’s death.

Her knowledge of this Emperor, who now held life and death in his hands, was limited. But from the clues she had pieced together, he was far from being a benevolent and wise ruler devoted to the welfare of the nation.

Shen Lang was more like a madman.

As for Xiao Shu, who had once framed her with the incident involving the jade ruyi at such a young age, she was certainly not a kind person either.

If Xiao Shu hadn’t paid a steep price, Shen Lang would never have ignored public opinion and granted her the title of consort. 

Furthermore, the Emperor’s actions were hard to predict—he didn’t bother to send her back to her family for a proper conferment ceremony, nor did he put on the slightest pretense of decorum. 

Instead, he had her remain in the palace, skipping court altogether the next morning. This lack of courtesy left Xiao Shu exposed to ridicule from all quarters, a ruthlessness that could not be overlooked.

Reflecting on the sequence of events, it was clear that the Emperor’s ambiguous stance toward the Xiao family had made Xiao Shu feel a profound sense of crisis. 

As for that old witch in Kunning Palace, who didn’t hesitate to sacrifice her own daughter, what would a mere niece matter to her?

Xiao Shu possesses a proud and lofty temperament.

In her past life, contending with her for the position of empress required great effort and scheming. Even as a concubine, her entrance into the palace was more extravagant than that of the empress herself. Now, to expect her to travel to a foreign land for a political marriage? How could she possibly agree?

Ah, so that’s it.

Indeed, there was only one path left.

Jiang Xuening lowered her gaze, staring at the beautiful teacup in her hand, and murmured, “To survive by cutting off one’s own tail, to strike back from the brink—I can’t tell if I’ve overestimated her or underestimated her.”

She had assumed Xiao Shu would disdain stooping to such humiliating and submissive measures…

Xiao Dingfei could clearly sense that something was wrong with her emotions. After a moment’s thought, he realized what was at the heart of the matter—

The Princess of Leyang!

Originally, the one everyone clamored to send as a replacement for Shen Ziyi in the political marriage was Xiao Shu. But Xiao Shu had now been conferred the title of imperial concubine. How could anyone justify sending the emperor’s woman away for a diplomatic marriage? Xiao Shu seemed to have tarnished her reputation, but she had preserved herself!

As for Shen Ziyi…

Clang!

The half-filled teacup suddenly flew through the air and smashed against a beautifully painted screen, shattering instantly. The cold tea splashed everywhere, staining the elegant landscape painted on the screen.

Jiang Xuening stared at it, expressionless, not moving for a long time.

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