Chapter 14

The next day, with the Grand Tutor’s approval, the families of various high-ranking officials and royal households received an imperial decree to enter the palace and craft festive lanterns alongside His Majesty.

Among the common folk, it was tradition for the household women and children under fifteen to create the first lantern of the festival.

These lamps, grand and ornate, would then be displayed in their courtyards.

The imperial lanterns, however, were another spectacle entirely—made of brocade and silk, adorned with gold, silver, and precious jewels.

Towering over twenty zhang high in the palace plaza, they were illuminated by fifty thousand flames, resembling a luminous forest in bloom.

While skilled craftsmen were responsible for the structural framework, the finer details required the touch of noblewomen to bring good fortune and auspicious blessings.

Additionally, each noble household was expected to present a delicately crafted lantern, complete with riddles and the household’s name, which would be submitted to the palace for display and enjoyed by the emperor and his ministers.

This pre-festival gathering was also a rare opportunity for the women of noble households to make an appearance.

Every year, they would dress in their finest attire and join the imperial concubines in celebration.

This year, however, they bore an additional duty—not only were they to enter the palace for lantern-making, but they were also to confirm whether the young emperor, who had not been seen for so long, was still alive.

Thus, the women took extra care in their preparations, rising early to wash, dress, and adorn themselves with their most exquisite jewelry before boarding their carriages for the palace.

Nie Qinglin also received the eunuch’s message and couldn’t help but smile slightly.

With the uproar caused by Elder Wu in court the previous day, the Grand Tutor was clearly using this event to reassure the ministers.

To Wei Lenghou, the emperor was too young to rule, but engaging in lantern-making with a group of women was a wholesome activity beneficial to his growth.

Since the Grand Tutor had assigned the task, she—the puppet emperor—had to complete it dutifully to win favor with the one in power.

So, after preparing her attire, she proceeded to the side hall to join the noblewomen in crafting the festival’s grand lantern.

The ladies had already gathered, standing at the hall entrance to welcome the emperor.

In truth, most of them had never seen the young ruler before—only the wives of a few veteran officials vaguely recalled him as the former Fourteenth Prince.

But when they saw a young figure in a bright yellow imperial robe step down from the gilded carriage, they were momentarily stunned.

The young emperor wore an elaborately adorned floating cloud crown, with a golden-threaded beaded tassel draping from the back.

His fair skin glowed with a soft luster, and his large, expressive eyes brimmed with an unrestrained spirit.

As he dismounted, the delicate beaded tassel swayed lightly behind him, making their hearts tremble along with its movement.

Those who had seen the Fourteenth Prince before thought to themselves—how had they never noticed that he was such a strikingly elegant figure?

People often said that girls undergo great transformations as they grow, but why did this young emperor seem to flourish like a maiden, becoming more and more exceptional with age?

What a pity, they sighed in their hearts.

A crippled ruler, a mere puppet—otherwise, with such extraordinary looks, imagine the honor if he were to formally open the palace for concubine selection next year! If their daughters were chosen as his concubines, what a great fortune that would be! But alas… what a waste, what a waste… Just thinking about it made them sigh for the young sovereign.

Standing to the side, An Qiao’er also sighed as she observed her young master.

Today’s attire had been meticulously chosen by both of them.

Since they would be surrounded by sharp-eyed women, they had to take all precautions to avoid any suspicions.

The floating cloud crown was quite heavy, but if it added to her height, enduring some neck pain was worth it.

Her boots had thick soles, and An Qiao’er had even placed extra felt padding inside them.

Having disguised herself as a boy since childhood, her mannerisms were naturally devoid of feminine coyness.

However, as she matured, her features were becoming increasingly difficult to conceal… A problem that would only grow more challenging in the future.

Once the emperor had taken his seat, the noblewomen greeted him in turn before settling at small tables throughout the grand hall, beginning the delicate work of crafting the palace lanterns.

The emperor’s lantern-making was merely for show.

After making a few cuts with the scissors to shape a paper flower, the rest was handed over to An Qiao’er and a young eunuch.

She then leaned back in his chair to rest, occasionally picking up freshly pickled plums from the plate on the table and popping them into her mouth while eagerly watching the grand drama unfolding in the hall.

The Grand Tutor’s residence had no official wife, yet the one who entered the palace this time was not the long-standing concubine but the newly admitted Shang Yunxiang.

The noblewomen present all understood—Shang Yunxiang was the legitimate sister of the Assistant Minister of War, a woman of distinguished background.

To be granted the honor of entering the palace and meeting the emperor so soon after joining the Grand Tutor’s household showed just how favored she was.

Though merely a concubine, which of the titled ladies present would dare to look down on her?

In this grand hall, they all knew exactly whom they should be currying favor with.

Their hearts, honed by years of inner-court scheming, understood it perfectly.

In no time, flattery and praise poured endlessly around the Fourth Madam of the Grand Tutor’s residence.

In contrast, the young emperor, seated high above in the hall, found himself in relative isolation—though this did not stop His Majesty from keenly observing and learning the art of sycophancy.

Shang Yunxiang made a few casual cuts with the scissors, and immediately, the title of “intelligent and skillful” spread across the hall.

The ladies scrambled to imitate her patterns, their focus so intense it was almost laughable.

For a moment, Shang Yunxiang’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction, her expression brimming with triumphant confidence.

But there was always someone unwilling to let her bask in the spotlight.

The emperor had been seated in the hall for the time it took an incense stick to burn before Consort Yun of Chuyun Palace finally made her grand entrance.

Few of the late emperor’s concubines remained in the palace, most being childless or having only given birth to princesses.

With the emperor’s sudden passing, they had lost their sole pillar of support and now lived cautiously, trying not to draw attention.

These women had settled quietly in the corners of the hall, finishing their lantern patterns without a word, focusing on pasting their own lanterns together.

Yet Consort Yun was different.

Once renowned in the capital as a talented woman, her entrance was nothing short of celestial, exuding an air of sophistication.

She arrived late, her dark hair arranged in an elegant high bun, dressed in striking red robes, and holding a snow-white Persian long-haired cat in her arms.

The contrast was dazzling.

Before even stepping into the hall, she handed the cat to a maidservant, instructing her to wait at the entrance.

Only then did she adjust her attire and enter with grace befitting a queen.

This blatant display of arrogance drew sharp breaths from the noblewomen.

After all, the late emperor had just passed, making her a new widow—yet she dressed so flamboyantly, utterly unrestrained.

Recalling past rumors of an affair between her and the Grand Tutor, then looking at her audacious attire now, it was hard not to believe that there was truth to the whispers of his special treatment toward her.

A legitimate daughter and an illegitimate one, two ladies of the Shang family meeting in this grand hall—this was a spectacle worth more than any amount of silver to witness.

Nie Qinglin smiled as Consort Yun gracefully saluted her.

She understood that today’s lantern-making would not just be about paper and glue—jealousy was bound to fill the air, and no amount of lanterns could extinguish the flames of resentment burning between these women.

Indeed, when the sisters laid eyes on each other, their animosity was unmistakable.

The crimson of Consort Yun’s robes seemed to burn directly into her rival’s gaze.

Wei Lang! How heartless you are!

To take revenge on me like this!

Back when she was still living in the manor, she had never gotten along with this legitimate younger sister.

The memories of their household conflicts were bitter and painful to recall.

When she first entered the palace, aside from her mother’s persistent urging, she herself had a desire to prove herself and rise above.

She had thought—no matter how well Shang Yunxiang married, could she ever surpass a consort in the imperial palace?

But fate took an unexpected turn, and Shang Yunxiang ended up marrying into the household of the man she loved…

When Consort Yun received the news, she was in her own palace chambers, weeping so bitterly that her pillows were soaked with tears.

The more she thought about it, the more she believed there was only one reason Wei Lang would do such a thing—to take revenge on her.

How could he be so heartless toward her? Such deep love had turned into such deep hatred…

After crying, her innate competitive spirit flared up once again.

So what if he married? Wei Lang’s actions only proved that he still couldn’t let go of her.

If she continued wallowing in despair, it would only give Shang Yunxiang the pleasure of mocking her.

Thus, she dressed herself in her finest attire and came to settle this lifelong rivalry with her dearest enemy.

Both daughters of the Shang family greeted each other with smiles, exchanging polite words about the longing between sisters separated for so long before sitting down together.

But once seated, the contrast between them became clear.

Consort Yun, after all, had the natural beauty of the capital’s most celebrated woman, enhanced by her refined elegance, making it impossible not to steal glances at her.

Meanwhile, the Fourth Madam, though possessing decent features, had a slightly petty air about her that lacked sophistication.

However, youth was on her side, lending her a fresh and charming appearance.

Shang Yunxiang was well aware of her own shortcomings.

These past few days, the Grand Tutor had not once visited her chambers, nor had he gone to any other concubine’s.

It was difficult even to catch a glimpse of him.

Though the women in the hall looked upon her with envy, only she knew that since stepping into the Grand Tutor’s manor, she had never once felt secure.

Now, seeing her elder sister’s radiant beauty, suspicion crept into her heart.

Was she merely a substitute? Had the Grand Tutor taken her in only because he still harbored feelings for her sister?

The resentment in her heart was no less than that of Shang Yunchu.

Consort Yun glanced at her younger sister’s youthful face and forced a smile before speaking with composed ease, “I had thought I wouldn’t see you here today. After all, those invited to craft lanterns in the palace are the principal wives of each household, representing their family’s dignity. I never expected the Grand Tutor to be so generous as to grant a concubine the honor of entering the palace. In the end, he has truly fulfilled our sisterly bond.”

The noblewomen present heard her words clearly—this was an open humiliation of the Fourth Madam, leaving her no room for dignity.

Instantly, the grand hall fell silent.

Everyone quietly pricked up their ears while pretending to focus on cutting their paper designs.

Shang Yunxiang had never suffered such humiliation before.

Her face flushed red with anger, and she took a sharp breath.

Though she smiled, the amusement never reached her eyes.

“It couldn’t be helped. Our Wei Manor has no principal wife, so we had to send someone presentable. How could I possibly compare to Consort Yun, who married into the imperial family? Though not the official empress, your status is high enough that matters of principal wives and concubines hardly concern you. In the end, sister, your path was the wiser one… Ah-choo! Ah-choo!”

What a brilliant counterattack!

Had it not been for the rather ungraceful sneezes that followed, Nie Qinglin might have applauded her quick wit.

Shang Yunxiang, however, was suddenly overwhelmed by an uncontrollable fit of sneezing.

Covering her nose with a handkerchief, she sneezed several more times before a realization struck her.

She had always been highly sensitive—whenever she encountered furry animals, she would sneeze incessantly and even break out in rashes.

Earlier, she had been so focused on verbally sparring with her sister that she had completely forgotten—her sister had arrived carrying a cat.

And naturally, that red robe of hers was now covered in cat fur.

How could Shang Yunchu be so obsessed with her cat? Did she really have to bring it with her while paying respects in the grand hall? She was clearly doing it on purpose!

Her anger flared even more at the thought.

Knowing that staying any longer would only bring further embarrassment, she quickly rose, forcing herself to endure the discomfort, and took her leave from the Emperor.

Nie Qinglin was already suffering from a headache under the weight of her Floating Cloud Crown.

She had been hoping to quickly finish assembling the lanterns and return to remove this torturous contraption.

However, the ongoing verbal sparring below showed no signs of stopping, making it difficult for her to interrupt.

Seeing Shang Yunxiang preparing to leave, the young Emperor lowered his voice and said, “I’m feeling a bit weary myself—I’ll take my leave first. Ladies, please make yourselves at ease.” With that, he rose and walked out ahead.

Shang Yunxiang, accompanied by her maid, respectfully saw the Emperor off before leaving as well.

Upon reaching the doorway, she noticed that the cat had a red cord tied around its neck and was being held on a leash by Shang Yunchu’s maid.

The maidservant Ping’er, who had come from the Grand Tutor’s manor along with Shang Yunxiang, shared her mistress’s disdain for the illegitimate Shang Yunchu.

Witnessing her lady’s humiliation in front of the gathered noblewomen had already filled her with seething resentment.

So when she saw the little beast calmly licking its paws, utterly at ease, she couldn’t hold back her anger.

As they stepped outside, she pretended to stumble and deliberately stomped down hard on the cat’s tail.

The cat let out a screech, its fur bristling as it shot forward in a frenzy.

In a flash, it leapt onto the highest perch it could find—right onto Nie Qinglin’s Floating Cloud Crown.

In the process, it also swiped a claw across the Emperor’s smooth forehead.

Completely unprepared, Nie Qinglin let out an “Ah!” before falling into stunned silence.

When the guards rushed over to retrieve the troublemaking creature, they found the Emperor standing stiffly, his neck tilted to one side, frozen in place with an expression of pure agony, unable to utter another sound.

News of the Emperor’s attack quickly reached the ears of Wei Lenghou.