Empress Shen swept a stern gaze across the kneeling crowd before finally speaking in a harsh tone.

  “None of you took yesterday’s example of Qiu Shi seriously. Clearly not a single one of you has learned your lesson.”

  A silent wail echoed in the hearts of the gathered concubines. How could they not take it to heart? No one even dared to speak today!

  Jiang Wanqing, ever since her elder sister gained favor in the pace, had been spoiled by her entire household and hadn’t knelt for such a long stretch in ages. Her body swayed involuntarily.

  “Jiang Changzai! I was speaking about you. If you can’t kneel properly, go kneel on the brick floor outside!”

  The sudden rebuke from Empress Shen nearly made Jiang Wanqing colpse in pce.

  She looked up in a daze and found Empress Shen gring down at her, voice ced with disappointment.

  “I once thought you were a sensible one, different from your sister. But it turns out you’re even more presumptuous! Daring to speak nonsense in front of His Majesty—being demoted was already a mercy!”

  Jiang Wanqing’s face turned an ugly shade of green and white. Her body trembled.

  So the Empress knew what she’d said yesterday?

  Was it His Majesty who told her—or… her sister?

  Empress Shen, having scolded her, then turned her attention to Wu Guifei.

  “And you. Do you not know better? The newcomers don’t understand the rules, but what about you? You and all the others who came from the Eastern Pace with His Majesty—do you really think you can continue to act so brazenly just because His Majesty is kind and nostalgic? You’ve caused so much trouble these past two years that even the officials at court can no longer ignore it! They’ve had to advise His Majesty to take control of the inner pace. Are you not the least bit ashamed?”

  Those words were hard to hear, and all the old consorts from the Eastern Pace looked thoroughly embarrassed—but they couldn’t argue. It was true.

  They had taken His Majesty’s gentle temperament for granted and acted with impunity. Just st year alone, there had been dozens of ugly incidents of infighting among the consorts. The harem had become a chaotic mess.

  His Majesty had only ever dealt harshly with Qian Guiren, who tried to falsely accuse Jiang Fei. Everything else had been handed over to the Empress to handle—and even then, the punishments were light.

  The ministers of the court had originally refrained from meddling in the affairs of the harem. But things had gotten so out of hand that they had no choice. The Emperor’s family matters were also matters of state.

  While no one dared criticize His Majesty openly—he was, after all, the most benevolent monarch in generations—they were quick to y bme at the Empress’s feet, suggesting that even the Empress Dowager should step in to take control.

  The consorts had once secretly rejoiced at the Empress’s troubles. But who would’ve thought—His Majesty had actually listened!

  First Qiu Daying, then Jiang Fei’s younger sister… Was this the beginning of a harem-wide purge?

  After dressing down the old consorts, Empress Shen turned to the newcomers. Her rebuke was thunderous, and all the women were too terrified to speak, only muttering apologies in trembling voices.

  The more experienced ones could at least maintain their composure, but the fresh new concubines were utterly devastated. They had thought His Majesty was gentle, and the Empress soft-spoken—yet now both had turned into demons in their eyes. What fate had they walked into?

  Only after half an hour did Empress Shen finally release them.

  She leaned back into the phoenix-embroidered chair, massaging her temples with weariness.

  Suqin quickly ordered a maid to bring tea. After a few sips, she gently massaged the Empress’s temples and murmured, “Your Majesty, after today… You’ll likely be resented by many.”

  “What choice do I have?” Empress Shen opened her eyes and gnced sideways at her. She hesitated a moment, then closed her eyes again and changed the subject. “They can resent me all they want—this pace belongs to His Majesty. As long as he still sees me as a worthy Empress, I have nothing to fear.”

  Suqin sighed with emotion.

  ____

  After morning court, Pei Yan was summoned to Cining Pace by the Empress Dowager, who cimed she wasn’t feeling well.

  This time, Wen Yao was there as well.

  She was dressed in a pale blue ruqun, her hair styled in a modest lily bun with only a few hairpins—simple at first gnce. One would hardly associate her with that luminous white magnolia hairpin worth a fortune.

  Wen Yao had been seated by the Empress Dowager’s bed, conversing softly. Upon seeing Pei Yan enter, she immediately rose to her feet and greeted him with the proper decorum. “This concubine greets Your Majesty.”

  “What ‘Your Majesty’? You should be calling him cousin,” the Empress Dowager chided with a smile.

  Pei Yan maintained his usual gentle, schorly demeanor and waved her off. “No need for formalities.”

  Wen Yao stood up and said, “Thank you, Cous—” But the word seemed to catch in her throat. Her cheeks flushed, and in the end, she simply finished with, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

  The Empress Dowager smiled, her gaze warm as she looked at the two of them. “Yan’er, mother knows you've always preferred them young. When the te emperor selected your concubines, Jiang Fei was the youngest, and you spoiled her the most. Now, my Wen Yao is even younger than Jiang Fei—how do you pn to pamper her?”

  Pei Yan smiled but offered no reply. He turned to the Empress Dowager instead. “I heard Mother hasn’t been feeling well. Have you taken your medicine today?”

  The Empress Dowager snorted, clearly displeased by the change of subject. “If you summon Wen Yao to serve you tonight, mother’s health will instantly recover!”

  Pei Yan said gently, “Then that means you haven’t taken your medicine yet.”

  He turned and instructed the waiting Wei Momo, “Go decoct the medicine for the Empress Dowager. I won’t be at ease until I see her drink it myself.”

  Empress Dowager Wen didn’t appreciate him sidestepping the topic, but she couldn’t deny how much she enjoyed the filial concern from her imperial son. For a moment, her heart was both warm and indignant.

  While waiting for the medicine, Pei Yan took a seat on a sandalwood chair and turned to Wen Yao, who sat with a demure air but whose eyes carried a faint, chilly reserve. His tone remained calm, “Wen Guiren, did you not go to pay respects to the Empress this morning?”

  Wen Yao’s expression changed ever so slightly. She immediately dropped to her knees, her voice full of apprehension, “Your Majesty, I beg your forgiveness.”

  Empress Dowager Wen quickly interjected, anxious, “I was the one who asked her to come here! What now? That favored consort of yours can skip her greetings to the Empress every day, but my niece does it once, and it’s suddenly unacceptable?”

  Pei Yan let out a quiet sigh. “Please lie back down, Mother. I wasn’t bming her.”

  Only then did the Empress Dowager settle back into the couch.

  Pei Yan continued observing Wen Yao. “I remember you. When you were three years old, your uncle went west to battle under the te emperor’s command. Your mother had fallen ill, and only your grandmother was left to run the household. Fearing she couldn’t look after one so young, she sent you to the pace, entrusting you to the Empress Dowager’s care.”

  Wen Yao blinked, caught off guard by the memory. After a moment, the recollection surfaced faintly, and she murmured in surprise, “Your Majesty still remembers such a small detail?”

  Pei Yan nodded, his voice warm. “I even gave you osmanthus candy back then—though perhaps you’ve forgotten.”

  Her gaze flickered, and then she frowned slightly.

  She truly didn’t remember that at all. Even when she tried to recall it, her mind remained bnk.

  Perhaps she really had forgotten. For now, she could only murmur thanks.

  The Empress Dowager, meanwhile, was practically glowing with joy. So their connection dated back that far.

  Pei Yan continued with idle conversation, asking how Wen Yao had been in recent years, what pastimes she enjoyed. It was all casual.

  Seeing the two of them chatting politely, Empress Dowager Wen became even more pleased.

  When the medicine was finally ready, Pei Yan personally helped her drink it.

  Her mood was so good, she thought even the medicine tasted sweeter than usual.

  But she hadn’t forgotten the true reason she called him over.

  “Yan’er,” she began again, “did you take what I said to heart or not? It’s been three days since the new concubines entered the pace, and you haven’t summoned a single one. Yet you spent yesterday morning fooling around with Jiang Fei in broad daylight. It’s utterly inappropriate.”

  Pei Yan passed the empty bowl back to Wei Momo and sighed helplessly.

  “It seems I can’t even make the smallest mistake without Mother finding out.”

  After all, she wasn’t his birth mother. Empress Dowager Wen realized she’d overstepped and feared he might mind her prying into his whereabouts.

  Fortunately, Pei Yan had always been a filial son and didn’t seem to take offense.

  She unconsciously softened her tone, taking his hand.

  “It’s not your fault—it’s Jiang Fei who cks propriety. But Yao’er is different. If anything like that happened, she’d be the one to advise you against it.”

  Pei Yan gave a look of resigned amusement.

  “Mother’s every word is about Cousin. It reminds me of my childhood, when all you ever thought about was Third Brother. I was practically invisible. It’s hard not to feel a little jealous.”

  The Empress Dowager burst into ughter, though tears faintly glistened in her eyes. She realized she had made a mistake. When Pei Yan was a child, she had shown him little affection and had allowed her own son to bully him without restraint. Yet, despite this, Pei Yan had cared for her as if she were his true mother, demonstrating respect and filial devotion all these years without compint.

  She was rarely this remorseful. Looking into Pei Yan’s quiet, gentle eyes, she suddenly felt that if he truly didn’t like Wen Yao, then so be it—she wouldn’t force him.

  But Pei Yan, seemingly afraid she might worry, quickly smiled again, “But since this is your wish, how could I refuse?”

  He stood and turned to Wen Yao. “Prepare yourself for tonight. My mother hasn’t been well tely. From the way you speak, you seem like someone thoughtful and mature. When you have time, come keep her company more often. Help her rest and stop fretting over things.”

  This time, the Empress Dowager’s eyes truly welled with tears.

  He was her son, yet she felt like she was sending a daughter to serve someone else.

  Wen Yao bowed low and gave her solemn assent.

  Pei Yan gave a light nod, then turned to the Empress Dowager. “I left several ministers waiting in the imperial study. There’s been renewed unrest in the northwest. I must discuss the next expedition with them. Please rest well, Mother.”

  She instinctively moved to rise and see him off—but then remembered she was feigning illness and quickly sat back down. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she forced herself to say, “Then… then let Yao’er see you out.”

  Pei Yan looked toward Wen Yao.

  At that moment, a faint trace of reluctance flickered across her face—but the moment their eyes met, she quickly lowered her head in a panic.

  Pei Yan withdrew his gaze with a light chuckle. “No need.”