Chapter 14

Whenever an emperor ascends the throne, he must have many concubines to ensure the continuation of his lineage. Even Emperor Zhao Yuansi of the Great Wei Dynasty had over twenty concubines, not for the purpose of indulging in pleasure, but as an obligation he must fulfill as the emperor.

As the saying goes, "There are three forms of filial impiety, and to have no heir is the greatest." As the emperor of the Great Wei Dynasty, if the welfare of the state and the ancestors is placed first, then the second priority is undoubtedly the issue of heirs. This is not only closely watched by the imperial family but also frequently mentioned by court officials, who urge the emperor to take more concubines to ensure the continuation of the royal bloodline.

According to the ancestral rules of the Great Wei Dynasty, the emperor's concubines are divided into five ranks. The highest rank is naturally the Empress, followed by the three ranks of Noble Consorts: Noble Consort, Noble Lady, and Noble Beauty. The third rank consists of the nine ranks of Consorts: Virtuous Lady, Virtuous Consort, Virtuous Beauty, Radiant Lady, Radious Consort, Radious Beauty, Cultivated Lady, Cultivated Consort, and Cultivated Beauty.

These three ranks are known as "one Empress, three Noble Consorts, and nine Consorts."

The fourth rank includes Virtuous Consort, Attendant Lady, Radiant Beauty, Cultivated Beauty, Honored Lady, and Honored Beauty, while the fifth rank includes Beauty, Talent, and Virtuous Lady. Their status is clearly lower than the first three ranks.

The titles of the concubines are related to their background when they enter the palace, but once inside, their status depends entirely on whether they are favored by the emperor. The competition for the emperor's favor and the intrigue within the palace are all based on the concubines' cunning.

Shen Virtuous Consort, not only the adoptive mother of the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun but also the birth mother of the Ninth Prince, has only achieved the fourth rank of Virtuous Consort. This is partly because she does not enjoy the competition for the emperor's favor.

Generally, women who are reserved and well-behaved find it difficult to rise in the palace, which is full of intrigue, unless they give birth to a good son. Unfortunately, the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun is known for his mischievous behavior, and the Ninth Prince Zhao Hongxuan is still too young. Therefore, Shen Virtuous Consort's status in Emperor Zhao Yuansi's heart is not high, and she is almost a dispensable figure, just like her two sons.

However, recently, due to Zhao Hongrun's sudden appearance in the emperor's sight, Shen Virtuous Consort has gradually gained the emperor's attention. Unfortunately, she is often ill and cannot serve the emperor, thus missing this precious opportunity.

Despite this, some jealous concubines still harbor resentment towards her. For example, Chen Virtuous Lady, who has always been favored by the emperor, brought several close attendants to Shen Virtuous Consort's residence, the Fragrant Hall, and spoke in a sarcastic tone.

Although Shen Virtuous Consort did not argue with her, her attendant, Little Peach, was extremely angry.

"That Chen Virtuous Lady is really too much! If it weren't for the lady's restraint, I would have argued with her. What kind of person is she!"

Little Peach, while cleaning up the broken porcelain and scattered charcoal, grumbled in anger.

"Alright," Shen Virtuous Consort said with a smile, trying to calm her down.

In fact, Shen Virtuous Consort was not unaware that Chen Virtuous Lady's visit to the Fragrant Hall was due to her jealousy over the emperor's recent visits. As one of the emperor's most favored concubines, Chen Virtuous Lady's main rivals were always the Empress and a few others, and Shen Virtuous Consort was once a minor figure in her eyes.

However, due to the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun's growing favor with the emperor, Shen Virtuous Consort's status has also risen. Even though she is often ill and cannot serve the emperor, the emperor still enjoys visiting the Fragrant Hall to listen to stories about Zhao Hongrun's childhood, which helps to alleviate his guilt and regret for not being a good father.

Yesterday, according to palace gossip, the emperor initially intended to visit Chen Virtuous Lady but changed his mind and came to the Fragrant Hall instead, leaving Chen Virtuous Lady disappointed.

Now, with this grudge, Chen Virtuous Lady deliberately came to the Fragrant Hall today and spoke in a sarcastic tone, subtly accusing Shen Virtuous Consort of being ill but still trying to get close to the emperor, implying that she had ulterior motives. This made Little Peach so angry that she almost disregarded the hierarchy and argued with the arrogant woman.

Worse still, Chen Virtuous Lady deliberately broke a porcelain jar before leaving.

Due to her weak health, Shen Virtuous Consort's hands and abdomen are often cold, so she had Little Peach fill a porcelain jar with charcoal and wrap it in cotton to keep warm. Over time, she had developed an attachment to the jar and was reluctant to replace it. Now, Chen Virtuous Lady had deliberately knocked it to the ground, shattering it and scattering the charcoal.

However, Shen Virtuous Consort, being a well-mannered woman, understood the source of Chen Virtuous Lady's resentment and did not intend to argue with her. Instead, she repeatedly instructed Little Peach not to tell her eldest son, Zhao Hongrun, about the incident, as the Eighth Prince's recent conflicts with the emperor were already well-known throughout the palace.

"You are too lenient with those people!" Little Peach complained angrily.

"Alright, alright, let's not talk about it anymore. By the way, Prince Hongrun might come for lunch today. Tell the eunuch in charge of the meals to prepare an extra portion..."

"I understand, my lady."

A mother knows her son best. Although she did not mention it, Shen Virtuous Consort knew that her eldest son, Zhao Hongrun, was not having an easy time, especially since his monthly allowance had been cut by the emperor.

Sure enough, at lunchtime, Zhao Hongrun arrived at his mother's residence, eager to have a meal.

"Mother, where is Xiao Xuan?" Zhao Hongrun asked, not seeing his younger brother.

"He's at the palace school. Do you think he's like you?" Shen Virtuous Consort extended her right hand and gently tapped Zhao Hongrun's forehead, advising him, "Hongrun, I know you are smart, but don't be arrogant. You should go to the palace school..."

"What can I learn there? Just a bunch of old scholars. I'd rather not go."

"You!... Well, you are growing up, and your wings are getting strong. You don't need to listen to me anymore..." Shen Virtuous Consort deliberately put on a show of being a mother whose son no longer needs her.

Zhao Hongrun quickly reassured her, "Alright, I'll go to the palace school tomorrow. Is that okay?"

Satisfied, Shen Virtuous Consort smiled and invited her eldest son to join her for lunch.

As Zhao Hongrun sat down, he noticed that his mother was not holding her usual warming jar. "Mother, where is your jar?"

Little Peach was about to complain to the prince, but Shen Virtuous Consort gave her a stern look, and she reluctantly held back.

"Oh, I accidentally broke it," Shen Virtuous Consort explained casually.

Zhao Hongrun, who was about to pick up a piece of braised pork with his chopsticks, paused. He knew his adoptive mother was a careful person and would not accidentally break her cherished jar.

Glancing at Little Peach, who was about to speak, Zhao Hongrun immediately understood.

After all, this is the Eighth Prince, who can make the emperor furious but cannot be punished, and who can leave three high-ranking officials at a loss. How could he be easily deceived?

"Where are the shards? Let me see them," Zhao Hongrun said calmly.

"What's there to see?" Shen Virtuous Consort, being a wise woman, knew the difference between accidentally breaking and deliberately smashing a jar. She refused to let Zhao Hongrun see the shards, claiming they had already been disposed of.

This only made Zhao Hongrun more certain.

After lunch, Zhao Hongrun chatted with his mother for a while, recounting his recent mischief at the palace, which made Shen Virtuous Consort both scold and laugh.

Since Shen Virtuous Consort needed to rest after lunch due to her weak health, Zhao Hongrun did not stay long. Seeing the signs of fatigue in her eyes, he promptly excused himself.

Shen Virtuous Consort did not stop him but asked Little Peach to see him off. Since Zhao Hongrun often came to the Fragrant Hall for meals due to his cut allowance, she was not worried about not seeing him.

Little Peach escorted Zhao Hongrun to the entrance of the Fragrant Hall and was about to return when Zhao Hongrun stopped her.

"Little Peach, what really happened to Mother's jar?"

"Eh?" Little Peach hesitated, remembering Shen Virtuous Consort's instructions, and did not reveal the truth. "The lady said she accidentally broke it."

"Really?" Zhao Hongrun smiled. "Little Peach, the palace is big and small. If I really want to find out, I will. It's just a matter of time. Tell me, Little Peach."

Seeing Zhao Hongrun's determination, Little Peach hesitated for a moment and then told him about Chen Virtuous Lady's actions, describing her as a wicked and despicable person.

"Oh, is that so!" Zhao Hongrun's eyes grew cold.

Seeing this, Little Peach became anxious. She knew the Eighth Prince's character and quickly asked, "Your Highness, you won't... do anything, will you? Don't cause trouble, or the lady will scold me."

"Don't worry, don't worry," Zhao Hongrun reassured her with a smile.

"Good," Little Peach sighed in relief, bowed to Zhao Hongrun, and returned to the hall.

"How can I let someone bully us and not fight back?" Zhao Hongrun glanced back at the Fragrant Hall and shook his head.

He slowly descended the steps, muttering to himself as he walked back to his residence, the Wenzhao Pavilion.

"Hmph! Just when I was thinking about which concubine to target to upset Father, Chen Virtuous Lady came to me... I'll start with you!"

"Those suggestions from Shen Yu and others are too trivial. Do you think keeping some chickens and ducks in the imperial garden will change the emperor's mind? Hmph! If I'm going to do something, I'll do it big! I'll make the entire palace a mess, forcing the concubines to complain and disturb the emperor's peace, making it impossible for him to find a quiet place to sleep!"

"That's what I call cutting off the root of the problem!"

"You'll have to sleep in the Wende Hall to find peace, Father! Hahaha—"

The second round of the father-son conflict thus began!

[PS: Zhao Hongrun: Maybe I should call myself 'This Prince,' but 'This Prince' sounds more impressive. Also, please support the author by voting. More votes mean I can write better!]

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