Phoenix Hairpin

Chapter 114

Empress Dowager Zhao suddenly said: "Aijiā is going to change clothes, Concubine Qin, you can talk with the Emperor."

Empress Dowager Zhao worked hard to create opportunities for Concubine Qin.

Concubine Qin understood, she stepped forward with a cheeky face, and said softly: "Is Your Majesty still angry with chénqiè (1)? Regarding the previous incident, chénqiè has realized her mistake. Your Majesty, please show your magnanimity and stop being angry with chénqiè."

Emperor Yongjia glanced at Concubine Qin, and there was not much warmth in his voice: "The Empress Dowager favors you, and I consider you as a cousin from my maternal family. Therefore, I am willing to give you some face. However, you have taken advantage of my leniency and Empress Dowager's favoritism. You constantly manipulate and scheme behind her back."

"You are always instigating in front of the Empress Dowager, and even counting on her private house."

"Concubine Qin, I didn't punish you because of Empress Dowager. Otherwise, why would you still be able to hang around under my nose?" 

The coercion belonging to the Emperor was invisible. It was as if boulders were pressing her down.

Concubine Qin's complexion turned pale, her knees softened, and she knelt down: "The Emperor calm down, please listen to chénqiè's words. The Empress Dowager treats chénqiè so well, and chénqiè is grateful for that. How dare chénqiè plot against the Empress Dowager, please the Emperor clearly... "

"Yes or no, you know best in your heart." Emperor Yongjia interrupted Concubine Qin coldly: "People have shadows, the wind has sounds, and everything that has been done can be traced." 

"I have not pursued the matter further, which is already granting you face."

"You serve the Empress Dowager well, that's all. If you provoke the mother-son relationship between me and Empress Dowager, I will not spare you!"

Concubine Qin trembled, her eyes filled with tears: "Why does Your Majesty not trust chénqiè? Chénqiè swears, if there is falsehood in my words, let chénqiè be struck by heavenly lightning."

Emperor Yongjia said lightly: "You are the best at talking, otherwise, you will not be able to coax the Empress Dowager to like you so much. But, I don’t believe a word of what you said right now.”

Concubine Qin: “…”

Concubine Qin finally couldn’t help herself, she covered her face and began to cry.

These years, relying on the backing of Empress Dowager Zhao, she has been very popular in the harem. Emperor Yongjia also took good care of her and took pity on her.

She never thought that one day, Emperor Yongjia would treat her so coldly.

Emperor Yongjia's voice reached his ears: "Wipe your tears and get up. Mother will come later, so you can deal with it. Don't let the Empress Dowager worry."

Concubine Qin choked up and wiped her tears with a handkerchief.

Emperor Yongjia didn't make a sound, and Concubine Qin didn't have the courage to come forward to speak, so she just stood there silently with her head bowed.

Soon, Empress Dowager Zhao came back.

Empress Dowager Zhao looked around and landed on Concubine Qin's reddish eye sockets: "Concubine Qin, what's wrong with you?"

Emperor Yongjia also looked over, with a warning in his eyes.

Concubine Qin was excited all over, and smiled reflexively: "Answering Empress Dowager, chénqiè was talking to the emperor just now, and my eyes turned red when I was excited." 

Is this reconciliation or not?

Queen Mother Zhao frowned slightly.

Concubine Qin showed a shy smile again: "The Emperor comforted chénqiè, saying that I am too busy with political affairs recently, and I will take chénqiè to live in Summer Palace for a few days to escape the summer heat when I have some free time!" 

The Empress Dowager Zhao was relieved and smiled. She said: "When it's hot, living in the mountains can really cool off the heat. In the past, when summer came, we would all go to Summer Palace."

 Emperor Yongjia smiled and answered: "Yes when the time comes, I will accompany my mother and Empress together. Go ahead and stay for a few days before returning to the palace." 

Then he said to Concubine Qin: "Go and ask dinner to be served. Tonight, I will accompany the Empress Dowager to have dinner together." 

Concubine Qin responded softly and immediately got up to pass on the meal.

In the eyes of Empress Dowager Zhao, this was reconciliation as before.

Empress Dowager Zhao was in a happy mood, stretched her brows, and smiled cheerfully.

Concubine Qin was also smiling, but her heart was more bitter than a bitter gourd.

...

Empress Qiao summoned the Ministry of Internal Affairs to take charge of the princes' marriage. She ordered the Ministry of Internal Affairs to clean up several princes' mansions before the marriage date. This time, Empress Qiao didn't mention any difference between Di and Shu (2) and allocated the same budget for everyone.

Empress Dowager Zhao, who loved to criticize the most, had learned from the past, so she didn't talk too much this time.

Anyway, if she wanted to make up for it, she could just give it in private. There was no need to make a scene to let everyone know and make Emperor Yongjia unhappy.

Several princes' mansions have been built long ago, and they were all in one place. Princess Huian's mansion was also next door to the princes' mansions. Princess Jing'an, who was about to reach marriageable age, also had her mansion adjacent to Princess Hui'an's mansion.

Concubine Meng said to Emperor Yongjia: "Jing'an is about to come of age, and once the Hairpin ceremony is over, it's time to pick a son-in-law. So now that all the princes' mansions are being cleaned, why not also clean her mansion too? Jing'an wants to go out of the palace to relax in the future. It's very convenient to stay for a few days."

Emperor Yongjia responded straight away: "I'll just talk to the Empress about cleaning up the princess's mansion." 

Concubine Meng laughed and said: "The Emperor is too inconsiderate of the Empress. She has to oversee three princes' mansion repair and renovation, and there are also palace affairs in the palace. The Empress is so busy, how can the Emperor have the heart to hand over this matter to the Empress? Anyway, chénqiè is idle and has nothing to do, so let chénqiè do her best for her daughter. Let the Empress have some respite."

The Empress was in charge of the palace affairs, and the steward of the House of Internal Affairs directly obeyed the Empress.

Concubine Meng's opening of her mouth was naturally out of bounds again.

Emperor Yongjia hesitated for a moment.

He and Empress Qiao had just reconciled... 

"Your Majesty!" Concubine Meng said coquettishly like a girl, "Your Majesty can't fulfill this simple request from chénqiè?"

After that, he quickly replied: "That's fine."

On the next day, Emperor Yongjia ordered Eunuch Liu to go to Jiaofang Palace and tell Empress Qiao about it.

Empress Qiao's complexion was the same as usual, and she said with a faint smile: "I know, Eunuch Liu please thank the Emperor on my behalf, for showing such kindness to me." 

The last sentence revealed three points of sarcasm.

Eunuch Liu responded respectfully, feeling a little embarrassed in his heart.

Even he, a servant, looked at it and felt that Empress Qiao, the Empress of the middle palace, was really useless and aggrieved. But what could the Empress do?

In the palace, Emperor Yongjia was the sky.

The Empress's power comes from the Emperor.

What Emperor Yongjia gave Empress Qiao was respect for being his wife, and nothing more. Emperor Yongjia's affection was given to Concubine Meng.

Even though Concubine Qin had a good life with the support of Empress Dowager Zhao, when she was in front of Concubine Meng, she could only show her goodwill with a smile. Not to mention Su Zhaorong, who didn't even dare fart when seeing Concubine Meng.

Concubine Meng didn't mean to compete in palace affairs, but Concubine Meng always wanted to hold the matters of the First Prince and Princess Jing'an and refused to let Empress Qiao get involved.

On that day when the Eldest Prince got married, it was Concubine Meng who personally managed it. Empress Qiao endured that humiliation, so it was nothing when it came to cleaning up a princess's mansion.

After Eunuch Liu left, Cailan said a little angrily: "The Empress is good-natured, she doesn't care about the imperial concubine. I'm afraid the imperial concubine thinks she has the upper hand!"

 Empress Qiao twitched her lips, but there was no smile in her eyes: "Let her do what she wants! Right now, the most important thing is to tidy up the prince's mansion and prepare for the prince's wedding. I really can't handle it all by myself, so it's good for Concubine Meng to share my worries."

1. How the Empress and other wives/concubines of the Emperor refer to themselves in front of him.

2. Di means children from the wife and shu means children from the concubines.

T/N I really feel so bad for the Empress. Everyone just walks over her.