TJAIP Chapter 2

Zhuang Luoyan raised an eyebrow and asked, “So, you’re saying the Emperor currently favors Consort Shu, Consort Rou, and Noble Consort Yan?” Having eaten and rested well while learning the temperaments of her servants, she finally felt it was time to make a change for the better.

“Yes, my lady,” Yunxi responded with a deferential bow. “Aside from those three, Consort Ning, Lady Xu, and Lady Ye are held in high regard by His Majesty. And let’s not forget Consort Xian and Consort Yuan, who served him back when he was still the Crown Prince. They’re in a league of their own compared to the others. Lately, the Emperor has also shown favor to Lady Zhuang, Bai Ronghua, and Jin Liangyi.”

Yunxi observed her mistress’s calm reaction upon hearing Lady Zhuang’s name—her half-sister and a rival—and felt reassured. It seemed her ladyship had grown far more composed and steady compared to before, giving hope that Taoyu Pavilion might see brighter days ahead.

In terms of beauty, her mistress was indeed a standout in the imperial harem. With her porcelain skin, silky hair as dark as ink, and delicate eyebrows, it was no wonder she had once captured the Emperor’s favor. But alas, her once reckless personality had squandered such a face.

The current favorites, Consort Shu and Noble Consort Yan, were both stunning dancers, while Consort Rou excelled in music. Consort Ning was a skilled painter, Lady Xu a poetess, and Lady Ye exuded unparalleled grace. Even Bai Ronghua and Jin Liangyi were soft-spoken and charming. Every woman in the imperial harem possessed remarkable talents. Each of them could have been the envy of men in another life, but in this one, they were trapped by circumstance.

Even Lady Zhuang, recently favored twice by the Emperor, was a beauty herself. It was no wonder that the original owner of this body—despite her initial moments of favor—had been forgotten.

For an emperor surrounded by countless beauties, physical appearance alone could not secure lasting affection, for beauty was the least scarce commodity in the imperial harem.

As for Consort Shu and Noble Consort Yan, both celebrated dancers… A wicked thought crossed Zhuang Luoyan’s mind. Dancers were often known for their supple bodies, likely fulfilling the Emperor in ways that truly mattered to a man. No matter the outward show of virtue, it seemed certain pleasures were paramount.

At present, Zhuang Luoyan holds the low rank of fifth-grade Noble Lady. Her limited station afforded her only three maidservants and three eunuchs. Having dismissed the untrustworthy ones, she was left with Yunxi, Tingzhu, and the eunuch Fubao. While this left Taoyu Pavilion sparsely staffed, it at least afforded some peace.

“Now it’s just the three of you by my side. Remember, loyalty breeds trust. If I rise, we rise together. I’ll make sure you don’t fall into the mud,” she declared. While Zhuang Luoyan didn’t believe in unwavering loyalty, as long as their hearts were loyal in the present, it sufficed. A few kind words cost her nothing.

“We swear to follow you to the end, my lady!” The three knelt before her, silently praying that Taoyu Pavilion would one day rise in favor. For servants, a favored mistress meant they could finally stand tall in the harem—a simple but vital dream.

Adapting to survive was key. Zhuang Luoyan had no qualms about kneeling before others or accepting others’ kneels. A capable woman could endure indignities today and triumph tomorrow.

While beauty alone couldn’t guarantee favor, lacking it made earning favor nearly impossible. Beauty wasn’t the sole prerequisite in the harem, but it was a necessary one.

Men were creatures of desire, whether they were emperors or commoners, wise kings or foolish ones.

Zhuang Luoyan counted herself lucky that this body had a stunning exterior. Though she had considered herself attractive in her past life, it paled compared to the allure of this body.

However, a truly captivating woman needed more than beauty—she required smooth, supple skin, elegant manners, and a natural charm. The original owner of this body had lacked such refinement, leading to her rapid fall from grace.

In the harem, there would always be favored women and those who had fallen out of favor. By mid-month, the other concubines had grown bored of mocking Zhuang Luoyan, who had stopped attending lively gatherings. Her name gradually faded from their conversations.

“Madam, the peach blossoms outside are in full bloom. Shall we go take a look?” Tingzhu asked. It was already spring, though the March air still carried a chill. She draped a nearly new cloak over Zhuang Luoyan’s shoulders.

Glancing out the window, Zhuang Luoyan wrapped the cloak tighter and extended a hand to Tingzhu. “Why not? Staying cooped up inside has grown tiresome.”

The peach grove lay just to the left of Taoyu Pavilion’s main entrance, rarely visited due to her waning favor. Walking amidst the pink blossoms, Zhuang Luoyan wished she could recite a fitting poem but regretted not having studied classics like Three Hundred Tang Poems. She could only recall the line, “The face of a beauty is gone, but the peach blossoms smile at the spring breeze.”

But such a wistful verse seemed ill-suited to her mood. Shaking her head, she abandoned the idea and instead plucked a branch of peach blossoms to tuck into her hair. In her previous life, such “frivolous” acts would have been unthinkable, but today she indulged her childhood dream of feeling like a princess.

“My lady, the blossoms look even lovelier on you,” Tingzhu said, playfully flattering her mistress.

“Enough of that. These blossoms are far more radiant than I. I merely borrow their beauty for a moment,” Zhuang Luoyan replied, gazing at the vibrant grove. Her thoughts drifted to an old saying from a senior in her past life: “Never be a peach blossom woman—beautiful but ephemeral, evoking no sympathy when withered.”

Still, she thought, a woman could live as she pleased if she didn’t pin her hopes on a man’s affections. What did it matter if she were a peach blossom or not?

They reached a stone table in the grove and had just sat down when a gust of wind sent peach petals cascading down. Instead of a poetic scene fit for a drama, Zhuang Luoyan found herself with dust in her eyes, clumsily wiping them as she cursed under her breath.

“Tingzhu, help me back,” she said, realizing her romantic stroll had turned into a miserable ordeal.

As she extended a hand, Tingzhu didn’t respond. “Tingzhu?” Opening the unaffected eye, she froze, then knelt abruptly.

“Your Majesty, this concubine greets the Emperor!”

So much for making a dazzling impression or reciting poetry to win his favor. With her tear-streaked, squinting face, any elegance was utterly ruined.

“Rise,” said Emperor Chengxuan, a man of nearly thirty who met every romance hero requirement—save for unwavering devotion to one woman.

“And you are…” He paused, clearly struggling to place her.

“Your Majesty, this concubine is Noble Lady Zhuang of Taoyu Pavilion,” she said, attempting a smile but only managing to look more pitiful with tears streaming down her face.

Recognition flickered in his eyes. Ah, the younger sister of Lady Zhuang—an enchanting beauty who had, for a time, piqued his interest before being quickly dismissed from his thoughts. Yet today, she seemed… different.

“Assist your mistress back and tend to her well,” the Emperor said, brushing a tear from her cheek with surprising gentleness.

Back in Taoyu Pavilion, Zhuang Luoyan eyed the Emperor’s gift of a pair of exquisite glass hairpins and two rolls of peach-patterned silk. While the craftsmanship was remarkable, she felt no excitement. Instead, she wondered: had her disheveled appearance intrigued him?

Perhaps the Emperor’s tastes were more peculiar than she’d thought.