TJAIP Chapter 28

“Master, are you still thinking about yesterday’s events?” Listening Bamboo asked as she helped Zhuang Luoyan adjust her hair. Thinking that Zhuang Luoyan was upset about the death of the maid, she tried to comfort her, saying, “This is how the harem is; one wrong step, and it’s hell. You don’t need to take it to heart too much.”

Zhuang Luoyan nodded but didn’t say anything. She knew what had happened yesterday.

The Concubine Rou and her stance had always been different, so when that maid was near the Taoyu Pavilion, Zhuang Luoyan had intentionally sent Fubao out to scare her and give her a warning. To her surprise, the maid, with such a small amount of courage, had pretended to pick two peaches and rushed out, accidentally bumping into the displeased Empress Dowager.

What puzzled her was why the maid had deliberately lingered near the Taoyu Pavilion, and why Concubine Rou had arrived so quickly. Who was behind this, and what was their real intention?

Suddenly, she recalled the two maidservants who mysteriously died after Ye Shurong’s miscarriage, the Emperor’s punishment of Jin Liangyi to the cold palace, the ongoing discord between the Ye sisters, and the repeated confrontations between the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. The Empress Dowager’s strange visit to the seemingly unremarkable peach orchard, followed by this incident, all raised more questions. Was someone plotting against her, Concubine Rou, or another person? Or had Zhuang Luoyan inadvertently ruined someone’s plan, causing Concubine Rou to be scolded by the Empress Dowager instead?

“What was that maid’s name? Did she have any close connections in the palace?” Zhuang Luoyan stopped Listening Bamboo from inserting a red coral hairpin and took the coral hairpin from her hand, replacing it with a jade one.

Listening Bamboo followed her instructions, changing the hairpin. “The maid’s name is Jin Tao. She’s responsible for cleaning in Concubine Rou’s quarters, but she doesn’t have close access to Concubine Rou.”

It seemed Listening Bamboo was also suspicious of the matter. Zhuang Luoyan put the coral hairpin back in the box. “We don’t need to inquire further for now.” Since even the Emperor had intervened yesterday, it was likely not a small matter.

That day, the Empress Dowager had excused the greetings of all the concubines, giving them a rare respite, which made everyone feel relieved. Zhuang Luoyan leisurely walked in the garden, reflecting on the conversations and laughter of the concubines that morning. Nothing seemed unusual, and even Concubine Rou, who had been reprimanded by the Empress Dowager, seemed unbothered. This showed the depth of these women’s schemes.

Soon after returning to Taoyu Pavilion, a eunuch from the Qi Zheng Palace came to deliver the Emperor’s rewards, which consisted mostly of palace silks, hairpins, and pearls, with the only special item being a potted Rohan Pine, beautifully pruned and giving off a sense of tranquility. It was the perfect addition to the outer chamber.

“Master, before leaving, the Emperor mentioned that there are more Rohan Pines in his palace. If you’re not satisfied with this one, you can exchange it for another,” the eunuch said with a smile.

“Thank you, Eunuch. This one is fine,” Zhuang Luoyan said with a bright smile, noticing that the porcelain pot was decorated with a design of ‘June Snow.’ Was the Emperor expressing his fondness for her?

“I like it,” Zhuang Luoyan said with a radiant smile, rewarding the eunuch with a small pouch. She delicately wiped the edges of the pot with her handkerchief, as if she greatly cherished the bonsai, while she appeared indifferent to the silk, pearls, and jade hairpins.

The eunuch, puzzled, glanced at the Rohan Pine. Although it was a nice bonsai, it wasn’t exactly a rare item. Why did Zhuang Luoyan seem so fond of it?

Upon returning to Qi Zheng Palace and reporting the delivery, the Emperor, unusually, took an interest.

“Does Zhuang Luoyan like these things?” Emperor Feng Jin, just off work, asked while removing his crown.

“Yes, Your Majesty, she likes them,” the eunuch stammered, still unsure about Zhuang Luoyan’s sudden fondness for the bonsai. “Originally, she was pleased with the gifts, but after seeing the Rohan Pine, she became even more delighted, rewarding me with a gold ingot. I saw her carefully wiping the pot when I left. She must be very fond of it.”

“Well, since she gave you a gold ingot, I shall reward you with two,” the Emperor said, his mood seemingly good.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the head eunuch replied, leading the messenger away. On their way out, he chuckled, “You’re lucky, but is Zhuang Luoyan really that fond of the Rohan Pine?”

“Of course, I wouldn’t lie to you, Head Eunuch,” the messenger responded. “I’ve been to Taoyu Pavilion several times, and I’ve never seen Zhuang Luoyan so happy. She hardly showed any excitement for the other gifts, but that Rohan Pine—she was practically glowing.”

The head eunuch smiled. “It’s not our place to think too much about it.”

The Emperor seemed pleased, and when the head eunuch shared the report with him, the Emperor appeared satisfied with Zhuang Luoyan’s reaction.

Both Listening Bamboo and Yunxi had heard Zhuang Luoyan’s earlier words and felt happy to see the Emperor’s favor. They couldn’t wait to learn how to care for the Rohan Pine.

Zhuang Luoyan, though, had a different thought. She’d received all sorts of flowers and plants lately—first the purple vine, then water lilies, and now the Rohan Pine. Was the Emperor planning to open a flower shop in his next life?

The porcelain pot was exquisitely crafted, and it would likely fetch a fortune if sold in the future.

As the Emperor showered the other concubines with gifts, there was no sign of the Ye sisters being favored. Even the Empress’s cousin, Sun Ronghua, had been promoted to “Ronghua” and now stood on equal footing with Ye Ronghua.

Upon hearing the news, Zhuang Luoyan sighed. The Emperor was truly heartless. With so many titles in the harem, he chose to bestow a title that would embarrass Ye Wanmei.

When she went to greet the Empress, she saw Sun Ronghua, looking timid and fragile. Zhuang Luoyan couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. A young girl like her had already become a pawn in the palace’s power struggles. Even the Empress was probably using her as a tool.

That night, after a heavy rain, Zhuang Luoyan was startled awake by a loud thunderclap. As lightning lit up the sky, she thought she heard a woman’s scream in the distance.