TJAIP Chapter 32

“Master, I’ve found out some information. When the Empress Dowager was first made Empress, there was a Concubine Xia in Taoyu Pavilion. Concubine Xia was strikingly beautiful and favored by the late Emperor to the point where he planted the peach orchard outside in her honor. Later, Concubine Xia suddenly died, and the late Emperor, enraged, investigated and discovered that another favored concubine had poisoned her. This concubine never admitted to poisoning Concubine Xia until her death,” Tingzhu whispered in Zhuang Luoyan’s ear, “I have a feeling something is off about this.”

Zhuang Luoyan smiled, “Old matters are only clear to the ones who did them, and those who are gone.”

The Empress Dowager wouldn’t visit the peach orchard outside Taoyu Pavilion without reason. While the peach blossoms had some beauty when in bloom, now that the flowers have fallen and the fruit is ripening, there’s nothing left to see.

The Empress Dowager killing a palace maid isn’t a major issue, but doing it right after chanting Buddhist scriptures doesn’t reflect well on her reputation. Furthermore, the current Emperor and the Empress Dowager aren’t close, and the more trouble she causes, the more distant he will become. The Empress Dowager has reached this point, and she doesn’t seem like an impulsive or arrogant woman.

The maid who died, Jintao, was only a lowly servant in Róu Fei’s palace. Even if Róu Fei were foolish, she wouldn’t have involved someone like her in a scheme. So, did Jintao truly come here just to steal a few peaches?

Although palace servants aren’t supposed to take things from the gardens without permission, picking a few peaches isn’t a life-or-death matter. Why would she panic like that? Could it be that she saw something she shouldn’t have?

Then, when I sent Fubao to scare the maid, she must have already seen something she shouldn’t have. That’s why she was so terrified when she heard Fubao’s noises. Was the Empress Dowager trying to silence her, or was it just a fit of anger?

If Jintao’s death is related to the Empress Dowager, could it be part of a plot to frame me? Zhuang Luoyan stared out the window at the rain. While she’s favored by the Emperor to some extent now, it’s not enough for people to start thinking of schemes against her. If someone in the harem is that restless, shouldn’t Yan Guifei have already fallen from grace?

“By the way, who saw the Empress Dowager coming to the peach orchard first?” Zhuang Luoyan had a vague suspicion in her mind.

“Master, do you remember? That day, the eunuch from the Imperial Household Department came to deliver a decree. When I was sending him out, I met a manager from Kang’an Palace. She saw us and mentioned that the Empress Dowager had heard the peaches were ripening and wanted to come see for herself.” Tingzhu frowned. “This manager was walking toward the peach orchard, saying she was checking to see if there were any other people.”

The Empress Dowager’s presence is supposed to be avoided by others, according to the rules. Zhuang Luoyan lowered her eyelids. Perhaps someone wants to use something to negotiate with the Empress Dowager, and this condition might involve Taoyu Pavilion. So, the Empress Dowager had no choice but to put on this show. Jintao happened to overhear something she wasn’t supposed to, and when she ran out of the orchard in a hurry, she ran into the Empress Dowager. Given the Empress Dowager’s nature, she would naturally kill to silence her, and she would do it in a very open manner.

“Was Jintao’s death caused by being silenced?” Zhuang Luoyan picked up her slightly cool tea, took a sip, and spoke in an eerily calm tone.

“She was silenced, because the Empress Dowager ordered that anyone who steals out of greed should meet such a fate,” Tingzhu said, her forehead beading with cold sweat, as she guessed what Zhuang Luoyan was implying.

Zhuang Luoyan gave a sarcastic smile, setting her cup down. “Prepare our things. After all, we need to move to Xihe Palace tomorrow. Don’t worry about anything else for now.”

The Erya notes that “Xi” means light, and Guangya notes that “He” means harmony. The two characters “Xi” and “He” together symbolize auspiciousness and peace.

Zhuang Luoyan stepped down from the sedan chair, gazing at the plaque on the palace, the words “Xihe Palace” in graceful, flowing script—granted by Emperor Chengde himself, adding extra prestige.

The furnishings were already in place. Upon entering the main palace gate, she saw a small but beautifully arranged garden. The servants knelt, waiting for her arrival.

Zhuang Luoyan allowed the newly added servants to rise. As for what they would do, she left that to Fubao, Tingzhu, and Yunxi to decide. Supporting Tingzhu’s hand, she entered the main hall. The decor was elegant, not luxurious, but very comfortable, and, importantly, everything was by the rules. All the utensils were fit for someone of the third rank.

She proceeded to the main room, passed through the outer chamber, and entered the inner room. The bed was indeed very comfortable—soft but not too hot, much better than the one in Taoyu Pavilion. The other furnishings were of similar grade to those in Taoyu Pavilion. As for the two rooms on either side, Zhuang Luoyan didn’t bother to look. After leaving the main hall, she noticed that all the servants in the palace stood in perfect order, reminding her of the days when she worked part-time during university. She had worked herself to exhaustion, attending early meetings, earning little pay, and listening to endless chatter.

She sat at the head, sipping her tea slowly before setting it down and speaking with a faint smile, “I reside here in the position of Charge of Ceremonial Affairs, thanks to the Emperor’s favor. You were all assigned by Chief Steward Gao and the Imperial Household Department. I trust you all. There’s nothing else to say. Just carry out your duties.”

Sometimes, having no rules is harder than having rules. A gentle concubine can be more frightening than one with many demands. These eunuchs and palace maids have likely passed through Gao Dezong’s scrutiny. While some might have ulterior motives, they wouldn’t dare act on them. Thinking about the eunuchs and palace maids struck by lightning recently, Zhuang Luoyan recalled how she had been neglected by the Emperor before, which only showed her abilities. Now, she smiled kindly—who could know what kind of person she was?

“Fubao, give some silver to the new servants,” Zhuang Luoyan smiled at the group. “I’m just a Charge of Ceremonial Affairs, and my salary is less than others. Don’t mind it, just accept it as my gesture.”

The servants immediately knelt, saying they wouldn’t dare to refuse. What she had said about the salary being less was a warning—not to think that just because she held the position of Charge of Ceremonial Affairs, they could have improper thoughts. Let them figure out her gesture.

Each servant received ten taels of silver, not too much or too little in the harem. Some of the more perceptive servants could tell the underlying meaning and only hoped that their new master would gain more favor, with no other thoughts.

In the Imperial Palace, the three most esteemed people sat together, their faces calm.

“Your Majesty, now that Taoyu Pavilion has fallen into disuse, what should we do with it?” The Empress paused, seeing no objection from the Emperor, she continued, “I think the peach orchard outside is quite old. Would it be wise to renovate it?”

“If it’s already fallen into disrepair, why bother fixing it?” The Empress Dowager spoke, “While the national treasury is full, we must avoid extravagance.”

“Renovating a peach orchard isn’t an extravagance. Mother, there’s no need to be so frugal,” the Empress said, “This orchard has seen a death. It’s unlucky. Let’s renovate it tomorrow.” She signaled to Gao Dezong. “Send people to guard the orchard so nothing else happens.”

“Understood, Your Majesty.” Gao Dezong raised his head slightly and saw the stiff smile on the Empress Dowager’s face.

“Since there are no residents there now, how could anything happen?” The Empress Dowager smiled, “Your Majesty, you’re being too cautious.”

“It’s better to be cautious,” the Emperor smiled at the Empress Dowager, “Mother, what do you think?”

“Since Your Majesty says so, I naturally have no objections,” the Empress Dowager smiled, as if not wishing to discuss the matter further.

Summer winds and rain always have a startling effect, and this feeling is even more intense at night. The Emperor sat under the candlelight, seeing Gao Dezong rush over with a tray. A mocking smile appeared on his face. “Did you find it?”

Gao Dezong lowered his head. “Your Majesty, I led some men to thoroughly search the peach orchard. We found a box under a tree near the Taoyu Pavilion wall.”

The Emperor opened the box with a handkerchief, revealing a golden-threaded jade bracelet. The delicate gold threads outlined a seductive peony design. The late Emperor had given this jade bracelet to Concubine Xia when she was pregnant.

Under the bracelet was a piece of silk. Unfolding it, there were many secrets written in special dye that should never have been preserved.

“Keep it,” the Emperor said, tossing the item aside, and wiping his hands with a handkerchief. “Go to Kang’an Palace and inform the Empress Dowager that the renovations of the peach orchard went smoothly, so she need not worry.”

“Yes,” Gao Dezong didn’t dare to look closely at the silk, but he inadvertently caught a glimpse of two words: “…Empress.”

The secrets of the harem are numerous, and the truth doesn’t matter much. What’s important is whether the truth can be used.

“Master, the Emperor has already ordered the peach orchard to be renovated,” Tingzhu hurried in, speaking in a voice that couldn’t be quieter. “Despite the heavy rain, the people from the Imperial Household Department are still busy and just stopped working.”

Zhuang Luoyan used a hairpin to poke at the thread on a candlewick. The flame flickered, and she smiled lightly. “Renovating the peach orchard always disrupts my sleep, so the Emperor probably had me move to the palace.”

“Master…” Tingzhu looked at her with concern, unsure how to respond. She knew the Emperor’s intentions weren’t entirely out of favor but that the palace was a calculated move. Now, Zhuang Luoyan likely realized this too. What good is deceiving herself now?

“Go down,” Zhuang Luoyan set the hairpin down and stood up, turning her back on Tingzhu. “You don’t need to serve me here. Leave.”

Tingzhu hesitated for a moment but eventually left after giving Zhuang Luoyan one last worried glance.

Zhuang Luoyan removed her headpiece and smiled faintly. She had suspected the Emperor’s generosity was due to this.

It seems that the person who plotted against her didn’t expect things to go in the Emperor’s favor.

So, who’s the luckiest one in this drama? It couldn’t possibly be her.