Chapter 4 — Old Dreams on the Dragon Bed

A moment later, the sovereign took the small jar of healing ointment from the hands of the maid and bent down to dress my wound himself. The instant his fingertips brushed against my bruised skin, a sharp sting forced a sudden, involuntary gasp from my lips. A cold chuckle escaped him. Since it does not hurt anymore, why do you flinch? I stubbornly bit back my pride and retorted, Who... who says it hurts? It does not hurt at all. Right at that very moment, the senior matron from the Palace of Phoenix Ritual arrived, bowing deeply.

Your Majesty, today is the fifteenth of the lunar month. Her Majesty the Empress has already prepared the fragrant bath at the Palace of Phoenix Ritual.

We humbly beg Your Majesty to grace us with your presence and rest there for the evening.

I hurriedly chimed in, Your Majesty, please go ahead. This minor scratch upon your humble concubine is truly of no consequence. He remained utterly silent. For a long, suffocating moment, he merely sat still, then deliberately and slowly replaced the lid upon the porcelain jar of ointment.

Go back and report to the Empress.

Since we are all of the Lam clan anyway, my remaining here in the chambers of the Imperial Concubine may likewise be considered resting within the Central Palace.

The matron’s face froze instantly, turning pale as she trembled and accepted the decree. Throughout half a lifetime as husband and wife, this was the very first time the Emperor had so publicly stripped the Empress of her dignity. My esteemed aunt flew into such a rage that she refused to step foot outside the Palace of Phoenix Ritual for three whole days. Several roots of the century-old mountain ginseng kept in the imperial storehouse had to be brewed once more. If I were to provoke her with even the slightest thing further, she would likely breathe her last right then and there. It was precisely at this tense juncture that the Eastern Palace finally lost its composure. Past the noon hour, the moment I returned from the Hall of Supreme Purity, my loyal maid hurried forward to meet me.

Your Ladyship, the Crown Prince has sent someone to convey a message. He is waiting for you by the secluded winding corridor.

I had no luxury of refusal. To decline would be to show outright contempt for the Eastern Palace. To go, however, presented a perfect opportunity to test the waters: to see whether an imperial concubine currently basking in the zenith of royal favor would still bend her knee to the Crown Prince. Standing in the narrow, shaded corridor, I halted about an arm’s length away from him.

May the Crown Prince be blessed with boundless fortune. I wonder what business Your Highness has with this humble concubine?

Prince Yuan Zhiyong furrowed his brows deeply. Shanshan, must you treat me with such chilling indifference? True to his old habits, he reached out a hand as if to support me, but I instinctively stepped half a pace backward. His fingers grasped only empty air, and his expression instantly darkened with displeasure.

Shanshan, your current behavior is far too flamboyant. His Imperial Majesty treats you with kindness now only because your presence is a temporary novelty.

You must remember that your true roots still lie firmly within the Lam clan.

Her Majesty the Empress rebuked you previously solely out of fear that you would become arrogant and forget yourself. Yet you went so far as to let the Emperor publicly humiliate her.

I raised my eyes to look at him. Did Your Highness summon me here today merely to utter these reproaches? He paused for a fraction of a second, his hardened expression softening marginally.

The reason I sought you out today is to ask for your assistance with a delicate matter.

His Imperial Majesty has been hesitating endlessly and refuses to grant his imperial consent for my marriage to the Ha family.

You have met the young lady of the Ha family yourself; she is dignified, well-versed in the rites, and deeply favored by the Empress.

Furthermore, the Ha family belongs to the highest ranks of the refined gentry. Such a match could not possibly be more fitting for the Eastern Palace.

I blinked in feigned confusion. If the young lady and her family are truly as exceptional as you say, why would His Majesty withhold his consent?

Could it be that His Majesty dislikes the young lady? Or does he feel the Ha family is somehow unworthy of the Eastern Palace?

Those words struck him like a dagger driven straight into his heart. His expression grew even more ominous. The Ha family stands at the pinnacle of the literary elite; naturally, they are worthy of me.

Shanshan, you are a woman and therefore cannot comprehend the treacherous depths of the court.

The Eastern Palace is the foundation of the realm. Should this foundation be shaken, the ones dragged down into ruin will not be limited to myself alone.

The Lam family, the Empress, and even you yourself—we are all aboard the very same boat.

Third Brother is currently like a fish in water, gathering factions wherever he goes.

If I refuse to fight for myself, am I simply to wait until His Majesty grows muddle-headed and bestows the Eastern Palace upon him before I dare to contend?

In days past, Yuan Zhiyong had always appeared exceedingly gentle in my presence. He would brush fallen petals from my shoulders and tease me with a smile, comparing me to a little squirrel greedy for food. Yet the moment his position was threatened, he was entirely willing to use anyone as a sacrificial lamb. Seeing that I remained silent, he took a step forward, his voice turning cajoling and soft.

From beginning to end, the only person I have truly cared for in my heart is you. Had the Empress not acted for the sake of the greater picture, you should have been my Crown Princess.

Shanshan, all the grievances you are forced to endure at this very moment are etched deeply into my memory.

Wait until the day arrives when I ascend that supreme seat... you shall be my Noble Consort.

I nearly burst out laughing right then and there. Promising the prestigious rank of Noble Consort to a woman who had been delivered directly into the imperial bedchamber—he must truly believed this constituted an overwhelming, boundless grace. It was evident that within his mind, I remained the naive Lam Shanshan of the past; he believed that at the mere utterance of a few tender words, my eyes would brim with tears as I plotted entirely for his benefit.

Your Highness ought to measure your words carefully. His Imperial Majesty is currently in the prime of his life, and he treats me exceptionally well.

If Your Highness continues to utter such treasonous and rebellious remarks, would you not be utterly betraying the profound expectations His Majesty holds for you?

The moment those words left my lips, Yuan Zhiyong’s complexion underwent a drastic transformation.

His Imperial Majesty treats you well purely out of fleeting novelty.

Do you genuinely believe he can occupy that throne for all eternity?

Scarcely had the words fallen from his lips when a soft, mocking chuckle echoed from the shadowy corner nearby. Yuan Langzhi stepped forth at a leisurely pace, turning a single black Go stone over and over within his fingers. A faint, ironic smile graced his lips. Ah, the Crown Prince is truly considerate indeed.

You have even arranged my beloved imperial concubine’s future on my behalf.

Before Yuan Zhiyong could fully comprehend the situation, both of his knees buckled beneath him.

With a heavy thud, he slammed violently onto the stone floor. Imperial Father, this unworthy son spoke out of turn!