Hustle Queen in the Harem: My Consort Won't Stop Grinding

Chapter 53: Chapter 45: Meeting the Empress Dowager

Three days had passed since the Longevity Festival, and it was now the day to pay respects to the Empress Dowager.

This victor of the previous generation’s palace intrigue was finally willing to emerge from her small Buddha hall. As a concubine, Jiang Xian’s itinerary was to first go to Jianzhang Palace to pay her respects to the Empress, then follow the Empress to Changle Palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager.

Many of the Concubines gave Jiang Xian the side-eye, secretly praying—

’May the Empress Dowager act swiftly and deal with this vixen!’

Jiang Xian, however, wasn’t particularly nervous or afraid. She always took things as they came. ’The Emperor is still quite fond of me right now,’ she thought. ’Since he hasn’t made a point of mentioning the Empress Dowager, she’s probably not the type to lash out at concubines over nothing. If I get a little reprimand, I suppose I’ll have it coming.’

Two palace maids were selecting an outfit for her to wear to pay respects to the Empress Dowager. Mianqiu brought over a dark green palace dress and said, "This one is dignified and understated. It will tone down your brilliant beauty, My Lady. The Empress Dowager is sure to approve."

But Jiang Xian shook her head. "Bring me a spring green one instead."

"My Lady..."

"Who is the Empress Dowager? And how old am I? Trying to act dignified and mature in front of her would just be clumsy and make me look like a schemer. It’s better to simply act my age." ’It would be best if she takes one look at me and concludes the Emperor favors me for my youth and beauty. If the reason for my Holy Favor is that shallow and obvious, the Empress Dowager will hardly consider me worth her time. Pretending to be clever in front of a truly clever person is the height of folly.’

After hearing her mistress, Zhenqiu then took the copper bucket and ironed the dress for the next day until it was smooth.

※

Over at Changchun Palace, they were also quite curious about Yizhu Pavilion.

The Empress Dowager had secluded herself to pray to Buddha for imperial heirs for the Emperor. Besides, worship was a "traditional activity" for the imperial family. Even if one genuinely believed in the divine, it didn’t mean one had shed all worldly concerns; she was still very much interested in the harem’s affairs. When the Emperor first ascended the throne, the Empress Dowager managed the palace for a time. Later, thoroughly satisfied with the Empress, she gradually relinquished control and let her take charge. The Empress Dowager then stepped back from worldly matters to peacefully enjoy her life of wealth and luxury.

Back when the Empress Dowager was the Pure Consort, her Holy Favor had been middling. She was never the most beloved, but she wasn’t neglected by the late Emperor, either. She had never known what it was like to rely on a husband’s affection to act on a whim. Now, as Empress Dowager, she enjoyed limitless honor through her son. ’It’s so much better than being a wife.’ Sometimes, she would wake in the middle of the night, recalling how the late Emperor had died of a sudden illness, unable to father another son. At times like these, she had to actively remember the bitter humiliation she suffered at the hands of the late Emperor’s concubine—the present-day Pure Secret Imperial Concubine—just to keep the corners of her mouth from turning up in a delirious smile.

The Empress Dowager asked Sun Zizhong, the Chief of the Service Room, "Whose nameplate has the Emperor been flipping most often lately?"

"This month, because of how busy the Longevity Festival was, the Emperor did not flip many nameplates. The newly promoted Noble Lady Gu was chosen five times and the Noble Consort three times. He also spent two nights in Jianzhang Palace, while Lu Ronghua and Zhang Cairen were each summoned once."

Noble Lady Gu.

The Empress Dowager knew her son well. He loved plum blossoms and admired the moon. His mention of *Cloud Music* during the Longevity Festival was a comparison of Mrs. Jiang to the moon—an exceedingly high compliment. It was clear he was quite taken with her.

The Empress Dowager then asked which of the concubines from the recent selection had been summoned to the bedchamber.

After all, in order to bring more new blood into the palace, the Empress Dowager had personally selected quite a few beauties.

At the mention of this, Sun Zizhong’s heart began to pound nervously. Steeling himself, he replied, "Of the new ladies who entered the palace, Consort Guo was the first to be summoned, followed by Noble Lady Gu. However, the Emperor only flipped Consort Guo’s nameplate that one time and has not summoned her since."

’So not a single one of them truly managed to capture the Emperor’s interest.’

’Then again,’ the Empress Dowager mused, recalling the dance, *Unrivaled*, that Mrs. Jiang had performed at the Longevity Festival. ’Her skill was truly without parallel in this world. With such a treasure in his hands, it’s no wonder he lacks interest in the other girls who entered the palace with her. But she’s so slender she could dance on a pillar and step across silk. Can someone like that really bear children for the Emperor? If she is barren yet monopolizes the Holy Favor, isn’t she delaying the most important business of all?’

The Empress Dowager grew deeply concerned.

"Tomorrow, I will summon Doctor Feng."

Doctor Feng was the Imperial Hospital’s foremost expert in gynecology.

’If Mrs. Jiang proves to be barren, then even if I can’t just have her killed, I will have to sternly advise the Emperor to practice some restraint and not waste any more of his efforts on her.’