Chapter 20

Consort Yuan had never been fond of Lady Yan, so when she saw her scream and collapse to the floor, she assumed it was yet another one of her dramatic, affected displays intended to capture the Emperor’s attention.

However, no sooner had Consort Yuan asked what was wrong than Lady Yan began to shed large, heavy tears, clutching her waist and crying out in agony. The sudden outburst caused everyone in the hall to exchange uneasy glances and whisper among themselves.

The first performance of the banquet had already brought shame upon the imperial family. The Empress felt her own face burning with embarrassment; after all, Lady Yan was one of her own, and it was the Empress herself who had initiated the request for the performance. Now that things had descended into such chaos, it was clear Lady Yan could no longer continue.

The Empress frowned slightly. "Lady Yan, what is the matter? Are you feeling unwell?"

Lady Yan was drenched in a cold sweat, still wailing in pain. It was only when her personal maid rushed forward to help her up that a silver needle was pulled from her waist. The needle was thin and light, its tip stained with Lady Yan’s blood. Had it not been for the sharp sting that forced its discovery, it would have been nearly invisible even if it had fallen to the ground.

The maid knelt, trembling. "Your Majesty, Empress, a needle was hidden in my mistress’s dance costume, which caused her to lose her composure before the Emperor. Please, I beg for your mercy!"

How could a needle end up in a perfectly good dance costume? The Empress immediately suspected foul play. The guests below wore various expressions, and most likely, they were thinking the same thing.

Yet, this was a grand banquet. To suggest sabotage would be to bring the inner palace’s discord out into the open, damaging not only the imperial family’s dignity but her own as Empress. If word spread, it would imply she could not govern the harem, which would only make it easier for Consort Yuan to regain her status and power.

After careful consideration, the Empress said gently, "This is a life-or-death matter, and your attendants have been far too careless. Help Lady Yan down, summon the imperial physician, and I shall severely punish those in your household."

By framing it as the carelessness of her own attendants, the Empress left Lady Yan feeling deeply aggrieved. She had inspected the costume before leaving her quarters; there had been no issues. Someone had definitely framed her. She opened her mouth, nearly screaming the truth, but upon catching the Empress’s warning gaze, she swallowed her grievances and whispered sullenly, "Yes... thank you, Your Majesty."

As she was helped away, Lady Yan cast a resentful, searching look at the other concubines. The needle hadn't caused any critical injury, but it had humiliated her at the banquet, destroying any chance of regaining favor. She had been keeping to herself lately and hadn't offended anyone. Who would want to harm her today? Was it the Consort, who didn't want her back in favor? Was it Noble Lady Ke, who couldn't stand the sight of her? Or someone else entirely? Lady Yan had no clue.

Watching Lady Yan be led away, Sang Qingjun glanced toward Noble Lady Xu in the crowd. Previously, when Xixi had described Noble Lady Xu as a person with a kind face but a cruel heart—someone whose innocent appearance masked vicious methods—Sang Qingjun hadn't fully believed it. Even on the day of Concubine Tong’s incident, she had merely sensed that the woman was not to be trifled with. Today, however, she truly understood.

She and Lady Yan had no feud; if anything, they were both on the Empress’s side. Yet, on such a significant day, Noble Lady Xu had struck with such malice. The "Green Waist Dance" required great range of motion and core strength; if the needle had been embedded deeper, it could have caused permanent damage. What could Noble Lady Xu possibly gain from such a ruthless act? Was she afraid the Empress would abandon her to favor Lady Yan? Sang Qingjun could not be certain.

On the dragon throne, Xie Yanhong, who had remained silent, raised a hand to signal for the banquet to continue, effectively burying the incident. Two or three more concubines performed, but none were particularly impressive, and their efforts made little impression. It wasn't until it was time for Attendant Pei that Noble Lady Nie and Consort Yuan exchanged a nod.

Attendant Pei was timid and cautious. Though she was supported by the Consort, she was not as highly regarded as Concubine Tong. Had Concubine Tong not claimed illness following the incident with Noble Lady Xu, and had Attendant Pei not been the only one left, the Consort and Noble Lady Nie would never have pushed her forward. However, despite her nature, she was a skilled player of the *konghou*, which was a rarity.

Yet, as Attendant Pei sat before the instrument and began to pluck the strings, even Sang Qingjun could hear that she missed several notes. A performance like this would not stun the audience; it would only invite ridicule. The smiles on the faces of Noble Lady Nie and Consort Yuan stiffened, and their brows furrowed. They knew the quality of Lady Yan’s dance and Attendant Pei’s music—while not the best in Chang'an, they were certainly among the elite. For both to go wrong on the same day could only be the result of deliberate sabotage.

Attendant Pei’s face turned crimson. Ashamed to even look at the Emperor, she bowed her head deeply, asked to be excused, and fled the hall. Once outside, she nearly burst into tears. She had practiced for countless nights for this day, only to humiliate herself. The Emperor would likely never want to hear her play again. She was consumed by bitterness, yet just as bewildered as to who had sabotaged her.

In an inconspicuous corner, Noble Lady Xu curled her lips, giving an approving glance to her confidante, Wanzhen. Next, it would be her turn to play the zither. With her arrangements, nothing could go wrong. She did not intend to play with perfection, merely demonstrating eighty percent of her usual skill—just enough to be slightly better than the others. By staying neither too mediocre nor too brilliant, she would avoid suspicion. Even if someone were to investigate, the constant flow of people in the side halls meant no one could trace who had tampered with the instruments. She had specifically chosen the time of the dragon boat race to act for this very reason.

Noble Lady Xu’s gaze was cold, but as she stepped down after her performance, her expression was perfectly demure and proper. When she had fallen out of favor, these people had whispered behind her back and kicked her while she was down, wishing they had never known her. They had painted her as useless and caused her to lose the Emperor’s favor. Very well, if that was the case, then no one else would enjoy his favor either.

Once back in her seat, the frustration she had carried for days finally eased. All the concubines had performed, and it was clear none had caught the Emperor’s eye. Just as she thought it was all over and that dancers and musicians would be brought in to liven the mood, Dowager Zhao, who had been watching the festivities with a smile, finally spoke. "The concubines are all so talented; it warms my heart to see. I wonder if the Emperor might be in the mood for one more performance? I should like to join in the fun."

Xie Yanhong could not refuse the Dowager, who had rarely spoken since the Empress Dowager’s passing and was, to him, like a second mother. She never interfered in palace affairs, and since she rarely requested anything, he felt he could grant this, even if it concerned Zhao Yuyan. If she truly wished to enter the palace, he would simply grant her a rank; the palace could afford an extra mouth to feed.

Xie Yanhong smiled warmly. "How could I refuse your request, Aunt? I shall be delighted to watch."

The Dowager beamed, pleased by his filial piety. She signaled to the attendants, who brought in a fine zither and placed it in the center of the hall. Zhao Yuyan, dressed in her finest, glided into the hall, bowed gracefully, and said, "This daughter greets the Emperor. May you be blessed with peace."

Those who were unaware of the situation began to whisper. Everyone knew she had been serving as a lady-in-waiting for a year, working by the Emperor's side. Now that she was being brought out to perform with such fanfare, it was clear he intended to take her as a consort.

Zhao Yuyan sat before the zither, her fingers dancing across the strings, and a beautiful melody flowed forth. Having practiced diligently since childhood, her playing was the best of the day, earning nods of admiration. As she played, her heart grew steady. During her days at home, she had not only practiced the zither but, comforted by her mother, had steadied her resolve. Once she entered the palace, everything would change. Once she became a true mistress of the harem, crushing Sang Qingjun would be effortless, and even the Consort would no longer need to be treated with such deference.

When the song ended, Zhao Yuyan smiled shyly. "I am untalented; I have merely embarrassed myself before Your Majesty."

Dowager Zhao remained silent, clearly satisfied. Xie Yanhong said lightly, "The melody lingers in the air; truly a fine performance. You play the zither well, and I am moved by your grace. On this Dragon Boat Festival, let us add to the joy—I confer upon you the rank of Noble Lady. From this day forward, you shall stay in the palace to keep the Dowager company."

Having finally obtained the status she had dreamed of, Zhao Yuyan was overjoyed and knelt to express her gratitude. Dai Zheng stepped forward to arrange her seating, placing her to the right of Noble Lady Xu. Zhao Yuyan sat down, maintaining a modest smile, careful not to appear too exuberant.

Noble Lady Xu turned to glance at the new Noble Lady Zhao, her eyes filled with icy intent. After all her planning, someone had been waiting in the wings. What status did the Zhao family hold at court? She played the zither, and now she was a Noble Lady, just like her. She didn't deserve such a high rank; it was all thanks to the Dowager’s influence. The thought of being on equal footing with someone like Zhao Yuyan disgusted her.

The banquet atmosphere grew subtle following the arrival of the new Noble Lady. As the feast drew to a close, Zhao Yuyan looked hopefully toward the Emperor, wondering if he would visit her on her first night. But Xie Yanhong merely offered a few words of caution to the officials and the imperial clan before departing for the Qinzheng Hall to attend to state affairs.

The Empress arranged for Zhao Yuyan to move into the Yufu Palace and instructed the Department of Palace Servants to settle her in. Once the final arrangements were made, the guests dispersed.

Inside the Qinzheng Hall, Xie Yanhong sat alone for a long while before saying in a low voice, "Sang Qingjun, stay. Everyone else, withdraw."