Except for the jealous Consort Guo Ning, no one found it unreasonable that after over a year of abstinence, Emperor Hongwu’s first intimate encounter was with Consort Da Ding.

Because Consort Da Ding was beautiful. Given the choice, who wouldn’t prefer a beauty (or handsome man) with good looks, long legs, and an impressive figure?

Moreover, Consort Da Ding was one of the earliest “veterans” to serve Emperor Hongwu, showing his nostalgic nature.

Consort Da Ding soaked in a bathtub filled with dried flowers—lotus blossoms, whose faint fragrance Emperor Hongwu favored.

After bathing, Consort Da Ding lay on a beauty couch wearing only a robe, limbs relaxed, letting palace servants dye her fingernails and toenails red with balsam flower juice, as Emperor Hongwu preferred.

While waiting for her nails to dry, Consort Da Ding dozed briefly. She dreamed of returning to her youth as a Yangzhou courtesan, leaning against doorways with coquettish smiles, when she was presented as a gift to Han King Chen Youliang.

Chen Youliang pampered her beyond measure. She felt that only in those moments did she experience the joy and dignity of being a beautiful woman—no one dared despise her, at least not openly.

Some mocked her for serving through beauty, saying it wouldn’t last. As a pleasure-quarter woman, why did she need permanence? Besides her beauty, she had nothing else to offer. She was like a flower blooming to its fullest—vivid and fragrant—to bring Chen Youliang momentary pleasure. When Chen Youliang’s son Chen Li showed her infatuated looks, she didn’t restrain herself, knowing only how to blossom.

However, happiness proved shorter than expected. Chen Youliang died in battle—an arrow through his eye, piercing his head, killing him instantly.

She plummeted from heaven to hell, vowing revenge for Chen Youliang. As a courtesan, her most powerful weapon was beauty. She conceived a bold plan, deciding to gamble on luck. Dreams must exist—what if they came true?

Raised in brothels, she knew by observation when intimate relations were most likely to result in pregnancy. Calculating her cycle, on a chilly spring night, she took the young Han King’s hand, guiding it from her cheek to her neck, through her collar and downward to her belly, asking: “Your Highness, could you plant a seed of revenge here? Then open the city gates in surrender, offering me to Wu King Zhu Yuanzhang?”

Revenge mixed with lust created the perfect aphrodisiac. The youth didn’t refuse, enjoying her company nightly. Once pregnant, he would immediately surrender. The first month failed; the second month, when her cycle didn’t come, she succeeded.

The next day, Han King Chen Li surrendered by opening the gates. Everyone in the Han King’s palace, including the Dowager Han Queen, knelt in plain clothes to welcome Wu King Zhu Yuanzhang. Only she wore coarse hemp clothing and shoes, vowing to mourn for the Han King, weeping like rain on pear blossoms.

“To be beautiful, wear mourning white.” Born extremely beautiful, when she smiled, all things bloomed; when she wept, eternal sorrow followed. This scene belonged to none but her; this beauty was hers alone. Crystal teardrops trembled on her lowered lashes, about to fall yet not falling, breathtakingly gorgeous.

Everyone submitted to Zhu Yuanzhang’s feet, but this woman refused to yield, still thinking of Chen Youliang.

Woman, you have successfully caught my attention.

As Emperor Hongwu frankly admitted in the “Great Proclamation”: “In anger at Chen Youliang’s repeated military offenses, I seized his concubine.” It wasn’t merely beauty—Lady Da successfully aroused his desire for conquest. He wanted to conquer this woman as he had conquered territory, to vent his rage.

That very night, on Chen Youliang’s former “dragon bed,” Zhu Yuanzhang believed he had conquered her. Physical and spiritual satisfaction made her the Wu King’s palace “favored consort,” receiving nightly attention. The next month, pregnancy was diagnosed.

Chen Youliang had been dead seven months. Combined with her previous steadfast appearance, no one suspected the child’s bloodline.

Moreover, Chen Li, enfeoffed as Marquis Chengen, always acted childish, recklessly impolite, appearing “young and ignorant.” No one would imagine Chen Li had long been secretly involved with her.

She won her gamble, bearing a son of Han King bloodline—Prince Qi Zhu Bo. During Chen Li’s five years in Nanjing, she bore Zhu Yuanzhang’s son, Prince Tan Zhu Zi. With two sons, she was enfeoffed as Consort Ding, her position in the Ming palace secured. Chen Li secretly transferred old Han King forces to her.

Five years later, Chen Li was sent to Goryeo. All political resources fell to her alone, and she began plotting revenge…

“Your Highness, it’s time for your bedchamber service,” a palace servant quietly awakened Consort Da Ding.

Consort Da Ding changed into moon-white robes, plain and unadorned. Before leaving, she checked the mirror, confirming her makeup was flawless, then left the palace, boarding a sedan chair. Glancing at the “Xianfu Palace” plaque, she said: “Let’s go.”

Consort Da Ding didn’t know this was a dead-end path to death. This time, her opponent had moved first, setting a trap like she had calculated against Empress Xiaoci—inviting the prey into the snare.

Qianqing Palace.

Before bedchamber service, Emperor Hongwu offered fine wine.

Green brows like smoke, hair disheveled, jade censers burning incense—red candles flickered through the night, dripping wax tears until dawn.

After brief rest, at the fourth watch, Emperor Hongwu rose for court. Consort Da Ding struggled to help him dress, but upon sitting up, felt dizzy and nauseous.

Emperor Hongwu helped her lie back down: “My beloved consort may be tired. Continue sleeping.”

The more Consort Da Ding slept, the worse she felt. At dawn, she vomited continuously. Qianqing Palace eunuchs summoned Director Ru of Pharmacy.

Director Ru hurried over with her medicine chest. Upon entering Qianqing Palace, she encountered Hu Shanwei.

Hu Shanwei hadn’t slept all night, her eyes bloodshot from exhaustion. She invited Director Ru to a palace hall, but the patient was nowhere to be seen.

Director Ru asked: “Where is the patient?”

Hu Shanwei invited Director Ru to sit, saying: “His Majesty gave Consort Da Ding poisoned wine. There’s no cure.”

Director Ru was skilled in medicine. Poisoned wine meant wine mixed with arsenic. Consort Da Ding’s poisoning symptoms were obvious—she couldn’t be deceived, so honesty was better.

Having served fourteen years in the palace and witnessed countless sudden political changes, Director Ru only raised an eyebrow before calming down: “If so, why summon me to treat her?”

Hu Shanwei said: “Consort Da Ding’s death relates to Ming dynasty stability. We need help concealing her condition. Don’t mention poisoning in medical records—only say she has heart disease, severely ill.”

Hu Shanwei produced a prescription: “Prescribe according to these medicines. After taking them, Consort Da Ding can survive five days.”

Director Ru didn’t accept it: “I’m first a physician, then a female official. My life’s work is saving people, not harming them. Either don’t let me treat her, or I’ll do everything possible, even knowing she’ll die, never abandoning any possibility of saving her.”

Hu Shanwei didn’t understand, explaining: “Empress Xiaoci’s death was related to Consort Da Ding.”

Director Ru pondered briefly: “You serve Empress Xiaoci; I serve medical ethics. Different paths don’t work together. Please find someone else, Director Hu.”

With that, Director Ru actually left carrying her medicine chest!

Outside, Ji Gang hurriedly stopped her. Director Ru shouted: “Move aside!”

Ji Gang dared not let her pass: “Director Ru, imperial commands are difficult. I’m just a gatekeeper—don’t make things difficult for me.”

In the palace, everyone had their own pursuits—force was impossible. Hu Shanwei sighed inwardly: “Let Director Ru leave. Please trouble Commander Ji to summon an imperial physician.”

Anyway, seriously ill people in the palace were carried to Qianqing Palace for Imperial Medical Academy consultations. The fewer people who knew now, the better. Ji Gang simply invited the academy director.

Ancient China had two high-risk professions beginning with “Tai”—imperial physicians (taiyi) and crown princes (taizi). Rising from imperial physician to academy director required not the best medical skills, but the strongest survival instincts.

Hearing Hu Shanwei describe Consort Da Ding’s “condition,” the academy director didn’t even raise an eyebrow: “I know what to do. The fewer who know, the better. No other physicians should be consulted. I’ll reside in Qianqing Palace these days, monitoring Consort Da Ding’s condition day and night, prescribing accordingly. However many days His Majesty wants her alive, she’ll live that long.”

The academy director examined the patient with perfect composure, diagnosing heart disease. His authoritative words carried weight. News of Consort Da Ding’s critical condition spread, and Emperor Hongwu issued edicts summoning Prince Qi from his Qingzhou fiefdom.

Zhongcui Palace.

Early morning, the female historian recorded Consort Da Ding’s bedchamber service in the books—time, location, food consumed, pre-service gifts, post-service gifts, number of attendants outside the bedchamber, their names and positions, rewards given, etc. All details were documented.

According to regulations, the female historian also needed to present this to the empress for review and the empress’s seal, acknowledging the bedchamber service as legal and valid. Following custom, jewelry and accessories would be bestowed upon the one who served, indicating the consort “worked hard.”

The emperor and consorts’ intimate life was transparent and public, with no privacy, ensuring imperial bloodline purity.

With Empress Xiaoci gone, signing and sealing naturally fell to Consort Guo Ning, who managed the harem.

Stone-faced, Consort Guo Ning bestowed a jade ruyi scepter on Consort Da Ding and affixed the golden seal.

Just after the female historian took the sealed book and departed, Nanny Guo hurried over to “announce good news”—Consort Da Ding couldn’t get out of bed after her bedchamber service.

Consort Guo Ning’s willow brows bristled: “Hmph! At her age, still imitating ‘servants help up her delicate weakness, first receiving new imperial favor’—what an affected old vixen!”

Nanny Guo quickly completed the story: “She’s ill. First Director Ru was summoned, but she didn’t dare prescribe without certainty. Later the Imperial Medical Academy director was called, diagnosing heart disease.”

Hearing this “heartening” good news, Consort Guo Ning immediately changed from anger to joy. Suppressing inner glee, she said: “Misfortune depends on fortune; fortune depends on misfortune. Consort Da Ding was first to serve—she must have been overjoyed. Extreme joy brings sorrow—her heart became ill from happiness.”

Consort Guo Ning had wanted to be the first woman to sleep with Emperor Hongwu, feeling this befitted her deputy empress status. Thus she bore grudges against Consort Da Ding.

Hu Shanwei listened with complex emotions, maintaining a smile: “Your Highness leads the harem and should have magnanimous tolerance. You mustn’t compete jealously with someone like Consort Da Ding.”

“No competition, no competition. Getting angry and falling ill would damage the body—that would be a great loss.” Consort Guo Ning was in excellent spirits, not minding Hu Shanwei’s criticism of her instability: “I mustn’t follow Consort Da Ding’s path. With a heart like still water, undisturbed by favor or disgrace, only then can one last long.”

Consort Guo Ning felt she had improved considerably: “Prepare gifts. I’ll visit Consort Da Ding.”

Based on her understanding of her new boss, Hu Shanwei knew Consort Guo Ning’s “kind-hearted visit” was actually showing off and irritating the “overly happy” Consort Da Ding.

Consort Guo Ning was shallow-minded. If complications arose, it would be troublesome. Hu Shanwei quickly said: “Times are different now. Your Highness is like a deputy empress with noble status. How could you personally stoop to visit Consort Da Ding? I can visit on Your Highness’s behalf.”

Consort Guo Ning found Hu Shanwei’s words reasonable, nodding: “When Noble Consort Chengmu Sun Shi was seriously ill, Empress Xiaoci only stooped to visit her a few times. Consort Da Ding can’t compare to Noble Consort Chengmu. I cannot go. Please trouble Director Hu to make the trip.”

Influenced by Hu Shanwei, Consort Guo Ning now referenced Empress Xiaoci’s words and actions in almost everything, like using “The Great Ming Empress Job Guide—From Preparation to Entry,” copying the pattern. Though sometimes incorrect, this was the most effective method.

Consort Guo Ning had many flaws but possessed the virtues of “correcting mistakes” and “accepting advice readily.” This allowed her disadvantageous start to gradually improve. Even after the Prince Lu pill incident, Emperor Hongwu didn’t strip her harem management authority.

Hu Shanwei said: “Your Highness is too kind. Delivering messages and running errands for Your Highness is my duty.”

Nanny Guo prepared gifts—mostly health-promoting medicines like ginseng and lingzhi—for Hu Shanwei to deliver to Consort Da Ding’s sickroom in Qianqing Palace.

Watching Hu Shanwei’s figure disappear through the palace gates, Nanny Guo returned to say: “Your Highness, Director Hu seems somewhat fatigued. When she returns from gift delivery, Your Highness should let her rest.”

Consort Guo Ning recalled Hu Shanwei’s complexion: “Really? Her makeup was exquisite, no different from usual.”

Nanny Guo said: “Cosmetics only conceal—eyes don’t lie. I saw red veins in her eyes. Probably from recent days of worrying for Your Highness. Health is important—we can’t exhaust Director Hu to illness. The future is long, and we’ll need Director Hu’s help.”

Nanny Guo suggested sustainable development—not continuously exploiting Hu Shanwei until she was worn out. Consort Guo Ning agreed.

Hu Shanwei arrived at Qianqing Palace’s western side hall. Since this was the emperor’s bedchamber, Consort Da Ding’s Xianfu Palace servants couldn’t help—only an old nanny accompanied her.

Hearing Hu Shanwei had come, Consort Da Ding struggled to sit up: “Consort Ning’s gift—forgive my weakness, I cannot come thank her.”

Consort Da Ding’s face was pale, lips blue-tinged, looking ill yet somehow more beautiful than before.

She appeared as harmless as a weak little rabbit. Without evidence in hand, who could know she was Empress Xiaoci’s murderer?

Murder demands life payment.

Hu Shanwei had previously sympathized with Consort Da Ding’s circumstances, deceived by her smoke screens, repeatedly going astray, causing Empress Xiaoci to be repeatedly calculated against, suffering physical and mental blows…

Remembering Empress Xiaoci’s resigned sadness before death, Hu Shanwei’s heart ached. She wasn’t the healing Doctor Ru—at this moment, she hoped Consort Da Ding would suffer more painfully from illness. Wrongs have sources, debts have owners. If you wanted revenge, go after Emperor Hongwu! Why harm the innocent?

Not wanting to reveal her thoughts, Hu Shanwei lowered her head slightly: “When Your Highness recovers, expressing gratitude won’t be too late.”

After delivering gifts and returning to Xianfu Palace, Consort Guo Ning indeed told her to rest. Hu Shanwei fabricated a lie: “Last night I dreamed of Empress Xiaoci. The dream was fragmented. Upon waking, I felt extremely tired, as if I hadn’t slept all night. I believe Empress Xiaoci sent the dream. Today I want to visit Xiaoling to feed deer and clean the shrine.”

Just then news came from the Imperial Medical Academy that Prince Lu’s pill poisoning was nearly cleared and he’d been sent to East Fifth Quarter to recuperate—more good news. Consort Guo Ning was in high spirits: “Go yourself, and offer incense to Empress Xiaoci for me.”

Hu Shanwei went through departure procedures at the Court Bureau of Rites. Learning of this, Shen Qionglian wanted to accompany her, claiming she wanted to paint a deer herd picture and seek inspiration at Xiaoling.

Actually, Hu Shanwei understood—with Prince Lu finishing treatment and returning to the palace today, Shen Qionglian wanted to avoid him, so she agreed to bring her along.

Director Cui most favored Shen Qionglian, readily agreeing to all her requests.

Hu Shanwei and Shen Qionglian left the palace together. Xiaoling had many evergreen pines, so even in winter it remained lush and green. After offering incense to Empress Xiaoci, Hu Shanwei brought Shen Qionglian to feed deer. To her surprise, Shen Qionglian was an excellent rider, feeding while spurring her horse, leading the fat deer herd in circles around Xiaoling.

Hu Shanwei still remembered the “one pair of lilies, one pair of gays” green peacocks. Southern birds couldn’t tolerate severe cold and had moved early to heated quarters. She went to the greenhouse to visit old “bird” friends.

Arriving at the greenhouse, she heard a voice from afar: “You two bachelors planning to muddle through life together? Why won’t you get close to the wives I traveled thousands of li to pick for you? If you don’t lay eggs by next spring, beware—I’ll stew you both in phoenix soup!”