“Who likes being controlled?” Gu Chaobei laughed lightly. “This son has no great ambitions—I just enjoy listening to music and watching dances, surrounded by beautiful women, with food brought to my mouth. That would be even better. But my legitimate wife was rigid and inflexible, forcing me to study diligently every day and pursue official merit. Now that I can escape her control and be free, naturally I’m overjoyed.”
Gu Chaobei said whatever the Empress liked to hear. Wen Xiuli was pleased, and it further confirmed her belief that any accomplishments she’d seen from Gu Chaobei in the past were all due to Shen Guiyan’s teachings. Without Shen Guiyan, Gu Chaobei was very easy to control.
Now she just needed to think about how to arrange for that Shen Guiyan who was born with an excellent fate.
Not only did Gu Chaobei need to learn etiquette, but the female family members who were to enter the rear palace naturally also needed to learn the rules—how to serve the Emperor, how to attend to the Empress Dowager. Qinghuan, Qingluo, and Jiang Shi were all taken away by their respective instructing nannies, but Shen Guiyan remained in the Side Court Palace with no one coming to fetch her.
“Miss, don’t you need to learn the Empress’s etiquette?” Baoshan asked curiously. “This servant saw that even the chamber maids are going to learn the rules.”
Shen Guiyan sat on the swing with downcast eyes, saying softly, “Once you enter the palace gates, your life is in others’ hands. Why ask so many questions? Whether I become Empress or not doesn’t really matter. I’m somewhat worried about Chaobei…”
To suddenly become an Imperial Prince—the change was too drastic. She wondered if he could bear it. The Empress had always controlled the regency, so even if Gu Chaobei ascended the throne, he would certainly only be manipulated by her.
She was shocked—she had never imagined that such a carefree person would be an Imperial Prince. What shocked her even more was that he had suddenly killed the Crown Prince, curried favor with the Empress, reclaimed his identity, and was about to ascend the throne immediately.
Gu Chaobei, oh Gu Chaobei—what kind of person was he really? She couldn’t understand him, and suddenly felt the distance between them had grown so vast.
It had been several days since entering the palace, and he hadn’t come to see her even once.
“It’s snowing.” Baoshan looked up at the sky and said, “Miss, let’s go back inside.”
“No need. The scenery here is quite beautiful.” Shen Guiyan leaned against the swing, staring blankly at the blooming flowers in front of her. “Who knows when I won’t be able to see it anymore. I want to look a while longer.”
Baoshan frowned, unsure what her young miss was worried about. Wealth and honor would soon arrive, and becoming Empress was a natural progression—why was she still so unhappy?
The snow seemed to be getting heavier. After thinking for a moment, Baoshan turned and ran toward the palace to fetch an umbrella.
Shen Guiyan sat alone in silence.
When a husband ascended the throne, his legitimate wife becoming Empress was indeed natural and proper. But the Empress was above her—the Empress whom she had thoroughly offended. Shen Guiyan felt that entering the palace this time might bring more misfortune than fortune.
“Fourth Young Madam Gu,” someone called from behind her.
Since entering the palace, Shen Guiyan had never heard this form of address again. Looking back, it was actually Yuwen Changqing.
Yuwen Changqing, who had helped Gu Chaobei legitimize his identity, had merit. Once Gu Chaobei ascended the throne, his official rank would only rise higher.
Shen Guiyan looked at him and smiled slightly. “General Yuwen.”
Yuwen Changqing walked closer. Seeing no one around her, he stopped three steps away. “Aren’t you going to learn the rules? Just now when I came this way, I saw many official ladies walking with the nannies.”
“Perhaps Empress Dowager doesn’t consider me for the rear palace, so I don’t need to learn the rules.” Shen Guiyan said indifferently. “It’s fine.”
Originally, she had just wanted to avoid having her reputation damaged by Gu Chaobei and went along with the plan to marry him. Later, she had wanted to live a peaceful life, never imagining there would be a day when she’d enter the palace. This was already unexpectedly good fortune—she didn’t want to ask for more. If the Empress refused to spare her this time, she would accept it.
“Has Young Madam lost confidence?” Yuwen Changqing raised an eyebrow. “Changqing has always remembered that Young Madam was bold in speech and intelligent, as if nothing could defeat you. Now that Chaobei’s great enterprise is about to succeed, don’t you want to continue accompanying him?”
What use was wanting? Shen Guiyan shook her head. She was now a small grasshopper, the kind that couldn’t escape from Empress Wen’s palm. If she squeezed, Shen Guiyan would die—how could she continue accompanying Gu Chaobei?
“Come with me.” Seeing her dejected expression, Yuwen Changqing couldn’t help but beckon to her with his hand and turn to walk outside.
Shen Guiyan paused, then followed curiously. “Where are we going?”
“The Imperial Garden.” Yuwen Changqing said. “Right now there’s no one in the palace—everyone’s been purged and will all be replaced with new people, so just follow me without worry.”
The snow was truly getting heavier. Yuwen Changqing removed his black cloak and covered her head with it, leading her slowly toward the Imperial Garden.
When Baoshan returned, there was already no one on the swing.
“This imperial palace is very large, and the palace walls are very high. Those who survive inside have never had it easy.” Yuwen Changqing said in a low voice. “Take Empress Wen, for example. When she first entered the palace, she was just a minor talented lady, but she climbed up step by step. Lady Nian was the same—having survived several brushes with death, isn’t she still about to become Empress Dowager?”
Shen Guiyan listened without much feeling. “I’ve never thought about climbing to great heights. It’s cold at the top, and there’s nothing I want there.”
“Nothing?” Yuwen Changqing’s head was covered with snow as he smiled lightly. “Isn’t Chaobei what you want?”
Slightly startled, Shen Guiyan sighed and pretended to be carefree. “He loves beautiful women after all. There are plenty more beautiful than me—isn’t it the same whoever accompanies him?”
“Do you really think that?” Yuwen Changqing turned his head to look at her. “If one day he makes someone else Empress, you truly won’t feel hurt?”
Her heart ached, and Shen Guiyan’s eyes reddened.
Just hearing such a hypothetical made her feel hurt—if it actually happened, how could she not be heartbroken? She hated her own weak and powerless appearance. These matters weren’t for her to decide, so she didn’t want to face them.
But thinking of Gu Chaobei’s face, she felt… a bit reluctant to let go.
When Yuwen Changqing led her into the Imperial Garden, snow had already accumulated on the flower branches and tree leaves, with desolation everywhere.
“Come look.” He said. “What do you think is beneath this snow?”
Shen Guiyan looked—beneath the snow, the plants revealed some withered branches. “It must be things that have already died, right?”
Yuwen Changqing smiled and brushed away the snow from the withered branches in the flower bed, pointing it out to her like presenting a treasure. “Look.”
It was a pot of delicate red flowers of unknown name. Though without fragrance, they were blooming perfectly.
Shen Guiyan was stunned.
“You thought it impossible for flowers to still be alive, didn’t you?” Yuwen Changqing said. “But it’s still living, and in spring it will bud again and give off fragrance. It’s called Winter Grass.”
“If it’s clearly a flower, why is it called grass?” Shen Guiyan didn’t understand.
“I think, perhaps because flowers don’t survive well in winter, so it’s called grass. Even though it’s called grass, everyone still thinks it’s beautiful, doesn’t it?”
Shen Guiyan fell silent for a while, then finally turned her head to look at Yuwen Changqing. “You came to encourage me? In this snowy weather, you deliberately brought me all this way.”
Yuwen Changqing touched his nose and smiled lightly. “You’ve discovered it. Actually, I heard some news and thought you might not be able to bear it, so I came in advance to encourage you and help you prepare mentally.”
“What news?” Shen Guiyan asked.
Yuwen Changqing looked at her. “First promise me you won’t be upset.”
Shen Guiyan nodded.
“Empress Wen intends to demote you to be Lady Nian’s attending palace maid, citing your childlessness.”
A palace maid—not even a talented lady. In the household hierarchy, that was the same level as a chamber maid.
Shen Guiyan’s eyes widened slightly. Though she knew the Empress wouldn’t let her off easily, she had never imagined it would be this excessive. She was Gu Chaobei’s legitimate wife, married with the three letters and six betrothal gifts, yet she was being directly demoted to a palace maid?
“What did he say?” After a long while, Shen Guiyan finally found her voice.
“Chaobei had no objections.” Yuwen Changqing lowered his eyes. “He’s probably helpless too…”
Shen Guiyan nodded and slowly crouched down to look at the flower among the withered branches, staring blankly for quite a while.
“But you don’t need to be too heartbroken. The Empress’s position is vacant, and Chaobei says he doesn’t plan to put anyone there for now.” Yuwen Changqing half-bent down, shielding her from some of the snow. “You can take your time.”
Take her time doing what? Once she entered the palace gates, she could never leave again, could she? Not only would she have to share one man with thousands of women, but she’d also have to endure the Empress’s oppression, constantly fearing for her life.
Who said she had an excellent fate? Would they dare stand before her now and discuss it with her?
Shen Guiyan buried her head, crouching on the ground, feeling utterly miserable. The person beside her didn’t disturb her, and the snow had lessened considerably.
When Baoshan finally ran over and found the two of them, Yuwen Changqing had almost become a snowman, and Shen Guiyan still hadn’t stood up.
“Miss, what’s wrong?” Baoshan walked over worriedly, looking at Shen Guiyan, then at Yuwen Changqing.
Just as Yuwen Changqing was about to explain, Shen Guiyan had already looked up with a grimace. “Baoshan, give me a hand. My legs have gone numb from crouching.”
Baoshan: “…”
Extending her hand to help her young miss up, Baoshan gave Yuwen Changqing an odd look before supporting Shen Guiyan as they walked back.
“Farewell, General Yuwen.” Shen Guiyan smiled as if she hadn’t heard anything just now. “Good thing I’m not a rear palace consort—now I don’t even need to avoid suspicion.”
Yuwen Changqing didn’t move, only nodded, watching her depart.
His legs had also gone numb.
“What do you mean you’re not a rear palace consort?” After walking a few steps, Baoshan anxiously asked Shen Guiyan. “Miss, what did you mean just now?”
Shen Guiyan smiled and said, “It doesn’t mean much—just that we have to work hard all over again!”
Work hard at what? Baoshan was very confused, but Shen Guiyan didn’t elaborate further.
Not until the day Gu Chaobei ascended the throne.
The imperial decree came down, conferring the title of Noble Lady upon Jiang Shi, and conferring the titles of Talented Lady upon Qinghuan and Qingluo.
As for Shen Guiyan, she was assigned to the Northern Palace where the Empress Dowager resided, to serve as a palace maid.
Those who learned of this decree were all very surprised. By rights, even if Shen Guiyan couldn’t be made Empress, she should at least be a proper consort, shouldn’t she?
No—the Empress said that Lady Shen could not bear children and could only serve as a palace maid.
But what surprised people even more was that an unrelated person was established as a consort.
Lady Shen Hanlu, for rendering great service to the new Emperor’s ascension, was specially conferred the title of Consort Shen and granted residence in Luhua Palace.