Huo Zichong immediately led troops to resist. After fighting through the night, he led his troops in pursuit of the Wokou raiders for thirty li, only to fall into an ambush.
“How could there be so many Wokou raiders?” His deputy general couldn’t understand it, but with Huo Zichong trapped, and no one else able to command the troops now, what was to be done?
“Rescue General Huo first, eliminate the Wokou raiders, then investigate their origin—there’s no rushing that,” the Emperor said heavily. “I will lead the troops myself.”
Under these circumstances, there was simply no way for him to leave.
Eunuch Qin sighed, thought it over, and relayed the Emperor’s message back, instructing Marquis Gongyu to look after Lady Hua for the time being.
Hua Chun’s life had finally entered a period of turmoil. She didn’t dare let Qing Niao linger around in front of the Empress Dowager, and brought only Rui’er with her, the two of them living in the side hall of Huiming Hall, directly across from Noble Consort Wu’s residence, where they could see each other every time either opened their door.
As for the two pregnant consorts, the Empress Dowager treated them with equal regard—the same food and drink for both, all personally handled by Aunt Yuejian, with three imperial physicians overseeing them to ensure their safety.
Seeing this, Hua Chun could set her mind somewhat at ease—at least she could eat well and sleep well.
But the palace staff’s attitude toward the two of them was entirely different. Though she never left Huiming Hall, Hua Chun could still hear plenty of talk—mostly speculation about whose child was really in her belly. Even He Chang’an dared not visit the palace too often, coming only once every five days to see her, along with paying respects to the Empress Dowager.
Were this the modern era, with everyone whispering behind her back and doubting whether the child in her belly was some bastard’s, Hua Chun would long since have been furious. But the people here thought differently, and customs here were different too—she could only convince herself to let it go and wait for the Emperor’s return.
“I’ve heard His Majesty has run into Wokou raiders,” Noble Consort Wu said, sitting beside the Empress Dowager, her expression worried. “Whatever shall we do—what if he’s hurt…”
The Empress Dowager lowered her eyes. “The Emperor won the realm from horseback to begin with. You needn’t worry so much.”
Though she said this, in her heart she was concerned as well.
Hua Chun glanced at Noble Consort Wu and said quietly, “This consort worries too, but that’s near Prince Xi’s fief, and His Majesty and Prince Xi share deep brotherly affection. Prince Xi will surely do everything he can to protect the Emperor, whatever happens.”
The Empress Dowager nodded. “That’s true—Xi’er will help the Emperor too. This business with the Wokou raiders coming out of nowhere is suspicious; there must be something behind it. Still, that’s not something we womenfolk need worry about. The two of you should focus on recovering your health and wait for His Majesty’s return.”
“Yes.” Hua Chun nodded obediently.
Noble Consort Wu pouted, affectionately taking the Empress Dowager’s hand. “This concubine worries for His Majesty, and worries for Prince Xi on the Empress Dowager’s behalf too. On this campaign, His Majesty has fought quite a few battles at Qiu Mountain, and who knows who he’s really fighting. It’s difficult for Prince Xi—helping isn’t right, and not helping isn’t right either. If the Wokou raiders strike again, someone with ill intentions might well pin the blame on Prince Xi, and drive a wedge between His Majesty and the Prince.”
Was this some kind of preemptive vaccination? Hua Chun raised an eyebrow—she’d wager two packets of dried fish that this business with the Wokou raiders was absolutely connected to Prince Xi somehow. Yet here was Noble Consort Wu, carrying the Emperor’s own child, actually planting such ideas in the Empress Dowager’s head. If the Emperor were later to say the Wokou raiders had something to do with Prince Xi, wouldn’t the Empress Dowager then blame the Emperor for falling for someone’s scheme to sow discord?
Speech really was a great art—what you said and how you said it might seem trivial, not worth minding, but placed before someone with influence, it could lead to all sorts of different outcomes.
So she spoke up as well. “His Majesty and Prince Xi are bound by blood thicker than water; no one could drive a wedge between them. But has Noble Consort Wu worried about the wrong person? If Prince Xi is truly without fault, no one could wrongly accuse him, especially with the Empress Dowager watching over things. We don’t yet know who the Wokou raiders are connected to—we’ll have to wait for concrete evidence. You needn’t trouble yourself over it; better to listen to the Empress Dowager and focus on your pregnancy.”
This reasoning made sense too, and the Empress Dowager nodded.
Noble Consort Wu smiled, her eyes lingering deeply on Hua Chun. Hua Chun calmly returned her gaze, likewise smiling.
So Noble Consort Wu understood—this one was not of her kind, clearly standing in opposition to her.
“Consort De.”
Once back resting in the side hall, an attendant from the Bureau of Apparel came by. “The Empress Dowager has ordered a set of winter clothes made for Your Highness—might Your Highness allow us to take measurements?”
“Mm.” Hua Chun followed her into the inner chamber, and after being measured, looked over the list. “An inner robe, an outer robe, and a cloak?”
“Yes,” the attendant nodded.
Nodding, Hua Chun thought the Empress Dowager was being quite gracious, even having clothes made for her.
Then Rui’er came back from outside, absolutely furious. “Can you believe how they’re bullying people like this?”
“What happened?” Hua Chun raised an eyebrow at her.
“You’re a consort in rank at least, while she’s merely a noble consort—well, when it came time to choose fabric for the cloak, Noble Consort Wu’s maid flat out snatched the white fox fur that this servant had gotten hold of first!”
Hua Chun tilted her head. “That bold? Did no one nearby say anything?”
Better not to have asked—asking only made Rui’er angrier. “They didn’t say a single word, just watched this servant get bullied without so much as speaking up for you.”
It was plainly wrong of that maid by Noble Consort Wu’s side named Xi’er, and yet with so many people around, not one of them had spoken up.
Hua Chun patted her shoulder. “Nothing to be done—your mistress’s position is awkward right now, and Noble Consort Wu is quite in favor at the moment. Being bullied by her is only to be expected.”
Rui’er thought about it, and supposed that was true—no matter how wronged she felt, she’d just have to swallow it.
“Where are you going, mistress?” Having just finished consoling herself, she saw Hua Chun stand up, and picked up the cloak beside her as well.
“To go chat with the Empress Dowager,” Hua Chun said.
Rui’er clicked her tongue. “Chat about what? Didn’t you just pay your respects not long ago?”
“Chat about the cloak.” Tying the cords of her cloak, Hua Chun smiled at her.
What? Rui’er was stunned. “You… weren’t you just saying being bullied was to be expected? Now you’re—”
“It’s expected, sure. This palace is full of people who look down on others with dog eyes,” Hua Chun said, smiling through gritted teeth. “But that doesn’t mean I have to just take it lying down!”
Rui’er: “…” Her own mistress really was, as ever, domineering.
There were many things in this world that were expected—like a tiger stranded in the lowlands being bullied by dogs, or a dragon in shallow water being toyed with by shrimp—but that didn’t mean it was right. When one ought to resist, one should resist, even if it meant taking a bit of an attitude. No one was born to be a doormat! If she meekly gave up everything that ought to be hers to Noble Consort Wu without a word, who knew what outrageous things that woman might do down the line.
So Hua Chun went off, sweet and gentle, to thank the Empress Dowager for her kindness.
“The Empress Dowager hasn’t even had new clothes made for herself, yet you thought of this consort—this consort is deeply grateful,” she said. “The Bureau of Apparel has excellent white fox fur; this consort had someone check it, and it’s very comfortable. Why not have the Empress Dowager make herself a set first? Otherwise this consort truly cannot rest easy.”
Approaching it head-on wouldn’t have worked, since Noble Consort Wu currently held more of the Empress Dowager’s favor than she did—so approaching from the side was the way to go. People, after all, must learn to adapt.