The eunuch who came to bestow the imperial reward wore a false smile, neither masculine nor feminine, speaking in a shrill, affected voice: “Your Majesty Empress Dowager, Her Majesty the Empress has decreed that with the recent resumption of warfare against the Northern Wei, our frontline soldiers face arduous battles and enormous military supply needs. The palace should also practice frugality to demonstrate our shared hardship. These paired jade cups and golden spoons—the Princess will likely never have use for them in this lifetime anyway. It would be better to help the Princess save these items and contribute them to military supplies, which would also represent the Princess’s heartfelt intention. Since the Princess has received abundant imperial grace and has always understood righteousness, she would surely be willing.”
Princess Wen Chang prostrated herself on the ground, listening to these heart-piercing words. Her entire body felt numb and rigid, devoid of sensation, yet she could only bury her face deeply in the dust and express trembling gratitude with a voice filled with sorrow and humiliation.
Even this was not enough. The eunuch wore a sinister smile as he urged her to go to Changshou Palace, where the Empress Dowager resided, to express her gratitude. Though she knew this visit would surely bring another round of humiliation, Princess Wen Chang had no choice but to hastily change her clothes and rush to Changshou Palace.
In Changshou Palace, the imperial consorts gathered in full splendor, adorned with pearls and jade. The Empress and Empress Dowager sat magnificently dressed in their elevated positions. As the Princess came forward to express gratitude, the two women leisurely sipped tea without even lifting their eyelids. The Princess knelt awkwardly and anxiously on the spot, uncertain of what to do, when a palace maid came to report: “Consort Rui has arrived.”
The roomful of women immediately turned their gazes—whether jealous, resentful, amused, or deeply concealed—toward the palace entrance.
After a considerable time, Consort Rui finally entered, her long dress trailing on the ground, her cloud-like hair loosely arranged, wearing light makeup, with a graceful and unhurried demeanor. She seemed to smile warmly at everyone, yet her eyes held no one within them.
While the entire room displayed magnificent luxury, only Consort Rui wore light silk garments with a casual peach-blossom makeup style. Her spiral hair bun bore no pearls or jade, only pale blue silk ribbons hanging softly. Golden gauze on her arms fluttered with the wind, ethereal as an immortal.
This alone would have been striking enough, but most peculiar was that below her eye, she had applied a single crimson beauty mark, resembling a fallen tear.
The palace consorts exchanged glances with each other, none daring to speak.
The Empress, however, could barely conceal her deep-seated jealousy. Her usually dignified countenance was filled with severity. Facing this woman who constantly threatened her position as Empress while she remained powerless to act, even her voice could barely hide her hatred.
“Why has the Consort adopted such strange attire today?”
“Oh,” Qin Chang Ge covered her face with a plain fan and smiled softly.
“I heard that the state of Li has a ‘double dimple makeup’—below the eyebrows and above the dimples, a dot of cinnabar creates charming beauty, further accentuating a woman’s flowing gaze and graceful demeanor. Having leisure today, I tried to recreate it. How does it look?”
Beside the Empress, He Jingrao—the second daughter of Deputy Privy Council Minister He Anxian, who had been granted the title Concubine Yao—stared at her newly painted fingernails coated with pearl and shell rouge tribute from the Northern Sea Kingdom. She examined the glittering nails as if she could never see enough of them, while coldly laughing: “How peculiar indeed. If it’s supposed to be double dimples, why is only one side marked? Could it be that you tried to paint a tiger but ended up with a dog instead?”
Qin Chang Ge showed no irritation whatsoever, only continued to smile.
“That makeup style is only suitable for girls in Li who haven’t yet reached their fifteenth year. In any case, I’m already old and have no need to paint double dimples. Adding just one side can still give a taste of novelty.”
With this single statement, everyone’s expression changed. Qin Chang Ge was twenty years old this year—though older than the other consorts, she was still much younger than both the Empress Dowager and Empress. By calling herself “old,” wasn’t she mocking the two palace matriarchs as “decrepit”?
That phrase “In any case, I’m already old and have no use for them” sounded exactly like the earlier imperial decree the two palace matriarchs had issued regarding the Princess: “the Princess will likely never have use for them in this lifetime anyway, so it would be better to help the Princess save them.” The tone was identical and sounded genuinely sarcastic.
However, Qin Chang Ge had already turned her gaze toward the Princess, who still knelt on the ground. As if she had just noticed her, her expression changed and she rose in surprise, exclaiming: “Isn’t this Grand Princess Wen Chang? Why is the Princess kneeling here?”
She quickly walked to Wen Chang’s side. Upon seeing her approach, tears welled up in Wen Chang’s eyes, but she forcibly suppressed them, biting her lips and remaining silent. The Empress Dowager spoke indifferently: “The Princess came to Changshou Palace today on her birthday to express gratitude. Does the Consort think the Princess should not kneel before me?”
“Of course she should,” Qin Chang Ge smiled sweetly. “Not just the Princess—anyone here who sees you should kneel. You are the mother of the nation. Even the Son of Heaven performs filial rites and pays daily respects to you. How much more so should we?”
The Empress Dowager made an “mm” sound, her expression softening slightly.
“However,” Qin Chang Ge slowly circled the hall once, observing the seated consorts, and said with a smile: “Sisters, I suddenly recalled a small matter that I don’t quite understand. Could you perhaps enlighten me?”