Han Yan sighed inwardly. Even if the Empress wanted to help her out of this situation, she wouldn’t risk offending the Empress Dowager for her sake. Everyone knew the Empress Dowager was the most respected person in the current Emperor’s eyes. Today’s events had made things clear to Han Yan – the Empress Dowager was allied with Imperial Consort Chen. Han Yan felt an inexplicable dislike towards this Empress Dowager, sensing something unfathomable about her.
In the great hall, except for Deng Chan, everyone else watched with schadenfreude as Han Yan was given the cold shoulder by Imperial Consort Chen. Zhuang Yu Shan was feeling particularly pleased with herself. Imperial Consort Chen was very close to her, and now with this connection to the Empress Dowager, what did it matter if she was only a secondary consort? Even Li Jia Qi would have to show her some respect.
After talking for a long while, Imperial Consort Chen swept her gaze across those seated below. She noticed that Han Yan was still standing perfectly straight, maintaining a smile without showing any trace of displeasure or impatience, just quietly standing to one side. Originally intending to humble her, she hadn’t expected this thirteen-year-old girl to be so composed.
Despite such treatment, she neither made a fuss nor showed any sign of grievance, instead remaining perfectly calm. This made it appear to others as if Imperial Consort Chen was deliberately causing trouble for Han Yan. Looking at Han Yan’s composed demeanor, Imperial Consort Chen found it somewhat irritating and finally waved her hand, saying, “You may return to your seat.”
Han Yan thanked Imperial Consort Chen, and noticing Deng Chan’s small wave, smiled and went to sit beside her.
As soon as she sat down, Deng Chan eagerly grabbed her hand and whispered in her ear, “How did you offend Imperial Consort Chen again? She’s giving you such a hard time.”
Han Yan shrugged, pretending not to know what was going on. However, she understood in her heart that Imperial Consort Chen’s treatment of her was likely because of the Seventh Prince. Fu Yun Xi had previously mentioned that opposing Prince Wei and Zhuang Shi Yang meant opposing the Seventh Prince. Now that she had thwarted Wei Ru Feng’s plans several times and caused Zhuang Shi Yang’s demotion, it was natural that the Seventh Prince would want to eliminate her. She just hadn’t expected him to use Imperial Consort Chen and the Empress Dowager to do so. Han Yan hesitated – did this mean the Empress Dowager was allied with the Seventh Prince?
This seemed rather troublesome. With the Empress Dowager’s support, the Seventh Prince would likely gain the Emperor’s support as well. If the Emperor supported him and appointed a new Crown Prince, once the Seventh Prince gained power, Wei Ru Feng would rise with him. Given how much Zhuang Shi Yang and Wei Ru Feng hated her now, she wouldn’t fare well when that day came.
Han Yan clenched her fists. Why, she wondered, did the Empress Dowager favor the Seventh Prince so much?
While Han Yan was lost in these thoughts, the banquet had begun. She chatted and laughed with Deng Chan, appearing quite at ease. The Zhou sisters weren’t present today – Madam Zhou because she hadn’t fully recovered her health and thus couldn’t attend palace banquets. As for Elder Madam Zhou, the reason for her absence was unknown. Another reason for Madam Zhou’s absence was that the recent incident of assassins entering the Zhuang residence had become the talk of the entire capital, along with the news that the Zhou mother and daughter had been imprisoned for several days and punished with ten heavy strokes for interfering with the official investigation. Now that Zhuang Yu Shan was Wei Ru Feng’s secondary consort, people naturally wouldn’t dare say anything openly, but Madam Zhou was just a concubine of Zhuang Shi Yang, and there was no shortage of people willing to gossip about her.
Madam Zhou’s absence was likely due to her fear of such gossip. Thinking of Madam Zhou’s teeth-grinding hatred, Han Yan couldn’t help but smile slightly.
Deng Chan remarked curiously, “You do attract a lot of drama – as soon as one issue ends, another begins.” Then, thinking of something else, she added, “But you’re fine now, you’ve become the Princess Consort of Prince Xuan Qing.” She looked at Han Yan enviously, “You said before that you didn’t like him, but now such an exceptional man has become your husband, and you’ll be his only wife for life. I’m so jealous.”
Han Yan teased her while nibbling on a pastry, “I think you’re ready for marriage. Since you like Fu Yun Xi so much, how about I let you have him? You can be the Princess Consort of Prince Xuan Qing.”
Deng Chan’s eyes widened as she pushed Han Yan, “Stop talking nonsense! I don’t like him, he’s too cold. I prefer General Cheng…” She caught herself mid-sentence, realizing her slip, and looked anxiously at Han Yan.
Han Yan deliberately drew out her words: “General Cheng… right?”
Deng Chan panicked, quickly looking around to make sure no one had noticed their conversation, then gave Han Yan a light slap, “Don’t be ridiculous.”
Han Yan was genuinely happy, “If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. But if you truly like him, you should be brave and express your feelings. If he likes you too, then it’s meant to be.”
From her previous life experience, Han Yan understood that keeping feelings buried in one’s heart and only watching someone from afar wasn’t enough. A person’s true nature might not be what others see. To avoid regrets, the best approach was to learn everything clearly before emotions took root.
Deng Chan rested her chin in her hand, “But I don’t know how he feels…” She had the wistful look of a young girl in love. Han Yan, unsure how to comfort her on this matter, could only sigh and say no more.
Halfway through the feast, a palace maid suddenly gestured for everyone to quiet down. Han Yan was just putting down her teacup when she heard the Empress Dowager say, “Princess Consort Xuan Qing.”
Han Yan started slightly but quickly stood up, smiling as she said, “What are your instructions, Empress Dowager?”
“Come here to me,” she said.
Though Han Yan had her doubts, she couldn’t show them, so she smiled and walked to the Empress Dowager’s side. Before she could make any other movement, the Empress Dowager beckoned, and a palace maid in pink robes stepped forward, carrying a tray.
Han Yan glanced at it and saw that the silver tray held a small wine pot made of jade, a soft cloth, and a round little wine cup.
Her mind exploded with the memory from her previous life – the wedding day filled with bright red, the moment that poisoned wine went down her throat.
The Empress Dowager smiled and spoke, “Yun Xi is my most beloved son, and now that you are his Princess Consort, I specially bestow upon you this cup of clear wine.”
The palace maid stepped forward carefully, picking up the wine pot while another palace maid filled the cup and presented it to Han Yan.
Han Yan’s smile became somewhat stiff as she looked at the cup of wine before her. Through this cup, she seemed to see her tragic death from her previous life. The Empress Dowager’s ill intentions were beyond doubt, and this cup of wine surely carried more significance than just a drink. She couldn’t drink it!
Seeing that she was hesitating to take the wine from the palace maid’s hands, the Empress Dowager’s expression became meaningful, “Young Lady Zhuang, why aren’t you accepting this cup of wine from me?”
How should she handle this cup of wine? Han Yan felt as if she had suddenly split into two people – one facing the Empress Dowager’s pressure helplessly, the other calmly observing everything before her.
Imperial Consort Chen reminded her, “Young Lady Zhuang, not accepting this cup would be disrespectful to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager rarely shows such care for anyone; you shouldn’t be ungrateful.”
These words were particularly harsh, and the previously harmonious atmosphere instantly became tense. Even the usually carefree Deng Chan sensed something was wrong. Though she didn’t understand why Han Yan was hesitating to accept Empress Dowager’s bestowed wine, she understood Imperial Consort Chen’s aggressive tone, feeling both worried for Han Yan and angry at Imperial Consort Chen. Meanwhile, Zhuang Yu Shan maintained a smile that was particularly jarring.