“Does Consort Shen mean to keep me from going to the Northern Palace and stay here to accompany you instead?” Gu Chaobei turned back with a smile and asked softly.
Hanlu paused, withdrawing her hand somewhat guiltily. She couldn’t afford to offend Empress Dowager Nian’s temperament—she’d just experienced it today. But to just let him go see Shen Guiyan like this—how could she be willing?
“Why doesn’t this subject-consort accompany Your Majesty there?” Hanlu said. “When I went to Empress Dowager Nian’s palace today, the Empress Dowager quite liked this subject-consort and even gifted me a treasure. Your Majesty hasn’t interacted much with Empress Dowager Nian yet—this subject-consort can help smooth things over.”
This reason was sufficient. Gu Chaobei thought about it and nodded with a smile. “Alright, then my beloved consort shall come with me.”
Going out the door, happily boarding the dragon carriage together with the Emperor, watching everyone they encountered kneel and pay respects—Hanlu also felt a sense of lofty joy.
Gu Chaobei wore a smile at the corners of his mouth the entire way. By his reckoning, his connection with this Shen Guiya was not shallow. Having such a foolish woman following him around could actually help him quite a bit invisibly.
When they arrived at the Northern Palace, the one welcoming them at the entrance was actually Shen Guiyan wearing palace maid clothing.
Seeing her from afar, Gu Chaobei’s breathing lightened. Her complexion still looked somewhat haggard. He didn’t know if the cushion from last night had made her more comfortable.
Just one glance—he couldn’t look anymore and had to turn his head to look elsewhere.
“The Empress Dowager is already waiting inside the hall. This slave respectfully welcomes Your Majesty and Consort Shen.”
Though seeing Consort Shen surprised her somewhat, Shen Guiyan still bowed in ceremony as the Empress Dowager had instructed.
“Mm.” Gu Chaobei descended from the dragon carriage. Without looking at her further, he turned and walked toward the hall. Hanlu came up to walk at the Emperor’s side and even turned back to glance at Shen Guiyan with contempt.
There were probably too many women in the rear palace—His Majesty hadn’t even glanced at Shen Guiyan once. While Hanlu was pleased, she also harbored some doubt. Had Gu Chaobei truly not recognized Shen Guiyan, or was he deliberately ignoring her?
Observing along the way, Gu Chaobei’s expression was composed. After entering and paying respects to Empress Dowager Nian, he sat down.
“This is this son’s first visit to pay respects to Mother Empress. I’ve specially brought a pair of jade ruyi.” Gu Chaobei smiled. “Please accept them, Mother Empress.”
Empress Dowager Nian smiled. “You’re thoughtful. Yan’er, bring the items before this dowager.”
Shen Guiyan, standing to the side, nodded and came forward to receive the box Zhuiyun was holding. Just as she turned to walk, she saw Hanlu’s foot extended seemingly carelessly beneath her.
Did she think she was blind? If she stepped on it, would that count as offending her superior?
Shen Guiyan pressed her lips together and looked up at the box in her hands. Acting as if she hadn’t seen Hanlu’s move, she lifted her foot and stepped right on it. With an “Ah!” she threw the box in her hands forcefully upward and pitched forward.
Empress Dowager Nian was startled. Qiujin beside her reacted extremely quickly, reaching out to catch Shen Guiyan.
But someone else moved even faster, catching her around the waist and frowning as he looked at her.
No one caught the box—it smashed onto the floor with a crack. The jade ruyi inside, without needing to look, were certainly broken.
Shen Guiyan’s face was pale. Meeting Gu Chaobei’s eyes, she was stunned for an instant.
His eyes were a deep sea, staring at her fixedly, seeming somewhat annoyed yet also somewhat resigned. But in just a moment, they regained their calm. With anger, he helped her stand upright. Gu Chaobei said, “So it’s you.”
As if he hadn’t recognized her at the entrance at all just now.
Shen Guiyan knelt on the spot, reaching out to take the box and open it. Both jade ruyi were broken in two.
Hanlu was frightened and covered her mouth. “You audacious palace maid—you actually dropped what His Majesty presented to the Empress Dowager!”
This was interesting. If it were an ordinary palace maid who dared drop the Emperor’s items, without a word she could be dragged out and beaten to death. But this was Shen Guiyan. Hanlu was very curious—what would the Emperor’s reaction be?
Empress Dowager Nian sat above, unconcerned. “This newly arrived palace maid is just this clumsy. This dowager doesn’t like her either. Having committed such a grave error today, Your Majesty may deal with it as you see fit. This dowager has no objections.”
Shen Guiyan knelt on the ground without speaking. Gu Chaobei’s expression was extremely unpleasant. “I had thought you were sensible—that even without status, you would behave properly in this palace. Who knew your heart was so narrow that you would drop the gift I gave the Empress Dowager? Aren’t you deliberately trying to create discord between me and the Empress Dowager?”
The pretext was hers to provide—whatever crime he chose to assign was for Gu Chaobei to freely determine. Shen Guiyan just needed to kneel and listen.
“Originally when I came today, I still thought you and I had the bond of first marriage. If you were obedient, it wouldn’t be difficult for me to speak with Empress Dowager Wen and establish you as a Noble Lady again. But now you actually can’t restrain yourself and are eager to make things difficult for me?”
Gu Chaobei said in great anger, “Since the Empress Dowager wants me to deal with this, then I decree—drag this palace maid out and give her two hundred strokes with the court rod!”
Hanlu was shocked. Looking at Gu Chaobei’s expression that showed no trace of joking, she was also astounded.
Did the Emperor truly have no affection left for Shen Guiyan? She had harbored some doubts before, but seeing this situation today, it really didn’t seem false. Two hundred strokes with the court rod—Shen Guiyan wouldn’t survive. If Gu Chaobei still held even half a shred of feeling for her in his heart, how could he give such an order?
Empress Dowager Nian truly didn’t stop him. Zhuiyun personally escorted Shen Guiyan out.
To receive punishment, the location naturally wasn’t the Northern Palace but the Office of Careful Punishment. As Shen Guiyan and Zhuiyun made their way there, they attracted quite a few onlookers.
“What happened? Isn’t that Lady Shen Guiyan? Why is she walking toward the Office of Careful Punishment for no reason?”
“Big news! Lady Shen just dropped the jade ruyi His Majesty gave to Empress Dowager Nian at the Northern Palace. His Majesty decreed two hundred strokes with the court rod!”
“Good heavens! That’s still his first wife—yet His Majesty truly won’t give her any face at all!”
Zhuiyun walked very slowly, escorting Shen Guiyan as if deliberately giving these people time to discuss and observe. Only after everyone had seen enough and messengers had run off in all directions did he say in a low voice, “Master Yan, rest assured—His Majesty absolutely has no intention of killing you.”
“I know.” Shen Guiyan laughed softly. “You don’t need to explain much to me. His thoughts—I can see through them.”
As Empress Dowager Nian had said, the more the Emperor detested her, the easier her path would be. As for how to rise in position, Director Guo had already given her the answer.
From the Northern Palace to the Office of Careful Punishment, Zhuiyun and she walked for half a shichen. All the palaces had already heard the news, and even Empress Dowager Wen was alarmed and specially came to watch the excitement.
Once Empress Dowager Wen came, the Emperor and Empress Dowager Nian also justifiably followed.
“Why has the Emperor lost his temper so severely?” Empress Dowager Wen said with a smile. “That palace maid’s crime doesn’t warrant death, does it?”
Gu Chaobei laughed coldly. “I most detest hypocritical women. When she was sensible before, I thought her quite decent. Now she’s completely torn off her mask and become hideous and frightening. This is my first time paying respects to Empress Dowager Nian today, yet she, as Empress Dowager Nian’s palace maid, dared drop my gift. If not for the Empress Dowager’s tolerance, this incident would certainly have created a rift between mother and son today. Isn’t that enough reason for me to execute her?”
Empress Dowager Wen nodded as she listened, looking at Shen Guiyan restrained on the bench over there and sighing. “What a pity about the Emperor’s first wife.”
“It’s just that our hair was tied together once—what’s so special about that?” Gu Chaobei said dismissively. “If I want to, I can simply tie it with someone else again. Begin the punishment!”
His expression was truly too composed, his eyes full of disgust and cold-bloodedness. Watching him, Empress Dowager Wen had not the slightest doubt—the Emperor already had no lingering attachment to this Shen Guiyan whatsoever.
She had overestimated Shen Guiyan. This was as far as she could go.
Empress Dowager Wen shook her head, watching the people from the Office of Careful Punishment come out with court rods ready to strike.
“Wait!” Shen Guiyan suddenly called out.
“What?” Empress Dowager Nian stood to the side and laughed scornfully. “You still want to beg for mercy?”
“No.” Shen Guiyan bit her teeth and looked toward Gu Chaobei, saying hatefully, “This slave’s death is not worth mentioning and won’t leave any impression in Your Majesty’s heart. But this slave must say—doesn’t Your Majesty want children? Wasn’t it because this slave couldn’t bear children before that you demoted me to palace maid? Then what do you say now that this slave is with child!”
At these words, the entire place erupted. Empress Dowager Wen frowned tightly. Before she could speak, Empress Dowager Nian said, “You’re with child?”
Shen Guiyan laughed lightly. “Yes. I conceived while still outside the palace. These past days my body has been uncomfortable. I had a medical woman examine me and only then learned I was pregnant. This being the case, isn’t the imperial decree saying this slave is infertile rather laughable?”
Gu Chaobei frowned. Hanlu beside him believed it even less. “There are plenty of people who fake pregnancy. Do you dare let all the imperial physicians in the palace examine you?”
“This slave dares.” Shen Guiyan looked at Hanlu. “A real belly and a fake belly are different—anyone who examines can tell.”
Hanlu was choked by this insinuating remark, standing to the side with narrowed eyes looking at her. Empress Dowager Wen looked at the Emperor’s expression, then at Shen Guiyan, thoughtfully. “Then summon all the imperial physicians in the palace.”
The executioners all set down their court rods. Shen Guiyan was helped to sit to the side. Before long, seven or eight imperial physicians arrived and took turns examining her pulse.
“Reporting to both Empress Dowagers and His Majesty.” Director Guo came forward and bowed. “Lady Shen is indeed with child—already over one month along.”
Over a month ago, they were still at the Gu residence. At that time, the two were still affectionate with each other, and Shen Guiyan was researching the childbearing manual.
The Emperor’s brow never relaxed. Hearing this news, he wasn’t particularly happy either, only looking toward Empress Dowager Wen. “What does Mother Empress think should be done about this matter?”
His own child, and he didn’t care in the slightest, asking for her opinion first. Empress Dowager Wen felt Gu Chaobei was simply too tactful, entrusting even the dragon heir to her for handling.
Having a dragon heir was a good thing. Empress Dowager Wen looked at Shen Guiyan with a smile. “Since she’s with child, then we misunderstood Lady Shen before—she’s not infertile after all. This being the case, Your Majesty might as well decree to receive Lady Shen into the palace.”
She used “receive,” not “establish.” Empress Dowager Wen’s meaning was very clear—Shen Guiyan could enter the palace with her belly, but she would absolutely be below the rank of consort.
The legitimate wife treatment she should have received originally—she wouldn’t get any of it. It was just that because Gu Chaobei made Empress Dowager Wen very reassured, Shen Guiyan entering the rear palace posed no threat. Moreover, the child in her belly could serve as leverage for her in the future.