92. In Collusion

Xia Man'er’s pregnancy and Yan'er’s rise to the rank of Noble Consort had nearly driven He Meiru and Li Yihe to the brink. This morning, when they heard that Li Banshuang had been promoted to Noble Consort, placing her above them in rank, the two of them were furious. Before long, however, even worse news reached them, news that made their hearts sink all the more: Xia Man'er was pregnant.

“Consort Ru, what are we supposed to do?” Li Yihe had lost all sense of direction.

He Meiru looked equally forlorn. What were they to do? How was she supposed to know? Everything had happened overnight.

“We cannot let that Xia Man'er give birth to that child. And we cannot let Li Banshuang carry the emperor's heir!” A chill seemed to rise from He Meiru's very bones, until every pore on her body felt bristled with cold.

“What can we still decide now? We have no power, and our positions are no longer secure,” Li Yihe said bitterly. She had never expected that in little more than a month, Li Banshuang would climb over her head. If not for her brother, how could Li Banshuang have come to this day? It was all because her brother had been blind.

“Do not panic. Right now, the thing Xia Man'er treasures most is that belly of hers. Let me go back and think it over,” He Meiru said, rising and leaving Treasure Source Palace.

At Crimson Luan Pavilion, ever since the joyous news of Xia Man'er's pregnancy had spread throughout the palace, the place had been busier than a market. The Emperor had bestowed a great many jewels, and from time to time he sent over all manner of nourishing delicacies. The other women of the harem also flocked there with unusual diligence, coming two or three times a day.

Xia Man'er understood perfectly well that none of them truly came out of sisterly affection. Either they had come to see her stomach, hoping for some mishap, or they had come to her pavilion to take their chances of running into the Emperor.

But none of that mattered to Xia Man'er now. The flesh within her was the only thing that mattered. So what if Li Banshuang was now a Noble Consort? If she gave birth to a son, then perhaps she would be the future empress.

From that moment on, Xia Man'er began to rest and nourish the pregnancy with great care. She no longer flew into a rage over Li Banshuang's affairs, and the palace maids in Crimson Luan Pavilion found life far easier; their mistress no longer vented her temper on them at every turn.

“Your Ladyship, this bird's nest was sent by Consort Ru. Please have a look,” said the maid Xiulan, holding it up high.

“Throw it away.” Xia Man'er had never believed in sentimental ties or hollow affection. She knew exactly what He Meiru was plotting. She would not take even half a thing from her, because she feared death.

“Throw it away?” Xiulan was incredulous. Such fine bird's nest, and to throw it away would be such a pity.

“Do you feel sorry for it?” Xia Man'er looked down on her. “If you think it's a pity, then it can be yours. But let me warn you: if you eat it and something happens, taking your life, do not come crying to me for revenge.”

At once, Xiulan understood why Xia Man'er wanted the fine bird's nest discarded. Thinking it over, she found the warning entirely reasonable. She hurriedly gathered it up. “Thank you for the reminder, Your Ladyship. I shall throw away this harmful thing at once.”

Xia Man'er gave a cold snort. No one would harm the treasure growing inside her.

“What? Thrown away?” He Meiru stared at Tianruo's report in anger. She had kindly sent that top-grade bird's nest to Xia Man'er, and Xia Man'er had actually ordered it thrown out. How cautious she was.

“Your Ladyship, that bird's nest was of the finest quality. I said you were wasting your good intentions,” Tianruo said on her behalf.

“There is no need to feel sorry for it. No matter how good my things are, her caution is justified,” He Meiru said. She had intended this delivery of bird's nest merely as a probe. As expected, Xia Man'er would never accept anything from her. She would not accept anything sent by any woman in the harem. It seemed that if she wanted to make Xia Man'er's belly go flat, she would need another plan.

At Heavenly Fragrance Palace, Yan'er lay in the hot spring pool, the ripples tracing circles across her skin. Bored, she flicked up droplets of water with her fingers. During this period, the harem had been very quiet. Every morning, Consort Ru and Consort Hui came with a group of others to pay their respects, while Xia Man'er, because of her pregnancy and inconvenient condition, never came to greet her. Yan'er did not care much about that at the moment.

What occupied her thoughts was Xia Man'er's child. On that day she had told Guan Canghai about Zizhan, yet Guan Canghai had merely looked at her without speaking, as though she were talking to a piece of wood. That left Yan'er unsettled. Could it be that Guan Canghai had no intention of taking Zizhan back?

Though Zizhan was not his biological son, that fact was known only to her, his mother. Could it be... Yan'er shook her head, too frightened to continue. If Guan Canghai truly thought as she feared, then he would surely find a way to eliminate Zizhan. That child was hers and Yueyang's, the only blood Yueyang had left. How could she allow Guan Canghai to do such a thing?

“No, no, no,” Yan'er murmured to herself again and again.

If she wished to secure her own position, then she too had to find a way to become pregnant. Xia Man'er was already carrying Guan Canghai's child. If Xia Man'er gave birth to a boy, that child would be the eldest son, and then the crown prince.

Xia Man'er could not be allowed to give birth.

Yan'er silently made her great decision.

At first light, He Meiru got up with great reluctance. She had grown used to being waited on by a crowd each morning, yet now she had to rise early and go together with those foolish women to pay respects to that wretched Li Banshuang.

With an unwilling heart, she left her chambers, only to find Li Yihe already waiting outside. “You are up early, Sister Consort Hui.”

“You as well, Sister Consort Ru. Let us go together,” Li Yihe replied, just as unwilling.

That day, Yan'er did not rise early to await the others' greetings. She had spent the whole night thinking, which left her badly short of sleep, and in the morning she could hardly get out of bed. Rubbing her aching forehead, she let Bi'er help her wash and dress.

Seated in the place of honor, Yan'er smiled brightly at everyone. “How is Imperial Lady Xia's health these days?”

“She refuses to see visitors and has shut herself away. I suppose she is afraid the rest of us mean her ill,” Wu Ling'er blurted out.

“Oh? Sister Xia should not be like that. We are all sisters; how could we harbor such thoughts? I only hope she will come out of her chambers.” Yan'er looked meaningfully at He Meiru.

He Meiru was sharp-witted indeed. After meeting Yan'er's gaze, she gave an understanding smile. “How enviable it must be for Noble Consort Yan to accompany the Emperor every day. It is the dream of all us younger sisters.”

As soon as she said that, a murmur rose among the others.

“Indeed. Right now, all the affairs of the harem are being managed by Sister Consort Hui on my behalf. I spend every day with the Emperor and have no time to attend to anything else in the harem,” Yan'er said deliberately, making herself sound helpless.

“Why not...” Yan'er said again, drawing it out as she glanced at the many bright, eager faces before her. “Today I have asked the Emperor for permission. In a few days, how would you like us all to gather with the Emperor together?”

He Meiru's eyes shifted. “If that is the case, then of course it would be wonderful. But we should tell Imperial Lady Xia as well. It has been a long time since she last saw the Emperor. The Emperor has only been sending her gifts, and all his heart seems to be with you, Sister.”

Yan'er laughed. “Listen to that mouth of yours, Consort Ru. You truly deserve a scolding.”

She joked easily with everyone, and the tension at once eased into a much lighter air.

As soon as she left Heavenly Fragrance Palace, He Meiru hurried straight into Li Yihe's Treasure Source Palace.

“This time, Li Banshuang has made her move,” He Meiru said after dismissing the servants from the room.

“What do you mean?” Li Yihe still did not quite understand. After thinking for a while, she finally smiled. “In that case, Sister Consort Ru, tell me what you plan to do over the next few days. I will cooperate fully.”

With the support of Li Banshuang and Li Yihe, He Meiru still felt resentful that all the dirty work had fallen to her. But now she had no choice but to strike. Openly or in secret, the enemy of one's enemy was a friend.

When Xia Man'er heard that the Emperor would take the women of the harem to enjoy flowers and attend an evening banquet, her whole heart leaped. Since Li Banshuang had been promoted to Noble Consort, she had not seen the Emperor once. Even after she became pregnant, the Emperor merely sent things over; she had not so much as caught a glimpse of him. Though she was with child now, this was still an opportunity. She could not allow the Emperor to forget her.

“Xiulan, get everything ready. Tomorrow, I hear the Emperor is taking everyone to view the flowers. We will go too,” Xia Man'er said, her mood unusually bright.

The next day, by noon, the Imperial Garden had already grown lively. Guan Canghai held Yan'er in his arms and sat at the center of the flowerbeds, while everyone else laughed and admired the blossoms, trading jokes in a scene of great merriment.

“Your Majesty, Imperial Lady Xia requests an audience.”

“Oh? And why has she dared to come out today?” Guan Canghai asked, though he still rose with a smile to greet Xia Man'er.

“Your Majesty...” Xia Man'er was as frail and delicate as ever. “You have not come to see Man'er for so long. Have you forgotten your consort?” In full view of the others, she kept rubbing her belly and then threw herself into Guan Canghai's arms.

“Give her a seat,” Guan Canghai said simply, pulling her away a little.

“Imperial Lady Xia is with child. She should sit beside Your Majesty,” Yan'er said at the proper moment.

“Your consort thanks Noble Consort Yan,” Xia Man'er said haughtily, not putting Yan'er in her eyes at all, except for the Emperor's sake.

And so, with Guan Canghai seated between Yan'er and Xia Man'er, it was just the right hour for lunch. The group prepared to dine in the Imperial Garden.

“I am hungry,” Yan'er said to Guan Canghai, still speaking to him without any formality.

“All right. Bring the meal,” Guan Canghai replied. He had accompanied this group of women to admire flowers entirely for Yan'er's sake. Truthfully, he had little interest in women. Only when he faced Yan'er did he feel any appreciation.

Dish after dish was arranged carefully on each table.

“The Imperial kitchen was very attentive today,” Guan Canghai remarked, looking over the feast before him.

“These were all arranged by Consort Ru. I do not know how to do any of this. I only did not expect Imperial Lady Xia to come today, so I do not know whether the dishes suit your taste,” Yan'er said, deliberately.