"Imperial Consort Zou has arrived." The eunuch's shrill announcement drifted from afar, reaching the ears of everyone present. The ladies and daughters seated together rose, turning their gazes towards the source of the sound.
A procession of palace maids and eunuchs, escorting Imperial Consort Zou, approached from a distance.
"We greet Imperial Consort Zou."
As she drew nearer, everyone bowed in greeting.
"Rise, all of you."
Zou Yun'er waved her sleeves, granting them permission to rise.
"Thank you, Imperial Consort."
The ladies stood. The Marquis's wife, her face wreathed in smiles, looked at Imperial Consort Zou. Her gaze fell upon the Nine-Headed Phoenix Hairpin adorning the consort's hair. A flicker of astonishment crossed her eyes before she turned and complimented, "Your Highness's hairpin is of exceptional quality and exceedingly magnificent. Yet, even so, it cannot match even half of your radiance."
"If this humble woman may speak, Your Highness should wear another phoenix hairpin."
Wearing another would mean ten phoenixes, a display only the Empress could achieve. This remark was clearly implying that Imperial Consort Zou possessed the bearing of an Empress.
"Do not speak such nonsense!"
Zou Yun'er chided playfully, her voice devoid of anger, carrying instead a hint of pleasure. She clearly agreed inwardly. However, as an Imperial Consort, to covet the Empress's favor was a transgression, not entirely severe, but bordering on usurping the Empress's central position.
She could only reprimand outwardly while rejoicing in secret.
Everyone present understood, yet no one was foolish enough to step forward and accuse the Imperial Consort or the Marquis's wife.
Zou Yun'er took the Marquis's wife's hand, gently patting her hand. Her gaze swept across the gathering, noting the absence of any unfamiliar faces. Her beautifully penciled eyebrows furrowed, and a trace of displeasure tinged her voice with cold sharpness. She turned and inquired, "Where is the Regent's Consort? Has she arrived?"
The eunuch lowered his head and replied, "Reporting to Your Highness, she has not yet arrived."
A cold glint flashed in Zou Yun'er's eyes, yet a smile touched her lips. "It is already this late, and the Consort has not arrived... Little Li Zi, go and greet her. Perhaps the Consort has never entered the palace before and does not know the way."
Upon hearing this, the assembled ladies let out muffled laughter.
"Yes." The eunuch, covering his mouth as he chuckled, respectfully accepted the order.
...
At the palace gates, Nan Shiying arrived fashionably late.
Eunuch Wang, who had been waiting at the inner gate for some time, looked at her unhurried figure with a flicker of displeasure in his eyes. He strode forward to meet her. "Consort Nan is truly a person of great importance and is very busy. It is already past the hour of Chen, and you arrive so late. You have certainly made this humble servant wait!"
His shrill voice sounded as if he had something caught in his throat, making one feel uncomfortable all over. Nan Shiying looked at the eunuch who had suddenly appeared before her, her brow furrowing. A cold light flashed in her eyes, and she let out a disdainful snort from her nose. "Hmph, what scurvy dog is this?"
"You..."
The eunuch's head snapped up, his eyes glaring at Nan Shiying, his teeth gritting. He clasped his hands together, raising them above his head from his left side, and bowed in the direction of Jingren Palace. He replied with arrogance, "This humble servant is a eunuch by the side of the Empress Dowager."
Nan Shiying responded with an "Oh," "And so? Dog slave!"
"You..."
Eunuch Wang had never been so insulted. The wrinkles on his face seemed to deepen.
"What do you mean 'you'? I am the Regent's Consort. You do not address me as 'Your Highness' or perform the ritual of kneeling, yet you dare to speak so disrespectfully? Is this how the Empress Dowager manages her servants and her inner palace?" Nan Shiying suddenly flicked her sleeve, her imposing aura surging. The sound of her sleeve striking the air was like a slap, landing forcefully on Eunuch Wang's face, and also on the Empress Dowager's face.
A sharp glint flashed in Eunuch Wang's eyes, but his previous arrogance vanished. He hastily knelt on the ground, loudly begging for punishment. "This humble servant lost his head, he lost his head. I beg Your Highness to punish me."
A clever maneuver, advancing to retreat.
Nan Shiying gave him a deep look and suddenly chuckled. "Since Eunuch is a eunuch by the Empress Dowager's side, he should naturally be dealt with by the Empress Dowager. Even a dog needs its owner to be beaten; how could I not understand this principle?"
"Very well, you may rise. Remember this from now on: a servant should act like a servant. Do not disgrace the Empress Dowager by committing foolish acts out of her favor."
With this calculated dismissal, she effectively branded Eunuch Wang as a "dog slave." He was a chief eunuch by the Empress Dowager's side. Not only the ladies and daughters of various households, but even the consorts in the inner palace showed him a measure of respect. No one had ever humiliated him so.
Eunuch Wang gritted his teeth and forced himself to swallow the insult. If Nan Shiying were weak and easily bullied, it would be another matter. But clearly, she was a tough nut to crack. To confront her head-on would only bring him misfortune. It was better to bow his head early and let the Empress Dowager teach this ignorant upstart a lesson.
"Your Highness's teachings are correct."
"Alright, rise. Did the Empress Dowager wish to see me by having you wait here?"
"Your Highness is wise."
Eunuch Wang rose and, standing with his head bowed, offered flattery.
Nan Shiying glanced at him and let out a cold, amused snort. "Then hurry and lead the way."
"Yes, yes." Eunuch Wang repeatedly agreed.
He caused no trouble along the way and dutifully led her to Jingren Palace.
"Consort Nan has arrived," he announced loudly from outside the palace.
A palace maid dressed in an ink-green gown emerged from within. She nodded at Eunuch Wang but quickly glanced at Nan Shiying, offering her a bow. However, her expression lacked much respect, even carrying a hint of disdain. "Consort Nan, the Empress Dowager is feeling a little tired. We ask that Your Highness wait here for a moment."
Nan Shiying adjusted the hem of her skirt, not even deigning to look directly at the palace maid. Instead, she turned to Lu Wan and said, "I heard that Lyangyang presented a rare flower some time ago, which would shimmer brilliantly when bathed in sunlight. The Empress Dowager loves flowers, and His Majesty is filial, so he had the flower sent to Jingren Palace. I have always been curious about what that flower looks like. Now, I have the opportunity to see it."
As she spoke, she stepped towards Jingren Palace.
"Consort Nan, this humble servant has already said that the Empress Dowager is resting and has asked you to wait here. Does Your Highness intend to defy the Empress Dowager's decree!"
The palace maid of Jingren Palace blocked the palace gate, her brows knitted in anger as she glared at Nan Shiying, directly accusing her of defying an imperial decree.
Defying an imperial decree?
Nan Shiying smiled.
"I am the lawfully wedded principal consort of Regent Ji Jinmo. If the Empress Dowager is tired, she may indeed refuse to see guests, but there is no reason for her to make me wait outside this gate. What are you, to dare block my path?"
Nan Shiying looked down at the palace maid and then spoke in a cold voice towards the closed Jingren Palace, "Since the Empress Dowager is tired and unable to receive guests, I shall take my leave now." With that, she turned to leave without hesitation.
However, at that moment, the closed palace gate was opened from within. A嬷嬷 (an older female servant) emerged and called out loudly to Nan Shiying, "Consort Nan, please stop. The Empress Dowager requests your presence."