Her Majesty Consort Wei was ill. The imperial physicians said she had excessive liver fire, making her prone to anger and mood swings. Furthermore, she had caught a chill, and the combination of heat and cold had led to a persistent high fever.
As her daughter-in-law and niece, Wei Yu naturally had to attend to her.
However, for women of their esteemed status, attending to the sick didn't truly involve fetching tea or water or staying up all night.
Palace maids handled the actual chores. All they had to do was offer a sip of medicine and utter a few words of concern to receive universal praise.
At this moment, Consort Wei, moved, held Wei Yu's hand and said, "You are filial."
Wei Yu wiped the corners of her eyes. "Your Highness, please do not say such things. It is all my duty."
Illness strikes like a mountain, and recovery is as slow as drawing silk.
After her fever broke, Consort Wei remained bedridden for more than half a month.
Consort Wei managed the affairs of the six palaces. With her illness, there was no one to oversee the inner court.
Although Wei Yu's status was sufficient, she was attending to Consort Wei, and the affairs of the inner court involved various concubines, making it inconvenient for her.
The Emperor waved his hand and ordered Consort Chen to assist.
Even though Consort Wei was unwilling, she had no other recourse.
In the inner court, besides Consort Wei, Consort Chen was the most noble.
She was the most suitable candidate.
When Consort Wei recovered, the Emperor, citing her weak health and unsuitability for excessive work, continued to have Consort Chen assist in managing the six palaces.
With her power shared, Consort Wei was naturally displeased.
However, even after she repeatedly hinted to the Emperor that she had fully recovered and was perfectly fine, he refused to revoke Consort Chen's assisting authority.
She then realized that the Emperor's feelings for her were no longer what they used to be.
The Emperor feared her and had brought in Consort Chen to counterbalance her.
Consort Wei was deeply saddened. She was a woman who believed in true love. More than the sharing of power with Consort Chen, the Emperor's changed demeanor affected her more.
At this very moment, more good news arrived from Consort Chen.
She was pregnant.
It had been many years since a child was born in the palace. The Emperor was overjoyed, believing Consort Chen's pregnancy demonstrated his enduring virility and prowess. He immediately intended to issue a decree to elevate Consort Chen to the rank of Noble Consort Chen.
Historically, promotions in the inner court were based on the birth of royal children. No one was promoted solely based on pregnancy.
After all, to put it crudely, the pregnancy was still in its early stages, and the child's survival was not yet certain.
Even Consort Wei, during her time, was elevated step by step to the rank of Consort Wei only after giving birth to a royal son, through the merit of her child.
Later, she had no further offspring, and her rank had not been promoted for many years.
Consort Chen intervened and stopped the Emperor.
"Your Majesty," she said, "this is not in accordance with protocol. It may cause controversy. It will not be too late for Your Majesty to promote me after I give birth to the child."
Consort Chen was not one to be coy or say things like "It is my duty and honor to bear children for Your Majesty." Who wouldn't want a promotion?
If Consort Chen were to become Noble Consort Chen, she would be on equal footing with Consort Wei.
Upon hearing the news, Consort Wei was furious. She felt betrayed.
Both the child in Consort Chen's womb and the potential promotion to Noble Consort Chen made her feel that the Emperor was increasingly treating her as an ordinary concubine.
But wasn't it different before?
She and the Emperor were truly in love!
That night, Consort Wei mourned her lost love in sorrow for a long time.
When dawn broke, she was Niohuru Consort Wei.
Consort Wei congratulated Consort Chen, while simultaneously using the excuse of not wanting her to be tired during her pregnancy to ask the Emperor to revoke her authority over the six palaces.
Consort Chen skillfully deflected: "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I recall that when Your Highness was pregnant with the three princes, you still managed the six palaces meticulously. My background is not as distinguished as yours, and my health is naturally not as delicate as yours. If you were not afraid of fatigue, then I certainly am not."
Consort Wei was so choked that she couldn't utter a word.
Although she had three princes, only the Crown Prince was currently viable.
Consort Chen, on the other hand, had the Seventh Prince, who was around the same age as the Crown Prince, and she was carrying another child.
Once Consort Chen gave birth, she would become Noble Consort Chen.
By comparison, Consort Wei held no advantage.
Even Grand Tutor Wei instructed the female members of the family to include a message with their greetings, suggesting that if an opportunity arose, they should eliminate the child in Consort Chen's womb as soon as possible. If not, they should not force the issue, as it could be counterproductive.
Consort Wei became more vexed with each passing day.
Not long after the news of Consort Chen's pregnancy spread, the Emperor enfeoffed the Seventh Prince as Prince Zhuo and built a princely mansion for him outside the palace, simultaneously bestowing a marriage with Princess Mu Jin.
Upon the issuance of the marriage decree, the entire capital of Duan was silenced.
Princess Mu Jin.
Wasn't she previously betrothed to the then Prince Wu, but later broke off the engagement herself due to difficulties in bearing children?
These were two significant pieces of gossip.
Why would the Emperor choose such a marriage for the Seventh Prince?
Wasn't Consort Chen currently favored by the Emperor due to her pregnancy?
Why would the Emperor want his son to be heirless?
Let alone others, even Consort Wei couldn't understand.
"Could it be that the Emperor is using this method to solidify the Crown Prince's position?" Consort Wei speculated.
She never dreamed that this marriage for the Seventh Prince was personally requested by Consort Chen.
The Emperor had also disagreed at the time.
"Princess Mu Jin? Can't she have children?"
Consort Chen smiled. "She has been cured. If Your Majesty is concerned, you can summon Imperial Physician Lu to inquire."
It was Imperial Physician Lu who had been treating Princess Mu Jin's health for the past two years.
Upon inquiry, the Emperor learned that she had indeed recovered greatly, and with a wave of his hand, he issued the marriage decree.
Regardless of the internal machinations, Consort Wei and the Wei family were delighted with this marriage.
After all, the Mu family had only Princess Mu Jin and her mother left, with no male heirs, making them incapable of causing any trouble.