The Job of an Imperial Concubine

Chapter 37: Familial Love? (亲情?)

The emperor, empress, and the other imperial concubines sat at the main hall. The moment Zhuang Laoyan had stepped foot inside, she noticed how terrible the expressions of everyone were.  

Once the eunuchs had announced her arrival, the people in the room knew that Zhuang Laoyan was there. They watched as she entered the hall in a well-behaved and courteous manner. And they all shared a look. It was clear to them that another actor had arrived for the show.

After Zhuang Laoyan had performed a full ceremony of paying respects, Feng Jin raised a hand. “No need to stand on ceremony.” Then he ordered the servants by him to direct her to a seat, and did not speak any further.

The empress looked at the inconspicuous appearance of Zhuang Laoyan. She said, “Has Chongyi Zhao also come to visit Third Prince?”

Zhuang Laoyan turned to the side slightly and lowered her head. “Reporting to Your Majesty the empress, after this concubine heard that Third Prince had fallen ill, this concubine came to pay a visit. How is Third Prince’s condition right now?”

“The imperial physicians strived their best to heal him. Just now, His Majesty summoned a Yuyi¹.” The empress sighed. “We only hope that Third Prince will make it out safely.”

Zhuang Laoyan went along with the empress’ conversation a bit longer, and then no longer spoke. It seemed the empress did not want to speak much as well. Once more, the room fell silent.

“Your Majesty, Third Prince’s ailment has taken a turn for the worse. This official wants to use acupuncture to save him. However…” Trembling, the imperial physician dropped to his knees. It was clear he was out of ideas on how to treat Third Prince.

“Once the Yuyi arrives, discuss with him,” said Feng Jin, countenance dark. “We order you to do whatever you can to save him. If you require anything, just let Us know.”

“Yes.” Cold sweat drenched the imperial physician’s forehead. After he had heard the emperor’s words, he released a sigh of relief. From what the emperor had said, it seemed even if they could not cure Third Prince, they could still keep their lives.

Consort Xian, whose eyes were red and swollen, continued to wipe her tears as she carefully peeked at the emperor. Noticing his cold and impassive mood, her heart chilled all of a sudden. She no longer dared to look at him.

The atmosphere in the room turned gloomy again, until the Yuyi arrived. Only then did the people present grow more energetic. Zhuang Laoyan glanced at the physicians that normally only treated the emperor. Apart from that, the emperor could send them to treat others as a display of his favor. Normal people did not have the privilege. 

The Yuyis had only entered the room for fifteen minutes when they returned outside with grave expressions. The leader of the Yuyis said, “Your Majesty, there is nothing that this official can do.”

Feng Jin’s expression gradually darkened. “Just what is the reason?”

“Third Prince caught a cold and now suffers from diarrhea and a persistent fever. One would fear… it would bode ill rather than well.” The Yuyi kowtowed, waiting for the emperor’s fury.

Once she had heard those words, Consort Xian was the first to cry out. In the quiet room, it was very conspicuous, but it also sounded natural to others.

Zhuang Laoyan scanned the room, looking at all the distressed imperial concubines. Then she lowered her head, hiding her expressionless gaze. Which of these women had actually seen Third Prince before? Those who weren’t indulging in schadenfreude already had a conscience. To display such an appearance of deep grief was merely lying to other people and themselves.

“Your Majesty,” said Gao Dezhong as he entered the hall. Noticing the poor expressions of the masters in the room, he hesitated before saying, “Cairen Kong asks for an audience.”

Feng Jin furrowed his brows. “Cairen Kong?” He truly had no impression of this woman. Annoyed, he waved. “Do not permit her entry!”

But Zhuang Laoyan thought, wasn’t this Cairen Kong the elder sister of the Third Prince’s birth mother? Judging by the emperor’s appearance, it seemed he did not remember this woman at all.

This was truly interesting. Another pair of sisters. One died after giving birth to a prince. The other did not receive favor from the emperor. Back then, how had their entrance to the imperial palace been arranged?

“Understood,” said Gao Dezhong. Once he saw the emperor like this, who would still waste time? He quickly made his leave.

It seemed the empress didn’t have much of a reaction regarding this matter. However, Zhuang Laoyan still found the action of the empress wiping her tears fake.

“Eunuch Gao, Eunuch Gao,” said Cairen Kong, who had been kneeling outside, once she caught sight of him. She grabbed a corner of the end of his robes, face pale. “Did His Majesty permit me entry? Did he?”

Although she was a lowly cairen, Eunuch Gao did not face her, for she was still an imperial concubine. If he had, then it would be considered him receiving her kneel. “Master Kong, at this moment His Majesty is worried about Third Prince’s safety, and does not have the mood to see you. Why don’t you return first and rest?”

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As soon as the words had left his lips, Cairen Kong collapsed. The hand that clung to Gao Dezhong’s robes also released its hold. The light in her eyes vanished immediately.

Gao Dezhong looked at this appearance of hers. Shook his head. Then he turned around and made his way back through the doors.

Watching as Gao Dezhong left, Cairen Kong swiftly raised her head. All of a sudden, as if she had gone mad, she screamed, “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, may your honored self please let this concubine see Third Prince!”

“Who are you? Acting so noisily. Have you no manners?” A child wearing a brocade robe brought a crowd of eunuchs and palace maids over. He looked at the Cairen Kong who was going crazy, his gaze one of discontent. “No proprietary. Truly intolerable.” Then the child led the throng of palace maids and eunuchs into the main hall. As if that Cairen Kong was nothing more than a fleck of dust, completely unworthy of his attention.

Cairen Kong watched the child enter the doors with a terrified gaze. All of a sudden, she laughed twistedly, pulling herself off the ground in an instant. She started to charge through the doors, shocking the palace maids and eunuchs still for a period. Only after that, did they think of stopping her.

“What’s making so much noise outside?” said the empress. She seemed to have heard a sound from the exterior, drawing her brows together. Feng Jin also lifted his head to see out the doors.

“Son-Official² greets Imperial Father and Imperial Mother. Greets Imperial Consort-mother and the others,” said First Prince just as he had entered through the doors. As such, he had heard the empress’ words. He said, “Someone is screaming outside that they want to come in. The sound just now might have been from her.”

Once she had heard those words, the empress frowned even deeper. She turned to look at the emperor. “Your Majesty, what does your honored self think…?”

“Let her in,” said Feng Jin, not a change in his countenance. “So noisy. Does she not have manners?”

Zhuang Laoyan’s gaze fell upon the doorway. The moment after Cairen Kong stepped through with a sorry appearance, she sighed slightly in her heart. Looked like from Cairen Kong’s actions today, she truly did care about Third Prince. However, it brought about the emperor’s ire.

“Cairen Kong, why did you make such a big fuss?” The empress looked down at the kneeling Cairen Kong from high above. “You are only a lowly cairen. Why haven’t you stayed obediently in your residence? Why have you made such a huge ruckus here? Don’t you know the Yuyis are trying to save Third Prince? For you to make such a ruckus, if something bad happens to Third Prince, can you carry the responsibility?”

Zhuang Laoyan furrowed her brows in a faint manner. The empress indeed had some brains. But to push all the blame onto Cairen Kong clearly illustrated her ruthlessness. She worked in the business world for many years in her previous life, and had been cold-blooded back then. Although she would not extend a hand to help in the face of such familial love, she also could not kick someone when they were down.

The empress truly was the empress. If it were Zhuang Laoyan, she really could not do it.

Cairen Kong kowtowed once, forehead smacking the ground. So loud that everyone in the room heard it. Zhuang Laoyan’s brows twitched, and she averted her gaze.

Feng Jin swept his gaze through the crowd of imperial concubines. Then he slowly looked away. He stared at the kowtowing Cairen Kong. “Enough. Rise. Why have you come?”

“Your Majesty, for this concubine to bother Your Majesty and Her Majesty the empress is a crime punishable by death. This concubine accepts the crime. However, this concubine just wants to see Third Prince once before that. Just one look is enough.” Cairen Kong raised her head to look at the emperor, who was high above the masses. Her face that could not be considered beautiful carried desperation and imploration. “As long as Third Prince is fine, this concubine will have no further requests.”

Feng Jin frowned. For a moment, he could not understand why this Cairen Kong would care so much about Third Prince. Then, he was struck by the realization that the surname of his birthmother was also Kong. Only then did he understand. Seeing this kind of appearance on Cairen Kong, he said, “For you to disturb us naturally would call for punishment. But in light of your sincere care for Third Prince, the punishment will be lessened to kneeling for six hours. Go kneel there.” Feng Jin casually pointed to a corner of the hall.

After tilting his head for a moment, he shifted his gaze to the other imperial concubines again.

What a pitiful Cairen Kong, and an even more pitiful Third Prince…

Reading your theories on who harmed Third Prince was very interesting and fun. Well, the mystery will continue for a while, because we don’t learn who the perpetrator is even after chapter 43 (most recent chapter I translated). Speaking about long mysteries, we still haven’t found out who caused the empress dowager to be in the peach forest (remember when the empress dowager bumped into that palace maid and had her killed?)

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