A Concubine’s Competitive Life in the Prince’s Household

Shen Wei had long noticed that the Empress showed little concern for the Xie Family, maintaining a distant and cold relationship.

Cai Lian frowned, equally puzzled. "The Empress is indeed from the Xie Family, but for some reason, her ties with them are extremely strained. Over the years, she has hardly offered them any support."

Shen Wei made a mental note to investigate the reasons behind this when she had the chance.

There would be time for everything later. For now, Shen Wei chose to avoid confrontation. Her immediate priority was to recover her weakened health and recuperate.

The carriage moved slowly along the long official road, its journey scarcely noticed by anyone.

Time flew by. In the first month after the winter snow, the new emperor, Li Yuanjing, formally ascended the throne, declaring the era name "Yongchang."

In the first year of Yongchang, after Li Yuanjing's enthronement, the wives and concubines of the imperial household were gradually promoted. Those without children or imperial favor—common consorts and maids—were sent to Buddhist temples for quiet cultivation. Those with children entered the palace as imperial concubines.

Strangely, however, Shen Wei's name was absent from the list of conferred palace consorts. Palace servants inquired discreetly and learned that Shen Wei had been taken away by the Empress Dowager some time ago.

"Have you heard? Lady Shen was expelled!"

"Wasn’t she the emperor’s favorite? How could she be cast out?"

"I know why. A eunuch from the prince’s mansion said Lady Shen grew arrogant from favor and demanded to be made an imperial noble consort. With her humble origins, how could she aspire to such a title? The Empress Dowager found her unruly and took her away to teach her discipline."

"And the emperor didn’t stop it?"

"The ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‍emperor must have silently consented. After all, Lady Shen is just a peasant’s daughter—what does she know of imperial dignity?"

Rumors swirled in the palace.

The prevailing opinion was: Consort Shen, relying on having borne one daughter and two sons, coveted the position of noble consort, earning the emperor and Empress Dowager’s disdain.

This view gained widespread acceptance, especially since the emperor had neither granted Shen Wei a title nor mentioned her again.

It was said that Shen Wei’s younger brother, Shen Xiuming, rushed to the palace overnight to demand answers about his sister’s whereabouts. The emperor had him beaten with ten strokes of the rod and demoted to a southern county to oversee grain storage.

"Ah, the heartlessness of imperial families," the palace servants whispered among themselves.

New favorites rise while the old are forgotten.

...

At Prince Yan's Mansion.

With Li Yuanjing’s ascension, the side consorts were promoted. Maids and servants bustled about, packing their mistresses’ belongings for transport to their new quarters in the palace.

Zhang Miaoyu, Liu Qiao'er, and Liu Ruyan stepped out of the courtyard.

Zhang Miaoyu stretched, nibbling on a warm sweet cake, and sighed. "Shen Wei was so clever and quick-witted. How could she suddenly anger the emperor? It’s all so strange."

She had secretly sought an audience with the emperor to plead for Shen Wei, only to be harshly rebuked.

Zhang Miaoyu dared not speak further. The emperor’s temper was terrifying now, and she was afraid.

The Zhang family had also sent word, warning Zhang Miaoyu not to defy the emperor once she entered the palace. Now burdened with her family’s future, every move she made had consequences.

Liu Qiao'er smirked with schadenfreude. "The prince’s mansion and the imperial palace are worlds apart. Shen Wei, a peasant’s daughter, was shortsighted and naive about imperial power."

She sneered inwardly.

Just as in her past life, Prince Yan had successfully become emperor. Liu Qiao'er had expected Shen Wei to enter the palace in glory, but instead, the fool had ruined herself.

Utterly stupid.

Zhang Miaoyu pouted. "Who knows? Maybe Shen Wei will return one day."

Liu Qiao'er scoffed. "With fresh beauties entering the palace, do you think the emperor will remember a discarded favorite?"

Men were fickle, always chasing new affections.

Liu Qiao'er remembered her past life—ministers sending their daughters into the palace, the harem blooming with rivalry, consorts locked in deadly struggles.

Until the terrifying Lady of the Lu Family arrived. Beautiful, learned, and captivating, she swiftly dominated the emperor’s favor and bore his child. Every consort who challenged her met a wretched end.

Liu Qiao'er sighed inwardly. In this second life, she would not repeat past mistakes.

Zhang Miaoyu rolled her eyes and turned away, noticing Liu Ruyan silently weeping again. "Sister Liu, why are you crying?"

The winter air was bitter, but plum blossoms bloomed vibrantly in the courtyard. Liu Ruyan stared at the flowers, tears tracing her delicate face.

"The flowers have bloomed again," she murmured.

Zhang Miaoyu shrugged. "Plum blossoms always bloom in winter. What’s there to cry about? Plant some in your palace later."

Liu Ruyan shook her head sadly. "The blossoms inside and outside the palace are not the same."

All her cherished memories with Prince Yan would remain buried here. How could she not grieve?

Zhang Miaoyu looked skyward, missing Shen Wei more than ever. Without her, the other women were impossible to talk to!

...

While the side consorts prepared to move, Kunyu Courtyard, where the Princess Consort resided, was eerily quiet.

The Princess Consort had resigned herself to a life confined within these walls. Yet against all odds, Prince Yan had become emperor—and she, the empress!

Her emotions were a tangled mix of joy, doubt, and bewilderment.

"Madam, Madam Tantai has arrived," Granny Liu announced, entering the prayer hall.

The Princess Consort rose in a daze.

In the main chamber, she faced her mother, whose temples were now streaked with white. Madam Tantai surveyed the courtyard—its aged austerity, the heavy scent of sandalwood—and sighed inwardly.

Dismissing the maids, Madam Tantai spoke plainly. "I urged you to wait and endure for this very moment. Your suffering has borne fruit. As empress, you bring honor to the Tantai family."

Only now did the Princess Consort understand her mother’s foresight. "Why didn’t you tell me sooner?"

Madam Tantai replied, "The outcome was uncertain. I dared not speak recklessly."

The Princess Consort bowed her head, regret gnawing at her. Had she known the crown prince would die and Prince Yan would rise, she would never have conspired with Prince Heng.

How did the crown prince, seemingly recovered, perish so suddenly?

Madam Tantai clasped her daughter’s hands. "I told you not to waste energy on Shen Wei. Emperors are merciless. For all her past glory, she angered the new sovereign and lost her place. Remember—no one stays favored forever. The higher they climb, the harder they fall."

The Princess Consort lowered her gaze.

True. She had seen Shen Wei as a thorn in her side, even colluding with Prince Heng to assassinate her. Yet in the end, Shen Wei had destroyed herself...

Madam Tantai continued sternly, "As long as you remain prudent and avoid grave mistakes, the emperor will not depose you."

For now, the new emperor would treat his empress with courtesy, even feigning marital harmony to appease the people.

The Princess Consort forced a smile, guilt twisting inside. She had committed a grave sin—allying with Prince Heng, nearly causing Prince Yan’s death...

She clung to one hope: Prince Heng had fled beyond the borders, and the emperor was too busy with state affairs to dig into the past.

Perhaps her betrayal would remain hidden.

Taking a deep breath, the Princess Consort looked at her mother with an obedient smile. "Don't worry, I... I would never do anything to harm His Majesty. I’ll follow your advice and secure my position as Empress."

Madam Tantai was deeply pleased. "Once you become Empress, stop spending all your time burning incense and praying. Focus on managing the inner palace—don’t let the imperial concubines seize control of the six palaces from you. The Xie Family and the Lu Family are already preparing to send their daughters into the palace, and those girls are not to be underestimated. I’ve selected four clever and capable maids for you to assist in overseeing the harem."

The Princess Consort nodded firmly. "Understood."

With the Bodhisattva’s blessing, fortune had finally turned in her favor. This time, she would hold tightly to the reins of power, leaving no opening for other women to exploit.