Chapter 9
Edward Quan ·
He didn’t speak.
His silence was admission.
“You’re wrong.”
I met his eyes, every word clear.
“Water can carry a boat. It can overturn it too.”
“The Shens raised you to where you are. We can pull you down.”
“Tomorrow, I move to the side courtyard.”
“I have no desire to remain in Qingning Residence.”
“Look after yourself.”
Without turning back, I walked out.
Chunhe and Shen Yi led my people after me immediately.
Xiao Jingyan sat alone in the large, empty room, watching my resolute back recede.
For a very long time, he didn’t move.
I didn’t know what he thought.
I no longer wanted to know.
He wasn’t worth it.
6
Word of my move spread through the entire residence within a day.
Servants kept discussing it. Their former fear gradually became pity and contempt.
To them, the principal consort had fallen entirely from favor.
Liu Ruyue recovered completely the second day after I moved.
She began appearing throughout the residence, behaving like its true mistress.
She even sent a message that the main courtyard had excellent feng shui. She wanted it. I should remove my belongings at once.
I ordered Shen Yi to break the messenger woman’s leg and throw her out.
A terrible silence descended again.
Everyone understood the battle was far from over.
Just then, an imperial decree arrived.
Xiao Jingyan and I were to attend the empress dowager’s birthday banquet in three days.
Our first public appearance together since the cold war.
Liu Ruyue heard too.
She immediately had an idea.
She went crying to Xiao Jingyan, saying she had never seen the palace and begging to accompany him.
Unable to resist her gentle pleading, he actually agreed.
He even came to the side courtyard to inform me.
“Ruyue is coming with us. Look after her and make sure she doesn’t behave improperly.”
He stood outside the gate without entering, his tone commanding and distant.
I was pruning an orchid and didn’t look up.
“Have you forgotten the rules, or do you not understand them?”
“Only imperial sons and their principal consorts may attend. What position does an untitled cousin have?”
“I can ask Father for special permission.”
He seemed to have prepared that answer.
“Then ask.”
I cut off a yellow leaf.
“I’d like to hear you explain why you want to bring a cousin, rather than your principal consort, to a family banquet.”
His face reddened again.
“Must you oppose me in everything?”
“You keep testing my limits.”
I set down the scissors and finally looked at him.
“My last warning.”
“Don’t take your stupidity into the palace.”
“It will destroy this entire household.”
In the end, he didn’t dare seek that favor.
On the banquet day, we rode to the palace together, his face dark.
Neither spoke throughout the journey.
Liu Ruyue, carefully dressed and made up, saw us off at the gate. Her eyes held jealousy and resentment toward me.
In the palace, we paid respects to the empress dowager and presented our birthday gifts.
Xiao Jingyan had prepared an immensely valuable jade Buddha.
Neither outstanding nor at fault.