I run a training class in Shu Han

Chapter 119 Liu Shan's True Purpose in Visiting the Harem

As the three bowed and left the Jiaofang Palace, the sun was already past its zenith, but Li Xiangyi and Liu Qiao still felt a chill run down their backs.

The Empress's words in the palace, seemingly gentle yet barbed, were actually a ploy to stab at the heart.

The last sentence, "green tea bitch," was like a heavy hammer blow, striking the most hidden corner of their hearts and making them dare not have the slightest thought of overstepping their bounds.

Along the palace path, palace maids stood on both sides, their steps slow and silent, all of which showed the strictness of palace rules.

Liu Qiao, dressed in a light pink palace gown, broke the silence first with a slight sway of her skirt. Her tone had lost the composure she had displayed inside the hall and was now filled with caution.

"My two sisters, we must keep the Empress's teachings in mind. From now on, we must be careful in every step we take in the palace and never make a mistake."

The Liu family was a prominent clan in Chengdu, with many members serving as officials in the imperial court, and they were well-versed in the intricacies of the relationship between the court and the harem.

Upon entering the palace, they would be granted the title of Noble Lady, a rare honor since ancient times. In reality, this meant that a red line was secretly drawn, absolutely forbidding them from using their family's power to stir up trouble in the harem, and even more so from allowing the forces of the previous dynasty to interfere in the harem's conflicts.

Li Xiangyi raised her hand to touch the pearl hairpin at her temple, her fingertips still slightly cool from kneeling, her expression solemn.

Although her rank was lower than that of Lady Liu, being a Zhaoyi, the head of all the concubines, was already a great favor.

"Sister Liu is absolutely right. Her Majesty the Empress is wise and virtuous. We only need to do our duty and serve Her Majesty wholeheartedly to protect ourselves and our families. In the future, while we are in the palace together, we hope that you will take good care of us."

The two quickly formed a united front, with only Wang Feng following beside them, his eyes lowered and his expression respectful.

She had served as a maid to the Empress since childhood and knew that although the Empress seemed gentle, she was very opinionated and held the Phoenix Seal in charge of the harem. She used both kindness and severity, and her methods were never ambiguous.

Although the Empress did not grant her a formal title today, her words were all under her protection. She felt only gratitude and had no desire to compete for favor. She was content to serve Liu Shan peacefully.

Liu Qiao and Li Xiangyi looked back at Wang Feng, who was inferior to them in terms of background, appearance, and family connections. They felt sympathy for him, but also a little happy.

Given her status, she might have spent her entire life as a slave, but now she has the opportunity to rise above others—this is incredibly lucky.

"Younger sister, you have served the Empress for many years and now you have entered the inner palace. You understand the rules better than we do, so we should help each other out in the future."

There was no hostility in Liu Qiao's words.

Because she knew that a low-ranking concubine without a powerful backer could not threaten her position at all.

In other words, even if she gives birth to a prince, he can only be a son born out of wedlock, not the eldest son of the legitimate wife. In the future, he can be considered to be a very fortunate prince who will live a peaceful life.

"I am but a maidservant, not as noble as my two elder sisters. How dare I sit on equal footing with you, let alone offer each other assistance?"

Wang Feng adopted a very humble attitude; she only wanted to survive peacefully in the harem.

Liu Qiao and Li Xiangyi did not make things difficult for her; they were merely testing Wang Feng's feelings.

The two women addressed each other as sisters and kept saying they would help each other, but it was all just for show.

The Empress has made it clear today that there should be no infighting in the harem, so the only option for them is to fight openly and fairly on the front lines—by giving birth.

Liu Qiao knew that although her rank as a Noble Lady was prestigious, she would always be overshadowed by the Empress. Only by giving birth to a prince could she secure a place in the harem.

Li Xiangyi also knew that above the Zhaoyi was the Guiren.

To become a respected figure and stand on equal footing with Liu Qiao, one must rely on one's son for status.

The two chatted as they walked, seemingly like sisters, but in reality, they both regarded each other as rivals and had their own agendas.

Wang Feng, with her head down, followed closely behind the two, looking more like a palace maid than an emperor's concubine.

Just over half a month after the audience at the Jiaofang Palace, three more new concubines joined the harem.

Lady Liu Qiao, a noblewoman, resides in the Yaoguang Palace.

Li Xiangyi was granted the title of Zhaoyi and resided in Ningfang Palace.

Wang Feng lived in a small courtyard in the inner palace, waiting to be favored by the emperor, but had not yet been officially conferred a title.

The three individuals' positions were exactly as Zhang had stated initially.

They were all law-abiding and dutiful, and every day they followed the palace rules to pay their respects to the Empress at dawn and dusk, going to the Jiaofang Palace to greet her without ever slacking off.

Although Wang Feng's status was different from before, he became increasingly humble in his attitude when traveling to and from Jiaofang Palace every day, and dared not show the slightest arrogance.

With the inner palace at peace, Liu Shan found it increasingly easier to manage state affairs.

Since the imperial court announced the policy of "focusing on agriculture and grain production, closing the borders and allowing the people to rest," it has devoted itself to restoring people's livelihoods and developing agricultural production.

Besides agriculture, the imperial court valued the development of handicrafts and commerce, with salt, iron, and brocade weaving being the most developed industries.

Everything in Yizhou was progressing smoothly, and there were no external worries. Liu Shan was in a great mood. After dinner, he slowly walked towards the inner palace, attended by the eunuch Wang Gui.

"Your Majesty, shall we go to the Jiaofang Palace tonight, or to the palace of the newlyweds?" Wang Gui asked casually, following closely behind.

Liu Shan paused slightly, raising his eyes to look at the palace gardens where dusk was gradually falling.

Although he has taken a concubine, he has been too busy with state affairs lately to even visit the Empress's Palace, let alone think about anyone else.

The three newly arrived palace inhabitants still needed to be properly appeased.

Firstly, it was to protect the power of their families and to appease the gentry of Anyi Prefecture and the ministers entrusted with the care of the young emperor; secondly, it was to follow the rules of ensuring the continuation of the imperial lineage within the harem.

After thinking for a moment, Liu Shan suddenly changed course and headed towards the small courtyard of the inner palace.

Wang Gui was fully aware of this, and quietly waved his hand, ordering his men to inform the courtyard ahead of time.

The small courtyard was for palace maids who had entered the palace but had not yet been favored by the emperor; at present, only Wang Feng lived there.

The interior was simply furnished, and she was sitting under the lamp, mending clothes for the Empress.

Suddenly, a palace attendant reported that His Majesty had arrived unexpectedly. He was immediately flustered, quickly put down his needlework, dressed himself up, knelt down and kowtowed, preparing to receive the emperor.

She had been a maid since childhood and never thought that she would one day be favored by the Emperor. She felt a little uneasy and clutched the hem of her clothes tightly with both hands, not daring to raise her head.

"Greetings... Your Majesty."

Seeing her slightly trembling voice and timid demeanor, Liu Shan's heart stirred, and he said gently, "Get up, there's no need to be nervous. It's not like this is your first time meeting me."

He gestured for her to stand up, and Wang Feng stood to the side with her head bowed, her posture humble and not daring to overstep his bounds in the slightest.

To ease the tension, Liu Shan chatted with her for a few minutes, mostly about everyday matters.

Wang Feng answered truthfully, his words were simple and honest, without any guile, and his voice was melodious and pleasant, which made Liu Shan feel even more pity for him.

That night, Liu Shan stayed in the courtyard.

That night, the sound of wind and panting mingled throughout the entire night.

The next day, Liu Shan issued an edict to confer the title of Beauty upon Wang Feng. Although her rank was far lower than that of Consort Liu and Consort Li, she was still granted an independent palace and received continuous rewards.

No one expected that Liu Shan's first concubine would be Wang Feng, a maid they had completely disregarded.

Upon receiving the imperial decree, Wang Feng immediately went to the Jiaofang Palace to express his gratitude for the Empress's support and protection. He remained as respectful as ever, showing no change whatsoever despite receiving the title.

In the following days, Liu Shan would go to Wang Feng's residence after court, showing him great favor.

Inside the Jiaofang Palace, Empress Zhang showed no anger upon hearing this news.

"Your Majesty, His Majesty has been visiting Consort Wang recently, this..."

The personal nanny, also an old woman, felt that Wang Feng's continued favor was a threat to the Empress.

Zhang picked up the fresh tea on the table, took a small sip, and a faint smile appeared in her eyes.

"Isn't this great?"

"The divination by Prime Minister Zhuge once said, 'Returning the younger sister with a son, returning with a younger sister,' the more Your Majesty favors Consort Wang, the more likely I am to conceive, and moreover..."

Zhang paused for a moment and put down her teacup.

"Although Consort Wang is backed by my Zhang family, she has no influence in the court or among the people, and there is no interference from her relatives in politics. This is perhaps the situation that His Majesty hopes to see."

The air inside the palace was filled with the soothing fragrance of incense. The refreshing yet bitter taste of that cup of green tea ultimately became the foundation of stability in the harem, and the Empress's majesty became unbreakable from then on.