Chapter 7: Done on Purpose

“Your Majesty, this...”

Xie Jiu turned her head to look toward the palace doors, then back at Zhao Xingjin, her words trailing off.

The ambiguous atmosphere between the two was broken, and a flash of irritation seemed to cross Zhao Xingjin’s eyes.

Whether he was annoyed because his mood had been spoiled, or simply because he did not wish to see the person outside, was unclear.

In any case, he loosened his grip, allowing Xie Jiu to pull away from his embrace.

“Yang Zhi’an, let Consort Zhuang in.” Zhao Xingjin straightened his robes and sat upright.

“Did you hear that? Move aside!”

Hearing Zhao Xingjin’s voice, the woman outside became even more impolite.

*She’s a difficult one,* Xie Jiu thought to herself.

Soon, a bright, beautiful woman dressed in rose-red palace attire with her hair styled in a *feitian* bun—the Consort Zhuang of whom Zhao Xingjin spoke—walked briskly into the hall.

Just by the sound of her footsteps, one could tell she was in a foul mood.

Sure enough, she began with a spoiled, resentful tone.

“Your Majesty, you promised that you would come to see me after the morning court today. It was one thing that I waited at Yanqing Palace and you didn’t come, but I even had someone prepare snacks and bring them to Chengming Palace, and yet I still couldn’t see you.”

“I have been busy with state affairs today and couldn’t get away. I will come to see you once I am finished,” Zhao Xingjin said with a gentle smile. “Alright, don’t be angry. What kind of snacks did you make? Bring them here for me to taste; I was just thinking my tea tasted a bit bland.”

Consort Zhuang was not entirely appeased by these words of comfort.

Especially since, upon entering, she had immediately spotted Xie Jiu standing to the side.

The events of last night had already spread throughout the inner palace. To the concubines, even though Xie Jiu had not officially entered the harem, she had become someone who would divide the Emperor’s favor. Coupled with Xie Jiu’s unique status, Consort Zhuang truly had no pleasant expression for her.

“Your Majesty, who is she? I have never seen this sister in the palace before.”

She was asking a question to which she already knew the answer. Xie Jiu understood that Consort Zhuang was intentionally humiliating her by pointing out that she had no official title.

However, Xie Jiu did not care much for these few words; she simply bowed calmly. “I am Lady Xie, greetings to Consort Zhuang.”

She had spoken, but Consort Zhuang merely glanced at her and ignored her.

Pretending to fetch the snacks for Zhao Xingjin, she bypassed Xie Jiu entirely.

“Your Majesty, try this Ziyun cake. I had the recipe improved by adding some mint. It tastes more refreshing, which is perfect for this hot weather.”

She had intended to leave Xie Jiu standing there in a bow to humiliate her, but Xie Jiu came from a prominent family and had seen plenty of the ways noblewomen used to torment others since she was a child.

Xie Jiu had no intention of indulging Consort Zhuang’s petty schemes.

She stood up straight.

Sure enough, seeing her rise, Consort Zhuang acted as if she had caught her in a mistake and questioned her sharply.

“How rude! Did I tell you that you could stand up?”

She then looked at Zhao Xingjin, pouting with dissatisfaction. “Your Majesty, look at this. I heard you asked her to be a tutor for the Second Princess. If she doesn’t even know her own manners, how can she teach a princess?”

The Second Princess was Princess Wenxi.

There were currently four imperial children in the palace. The First and Third Princesses were born to Empress Zhou. The Second Princess’s birth mother, Consort Xian, had already passed away. There was also a Fourth Prince, born to Consort Zhuang.

This was why Consort Zhuang was so arrogant; she was, after all, the only concubine who had given birth to a prince.

If this were the past, Xie Jiu would have endured it, but having experienced life and death, her mindset had changed.

Why endure when she could strike back on the spot?

Life is only a few short decades; there is no need to make things difficult for oneself.

So, she spoke immediately, “Your Majesty, please forgive me. I saw that you and the Consort were talking happily, and I thought perhaps the Consort had forgotten to tell me to rise, so I stood up on my own. I wanted to avoid others seeing this and thinking the Consort was intentionally making things difficult for me, which would harm the Consort’s reputation for virtue. I had no intention of being disrespectful. If the Consort is displeased, I will apologize to her right now.”

With that, she prepared to curtsy deeply.

Consort Zhuang, having had her petty intentions exposed and being forced into a position where she had to accept a high-minded excuse, could not possibly let Xie Jiu apologize now.

Otherwise, it would truly confirm that she was intentionally making things difficult.

She had to maintain her image in front of Zhao Xingjin.

So, she had to grit her teeth and wave her hand. “Alright, alright. Why would I be displeased? I was merely worried that you didn’t understand palace etiquette and would lead the Princess astray. As long as you are sensible, that is for the best.”

“I thank the Consort for her mercy.” Xie Jiu smiled, then looked at Zhao Xingjin. “Consort, please rest assured. Since His Majesty has entrusted the Princess to me, I will certainly spare no effort to teach her well.”

To Consort Zhuang, this gesture looked like blatant seduction.

Her anger flared up again, but she couldn’t vent it, so she turned to Zhao Xingjin.

“Your Majesty, you haven’t been to Yanqing Palace for several days. The Fourth Prince told me yesterday that he missed his father. He was so happy this morning when he heard you were coming after the morning court, and he asked me to make sure you stayed for lunch. He will be back from his studies at noon to see you. Please don’t let the child be disappointed.”

With Consort Zhuang bringing up the child, Zhao Xingjin naturally gave her face. He took her hand and comforted her.

“Very well, I will go to Yanqing Palace to have lunch with you and the boy once I am finished. I remember you like the pearl pigeon from the Imperial Kitchen; I will have Yang Zhi’an go and order it for you later.”

Having received favor, Consort Zhuang became happy and smug again.

“I thank Your Majesty for your kindness.” Finally, she glanced at Xie Jiu, gave a light huff, and pouted, “Your Majesty, please come as soon as you are finished. Don’t let some vixen hold you back.”

“What kind of talk is that?” Zhao Xingjin did not seem to like the latter half of her sentence, and his face turned cold.

Consort Zhuang’s tail, which hadn’t been raised very high, drooped back down in fear, and she quickly reined herself in.

“I spoke out of turn.”

“It is good that you know.” Zhao Xingjin’s voice was deep. “You may go back first.”

“Yes.”

Consort Zhuang replied, not daring to be arrogant anymore.

However, before leaving, she still shot a fierce glare at Xie Jiu, who was standing to the side.

In her eyes, Zhao Xingjin had reprimanded her only because she had spoken ill of Xie Jiu.

Little did she know that after she left, Xie Jiu, the little vixen, would have to expend great effort to deal with Zhao Xingjin, the old fox.

It was both tiring and annoying.

“Consort Zhuang has a difficult temperament, but she has no ill intentions. Don’t take it to heart,” Zhao Xingjin said in a low, soothing voice.

Xie Jiu only wanted to roll her eyes.

When she and Consort Zhuang were clashing earlier, why didn’t he step in to mediate?

He had just sat there, quietly watching the show.

And yet, in the end, he acted as if he were protecting her by reprimanding Consort Zhuang.

Xie Jiu estimated that if Consort Zhuang had disliked her by thirty percent before, it was now at least sixty percent.

She truly didn’t know if Zhao Xingjin had done this on purpose.

But no matter how much she complained internally, Xie Jiu did not show it on her face. She simply put on a docile expression and nodded.

“I wouldn’t dare. The Consort was only reprimanding me out of concern for the Princess.”

“As long as you are sensible.” Zhao Xingjin was satisfied with her attitude. “Alright, I have memorials to read. Since you are free, let Yang Zhi’an take you to see Wenxi.”

Even if being the Princess’s tutor was just a pretext, the surface-level appearances had to be maintained.

It would be inexcusable if, in the end, Xie Jiu, the teacher, hadn’t even met Princess Wenxi once.

Xie Jiu naturally agreed.

After all, she had her own plans regarding being the Princess’s tutor.

So, after taking her leave, she did not delay and went directly to the Princess’s residence with Yang Zhi’an.

The tenth day of the first lunar month—may everything be perfect. Happy New Year to everyone here!

(End of chapter)