The Minister of Personnel’s wife’s final day of mourning rituals at their estate welcomed a distinguished guest; the Empress would pay her respects to Madam Li.
Li Sinian was utterly astonished upon hearing this news. She never imagined the Empress would visit to honor Madam Xu. This was an immense honor. While emperors had indeed visited to commemorate their favored officials before, that was eons ago.
Indeed, no such honor had been bestowed since the founding of the Changjiu Kingdom.
Li Sinian felt the gazes of the officials at the morning court change. The Empress’s personal visit was an honor for both him and his family.
When the news reached the estate, Li Yaoqin gathered everyone, meticulously instructing them on various precautions.
The Empress’s visit to their estate was both an honor and a source of trepidation. A single misstep could lead to a charge of treason, punishable by death.
After issuing her orders, Li Yaoqin kept Consort Liu behind.
“Eldest Miss, do you require something of this concubine?” Consort Liu inquired.
Li Yaoqin looked at Consort Liu, reflecting on whether she had ever detected anything amiss with Consort Liu in the past.
She shook her head; she had not.
Perhaps she had been too skilled at deception, or perhaps her own past indifference had allowed this person to stir up trouble within the estate.
“Eldest Miss…” seeing Li Yaoqin’s silence, Consort Liu could not help but ask.
Li Yaoqin raised her eyes to Consort Liu and said, “Consort Liu, I am also unfamiliar with the arrangements for receiving His Majesty. Tomorrow, you will assist me.”
Consort Liu started, “Eldest Miss, I am merely a concubine and should not appear in public.”
Li Yaoqin replied, “There is no mistress of the household, only I, the legitimate daughter. I truly cannot manage everything. I have already decided to ask Father to elevate you to the rank of honored concubine.”
Consort Liu visibly stiffened. “Eldest Miss, you…”
Li Yaoqin smiled, “Consort Liu, after all this time, I have come to realize that you are the least ambitious person in the estate. I have misunderstood you greatly in the past; please do not take offense.”
Consort Liu curtsied, “Eldest Miss is too kind. This concubine is somewhat overwhelmed.”
Li Yaoqin rose from her chair, approached Consort Liu, took her hand, and guided her to sit on the chair. “Consort Liu, there is no need to be overwhelmed. As you know, as long as you remain virtuous and diligent, your status can only rise higher than this.”
Consort Liu lowered her gaze, then stood up. “Thank you, Eldest Miss. This concubine will certainly do her best.”
“Consort Liu, do not disappoint me,” Li Yaoqin said.
Consort Liu nodded. “Eldest Miss, rest assured, I will not disappoint you or Master.”
“You may go!” Li Yaoqin said.
Consort Liu returned to her room and summoned Ping’er, asking, “Have you sent anyone to investigate the Eldest Miss’s whereabouts?”
Ping’er quickly replied, “Ever since Consort Liu instructed me to send people to track the Eldest Miss’s movements, I have had people secretly following her.”
“Good. And where did the Eldest Miss go yesterday?” Consort Liu asked.
Upon hearing this, Ping’er reported, “It is said the Eldest Miss went to Huguo Temple in the north of the city, but she came out in less than the time it takes an incense stick to burn. The Eldest Miss burned one stick of incense and then left.”
“Are you certain?” Consort Liu asked, her tone laced with doubt.
Ping’er nodded, her gaze lowered.
“If the Eldest Miss makes any further moves, you must report them to me immediately,” Consort Liu instructed.
Ping’er nodded quickly, “This servant understands.”
“You may leave now!” Consort Liu said.
Ping’er did not dare to delay and retreated.
Consort Liu rose and walked to the window. A pigeon happened to land there. She picked up the pigeon, stroked it, and retrieved the small strip of paper tied to its leg.
She read the writing on it and then placed it near the candle flame, watching it turn to ash.
“Since the Empress is coming, I shall indeed host her properly,” Consort Liu said, a smile playing on her lips as she spoke word by word.
Turning her head, Consort Liu’s expression became exceedingly grim. Outside the window, Ping’er covered her mouth, daring not to make a sound.
Only when everything had settled did she dare to leave.
Upon returning to the estate, Li Sinian was summoned by Lianxin. Li Sinian entered the room and saw Li Yaoqin, asking, “Yao’er, do you have something to tell your father?”
Li Yaoqin nodded and said, “Daughter has heard that the Empress will be visiting the estate tomorrow to honor Mother.”
Li Sinian nodded. “This is indeed true. Yao’er, you must make proper arrangements tomorrow; there must be no mistakes. Otherwise, your father, the Minister of Personnel, will be finished.”
“Father, rest assured, your daughter understands. However, your daughter would like to trouble Father to provide some additional help,” Li Yaoqin said.
“What kind of help? Tell me, and your father will provide it,” Li Sinian said.
Li Yaoqin nodded. “I wish for Father to elevate Consort Liu to the rank of honored concubine.”
Li Sinian was taken aback. “Yao’er, what did you say?”
Li Yaoqin repeated, “I wish for Father to elevate Consort Liu to the rank of honored concubine.”
“Impossible,” Li Sinian replied unequivocally.
“Why is it impossible, Father?” Li Yaoqin asked.
Li Sinian rose and looked at her. “I do not wish for the incident with Suoxin to be repeated.”
Li Yaoqin was stunned. After a long silence, she stood up and approached Li Sinian. “Father, the incident with Suoxin will not happen again. The Empress’s visit tomorrow is a significant event. You also know that in the past, I only focused on poetry and literature and never learned from Mother how to manage a household. For your sake, if not for yourself, to ensure no mistakes are made tomorrow, I cannot simply bring in anyone to help me. The only person I can think of is Consort Liu.”
Li Sinian heard this, frowned, and asked, “Are there no other options?”
Li Yaoqin shook her head. “None.”
Li Sinian pondered for a moment and then said, “Very well, let Consort Liu assist you.”
With the status of honored concubine, Consort Liu performed her duties with diligence. Li Yaoqin did not have to exert much effort, and everything was arranged properly.
In the evening, Consort Liu lay on the bed, allowing Ping’er to massage her legs. She said slowly, “How long has it been since I felt like this? I remember when I was young, the household was this grand.”
Ping’er’s hands paused slightly. Consort Liu propped herself up with her hand and said, “Ping’er, do you wish to know about my past?”
Ping’er quickly knelt on the ground. “This servant is fearful. Please do not jest with this servant, Consort.”
Seeing Ping’er trembling with fear, Consort Liu sighed. “Forget it, forget it. I will not tease you.”
Saying this, she lay back, her memories returning to her childhood. Back then, her father was honored, and no one dared to defy him. When did she cease to return to those days?
She did not know. She only knew it seemed like a very, very long time ago.
So long ago that she had forgotten the glorious days she had experienced in her childhood.
“Consort, Master is here,” Ping’er whispered.
She got up and looked at the man entering the doorway. The man she liked did not look like this.
But at that time, she was powerless.
“Master, why are you here?” A flicker of annoyance passed through her eyes, replaced by surprise.
Over the years, the only thing she had done well was to quickly conceal her true emotions, so that no one knew what she was thinking.