Wen Yunmian brewed a medicinal decoction and placed it in a food box to keep it warm before heading to the empress's palace.
Upon learning that Wen Yunmian had arrived, Aunt Suochun, who served the empress, came out and greeted her. "Greetings, my lady. Her Majesty is unwell and likely cannot receive you. Please return."
Wen Yunmian knew the empress's illness would flare up around this time. She hurried to explain her purpose. "It is already late autumn, and Her Majesty's cough will likely worsen. There is a remedy from my hometown that can ease her condition. Please inform her for me, Aunt Suochun."
Suo Chun paused. "Please wait a moment, my lady."
Watching her go inside, Yun Yang asked in confusion, "My lady, didn't you once say that the greatest taboo after entering the palace was tying yourself to anyone? Why have you taken the initiative to bring Her Majesty medicine?"
Wen Yunmian's gaze was gentle. "Her Majesty is different. She is the exception to that rule."
When Suo Chun came out, she stepped aside. "Please come in, my lady."
The bedchamber of Fengyi Palace was thick with the smell of medicine. As they entered, they could hear the bubbling of a decoction being brewed.
Dressed in a ginger-yellow sleeping robe, with no jeweled hairpins in her hair, the empress reclined pale-faced on a cushioned couch. Her palace maids attended her carefully, administering her medicine.
Wen Yunmian approached and bent her knees in a curtsey. "This concubine, Noble Lady Wen, pays her respects to Your Majesty."
The empress managed a gentle expression. "Rise. Judging by the sky outside, it will likely rain. Noble Lady Yun, you have gone to such trouble to bring me medicine. I appreciate your kindness."
The empress called out, "Suo Chun, take the medicine."
Wen Yunmian handed the medicine to Suo Chun. She knew everyone here probably thought she was trying to curry favor with the empress, but she did not care.
She unfolded a clean handkerchief containing several candied plums. "Your Majesty, I happened to buy these when I entered the palace. Knowing how bitter your usual medicine is, I brought them especially for you to try."
The empress looked over with impassive dark eyes. When she saw the plums, a glimmer of delight rose in her dull gaze. "Are these the candied plums sold in East Spring Alley, Jiangnan?"
"Yes." Wen Yunmian approached gently and half crouched, presenting the plums to the empress.
The empress tasted one, and her expression softened. "Yes, this is the taste."
The way she looked at Wen Yunmian changed. "You are very thoughtful, Noble Lady Yun."
Wen Yunmian knew the empress was deeply guarded. Unwilling to rush things, she stepped back deferentially. "It is about to rain, so this concubine will take her leave. Please take good care of your imperial health, Your Majesty."
When she returned to Peony Pavilion, the Imperial Household Department had delivered quite a few more things.
There were several pots of fine-looking pink chrysanthemums, several bolts of Smoky-Cloud Light Gauze Silk, and a box of Goose-Pear Bedchamber Incense.
Eunuch Huang from the Imperial Household Department accepted his reward and said with a smile that these were her due as a noble lady. He also advised that it might rain over the next few days, so the pink chrysanthemums would look better kept indoors. He said nothing else.
After entering, Yun Fei stared at the gifts in amazement. "Things in the palace truly are fine. Even the flowers are bigger than the ones I saw at our residence."
Wen Yunmian, however, could not help feeling puzzled. In her previous life, she had been unremarkable in the palace and had never encountered anything like this before receiving the emperor's favor.
She approached and sniffed the pink chrysanthemums, but there was nothing strange about their scent. She then checked all the other items, and all were of fine quality.
Was she being overly suspicious?
She and Wen Leyan had taken different pills, so the causes and consequences in this life would likely differ as well.
It was still better to be careful.
After night fell, the Phoenix-Luan Spring Favor Carriage passed outside the Palace of Eternal Joy. When Yun Fei came in, Wen Yunmian was practicing her calligraphy, though she was using her right hand.
Dressed in a moon-white ruqun, her features were cool as snow, her bearing quiet and composed.
Yun Yang was attending her nearby. Seeing Yun Fei's rash behavior, she scolded her in a low voice. "Our lady is still practicing her calligraphy. Why are you bouncing about?"
Yun Fei sheepishly touched her fringe and approached with small steps. "This servant just heard them saying outside that Noble Lady Wei will attend His Majesty tonight. She has already taken the Phoenix-Luan Spring Favor Carriage to Chanyang Palace."
The brush in Wen Yunmian's hand paused briefly. Noble Lady Wei was of noble birth, the legitimate daughter of Duke Ling and the empress's own niece.
Had the consort not been so petty that day, resenting her exceptional beauty and deliberately making things difficult for her, Noble Lady Wei would likely have been the first to attend His Majesty.
"Who attends His Majesty is none of our concern. All right, burn my practice sheets."
Wen Yunmian set down her brush and moved aside to wash her hands. Yun Fei asked in confusion, "My lady, your handwriting is so beautiful. Why not keep it? Also, you have liked writing with your left hand since childhood, so why have you been practicing with your right these past few days?"
Wen Yunmian accepted the handkerchief Yun Yang handed her and dried her hands. "Then can you tell that the writing on this sheet belongs to your lady?"
Yun Fei shook her head honestly. "Not really."
Wen Yunmian smiled. "Good. Keep only the writing done with my left hand. Burn everything written with my right."
Yun Fei wanted to ask more out of curiosity, but Yun Yang pinched her lips shut. "Remember what you were told. Every habit of our lady's must rot in your belly."
Yun Fei hurriedly nodded. "I remember. I have always remembered. Our lady's affairs are the most important things in my heart. I will never forget."
Wen Yunmian smiled. As she sat down to pour tea, she gazed at Peony Pavilion, small yet exceptionally bright and cozy, and her heart softened.
But if she did not bear a child in this life, it would likely be difficult to follow the same broad road to lofty heights that she had taken before.
She would also need to keep abreast of everything happening at court, though there was no hurry yet.
After Noble Lady Wei attended His Majesty, she received many rewards the following day and returned to her Palace of Eternal Spring in splendid glory.
Over the next several days, Attendant Hui and Answering Lady Su both attended His Majesty. Only Wen Leyan remained.
Wen Leyan was nearly mad with anger. She also knew the consort must be deliberately suppressing her. Had Consort Shu not forced her to leave Fengyi Palace last time, she would have met the emperor too.
No, she had to join the consort's camp! Otherwise, as Wen Yunmian climbed ever higher, how would she seize Wen Yunmian's destined fortune?
The Marquis’s Residence also found a way to obtain news from the palace.
Upon learning that his eldest daughter had not only been the first to attend His Majesty but had also been promoted to noble lady, Wen Fu'an was so delighted he could not stop smiling. "I never imagined Mian'er would be so capable. If she can win abundant imperial favor, why should our Marquis’s Residence fear decline?"
Madam Meng had thought that, no matter what, her daughter would not fare worse than Wen Yunmian. Who could have expected the news to be that she had not attended His Majesty at all?
Had that wretch Wen Yunmian deliberately done something behind the scenes?
No, she had to give Yan'er a helping hand.
When Wen Yunmian received the letter sent from the Marquis’s Residence, sure enough, it asked her to support Wen Leyan.
She gave a cold laugh. Madam Meng certainly knew how to forge her father's handwriting. But everyone had to fight for their own fate. Why should she help someone who wanted to harm her?
That night, Wen Leyan stood in a pitch-black passageway, watching the palace maids and eunuchs passing from time to time. She pulled Ming Cui aside. "Has everything been arranged?"
Ming Cui nodded nervously. "Rest assured, my lady. Everything is ready."
A sharp gleam flashed in Wen Leyan's eyes. Today she had sought the consort's help and tried to ingratiate herself with her. Noble Lady Yu had finally relented, but they did not believe that she and Wen Yunmian were at odds despite being sisters. Naturally, she would have to demonstrate it.
After all, the most powerful woman in the palace was Consort Shu. She could never go wrong by winning her favor!
Fortunately, she had the memories of her previous life.
Wen Yunmian, just you wait tonight. You will be the perfect ladder for me to climb into Her Highness's favor.
Wen Yunmian, just wait and see tonight. You'll be the perfect stepping stone for me to win the favor of the Noble Consort.
Before you continue