Leaving the Changmen Palace - LTCP 15: Foreshadow

One event triggers another.

Following a period of deep contemplation, Chen Jiao went back to the Jiaofang Hall and casually summoned Chu Fu, requesting her help in finding the Shaofu of the Imperial Household Ministry, “Retrieve the map of Feng Shui of Weiyang Palace for me to examine.”

While not explicitly stated, it can be inferred that the emperor and empress are the ones in charge as Weiyang Palace is the emperor’s harem.

Throughout history, emperors have always shown great interest in the palaces they inhabit. The young Emperor Liu Che, who preferred to be outdoors, may have neglected to consult the Imperial Household Ministry for extended periods of time.

Upon receiving a directive from the empress, the Shaofu of the Imperial Household Ministry hurriedly made his way to the palace.

With a sense of grandeur, he unfolded a magnificent brocade in front of Chen Jiao and delicately wiped away his sweat.

Chen Jiao couldn’t suppress a smile at the sight, “Shaofu, you have clearly worked hard on this. Although this item is precious, we can request assistance from the family of officials to protect it.”

In an unexpected manner, shaofu appeared youthful, with a face that seemed almost child-like.

After bowing repeatedly and apologizing due to nervousness, he explained, “Shaofu of the Imperial Household Ministry is unwell and was unable to attend. The staff felt compelled to fulfill the urgent request from the empress, so I volunteered to come and present the map.”

Chen Jiao’s smile faltered slightly as she gazed at Chu Fu involuntarily.

The latter maintained a calm and indifferent expression.

She didn’t see the need to flaunt her power as a low-ranking palace official, considering the influence of the Dou and Chen families as well as her own position. The nobles and high-ranking officials were eager to befriend her, despite her status as a court lady.

“Don’t worry about it. Ultimately it’s a kind gesture.” Chen Jiao casually disregarded the situation, then crouched down to examine the stunning tapestry depicting intricate scenes of a palace, “Kindly inform Shaofu of the Imperial Household Ministry that he can come see me once he has recovered and returned to his position. You may leave this here.”

However, the young man was determined not to give up, “Your Majesty, this map was created three or four years ago.” With a show of deference by bowing his head in respect, “In recent years, the imperial palace has experienced notable transformations. Due to the presence of numerous new doors and buildings in the corner of the West Palace, there is insufficient time to generate a new map. Despite my lack of knowledge about Your Majesty’s intentions, I must advocate. I implore Your Majesty to investigate this matter carefully.”

Wealthy and noble families likely raised young men of this caliber, who could freely enter and exit the palace to meet with the emperor.

Through ancestral protection, they either served as attendants to the emperor or inherited their father’s official position. They consistently displayed a deep-seated arrogance in their demeanor, even in interactions with Chen Jiao.

They would never stoop to self-deprecation by referring to themselves as “this humble one,” yet they also wouldn’t address her as “you.”

What an impressive way of handling tasks, such confidence, and such a courteous demeanor…

Chen Jiao carefully observed him again.

Although he was humble, he appeared calm and had a slight smile on his face. He didn’t seem too embarrassed when meeting her gaze. He was also considered handsome. Even though he was still young and inexperienced, she could already see the potential for a charming personality as she grew older.

Bending over to examine the building in the tapestry, she casually inquired, “What is your name? How old are you?”

“I am Sang Hongyang, hailing from Luoyang, and I am thirteen years old currently.”

She detected a hint of nervousness in his tone despite the seemingly fitting answer.

In simpler terms, individuals will prioritize profits and losses only when there is something at stake. Despite being young, he seems eager to advance.

Furthermore, the voice exclaimed, “Ah, so it was him,” with a drawn-out sound of surprise.

This person seems destined to play a role in Liu Che’s reign. He will rapidly rise to prominence and will be given importance both before and after her confinement in Changmen Palace.

Chen Jiao believed she had a thirst for talent that had existed even before Liu Che’s time.

She glanced at him. Although he seemed a bit uneasy under her gaze, he managed to maintain his composure and not show any signs of nervousness.

“Are you one of the attendants who serves the emperor directly? Since you seem to know your way around the palace, you should accompany us when Shaofu Cheng visits next time,” she suggested after a short chat with him.

Sang Hongyang stepped back from the palace, smiling.

After looking closely at it for a while with her head bowed, she told Chu Fu, “Clean it up nicely, but don’t fasten it. I want to inspect it again after lunch.”

Chu Fu expertly rolled up the heavy brocade, bending down and pausing at the edge.

Chen Jiao kept the map down, with one foot pressing against the edge, whether intentionally or not.

Looking directly into her eyes, Chu Fu followed the gorgeously colorful socks painted in gold, starting from the gold-red ruqun.

Chen Jiao usually dressed casually, but today she had applied a bit of rouge, drawn her eyebrows slightly, and styled her hair in a concentric knot with brilliant pearls on her earlobes.

She was quietly leaning against a pillow, chin on hand, staring at her with a thoughtful expression in her eyes.

Although she was silent, her eyes seemed to convey a message.

In a moment of anxiety, Chu Fu released her hand and respectfully bowed her head to the coarse mat.

Terrified, she said, “Chu Fu made a mistake. Your Majesty, please punish me.”

Her perception is truly remarkable.

Chen Jiao paused yet again and stayed quiet for an extended period.

The voice became impatient and released a sigh, “Allowing her to depart from the palace would be a wise decision. How could someone with such pride endure your continuous mistreatment and torment?”

Even Empress Dowager Wang wouldn’t bear to hear it show any sympathy; in over ten years, Chen Jiao had never heard it express such empathy for another person.

It seems that despite Chu Fu making a serious mistake in the past, it still had some care for her and did not see her simply as a replacement for Liu Che.

She let out a sigh before getting ready to talk.

She felt deeply saddened when she saw Chu Fu, knowing that even if all the palace servants from Changle and Weiyang palaces could understand the hints and writing, there would only be a few of them who could do so.

She suddenly shifted her words, “Summoning Shaofu of the Imperial Household Ministry. It was a spontaneous decision. I never foresaw the anxiety and determination I would feel just to view this map of feng shui.”

Chu Fu quickly began perspiring, “This lowly one has wronged others by abusing my authority, causing harm to Your Majesty’s name,” she confessed. Hitting her head as a sign of regret and requesting punishment.

Chen Jiao is not alone in claiming she is intelligent with bias.

The palace is filled with numerous singing and dancing girls, as well as lovely servants who are skilled in serving tea, cleaning, and gracefully wiping windows, all of whom have been favored by Liu Che since Jia Ji gained favor.

The expression “the fox borrows power from the tiger” holds a different meaning for most individuals. When mentioning the three characters “Yin Wen Zi,” an ordinary palace servant might think you are trying to entice bugs to play with.

Chen Jiao replied, “There is no need to punish you, and individuals ought to engage in more reading to improve manners. Visit Tianlu Pavilion often when you have spare time as it is nearby.”

Tianlu Pavilion is the most book-filled private chamber of the Han court. It houses ancient texts that are strictly kept within its walls. The physicians of the Imperial Academy view this place as holy.

To gain access to the grand empress dowager’s network and copy old books from Tianlu Pavilion, many individuals seek favor from the Dou family.

Chu Fu stayed quiet for a moment before expressing gratitude “This lowly one is thankful that Your Majesty did not reprimand me. This lowly one is grateful for the opportunity for advancement, Your Majesty.”

Reminded by Chen Jiao to focus on her work and avoid inappropriate thoughts, she seemed to grasp the message but had a touch of resentment on her face, staying stunned for a while.

Chen Jiao felt her mood had become unstable after seeing Han Yan that day and regretted her earlier words.

Later that evening when Liu Che returned to the Jiaofang Hall, Chu Fu chose not to come forward to serve. Displaying anger towards Chen Jiao, she sent two beloved young servants to prepare the beds for the emperor and empress.

Overall, they shared many ambitions.

Their bodies were close to the ground as they knelt to tidy up the bedding, but their hips and waists moved freely in different directions.

“Are these two little girls’ waists made of iron?” Liu Che inquired playfully, noticing Chen Jiao’s brief fascination.

He rarely made her laugh. After a bout of laughter, she playfully pushed the blushing girls aside, settled on the luxurious quilt, and carefully examined the map once again.

“Why did you suggest seeing this?” He inquired after spending a considerable amount of time watching it with her absentmindedly.

By the tone of his deep voice, Chen Jiao could sense his enthusiasm and eagerness to rest.

It was a fact that Liu Che couldn’t go a day without women. She found herself drained by his insatiable desires in bed.

During her monthly cycle, he seemed to have unofficial approval to have two palace maids visit him in one night. On that specific day, Jia Ji was granted favors several times.

With a touch of amusement, she would occasionally comment, “It’s quite a challenge for Han Yan to maintain such a fit physique.”

In a soft tone to him, Chen Jiao remarked, “I believe,” pretending ignorance, “there must be strict rules for entering and exiting the front hall and Yongxiang areas due to the high number of women in the harem. Today, for instance, I tried to find Shaofu Cheng for a discussion, but was informed that he was on sick leave and Chu Fu was overseeing with a young attendant. Causing any scandal would be harmful to the numerous imperial women residing in the palace.”

An emperor would not be happy to see disorder in his harem. Liu Che shared the same concern.

Sitting up and studying the palace map, he wondered, “Why did this thought suddenly come to you?”

Chen Jiao explained, “Today, while leaving grandmother’s palace, I crossed paths with eldest sister’s family on their way to Changxin Hall. Han Yan was the one who brought them in. It’s not that I’m scared of him, but if everyone follows his lead, there will be more disgruntled women in the palace. It’s not a big deal if a few children are born without a father. What worries me the most is…”

She playfully inquired, with a smile, “If you show interest in a palace servant and she is with someone else the next day, whose child will it be?”

She glanced at him as she spoke with light-heartedness.

This is a serious matter.

At this time, neither the common people nor the dwarfs of the Hundred Plays wore the unflattering trousers with the peculiar crotch style. Liu Che could easily lift his lower garments and relieve himself anywhere if he had a romantic interest in someone.

Chen Jiao would have found it difficult to determine who was being favored and who was not among the people in the palace if he truly wanted to keep it a secret.

In this scenario, if an individual had the ability to win the affection of a gentleman in the palace and news of their engagement was to be announced, and if it happened to be a son of the emperor…

Slowly, Liu Che’s expression and tone became serious.

Complimenting Chen Jiao, he sat upright, “I didn’t consider this issue, but your concerns were valid.”

“During our two years of marriage, this is the first idea you have shared with me,” he playfully commented to her again. “Moving forward, make use of your intelligence more often to help me uncover what I may have missed.”

“As long as I can efficiently oversee the harem, that should be adequate,” Chen Jiao remarked lazily. “You can seek advice from the attendants for other issues. Please refrain from consulting me.”

After speaking a few more words, she observed him coming up with a multitude of ideas, almost as if he wanted to say something but lacked the courage to do so.

Her laughter couldn’t be suppressed, and this made Liu Che feel better.

“Who else has received your favors, Your Majesty? Besides Jia Ji and a chosen few? Inform me, for changing rules overnight is not an option. Firstly, these palace servants must be settled appropriately.”

Besides letting out a brief sigh of relief, Liu Che also felt a bit embarrassed upon realizing that Chen Jiao’s behavior was not driven by pettiness or jealousy.

What if he decided to show favoritism towards certain palace servants as an emperor?

Even he was uncertain about why he constantly felt guilty whenever such a topic arose.
…

T/N
“Shǎo fǔ“— minor treasurer in Imperial China, one of the Nine Ministers.
“Fēng shuǐ“— geomancy.
“The fox borrows power from the tiger“— basking in reflected glory; bully others by flaunting one’s powerful connections; take advantage of the influence of others.
“Yin Wen Zi“— a collection of philosophical dialogues and arguments attributed to Yin Wen. (Chen Jiao probably meant here that majority of the palace servants are illiterate, unlike Chu Fu.)