The Soulkeeper's Pavilion: Where the Phoenix Roosts - Chapter 3

Ning’an was Worthy Consort Li’s daughter and the crown prince’s full sister.

The crown prince was the emperor’s only son. The empress came from an illustrious family but had only one daughter.

She and Consort Li were sworn enemies. Yet she could do nothing but watch Li’s son become crown prince.

All I needed was a chance to let the empress know Ning’an was pregnant. Then I could sit back and enjoy the show.

…

The sixteenth day of the ninth month was the empress’s birthday.

Every titled lady and minister of any standing had to attend.

Mother and I had barely taken our seats when the emperor and empress arrived together.

Consort Li sat below the empress, with Ning’an nestled beside her.

Ning’an wore a thick layer of powder that day, but she still looked listless. The pregnancy was difficult, and she spent every day in fear. No wonder she looked so worn.

Halfway through the banquet, a maid serving the dishes upset a wine cup and spilled it over Ning’an.

The princess’s brows shot up. She pointed at the maid and shouted, “Are you blind?”

She was so used to throwing her weight around that she showed no restraint even on the empress’s birthday.

Consort Li frowned and caught her arm. After rising to apologize to the empress, she had Ning’an taken away to change.

“The child can’t hold her wine. Please forgive her, Your Majesty. She’s still so young.”

The empress smiled faintly. “They’re all my children, and all must call me Mother. Why would I blame her?”

Li seemed not to hear the barb. She bowed and sat down.

A little later, I saw Cui You leave his place near the end of the hall and follow someone out.

Mother patted my arm, smiling. “Just wait,” she murmured.

After a few cups of wine, the empress led the titled ladies to admire the chrysanthemums in the imperial gardens.

Golden osmanthus scented the air. Chrysanthemums were in full bloom.

She led us all the way to a palace chamber.

Ning’an’s maid stood outside the door. At the sight of the empress’s party, she bowed hurriedly.

“Her Highness is feeling unwell. She’s resting inside.”

The empress smiled. “Then we must call an imperial physician.”

“Where is Physician Song? Fetch him to examine the princess.”

Consort Li knew perfectly well what her daughter had been doing and hastily intervened. “Surely there’s no need for a physician?”

“Ning’an has simply had too much wine. Let’s not crowd around. She’s made a spectacle of herself; she’ll be crying to me about it later.”

The empress frowned in disapproval. “You indulge her too much. Illness begins with little things.”

Before Li could answer, the crown prince chimed in. “Mother is right. Let a physician see Ning’an!”

Li glared at her son. At that moment, she must have wished she could melt the idiot down and make him again.

He had no idea what he had done wrong. “Mother, why are you glaring at me?” he muttered.

No one else spoke.

Anyone with a little sense could tell something was going on in that room.

Li wanted to stop the empress. The empress was determined to expose Ning’an.

The princess’s two maids knelt by the door, quaking like little quails.

Oh, I had almost forgotten. Cui You was in there too.

With no other choice, Li called loudly for Ning’an.

For some reason, the princess did not answer.

That gave the empress all the more reason to summon the physician. Ignoring Li’s protests, she insisted that the door be opened.

It swung open. Li’s voice died.

The room was a wreck. Ning’an’s peach-pink undergarment hung fluttering on the door, and filthy words drifted out from within.

“Wake those two at once!”

Someone behind me gasped. “Isn’t that the thirteenth young master of the Cui family?”

Knowing, inquisitive looks settled on me, so tangible I could almost feel them.

Everyone knew I was engaged to him. Now here he was, rutting with the princess.

Fortunately, no one dared ask me anything aloud. The servants hastily shut the door, and Consort Li dismissed everyone with an icy face.

The people could leave. The scandal would stay.

Ning’an woke quickly.

The emperor arrived quickly too.

An aphrodisiac incense had been burned in the room. One of Ning’an’s young maids stepped forward and confessed.

“The princess mistreats her servants. She beats and abuses us every day for her amusement. I couldn’t bear it anymore.”

With that, she dashed her own brains out in the empress’s hall.

The dead could not be questioned.

Consort Li was furious enough to drop dead herself.

The emperor had intended to execute Cui You, but Ning’an shielded her lover, weeping pitifully.

“Father, I’m carrying his child.”

The emperor looked positively green with rage.

He had few children—only two daughters and one son—and he had always doted on his son.

His daughter had not only disgraced herself with a man she was not married to, but secretly conceived a child. What father could stomach that?

Still, what was done was done. He could hardly leave his daughter’s child without a father.

He had Cui You dragged before him.

At least the man came from a distinguished family and had placed first in the imperial examinations. He looked presentable enough.

“I hear you are betrothed?”

Cui You immediately knocked his head to the floor and begged forgiveness. He and the princess were in love, he said. He was willing to take responsibility and marry her.

“I shall arrange to end my engagement.”

The emperor sneered. “If Ning’an hadn’t begged for you, ten lives wouldn’t have been enough to pay for this.”

After dealing with those two, he still had to soothe Father.

Father was a trusted pillar of the court who worked tirelessly for him. Now the princess had stolen his daughter’s marriage. By any measure, the emperor owed him some comfort.

“My dear minister, I truly don’t know what to do.”

Father accepted the opening. He said he understood entirely and was willing to dissolve the engagement.

The emperor was deeply moved and rewarded him with gold, silver, and jewels.

Soon everyone knew Princess Ning’an had slept with the top examination graduate before marriage and openly stolen the Xie family’s match.

In this life, they were no golden couple, no match made in heaven. Ning’an was a loose woman of dubious morals; Cui You, a groveling wretch who clung to the powerful.

But this was only the first step.

Compared with what I had suffered in my last life, it was nowhere near enough.