Thirteen years later—
Spring turned to autumn, mountains and seas changed, tis shifted and situations evolved.
After a drizzly winter rain, the weather grew even more humid and cold.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Heavy coughing ca from behind the overlapping green gauze curtains. The palace attendants entering and exiting Shunan Palace all wore expressions of worry and sorrow.
Several imperial physicians knelt by the bed, silent in the face of the Empress Dowager's questioning.
Only Yan the Imperial Physician dared to speak the truth: "Your Majesty, although Consort Liang's body is no longer affected by the poison from fourteen years ago, her health is still not what it used to be. This winter has been especially long and severe, and she has contracted a serious cold. We... have exhausted all our efforts."
Moreover, Consort Liang is forty-three years old, which is considered long-lived among the imperial consorts.
Throughout history, the lifespan of an emperor has typically ranged around sixty, as long hours and worry over state affairs take their toll.
Thus, Consort Liang's survival to over forty, especially after undergoing a full blood transfusion due to a severe poison, is quite remarkable.
After Yan the Imperial Physician finished speaking, the room fell silent once more. Only Consort Liang lay on the bed, her lifeless eyes staring at the canopy above.
She seed to see herself at the age of fifteen...
She, Consort De, Concubine Li, and several other consorts who had long been forgotten, all entered the palace in the sa year.
In the warm spring of March, with grass growing and orioles flying, flowers blood and faded, while the beauty of the maidens remained eternal.
Three years after another three, the cycle repeated, with new maidens constantly replacing the old.
"Xiang Rui, what does the Emperor look like? When my father took to a court banquet, I only saw him from afar, just knowing he had one nose and two eyes."
"Shh! Ni Er, don't speak ill of the Emperor. If Matron Duan hears us, we'll be punished."
Back then, at fourteen, Concubine Li had already been a willful girl, yet her young heart was full of justice: "What are you afraid of? My grandfather is the Pri Minister Song. If it weren't for the Zhu family's major concessions, agreeing to the Emperor's eternal... forget it. You wouldn't understand even if I told you. Just rember, cling to my side, and Matron Duan won't dare touch you."
"Then I'll be Ni Er's little follower from now on."
"Look at you, so spineless. I still have two exquisite beauty lotions, I'll give you one later."
Back then, she and Concubine Li were close, while Consort De, with her ordinary appearance, always followed her beautiful older cousin, full of self-deprecation.
Naturally, Concubine Li looked down on her.
To assert her superiority or perhaps to form a clique and build her own power, Concubine Li, from the short list, chose the best—and so she took an interest in Consort Liang.
During their ti in Chuxiu Palace, despite the backstabbing, there were also many happy monts.
She and Concubine Li often invited a few maidens to the Imperial Garden to pick flowers for bathing.
Most vividly rembered was the ti when sothing mysterious was added to the flowers Concubine Li collected, making them unusually fragrant.
While she basked in the envious gazes of all the maidens, she didn't notice a huge swarm of bees flying in from sowhere, stinging Concubine Li all over.
The next day was the imperial selection, where everyone was to et the Emperor. The fairest maiden, however, was swollen like a pig's head.
It was the first ti Consort Liang realized the cruelty and viciousness of the deep palace.
It was also Concubine Li's first transformative experience.
With the Song Family's vast influence, finding the maiden who had hard Concubine Li was easy.
Later, Consort De's older cousin suddenly died of poisoning.
At that ti, Consort Liang thought it was Consort De's cousin who had hard Concubine Li, and thus Concubine Li had killed the maiden who was only slightly less beautiful than herself.
Many years later, after she had fallen out with Concubine Li and beco a close ally of the late Empress, the late Empress told her that it wasn't Consort De's cousin but Consort De herself who had caused Concubine Li to be stung by bees.
The reason was simply that Concubine Li had once remarked that Consort De's ordinary looks would never win the Emperor's favor.
The death of Consort De's cousin wasn't caused by Concubine Li but by Consort De, who had chosen to poison her own cousin to draw the Emperor's attention and establish her image as a kind and self-effacing lady.
Although Concubine Li was haughty, she had still maintained her kindness back then and hadn't hard anyone's life.
On the day of the imperial selection, Concubine Li used the beauty balm sent in by the Song Family, which cleared the swelling on her face. She shone brightly in the Imperial Garden, her breathtaking beauty capturing the Emperor's heart.
From then on, her legendary life began.
Consort Liang was conferred the rank of Consort from the eighth grade after the selection, while Concubine Li, elevated to the third-grade Imperial Consort, was already on a completely different level.
It was also around that ti that the Yu Family began to grow close to the Zhu family, becoming their vassals.
Consort Liang gradually distanced herself from Concubine Li, becoming one of the late Empress's loyal supporters.
Feeling betrayed, Concubine Li started opposing Consort Liang at every turn, and the young and spirited Consort Liang began to see her as an enemy, a grudge that remained unresolved until death.
Now, looking back, what was the point?
Weren't they all simply serving their own masters in the palace?
If the Yu Family had aligned with Pri Minister Song back then, Consort Liang would have undoubtedly beco Concubine Li's pawn.
For over a decade, Concubine Li dominated the palace, and even the late Empress had to step aside.
Until Jiang Xinyue's arrival...
At first, they all thought the Emperor rely saw her as a substitute for Concubine Li, seeking in the new woman the shadow of Concubine Li's past.
But who could have imagined, with Concubine Chu's rise as the starting signal, she outmaneuvered all the seasoned, cunning, and favored consorts.
After adopting the fourth prince and giving birth to the Crown Prince, she soon delivered the imperial twins, the seventh prince and the third princess.
Those who underestimated her had already descended to the underworld.
And only Jiang Xinyue was the consort in the palace who truly earned her admiration and genuine affection.
They could also be said to have beco friends through quarrels.
Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough... *retch*
A deep crimson blood sprayed from Consort Liang's throat, and her body sank heavily into the bedding...
There was a suppressed sob in Shunan Palace, which grew louder after a mont.
"Consort Liang... Consort Liang..."
Consort Liang opened her eyes and turned her head to look at Jiang Xinyue, whose youthful innocence had faded, her deanor now one of divine inviolability: "Your Majesty... you are still... as beautiful as the first ti I saw you."
Under the crabapple tree, the young maiden's rosy cheeks were like the fully ripened peaches of March, fallen to the ground—excessively vivid and dazzling, exuding a bewitching charm.
"You're not beautiful at all anymore. When I first t you, you were like a little chili pepper, full of vitality. Now you're like this?"
Feeble, as if she might leave at any mont.
Consort Liang felt her vision clear, her spirits lifting, and she sat up in bed: "Why do I hear the eldest princess's voice? Is she here to take away?"
"Grandmother! Grandmother!"
A young girl around thirteen or fourteen charged into the room, her looks identical to the eldest princess's when she was young.
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