Chapter Twenty-Five: The Lady

Having knelt for so long, Shen Tubai’s carriage moved at a crawl on the return journey. By the time she reached the Prince’s manor, she felt as though she were walking on clouds, her legs trembling uncontrollably.

A female official from the palace had arrived even earlier than her.

News of what had transpired in the palace had not yet reached the manor. Seeing Shen Tubai’s disheveled state, Lu Yuanshuang assumed she had been punished. As the woman drew near, Lu could not resist a low, threatening sneer: "This is the price for offending me. Tell me, did my aunt send this decree to send you to the afterlife?"

With that, she didn't wait for a response, instead tilting her head arrogantly as she knelt at the very front.

Shen Tubai felt that the Empress Dowager must have held some affection for her; she hadn't been dragged off to be executed, after all. Yet, not knowing what the decree contained, she felt a flutter of anxiety.

The female official took in the scene, her expression remaining as placid and smiling as ever, as if she were entirely oblivious to the petty infighting beneath her. Once everyone had gathered, she began to recite the decree in a slow, measured tone.

"Impossible! How could my aunt issue such a decree?" Consort Lu was driven to the brink of madness. She stood up and snatched the bright yellow scroll from the official’s hands.

Since the decree had already been read, and knowing that the Empress Dowager was somewhat indulgent toward her niece, the official did not rebuke her, merely letting her vent her fury. Once the consort had exhausted her rage, the official took back the scroll and placed it into Shen Tubai’s hands. "Lady Shen, accept the decree."

Shen Tubai was momentarily dazed. Given her lowly background, she would normally have had to wait until her son came of age and moved out of the manor to be granted the title of a secondary matriarch. Otherwise, her only hope would have been for Li Tinghan to ascend the throne, perhaps granting her a rank then. Her decision to enter the manor had been fueled by that very scrap of hope. Who would have thought that a single word from the Empress Dowager would make her a Lady of the Fifth Rank?

Though thrilled, Shen Tubai remained cautious. "For the Empress Dowager’s great kindness, this servant dares not conceal—"

Before she could finish, the official raised a hand to silence her, saying in a voice loud enough for all to hear: "The Empress Dowager has spoken: Lady Shen is circumspect and diligent. Should she bear an heir, she shall be promoted to the rank of Consort and the child will be sent to the palace to be raised."

This was as good as officially erasing Shen Tubai’s former identity. Grasping the implication, Shen Tubai kowtowed in gratitude.

***

Shen Tubai signaled to Chunchan, and a heavy purse of silver slipped into the official’s hands. She accepted it with a smile, not refusing.

After the official departed, a sense of unreality still clung to Shen Tubai, as if she were floating. But there was someone who found the event even harder to believe.

"It was you! What on earth did you say to my aunt? How could she possibly issue such a decree?" Lu Yuanshuang pointed at her, eyes filled with hatred. Had her maidservants not held her back, she would have pounced on Shen Tubai to tear her apart. "You bewitched my aunt! She would never treat me this way!"

Shen Tubai understood her feelings well; after all, the Empress Dowager had been her greatest shield. Yet, even after Lu had gone to the palace to complain, not only had Shen Tubai escaped punishment, but she had also been promoted. Moreover, if she bore a child, she would stand on equal footing with Lu, with the added honor of having that child raised in the palace. Such an honor was not guaranteed even for Lu Yuanshuang herself.

It was no different than a slap across the face. If word of today’s events spread, Lu Yuanshuang would surely become the laughingstock of Chang'an.

Shen Tubai had not forgotten how Lu had previously tried to kill her, and she had no desire to waste sympathy on her now. "Consort, please mind your words. The Empress Dowager is wise and sagacious; how could she be bewitched by me? If those words reach the ears of someone with ill intentions, you might well be charged with the crime of disrespect."

"Bah!" Lu Yuanshuang stood with her hands on her hips, frantic with rage. "The Empress Dowager is my own aunt! If she is bewitched, it is my duty to point it out. This is... this is me rectifying the court!"

Lu Yuanshuang seemed truly incensed, trembling so violently she could barely stand, yet she still insisted on punishing Shen Tubai. "Someone! Come here! Drag her away and beat her to death!"

Shen Tubai could not help but roll her eyes. She pulled Chunchan away, fearing that staying near Lu would make her stupid. The surrounding servants stood by, none daring to intervene. Shen Tubai had been a lowly concubine before, and even then, one couldn't just beat her to death at will. Now, with the Empress Dowager having just conferred a rank upon her, for Lu Yuanshuang to order her execution immediately after would be seen by some as a momentary lapse in judgment, and by others as a direct slap to the Empress Dowager’s face.

Shen Tubai sneered inwardly. If the Empress Dowager had slapped her, and she tried to strike back, did she not fear for her own life?

Returning to Wutong Court, Shen Tubai had Chunchan fetch hot water from the kitchen to soothe her knees.

***

Kneeling for an hour to secure a promotion was, in Shen Tubai’s eyes, well worth it, but the pain was undeniable.

Just as she was baring her calves and waiting for Chunchan’s hot towel to save her, the sound of chaotic footsteps echoed through the courtyard. Pushing open the door, she saw the small courtyard crowded with fine pear-wood chests, each filled with various treasures.

Shen Tubai looked at Chunlan in confusion. "What is this?"

Chunlan shook her head blankly, her mouth still covered in pastry crumbs. "I just came out, I don't know either."

It was the three Ladies—Tang, Zhu, and Qin Hongmian—who arrived together to provide an explanation. "The patterns carved on these two chests are unique to the Inner Palace; they must be rewards sent by the Empress Dowager," Tang said.

Lady Zhu snorted and added, "There is no shortage of opportunists in Chang'an. The decree has barely been issued, and already they are scrambling to curry favor."

Shen Tubai finally understood the origin of the gifts. She looked at the three of them, puzzled.

Lady Tang looked uncharacteristically awkward, but with Lady Zhu resentful and Qin Hongmian silent, she was forced to bite the bullet. "Sister has gained the favor of the Empress Dowager and been granted a rank; we ought to offer our congratulations."

With that, Lady Tang signaled, and the palace maids behind her presented their gifts to Shen Tubai. Lady Zhu realized belatedly that her earlier words might have included herself in the criticism, but she still begrudgingly had her gifts presented.

"I know I cannot match the wealth and status of my sisters, but I hope you will not despise this small token, Lady Shen."

Qin Hongmian was no longer the lively girl she had been during their last meeting. She kept her posture low and did not raise her head throughout the interaction, yet her words made Shen Tubai frown. The other two were also visibly displeased, but to bicker with her over it would be beneath their dignity, and the atmosphere fell into a heavy silence.

Shen Tubai had no real relationship with them, and with her legs aching terribly, she offered a few polite pleasantries and sent them away. She then stood alone in the courtyard, staring at the sea of gifts with a furrowed brow. Gold, silver, jewelry, and fine silks—she loved them all, but were these truly things she was meant to keep?