Chapter 5: Provocation

The gold leaf at her temples shimmered and flickered with her rapid spins, as if starlight were woven into her hair. The dazzling display was almost too bright to look at directly, yet it held all eyes captive.

The drums fell silent, the music ceased, and a profound stillness descended upon the hall, leaving only her faint gasps and the lingering resonance of the golden bells.

After a moment, Xiao Yang clapped his hands sharply and burst into laughter. "Marvelous! Absolutely marvelous! As ethereal as clouds veiling the moon, as graceful as snow swirling in the wind! Only now do I understand the wisdom of the ancients!"

Turning to Xiao Yuan, he asked, "What does Imperial Sister think?"

Xiao Yuan's gaze lingered on the sweat-dampened temples of Jiang Lingzhi and her unusually bright eyes. "Not bad," she said coolly.

"Since Imperial Sister approves," Xiao Yang declared immediately, "I shall bestow her upon you!"

Xiao Yuan saw Jiang Lingzhi's brow furrow in a fleeting frown before she raised her sleeve to partially conceal her face. Her voice, still carrying the slight breathlessness of her dance, was carefully measured and tactfully indirect.

"This consort's appearance is now marred, and her hairstyle is disheveled. I fear it would be an offense to Your Highness's eyes."

A mocking curve touched Xiao Yuan's thin, pale lips. "Consort Rong's words sound rather like an accusation that I, by requesting your hair yesterday, have caused this disfigurement?"

Jiang Lingzhi cursed the troublemaker under her breath, but her face quickly bloomed into a gentle smile as she lowered her posture even further. "Your Highness speaks too harshly. This consort never intended such a thing. To be favored by Your Highness is this consort's greatest fortune."

"Is that so?" Xiao Yuan gently swirled the remaining wine in her cup, her tone flat and unruffled. "Then this Prince has been too suspicious."

You little needle-prick! Jiang Lingzhi thought, her smile unwavering. "Your Highness is magnanimous and benevolent. This consort is deeply grateful."

Xiao Yang watched with amusement as his Imperial Sister, rarely showing such interest in "teasing" others, seemed to be guessing her next move. But then Xiao Yuan suddenly rose.

"This Prince cannot accept gifts from Your Majesty's people. I shall not disturb you and the Beauty's enjoyment." She picked up the whip on the table and descended the jade stairs.

As she passed Jiang Lingzhi, her steps paused imperceptibly.

The sudden proximity made Jiang Lingzhi's body tense instantly, her vigilance reaching its peak.

Xiao Yuan glanced sideways, taking in every subtle reaction. The mocking curve of her lips deepened.

She leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping to a whisper only the two of them could hear. "This Prince will return Her Ladyship's hair to you."

Jiang Lingzhi: "???"

Thanks, but really, no need!

Return? How? With what?

She could almost imagine that the "repayment" would be anything but pleasant.

"No..." she instinctively began to refuse.

But Xiao Yuan gave her no chance to speak. Her pine-green robes swept across the polished floor as she vanished behind the thick curtains.

Only a faint trace of cold pine and leather lingered in the air, mingling with the hall's decadent incense.

Jiang Lingzhi had thought that her stunning Pan Drum Dance would be enough to leave a lasting impression on the Emperor, making tonight's imperial summons a natural consequence.

The day's schemes by Consort De had nearly led to disaster; without her unique skills, she might have suffered misfortune.

No matter. Once she secured the Emperor's favor and established her position, she would settle every score, with interest.

As dusk deepened, the full moon rose, a silver disc hanging above the upturned eaves of the Zigong Palace.

A eunuch rushed in to announce that the Emperor's imperial carriage was approaching Lanlin Pavilion.

Inside, incense burned in the censers, and red candles cast a warm glow. Everything was prepared according to the standards for a consort's first night with the Emperor.

Jiang Lingzhi wore a simple white gown of sharkskin silk, its fabric as light and ethereal as mist. The material draped over her delicate, slender figure, and moonlight filtered through the lattice windows, making her skin gleam with a soft, pearly luster.

Though her hair was short, Yueya had skillfully styled it to lie smooth and neat. The temples were still adorned with intricate gold foil patterns of twining branches, and luminous pearls hung beneath her ears.

She stood quietly in the courtyard beneath the moonlight, like a jade hairpin flower blooming silently at night—peerlessly beautiful, elegant, and serene.

Yet, her heart was far from the calm her face betrayed.

A tangled knot of anxiety, confusion, and even a trace of resistance coiled and grew within her, like a creeping vine.

For seventeen years, she had been raised in a noble household. Since her first menstruation, an elder nanny had sat behind a screen, holding up painted silk scrolls to quietly instruct her in the ways of yin and yang and marital harmony.

The nanny had told her that learning these things wasn't to please any man, but to ensure that one day, with a worthy partner, she might live in harmony and mutual joy.

Despite her initial intentions of mutual affection, she found herself still having to cater to the Emperor.

Jiang Lingzhi felt as though she had split into two selves.

One part warned her: This body is a chess piece, a blade. For the glory of the Jiang Clan and the safety of your younger brother, you must overcome this trial.

The other part secretly prayed: May the imperial carriage delay, grow slower and slower. May the moon hang full tonight, forever before dawn.

Whether some deity heard her plea, the Emperor's carriage did indeed delay.

The moonlight quietly shifted, sliding from the eastern eaves to the zenith, its radiance growing colder.

Within Lanlin Pavilion, the red candles burned down to their wicks and were replaced. The air in the incense burner grew increasingly anxious.

The palace maids standing guard began to shift their gazes, Yueya repeatedly glancing toward the pavilion door, her palms growing damp with cold sweat.

Not until the stroke of midnight was approaching did an unfamiliar young eunuch hurry in, his face a mask of apology as he bowed deeply at the foot of the stairs.

"Her Ladyship Consort Rong, His Majesty... His Majesty is staying with Her Ladyship Consort De tonight. Please retire first."

"Ah," a short, almost voiceless gasp escaped Jiang Lingzhi's throat.

She quickly lowered her gaze, concealing the sudden wave of relief that swept through her eyes. When she looked up again, she had perfected a look of calculated disappointment and melancholy, a faint but proper smile gracing her lips. Her voice was soft.

"So that's how it is. Thank you for relaying the message, Eunuch. Consort De has worked hard to attend His Majesty. I... understand."

To the young eunuch, her smile was clearly forced, her words insincere.

A hint of pity flickered in his eyes as he silently accepted the silver crescent that Yueya offered again. He bowed and withdrew.

Yueya rushed forward to support Jiang Lingzhi, her voice low and urgent with anger. "Consort De is being utterly arrogant! We're both Consorts, yet she dares to intercept the Emperor's favor halfway—she's clearly trying to humiliate you!"

Jiang Lingzhi gently patted Yueya's hand where she was being supported, her fingertips cool. Her voice remained remarkably calm. "It's fine."

Consort De, Consort De... you really are something!

The unexpected deviation from her planned strategy didn't faze Jiang Lingzhi.

She had been in the palace for only three days, and already the storms were relentless. The Emperor's moods were as elusive as mist on a lake, and she had yet to gauge the depths of this murky water. Rushing to gain his favor too soon might not be a blessing after all.

Tian Danhan's impatience and arrogance, however, gave Jiang Lingzhi a chance to catch her breath and observe.

The next morning, as the first rays of dawn pierced the sky, the lingering scent of frankincense still hung in Lanlin Pavilion.

Jiang Lingzhi applied her makeup before a bronze mirror, her calm features reflected in the polished surface.

A palace attendant entered to announce, "Consort De has arrived."

"What does she want? To flaunt last night's favor?" Yueya frowned, her brow furrowing in displeasure. "Her Ladyship could feign illness and refuse to see her."

Jiang Lingzhi smiled at her reflection and set down her jade comb. "No, I'd like to meet her."

Lady Tian was only eighteen or nineteen, having entered the palace a year earlier than Jiang Lingzhi. To survive for over a year in the Xiao Clan's treacherous harem—where beauty faded as quickly as life—and to ascend from Zhaoyi to Consort De in a single night, she must have possessed more than just good looks.

Yesterday's "kind words" at Guanghua Hall, which had used others as a weapon to kill, further revealed her cunning and boldness.

Such a person, Jiang Lingzhi thought, was worth meeting.

In the main hall of Lanlin Pavilion, morning light streamed through the carved long windows, casting dappled patterns on the floor.

By the time Jiang Lingzhi entered, Consort De, Tian Danhan, was already seated in the guest's seat.

She had clearly dressed in her finest today.

She wore a crimson robe woven with golden phoenixes and peonies, its wide sleeves and flowing hem exuding imperial favor. Over this, she wore an apricot-colored gauze half-sleeved jacket patterned with clouds, its long, colorful brocade sleeves trailing down her arms, each ending in a cluster of tiny pearls that shimmered as she moved.

Her hair was styled in a towering "spirit snake" coiffure, adorned with a full set of head ornaments, earrings, a collar, armlets, and rings. Every detail proclaimed her status as a favored consort, radiating an aura of opulent prestige.

Her young face blended the bright freshness of a maiden with the subtle allure and pride of a woman. The youthful vitality of her teens merged strangely with the worldly sophistication honed by life in the harem, creating a beauty that was both captivating and aggressive.

Tian Danhan was, without a doubt, a woman of extraordinary beauty. This undeniable loveliness was perhaps one of the key reasons she had survived the bloody machinations of the harem to this day.

Jiang Lingzhi walked steadily toward the main seat, aware of Tian Danhan's scrutinizing gaze. It swept over her simple robes, her short, ear-length hair, and her unadorned face like an unfeeling hand, showing no courtesy.

She bore the scrutiny with poise, her back straight as a bamboo shoot. After seating herself, she picked up the Yue ware celadon teacup already prepared on the table. Feeling the smooth, cool glaze beneath her fingertips, she took a gentle sip before lifting her eyes and speaking in a soft, measured tone:

"Sister, you worked so hard serving His Majesty last night. Why aren't you resting properly? How did you end up here so early this morning?"

Tian Danhan's lips, ripe and red as cherries, bloomed into a smile. Her eyes, shifting lazily, held an unapologetic air of languor and triumph.

"His Majesty originally intended to visit my Lanlin Pavilion last night, but for some reason, he suddenly remembered me."

She covered her mouth with her sleeve, letting out a tinkling laugh with a deliberately drawn-out ending. Her gaze, like still water, turned to Jiang Lingzhi, her eyes shimmering.

"Sister meant no harm. I've come specifically to apologize to you. I'm so sorry."

Jiang Lingzhi returned her smile, her eyes lingering on Tian Danhan's delicate features. Inwardly, she itched to dissect this woman, to peel back her layers and understand her true nature.

Beautiful, arrogant, ruthless—and now, deliberately feigning shallowness and provocation.

How could a woman who seemed so transparent, whose emotions were so readily displayed, survive and even thrive in this cutthroat place?

Was it luck? Or a carefully constructed facade?

"Sister is joking," Jiang Lingzhi replied, setting down her teacup. The porcelain clinked softly against the rosewood table. "I suspect there's more to Sister's apology than just last night's incident, wouldn't you agree?"

Tian Danhan's hand, playing with the jade bracelet on her wrist, paused slightly.

Jiang Lingzhi met her gaze, speaking plainly, her voice calm but each word clear: "We are both daughters of noble houses, both confined within these walls of Zigong Palace. Why must you constantly target me, Sister, and press me at every turn?"

"Jiang Lingzhi!" Tian Danhan's knuckles tightened abruptly, her crimson nails digging deep into her palm. The smile on her face froze, replaced by a cold sneer. "Do you truly not know why I treat you this way?"

Jiang Lingzhi's expression remained unchanged, only a soft "Oh" escaped her lips. "Then what was the relationship between Consort De and the Tian youth who died in vain that night?"

"Hmph, I thought you had forgotten." Tian Danhan fixed Jiang Lingzhi with a gaze full of naked hostility, her autumn-like eyes shimmering with malice. "If you hadn't provoked the Eldest Princess, my brother wouldn't have met such a tragic end before the throne!"

"Provoked the Eldest Princess?" Jiang Lingzhi leaned forward slightly, her skin almost translucent and pale, with faint blue veins visible beneath its smooth surface. This contrast made her apricot-shaped eyes seem like deep, dark pools when she looked at someone.

"If Consort De hadn't pulled me back from behind that night, how would I have provoked the Eldest Princess?"