Chapter 4, A myriad of colors always signifies spring

As they were enjoying themselves, a young eunuch approached, signaling for everyone to be quiet, presumably because Emperor Dingxi was coming this way. Tingyou glanced back and indeed saw a group of eunuchs and palace maids surrounding Emperor Dingxi as they made their way over. Since they were not far away, it was impossible to avoid them, so everyone bowed their heads and knelt in place.

The Emperor personally praised Ting You, which should have been her immense fortune. If she were an ordinary outsider, suitors would likely have trampled the threshold in their eagerness. Yet, she happens to be someone who was once favored by the Emperor, and such a reward indeed feels somewhat ungrateful.

They are all daughters in their teens, a time when they are particularly fond of beauty. Tingyou is not a strict and harsh mistress, so the few of them began to chatter and discuss.

The Empress Dowager was anxious, but such matters could not be rushed. One could not force the Emperor to favor anyone. She also wanted to send two individuals to Emperor Dingxi, but he dismissively turned them away, stating that he already had four princes and did not need to take more women into the palace. Furthermore, he remarked that many men in the realm were unable to marry, and as the Son of Heaven, he should love his subjects as his own children. He even took the opportunity to propose releasing a group of palace maids from the palace, to which the Empress Dowager could only agree

Apart from these two individuals, another person who left a deep impression on Ting You was the talented lady Ting from Yichun Palace. "Ting" is her title, and she has been in the palace for over six years yet remains a talented lady. Taking advantage of a moment of free time, Ting You glanced at her: her eyes were like spring water, her brows were like beautiful mountains, her skin was as smooth as fine jade, her lips were like painted vermilion, and her figure was graceful, truly a stunning beauty. Three years ago, when Aunt Song mentioned her, she also remarked on her extraordinary looks.

There are many women who serve the emperor, and there are also quite a few who are favored only once in their lifetime. Ting You can only speculate that it is because she lacks distinctiveness, and thus has not left a deep impression on Emperor Xi.

The Hui Consort's family strongly supported Emperor Dingxi, so despite having no children, Emperor Dingxi disregarded the objections of Empress Dowager Jing and promoted her to the rank of Hui Consort

"She has served the Emperor with great merit, how could we dare to compare ourselves?" Accompanying Lady Lan was Li Xuan-shi, who resided in the palace with her.

Without hesitation, Sui'er wanted to fetch a container for the flowers, but was stopped by Tingyou, who said, "No need. At this time, the garden is most vibrant with blooming flowers and lush willows. Let Nongzheng weave a few flower baskets; that way, the flowers will look even more beautiful."

As a result, the Empress Dowager's health deteriorated further. Ting You did not know how many jokes she had told to console her, and she also used the words of the old lady to comfort her, which finally improved the situation somewhat

The day after Ting You was conferred the title of a favored concubine, the Cining Palace was indeed bustling with activity. The people in the palace were not foolish; if they were, they would have perished long ago. The signs of discord between the Empress Dowager and the Emperor had long been evident, so these individuals no longer approached the Empress Dowager with the same trepidation and flattery as when they first entered the palace. Each day, they would report their greetings, but it seemed that one was either ill or another had fallen ill, and it was already quite good if three out of ten could make it. However, today, the Cining Palace was vibrant with blooming flowers, and the sounds of warblers and swallows filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere.

"Isn't it her?" The Empress Dowager's expression softened a bit, "The matriarch of the Jing family has passed away, and Tingyou has observed three years of mourning for her. She has just finished her period of mourning and is an extremely filial child. The grieving family also appreciates this about her, which is why I brought her into the palace to keep me company and alleviate my boredom"

After the crowd departed, Ting You prepared a cup of mint tea, served it in a jade cup, and presented it to Empress Dowager Jing

Consort Zeng did not get angry at the difficulties posed by Lady Lan; she merely cast a disdainful glance at her. Before giving birth to the fourth prince, Lady Lan was merely a sixth-rank consort. Who would have known that she was fortunate enough to conceive in just one night, and it was only after giving birth that she was granted the title of Lady.

Fang Pin had paid her respects, and then An stood quietly beside Hui Fei, saying little and rarely lifting her head

"With your sharp tongue and keen eyes, do you really not like a girl like this?" Yu Xianfei said with a smile

Ting You smiled as she stepped forward, kneeling to pay her respects. Yu Xianfei quickly helped her up, and after only half a bow, Ting You learned her lesson. It was not without reason that Yu Xianfei could navigate between Emperor Dingxi and Empress Dowager Jing, pleasing both sides. This Yu Xianfei was an elder in the palace; she was taken in by Emperor Dingxi when he ascended the throne. Among the old courtiers from over a decade ago, she was the only one left. Although Emperor Dingxi no longer favored her, she had a firstborn son, and every month, Emperor Dingxi would certainly visit her palace.

The pavilion is serene and bright

Ting You nodded slightly, but it seemed to be without much sincerity

Sister Xianfei has a celestial beauty like Sister Jing, and it seems she has ascended to the heavens; I fear she will no longer look upon us ordinary mortals. This playful remark was made by Lan Zhaoyi, who had just given birth to the fourth prince. She squinted her eyes and wrinkled her nose, truly resembling someone who is jealous, which amused everyone.

Lan Zhaoyi looked at the person with disdain and mocked, "I thought it was someone who arrived late, but it turns out to be Sister Fangpin."

Although the Emperor has called me Empress Dowager, I am not flesh and blood that has fallen from his body; there is still a layer of separation. Now that he has grown older and more resolute, I am counting on you to advise him.

The pavilion is secluded, and I cannot pretend to be oblivious, "Everyone is here to see me, right"

Sui'er looked at Tingyou with envy, noticing her delicate and smooth skin, which was even more radiant than egg whites. "No wonder the talented person's skin is so good, it looks better than egg whites."

The Empress Dowager took a sip of tea and felt incredibly refreshed, as it masked the heavy scent of cosmetics from earlier, making her feel somewhat better. "You are quite clever," she remarked.

After Consort Xian had greeted Empress An, she looked at Tingyou and said: "The daughters from the Empress Dowager's family are indeed extraordinary. Not to mention the Emperor, even I find her extremely charming. I dare say, we cannot find a second one with such beauty in our palace."

The Empress Dowager suppressed her disappointment deep within her heart. She had harbored great expectations for Ting You, which is why she felt such disappointment. For the past three years, Emperor Dingxi had not mentioned Ting You even once. The Dowager could still comfort herself by attributing this to Ting You's absence. However, upon witnessing the current situation today, it was not looking good. "This is a young lady from the Jing family. She entered the palace three years ago to accompany me in mourning. The Emperor has seen her once, so it is not surprising that he finds her familiar."

"You, a mere talented individual, why are they all so eager to come and see you?" The Empress Dowager locked her gaze onto Tingyou, not allowing her to retreat

Ting You listened as Empress Dowager Jing worked hard to secure a position for her, and Emperor Xidi nonchalantly granted her the title of a talent, without any official title. Her expression remained calm. Only Huang and Zheng exchanged surprised glances at her, weighing their thoughts anew.

"Only those who are truly talented do not like to use these things. Her skin is delicate; using these will cause rashes. Even when using rouge, it must be made by us ourselves," Baoqin interjected. Baoqin and Nongzheng had been serving Tingyou since childhood. After Tingyou entered the palace, the Empress Dowager specifically summoned the two of them to continue serving Tingyou.

Ting You thought for a moment; she used to dislike using these things at home, but now that she was in the palace, there were more opportunities to use them, and she had to do some of it. "Well then, there are many good things in this palace. Let's first go to the Imperial Garden and see what flowers there are."

The Empress Dowager, with her head bowed low, revealed a snow-white and elegant neck, secretly lamenting that such a demeanor would not please the Emperor. Perhaps she had indeed made a mistake back then, being too eager. "As long as you understand, I am not forcing you. Let things take their natural course, but you must not retreat."

The Empress Dowager shook her head, as if she did not wish to continue discussing Lady Lan. "Do you know why everything is so complete today?"

Naturally, everyone feigned loyalty, hoping to come every day. The Empress Dowager, however, was indifferent and did not engage them in conversation, merely waving her hand to send them away.

It is uncertain whether the Xianfei truly has genuine feelings for Tingyou, but it is certain that Lan Zhaoyi does not like her. When she entered to assess Tingyou, there was a noticeable disdain in her eyes

Emperor Dingxi smiled and said, "I remember now, it seems to be called Tingyou."

Ting You had imagined countless scenarios of their reunion before his arrival, among which the most frequent was that Emperor Dingxi would treat her as if she were invisible. If that were truly the case, Ting You would actually feel pleased. It is said that Emperor Dingxi has been well-read and knowledgeable since childhood, exceptionally intelligent, and to treat a woman with whom he once shared a bed as if she were invisible would surely be pretentious, making it easier to find an opportunity. However, his current lukewarm demeanor, reminiscent of a past acquaintance, has once again dealt a blow to Ting You.

Empress Dowager Jing tapped Ting You's forehead and said, "You still claim to be a good person, yet you are so narrow-minded." Empress Dowager Jing set down her teacup and sighed, "Alas, this Lan Zhaoyi is truly a hopeless case, a waste considering she has given birth to the Fourth Prince."

The pavilion was scrutinized by these palace ladies as if it were a precious treasure, and one could almost sense their desire to take it apart and examine it closely. Just as she was troubled about how to extricate herself from this group of women, she noticed a woman dressed as a palace lady arriving slowly.

Lan Zhaoyi harbored a deep resentment in her heart. Although she held the position of the foremost among the nine concubines, she had never been favored by Emperor Dingxi, which led her to harbor the greatest jealousy towards the favored Consort Hui and Concubine Fang

The father of Lan Zhaoyi is affiliated with the Empress Dowager's faction. The Empress Dowager allowed her to enter the palace because she found her appearance pleasing. However, little did she know that apart from offending others with her words, she possessed no other talents. Previously, her father's high official position provided her protection, but now that her father has been demoted, she remains completely unaware of the need to restrain herself, especially since she has given birth to the Fourth Prince.

Talent, our rouge is almost used up. The other day, I saw the flower eunuch delivering jade hairpin flowers to the Cining Palace. Why don't we get some more rouge?

This can be seen as a warning to the Empress Dowager. Since she has entered the palace, she cannot afford to be complacent, nor can she retreat from the world like Concubine Ting.

The reasoning behind this is naturally understood. She is the grandniece of the Empress Dowager, which is enough to make these women attentive, "It is naturally for Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager."

The Empress Dowager smiled at Ting You and said: "This is the virtuous Consort Yu. She is currently in charge of the harem. In the future, if you desire anything, just go to her. She is the most easygoing one."

Fang Pin was selected in the last draft, her father being the Governor of Henan. She possesses a graceful and delicate demeanor, with a gentle expression. Even when ridiculed by Lan Zhaoyi and Li Xuanshi, she shows no sign of displeasure. Over the past three years, she has been highly favored and was one of the key figures introduced by Aunt Song to Ting You last night

The slight stir caused by Ting You's entry into the palace quickly faded away

However, after a brief moment, Ting You saw a pair of shoes with pink and white soles and purple silk embroidered dragon patterns walking past her. They suddenly stopped just a small step away, "What are you doing here?"

It is enough that Mother is happy. The son has many state affairs to attend to and cannot remain by Mother's side for long to fulfill his filial duties, which is a sign of unfilial conduct. It is truly a blessing that Miss Jing can accompany Mother to alleviate her boredom. " After saying this, Emperor Dingxi turned to the chief eunuch beside him, Wang Jiufu, and said: "Bestow upon Miss Jing the jade ruyi that I received the other day, and also grant Jing Guoan one thousand taels of silver and four bolts of colorful silk, and say that it is a reward from the Empress Dowager for having given birth to such a good daughter.

In early summer, the imperial garden is filled with the chirping of orioles among the verdant willows, butterflies dancing among the blooming flowers, water cascading like jade, and stones covered in green moss, evoking a sense of wistfulness. In a secluded pavilion, one sways gently on a swing, watching as someone plays the zither while weaving a flower basket with tassels, feeling that life under the protection of the Empress Dowager is quite pleasant, as at least no one dares to cause trouble.

Ting You did not raise his head, thus he was unaware of whom Emperor Dingxi was speaking to, until Wang Jiufu spoke up, saying: "Respectfully, Your Majesty is asking a question."

Ting Cai looked at Ting You in a detached manner, merely glancing back coldly without even bothering to muster a smile. Ting You began to understand why she remained a talented lady to this day; it seemed that Emperor Dingxi did not favor cold beauties

The person known as Consort Yu Xian is well aware of her esteemed position, being the highest-ranking consort in the palace and the mother of the Crown Prince. Her status is unparalleled, and it is only she who, regardless of wind or rain, has never missed the morning greetings at the Cining Palace. It is no wonder that she has remained steadfast in the harem for so many years.

At the end of spring and the beginning of summer, the noble Consort Yu sent palace maids to deliver summer rouge to Tingyou. Suier, who was nearby, looked on with great envy, so Tingyou decided to give it all to her, allowing her to share it with the other maids from the Cining Palace and the He Tushu Palace.

"A talented person, I cannot dare to accept a servant; otherwise, what would a talented person use?" Sui'er quickly shook her head.

I fear that they are relying on having a cousin who is a favored concubine, looking down even on the Empress Dowager. Lady Lan seems to be someone who is naturally inclined to stir up trouble.

According to the regulations, only imperial consorts of the third rank and above are qualified to preside over a palace. Therefore, Tingyou received a special decree from the Empress Dowager, allowing her to continue residing in the Cining Palace. This has caused envy among many in the palace, as she can see the Emperor every day in Cining Palace, unlike other consorts who wait eagerly for a glimpse of the Emperor, which may only happen once a month at best

The fragrance on Lady Lan is too strong; not to mention that the Empress Dowager is currently in poor health and cannot bear it, even I was almost overwhelmed by it

"Respectful talent, you serve the Empress Dowager well, and in the future, I shall bestow rewards upon you." The Emperor Dingxi painted a rather impressive big cake in front of Tingyou.

She is still young, and one does not receive rewards without merit; how could she deserve the Emperor's generous favor? It would only diminish her blessings. However, as a young woman, how can she remain in the palace for an extended period to accompany an old woman like me? She is also getting older; I do not wish to delay her future.

It is a blessing for me to be able to serve beside the Empress Dowager; I do not dare to take credit for it. Ting You once again lamented as she knelt down to express her gratitude

The palace maid beside Consort Yu had already prepared the gifts for the meeting: a pair of gold bangles inlaid with rubies, a gold necklace adorned with a treasure pendant and a peony lock, and a hairpin with a single phoenix and a pearl tassel. The gifts were not only extremely valuable but also in accordance with regulations. Consort Yu then chatted with Ting You for quite a while, praising her as unparalleled in the heavens and unmatched on earth.

"Alright, alright, you may all leave now. Your noise gives me a headache. There is no need to come every day; just come on the first and fifteenth of each month to show your respect." The Empress Dowager waved her hand, signaling the palace maids to see the guests off.

It is I who have not considered this thoroughly. Therefore, I shall bestow upon her the title of Fifth Rank Talent, so that she may fulfill her filial duties on my behalf before the Empress Mother from now on

Ting You's face flushed red; as soon as this name escaped the lips of Emperor Dingxi, she couldn't help but think of the time he had teased her with her own name

Time passes quickly; in the blink of an eye, it has already been two months since she entered the palace of the quiet pavilion. She serves by the Empress Dowager's side every day and sees Emperor Dingxi daily, yet Emperor Dingxi has never looked at her properly. When he speaks to her, it is only to inquire about the Empress Dowager's health and diet, and he has not said anything else.