The Daily Life of a Concubine

Chapter 49 - A Fight for Survival

"You all know how hard it is to survive in the harem. From now on, it will be a burden for you as well, but please help me guard Lan Yue Pavilion well. Once the child is born, I promise you will all be generously rewarded."

"Yes, we will make sure no one harms He Liangdi or the little prince," the maids responded in unison.

Wang Momo remained the most silent.

"Good. I trust in your abilities, so the hard work will be worth it," Bai Jingxian smiled at them. "Chunfeng, reward each person in our courtyard with an extra month's salary, and for those outside, give them ten taels of silver." Though ten taels wasn't much, even that was more than Bai Jingxian felt they deserved.

Not everyone in Lan Yue Pavilion was hers to command. The ones serving her were from her own West Side Hall, while the others were assigned by the Department of Internal Affairs.

"Yes, thank you for your generosity, Your Grace."

"Alright, you may go now. Celebrate with the others."

Only Wang Momo remained behind. Bai Jingxian turned to her, asking, "Momo, is there something you wish to say to me?" Anyone could tell by her expression that she had something on her mind.

"My Lady, I fear things may not go smoothly in three months, especially in Ci'an Palace. I've heard they've assigned several second-ranked Momo. If the Empress Dowager gives any orders, I'm afraid..." Wang Momo was concerned about the people the Empress Dowager had placed there.

Bai Jingxian's expression showed unease. "What does Momo think we should do?" She didn't have enough power to confront the Empress Dowager yet. If possible, she'd rather avoid her. "They're mere servants. Surely they wouldn't dare lay a hand on me?"

Wang Momo was deeply worried. "If Eunuch Xia could stay with us, we'd have a chance." Even the dogs by the Empress Dowager's side had more influence than concubines of lower rank.

Though her mistress held the rank of Lianngdi, a fifth-rank consort, the second-ranked Momo still outranked her. If they wanted to cause trouble at Lan Yue Pavilion, they had plenty of ways to do it.

Of course, Xia Xiazi couldn't stay at Lan Yue Pavilion. If the Emperor found out, his suspicions would grow, and Bai Jingxian's efforts to befriend him would backfire.

"It's impossible. No one would give up serving the Emperor just for my sake," Bai Jingxian said with a bitter smile.

"That's true. Luckily, we still have time to plan. We have a month until your pregnancy stabilizes. Let's think of another solution." Wang Momo's fear of the Empress Dowager's people stemmed from personal experience, having been persecuted by them before. They were all skilled manipulators, though the credit for their talents went not to the Empress Dowager herself, but to Dezhong, a formidable figure by her side. Without him, the Empress Dowager would never have dared act so brazenly.

Even the Emperor had to yield to her at times, ever since the Zhang family had oppressed them.

Once Bai Jingxian was left alone in the room, her anxious expression vanished entirely. All the fear, tension, and worry had been a show for others. Only by acting this way could she ensure that her subordinates shared her concerns.

After all, she was just a low-ranking Liangdi. More importantly, her scheme was already in motion. Even if the Empress Dowager wanted to deal with her, it wouldn't happen now—at least not until it became known she was carrying multiple children. At this moment, the Empress Dowager was more concerned with the children growing in the wombs of the Empress and Lan Guifei.

From the moment Bai Jingxian had taken three fertility pills, she had anticipated this outcome. Later, when the pills mutated, it gave her an even bolder idea. She would ensure the entire harem became pregnant. Let's see how they'd manage to harm her when all the concubines were bearing children. If so many royal heirs were at risk, even the court officials would press the Emperor to investigate thoroughly.

No matter how bold or cunning the Empress Dowager was, she'd have to consider the court's reaction. Once her true nature was exposed, the one most delighted would be the Emperor himself. Bai Jingxian had no doubt that after seven years on the throne, he was well aware of his mother's ambitions. The issue of succession—whether a younger brother would succeed or a child would be adopted—always benefited Prince Duan.

Anyone with a brain would know what choice to make.

As for the Third Prince still being alive, it was because half of his blood came from the Zhang family. When the Empress had plotted against Bai Jingxian, she had already considered dragging the Empress down with her. She was determined to give birth to her child, but being forced to let someone else raise it? That she would not accept.

Fortunately, her golden opportunity had come in time, allowing her to carry out her plan. Now, everything was going as she had hoped. Whether the other women kept their babies or not, in the end, she would be the only one to give birth to a prince, while the others would only have daughters. This would highlight the special status of her child.

She had no qualms about using their wombs to protect her own child. In the harem, survival was a deadly game, and she wasn't about to gamble her life on the whims of others.

A month? Let's see how much chaos I can stir in the imperial residence.

Bai Jingxian's thoughts were spot on. Lan Guifei's pregnancy had already unsettled the Empress Dowager. But before she could take action, good news came from the Empress's side as well.

This left the Empress Dowager completely unsettled. She immediately summoned Dezhong. "More and more are becoming pregnant. Do you think the poison from back then has finally been neutralized?" The Empress Dowager was starting to panic, fearing her years of planning would be in vain.

Dezhong's expression darkened. He knew more than the Empress Dowager. The list of pregnant women wasn't limited to just Lan Guifei and De Fei. There were several others, though their pregnancies had not been made public yet.

"Don't worry. Leave it to me. We should also make use of Shu Fei. After all these years, she surely harbors resentment toward you." Dezhong's eyes gleamed with malice, making it clear that his hands were stained with blood.

"Hmph. Just a concubine's daughter daring to covet what isn't hers. If there had been other candidates, I wouldn't have chosen her, nor would I have promoted her mother. She's nothing but a cheap woman," the Empress Dowager sneered with disdain.

Back when she had first entered the palace, she had been doted upon sparingly. But after Guifei's rise to power, her ability to attend the Emperor's bed was a rare occurrence, and she had suffered much under Guifei's manipulations. She despised these seductive women, each of them only skilled in luring men.

Shu Fei's mother had been just such a woman. She had sullied the Zhang family bloodline by giving birth to an heir as a concubine. Promoting her to a legitimate position had been nauseating.

"If we use her well, history might just repeat itself. Getting pregnant is one thing; being able to give birth and raise the child is another," Dezhong chuckled darkly. "Don't forget what happened to the Third Prince."

Had his influence been stronger back then, today's Emperor would never have taken the throne.

"Do you think the Emperor would fall for it again?" The Empress Dowager showed no affection or pity for her son. All she felt was hatred, as though he weren't her own flesh and blood.

"Of course. Don't underestimate Shu Fei. Her ambitions are vast. She's always wanted to replace Wenke," Dezhong sneered. "Talk to her. Deep down, she still supports the Zhang family."

The Zhang family was firmly on the side of Prince Duan, and if they played their cards right, they could deliver a heavy blow to the Emperor.

"Fine, I'll give her a chance. Don't say I'm showing favoritism," the Empress Dowager grudgingly agreed with Dezhong's suggestion. "But make sure to calm Duan-er down. Remind him that the throne will be his eventually." After all, he was her beloved son, and she cherished him deeply.