Story of Consort Xi

Chapter 10.1: To be Meat on Somebody's Chopping Block 1

Time flows by so quickly, just like the water in a fast-flowing stream. Tomorrow will be the day of the Imperial Harem Selection. As the maid-in-charge of Zhong Cui Palace, supervisor-maid Hong Ling had to overlook many chores. Just when she was able to take a short rest in the late evening, a messenger informed her that Eunuch Lin Quan from Jing Ren Palace wanted to talk to her.

Eunuch Lin Quan? Isn't that Noble Consort Rong's personal eunuch and the eunuch-in-charge for Jing Ren Palace? Why would he come over at such late hours?

Her queries remained unanswered. Eunuch Lin Quan merely said that Noble Consort Rong had sent for candidate Niohuru Ling Ruo to Jing Ren Palace.

Ling Ruo was just as baffled. Noble Consort Rong is currently the most prestigious woman in the Imperial Harem. Why would Her Highness even be aware of such a lowly candidate like herself? Unless... Qiu Ci's warnings flashed across her mind, and Ling Ruo had a sense of foreboding.

Although the sky was already dark, Jing Ren Palace was brightly lit up, looking even more illustrious than in the day. Ling Ruo followed Eunuch Lin Quan into the main hall. Within the main hall sat two regal ladies, one of them must be Her Highness Noble Consort Rong, and the other... Ling Ruo was unable to make a guess.

Just when Ling Ruo was figuring a way to address the other lady, she was kicked hard at the back of her knees, causing her to fall to her knees uncontrollably.

"What a daring wretch! How can you not kneel before Her Highness Noble Consort Rong and Her Highness Consort Yi!" Eunuch Lin Quan spat, before turning around and bowing respectfully, "Mistress, Niohuru Ling Ruo is here."

"Lift up your head." Noble Consort Rong ordered Ling Ruo. Noble Consort Rong was curious as to whether Ling Ruo really looked as identical to the late Empress Xiaochengren as Crown Princess Shi had said.

Ling Ruo raised her head as ordered, her features clearly visible in the brightly-lit hall. Upon seeing her face, Consort Yi gasped in shock. How? How could she look just like her?

Noble Consort Rong tightly clenched her fists unconsciously, her nails pressing deeply into the palms of her hands. However, the physical pain was incomparable to the pain in her mind. Merely a few days after she entered the Imperial Harem, she gained the Emperor's favour and was quickly advanced to the rank of Noble Lady. However, a sentence that she said was unintentionally offensive to the late Empress Xiaochengren, which led to a complete loss of Emperor's favour. For a long seven years, the Emperor never stepped into her palace again. Seven years... she lost seven years of youth just because of a single sentence. She could not even protect her only son at that time, who passed away because no Imperial Physicians was willing to step into her palace. It took seven years before she could regain the Emperor's favour, and it took her many more years after in order to rise to the top of the Imperial Harem. Her hatred for the late Empress Xiaochengren was deeply carved into her heart and mind. And that was the sole reason, despite knowing Consort Yi's selfish intentions to make use of herself to clear any obstacles for Gorolo Mu Yue, to summon Niohuru Ling Ruo tonight.

"Your Highness... How... She..." The utterly overwhelmed Consort Yi rambled incoherently. She was unaware of the fact that Niohuru Ling Ruo looked identical to the late Empress Xiaochengren. It took some time for Consort Yi to calm down. Even so, her heart was still racing. Intending to sip some tea to calm her nerves, her trembling hands caused her to accidentally spill some tea over herself.

"Surprised?" Noble Consort Rong turned to glance at Consort Yi. She then stood up and walked over to Niohuru Ling Ruo, "Niohuru Ling Ruo, are you aware of your wrongdoing?"

Ling Ruo shook her head in confusion. She could sense that Noble Consort Rong disliked her intensely.

Seeing her response, Noble Consort Rong said coldly: "As a Selection candidate, how could you be engaged to someone else, and slept with him already? Do you know this is a death sentence to your entire clan!"

Noble Consort Rong's voice was not loud. However, it sounded like a huge bomb to Ling Ruo. Dazed, Ling Ruo quickly denied: "I did not!"

Ling Ruo had barely finished speaking, before she was tightly slapped across the face. Eunuch Lin Quan said: "What a daring wretch. How dare you address yourself as "I" in front of Your Highness Noble Consort Rong. You must be tired of living!"

By now, Consort Yi had regained her composure and said: "People like her with no respect deserve to be punished, in order for her to remember the proper etiquette!"

Eunuch Lin Quan acknowledged, but did not take any further action. Instead, he turned towards his Mistress for further instructions. Noble Consort Rong said coldly: "Since Consort Yi has already said that, you may proceed to let her remember what the proper etiquette is!"

Eunuch Lin Quan immediately grabbed on Ling Ruo hair and slapped her heavily for more than ten times. By the time he was finished with the punishment, Ling Ruo's face was already unrecognisable - both sides of her mouth had torn and were bleeding, and her cheeks were heavily swollen.

"Tell me, how is Xu Rong Yuan related to you?" Noble Consort Rong questioned.

Hearing the name from Noble Consort Rong, Ling Ruo's heart sank. Dreading the worst, Ling Ruo replied: "The Xu family and Niohuru family are close friends. Hence, Xu Rong Yuan and myself have known each other since young and are good friends." Under that cold sharp gaze, Ling Ruo did not dare to lie.

"Just good friends? Surely your relationship is not that simple." Noble Consort Rong laughed coldly. She pressed one of her nails into Ling Ruo's face and wickedly slashed downwards, leaving a line of angry red mark.

"Yes, we are just friends." Ling Ruo recoiled in pain. But in the Imperial Palace, in Jing Ren Palace, where can she escape to? To be meat on somebody's chopping board [1]. She had no control over her own life and death.

"Still lying! It seems that you would not repent until you see the coffin!" Noble Consort Rong forcefully lifted Ling Ruo's head.

From the sides, Consort Yi spoke: "Niohuru Ling Ruo, you do not have to deny any longer. Her Highness Noble Consort Rong and myself are already aware of your engagement with Xu Rong Yuan."

Ignoring Ling Ruo's refutations, Noble Consort Rong said emotionlessly: "Consort Yi, what are the punishments if a Selection candidate has slept around with others?"

"According to the law of the Qing dynasty, the candidate will be sentenced to death and executed. Her entire family will also not be spared, men above fourteen will be sent to the army, while women will serve as slaves." Consort Yi drawled.

[1] 人为刀俎 我为鱼肉is a Chinese idiom that simply meant: To be at Mercy of Somebody