After Bai Nan Feng's surrender, time passed in a slow haze. Like a boring page flipped from a book that had started out strong, she was never acknowledged again for the duration of the morning assembly.
Empress Dowager Qiu spent most of the time chatting with her niece and openly ignoring the empress, who sought conversation elsewhere like she was used to it, while the high-ranking consorts occasionally commented here and there.
Meanwhile, low-ranking consorts like Zi Hua could only secretly pinch their wrists to feign some semblance of attentiveness whilst smiling through their sore legs and growling stomachs. Unlike their high-ranking counterparts, they weren't offered seats and tea.
Grr...
After a particularly loud hunger pang that had Luo Yin shooting a disgusted look at her, Zi Hua finally heard the announcement she was pryaing for:
"It's been a long morning," Empress Dowager Qiu said. "You are all dismissed. Rong'er, stay and accompany me for luncheon."
Qiu Rong nodded obediently, ignoring the envious gazes. "Yes, Imperial Aunt."
The other women exited the Palace of Longevity in descending order of rank, and the moment the open air and warm sun hit Zi Hua, she was rejuvenated.
It felt like a lifetime had passed amidst all the verbal barbs and trap-filled pleasantries, although in reality it was less than two shichens. Would each morning assembly be like this?
'Please no...' she groaned inwardly.
At least the conflict was over now.
"Noble Lady Bai, how dare you obstruct the Noble Consort's path!"
...Or not.
Near the front of the procession, a servant was yelling at Bai Nan Feng, who had fallen to the side.
Noble Consort Meng's head stuck out of the extravagant pink palanquin, the jewels on her crown twinkling in the sunlight.
"Wang'er, don't waste your breath. Since Noble Lady Bai has broken palace rules, she should be punished as such."
She looked around the area and suddenly smirked.
"Noble Lady Bai, for your disrespect, kneel there and repent for one shichen."
Her sharp, peony-red nail pointed at an uneven, pebble stone path on the side. Bai Nan Feng who had just gotten up with the help of her lady-in-waiting, wobbled slightly.
"Sister Meng, that's a bit excessive." Virtuous Consort Liu frowned from atop her violet palanquin a few steps away. "It sets a certain tone for the new sisters' first day..."
"It is precisely because it's their first day that a proper example must be set!" Noble Consort Meng retorted. "If Noble Lady Bai is not educated today, this behaviour will cause chaos in the rear palace!"
"However, there is a time and place for everything," Virtuous Consort Liu pointed out. "Do you really want to be held liable if Sister Bai is unable to finish copying Her Highness the Empress Dowager's scriptures because of this?"
Noble Consort Meng paused. She looked at the gates of the Longevity Palace, as though she could see the empress dowager through the walls.
Finally, she reluctantly scoffed. "Hmph! Sister Liu is as considerate as ever. Consider yourself lucky, Noble Lady Bai! Return to the Palace of Glorious Beauty!"
With a flourish, Noble Consort Meng's large entourage left the scene. After a meaningful glance at Bai Nan Feng, Virtuous Consort Liu followed suit, then Wise Consort Tang, Consort Xu, and lastly the consorts who weren't eligible to use palanquins.
Although Bai Nan Feng had narrowly escaped punishment, her expression was taut. Her knees still throbbed from when Noble Consort Meng's insolent servant had shoved her out of nowhere, and her discontent only grew at the thought of the scriptures awaiting her at her palace.
When the other consorts passed by her, their suppressed snickers and arrogant huffs drifted into her ears like annoying mosquitoes. If they weren't in public, she wanted to slap the smug grins off their faces.
As a member of the esteemed Bai household, who had ever dared subject her to this treatment? Yet, one day in the rear palace and she had experienced more humiliation than her past sixteen years combined.
'Noble Consort Meng, Empress Dowager Qiu, and those who look down on me...'
Her teeth gritted together.
'I, Bai Nan Feng, will remember today.'
***
Palace of Tranquillity, eastern chamber.
Zi Hua reached for the bell on her belt, poised to fiddle it habitually while pondering... Only to grab air.
She sighed, dropping her hand.
Noticing her actions, Yue'er set down the flowers and said, "Mistress, I heard the Craft Bureau forges accessories for imperial consorts. Shall I ask them to make a new bell for you?"
Zi Hua shook her head. "No. It wouldn't be the same."
Nothing could replace the bell her mother had gifted her. It carried her blessings for a daughter she knew she wouldn't live long enough to embrace on her wedding day. But who would have thought that daughter would end up as an imperial consort?
Despite the prestige, imperial consorts were still concubines. They had no big, red ceremony or couple vows—just a small pink palanquin entering through the side gate of the imperial palace in lieu of a proper wedding.
The grand welcome at the main gates, the ten li's worth of dowry circling the streets, the festive crackers and masses' congratulations... Those belonged to the empress, the emperor's equal. His legitimate wife.
So now, that little golden bell and its hopes belonged with another girl, far away at the empire's eastern borders, and hopefully far away from the future which was now her friend's reality.
Zi Hua sighed again.
"Are you alright?" Yue'er asked worriedly.
"I got lost in the past again," Zi Hua said self-deprecatingly.
"Miss... I miss home, too," Yue'er consoled her with a hug, slipping up in her nostalgia. "But I'm sure Lord Yang and Young Master will rest easier knowing you are living well here."
Deep down, Zi Hua knew Yue'er was right, but rationality and emotions tended to clash.
She released Yue'er, and the girl went back to arranging flowers.
Meanwhile, the incidents of the day replayed in her head. Yue'er hadn't seen Bai Nan Feng being persecuted by half the rear palace this morning—it made "living well" seem near-impossible. All that hostility and hardship when she hadn't even done anything, just because the emperor favoured her...
Zi Hua hissed in realisation.
The emperor's favour was more like a hindrance than actual favour.
"It's nothing but trouble," she whispered.
Yue'er turned around. "Mistress, did you say something?"
"No, it's—"
Suddenly, an idea hit her.
Her eyes lit up. "Actually... What if I avoid the emperor?! Without favour, nobody will pick on a low-ranked consort like me!"
She started ticking points off her fingers. "I'm not the prettiest, nor the most high-ranking of the new consorts; I don't have a strong maternal family or backing in the palace... I bet the emperor doesn't even remember my face."
The more she thought about it, the more she applauded her own genius.
"I'll live a peaceful and quiet life in this palace! It'll be perfect!" she concluded.
"That's a great idea, mistress!" Yue'er clapped excitedly. Whatever made her miss happy, made her happy. If miss wanted obscurity, she'll be the first to hide her from His Majesty!
Alas, Yang Zi Hua never would have thought that this unambitious proclamation happened to be the toughest one in the imperial palace.