My Darling, Coax Me.

CHAPTER 37: Be My Consort.

　　Xie Jue had just returned from the Imperial Prison when he heard palace servants gossiping about the matter between Xiao Qibai and Xie Jinjia.

　　It took only a single incense stick's worth of time for the news of the Fifth Princess falling into the water and being saved by Xiao Qibai to spread like wildfire. The entire palace was abuzz with rumors, impossible to contain.

　　And his esteemed Shanggong, surprisingly, allowed this matter to develop unchecked.

　　Standing atop the high platform, pacing back and forth, Xie Jue's jaw was clenched tight, his whole body still reeking of the blood and grime from the Imperial Prison.

　　The palace servants on either side stood trembling, not daring to breathe too loudly.

　　Xie Jue casually smashed a vase against the ground, shattering it into countless pieces that scattered across the floor.

　　A group of eunuchs visibly trembled in fear.

　　“Where is Yun Ling? I summoned her, why hasn't she come yet?!”

　　Yun Ling had already arrived at the door. A eunuch whispered, “His Highness is furious, be careful, Gugu.”

　　Yun Ling nodded and immediately walked into the hall.

　　She reached the center of the hall and bowed to the person seated on the dais, “Your Highness.”

　　Xie Jue let out a cold laugh, throwing an inkstone at her feet. “Kneel!”

　　Ink from the inkstone splashed across the floor.

　　Yun Ling looked at the mess on the floor, said nothing, and simply knelt down. “This servant is guilty!”

　　Her knees hit the ground with a dull thud.

　　The sound made one's bones ache just to hear it.

　　Xie Jue watched as she knelt heavily on the cold, hard floor, the sound echoing in his ears.

　　He narrowed his eyes and nodded repeatedly.

　　“Guilty? You still know you're guilty?”

　　He descended from the dais and stood beside her. “Don't you know that I have other plans for Xiao Qibai's marriage? I gave you the authority to manage the entire palace, and now you tell me you couldn't even stop a single squad of guards, that you could only watch as Yu Fei took people inside? Is that it?”

　　“Yun Shanggong, when did you become such a useless waste?!”

　　The palace servants, kneeling on the ground, trembled, “Your Highness, please calm down!”

　　Yun Ling bowed her head, forehead touching the ground.

　　“This servant is incompetent, and has betrayed Your Highness' trust.”

　　“Good, good, good, so incompetent,” Xie Jue sneered repeatedly, “You, as my subordinate, yet you have a deep friendship with a princess, constantly shielding and favoring her, not putting me in your eyes at all.”

　　“In the past, I was too indulgent towards you, indulging you to the point of forgetting your place and disrespecting your ruler.”

　　Xie Jue raised his eyes, his gaze icy cold.

　　“Everyone must pay the price for their incompetence, and you are no exception. You will kneel here in this hall and reflect on your actions. Without my order, you are not to rise.” (T/N: Others faced harsher punishments— death or imprisonment —while her punishment was merely kneeling, a fact that caused him heartache later. So damn biased! He's angry but didn't want to punish her too much. 😂)

　　Yun Ling kept her head bowed, a long bow. “This servant, thanks Your Highness.”

　　Xie Jue glanced at her a few times, then turned and left with a flick of his sleeve.

　　Grand Eunuch An quickly followed after him.

　　……

　　Reaching the outer gate of the Eastern Palace, Xiao Qibai had already changed into clean clothes and was waiting outside. Seeing the Crown Prince, he immediately approached and bowed his head.

　　“My lord, today's events are a result of my own inadequate consideration and oversight. I am unworthy of Your Highness's grace and beg Your Highness to punish me!”

　　Xie Jue left the Eastern Palace; it took only a short while—the time it takes to brew a cup of tea—but his mind was already calculating, his expression cold. “Since things have come to this, very well.”

　　Although he intended for Xiao Qibai to marry into a powerful family, he hadn't yet decided on a specific match.

　　Xiao Qibai was renowned throughout the capital for his scholarship and, being part of the Eastern Palace faction, was a prime piece for him to use in cultivating relationships with others.

　　However, if Xiao Qibai was unwilling, he wouldn't force him.

　　Xie Jue suddenly looked at him. “Xiao Qing (Little Qing), your scholarship is excellent, your wisdom profound. Even as a loyal minister, I would still heavily favor you.”

　　“And I, never force anyone,” he paused, his gaze assessing. “I believed Xiao Qing's heart held only the court and the century-old glory of the Xiao family, but I did not know that you also harbored affections elsewhere.”

　　Xiao Qibai shook his head. “Your Highness, I am terrified. It's a matter of life and death; I couldn't consider much else.”

　　Xie Jue looked at him steadily for a moment, his tone flat. “Is that so?”

　　Regardless of whether it was true or not, since things had reached this point, further investigation would be useless. Xie Jue naturally understood this.

　　“The Grand Tutor was my teacher and also like a father to me. I have high hopes for you, Xiao Qing. With you in the court's future, I can rest easy.”

　　“I rely on you, trust you, and value you. If you have affections for someone, I am willing to help you achieve happiness.”

　　“This matter, Xiao Qing, you decide for yourself.”

　　Since a marriage alliance is no longer possible, the imperial family's reputation cannot be tarnished, so he was given this right.

　　Weighing the pros and cons, buying hearts and minds.

　　That's the essence of imperial power tactics.

　　“I am unworthy of Your Highness's grace.”

　　Xiao Qibai slowly bowed. “Your Highness's kindness, I would die a thousand deaths to repay it. I will devote myself to serving you.”

　　After a moment's hesitation, he added, “However, this matter is solely my fault, it doesn't involve others. Please, Your Highness, forgive the others.”

　　Involving innocent people was not his intention.

　　Xie Jue turned his head slightly, “You were framed, but she wasn't.”

　　What displeased him was her audacity in openly defying his will.

　　For a princess, she openly defied him. He wouldn't tolerate such insubordination.

　　“The Crown Prince's palace has strict rules. She committed a grave error through negligence. As Shanggong, she should set an example. How can we maintain order without punishment?”

　　How could she ever manage the inner court in the future?

　　Even he had to punish her.

　　Xiao Qibai also understood the Crown Prince's meaning, finally sighing softly and ceasing his pleas.

　　……

　　Xie Jinjia was quite frightened after falling into the water. After being sent to the Liú Lí Gōng, she developed a fever. The imperial physician visited and prescribed medicine.

　　After drinking the medicine, her pale complexion gradually improved.

　　Qing Cai walked over and congratulated her, “Congratulations, Princess. You'll be marrying into the Xiao family as you wished!”

　　With so many people present at the time, a royal princess and a minister had physical contact. For the sake of the royal family's reputation, Xiao Qibai had no choice but to marry her.

　　Xie Jinjia didn't know whether to cry or laugh; there was a moment of happiness.

　　Yet, she couldn't bring herself to smile.

　　Only a bitter aftertaste remained in her heart.

　　The Xiao family has been a beacon of purity for a hundred years. Marrying into the Xiao family in this way, how would Xiao Qibai, the esteemed Lord Xiao, view her?

　　She coughed twice, then turned to Qing Cai and asked, “Where's Yun Ling? Has she returned to the Shanggong Bureau?”

　　Qing Cai paused, then lowered her head without speaking.

　　Xie Jinjia sensed something was amiss. She called a young palace maid over, “You tell me. If you dare deceive the princess, I will surely punish you!”

　　The little maid knelt down in fear, “Yun Shanggong... was punished to kneel by His Highness the Crown Prince…”

　　“Because of me?”

　　Xie Jinjia hurriedly threw back the covers and tried to get up, when Yu Fei entered carrying medicine. “Where are you going?”

　　Xie Jinjia grasped Yu Fei's hand tightly, “Mother, please go and save her! Yun Ling is being punished because of me…”

　　It's all her fault.

　　It must be her words that softened Yun Ling's heart.

　　Yu Fei twitched her lips. “Alright, you still care about her? Worry about your own health. My child has suffered so much.”

　　Xie Jinjia urged anxiously, “Mother!”

　　“I have you to protect me, but she doesn't!”

　　Yu Fei placed the medicine on the table. “You want me to plead for her, but have you considered whether we even have the face to do so before the Crown Prince?”

　　“I…”

　　Yes, since childhood, they haven't been close to the Crown Prince, and they even mistakenly sided with Prince Ping. In the East Palace, where would they have the face or the favor to plead?

　　“Although she has no mother, she is a favored official of the Crown Prince,” Yu Fei settled Xie Jinjia back onto the bed. “The Crown Prince won't do anything to her.”

　　“Really?”

　　“Of course,” Yu Fei said. “If you're still worried, Mother will send someone to check on her?”

　　Xie Jinjia looked at Yu Fei for a long time, then suddenly shook her head with a bitter smile. “No need. What good would looking do? I know it's all my fault that she's in this situation.”

　　“It was my ignorance and foolishness, yet she's the one who is being punished because of me.”

　　After a moment of silence, “Mother, let Qing Cai go. She deliberately pushed me into the water, and you ordered her to do it, right? I can't keep someone like that by my side.”

　　“So what if it is? Could it be that your mother would harm you? Aren't you getting what you wanted now?”

　　Yu Fei didn't hide it. Seeing her daughter so heartbroken, she couldn't help but say, “You're this upset over a mere lady-in-waiting. How do you know she doesn't have other motives?” Perhaps vying for favor, or for power. Having spent so long in this palace, she understands the thoughts of these women all too well.

　　“So?” Xie Jinjia looked up, her eyes serious. “Did she harm me? Without her, could Mother have accomplished this?”

　　Yu Fei was momentarily speechless.

　　She only said, “My daughter has finally grown up.”

　　Xie Jinjia sniffed, turned her head, and pulled the covers up. She didn't have the energy to say anything more. “I'm tired. I want to sleep.”

　　——

　　Yun Ling knelt straight in the center of the great hall. Even though no one was watching, she never relaxed for a moment.

　　A scraping pain gradually welled up in her knees, and after a long time, it became numb.

　　The hall was empty, without a trace of human presence.

　　After a long, dark wait, the heavens finally unleashed a torrential downpour.

　　She knelt there, straight as an arrow.

　　Unmoving.

　　……

　　Matters demanding Xie Jue's decision piled up one after another; affairs of state concerning the people, which couldn't be delayed.

　　After an unknown amount of time, Xie Jue put down his imperial brush and called for An Zhong. “How is she?”

　　Grand Eunuch An, drenched in sweat, whispered, “She's... still kneeling…”

　　Xie Jue suddenly raised his eyes coldly.

　　From the time he gave the order until now, two full hours had passed. If she knelt any longer, her legs would be ruined.

　　He immediately stood up. As he passed Grand Eunuch An, his dark phoenix eyes, in the dim night, were cold and dangerous, his voice devoid of warmth. 

　　“Others don't know my feelings, but don't you? You dared let her kneel for two hours?” (T/N: 😂 Haha, now you feel anxious?)

　　The Crown Prince's words made his intentions clear.

　　An Zhong, hearing this, was so frightened his heart almost leaped out of his throat. Tears welled up, unable to be shed. “Your servant has already sent people to help her up, but... Yun Shanggong, she wouldn't get up!”

　　He truly had no way out.

　　The Crown Prince had just given the order, and he had people secretly help Yun Shanggong up. But she wouldn't get up, and he dared not openly have people carry her away, much less report it to the Crown Prince!

　　Xie Jue: “Useless!”

　　He turned and quickly went to the East Palace.

　　……

　　The rain poured down, the water cascading from the eaves like broken pearls.

　　Branches swayed wildly in the wind and rain, threatening to break.

　　The strong wind howled into the empty hall, sending a chill down one's spine.

　　It buffeted the slender figure kneeling within, as if it would snap her in two at any second.

　　Yun Ling struggled to hold herself up, refusing to fall.

　　She knelt straight, gazing at the throne above.

　　She didn't stop Yu Fei, allowing the princess to succeed, also for her own sake.

　　But disrupting Xiao Qibai's wedding and ruining the Crown Prince's plan, she wasn't without guilt. She felt guilty towards Xiao Qibai, guilty towards the Crown Prince. She had borrowed the Crown Prince's power, and as a Shanggong of the East Palace, she shouldn't have disobeyed his orders.

　　Therefore, she willingly knelt in this hall, as punishment, and also as atonement.

　　The single candle in the hall flickered and died in the wind.

　　Suddenly, a bright light shone from behind her. The palace gate opened and closed again, followed by hurried footsteps.

　　Then, a hand seized her arm, pulling her up with irresistible force. She heard his voice, gritted with anger, “Do you not want your legs anymore?”

　　Yun Ling looked up, meeting his dark eyes, filled with barely contained fury.

　　Half his hair was wet, clearly showing he had come from the rain.

　　Xie Jue grasped her arm.

　　“I ordered you to kneel, and you actually knelt until now, refusing even An Zhong's help. Why aren't you usually so obedient?”

　　“Do you think I can't bear it, or do you feel wronged? Do you know how serious your mistake was?”

　　A searing, numbing pain shot through her. Yun Ling leaned on his arm for support, managing to stand. She nodded.

　　“I know, I know everything. I ruined Your Highness's plan, and a thousand deaths wouldn't be enough to atone for my crime. Your Highness is justified in punishing me however you see fit.”

　　“As a Shanggong of the East Palace, you dared to disobey orders and betray the East Palace for a princess,” Xie Jue's grip on her arm tightened. “Xiao Qibai will marry Xie Jinjia soon. Are you satisfied?”

　　Yun Ling licked her dry lips. “It was I who made the grave mistake. But fortunately, Master Xiao is marrying the Fifth Princess, and the Duke of Yīngguó will be of use to Your Highness in the future.”

　　The Duke of Yīngguó is actually a loyal person, it's just that the Crown Prince doesn't use him because of Yu Fei.

　　Xie Jue: “A Duke of Yīngguó, I don't even care about him.”

　　“I know, it's all my fault.”

　　“You know, of course you know,” Xie Jue said coldly, “but you still committed every mistake, acting recklessly and boldly. If I don't punish you, what's the point of the East Palace rules?”

　　Yun Ling closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks. “It was I who acted recklessly, I disobeyed Your Highness, and I have failed Your Highness's trust.”

　　She slowly knelt down, tears falling like rain, clutching a piece of his robe. “I am ashamed, ashamed of Your Highness's great kindness, and I am unworthy to continue as a Shanggong of the East Palace.”　　   

       Outside, the wind and rain raged, and a tree branch, battered for too long, finally fell.

　　Xie Jue looked down at her from above, allowing her to cling tightly to a piece of his dark robe. He watched her pale face, her tearful, red-rimmed eyes, but remained unmoved.

　　“I know that if Your Highness doesn't punish me, it would be unfair,” Yun Ling's tears fell like broken beads, one by one, hitting the floor. “From the cold palace to now, Your Highness, though you are full of glory and power, I know that the path you've walked has been fraught with danger, a constant struggle for survival.”

　　“It was my fault, I acted selfishly, and I am unforgivable. Therefore, I absolutely do not want to cause Your Highness any trouble.”

　　Xie Jue didn't look at her, but said, “Such a pitifully beautiful face.”

　　“Sweet words and scalding tears, making one's heart soften again and again.”

　　He finally looked down at her, his eyes like blades. “But why can't you just be a little more obedient?”

　　“I wish to resign from my position as Shanggong.”

　　Yun Ling's eyelashes were still wet with tears. Kneeling for so long, her body could no longer bear it; her legs ached intensely, her lips pale, and she was weak, on the verge of collapsing.

　　She only hoped he would quickly hand down his punishment.

　　Xie Jue, high and mighty, coldly watched her weak, trembling body, coldly watched her bone-deep pain.

　　It was as if the flickering candlelight in the hall would be extinguished the next second, silent and without a trace.

　　He looked at her for a long time.

　　“Naturally, I must punish you,”

　　Xie Jue slowly crouched down. “Yun Shanggong, for dereliction of duty and serious misconduct, you are stripped of your position as Shanggong.”

　　Yun Ling's last tear slid down her cheek. “Yes.”

　　Tears rolling down her chin wetted her robe.

　　“Very good,” he said.

　　From the age of seven, in the Qingyue Palace, all the past events filled him with disgust, so he had never intended to take a palace maid as his consort.

　　She had been by his side since his humble beginnings, following him through life and death, enduring countless hardships, never harboring resentment. He knew she had her own motives—whether it was for his power or for stability—and he had never cared.

　　But now that she was crying, he actually felt a pang of heartache.

　　It was utterly absurd.

　　He despised it, yet in the end, his heart softened.

　　“Why are you crying?”

　　Xie Jue slowly leaned over, holding the slender woman with tear-filled eyes in his arms, his strength as if he wanted to crush her bones.

　　Closing his eyes,

　　“Since you can't be the Shanggong of the Six Bureaus, then... be my ¹Cèfēi (侧妃).”

　　Yun Ling's chin rested on his shoulder, his voice reaching her ears. Her wet eyelashes instantly lifted, her pupils widening. (T/N: This part made me laugh a little. Maybe it's because I have a dark sense of humor. She carefully planned her escape, but now she's been given the title of consort. Oh my God, poor her! 😅)

　　Cèfēi…

　　He wants to make her his Cèfēi?

　　Why, even now, does he want to make her his Cèfēi? With his personality, with his aversion to palace maids, he wouldn't normally do this. This is completely unexpected.

　　No, this can't be.

　　Yun Ling leaned against him for a moment, silent for a while, her voice choked with emotion. “This servant has committed such a grave error. If Your Highness were to take me as your Cèfēi, I fear the court would be displeased.”

　　Xie Jue stroked her hair. “Rewards and punishments are distinct; I have already punished you for your mistake. Besides, it's not their place to interfere in my affairs.”

　　“But…”

　　“There are no buts.”

　　Xie Jue suddenly released her, his gaze assessing her from above. “You're unwilling?”

　　His possessiveness, his desire for control, naturally wouldn't allow her to refuse.

　　A punishment followed by a reward—the methods of a Crown Prince.

　　In truth, giving her the position of a Cèfēi was already a great honor in his eyes. He was the Crown Prince; if he wished to appoint her, it was an imperial favor, needing only his word. She never had a choice.

　　Yun Ling paused, fearing he would suspect something, and forced a smile. “How could I be unwilling? How could I possibly not want this?”

　　“But Your Highness, you must know that since the founding of the Great Jin Dynasty, there has never been a precedent for taking a female official as a Cèfēi. This action will surely meet with opposition from the court officials and is against the law.” Even though he had removed her from her position, she was still Yun Shanggong. The outside world would assume he had deliberately dismissed her from office to make her his Cèfēi.

　　Xie Jue, in his embroidered golden dragon robe that swept the ground, was incomparably noble and imposing, pressing her into his embrace. He said carelessly, “What are you afraid of? I am the greatest law in the land.”

　　She naturally wasn't unwilling; she was simply considering many things.

　　Yun Ling was held so tightly by him that she could barely breathe. He was a martial artist, possessing immense strength, so much so that it felt like he was trying to meld her into his very bones.

　　Perhaps Mu Lanru was right; if Crown Prince Xie Jue wanted to do something, laws, doctrines, and the laws of heaven and earth were all beneath his feet.

　　How could he be stopped by a mere regulation against taking female officials as Cèfēi?

　　After a few moments of calm, her drooping hand slowly rose, then finally fell again. Her fingers clenched. In a gentle voice, she said, “Your Highness possesses extraordinary talent and a heart for stabilizing the realm, yet you bear the infamous reputation of being tyrannical and lawless. I absolutely do not wish to add to your accusations of being an incompetent and decadent; addicted to women ruler.”

　　“I don't care about infamy, nor do I fear how posterity will judge me.”

　　“I do.”

　　Xie Jue paused, lifting his head to gaze at her quietly.

　　Meeting his gaze, Yun Ling said earnestly, “I have already committed a grave error, and I am a female official. If Your Highness were to make me a Cèfēi now, how could you possibly gain the support of the court? After I relinquish my position as a female official and spend six months in penance at the Guanyun Temple, only then can this matter be smoothed over, silencing the court officials and preventing damage to Your Highness's reputation. At that time, this servant will await Your Highness to come and fetch me.”

　　Her every word and action, painstaking and thoughtful, were all for his sake.

　　A heavy silence fell within the vast hall.

　　Xie Jue's eyes deepened. “Truly?”

　　Yun Ling's almond-shaped eyes shone with sincerity and genuine emotion. “Truly.” (Me: “Truly~”😈)

________________

Glossary (Updated):

Imperial Harem Titles (for the Emperor’s Wives):

Empress (皇后, Huánghòu): The highest-ranking woman in the palace and the emperor’s official wife.

Consorts (妃, Fēi): High-ranking wives below the empress. Common titles include:

Guìfēi (贵妃) – Noble Consort

Shūfēi (淑妃) – Virtuous Consort

Défēi (德妃) – Moral Consort

Xiánfēi (贤妃) – Worthy Consort

Lower-Ranked Consorts: These ranks vary by dynasty and novel, but may include titles like:

Guìrén (贵人) – Honored Lady

Xiūyí (修仪), Xiūróng (修容), Chōnghuá (充华) – Decorative titles with varying ranks

Cáirén (才人) – Talented Lady

Concubines (妾): Lowest-ranking women in the emperor’s harem. Usually serve without formal titles.

---

In traditional Chinese imperial or noble households, the prince (especially the Crown Prince) could have one main wife (嫡妃 / 正妃) and two cèfēi (侧妃), which were secondary wives or consorts. The cèfēi would rank below the main wife but above concubines.

So the typical hierarchy for a prince's harem might look like this:

1. Main Wife (正妃 / 嫡妃) – The official wife, often with the highest status.

2. Cèfēi (侧妃) – Secondary wives, often with a specific rank. A prince might have two cèfēi, though this could vary depending on the era and region.

3. Shìqiè / Shìzi (侍妾): Concubines or servant-consorts with no formal title.

That being said, two cèfēi isn't a hard rule but rather a common practice. Some princes may have had more, while others might have had just one. It all depended on the specific rules and customs of the time.

________________

Apology Notice (May 7, 2025):

Hey everyone, I wanted to quickly clear up something I got wrong earlier. It seems I made a mistake in my glossary regarding the title Cèfēi (侧妃). After double-checking, rereading the comments section, and doing more in-depth research, I realized that the Cèfēi title is used for the Crown Prince or a prince’s side consort, not the emperor's consort, which is what I originally thought.

I honestly feel embarrassed for confidently thinking I was right when I was actually wrong! 🙈🙊🙉 A huge thanks to the two readers who pointed this out to me. Sorry it took me so long to do the proper research. I truly appreciate your kind help.

If any new or returning readers wonder why I didn’t do more research when it was pointed out earlier, I want to assure you that I do research thoroughly. Sometimes, though, I get a little overwhelmed by all the terminology, which can make it harder to think clearly.

For that, I apologize for the confusion and any inconvenience this may have caused! I appreciate your patience and will be more careful with my research in the future. I’ve already fixed it, so don’t throw sandals at me, ok? 😅 Love y’all! 😘

Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter