The Tyrant’s Drama Queen Empress

CHAPTER 13: Everyone with Their Own Agenda

　　Shen Ling being promoted to Bao Fei sent shockwaves through both the Court and the Capital.

　　All the high ranking consorts in Xie Yuanxun’s Harem had been personally arranged by the late Emperor before his passing. One Empress, two Fēi (consort), and three Pín (concubine). By now, only two Fēi and two Pín remained. Back then, no one quite understood why the late Emperor insisted on fixing so many high positions in advance. Choosing an Empress made sense, but why lock in Fēi and Pín as well?

　　It was not until after the late Emperor passed away and Xie Yuanxun ascended the throne that they began to understand.

　　The daughters their families sent into the Palace never received any significant rank.

　　That was when it slowly dawned on them. Perhaps the late Emperor had foreseen that if he did not prearrange several high ranking consorts, Xie Yuanxun’s Harem would end up filled with nothing but low ranking women.

　　They went through the full emotional roller coaster. Shock, despair, numb acceptance, and finally, total resignation.

　　And then Shen Ling appeared.

　　She entered the Palace and was immediately made as Shen Guiren. Less than half a year later, she was promoted again, straight to Bao Fei. The speed of her rise was absurd. Completely unreasonable.

　　Was their Emperor not famously indifferent toward Harem rankings? Over all these years, they had never seen His Majesty personally promote anyone. At most, when he was in the mood, he would have the Palace attendants write down a few vacant titles like Jieyu or Zhaoyi and let the beauties draw lots. Whatever they drew was what they got.

　　And yet now?

　　No matter how conflicted or baffled they felt, there was one thing they could all agree on.

　　Shen Ling was genuinely, terrifyingly favored.

　　For a time, the Manor of Minister Shen of the Ministry of Personnel was bustling with visitors. Carriages came and went, the doors never quiet.

　　Earlier, some officials had heard rumors that Prime Minister Yang once personally visited the Shen Manor to meet Shen Kangzheng. At the time, they did not believe it. Prime Minister Yang was the head of the civil officials, while Shen Kangzheng was merely the Minister of Personnel. If the two were to meet, logic dictated that Shen Kangzheng should have been the one paying a visit to the Prime Minister’s Manor.

　　So they dismissed it as idle gossip.

　　Now, no one dared to laugh it off anymore.

　　Thinking back on it now, they really had been idiots.

　　Prime Minister Yang must have seen early on that Shen Kangzheng’s daughter was anything but ordinary. That was why he had reached out to Shen Kangzheng so early, deliberately building a relationship. No wonder they could only remain minor officials, never reaching the rank of Prime Minister.

　　The man had practically pointed the road out for them, and yet they were all blind fools.

　　Sigh.

　　Of course, Prime Minister Yang himself had no idea these officials were secretly worshipping his “uncannily accurate eye for talent.” He was actually pretty confused too, okay? His own daughter’s consort rank had been set back when the late Emperor was still alive. And Shen Ling had only entered the Palace recently, so how was she suddenly on the same level as his daughter?

　　After leaving Minister Shen’s Manor, Prime Minister Yang noticed several officials staring at him with eyes practically sparkling. It gave him chills. He hurried into his carriage and left at once.

　　By the time all the guests had been properly received and seen off, night had already fallen.

　　Shen Kangzheng summoned Shen Jinxiu to the study for a private talk. He had served as Minister of Personnel for many years, neither particularly meritorious nor blameworthy, firmly middle of the road. Among the six ministries, the other five ministers had been replaced several times over, yet he alone had remained steadily in his position.

　　He was moderate by nature, but his judgment was sharp. He knew how to read the situation, when to advance and when to retreat.

　　He was well aware that people in the household held grievances against Shen Ling. Whether it was Madam Jiang or Shen Jinxiu, whenever they spoke of the family’s daughters to outsiders, the one who came to mind was always Shen Xi, never Shen Ling. He understood all of this perfectly. He simply never brought it up openly.

　　Shen Kangzheng did not deny that when Shen Ling was first brought back, he felt no affection for her, just like Madam Jiang and Shen Jinxiu. For families like theirs, blood ties mattered far less than interests.

　　The one raised in the Shen household with wealth and refinement was Shen Xi. She attended gatherings with daughters of noble families, discussing poetry and classics, playing music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Shen Xi could secure a good marriage alliance for the Shen family.

　　What about Shen Ling?

　　Did she understand any of these elegant pursuits? Could she someday help her husband by arranging his study and supporting his literary ambitions? She could not. She had to be taught even basic household rules by the Matrons, rather than absorbing them naturally from childhood like Shen Xi did.

　　Shen Ling simply could not bring much benefit to the Shen family. For a household like theirs, what mattered was making full use of every member for the family’s gain, not cherishing someone who could offer them nothing.

　　Even if this person was their own daughter.

　　But who could have imagined that Shen Ling, behind their backs, would enter the Palace and rise from Guiren all the way to Bao Fei!

　　Even a storybook wouldn’t dare write something this unbelievable!

　　Honestly, when Shen Kangzheng first learned of this, he was so shocked he pulled out several strands of his own beard.

　　It was just too incredible!

　　He had thought Shen Ling becoming a Guiren was already impressive, but he never expected her to be promoted to a Fei, and not just any Fei (Consort), but a titled Bao Fei (Precious Consort)!

　　Only now did Shen Kangzheng truly treat Shen Ling like his daughter. His evaluation of her had shifted from “mediocre and incapable” to “late bloomer with great potential.”

　　“Jinxiu, what do you make of the uncles and elders you saw at the Manor today?”

　　Shen Jinxiu replied, “Opportunists who follow the wind.”

　　Shen Kangzheng said, “You’ve always had this proud temperament since childhood. Outsiders praise you for being virtuous and noble, which shows my teaching wasn’t a failure. But your view of the world is still too one-sided. That’s because you never entered officialdom. The political world isn’t as simple as making friends. Competence alone doesn’t guarantee a high position, and weakness alone doesn’t bar you completely. If it were that easy, many things in this world would be much simpler.”

　　“Our family now has a Bao Fei. Both you and I will have smooth careers in the future. We, father and son, will serve His Majesty in the Court, and the Bao Fei will enjoy His Majesty's favor in the Harem. If she bears a Prince, the Shen family will surely enjoy great fortune.”

　　Shen Kangzheng wasn’t thinking so ambitiously as to hope his grandson would become the Crown Prince, or even the next Emperor. He didn’t dare. He just knew that having a son born to the Bao Fei would already be a tremendous honor for the Shen family.  

　　Shen Jinxiu pressed his lips together. He wanted to say that he didn’t need to rely on Shen Ling, that he had his own pride, but seeing Shen Kangzheng’s pleased expression, he didn’t burst his father’s bubble.

　　Shen Jinxiu’s thoughts weren’t the same as his father’s. The Shen family’s honor would naturally be maintained through him later. And he suspected that his so-called younger sister might not even care about the Shen family. He thought his father was oversimplifying things. The first thing to do was to observe Shen Ling in the Palace, to see where her loyalties truly lay. It wasn’t wise to assume she’d automatically side with the Shen family. After all, Shen Ling grew up in a rural village—how could she understand the bigger picture?

　　He’d seen many scenes where the poor suddenly became rich, and small-minded people rose to power. What made Shen Ling any different from them?

　　That night, when it was time to retire, Madam Jiang sat before her dressing mirror, letting a maid remove her makeup. Shen Kangzheng had already finished washing and grooming, holding a book as he read. Beside him, a lithe maid gently fanned him.

　　Through the bronze mirror, Madam Jiang noticed the maid’s rosy, delicate face. Candlelight softened her features, giving her an almost innocent charm. Her pale, slender hands looked like they had been carved from scallions. Shen Kangzheng seemed to notice too, his gaze slipping off the book now and then, lingering on the maid’s hands and face.

　　Madam Jiang’s expression darkened. She didn’t explode in anger, but she slammed her hand on the table and spoke with thinly veiled sarcasm:

　　“What's wrong with you, maid? You can't even do the smallest things right. Be gentle when you're combing my hair! I’ve been more than fair to all of you—monthly wages paid on time, extra rewards for good work. I’ve never mistreated you, and I don’t hit or scold you either. There’s no one in the Capital who treats their maids better than I do, and yet this is how you serve me? Sigh, ¹Master, tell me, if a mistress treats her maids too well, do they all just turn into shameless little brats?”    

　　Madam Jiang’s gaze drifted to the maid kneeling beside Shen Kangzheng, fanning him. Ha, where did she find such tight clothes? Her breasts were about to burst out, and her waist was so small, swaying back and forth. Was she afraid of not being able to seduce a man?

　　Madam Jiang pressed a handkerchief to her lips, hiding the smirk creeping at the corner of her mouth.

　　Shen Kangzheng said, “You are kind to them, Madam, and that is your mercy. The back of the mansion is in your hands, and I’ve always trusted you. If a maid ever offends you, whether you choose to punish her or sell her, the decision is yours.”

　　The maid beside him trembled violently—she had signed a lifetime contracts when she entered the Shen household.

　　Madam Jiang sneered inwardly. With that little courage, she dared to come into her room and try to seduce Shen Kangzheng? She must be truly tired of living. Madam Jiang planned to have the house Matron arrange a match for her with one of the stablemen later, lest she become arrogant and presumptuous just because she had a little bit of beauty.

　　The maid who had been removing Madam Jiang’s makeup knelt low. “Madam, forgive me. I have harmed you. I deserve to die.”

　　Madam Jiang lowered her head gently, seeing the maid’s nervous expression, and smiled. “Alright, get up. Kneeling on the floor at night—aren’t you afraid your knees will catch cold? Later, go drink some ginger soup, and make plenty. Oh, and give a few bowls to that other maid over there too.”

　　The maid rose and replied, “Yes, Madam.”

　　Madam Jiang waved for the two maids to leave.

　　Once they were gone, she sat beside Shen Kangzheng and took out a pure white porcelain bottle. Pouring a little fragrant oil onto her fingers, she massaged his forehead.

　　Shen Kangzheng put down his book and closed his eyes. “You’ve been busy all day. You should rest.”

　　Madam Jiang said softly, “I’m not tired.” Her voice was gentle. “Even if I were, I still have the strength to serve you. You don’t need to worry about me.”

　　Shen Kangzheng hummed in acknowledgment.

　　After a while, he said, “Speaking of which, when she was still just a Guiren, our household didn’t get a chance to visit her in the Palace. Now that she is Bao Fei, it wouldn’t be proper to wait any longer. Madam, when do you plan to go to the Palace?”

　　Madam Jiang’s hands paused for a moment, then she continued pressing his forehead.    

　　“Master is right. Back when Her Grace was still a Guiren, I had already asked the house Matron to prepare silver for a Palace visit. It was just that at the time, the household was busy, and you were occupied with the major affairs of appointing and dismissing officials in Bohai County. I had to keep pace with you and meet with the wives and daughters of those officials, presenting gifts. Jinxiu and his friends went hunting in the outskirts of the Capital and happened to meet Marquis Xue, the son of Princess Yuzhen. Jinxiu and Marquis Xue got along well during the hunt, and they stayed in the outskirts for half a month before returning to the City. By the time I learned, it took me quite a while to pay my respects to Princess Yuzhen. Xi’er, curious about the hunt, went to the outskirts to see Jinxiu, and after much persuading, she returned and attended the City’s social gatherings hosted by other young ladies. Among them, Xi'er was the most outstanding. Many of the madams even tried to subtly inquire about her through me.”

　　“All this back and forth, I admit I’ve been a bit negligent with Ling’er. I didn’t plan things thoroughly, but rest assured, Master, I will go to the Palace tomorrow. To be honest, my feelings for Ling’er are no less than those for Xier. After all, she is my own daughter. The reason I hadn’t gone before was because I wanted to gather more silver from the household to take to her, which delayed things. If you hadn’t brought it up, I would still have found a time to tell you.”

　　Shen Kangzheng nodded in satisfaction. He had no idea that Madam Jiang’s earnest words were mostly made up on the spot. Well, some of it was true—her words about Shen Kangzheng, Shen Jinxiu, and Shen Xi were genuine. What followed about Shen Ling… better not dwell on that.

　　They talked a while longer. Once Shen Kangzheng felt sleepy, he got into bed. Madam Jiang quietly instructed the house Matron on how to handle the previous maid, and the Matron bowed and left.

    

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Glossary: 

¹ Master: In this historical household context, Madam Jiang addresses her husband as “Master” rather than “Husband.” Although they are married, speech within the inner household remains formal and hierarchical, especially in the presence of servants. “Husband” would sound overly casual and modern for this setting. 

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