The Empress makes a surprise visit. How was Shu to face the Empress in this vulnerable state, and what did her visit mean for the future of her and her newborn child?
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Shu and Yue exchanged startled glances as they heard the announcement.
"The Empress... Her Majesty is coming?" Consort Shu whispered, her pulse fluttering like a trapped bird.
Her face and hair were in a mess, starkly contrasting to her usual self — she was in no state to receive visitors.
"Yue, quickly, you must help me get dressed. Her Majesty can't see me like this," Shu pleaded, clutching the bed linens.
Yue, standing by her bed, hovered anxiously.
"At once, my Lady," said Yue, trying to help Consort Shu get up.
Shu strained to rise, but her body—weakened from the grueling birth—betrayed her. A sharp gasp escaped her lips as she collapsed back onto the pillows.
"I can't, Yue…the pain is too much." her voice shaking.
She was still recovering from the birth, and now, in this state, she had to face the Empress of all people.
The sliding doors hissed open before Yue could reply.
The Empress had arrived.
She swept in like a slow-burning flame, her golden phoenix crown glinting ominously in the lamplight. The very air thickened under her gaze—
Shu forced herself upright, wincing as she arranged her limbs into a semblance of propriety.
Yue retreated to the back of the room and stood with the maids.
"Thank you for gracing us with your presence this early, Your Majesty."
"Please accept my sincerest apologies, as I could not greet you properly," Shu murmured, bowing her head.
The Empress waved her hand, cutting her off.
"No need for apologies, Consort Shu." The Empress's smile didn't reach her eyes. "A son for the Emperor deserves celebration… not apologies."
"I came bearing gifts as a reward for your efforts."
With a graceful gesture, she summoned her attendants. A procession of maids flooded in, bearing lacquered trays laden with gifts: bolts of iridescent silk, jade hairpins that caught the light like dragonfly wings, rare incense that perfumed the air, and many other luxuries.
A senior maid presented an ebony box carved with sinuous serpents. The Empress deliberately lifted the lid, revealing a necklace of crimson beads, each gleaming in the light like a chain of freshly spilled blood.
It was a magnificent necklace, but something almost... unnatural about it.
The Empress picked it up, holding it up delicately.
"I picked this one out for you myself," said the Empress, her voice deep and almost ceremonial. "It is a rare tribute from Persia, most fitting for the mother of a prince."
"It is said to bring vitality and health to the wearer; you should wear it daily to reap its benefits."
Shu accepted the necklace, her fingers trembling as she held it. The beads were unnaturally cold, their surface thrumming faintly against her skin as though it were alive.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Shu replied with a polite smile."This gift is generous; I will wear it now to express my gratitude."
Shu gently placed the necklace around her neck, and its weight settled against her collarbones.
After a brief moment, Shu said, "I believe Your Majesty would like to meet the young prince."
She gestured for the wet nurse to bring the baby in, and within moments, they brought the child into the room.
Shu gently handed her baby to the Empress's arms. When the Empress looked down at him, her expression softened—almost convincingly.
"Such a sweet little thing," she said, her tone almost gentle. She cooed, tracing one painted nail along the baby's cheek. "So... robust."
"The prince will grow up strong… and healthy."
Shu watched closely, trying to read the Empress's face, worried that the Empress would do something to her child.
As if sensing the danger, the infant wailed abruptly, his cries piercing the tense silence. The Empress's composure cracked—just for an instant—before she thrust him back toward Shu.
"There, there..." Shu said in a calming voice. "He — he must be hungry, Your Majesty."
"Nurse, please take the prince away and attend to him immediately."
The moment passed, and the Empress stood, giving a polite nod. "I shall take my leave."
"Rest well, Consort Shu; take good care of the prince."
"Farewell to her Majesty, The Empress," said Yue and Shu as they bowed their head deeply until the last whisper of silk faded into the corridor.
Shu and Yue exhaled in unison, finally able to catch their breath.
Yue slumped into a chair, wiping away the sweat on her forehead.
"That was...intense," she breathed, casting a wary glance toward the door where the Empress had departed.
Shu exhaled slowly, "Store all the gifts securely," she ordered the maids, her voice steadier than she felt.
Then, deliberately, she took off the crimson beads and pressed them into Yue's palm. "Especially this. Lock it away."
Yue's grip tightened around the necklace. The beads pulsed faintly, like a slow, venomous heartbeat.
"And bring me the letter from my family."
The moment the parchment touched her hands, her composure fractured. The familiar script—her mother's elegant strokes—sent a flood of memories crashing through her:
Dear Consort Shu,
Our dearest daughter, the joyous news of the prince's birth has reached us. We hope you and your child are doing well.
You have made us very proud.
Your brother has risen to Commander of the Western Gates. All is well here—do not trouble yourself with worries. Take good care of the prince.
- Mother
It was a short and simple message. But it was more than enough for Shu. She read the letters repeatedly. A single tear splashed onto the parchment, blurring the ink.
She hadn't seen her family in so long; it had been seven years since she entered the palace at the tender age of sixteen.
It sometimes felt like she was a flightless bird trapped in a golden cage.
Yue leaned over to peer at the letter. "You should write back," she said softly. "They ache for your words as much as you do theirs, my Lady."
Shu's fingers trembled as she folded the letter; she glanced up, her eyes watery. "Were there… any others?"
Yue rummaged through the letters and said, "No..my Lady."
She knew that Shu was asking about General Wan, her childhood best friend.
Shu said nothing, but her eyes showed a faint disappointment. She quickly collected her emotions and turned to Yue.
"Are you alright, Yue?" she said quietly. "I heard what Consort Zhang... I heard she slapped you."
"I was so worried that my body ached and started having contractions."
"Then the eunuch told me the Emperor swooped in to save you and punished Consort Zhang," Shu said gently.
Yue didn't know how to respond. She thought Shu was upset at her for taking her man. She got down to her knees and said, "I'm sorry, my Lady. I did not mean to draw attention from the Emperor!"
"This is part of your duty as a concubine; I'm happy for you," Shu said as she held Yue's hand.
"So tell me, Yue, how was the Emperor?" asked Shu in a teasing, playful tone.
Yue's expression was awkward; she didn't have the heart to tell her that she slept on the couch instead of the Emperor's bed.
"Yeah. He was... kind. More than I expected."
Shu let out a soft breath of relief and confusion. "That's good."
Before she could say more, a eunuch's voice echoed from the door. "My Lady, His Majesty has informed me that he is coming here to visit you and the Prince."
Yue stood quickly, "His Majesty is coming; I'll leave you two alone," she said before slipping out quietly to give them some personal space.
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Soon, the Emperor arrived and walked straight to Consort Shu, his usual regal poise softened by something akin to desperation.
"Shu," he murmured, sinking onto her bed. His slender fingers brushed her pallid cheek. "You're still so pale."
"Are you feeling better?" His voice was quiet and warm.
Shu nodded, though her exhaustion was written all over her face. "I'm recovering well, Your Majesty. You need not worry."
He smiled, though it was brief. "I came as soon as court finished. I wanted to see you—both of you."
The Emperor sat by Consort Shu's bed, embracing her, her head resting gently on his broad shoulders.
"I couldn't sleep well for the entire night; the physicians told me that your conditions were unstable; I was so afraid that I might lose you."
Soon, the wetnurse brought in the little prince, calm and fed.
He cradled and looked at his son with a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You've done well, Shu."
"Let's raise him to become a magnificent prince, capable in every way; he shall be the pride and honor of the dynasty."
Shu's chest tightened at his words, a mix of pride and gratitude. "I shall do my best."
The Emperor spent the entire afternoon with Consort Shu and their prince before returning to his palace in the evening.
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Back at the Emperor's palace, the Emperor was surprised to see someone lurking in his room.
It was the Empress; she seemed to have been waiting for him for some time.
"Why are you here?" asked the Emperor in a harsh and unwelcoming tone.