The scorching heat of recent days has finally given way to a delightful drizzle today, bringing a sense of refreshment. However, a lingering doubt remains unsolved in my heart...
On that night, the 17-year-old Chun'er, summoned by the 58-year-old Emperor Yongzheng, had her first night with him.
From then on, Chun'er became a legitimate concubine. Soon after, she petitioned the Empress to live with Zhen Huan in Suiyu Hall.
Zhen Huan also concurred, expressing her willingness to share quarters with Chun'er.
What's puzzling is that the Empress readily and smilingly granted their request?
What does it mean for Chun'er and Zhen Huan to live together?
Recall the scene where Tang Yixin, Zhang Ruoyun's wife and actress portraying the Lady Qi, pretended to have nightmares at midnight, vying for the Emperor's attention with the Lady Xin, who shared her palace.
Since roommates can compete for the Emperor's favor, they can also conspire together to enhance their standing.
Similarly, Hua Fei and Song Zhi, where the Emperor might rest with Song Zhi but still under Hua Fei's watchful eye, served as another example.
The bond between Chun'er and Zhen Huan was even stronger, and they were among the most favored concubines apart from Hua Fei.
If they successfully formed an alliance, the entire harem would have been on edge.
The Empress, a shrewd figure, was left lamenting in Jingren Palace as Hua Fei and the alliance of Chun'er and Zhen Huan gained favor.
Such a situation was detrimental to her, yet she readily agreed to their request.
There's only one explanation: she had a bigger, more beneficial scheme in mind.
What was this grander calculation behind the Empress's smiling consent?
By now, avid fans of "Empresses in the Palace" must be itching to answer: "The Empress wanted to poach An Lingrong from Zhen Huan's clique."
Precisely, the Empress aimed to recruit An Lingrong.
What makes An Lingrong so desirable to the Empress?
It echoes the old saying, "Loss is gain."
In my recent article, I delved into why the Emperor was displeased when Hua Fei treated An Lingrong like an entertainer. An Lingrong, humiliated, wept bitterly to Zhen Huan.
Unaware of the whole picture, Queen's attendant Jianqiu witnessed An Lingrong and Zhen Huan emerging from Yikun Palace with composure despite the humiliation.
Jianqiu reported back to the Empress, who admired An Lingrong's resilience and deemed her a suitable ally.
This was An Lingrong's first impression on the Empress.
Does the Empress's plan to recruit An Lingrong relate to Chun'er and Zhen Huan living together?
Absolutely, it's intimately connected.
During a time when the Emperor frequently visited Hua Fei due to his reliance on Nian Gengyao, An Lingrong and Zhen Huan found solace in each other's company, often studying incense and enduring insults together.
Though the Emperor eventually visited Zhen Huan, he neglected An Lingrong.
Coupled with Baojuan's whispers, An Lingrong felt neglected by Zhen Huan and assumed she hadn't spoken up for her.
Then, Chun'er's favor with the Emperor and her move to live with Zhen Huan further fueled An Lingrong's jealousy and self-pity due to her humble background.
Feeling inferior, sensitive, ignored, and lonely, An Lingrong was discovered by Baojuan to be making dolls to curse Hua Fei.
This was the perfect moment for the Empress to intervene with a combination of kindness and authority:
"You've been overlooked by your clique; I'll be your confidante.
You've resorted to curses; I'll forgive you but discourage such actions.
Suspicious of Zhen Huan, I'll plant seeds of doubt by fabricating a story that she betrayed you to me."
By leveraging Chun'er and Zhen Huan's cohabitation, the Empress successfully disintegrated Zhen Huan's clique and intensified An Lingrong's hatred towards her.
Whose strategy do you think prevails in this round: the Empress, Zhen Huan, or Chun'er?
