FBC -Chapter 304 Establishing Authority

Dawn broke on the horizon.

Zhao Luoxuan sat dazedly on the edge of the bed, gazing through the flowered window at the sky.

The horizon was split open by the warm sun, the dense ink-colored darkness gradually dissipating. The majestic mountains undulated, sketching a scene like an ink-and-wash painting.

Beyond these mountains lay the southern borderlands of Daliang.

Seeing that she was awake, a maid hurried over and softly asked, “Princess Consort, do you feel well?”

Zhao Luoxuan felt weak all over, but what was even more aching was her heart.

A mixture of emotions welled up inside her—she could not name them.

It was as if she were an empty shell, her core replaced, devoid of desires or wants.

“I’m fine.”

The maid helped her to her feet, while another quietly approached to straighten the bedding—and suddenly noticed a red cloud on the sheets.

The two maids exchanged a delighted glance, overjoyed.

Finally, the consummation had happened.

Zhao Luoxuan sat at her vanity with little interest while the maids brushed her hair.

“Princess Consort, normally the concubines would come to pay their respects to you today. They were already informed this morning.”

Usually, Zhao Luoxuan was impatient with the concubines, pretending for appearances only when with Duan Yu, and managing palace affairs only as needed. She ignored most formalities, including receiving the concubines’ respects.

But now that the consummation had happened, Zhao Luoxuan intended to truly secure her place as the main consort, to hold the king’s heart.

She would become the backbone of the Mu family army!

The maids hesitated, worried she might refuse, but Zhao Luoxuan simply responded calmly:

“All right.”

Tears welled in the maid’s eyes as she nodded at the other maid.

They had followed Zhao Luoxuan, who had humbled herself, to the southern borderlands, and were loyal to her.

But loyalty alone would not feed them. Once in Dali, without the king’s favor and without children to support her, these predatory concubines in the harem would be eager to destroy their mistress.

If the mistress were neglected, the servants would suffer first.

The road ahead was long, and they were fearful.

Now that the princess consort was willing to cooperate with the king and assert herself, how could they not be pleased?

Silently, the maids began their preparations in an orderly manner.

Trained strictly in the imperial palace of Daliang, they were skilled and efficient in their tasks.

The Consort Yu and a group of pretty concubines had been standing outside the palace gates for nearly half an hour, and her expression was growing sour.

In the entire palace, she was the only one who had borne the king’s child.

Zhao Luoxuan had no favor and yet monopolized her son—who did she think she was?

And she had the audacity to act arrogantly in front of her?

The Consort Yu glared resentfully at the impatient Concubine Qi.

“Princess Consort sure has quite an attitude.”

The Concubine Qi of the Qi Kingdom, the daughter of a minor wife, immediately spoke up when caught in the Consort Yu’s gaze.

She had entered the palace the same day as Zhao Luoxuan and, also being a princess sent for marriage, considered herself superior, looking down even on the Consort Bai.

The Consort Yu hurriedly said, “Concubine Qi, don’t speak recklessly. The princess consort has been in the palace over a year, and only consummated yesterday. She must be fatigued.”

These words provoked Concubine Qi.

She had waited a year without favor—why should a widow surpass her?

“Hah, who knows if it’s true? A whole year, the king occasionally visits her but never touches her. Did he just do so yesterday? Perhaps she slipped him a love potion.”

Her words immediately sparked jealousy among the other concubines, who joined in:

“Sister is right. The princess consort entered the palace holding her deceased husband’s spirit tablet. Our king was magnanimous to tolerate her antics, but still…”

“Exactly, any man would be uncomfortable! Especially our mighty king. The princess consort must be audacious indeed.”

“Mind your words.”

The usually quiet Consort Bai frowned.

Concubine Qi shot her a glance: “Sister Bai, your status is high too—daughter of the national preceptor, the most noble among our concubines in this kingdom. Yet the princess consort disrespects you—would you tolerate it?”

“My sisters, don’t speak for me. If not for the preceptor, our king…”

“Mind your life!”

The Consort Bai’s face darkened as she interrupted their increasingly reckless talk.

She was the first woman to marry Duan Yu as a consort.

At that time, Duan Yu had just been appointed crown prince, strongly supported by the national preceptor.

Consort Bai had married him then, expecting to be the main consort.

But when Duan Yu ascended the throne, he requested the princess from Daliang.

Even the national preceptor, supported by ministers, could not object, so she had to remain a secondary consort.

Moreover, Duan Yu was indifferent, rarely visiting her, and her womb did not cooperate, allowing Consort Yu to claim first place with the birth of the sole prince.

Consort Bai coldly swept her gaze over Concubine Qi and the other concubines: “The princess consort is a princess of Daliang, of higher status than any of us. Moreover, she was personally requested by the king—a bond between two nations. Her honor cannot be surpassed. If you wish to challenge her, go ahead, but do not say I didn’t warn you.”

The concubines hastily replied that they dared not.

The Consort Yu, however, was unafraid, cooing softly: “Sister Bai, don’t scare them. Whether the princess consort can truly be the bond between the two nations remains to be seen. Her mother and the Daliang empress intend to ally with the king…”

“Impudent!” A sharp voice cut her off.

Everyone looked up, stunned.

Zhao Luoxuan had changed from her usual simple attire, wearing the official main consort dress with a Phoenix-Rising-Sun skirt and the Dali princess consort headdress.

Dali favored white, and her white dress was embroidered with vivid seven-colored phoenixes, her vest adorned with three-dimensional peonies.

Her flawless jade-like face glowed with an added radiance.

Her shoulders were straight, her waist elegant; every gesture exuded nobility.

For the first time, they saw Zhao Luoxuan like this.

She looked coldly at the cluster of petty concubines, finally understanding her mother’s hardships in the harem.

“I have never wished to quarrel excessively with you sisters. But the peace of the harem concerns the foundation of the state. I cannot act foolishly.”

She glanced at the maid standing by the door: “Who spoke words of extreme disrespect just now?”

The maid, loyal to Zhao Luoxuan, was already outraged by the concubines’ slander and immediately pointed out several of them.

Lower-ranking concubines turned pale, all glancing at Concubine Qi and the Consort Yu—they had instigated this.

Concubine Qi sneered: “Princess Consort, it’s early morning, and this is your first audience with the concubines. Are you trying to establish authority using them?”

Zhao Luoxuan curled her lips, but without a trace of amusement: “Is that not allowed?”

Concubine Qi’s smile stiffened: “I am the princess of the Qi Kingdom!”

Zhao Luoxuan stepped down the stairs, stopping before her.

She was half a head taller than Concubine Qi, looking down arrogantly.

“What? Did Qi send you to deliberately disrupt my Dali harem, to sabotage Daliang-Dali relations?”

Concubine Qi turned pale and stumbled back: “N-no, I didn’t.”

Zhao Luoxuan waved her hand, uninterested in further words, and commanded clearly:

“Those who just spoke rebellious words, thirty slaps as warning!”

Zhao Luoxuan’s wet nurse immediately seized one offender after another, striking swiftly.

Screams echoed throughout the hall.

The maids and wet nurses hit hard.

The Consort Yu struggled violently, pointing at Zhao Luoxuan in fury: “Princess Consort, I am the king’s first son’s mother! How dare you touch me?”

Zhao Luoxuan stood on the steps, coldly looking at her.

“Then you must behave properly, especially as the king’s first son’s mother. Furthermore, you were sent from Daliang—how could I not demand strict conduct, or how could I command respect?”

“Consort Yu, your offense of challenging authority and causing trouble adds another level to your crime. Fifty slaps.”

The Consort Yu went pale: “You…”

Before she could finish, the wet nurse personally kicked her in the knee.

With a thud, the Consort Yu fell heavily to the ground, and before she could speak, her face was lashed with brutal slaps.

Zhao Luoxuan’s gaze turned to the Consort Bai, who watched her intently.

“Consort Bai, would you like to come in for a chat?”

The Consort Bai bowed respectfully: “Yes.”

Her lowered eyes flickered with surprise—Zhao Luoxuan was also ruthless.

The others, not summoned and afraid to leave, could only watch as the punished concubines received their reprimand.