Taking Back the Phoenix Empress Hairpin, the Emperor’s Shamelessness Revealed
"Stop!"
The Emperor strode over, and his first act was not to let anyone rise from their bows, but to roar in fury: "Who gave the order to cane Concubine Su? Who dares such audacity?"
The Emperor’s sharp gaze swept toward Imperial Noble Consort Helena Hsieh. He knew Concubine Su was close with the Empress, and had often spoken well of her; the Empress had always looked after Su, so it couldn’t have been the Empress who ordered the beating.
Imperial Noble Consort Helena Hsieh let out a bitter smile, lowered her head in silence, and cradled her belly with her left hand, feeling a chill seep through her heart…
The Emperor's first suspicion was not her—this is the fate of an emperor's woman. It’s a sorrow unique to their rank, especially when she is carrying his child.
The Empress was secretly delighted, but kept her face expressionless. With a worried look, she spoke: "In answer to Your Majesty, it was I who gave the order."
"You?" The Emperor had wrongly suspected Imperial Noble Consort Helena, but showed not a hint of apology. He immediately turned his glare on the Empress: "What crime did Concubine Su commit? How could you order her to be beaten?"
"Your Majesty, Concubine Su offended Serena Feng. I had no choice but to punish her." The Empress looked aggrieved, bowing her head so no one could see what she was really thinking.
In truth, which woman in the harem isn’t aggrieved? The Emperor spoils Concubine Su to the heavens, treating all others like dirt. No matter who’s right or wrong, as long as it involves Su, the ones who suffer are always the other consorts. Otherwise, the Empress wouldn’t have ruthlessly struck down Su, even knowing Su has helped her many times before.
Given how much the Emperor favors Concubine Su, it wouldn’t be long before her status threatened the Empress’s own dignity and position. The Empress simply couldn’t tolerate Su any longer…
"Offended Serena Feng? What is Serena Feng but a nobody—how precious do you think she is? What do you mean, 'offended'? If my beloved concubine wanted her dead, it’d be no harder than crushing an ant." With a single sentence, the Empress diverted disaster onto Serena. Had Serena been kneeling closer, the Emperor would likely have kicked her on the spot.
Imperial Noble Consort Helena Hsieh sighed quietly, fearing the Emperor might vent his rage on Serena Feng. She quickly stepped forward to advise, "Your Majesty, Concubine Su’s health is fragile. Shouldn’t you summon an imperial physician to see her?"
Helena’s reminder snapped the Emperor back to reality—he suddenly remembered Concubine Su was still lying there. He barked out orders: "Why are you all standing around? Hurry and carry Concubine Su back! Summon the imperial physicians, have the Director of the Imperial Medical Directorate attend her personally. If anything happens to Concubine Su, you’ll all be buried with her!"
Seeing Concubine Su covered in blood, lifeless and limp, the Emperor’s heart ached with pain.
Because of the incident with the foreign beauty, the Emperor had once suffered a bitter setback in matters of women, leaving him cold and distant toward the harem for a long time, and unwilling to take in any new beauties.
Now, after much difficulty, he finally found a concubine he adored—obedient, sensible Concubine Su. The Emperor cherished her, afraid she’d melt in his mouth or fly away from his hand. If she so much as frowned, he’d coax her for ages, let alone ever raise a hand against her.
Helena Hsieh’s attempt to calm him only made the Emperor angrier. He strode over to Serena Feng, lifted his foot, and prepared to kick her…
"Your Majesty, please quell your anger." Serena Feng had long been on guard; as soon as the Emperor approached, she rose to her feet. His kick landed in empty air—if not for the quick reflexes of a nearby eunuch, he would have fallen and lost all dignity.
"Your Majesty…" The Empress cried out in alarm and rushed up to steady him. The Emperor, pleased by her concern, softened his tone: "Don’t worry, Empress. I’m fine."
"As long as Your Majesty is unharmed—you nearly frightened me to death." The Empress clutched her chest, playing the part of a startled, worried wife. After confirming the Emperor was fine, she immediately turned and snapped at Serena Feng: "Serena Feng, how dare you! Who gave you permission to stand? How dare you act so brazenly before the Emperor!"
"Your Majesty, forgive me. I know I was wrong," Serena Feng admitted crisply, yet she did not kneel.
If not for the Phoenix Empress Hairpin, she would have knelt there and let the Emperor kick her—just as when he hurled that memorial scroll at her, she’d known she’d get hurt but could only endure it.
Thunder and rain are both the monarch’s grace; whatever the Emperor gives—good or bad—she must accept it. No matter her private resentment, she can never let the Emperor catch her in open defiance.
"You know your fault?" The Emperor sneered, looking at Serena Feng as if she were already dead. "Since you admit it, I won’t bother sending you to prison—men, drag her out and behead her."
"Your Majesty, you mustn’t…" Helena Hsieh panicked and rushed forward, but the Emperor’s gaze was icy and merciless: "Mustn’t? My beloved concubine, Serena Feng offended me—why shouldn’t I behead her? Am I not the Son of Heaven? Is it possible I can’t kill whomever I wish?"
"Your Majesty, that’s not what I meant—Serena, Serena she…" Helena Hsieh grew flustered, unable to find the words. Serena, seeing Helena meant to help her, took over.
"Your Majesty, I did not mean to offend you. I had to move because I was carrying the Phoenix Empress Hairpin, a sacred token personally bestowed by the late Emperor." In other words, if the Emperor’s kick had landed, he would have struck the hairpin—an act of disrespect toward the late Emperor. Serena stepped aside for his sake.
Disrespecting the late Emperor is no small matter. Though the current Emperor rules now, if the court officials learned of it, they’d flood him with memorials accusing him of unfilial conduct, and he’d be plagued with endless trouble.
"The Phoenix Hairpin?" At Serena’s words, the Emperor instantly understood.
Of all the late Emperor’s relics, only the Phoenix Empress Hairpin truly made this Emperor wary—because its meaning is unique.
"Yes, Your Majesty, it is the Phoenix Empress Hairpin." Serena Feng once again removed the hairpin, placed it in her palm, and presented it before the Emperor.
The moment the Emperor saw the Phoenix Hairpin, he understood why the Empress claimed Concubine Su had offended Serena Feng. In truth, Su had offended not Serena, but the hairpin itself—a lifeless object that even he must honor.
"Serena Feng, you’re very clever… You actually dared bring the Phoenix Hairpin into the palace." The Emperor’s hatred was palpable; the hairpin was a constant thorn in his side, representing both Nolan’s mother’s special place in the late Emperor’s heart and Nolan’s own extraordinary status.
"It’s a sacred relic bestowed by the late Emperor. I keep it close for fear of losing it." Serena Feng was well aware of the sarcasm in the Emperor’s words, but it was none of her concern.
The conflict between Nolan and the Emperor was growing ever fiercer. She was already branded as part of Nolan’s faction—no matter what she did, she couldn’t wash it away. Even clinging to the Emperor would do her no good.
So long as she made no public misstep, it wouldn’t be easy for the Emperor to take her life.
"How thoughtful of you," the Emperor said through gritted teeth, his gaze fixed on the Phoenix Hairpin as he schemed how to reclaim it.
Whether the Phoenix Hairpin was in Nolan’s hands or Serena Feng’s, it was a constant headache for the Emperor. If Serena lost it, she’d also lose her last bit of leverage.
As for holding Serena Feng accountable for Concubine Su’s suffering, today was not the day—after all, Su was in the wrong first.
"Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty. I am unworthy of such honor." Serena Feng kept a straight face, thanking him so earnestly that anyone unacquainted would think he was truly commending her.
"I didn’t praise you." The Emperor disliked Serena’s unruffled demeanor, finding her more and more reminiscent of Nolan.
"I am dull-witted and failed to grasp Your Majesty’s meaning. Please forgive me." Serena Feng remained meticulous and composed, never giving the Emperor a chance to catch her in error.