Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved
Chapter 416 Consort Jing, originally named Chen Honglian

Chapter 416: Chapter 416 Consort Jing, originally named Chen Honglian

Master Mei, whose real name is Mei Yuzong, hailed from Yangzhou.

Continuing his father’s legacy, his current troupe, renowned in both the north and the south, consisted of top-notch performers who were orphans his father had adopted more than twenty years ago.

In his early years, his father led the opera troupe in performing at local gatherings and temple fairs or celebrating the birthdays of landlords.

Back then, the troupe did more than just perform opera; they also showcased various acrobatics, relying on the reward of one copper coin or two.

Mei Yuzong was the Junior troupe leader, blessed with a great voice from a young age; he showed promise in his teens and was capable of leading roles within a few years.

How did he come to know Consort Jing?

A wealthy landlord in the village hired them to perform a grand opera for his mother’s seventieth birthday, generously booking ten shows, one for each day, drawing crowds from villages ten miles around.

At that time, Consort Jing wasn’t one of the villagers who came to watch the show; she was a servant in Landlord Liu’s household, and Liu had plans to take her as his concubine.

Consort Jing’s real name did not include "Jing"; her true name was Honglian, Chen Honglian.

When he came to perform, Honglian would often hide behind trees and watch him secretly, a gaze he found not unusual, for he was handsome with fair features. Many said he was a beautiful youth with exceptional vocal skills, and there were many women infatuated with him.

Still, he was attracted to Honglian, perhaps because she was lovely, or maybe because she looked at him unabashedly, making her gaze stand out.

Yet, he already had a fiancée and had no intention of doing anything inappropriate.

He also did not expect Honglian to be bolder than he imagined.

One evening, when he returned to his room, Honglian was already stripped clean and lying on his bed.

He was angry, but as a young man in the prime of life and no sage, he knew that Honglian was scheming against him, yet he still plunged in headlong.

In the middle of the night, he and Honglian were caught in the act by Landlord Liu, with the light of the torches shining brightly on the two of them.

It was only then that he learned Liu had planned to make Honglian his concubine and had already given her parents twenty taels of silver.

He understood why Honglian had set her sights on him. He was angry but also felt sorry for her; Liu was in his fifties, old enough to be Honglian’s grandfather. Serving as a concubine to such an old man, not even a proper concubine at that, Honglian’s plight was indeed pitiable.

He even thought Honglian was clever, unlike other women. She fought for herself, sought ways to change her destiny rather than passively awaiting doom.

Thinking of this, Mei Yuzong’s face revealed a sneer.

He had reached the place where Consort Jing would pass by, a rockery with lotus leaves growing lush and green under the arch bridge. In summer, it would surely bloom with the most beautiful lotus flowers.

Just like the Honglian that had once bloomed before him, pure and beautiful.

Back then, how could he have imagined that such a pure and bright lotus would one day sit in the majestic Imperial Palace, filled with imperial wealth and honor, receiving respect and glory?

Having been in the palace for several days, he had heard the palace maids and the little eunuchs quietly discussing how Consort Jing would be named the Empress by the Emperor, and how her son would become the Crown Prince. Her humble origins would soon be surpassed by a position just below one and above ten thousand.

And all this, like her scheme against him, and how she escaped Landlord Liu to change her fate, was also of her own making.

He, Mei Yuzong, was no different from the former Landlord Liu.

"Whose handkerchief is this, dropped on the ground?"

Aunt Su Jin, supporting Consort Jing, suddenly noticed a plain handkerchief on the ground.

She leaned in for a closer look and sneered, "I don’t know which palace maid this belongs to, but the embroidery of the Honglian flower is so out-of-date. Who embroiders this anymore?"

Consort Jing’s expression suddenly changed. She turned her head to look around and spotted a corner of clothing by the rockery. She clenched her nails and then said to Su Jin, "I am a bit tired and would like to sit in the pavilion for a while. Su Jin, go fetch a cloak for me personally."

"Yes, this maid will go at once."

After Aunt Su Jin had left, Consort Jing used the excuse of wanting to clear her head to send away the remaining palace maids and eunuchs, before she walked toward the rockery.

Mei Yuzong also emerged from inside the rockery.

He first picked up the handkerchief, dusted it off, and carefully placed it in his bosom with great cherish.

Watching his actions, Consort Jing asked, "Yu Lang, do you still hate me?"

"This commoner dares not harboring resentment. I have simply lost my way inside the palace and did not mean to disturb Your Majesty. Please forgive my offense; I will leave immediately," he said, his voice was hoarse and not pleasant to hear. After speaking, he lowered his head and took a step forward, but after a struggle, Consort Jing called him back.

"Yu Lang, I wronged you back then, but I had no other choice. Your parents detested me so much, even beating and scolding me when you were away, refusing to let us marry. I couldn’t bear it anymore."

Consort Jing herself did not understand why she was saying these words to Mei Yuzong.

Lately, she had been struggling in her heart. She was afraid that Mei Yuzong hated her and wanted to destroy her. But the fake affection from the Emperor over the years, using her as a substitute for the Empress Dowager, and countless other things made it crystal clear to her that, in this world, the only person who had ever truly loved her was Mei Yuzong.

Just a moment ago, she saw that Mei Yuzong still kept, and treasured, the handkerchief she had embroidered for him, which touched her heart and reminded her of the tender times Yu Lang had been with her.

Mei Yuzong had come to find her because he couldn’t let go of her, right?

He seemed to be all alone, still not married nor having children to this day.

If he truly bore endless resentment against her, he would have exposed her the first time they met in the palace, wouldn’t he?

Mei Yuzong turned around; though he was no longer the handsome young man from before, he was still refined and slender, not like the Emperor who was pot-bellied and indulgent in wine and women.

To her, before the age of fourteen, he was the most elegantly handsome man she had ever seen, like the noble young master in the operas.

And she had been the prettiest girl in the village from a young age, with many people always telling her that with her looks, she was certain to marry into a wealthy family. Tired of the hardship, she naively believed that getting married was a second chance to change her fate. She was ambitious, not settling for any village lads like Niu Er or Egghead, only desiring to marry rich.

Later on, when her family was extremely impoverished, that year the severe drought led to a poor harvest. With no food to eat, she passed out from hunger, only to wake up sold by her father to Landlord Liu’s household.

Though she was sold as a slave, in reality, she was to be Landlord Liu’s concubine. As Liu’s son was a minor official, he didn’t dare take a fancy woman, which meant that Honglian was to be the bed-warmer for an old man without any formal status.

Her parents received twenty taels of silver – how could they not know what she was sold for?

In times of disaster, twenty taels of silver meant saving the lives of their family of eight.

Just one person’s sacrifice could exchange for the lives of the entire family.

What use was her resentment?

Luckily, her luck wasn’t too bad. When Landlord Liu tried to have his way with her, he was too drunk to perform, and so she managed to remain untouched.

Not long after, there came an outside man who sang opera to the estate, and she chose Mei Yuzong from among them, for he was the junior troupe leader.

Being a concubine, even if just a minor one, was still better than being a bed-warmer for some old man, wasn’t it?

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