Chapter 252

Chapter 252 She smiled and glanced at Consort Sun. "Consort Sun wouldn't want the Princess Consort to have to settle disputes for you right after summoning the imperial physician, would she?" Consort Sun hastily said, "How would I dare?" Consort Li said coolly, "Consort Sun and Consort Xie still have to manage the household affairs of the residence. I'm afraid they don't have time to idle about here." "Now that the Prince is away and the Princess Consort is unwell, the inner court relies on the two of you. I'm afraid those steward matrons are getting impatient waiting..." Xie Run pulled Consort Sun along. "Exactly. As it happens, there are some matters I can't handle well and wanted to ask Consort Sun how she would deal with them." Xie Run, who usually observed coldly from the sidelines, rarely played the sociable role, pulling Consort Sun along as they left the courtyard. Only after they had walked out of the main gate of the Green Pine Courtyard did Consort Sun say gently, "We can no longer disturb the Princess Consort now. Will Sister Xie release my sleeve?" Xie Run let go and resumed her indifferent demeanor. "I heard the earliest flowers in the small garden have bloomed. Would Sister like to come with me to the courtyard to enjoy the flowers?" Consort Sun was somewhat displeased, but she still didn't dare show a sour face in front of Xie Run. She smiled faintly. "Sister has forgotten—now that we manage the household, I'm afraid there are many steward matrons in the courtyard queuing up to receive their tally tokens." Xie Run seemed to just remember. "I was so worried that I lost my head. I momentarily forgot such an important matter." Consort Sun's eyes flickered. "From what Sister says, it sounds like you're worried about the Princess Consort's health?" Xie Run smiled. "In the entire Prince's residence, who isn't worried about the Princess Consort's health?" Before Consort Sun could speak, Xie Run pressed her palms together. "Right now, I only pray that the Princess Consort quickly gives birth to the Heir Apparent and takes back management of the household, so I can have more time to spend with Taotao." Hearing Xie Run's words of a virtuous wife and good mother, Consort Sun found it rather dull. After they parted, Tao Yao lowered her voice and asked, "Mistress, do you think Consort Xie knows something?" "Both times something happened to the Princess Consort, when you wanted to inquire for information, she hurriedly pulled you away. It's clear she didn't want you to ask too many questions." Consort Sun pondered. "She might know something. But the Princess Consort's Green Pine Courtyard is too tightly managed—the maids and matrons can't get any words out of them." "The Princess Consort's pregnancy hasn't even stabilized yet, and she's already summoned the imperial physician twice. Last time it was said she saw blood. This time, it's probably even more serious..." "I always feel that there's something wrong with the Princess Consort's pregnancy." Consort Sun didn't intend to harm anyone. She had only just entered the residence and had no children of her own, so naturally she wouldn't do anything taboo. She was merely curious. The Princess Consort was the principal wife. If the child in her belly was a boy, he would be born as the Heir Apparent. In Consort Sun's view, she naturally didn't want the Princess Consort to give birth. After all, if the Princess Consort couldn't bear children, then her own future children would have a chance to be favored by the Prince and compete for the position of Heir Apparent. She could also rise in status through her child and carry more weight. Now, looking at the situation, she suspected that not only was the Princess Consort's pregnancy unstable, but it might also be damaging to her own body. Tao Yao was about to ask more when Consort Sun waved her hand. "Let's return immediately and ask Mama Du about the various symptoms of pregnant ladies." "I always feel that something is off with the Princess Consort's pregnancy!" Meanwhile, Dantao was also muttering, "Mistress, Consort Sun has only been in the residence for such a short time, and she's already getting restless." "Today, Nanny Li had a cold face and clearly didn't want to talk, but she still shamelessly pressed to ask the Princess Consort. She was obviously trying to probe the Princess Consort's condition." "But even if the Princess Consort falls ill, what good would it do her?" Xie Run glanced at her. "Her intentions aren't hard to guess—she just wants to know the Princess Consort's situation so she can be prepared." "Rather than thinking about her, think about Fang Yuan'er and Wan Linlang who have left the capital." Those two had followed Prince Jing to Yunzhou. Xie Run really couldn't imagine what trouble they could stir up there. Xie Run thought, "Perfect. When we return, have someone write a letter to inform Prince Jing of the Princess Consort's indisposition." And incidentally, probe the situation in Yunzhou. Yunzhou was some distance from the capital. A letter going back and forth, if not expedited, would take at least five days. Xie Run wasn't in a hurry either. Only two days later, a major event occurred in the capital. The Emperor suddenly ordered that Noble Consort Chen be buried at Tianmu Mountain—not allowed into the imperial mausoleum, nor to be buried with the rites of a Noble Consort. The Emperor's sudden move caught everyone off guard. Back then, when the Emperor doted exclusively on Noble Consort Chen and granted her all sorts of privileges beyond regulation, the court officials had to remonstrate. Now that the Emperor didn't want to give Noble Consort Chen a proper funeral, the court officials had to remonstrate again. No matter how many evils Noble Consort Chen had committed in life, she had died in the position of Noble Consort. As long as Noble Consort Chen's title remained, the Emperor's refusal to let her into the imperial mausoleum or bury her with Noble Consort rites was a great violation of protocol and made a mockery of imperial dignity. You could say—back then you wanted to dote on her, doting beyond all bounds, and no one could dissuade you. Now that she's dead, you want to demean and humiliate her, and everyone still has to patiently persuade you... Dealing with such a willful Emperor, no one knew what to do. The court was in an uproar for five days, and in the end, the Emperor still won. Because the Emperor listened to the court officials' words—and took a different turn. They first had someone write a memorial detailing Noble Consort Chen's crimes, demanding that the Emperor punish her severely. Without a second word, the Emperor convicted Noble Consort Chen, stripping her rank all the way down—demoting her from Noble Consort Chen to Lady-in-waiting, and even revoking her title. Originally, the Emperor had merely arranged for her to be buried at Mount Tianmu. But now? After being reduced to Lady-in-waiting, with all those accumulated crimes piled on top, she was directly rolled up in a straw mat and tossed into some unknown mountain ditch. And the court officials were satisfied too. Now no one could say the Emperor wasn't following the rules, could they? A notorious consort of her generation—so glorious in life, yet so miserable in death. And so, her life came to a thunderous end. The Emperor's temperament was a perfect example of loving someone to life and hating someone to death. After watching this farce unfold, Xie Run had already confirmed his earlier suspicions. The Emperor probably couldn't father children anymore. The children in Concubine Jing's and Noble Consort Chen's bellies were likely not his at all. That was why the Emperor had acted so out of character toward Noble Consort Chen, not even letting her rest in peace after death; and why even Prince Jing was tight-lipped about Concubine Jing's death. But then—how did the Emperor know he couldn't have children? Xie Run recalled that not long before Concubine Jing's death, news had spread of discord between the Emperor and the Empress... and the Seventh Prince had been inexplicably stripped of his title and reduced to a commoner. In a daze, Xie Run felt like he had just stumbled upon a huge piece of gossip.