Chapter 396

Chapter 396 She thought for a moment, then said, "Pack up all our best medicinal herbs and bring them along. Tomorrow we'll pay a visit to Fengyi Palace." Caiyue was taken aback: "This servant knows you're worried about Her Majesty the Empress's health, but Her Majesty is of noble status—how could she lack medicinal herbs? If we send these over, I'm afraid Fengyi Palace won't accept them..." Caiyue feared her mistress would be upset, so she didn't say anything unpleasant. The people at Fengyi Palace would not only look down on these meager herbs, they might even mock them. Bai Fu smiled: "Whether they accept them is their business; whether I send them is mine." "No matter what others say, I always want to do my part." Caiyue sighed: "You're just too kind-hearted, mistress." Bai Fu said nothing. At Yongning Palace, the moment Talented Lady Xue entered the palace gates, she saw Consort Jingshu reprimanding the newly arrived Talented Lady Sun. Her heart tightened, but she still greeted Consort Jingshu with a bright smile and performed the proper rites. "This humble one pays respects to Consort Jingshu." Consort Jingshu swept a glance over her, her expression cold: "Here to see Noble Lady Xi again?" Talented Lady Xue had been thoroughly intimidated by Consort Jingshu's punishment of thirty strokes to Forest Lady Ming, so her attitude was extremely deferential: "In answer to Your Ladyship, Noble Lady Xi invited this humble one to admire the moon." Consort Jingshu let out a cold laugh: "The entire palace is worried about Her Majesty the Empress's health, yet you two still have the leisure to admire the moon." Talented Lady Xue quickly said: "It was precisely because this humble one was thinking of Her Majesty the Empress that I came specifically to decline that invitation with Noble Lady Xi, and instead we will copy sutras to pray for Her Majesty's well-being." Consort Jingshu said in an ambiguous tone: "Copying sutras late at night—mind you don't ruin your eyes." Talented Lady Xue was about to explain further when Consort Jingshu had already turned to glance at Talented Lady Sun, who was kneeling on the ground. "With Her Majesty the Empress unwell, punishing you now would make me seem rather arrogant." "But since you've been too presumptuous, I cannot let it go lightly." Consort Jingshu said coldly: "So I'll have you kneel here copying sutras for one hour, which can also count as praying for Her Majesty the Empress." Consort Jingshu even added considerately: "It's going to get dark soon. Remember to light a lamp for Talented Lady Sun—don't let her eyes suffer from overwork." As soon as Consort Jingshu returned to the main hall, Talented Lady Xue hurried straight to Noble Lady Xi's side hall. Noble Lady Xi, who had just coaxed the Eighth Prince back into the bedchamber, saw her expression and laughed: "Look at you, all flustered—did you see a ghost or something?" Talented Lady Xue smiled bitterly: "Please don't tease this humble one, Your Ladyship. I just ran into Consort Jingshu punishing Talented Lady Sun..." Noble Lady Xi waved off the servants and sat down slowly: "This happens every day—what's there to fear?" "Consort Jingshu puts on that act every day, terrified that the Emperor might think she's close to Talented Lady Sun, even more afraid that the Emperor might think the Duke of Yingguo's household harbors ambitions. She's desperate to let the Six Palaces know she and Talented Lady Sun don't get along." Talented Lady Xue: "I know this too, but Consort Jingshu carries quite a bit of authority, and I don't have Forest Lady Ming's courage." Noble Lady Xi smiled at this: "Already scared? Her temper has improved quite a bit." "Before she raised the Seventh Prince, she had offended the entire palace—every day she was either scolding this one or finding fault with that one. Back then, she was even demoted by the Emperor for speaking rudely to Noble Consort Zhao." Talented Lady Xue: "Please stop, Noble Lady Xi—the more I hear, the more frightened I become." Noble Lady Xi glanced at her and smiled: "You're scared? If you were truly scared, you wouldn't have come to Yongning Palace at this hour." Talented Lady Xue smiled innocently. The two sat down and chatted for a while, until Noble Lady Xi smiled and asked: "It's already dark out—are you still planning to beat around the bush, sister?" Talented Lady Xue opened her big eyes wide and said with a smile: "How would I dare? It's just that I heard the imperial physicians say Her Majesty the Empress doesn't have much time left, and I feel truly grieved." "But when I think carefully, one can't only focus on what's before one's eyes—one must also look to the long term." Noble Lady Xi asked with interest: "What kind of long-term view?" Talented Lady Xue: "I've heard that the Eighth Prince is clever and adorable, and robust in health—not inferior to any other prince in the slightest." "You've raised a fine son, sister—surely you don't wish to rise higher?" "In the future, when the central palace has no mistress, the Emperor will sooner or later establish a new Empress. Can you truly remain unmoved, sister?" Noble Lady Xi said without revealing her thoughts: "What am I, that I would dare covet that position?" "Above me, Noble Consort Zhao is about to give birth to her second prince. Even if not her, there's still Consort Jingshu and Consort Wen. Among the Nine Concubines, there's Zhaorong Huizhao and Lady Xian... No matter how you count it, it wouldn't come to me." Hearing Noble Lady Xi respond to this, Talented Lady Xue dared to continue more boldly. "Noble Consort Zhao goes without saying." "As for Consort Jingshu—her appearance is marred, so she could never take that position. Consort Wen is a princess of the Xia Dynasty; she doesn't share the bond of an early marriage between the Empress and the Emperor." "Everyone knows how she got her Fei rank—to this day, Consort Wen has never even served the Emperor in the bedchamber." "The ranks among the Nine Concubines are essentially no different. Zhaorong Huizhao only has a princess, and she hasn't been favored recently. Lady Xian already incurred the Emperor's displeasure for raising the Sixth Prince." "Sister seems to have no chance, yet in truth, you have every chance." "This younger sister hopes that in the future, you'll rise to boundless honor and be able to pull me up along with you." Talented Lady Xue was the daughter of the Left Censor-in-Chief. Though her family held no noble title, they wielded considerable influence. At this moment, her show of goodwill toward Noble Lady Xi naturally pleased the latter. Both women understood that Noble Lady Xi, having a biological son and holding the rank of one of the Nine Concubines, still had a possibility of ascending to the position of Empress. For Noble Lady Xi, her true rival was perhaps only Noble Consort Zhao, who occupied the higher position. Noble Lady Xi was silent for a moment, then suddenly let out a soft laugh: "Talented Lady Xue certainly dares to think big." Talented Lady Xue no longer wore the innocent and naive expression from before. In a calm tone, she replied, "I only dare to think, but Sister Noble Lady Xi's courage far exceeds mine." If she had no such ambitions, why would Noble Lady Xi keep engaging with her? If she had no such ambitions, why would Noble Lady Xi keep listening to her speak? Talented Lady Xue had aligned herself with Noble Lady Xi for two reasons: first, to plan for her own future, and second, because Noble Lady Xi was the only one she could stake her hopes on. She had considered seeking favor with Noble Consort Zhao to bask in her glory, but unfortunately, Noble Consort Zhao kept too much to herself in the harem. Aside from the gossipy Concubine Shen, she never had excessive contact with other consorts and concubines. Talented Lady Xue had weighed all her options one by one before finally choosing Noble Lady Xi. In another part of the palace, separated by several walls, Consort Jingshu was having her attendants fumigate the rooms with mugwort to drive away mosquitoes. "Although the July heat has subsided, there are still quite a few mosquitoes in the rooms. Those of you caring for the Seventh Prince must be careful." "When the Seventh Prince sleeps at night, remember to feel his back from time to time to check if he's sweating, and don't let him catch a chill." The old nursemaid and palace maids attending to the Seventh Prince lowered their heads in acknowledgment. After watching the attendants finish fumigating with mugwort, Consort Jingshu glanced into the distance and remarked, "Is Talented Lady Xue still at Noble Lady Xi's palace?" Tao Yao nodded: "Indeed. They're whispering away—who knows what they're plotting." As the principal consort of Yongning Palace, Consort Jingshu was aware of every visit Talented Lady Xue made, and she knew exactly how long she stayed and what she did there. She couldn't guess the full extent of their intentions, but she had a general sense of things.