Chapter 427

Chapter 427 "Scholar's daughter?" Consort Jingshu said politely. "My elder sister's father was personally granted the title of Marquis Wenchang by the Emperor, and her mother is a Second-Rank Lady." Hearing Consort Jingshu exchange pleasantries with her, Xie Run found it rather strange. When had their relationship become good enough to sit together and flatter each other? It wasn't just Xie Run who felt uncomfortable—after saying it, Consort Jingshu also found it awkward. As if she were fawning over Xie Run. Consort Jingshu eased the awkwardness and said earnestly, "My elder sister is ultimately more soft-hearted than Her Majesty the Empress. Your intentions are good, but I fear the Emperor may not allow the Eighth Prince to pay respects to such a birth mother." "Whether the Emperor allows it is the Emperor's business; whether the Eighth Prince goes in the future is the Eighth Prince's business." The Emperor could forbid his son from paying respects to his birth mother, but if the son truly ignored her, the Emperor might not be pleased either. Both women had served alongside the Emperor for many years and understood his temperament well. Xie Run suddenly asked out of curiosity, "Now that Noble Lady Xi is gone, who is the Eighth Prince being raised by?" The child wasn't even a year old—this was the time he most needed his birth mother. Consort Jingshu's expression darkened. She took a breath before saying, "The Emperor has asked me to look after him for now. After some time, he'll be sent to the Princes' Residence." That "some time" was left vague. If the Eighth Prince later found it difficult to adjust at the Princes' Residence, he would likely still be sent back to Consort Jingshu for care. Xie Run nearly laughed and raised her hand to cover her mouth. The Emperor wasn't short of sons now, and the trend of competing for favor and power in the palace wasn't prevalent. Having an extra child to raise wasn't necessarily a good thing. "It must be hard on Consort Jingshu—managing the affairs of the Six Palaces alone, and now raising two children on top of that." Xie Run could already imagine the chaos in Yongning Palace. She thought to herself—could it be that Consort Jingshu was too busy to manage, which was why she'd come all the way here to remind her? Consort Jingshu cast a meaningful glance at Xie Run. "Elder sister, don't be too quick to laugh at me. Your blessings are far greater than mine now." Xie Run: "..." Speaking of sons, Xie Run had two sons as well. Once she finished her confinement, she'd have to manage palace affairs again—there was absolutely no escaping it. Xie Run remained perfectly calm: "Thanks to my younger sister for the reminder." "After the New Year, the Fifth Prince will likely be moving to the Princes' Residence. I'm terribly reluctant to part with him now. I plan to ask the Emperor for a few extra days off to spend with him." Consort Jingshu: This mouth of hers! Consort Jingshu gave an awkward smile. "Elder sister needn't worry. I'm sure the Fifth Prince and the Tenth Prince are both sensible children and won't cause you trouble." "Oh? Has the Eighth Prince been causing you trouble, younger sister?" "Not exactly trouble. He's just a small child—suddenly separated from his birth mother, he's bound to be unsettled for a few days. And the Seventh Prince isn't much older than the Eighth Prince. When one cries, the other can't stop either." Xie Run thought back to when the Sixth Prince had been placed in her care, and just recalling it gave her a headache. "You've had it hard too, younger sister." For a moment, the two shared a sense of mutual sympathy. After chatting for a while, Xie Run assumed Consort Jingshu would take her leave. But instead, she shifted the topic and suddenly said, "I've seen Consort Hui's corpse." Xie Run hadn't reacted yet, but Dantao and Xiaoshu beside her both changed expressions, afraid Consort Jingshu might say something frightening again. Consort Jingshu glanced at the two of them. "There's something my elder sister might not know... Consort Hui once came to see me." Xie Run's brow twitched slightly. "Was it about Noble Lady Xi?" Consort Jingshu nodded. "It was shortly after she'd falsely accused you of being involved in the Empress's death." Xie Run thought—at that time, Consort Hui had just been placed under house arrest by the Emperor. And she'd still sneaked out to see Consort Jingshu?! Consort Jingshu smiled. "Thinking back now, Consort Hui must have been bold by nature, to personally lead people to the Cold Palace to find the murderer." The last person who was placed under house arrest by the Emperor and still dared to run around was Beauty Duan. Now she lay half-dead in bed, just counting down her days. Consort Jingshu gave a bitter smile. "She told me that Noble Lady Xi had harmed Her Majesty the Empress. I asked her for evidence, but she couldn't produce any—she only said it was based on intuition." "Naturally, I couldn't believe her. Who would have thought she'd truly risk going to investigate, and lose her life because of it?" Xie Run asked curiously, "So Consort Jingshu feels guilty and came specially to tell me this?" Consort Jingshu: "...Something like that." "So many things have happened in the palace these past six months. The old faces are disappearing one by one, and there's no one left to talk to." Hearing this, Xie Run also felt a pang of melancholy. Since Consort Jingshu was being so candid with her, Xie Run brought up a matter as well. "In a few more days, the Emperor will likely be granting a promotion to Beauty Hua." Consort Jingshu, who had just been feeling wistful: "?!" She immediately thought—had General Hua achieved another merit on the front lines?! Xie Run caught the surprise in Consort Jingshu's eyes and could guess what she was thinking. Xie Run smiled. "It has nothing to do with anyone else. She never committed any major offense, and as the birth mother of the Ninth Prince, it wouldn't be right for her to remain at the rank of Baolin forever." The Emperor had never truly intended to severely punish Hua Yu. By rights, since Hua Yu had been demoted to Baolin, she should have moved out of Fanghua Palace—or at least to a side hall. But during that period, the Empress was unwell, Consort Wen was too soft-hearted, and Consort Jingshu pretended to be oblivious. No one brought up the matter of moving her. The Emperor simply pretended not to know. Who in this palace wasn't sharp as a blade? Since the Emperor, the Empress, and Consort Jingshu all remained silent, no one dared to bring it up either. And so Lady of Beauty Hua continued to reside in the main hall of Fanghua Palace, without proper justification or sanction. Whether others felt awkward was anyone's guess, but given Lady of Beauty Hua's prickly temperament, she must have been suffering torments day after day. Xie Run said, "The Empress Dowager's demotion was a punishment, and Lady of Beauty Hua has already tasted that lesson. The Emperor's promotion is an act of leniency and guidance. Having received this admonishment, I trust she will act more prudently in the future." Consort Jingshu let out a light laugh. "One can only hope so." Hua Yu had been making small mistakes ever since the Prince's residence—had she ever failed to receive a lesson? But when had she ever actually learned from one? This time, she had truly courted disaster, and it was only because the matter had reached the Empress Dowager that she had been punished so severely. Consort Jingshu genuinely wished she would settle down and stop adding to the burdens of managing the harem. Xie Run brought the matter up precisely to prepare Consort Jingshu in advance, so she wouldn't be caught off guard later. Or worse—if she failed to manage the harem properly now, Lady of Beauty Hua might lodge a false complaint against her later. Speaking of Lady of Beauty Hua reminded Xie Run of the pregnant Lady of Beauty Kong. "How is Lady of Beauty Kong faring?" "She is at a delicate stage now, yet I hear she still goes to the Retired Emperor's mourning rites every day to perform her filial duties?" Consort Jingshu nodded with a hint of helplessness. "She's another stubborn one—no amount of persuasion works." It was fortunate that life in the palace was comfortable these days. Back in the Prince's residence, any woman who found herself with child would have stayed in bed all day, terrified of being harmed.