Chapter 436

Chapter 436 Consort Jingshu was no longer as quick to mock as before; instead, she was exceptionally humble and courteous. "Beauty Wu's mistake is also my responsibility, so I have come specially to beg the Emperor's forgiveness." Xie Run said softly, "Ben Gong shares the same thought as Sister. What a coincidence." Admitting fault was a small matter, but attitude was a big one. Seeing that Consort Jingshu seemed to have let it go, Xie Run also breathed a sigh of relief. The two waited outside the Imperial Study for an hour before Eunuch Shian came out. "Greetings to both Niangniangs. The Emperor is busy handling state affairs and fears he has no time to see you." "The Emperor says both Niangniangs are at fault, so you should punish yourselves according to palace rules and not disturb him before the Imperial Study." Xie Run slowly bowed in the direction of the Imperial Study: "Then Ben Gong will take her leave. Thank you for coming out on this errand, Eunuch." Eunuch Shian: "This is this servant's duty; how dare I claim it as hardship." Seeing Xie Run leave, Consort Jingshu also took her leave. Returning to Zhaohua Palace, Xie Run immediately punished herself by forfeiting one month's allowance. She had originally wanted to impose a House Arrest or something, but she was afraid the Emperor and Consort Jingshu would think she was deliberately slacking off. In the evening, the Emperor came to Zhaohua Palace. Looking at Xie Run's surprised expression, the Emperor deliberately put on a stern face. "What, you don't want to see me come to Zhaohua Palace?" Xie Run played along with his act, feigning shock. "Your Majesty, what are you saying? Though I have made a mistake and feel guilty, I still long day and night to see Your Majesty." The Emperor refused to see anyone during the day, and at night he still put on a dark face to scare people. Anyone else would have been scared to death. Xie Run also felt a bit weary, and said with a hint of grievance, "I thought Your Majesty wouldn't want to see me for a while." The Emperor walked into the hall on his own. "I did want to see you today, but on second thought, I decided not to." Xie Run followed behind him with small steps, pondering his words. He had wanted to see her, but then thought better of it. What could have made the Emperor not want to see her? Could it be Consort Jingshu? A palace attendant served tea, and the Emperor glanced over curiously. "Where is Taotao at this hour?" "He's in the side chamber playing with Baozhen." The Emperor frowned in confusion. "He's playing with Baozhen?!" "Baozhen can't even sit up yet—how can he play with him?" The Emperor looked at Xie Run with an expression that said, "You really are trusting." Xie Run said with a smile, "Your Majesty, Taotao loves to play and does have a mischievous nature, but children's play can be divided into two types: physical play and intellectual play." Physical play and intellectual play?! Xie Run said calmly, "If Your Majesty doesn't believe me, you can go see for yourself." The Emperor actually went to look. As soon as he reached the side chamber, he saw Taotao sitting on the couch, head bowed, playing with a wooden picture puzzle. Beside him lay Baozhen, laughing with great joy. Whenever Taotao fit a piece correctly, he would excitedly babble a few words to Baozhen. One talked to himself, the other laughed to himself—neither understood the other, yet both were perfectly content. The two brothers got along quite harmoniously. The Emperor said, "The two brothers get along very well." Xie Run sighed softly. "Isn't that so?" "It's freezing outside, and Taotao isn't one to sit still. I had to put in considerable effort to keep him in the palace." Taotao loved to play, and that play could be physical games like jumping and running, or intellectual games like puzzles, tangrams, and the nine-linked rings. Besides playing, he also needed someone to play with him. When he was little, the eunuchs and palace maids kept him company, and he was perfectly content. But as he grew older, Taotao gradually became aware of differences in status, realizing that playing with maids and eunuchs was not the same as playing with his younger imperial siblings. Now when he went out to play, he usually invited the Sixth Prince or the Second and Third Princesses. The First Princess was nearly six now and had begun to understand things; she no longer liked playing with little children like Taotao. When he couldn't find anyone to play with, Taotao wasn't happy. Xie Run happened to discover that the boy didn't necessarily need his younger siblings to play with him—he just needed someone by his side. A stroke of inspiration struck her, and she placed Baozhen beside Taotao and found him several brain-teasing games. The two of them together could keep one quiet for an entire morning. Just like that, both children were taken care of. Xie Run was rather proud of coming up with this idea. The Emperor smiled and glanced at her. "Yes, Noble Consort Zhao is clever and resourceful—managing palace affairs and raising children all come easily to her." Xie Run said, "Your Majesty, should I shamelessly accept this praise?" That evening, the Emperor stayed overnight at Zhaohua Palace. Since it was a period of mourning, both were especially restrained. After bathing, they lay on the bed in only their undergarments. The Emperor brought up the matter of Xie Run and Consort Jingshu seeking an audience at the Imperial Study that day. "Beauty Wu was punished, but Consort Jingshu cannot escape blame." "If she hadn't deliberately indulged her, how would Wu have dared to be so presumptuous? Wu's mistake is half her fault." Xie Run hadn't expected the Emperor to be so angry. She placed a hand on his arm and gently soothed him. "After all, Beauty Wu is the Seventh Prince's birth mother, and she is gravely ill. Consort Jingshu couldn't very well confine her to Xiangyun Pavilion and forbid her from leaving." "If she had done that, I'm afraid Your Majesty would no longer be willing to let her raise the Seventh Prince." The Emperor gave a light snort. "She bears the responsibility of managing the Six Palaces and their concubines. That this matter has come to light is itself a failure of her duties. To stir up discord across the Six Palaces for personal gain—does she intend for me to see her grievance and champion her cause?" Xie Run sighed inwardly. Exactly as she had anticipated. The Emperor had long seen through the intentions of both Beauty Wu and Consort Jingshu. He was not angered by the two of them scheming against each other over the Seventh Prince; rather, he was vexed that Consort Jingshu, being in her position, could not manage affairs properly and allowed Beauty Wu to make a fuss all the way to his presence. In the Emperor's mind, he handled matters of the court and entrusted the affairs of the inner palace to Consort Jingshu, who was to govern it with full authority. Even if she suffered the greatest injustice, she must not let matters reach the Emperor's ears—otherwise, it was dereliction of duty, or to put it plainly, incompetence. Especially when this matter was tinged with her own personal motives. Treating the Emperor as one would a superior—there was nothing wrong with that line of thinking. Moreover, whether it was Xie Run or Consort Jingshu, they were ultimately only consorts and concubines, not the Emperor's principal wife, the late Empress. They must not entertain the delusion of receiving the Emperor's pity or respect in matters of official duty. Thus, even though Xie Run knew Beauty Wu to be of poor character, she still had to intervene and manage her affairs. Had she turned a blind eye to the contest between Beauty Wu and Consort Jingshu, the Emperor would not have come to her Zhaohua Palace today. That displeasure would have fallen not only upon Consort Jingshu's head but also upon Xie Run's. Xie Run offered the Emperor a few more words of comfort before he finally let out some of the anger in his chest. Before retiring to sleep, he patted Xie Run's hand. "Once Taotao goes to the Princes' Residence, the inner palace shall be temporarily managed by you." Xie Run smiled. "This concubine will do her utmost to share Your Majesty's burdens." But in her heart, she was thinking that from this day forward, she would likely have to take on more of the inner palace's idle affairs. Since the Emperor had already conceived this intention, the responsibility had already fallen upon her shoulders ahead of time. In the end, Beauty Wu did not survive the winter.