Chapter 326 The Empress Versus Consort Su
Emperor Zongwen had many sons, but most of them died young. The only sons who survived were the First Prince, Third Prince, and the Eighth Prince. Feng Yuran was the youngest. The following births were princesses. The first two princes were each given 50 strokes of the cane while no one knew if the third was alive or dead.
Emperor Zongwen’s intentions were not clear. Under such circumstances, with news of a new pregnancy after a long period of silence, many parties were quietly guessing that if Consort Yu were to have a little prince, what happened in the future might not be certain. The selection of the future heir to the throne might not be conducted amongst the three princes at all!
Once news of Consort Yu’s pregnancy spread, the Empress Dowager, who had been ill in Cining Palace, got up from her sickbed with difficulty and asked for the Emperor. No one knew what she said, but they knew that Emperor Zongwen immediately released Consort Yu from the Cold Palace once he left Cining Palace before returning to Caiwei Palace.
Caiwei Palace, which had been empty for some time immediately, came alive again. It was a stark contrast to the Empress’ Tianfeng Palace, which became rather desolate.
The Emperor began to give out rewards like flowing water. Everyone in the back of the palace seemed to grow excited, starting from Caiwei Palace.
Consort Yu was pregnant. This news was enough for the old officials to savor!
In Tianfeng Palace.
The Empress lit up three sticks of incense and stood respectfully in front of Buddha. She wore a plain dress, making her face, despite not looking young, look at peace and benevolent. The smoke cleared, and one could not see any hint of anxiety on the Empress’ face. Instead, she looked extremely indifferent.
“Your Majesty, the Ding General Manor sent several Buddhist treasures. Do you want to…” A palace maid called Yan Miao entered, holding a jade tray. She spoke hesitantly because she was bothering the offering of incense in the palace.
The Empress turned around to see the jade tray in her hands. There was a layer of silk cloth on top of it. There were three Buddha sculptures the size of a palm on top of the red velvet cloth. They were not too big but were exquisite. One could tell that the carver had an extraordinary technique by just one look. He could make the small Buddha sculpture look life-like and with a benevolent and kind expression. It was very lovely.
One of the jade-green Buddha sculpture, especially, looked kind and gentle. If one looked at it carefully, there were dark moonstones that made up its eyes. They glimmered naturally and matched the jade perfectly as if it had belonged there naturally. One could tell that the sculpture was extraordinary from one look.
A Buddha sculpture like this was truly a treasure. Only a family with wealth and power would possess something like this.
“What did Duke Ding say?” The Empress asked lightly.
“Duke Ding sent someone to say that the Buddha has been blessed by the main abbot of the Repayment Temple according to your instructions. It has been put before Buddha as an offering and if this were to be sent to Consort Su’s palace, other Buddha sculptures would pale beside it.” Yan Miao repeated what the servant sent by the Ding General Manor said.
Even though she did not understand what the Empress planned to do, she continued respectfully according to what the Empress wanted.
“Then send it to Consort Su’s palace. Tell her that this is my good intention and have her pray on my behalf when she gathers the ladies to pray for blessings for the Empress Dowager. I will thank her for it first.” The Empress said lightly. Her gaze landed on the Buddha sculpture and there was a flash of dark coldness in her eyes.
Only the Empress could take charge of leading ladies to pray for blessings for the Empress Dowager. However, Consort Su did not even say no and just accepted the job. However, the Empress did not know if the consort would remain alive to enjoy this honor!
“Yes, what about the Empress Dowager?” Yan Miao held the tray and was about to leave when she suddenly thought of this question.
There was a flash of annoyance in the Empress’ eyes. The Fifth Princess’ matter had gone wrong because of the Empress Dowager. When the Empress thought of how her only daughter would be married to a faraway land because of the old woman’s plots, and that she would marry a useless prince, the Empress could not keep the calm expression she had on her face.
If there was not a portion of people in the Ding General Manor who sided with the Empress Dowager, no one would have released the information that the Fifth Princess had once burned down Bai Yihao’s manor. Then, the Fifth Princess would not have been immediately plotted again after her plot fell through. If the Empress Dowager had not pretended to be ill, the Empress would not have been punished by the Emperor openly and lost her rights to manage the back of the palace.
When she thought of that, the Empress felt a raging fire burning in her chest.
They were all daughters from the Ding General Manor, and she had some idea of what the Empress Dowager’s intentions were. However, she had not cared in the past. King Ning, Feng Yuzhen, was sent so far away and coming back was a problem for him. There was a probability that he might annoy the Yan Emperor and be killed. It was impossible for him to fight for the throne.
As such, she had never worried about the Empress Dowager!
She had been staying deep in the palace and naturally knew that Emperor Zongwen treated the Empress Dowager with distant respect. Even though he was respectful on the surface, he did not really care about her. Fortunately, the Empress Dowager was well aware of matters and did not interfere in the back of the palace. The Empress had always been in charge of it. The Empress Dowager was not only her aunt, but she was also her mother-in-law. They had no conflict of interests and always had a harmonious relationship.
It was different now. Her elder brother had revealed to her that King Ning was about to return. Then, the Empress Dowager started to cause trouble. What followed had dragged the Empress in. How could the Empress not view the Empress Dowager with enmity after that given her character?
The two started to truly stand against each other.
“Did the Ding General Manor speak of King Ning?” The Empress asked after some muttering.
She suspected that Feng Yuzhen was already in the capital. However, her elder brother said that there was no indication of that after some investigation. If that was so, why were there activities in the Empress Dowager’s Cining Palace? Why was the Empress Dowager poking her nose into Consort Yu’s pregnancy? The Empress would not forget that Consort Yu was the woman who caused the conflict between the Fifth Princess and Princess Anping. She had not only embarrassed herself, but she had also lost the Emperor’s favor.
If not for all that happened, the Fifth Princess would not have taken risks and what happened after that would not have happened either. She had not yet had time to deal with Consort Yu in the Cold Palace before the woman found a way to get out. How could the Empress not grit her teeth in hatred?
“Duke Ding said that there is still no news and that Your Majesty does not need to worry. If there is news, he will send it to the palace immediately.” Yan Miao replied.
“Go, if someone from the Ding General Manor is to come, let me know immediately.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Yan Miao replied and left. She suddenly stopped at the door and said, “Your Majesty, Consort Wen would like to see you.”
“No, say that I am busy praying and don’t have time to deal with matters.” The Empress’ voice rang coldly from inside.
“Yes, I will tell her that.”
In Consort Su’s palace.
Consort Su looked at the exquisite Buddha statue sent by the Empress. There was a gloomy expression on her beautiful face as she stared at the statue as if she wanted to see some cracks or flaws in it. However, she had looked at it over earlier and it seemed really precious. It was much better than the ones she collected.
Everyone would only pay attention to the Buddha statue the Empress sent when the statues were put together. Her statues would only be accessories to that one. How could Consort Su take that? She finally had a chance to stand out but was being pushed back by the Empress. She could not bear that.
“Men.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” Someone answered quickly.
“Go, tell my family to find more precious Buddha statues. I don’t want them if they are not precious. Tell them that money is of no issue. I will reward them if they find one that is better than the Empress’.” Consort Su ordered angrily.
How could she lose to the Empress?
Furthermore, the Empress had been scolded by the Emperor.
If she were to stand out in handling the prayers for blessings for the Empress Dowager, the Empress promised her that she would help the Empress to manage the back of the palace. This was a power only the Empress had. Even though she was an imperial noble consort, she could only just watch.
She thought of the first son she bore the Emperor. He was handsome and had a good disposition. Consort Su felt that she was no weaker than the Empress. The Empress was only more powerful because she had a position in the palace. Meanwhile, she had borne the Emperor his first son. Her son had the highest possibility of ascending the throne next. If her son were to become the Emperor, she would be the Empress dowager. The Empress’ seat should have been hers long ago.
Consort Su treated the Empress casually because she had Feng Yuxuan. She was the birth mother of the First Prince, what could the Empress do to her? As such, everyone in the back of the palace knew that Consort Su was very arrogant. She might not even give face to the Empress, or even if she did, she would speak coldly and make sarcastic jibes.
She now had the chance to shine alone, why would she give the Empress face?
The Empress was going downhill. Consort Su would not let the Empress take the spotlight away from her. Her Buddha statue had to be more precious than the Empress’ no matter what would happen.
Her family was new nobility. It did not mean that they did not have money. They just did not have strong roots in terms of power. She was not afraid of spending money as long as she could truly defeat the Empress.
“Yes, Your Highness.” The person serving Consort Su would of course know what she wanted. The person replied hurriedly and went in search of others.
She had to find a Buddha statue that was better than the Empress’. Only then, would Her Highness be pleased.
Using prayers for blessings for the Empress Dowager as an excuse, the Empress and Consort Su battled.
There were people fighting outside of the palace as well.
Mo Xueqiong came to Mo Xuetong’s Qingwei Garden early in the morning.
Mo Xuetong had already woken up and was having her long hair combed in front of her dressing table. Mo Lan picked up a jade comb and combed through Mo Xuetong’s long hair. Her dark black hair was fine and smooth and was very beautiful.
“Third Sister, you got up late.” Mo Xueqiong entered with a smile.
Mo Huawen released her ever since Mo Xuemin was married off. However, he ordered her not to appear before others. Even though she did not end up marrying Sima Lingyun, her reputation had suffered. She could only appear after some time passed and when the memory of what happened faded. The manor only announced that Fourth Miss Mo was ill.
“Fourth Sister, you woke up really early.” Mo Xuetong smiled in the mirror. She did not think that her sharp-mouthed younger sister had come early in the morning to be nice to her.
Mo Xuetong had not forgotten how Mo Xuemin and Mo Xueqiong had worked together against her!
Mo Xueqiong was not a good person. She was involved in the last time the Old Madam tried to ruin Mo Xuetong’s reputation! She wondered why Mo Xueqiong was here today.
“Eldest Sister is coming back today. Let’s go over earlier to see her. It has been some time since we last saw her. I wonder how she is doing in the Duke Zhenguo’s Manor?” Mo Xueqiong smiled innocently. However, she looked rather sly and her eyes flickered with mocking light. It was difficult for one to believe that she was truly innocent.
She wanted to see Mo Xuemin?
Mo Xuetong laughed coldly. Mo Xuemin’s predicament in the Duke Zhenguo’s Manor had spread. She heard that there were peals of laughter coming from Mo Xueqiong’s courtyard. It appeared that Mo Xueqiong had never given up. Was she still plotting to marry into the Duke Zhenguo’s Manor?
“Father said he would send someone to get us when Eldest Sister and Brother-in-law come.” Mo Xuetong smiled gently and replied, speaking neither quickly nor slowly. She did not know what Mo Xueqiong was thinking. Mo Xueqiong was an unmarried young lady, how could she head over there straight away?
It was not only impolite, but it was also inappropriate for a lady.
“That’s right. I want to go with you to Mother’s. Third Sister, you’d better hurry. Mother woke up early in the morning.” There was a trace of hatred in Mo Xueqiong’s eyes when Mo Xuetong reminded her to take note of her status as a lady. However, she immediately smiled, her expression changing really quickly. She spoke politely and with familiarity as if she had really come especially to wait for Mo Xuetong.
What was Mo Xueqiong up to today!
Mo Xuetong smiled and nodded. She looked down at the ice silk handkerchief in Mo Xueqiong’s hand. It was a beautiful handkerchief. It was pure blue and had stunning peonies on it. The peonies were plump and about to bloom. The petals were half-unfurled and it made one feel as if the handkerchief were a beautiful woman. It was as gentle as water and was very charming.
“Fourth Sister’s handkerchief is really pretty.” Mo Xuetong’s lips curled up in a gentle smile.
“Oh, Auntie got someone to bring this back for me especially.” Mo Xueqiong’s smile flickered as she explained. She retracted her hands subconsciously, hiding the handkerchief under her sleeves.
Mo Xuetong knew there was only one place that had ice silk handkerchiefs with such color and pattern. It was the palace!
She did not expect her sister, who was a concubine’s daughter, would be so capable. She managed to get together with someone in the palace before she got married! The smile on her lips grew cold and distant…