She gazed at the swaying bright lanterns outside Chengqian Palace: "That Consort Shu, her head is full of petty romance. I've long known she wouldn't amount to much, which is why I supported your rise to power, deliberately treating you harshly to make the Emperor pity you. But how have you become as useless as Consort Shu, wasting your childhood sweetheart status, unable to captivate the Emperor's heart?"
Consort Rong remained expressionless and silent, but her grip on the Empress Dowager's hand tightened slightly.
The Empress Dowager sensed her emotional change and glanced at her, saying with exasperation: "Don't be resentful. When you faked pregnancy to gain favor and nearly got caught, it was I who kept it from Consort Shu, letting her believe you were truly pregnant. That's why she acted against you, trying to frame Senior Concubine Xian in the process. I thought you would gain the Emperor's sympathy from then on and replace Concubine Li as the most favored in the harem. Instead, you were supplanted by Senior Concubine Xian. How can I not be angry?"
Originally, they had planned to eliminate Senior Concubine Xian before the Emperor became attached to her, but they hadn't anticipated that the Emperor would care for her more than expected, causing their plan to fail.
Back then, to stage that miscarriage scene, the Empress Dowager had used many of her connections, only to end up with such a result.
Consort Rong began to cry: "Aunt, it's all my fault. I couldn't bring my brother and mother back from Ningguta. I've failed your expectations."
The Empress Dowager sighed again: "Stop crying, it's not good if others see. If you can help Pei Wu gain favor this time, it will make up for your past failures."
Consort Rong felt resentful inside. Letting Pei Wu use her weakness to gain the Emperor's trust meant she had become a disposable pawn. The Empress Dowager spoke lightly, sitting safely on her high perch while sacrificing others.
But things had already come to this point, and she couldn't refuse.
As long as her brother and mother could return, she would do anything.
Inside Chengqian Palace—
Pei Wu held a black jade chess piece, fiercely battling against the white pieces.
She wore a man's cloak draped over her young body: "Since neither Your Majesty nor I wish to be pawns for others, why don't we cooperate?"
The Xuanwu Emperor placed a piece, suddenly changing the entire board situation, leaving Pei Wu pondering for a long time without making a move.
The Emperor leaned back, his imposing figure exuding a hint of roguishness: "We hear that the heir of the Ruyang Prince's Residence has refused the new marriage arranged by the Pei family, insisting on going to Sheng'an Temple to become a monk. Is it because Miss Pei heard this news that she no longer wishes to stay in the palace?"
Pei Wu resolutely placed a piece: "No, even if the heir hadn't broken off the engagement, I wouldn't want to enter the palace."
"But now you sit across from Us, originally intending to seek Our favor."
Pei Wu's snow-white face paled further, her chess pieces in disarray: "Grandfather thought Your Majesty was only momentarily angry when you demoted my cousin Li. He went to great lengths to send me into the palace, hoping I could help my cousin regain favor. But now that my cousin is dead, grandfather's expectations for me have likely changed to replacing her and becoming Your Majesty's favored consort. However..."
She looked up at the Xuanwu Emperor: "After meeting Concubine Zhenxian, I knew I would have no chance. Everyone may doubt how much of Your Majesty's affection for Concubine Xian is genuine, but I believe that seven-tenths of Your Majesty's heart is devoted to the empire, the court, and the common people. If you've given three-tenths to Concubine Xian, that's already all you can give. So, I think Your Majesty has already given Concubine Xian all the true affection you're capable of."
Was she staying to be a witness to the Emperor and Concubine Xian's love?
She wanted to leave, not because of anyone else, but because she didn't like being confined in this square palace, and she didn't want to deal with a man she didn't love.
The Xuanwu Emperor looked at her for a long time, finally conceding a piece to her so she wouldn't lose too badly: "Tell Us, how do you propose we cooperate?"
Pei Wu withdrew her hand: "The Empress Dowager has never had any maternal affection for Your Majesty all these years, but Your Majesty has been tolerant due to filial piety, fearing criticism from officials and public opinion. Your Majesty has long wanted to remove the Empress Dowager, hasn't you?"
"Insolent!"
The Emperor threw his white jade chess piece onto the board: "You presume to guess Our intentions. We could have your head right now."
"The cotton fibers on Wet Nurse Cheng's clothes were placed by Consort Rong, but the order came from the Empress Dowager. Does Your Majesty want the Sixth Prince to face such a situation again? Concubine Xian is intelligent and refined; she has likely already discovered it was Consort Rong's doing. Your Majesty has been concealing this, but I suggest you come clean soon. If you keep hurting her heart, even the deepest affection will eventually wear away."
It was the first time the Emperor had loved a consort so much, and he didn't want Concubine Xian to become insincere towards him in the future.
Just then, Tang Shiliang entered. Seeing Pei Wu playing chess with the Emperor, he hesitated to speak.
The Xuanwu Emperor knew he was here to talk about Concubine Xian and directly gestured: "Speak."
Tang Shiliang glanced at Pei Wu a couple more times before saying: "Concubine Xian summoned the female officials from the Wardrobe Department today. Clothing Steward Xie has been assassinated. The Investigative Bureau received the body sent from Hexi Palace, and the Director of the Palace Surveillance Office is here to ask for Your Majesty's instructions."
The Xuanwu Emperor laughed and turned to Pei Wu: "You're right, Yue'er is an extremely intelligent woman. If she could trace it to Clothing Steward Xie, it means she already knows Consort Rong is one of the culprits behind the scenes. So tell me, can she trace it back to the Zhu family?"
Pei Wu was stunned at first, then her eyes widened: "Your Majesty, you..."
"Shh!" The Xuanwu Emperor's gaze sharpened, exuding a murderous aura: "If you want to cooperate with Us, using the Empress Dowager as a bargaining chip is not enough. You need to use... your life."
The dark sky was devoid of stars, covered in thick clouds that blocked even the moonlight. The dense blackness was like undissolvable ink, oppressive to look at.
The little ball of joy was crying incessantly for unknown reasons.
Jiang Xinyue held him lovingly in her arms: "Oh oh oh~ What's wrong with mommy's precious little dumpling? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"
Nanny Xiang was also watching: "Is it because he's been drinking goat's milk recently and might have some indigestion?"
The Emperor had already started looking for a new wet nurse for Jiang Xinyue, but it wasn't a quick process.
Even after finding one, they would have to investigate the wet nurse's family history for three generations to ensure she wouldn't harbor ill intentions towards the prince.
Moreover, with the precedent set by Wet Nurse Cheng, the Emperor now had additional requirements for the wet nurse's personality. He preferred someone steady, with strong adaptability, and preferably some knowledge of medicine.
As such, Jiang Xinyue could only feed the child with goat's milk prepared by the imperial kitchen for now.
Since the child couldn't speak, adults could only guess.
Hearing Nanny Xiang's words, Jiang Xinyue asked Xi Que to give the little one a gas-relief massage.
After two sets of movements, the little dumpling started making "puff puff" farting sounds. "Your Highness, the gas-relief massage you taught us really works. Look, the Sixth Prince has stopped crying!" Xi Que exclaimed.
Nanny Li also smiled: "All children go through the 'second-month fuss.' Once you get past the first three months, it gets better."
In ancient times, there were no terms for intestinal bloating or colic; it was all called the "second-month fuss."
Jiang Xinyue neither agreed nor disagreed with this.
