"What does Jiang Xinyue mean by this?"
Consort Yu had been exhausted these past few days. She had finally found time to rest after the Empress's coffin had been taken away, only to receive a letter from Guangdong.
Her father asked in the letter about her relationship with Concubine Zhenxian.
Apparently, the Emperor had sent an imperial envoy named Jiang Yanxi to inspect the two Guangs, but the officials there had never seen Jiang Yanxi and didn't know what he looked like.
They only knew that Concubine Zhenxian in the palace and Jiang Yanxi were from the same family.
This Jiang Yanxi was also cunning. Upon arriving in Guangdong, he didn't reveal his identity or go to the governor's office. Instead, he went incognito to conduct a secret investigation.
The man was so sly that even though they sent many people to search for him, they couldn't find him. They could only write to the capital, asking Consort Yu about her relationship with Concubine Zhenxian.
If Jiang Yanxi did uncover something, a good relationship between Consort Yu and Concubine Zhenxian might help in pleading their case.
If this letter had arrived when Jiang Xinyue had just entered the palace, before she was sent to the Cold Palace, she could have confidently guaranteed that she would handle the matter without any problems.
But now, it was at a time when she and Concubine Zhenxian had almost completely fallen out!
This wouldn't do!
She needed to find a way to make Jiang Xinyue fall out of favor.
At the Imperial Painting Academy—
Just as Xie Chenghui handed over the newly completed painting of the Empress's funeral procession to his superior, someone came with a message: "Painter Xie, the Emperor summons you to the Qianqing Palace. He wants you to paint a portrait of him and Empress Xiaoxian Xuanwen together."
Xie Chenghui, the legitimate son of Xie Bing, a Grand Secretary of the Hanlin Academy and the top scholar in the imperial examinations three years ago, could write at three, compose poetry at five, and was hailed as a painting prodigy by seven.
Now, at just seventeen, he had been exceptionally admitted to the Painting Academy. His painting style was deeply favored by the Xuanwu Emperor, which was why, only three days after joining the Academy, he was appointed by the Emperor to paint the funeral procession of Empress Xiaoxian Xuanwen.
Although the Empress's coffin had been taken to the imperial mausoleum for burial, her spirit tablet would still be enshrined in the palace.
Throughout the history of the Great Yan Dynasty, empresses were always painted together with the emperor while they were alive. But the Xuanwu Emperor had always felt that he and the Empress had plenty of time ahead, so he was always busy with state affairs and didn't prioritize it.
Now that she was gone, he realized how much he had neglected the Empress.
If the Empress hadn't been born into the Zhu family, a great clan with treasonous ambitions, he thought, perhaps he and the Empress wouldn't have ended up suspecting each other.
He also wouldn't have... wouldn't have harbored thoughts of killing her, which she had detected.
The honor he couldn't give her in life, he could only make up for after her death.
As the Empress's funeral procession left the palace, commoners along the way knelt down. The Zhu family members, mixed in with the crowd, couldn't even pay their respects to the Empress.
Zhu Jianshen, the head of the Zhu family, had been frequently targeted for assassination over the past month. He had always been cautious, surrounded by many skilled protectors, making it seemingly impossible for him to fall victim.
But when news of the Empress's death reached Chang'an, even this eagle-like man shed tears.
Late at night, Zhu Jianshen got drunk, went to the stables, mounted a horse, and secretly left the mansion. The next day, his body was found in the city gate tower.
He was just a bit short of riding out of the city.
He had been killed by a single sword slash to the throat.
The Zhu family retainer, holding the ashes of the family head, watched as the Empress's coffin disappeared into the distance. "Should we still go to the palace to report the death to the Emperor?"
Another middle-aged man in black clenched his fists. "We'll go, but before that, I must go to the Mansion of the Duke of Cheng to avenge our young miss."
That old bastard at the Duke of Cheng's mansion dared to beat their young miss, and Consort De also framed her. Weren't they just coveting the young miss's position as Empress?
They suspected that the assassin who killed their family head was sent by the Duke of Cheng's mansion. Their purpose in coming to the capital was to foil Consort De's plot.
Even if it cost them their lives, they would avenge their family head and young miss.
After the Empress's coffin left the palace, the ministers and inner court ladies also left, plunging the entire back palace into unprecedented silence.
To show his devotion to the Empress, the Emperor abstained from meat for three months and naturally couldn't enter the back palace.
Nanny Xiang led an honest-looking woman of about thirty years old towards Hexi Palace. "Remember to bow when you see Concubine Zhenxian. You're the wet nurse recommended by Nanny Li, so the Concubine will trust you. Don't betray her trust."
The wet nurse was plump and looked kind, but she wore coarse linen clothes with several patches, clearly from a poor background.
"I understand," she said.
Nanny Xiang shook her head. "You've already forgotten what I just told you. In the palace, you should refer to yourself as 'this slave.'"
"Yes, yes... this slave understands."
"You don't need to call yourself 'this slave' when talking to me. Only use it when responding to the masters."
Madam Lü scratched her head. "I understand now."
Ah!
Nanny Xiang sighed, realizing she would have to teach her slowly.
The Emperor had found several wet nurses, but Concubine Zhenxian wasn't satisfied with any of them. Fortunately, Nanny Li had sent a message through a eunuch buyer, saying she had found a good one for the sixth prince. The woman was honest, strong, had good milk, and most importantly, had nursed seven daughters.
It was because she hadn't given birth to a son that she was almost beaten to death by her husband. Nanny Li had saved her and even helped her get a divorce certificate.
As a result, that man had also driven out all seven daughters. With no other choice, Madam Lü had begged Nanny Li for help. Nanny Li had deliberately tested her, telling her to sell all seven daughters so she could live a good life.
But Madam Lü refused, saying her daughters were flesh of her flesh, and she would rather die than abandon them.
Only then did Nanny Li relent, allowing the seven girls to work as maids in her house, doing chores like tending the fire, cooking, and washing clothes. But she didn't make them sign contracts of indenture. In effect, she was helping to take care of the seven daughters, and when Madam Lü left the palace in the future, she could take her daughters away at any time.
Jiang Xinyue looked Madam Lü up and down. Madam Lü knelt on the ground, and although she was afraid, she forced down her feelings of inferiority, keeping her eyes lowered as she was examined.
"Raise your head."
The eyes are the window to a person's soul. Most ordinary people are honest and simple. If someone harbored evil intentions, there would be no need for probing – it could be seen in their eyes.
Although Madam Lü was nervous, her gaze was clear and direct. She didn't avoid eye contact, but having never been to the palace or seen nobles before, she appeared somewhat uneasy.
"She's a good one," Jiang Xinyue smiled. "Nanny Xiang, I'll leave it to you to teach her the rules."
Nanny Xiang responded, "Yes."
Jiang Xinyue then reassured Madam Lü, "You'll stay with Nanny Xiang in the sixth prince's chambers. If you need anything, just tell Nanny Zhang. As long as you protect the sixth prince and keep him from harm, this consort will reward you generously."
Madam Lü thought of Aunt Li's triumphant return to the village, carried in a small sedan chair, and how impressive it had been. She silently vowed to feed the sixth prince until he was plump and healthy. In the future, the noble consort might grant her gold and silver treasures, allowing her to hold her head high for once.
