"Your Majesty, what Xiao Ronghua said is true," Xi Que said with an urgent expression. "Consort De really is using private punishment in the palace, imprisoning someone - we don't know if it's a palace maid or who."
Jiang Xinyue stroked her chin, pacing back and forth in the great hall.
Xi Que desperately wanted her mistress to go tell the Emperor about Consort De immediately, but remembering how her mistress had said before that Consort De was cunning and not to be underestimated, she held her tongue.
Jiang Xinyue bit her lip and said to Xi Que, "Have Jiang Chuan bring Xiao Ronghua back, quickly!"
"Yes!"
After Xi Que left, Jiang Xinyue changed into an elaborate consort's gown and headed towards Yanqing Palace with a group of palace maids and eunuchs.
Most importantly, she brought the Fourth Prince along, using the excuse that he missed his second sister.
Luyin hid in the shadows, watching with deep concern as the eunuchs from the Internal Affairs Department conducted a thorough search.
She poured out a few small snakes from the food box she was carrying, then quickly ran towards Yanqing Palace.
Consort De was wiping her sharp fingernails with a handkerchief. A faint smell of blood still lingered in the air, so subtle that Luyin would not have noticed if she wasn't used to smelling it in that small room.
"Your Highness, the people from the Internal Affairs Department are... are conducting a large-scale search near Yanqing Palace. I'm afraid..." Luyin said nervously.
"Afraid?" Consort De shot her a glance, causing Luyin to swallow her words and carefully say, "This servant is just concerned for Your Highness."
"I don't need your concern. Just make sure your expression is in order and don't let anyone see anything suspicious. Otherwise, if I have to discard you, it will be your own fault."
Luyin knew well that this matter concerned her own life and death, and any carelessness would implicate her mistress as well.
After taking a few deep breaths, her expression returned to normal.
Consort De smiled with satisfaction. "Remember, this matter has nothing to do with us. Just carry on as usual."
Luyin nodded. "The Third Prince has made progress in his studies. Yesterday when I went to pick him up, he was even praised by Master Xie from the Hanlin Academy!"
At the mention of the Third Prince, Consort De sighed heavily. "What use is good studying? The imperial physician said his poison was cured long ago. His refusal to speak is his own problem. I just don't understand, what grievance does he have against me? Why won't he speak?"
Consort De was utterly perplexed. If the Third Prince continued to refuse to speak, those court officials who originally supported him would eventually turn to support the Imperial Noble Consort's faction.
Although Jiang Xinyue had only given birth to the Sixth Prince, she also had the Fourth Prince under her care, as well as the Fifth Prince - nominally the legitimate heir of the Great Yan Dynasty - entrusted to her by the late Empress.
If the Empress hadn't died, the position of Crown Prince might have belonged to the Fifth Prince.
With three healthy princes against her one son who refused to speak, who would be the ultimate winner was clear as day.
Outside the room, the small figure of the Third Prince looked lonely and desolate. He wiped away the tears flowing from his eyes, trying to make an "ah ah ah" sound.
But when he opened his mouth, he couldn't even make such a simple sound. Instead, his fair little face turned red from the effort.
"Third Prince?" Luyin walked out from the hall and found the Third Prince collapsed at the door, looking as if he was about to suffocate.
She cried out in alarm, "Third Prince, breathe... breathe quickly!"
Hearing the commotion, Consort De hurried out. "Xuan'er!"
Although the Third Prince's current state didn't meet Consort De's expectations, he was still her only son.
In this palace, to safely give birth to a healthy prince and raise him to this age was no easy feat.
The energy and time invested in this was beyond what ordinary people could imagine.
The Third Prince's breathing gradually steadied. He looked at Luyin with unusually cold eyes, pushed away her hand, and ran back to his own chambers.
"This child..."
"This servant pays respects to the Imperial Noble Consort."
Luyin looked up to hear the palace maids kneeling and greeting at the door. "The Imperial Noble Consort has arrived."
Consort De slowly rose, bowed, and smiled. "What wind has blown the Imperial Noble Consort to my Yanqing Palace today?"
Previously, before they had fallen out, Consort Yu had invited Jiang Xinyue many times, but Jiang Xinyue had never given her face even once.
Jiang Xinyue smiled perfunctorily. "Xiaoman hasn't seen his third brother for a few days and was clamoring to visit him. I really couldn't refuse him. Where is the Third Prince?"
Before Consort De could answer, the Third Prince's head peeked out from the end of the long corridor, blinking at the Fourth Prince.
Apparently, he had heard the palace servants greeting Jiang Xinyue and had turned back.
Always favoring outsiders over his own.
The Fourth Prince looked up at Jiang Xinyue. "Mother, may I go play with Third Brother?"
"Of course you may!"
Getting Jiang Xinyue's affirmative answer, the Fourth Prince scampered towards the Third Prince. "Third Brother, look, I brought the Nine-Link Puzzle. Father said it was a tribute from the Kingdom of Niero. There's only one, and I know you love solving the Nine-Link Puzzle, so I brought it especially for you."
"You're asking if Father knows? He does! I told him I was giving it to you, and Father even praised me!"
"You like it? That's great! I've already solved three links. The rest is up to you, Third Brother!"
"What? You're saying I'm giving it to you because I can't solve it? That's not true! What do you take me for? So... Third Brother, can you solve it?"
The two brothers, still unable to understand the complexities of adult relationships, went off happily to the Third Prince's quarters.
"I've heard that the lotus flowers in Consort De's palace are particularly beautiful this year, even more so than those in Xihuo Palace. I wonder if I might have the honor of seeing them?" Jiang Xinyue asked.
Consort De of Yanqing Palace was skilled at cultivating flowers. The various flowers in her palace bloomed as beautifully as those in the imperial garden.
Because of this, consorts often visited Consort De's palace. She frequently hosted flower-viewing parties where a group of consorts would sit together, drink tea, and chat, with Consort De subtly taking the lead.
This was also a good method for winning people's hearts.
When Jiang Xinyue was still Noble Consort Zhen, Consort Yu often invited her, but by then Jiang Xinyue only maintained a superficial sisterly relationship with them and always declined.
"If the Imperial Noble Consort wishes to see them, how could I refuse?" Consort De said to Luyin, "Go and prepare the lotus garden, arrange some fine tea and snacks. I want to properly entertain the Imperial Noble Consort."
Luyin quickly glanced at Consort De, bowed and said "Yes." Consort De smiled and welcomed Jiang Xinyue into the hall. "Imperial Noble Consort, please come in and have a cup of tea to rest first. When the lotus garden is ready, we can move there. How does that sound?"
Jiang Xinyue observed Consort De's words and actions, feeling that her psychological resilience far surpassed all the patients she had encountered in hospitals in her past life.
The small gestures people make when lying or feeling nervous, the emotions in their eyes - Consort De showed none of these.
On the surface, she appeared to be the same old good-natured Consort De.
