Don't talk about children being innocent.
In the Great Yan Dynasty, children as young as eight or nine could already participate in provincial examinations. Jiang Xinyue's brother, Brother Ze, became a scholar at just nine years old.
You Niang's two children were already quite grown, and she couldn't believe they were completely ignorant of the situation.
Knowing their mother might be someone else's kept mistress, they still dared to push and insult Madam Zhen, the legitimate wife, calling her vicious.
They were never pure, innocent flowers to begin with.
In short: how can those who benefit claim innocence?
You Niang thought she had gained an advantage by agreeing to enter the household as a concubine, but that was her first wrong move.
Madam Zhen had awakened to reality and learned what type of beauties Qu Pengfei preferred. Jiang Xinyue suggested that she could arrange for two concubines who were younger, more beautiful, and more delicately innocent than You Niang to undermine the trust and feelings between them.
Don't blame Jiang Xinyue for being so ruthless - it was their own fault for aligning with Consort De.
Being merciful to enemies is being cruel to oneself.
Jiang Xinyue had long abandoned such foolish kindness.
After this incident, Madam Zhen and she became close friends despite their age difference.
After the Emperor recovered his health, the summer palace returned to its initial bustling prosperity, with more banquets being held.
On a quiet night, while the Emperor slept in the Changchun Pavilion, footsteps suddenly sounded outside: "Your Majesty, Lord Jiang from the Ministry of Rites has returned."
With Jiang Yanxi's return, Low Level Consort Yu's father, the Governor-General of the Two Guangs, was about to face serious trouble.
Considering her now-improved relationship with Low Level Consort Yu, Jiang Xinyue specifically sent Shuang Jiang to the Princess's residence to inform them of the situation and advise them to write to Governor Yu quickly, seeking leniency through confession.
Low Level Consort Yu was mentally prepared - her father had been too greedy these years, relying on the Zhu family's backing, which had already displeased the Emperor. When her father first wrote to her, she had warned him to prepare an escape route, though she wasn't sure if he had listened.
Between the Qu family's affairs, local officials' matters, and now the corruption case of the Two Guangs' Governor-General, Jiang Xinyue thought that if she were the Emperor, she would have given up already.
This was hardly a summer vacation at the palace.
It was merely working from a different location, and just hearing about it was exhausting.
During their two months at the summer palace, Jiang Xinyue felt the Emperor never had a single day of leisure.
They had been at the summer palace for two months now, and they had tried everything worth seeing, visiting, and playing - there was nothing novel left.
She was now lying idly on her bed.
"My Lady, My Lady, please get up!"
Xi Que's chirping voice rang out again: "Eunuch Tang is here. He says the Emperor has specially cleared his schedule for the day and wants to take you out."
Jiang Xinyue sat up abruptly: "Shuang Jiang, help me dress."
After quickly putting on her clothes and arranging her hair, she sent Xiao Xiangzi to notify Noble Lady Jiang: "I promised Noble Lady Jiang that when the Emperor takes us out of the palace, we would include her. Go tell her we'll meet at the palace gate."
This was the one drawback of being a palace consort - while other ladies could go out freely for entertainment and shopping, they couldn't leave the summer palace without the Emperor's escort. Otherwise, she would have definitely gone to watch the drama when Madam Qu went to catch her husband in the act that day.
When the Fourth Prince learned that Jiang Xinyue was going out to play, he couldn't resist hugging her legs, begging his mother to take him along.
It wasn't that he was being unreasonable - the outside world was simply too tempting.
In all his years, this was his first time at the summer palace, and he had never had the chance to experience life among common people.
The Xuanwu Emperor looked at Noble Lady Jiang on Jiang Xinyue's left, then at the Fourth Prince on her right, completely dumbfounded.
He had only wanted a romantic outing alone with Xinyue - why were these two tagging along?
Feeling his father's hostile gaze, the Fourth Prince let go of Jiang Xinyue's hand and ran behind Noble Lady Jiang, grabbing her hand instead: "Noble Lady Jiang, Little Man will stay with you today, please take good care of me!"
Grandmother had said there were many kidnappers outside who specialized in abducting children. Seeing his father's expression, he worried they might secretly leave with his mother and abandon them, so it was safer to stick close to Noble Lady Jiang.
Better not get left behind!
Qian Sheng, who seemed to understand the Emperor well, quietly moved behind Noble Lady Jiang. The Fourth Prince frantically signaled to him with his eyes: keep a close watch on me.
Qian Sheng nodded, indicating that he should rest assured.
Qin Province, being humid and close to the south, had rather spicy cuisine, which perfectly suited Jiang Xinyue's taste.
The Emperor's outing seemed well-planned, taking her to places that served all her favorite foods.
Though Jiang Xinyue realized that since the Emperor came to Qin Province for summer retreat every year, he probably knew the area well and it wasn't surprising that he knew which restaurants served dishes to her taste.
Every year from June to September, the streets of Qin Province were very lively, with many vendors and shops along the streets.
The Fourth Prince, having never seen such sights, excitedly touched and looked at everything, while Noble Lady Jiang tactfully followed him, leaving the Emperor and Jiang Xinyue behind.
"West of Qin Province, there's a natural grand waterfall. The scenery there is beautiful. Would you like to take a look?"
"Could it be the Red Fruit Tree Waterfall?"
"You know about it?"
"I've read about it in books."
Not really!
She had visited it while traveling in her previous life. Finally matching Qin Province with the place name in her mind gave her a sense of certainty.
"Crash!"
"Make way, make way, make way..."
Several black and white horses charged through recklessly, overturning street vendors' stalls. Screams and shouts erupted simultaneously, and the crowded street instantly fell into chaos.
The dense crowd ran back in terror, and Jiang Xinyue almost fell, but fortunately, the guards quickly formed a circle to protect the Emperor and his Noble Consort.
"Make way, quickly make way!"
Children's cries could already be heard, and Jiang Xinyue anxiously stood on tiptoes looking for Noble Lady Jiang and Qian Sheng.
In the crowd, Noble Lady Jiang was protected by guards and had retreated under a shop's eaves, but Qian Sheng and the Fourth Prince had stumbled and fallen to the ground.
"Whoa—"
The white horse led the charge, its hooves raised high, about to stomp on Qian Sheng and the Fourth Prince. The Emperor had no time to say anything to Jiang Xinyue; he pushed her into Shuang Jiang's arms and rushed out of the protective circle.
That was his son - regardless of his humble birth, he was still his son, and he couldn't watch him die under horse hooves.
"Whoosh!"
Before the Xuanwu Emperor could reach them, the white horse's hooves were already coming down. The surrounding commoners all covered their eyes, unable to bear watching the old man and child's blood splatter.
"Bang!"
A black, lean figure rushed out, striking the white horse's head with lightning speed.
After a terrible neighing sound, the white horse fell, and its rider tumbled onto a nearby vendor's stall. Apart from being sore all over, they weren't seriously injured.
