Wet Nurse Lu glanced at Jiang Xinyue while rummaging through her cloth bag, pulling out various treasures of gold and silver: "Your Highness, I did as you instructed. When Consort De's people spoke to me, I first pretended to be hesitant. Only after they offered me these fine treasures did I reluctantly agree. They gave me so many precious items, and I didn't keep a single one—they're all here."
Jiang Xinyue glanced at Xi Que, who then walked over. Under Wet Nurse Lu's nervous gaze, Xi Que reached into her sleeve and pulled out a pair of jade earrings.
The Imperial Noble Consort raised an eyebrow: "All of them are here?"
Wet Nurse Lu chuckled awkwardly: "I just happened to like these earrings the most, so I couldn't bear to part with them."
"Clang!"
Shuang Jiang, who had somehow appeared behind her, tugged at her belt, causing a cascade of gold hairpins, pearl necklaces, and exquisite hair ornaments to clatter to the ground. Both sides were momentarily embarrassed.
Wet Nurse Lu looked up at the sky, down at the ground, anywhere but at Jiang Xinyue's eyes.
Nanny Xiang couldn't help but laugh out loud, while Shuang Jiang and Xi Que covered their mouths, stifling giggles. Wet Nurse Lu's antics were simply too comical.
"Enough, stop acting the fool," Jiang Xinyue said. "Since Consort De gave these to you, I won't take them from you. As long as you get the job done, these are yours to keep."
"Really?"
Only then did Wet Nurse Lu dare to crouch down and scoop up the scattered jewelry, stuffing them into her bosom: "Your Highness, you are truly an incarnation of the Bodhisattva, a truly great person. Having you as my mistress, I would gladly scale mountains and cross seas for you and His Highness the Sixth Prince. If Consort De tries to harm you and the Sixth Prince, I will surely toy with her until she's dizzy."
"What's the fun in just playing with her?"
Jiang Xinyue gestured with her finger: "You do this..."
Her voice was so soft that even Xi Que and Shuang Jiang couldn't hear it, but they could guess that their mistress was once again setting a trap for Consort De.
As September arrived, the golden autumn brought with it the Fifth Prince, who had just turned five months old. The little one had recently learned to sit up on his own and no longer liked being carried by Nanny Xiang and Wet Nurse Lu. He insisted on sitting on the ground.
The early autumn heat, known as the "autumn tiger," was still quite intense. With the seasonal change, the temperature fluctuations between day and night inevitably caused the little prince to catch a cold.
"Your Majesty, Wet Nurse Lu from Hexi Palace requests an audience," announced Tang Shiliang in the imperial study. "She's also carrying a small bundle."
A small bundle?
Was she packing her belongings to leave the palace?
Wet Nurse Lu tightly hugged the small bundle in her arms, following Tang Shiliang hesitantly, her heart pounding.
Was what the Imperial Noble Consort said really going to work?
Would the Emperor really not try to take these treasures from her?
To her surprise, when the Emperor saw the dazzling array of items in her bundle, he did consider taking them. But not because he coveted her possessions—rather, he was amazed at how wealthy the imperial concubines had become, living in such luxury.
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Noble Consort has shown me great kindness, providing me with ample salary and rewards that are more than enough to support my seven daughters. Consort De gave me so many treasures, instructing me to bathe the Sixth Prince in cold water to worsen his cold. I feel guilty taking this money, but I didn't dare tell the Imperial Noble Consort, fearing she would suspect me and dismiss me. I also didn't dare refuse Consort De, fearing she would find someone else to harm the Sixth Prince. With no other options, I thought Your Majesty is the most powerful person in the palace, so I came to seek your advice. Could you please help me decide what to do?"
Wang Dequan was once again astonished. What kind of blessed land was Hexi Palace?
No matter who entered, they seemed to emerge transformed—bold, audacious, and... difficult to describe.
When Wet Nurse Lu first entered the palace, she had been so cautious and timid that she barely dared to speak loudly. Now, she had the audacity to come alone to seek an audience with the Emperor and ask for his advice.
The Xuanwu Emperor, however, took it in stride. He attributed Wet Nurse Lu's behavior to her simplicity and lack of guile. She was so straightforward that she simply believed the Emperor was the most powerful, hence her decision to come to him.
Ignorance breeds boldness, after all.
"You want me to give you advice?" the Emperor asked.
Wet Nurse Lu nodded eagerly.
The Emperor glanced at the small bundle spread on the ground: "My advice isn't given lightly. These items on the ground—you can give them to me as payment for my counsel."
!!!
This was different from what the Imperial Noble Consort had said. Her treasure trove was in danger!
But the Emperor was waiting for her response, and Wet Nurse Lu thought of the soft, sweet-smelling Sixth Prince. She hesitated, her gaze lingering on the gold and jewels for a long moment.
Finally, she clenched her teeth, closed her eyes, and stamped her foot, deciding to ignore the temptation. Her voice trembling, she said, "Alright... as long as Your Majesty can save the Sixth Prince... I... I... I don't want them anymore."
Wet Nurse Lu tried to comfort herself, reminding herself that these treasures were never really hers. If she remained loyal and served the Sixth Prince well, she would have more in the future.
She also dreamed of returning to her hometown like Nanny Li, showing off her wealth and proving to the villagers who had mocked her for only bearing daughters that having daughters wasn't a disgrace. She, too, was a woman, and she could earn a fortune to raise her seven daughters in luxury.
Thinking of her daughters, Wet Nurse Lu opened her eyes, her gaze resolute as she looked at the Emperor.
She would live with integrity, free from greed, and take good care of the Sixth Prince. She would repay the kindness of Nanny Li's recommendation, Nanny Xiang's guidance, and the Imperial Noble Consort's trust.
The people of Hexi Palace—Xiao Xiangzi, Jiang Chuan, Xi Que, and Shuang Jiang—had all treated her well, and she liked them very much. She didn't want to betray them over mere money.
The Emperor lowered his head, unable to suppress a smile. The people in Jiang Xinyue's palace were indeed amusing.
At the Emperor's smile, Tang Shiliang also chuckled: "Wet Nurse Lu, the Emperor was just teasing you! After all, these are just some gold and silver jewelry, and the Imperial Noble Consort didn't even ask for them. How could our Emperor possibly want them?"
Wet Nurse Lu's eyes instantly locked onto the bundle, gleaming with excitement: "Your Majesty, are you saying... these treasures... are all mine?"
The Emperor nodded: "But remember, this reward isn't for doing anything extraordinary. It's because you held onto your principles and always put the Sixth Prince first. That's why I believe you deserve this."
Wet Nurse Lu could barely hear him over the thoughts racing through her mind. All she could think about was how these valuable items could be turned into dowries, enough to ensure her seven daughters lived prosperous lives.
No wonder Nanny Li, after returning to her hometown, was treated so respectfully by her children and in-laws. She must have been as wealthy as a county magistrate!
"Consort De asked you to do something. Just tell her you've done it, and the rest is not your concern," the Emperor said.
Consort De was a ruthless woman, and it wasn't just about making the Sixth Prince seriously ill.
There must be more to her plan.
