When the concubines in the palace heard Consort Chen's words, subtle changes appeared on their faces.
She's here to make decisions for the Empress?
She is merely in charge of managing the six palaces. Without the Empress relinquishing power, she would be powerless even if she held a chicken feather.
They had assumed the Empress would be annoyed, but she responded gently:
"Why would I be unhappy? Whether it's you helping me or Concubine Ying helping me, it's all very good."
She deliberately stroked her slightly protruding belly and added:
"I'm pregnant now and it's inconvenient for me to exhaust my mind and body. In the future, affairs of the rear palace will have to trouble my younger sister to handle more."
Consort Chen scoffed: "Empress, don't worry, your subject will fulfill the responsibilities that the head of the six palaces should bear!"
The Empress also laughed. "It's good that my younger sister has this determination. Coincidentally, there is something right now that requires my younger sister to handle. It's early spring now, and summer will probably come very soon."
She paused and looked towards Song Zhao, "I've been thinking that although the peach blossoms at Zhongsi Gate are beautiful, Imperial Concubine Song has reactions to the peach pollen. I'm thinking those peach trees should be removed as soon as possible to avoid any incidents."
Facing the Empress's sudden concern, Song Zhao seemed somewhat at a loss.
She first stood up to thank the Empress for her grace, then said: "This concubine usually does not go to Zhongsi Gate often. Her Imperial Majesty the Empress and Her Ladyship Consort Chen do not need to worry about this concubine's trivial matters."
The Empress said: "That won't do. Qingliang Stage is near Zhongsi Gate. Everyone often goes there to listen to operas in the summer. You can't avoid going there just for the sake of a few peach trees. The flowers are dead, but people are alive. You can't let your relationship with the imperial consorts grow distant just because of a few peach trees."
Her face was all smiles without any hint of the daggers hidden behind. She said to Consort Chen again: "What do you think? Can you handle this matter well?"
Song Zhao understood clearly in her heart that the Empress wanting to cut down the peach trees at Zhongsi Gate now was definitely not for her own good.
Everyone in the palace knew that the peach trees at Zhongsi Gate were planted by the late emperor for Consort Yu!
Consort Yu was Prince Rui's birth mother, and Prince Rui was the force most dissatisfied with the Ning family in the previous dynasty.
If Consort Chen really moved those peach trees away, it would be openly offending Consort Yu and let Prince Rui watch for faults in their Ning family closely.
Consort Chen naturally understood this logic too. She was used to being rampant and never put anyone in her eyes. She immediately answered the Empress:
"This is not a difficult matter. Your subject will handle it properly for Her Majesty the Empress."
The Empress told her to move the peach trees elsewhere, but that afternoon, Consort Chen had people cut down all the peach trees instead!
She also ordered the palace maid: "I'm following Her Majesty the Empress's edict to clear this place out. Send these cut-down peach trees to Shoukang Palace for Consort Yu and tell her they are a gift from Her Majesty the Empress."
By saying so, Consort Chen washed her hands of this cleanly.
If Consort Yu found fault with this later, she would simply say that everything was ordered by the Empress and could easily push the blame away.
Consort Yu's health had always been poor and she had been quietly recuperating in the palace. If she saw that the peach trees today representing her relationship with the late emperor had been chopped down at the waist, she would be so angry that problems would arise with her frail health, and she did spit out blood!
When Shoukang Palace reported this news to the imperial court, Jiang Deshun immediately went to the Ministers' Hall to report it to Xiao Jingheng.
When he entered, he saw Xiao Jingheng throw a memorial on the ground in anger. It landed right at his feet.
"Your servant pays respects to His Majesty." Jiang Deshun kneeled and picked up the memorial to present back on the dragon table properly.
He heard Xiao JIngheng say in displeasure: "Ning Bochuan's eldest son is even more unbridled than him! He actually memorialized, asking Us to pardon Song Shicheng and said something about not freezing an old minister's heart!"
Xiao Jingheng slammed the table furiously. "He can't even keep things under control in the Ning family, yet he wants to comment on how We deal with treasonous officials? Truly unbridled and presumptuous!"
Seeing Xiao Jingheng's palms red from slamming the table, Jiang Deshun quickly advised:
"Your Majesty, calm your anger and take care of the dragon's body!"
Eunuchs were not allowed to discuss state affairs. Xiao Jingheng had only told him a few more sentences to let off steam. Now that his anger had subsided a little, he took the warm tea offered by Jiang Deshun and asked lightly:
"What brought you here?"
Jiang Deshun said: "Consort Chen cut down the peach trees at Zhongsi Gate and angered Consort Yu. Consort Yu's health was already poor. Shoukang Palace just reported that Consort Yu coughed up blood..."
This matter was originally very serious, but Xiao Jingheng responded indifferently:
"Consort Yu is Fifth Brother's birth mother. Now that she is ill, summon Fifth Brother to enter the palace and visit her."
That night when Prince Rui rushed into the palace, he did not even get to see Consort Yu one last time.
She just died from anger like this.
Upon learning what had happened, Prince Rui was naturally furious. He went to Chaoyang Palace to ask to see Xiao Jingheng and demanded him to punish Consort Chen.
But Xiao Jingheng said: "This matter cannot be blamed entirely on Consort Chen either. She is assisting the Empress in managing the six palaces. We can't reprimand her just because she cut down a few peach trees. Consort Yu's death has made her feel very guilty too. Hasn't she also gone to pay her respects?"
Such cold words were truly unbelievable to Prince Rui!
He asked Xiao Jingheng emotionally:
"My Imperial Brother fears the Nings so much that things have become like this?"
"You are insolent!" Xiao Jingheng erupted in great anger, and hostility flared between the two brothers instantly.
Jiang Deshun quickly persuaded: "Oh dear Prince, no matter how heartbroken you are, you cannot speak to His Majesty like this!"
In the end, Prince Rui no longer paid Xiao Jingheng any heed and left without even asking to withdraw.
*
Consort Yu's funeral arrangements were done very hastily. The palace mourned for two days before everything returned to normal.
Xiao Jingheng did not reprimand Consort Chen or blame the Empress. Perhaps feeling guilty towards Prince Rui, he even raised his princely title. Thus, Prince Rui became the one with the highest status among all the princes.
That day, when Song Zhao returned from paying respects at Consort Yu's memorial tablet, Xiao Fuzi asked her:
"Consort Chen has caused great disaster this time, yet His Majesty did not even scold her once. It's clear she has gained even greater favor than before after receiving his affection."
Song Zhao gave a cold laugh and lowered her voice to say:
"This disaster is one that His Majesty allowed her to cause. Why would His Majesty reprimand her?"
Xiao Fuzi did not understand what Song Zhao meant, but seeing that she did not want to continue speaking, he did not pursue the question further.
After returning to the palace, seeing him lost in thought about this matter, she gave him a pointer: "I'll ask you, when His Majesty restored Consort Chen's title and granted her authority to manage the six palaces, which department would have informed the Empress first about this?"
Xiao Fuzi said: "Naturally, they would have notified Her Majesty the Empress first."
Song Zhao smiled. "So do you now understand why Consort Yu died such an unjust death at this time?"
Xiao Fuzi pondered for a long time before suddenly slapping his thigh and exclaiming in realization:
"I see! So it's because..."
"Shhh." Song Zhao placed her forefinger on her lips and gestured for Xiao Fuzi to be silent. "We cannot discuss His Majesty's affairs. Go get busy with your own matters."
