Chapter 125 Hoping for his good health, and hoping...

"The Princess Consort was selected to enter the palace three years ago. Her family background is not high, and her appearance is not as beautiful and outstanding as that of the Noble Consort. At most, she can be considered a girl from a modest family."

Princess Tong'an explained to the two of them in a slow and unhurried manner, "She was only summoned by the Emperor a few times in the first few months after she entered the palace. After that, she was just like most of the women in the harem, counting down the days."

Shen Lingyue glanced at Yan Yi and asked, "Then how did she suddenly regain favor? It couldn't be just because her surname happens to be Wang, could it? Haha..."

“It has nothing to do with her surname.” Princess Tong’an didn’t understand why Shen Lingyue would say that. “It’s a coincidence. Last year, around May or June, Father suddenly felt like visiting the garden. He happened to meet the Princess Consort deep in the garden. Remembering that her palace was nearby, he went over and sat down for a while.”

It seems that Consort Wang was lucky with children; she actually got pregnant on that one try.

The imperial harem had not seen a son born for nearly ten years, so the successful birth of a son by Consort Wang was of great significance to Emperor Qingxi.

No emperor wants to admit that he is getting old, and the presence of his adult sons surrounding the throne, eyeing him covetously, is itself a form of invisible oppression.

The child arrived at just the right time.

Yan Yi asked tactfully, "Does Your Highness think the Eighth Prince will be the next Prince An?"

Princess Tong'an narrowed her eyes: "Are you worried that Father Emperor will favor his youngest son, causing new variables in the current situation?"

She couldn't help but chuckle and gently shook her head.

"Eighth brother is still a baby in swaddling clothes. How difficult is it to raise a child these days? Let's wait until he grows up safely and is old enough to compete with his older brothers and sisters."

To put it bluntly, it's still uncertain whether the Emperor will even be able to watch his youngest son grow up.

She asked the two of them, "You two rushed to see me as soon as you heard that the Princess Consort had given birth smoothly. Is there some other reason?"

Yan Yi hesitated, unsure whether to tell Princess Tong'an the whole story of the Hengwang Palace incident.

There are too many people involved here. Once the butterfly's wings have begun to flap, any slight change could reverse the predetermined outcome.

Princess Tong'an noticed her concerns and didn't urge her, but patiently waited quietly.

Although she had already determined that Shen and Zhou were the celestial beings she was looking for, she never thought of forcing them to serve her.

The reason they can come together and sit together like this, drinking tea and chatting, is simply because they share a common goal.

Princess Tong'an was confident that they would have no better choice than her.

This kind of heartfelt recognition and appreciation is the most unshakable covenant.

"Your Highness, I would like to present you with a hypothetical scenario."

Yan Yi finally made up her mind, "If the Princess Consort does not survive childbirth and dies, who do you think is most likely to raise the Eighth Prince?"

“Consort Gao?” Princess Tong’an was quick-witted and immediately thought of the correct answer. “She is young and favored but has no children, while the Emperor is getting old. Considering the Consort’s future, having her adopt a prince without a birth mother is a way for her to rely on.”

"Then do you think His Majesty might... lose his mind and leave Consort Gao a will stating that the Eighth Prince will ascend the throne and Consort Gao will rule from behind the curtain?"

Yan Yi and Shen Lingyue had studied it many times before, but they really couldn't figure out under what circumstances Emperor Qingxi wrote this will.

Princess Tong'an's expression changed, and she helplessly rubbed her forehead.

“I understand... This is something only Father Emperor would do.”

Her tone carried a hint of gritted teeth.

"Do you know how favored Consort Gui was in the first few years after she entered the palace? She felt that she was not free in the palace, so the Emperor dared to take her out of the palace incognito to go shopping and eat. As a result, they were caught red-handed by Lord Zhao of the Censorate. The next day, he wrote a lengthy memorial of 10,000 words to remonstrate with the Emperor. That's how the reputation of Consort Gui as a femme fatale spread."

Shen Lingyue's eyes widened: "My grandfather did this too?"

She really underestimated the old man's fighting power.

"Well, Father was in the wrong, and fearing that he might really upset the eldest son, he not only did not punish him, but also readily admitted his mistake and sent a lot of gold, silver and silk to the Zhao family to commend his loyalty and outspokenness."

Shen Lingyue breathed a sigh of relief and muttered softly, "His Majesty has truly found true love amidst the old house catching fire."

"Later, he dared not take the imperial concubine out of the palace anymore, so he ordered Commander Lu to select a group of peddlers with clean backgrounds from the common people to enter the palace once a month, set up stalls to pretend to be a folk market, and provide the imperial concubine and other concubines with shopping and entertainment."

Princess Tong'an chuckled and tugged at the corner of her lips. "Back then, I hadn't yet left the palace to establish my own residence. We princesses and princes also benefited from this and got to see many interesting little things from the common people."

She shifted her posture and said to Yan Yi, "So if there really is such a will, I wouldn't be surprised. It must have been written by Father to please the Imperial Concubine—it wouldn't be valid unless it's stamped with the imperial seal."

“Handwriting cannot be imitated, but the imperial seal can be stamped at any time.” Shen Lingyue suddenly realized, “I understand now, it must be that His Majesty’s death was too sudden, and the Consort took advantage of the chaos to obtain the imperial seal, so that…”

"A-Yue, what did you say?" Princess Tong'an's gaze suddenly sharpened. "What happened to Father?"

Shen Lingyue quickly covered her mouth and looked to Yan Yi for help.

Oh no, she accidentally said it!

Yan Yi gave her a reassuring look, then turned to Princess Tong'an and said calmly, "Your Highness, to be honest, you have about three and a half years to prepare."

Princess Tong'an closed her eyes, suppressing the turmoil in her heart, and tried her best to keep her voice steady.

"I see."

Three and a half years... Father Emperor...

This number is neither very long nor very short.

As long as Emperor Qingxi is alive, she will be the eldest daughter deeply trusted by her father, a princess with power and noble status.

"Your Highness need not worry too much. This is just another scenario in a parallel universe. Perhaps it won't happen?"

Yan Yi comforted her: "Now that the Princess is safe and sound, the Eighth Prince will not be taken to the Noble Consort's side to be raised, and there will be no imperial edict."

"That's right, that's right! Perhaps the emperor in this timeline is strong and healthy, and will surely live to be a hundred years old!"

Princess Tong'an was amused by Shen Lingyue's words and shook her head: "If Father Emperor lives to be a hundred years old, then I will be sixty or seventy years old."

Her feelings toward Emperor Qingxi were very complicated; she both hoped he would be healthy and... hoped he wouldn't be so healthy.

I guess my brothers think the same way.

Because they were born into the imperial family, the pure father-son and father-daughter affection had long since disappeared.

Princess Tong'an had composed herself and said seriously, "Thank you for your prediction. I will find an opportunity to inquire about my father's medical history in a while. If there are any hidden illnesses, we must find and treat them as soon as possible."

Peeping into the emperor's body was a risky and taboo thing, but she was still her father's daughter and had a responsibility to care about his health.

At least at this moment, Princess Tong'an felt that she had a clear conscience.

"Your Highness, someone from the palace has come and requests that you enter the palace immediately."

The female official entered the room to report, and Princess Tong'an immediately stood up: "Father, do you want to see me? What is the matter?"

"His Majesty went to the inner palace today to visit Consort Wang and the Eighth Prince. When he went out, he accidentally fell on the steps and seems to have injured his left leg bone."

The female official knew that Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi were both trusted confidantes of the princess, so she told them in detail in front of them: "Not only have you been summoned to the palace, but also several princes from outside the palace, such as Prince Heng and Prince Yu, who should have entered the palace one after another by now."

"Did Father get hurt?"

Princess Tong'an frowned and strode out with great efficiency. As she passed the two, she waved her hand and said, "I'm going to the palace now. You should also hurry back to your residence. I will send someone to inform you if there is any new information."

Just what I feared most came to pass. At Emperor Qingxi's age, a serious injury was no joke.

Yan Yi and Shen Lingyue dared not delay and rose to respectfully see Princess Tong'an off.

...

Finding the carriage too slow, Princess Tong'an rode a horse all the way to the palace.

She dismounted in front of the palace gate, just in time to catch up with the carriage of Prince Yu's mansion speeding towards her from the opposite side.

"Third Brother."

Princess Tong'an greeted Prince Yu, but neither of them had time for pleasantries and hurried toward the Qianqing Palace.

From afar, one could see a slender figure kneeling before the palace gate, dressed in plain clothes, her hairpins removed, awaiting punishment; it was none other than the Princess Consort.

Princess Tong'an strode forward, took off her cloak without a word, and wrapped it around the shivering Princess Consort's body. Looking at her pale, bloodless face, she frowned disapprovingly: "You just gave birth not long ago, how can you kneel here in the cold wind? What will happen to the Eighth Prince if something happens to you?"

Consort Wang trembled, tears streaming down her face. "I am guilty. If His Majesty hadn't come to visit my child and me, I wouldn't have slipped and fallen..."

"This was an accident," Princess Tong'an emphasized. "Father only injured his leg, not his head and passed out. He didn't even punish you, yet you're punishing yourself first?"

She summoned a young eunuch and said, "Take the Princess to the side hall to warm up, then call my carriage over and properly escort her back to her palace. Do you understand?"

Consort Wang is not yet qualified to ride in a palanquin in the palace, but Princess Tong'an is.

She just usually thought the carriage was too slow and that walking was faster.

With tears in her eyes, Consort Wang bowed to Princess Tong'an in gratitude, then left with the eunuch, wrapped in her cloak.

Prince Yu, who had witnessed the entire event, scoffed, "You're quite the good guy, but why are you so ruthless when it comes to dealing with your own people?"

Prince Yu usually had a wide circle of friends and had won over many members of the imperial clan. However, this time, Princess Tong'an caused him to lose half of them, which made him somewhat resentful.

Princess Tong'an rolled her eyes at him: "Third brother has never had a child, so naturally he doesn't understand how important it is for a woman to recover after childbirth. If she doesn't take good care of herself, she will suffer serious health problems."

Prince Yu rolled his eyes, a hint of schadenfreude in his voice. "Fine, let her take good care of herself and see if she can still bear another son or daughter for Father."

The Eighth Prince caused his father, the Emperor, to fall and get injured shortly after his birth. Putting everything else aside, he was undoubtedly destined to be labeled as "born with bad luck."

A chilly spring wind whistled past, and Prince Yu, with his hands tucked into his sleeves, stamped his feet on the spot, his breath steaming in the air. He looked around and asked, "Where is my elder brother? Father is injured, and he wasn't the first to arrive?"

Princess Tong'an then noticed that Prince Heng had not come.

That shouldn't be the case, the distance from Prince Heng's residence to the palace is closer than that from Prince Yu's residence.

She casually replied, "Perhaps my elder brother isn't at home today."

The two, along with several princes and princesses who arrived one after another, waited in the corridor for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before they saw Prince Heng's plump figure rushing over from a distance, panting heavily, his face flushed from running so fast.

Seeing that he was the eldest son and the last to arrive, Prince Heng blushed and dared not delay. He quickly led his younger brothers and sisters into the palace to pay their respects.

...

"The plot is getting more and more unpredictable."

Sitting in the carriage, Shen Lingyue held a warm hand warmer and sighed, "The Eighth Prince has a new living mother, Consort Gao can't get the imperial edict, and the old emperor has fallen and injured himself..."

She looked at Yan Yi: "When do you plan to tell the princess about the palace coup at Hengwang Palace? It would be good for her to be prepared in advance."

"Yes, I was just about to say that, but I was unexpectedly interrupted," Yan Yi said softly. "This series of changes has far-reaching consequences, so we must be more careful in the future."

The carriage turned onto an east-west street that was slightly narrower than the main street.

After leaving the princess's residence, the two did not rush back home, but planned to stroll around outside.

"Stop here and wait for us."

Yan Yi gave an instruction to the driver and then said to Shen Lingyue, "The Bai family has opened a shop up ahead. My aunt said they'll be getting a new batch of spices from the Western Regions soon. Didn't you want to eat barbecue?"

Shen Lingyue's eyes lit up: "My cumin, sesame, star anise, and white pepper!"

She rushed out first.

A smile appeared on Yan Yi's lips as she followed at a leisurely pace.

No matter how treacherous the situation in the palace, Little Moon is happy as long as she can eat roasted meat.

As I arrived at the shop, I brushed past a master and servant coming from the opposite direction.

...Who would wear a curtain when going out in this weather?

Yan Yi sensed something was off. Lost in thought, she swayed and nearly bumped into the woman opposite her.

The woman quickly dodged backward, her veil fluttering as she moved, revealing a beautiful face filled with sorrow and longing.

"Sorry." Yan Yi steadied herself and looked at her apologetically, "Did I hurt you?"

"It's nothing." The woman shook her head and turned to leave.

Uncharacteristically, Yan Yi grabbed her wrist, adopting a stance of taking full responsibility: "Miss, please don't be shy. If you feel unwell anywhere, please tell me. Or could you leave me your address? I'm so sorry, I'll have the manor send you an apology gift as soon as I get back..."

"You're being unreasonable, madam. Who goes out of their way to find out someone's address?"

The maid who had been following the woman was displeased. She forcibly pried Yan Yi's hand away, protectively guarding her mistress, and quickened her pace to walk away.

Yan Yi stood there, watching the two figures turn the corner and disappear from sight.

Shen Lingyue had already entered the shop, but after waiting for a while without Yan Yi following her, she turned back to look for her.

"Yan Yan, what are you daydreaming about?" She waved her hand twice in front of Yan Yi.

Yan Yi frowned, saying uncertainly, "Am I seeing things? That woman just now looked like Consort Wang..."

The previous, the last beauty Wang.

-----------------------

Author's note: I've been rewriting it for ages and I'm still not satisfied, so I'll just post one chapter today. I'll try to make up for it in a couple of days. This won't count as an extra chapter, and I'll mark it later.

(One update after another, maybe I should just stop announcing updates from now on, otherwise people will always misread it...)

Another point is about leave requests. I'd like to ask everyone, do you think it's better for me to post leave notices, or should I stop posting leave notices as long as there are updates on the same day, regardless of the time?

After all, the actual purpose of a leave slip is to request leave in days. I only requested a few hours of leave, but this gives people the illusion that I'm taking leave every day. [emoji]