Chapter 458 The Power of Consort Tang

The Imperial Palace.

On the tenth day of the first lunar month, Jiang Fenghua got up early to dress up and prepare to go to Cining Palace to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager. Since becoming Empress Dowager, Empress Cheng has established a rule for all the palaces that on the first and fifteenth or the tenth of each month, all the concubines must go to Cining Palace to pay their respects.

In total, there are only five times a month when one has to get up early, but the concubines certainly cannot get up less than five times, and they cannot just cut back on five times. Jiang Fenghua is no exception.

Hongxiu styled Jiang Fenghua's hair into an elegant and noble updo. Although this was her second pregnancy, she had only just celebrated her eighteenth birthday a few months prior, and was only nineteen years old by the traditional Chinese age reckoning. Looking at her stunning beauty in the mirror, she was in a very good mood.

Just then, Lianye and Aoxue arrived. Jiang Fenghua asked with concern, "How is Lin Feng's injury?"

"She's all better now," Lianye said. "These past few days I've been busy taking care of Lin Feng and haven't had time to look after Your Highness. I'm so sorry!"

"Lin Feng was injured while saving me. If you're willing, I'd even agree to let you take care of him, let alone marry him." Jiang Fenghua knew that Lin Feng had been pursuing Lian Ye and that the two were now very much in love, which was why she dared to make such a joke.

Lianye's cheeks flushed. "This servant said I would serve Your Highness for the rest of my life."

"Silly girl, it's hard to say when one's destiny will come. If there is a man who is willing to risk his life for you, and you like him too, then don't miss him. Life is only complete if you have tasted sweet love. I hope that you, Hongxiu, and Aoxue can all be loved."

Lianye nodded. "I've already told Lin Feng that it's impossible for me to marry him now. If he's willing to wait, I will definitely marry him in the future. If he can't wait, then forget it." She still had to help the Empress take care of the eldest prince and princess, as well as the child in her womb, so she didn't want to get married now.

Jiang Fenghua understood what she meant; she was afraid that once she got married, she wouldn't have anyone capable by her side.

Hongxiu said, "Don't worry, I'll be serving Her Majesty." Besides, Hongxiu also cultivated some capable people for the Empress in the palace.

Ao Xue said, "Lin Feng is now an imperial bodyguard, and his home is in the palace. Even if you get together with Lin Feng, you won't leave the Empress."

Lianye blushed as they spoke. She wanted to retort, but thinking of how Lin Feng had saved her, she was still quite happy and felt a sweet warmth in her heart.

"I'm going to Cining Palace to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager. Granny Wang and Aoxue can accompany me. You two can stay in the palace and look after the children." After saying that, she helped Granny Wang away.

Hongxiu and Lianye escorted the Empress out of Chenxi Palace before returning to the side hall. Lianye whispered to Hongxiu, "I went to find Lin Feng to bring her some food. Guess who I saw in the Imperial Study?"

Seeing that she was being mysterious, Hongxiu said, "Who did you see? Just tell me."

Lianye smiled and said, "I saw Steward Cheng's son, Cheng Feng. It seems the Emperor summoned him to the palace."

Hongxiu said, "And then!"

Lianye stared into her eyes, "Don't you like him? Now that he's in the palace, don't you want to see him?"

Hongxiu did not deny it. Just as the Empress said, they were all still young and it was normal to have feelings. She said, "Actually, I am no longer moved. At most, I am grateful to Steward Cheng for teaching me a lot. I have also met Cheng Feng a few times and think he is quite humorous and dedicated. Thinking about it carefully, it makes no difference whether he is there or not. So I don't really like him. Maybe I had a moment of infatuation, but it is gone now."

"That would be terrible," Lianye sighed.

Hongxiu asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

"I heard from Lin Feng that the Emperor seems to be going to bring Cheng Feng into the palace to take up a post. He served the Emperor when he was in the Prince Heng's mansion. Cheng Feng managed the Emperor's properties outside the palace. He is a very capable person. Now that he is being brought into the palace, he should be giving him an official position to continue managing the Emperor's private property, which is not linked to the national treasury. He would be called the Chief Steward of the Imperial Household Department."

Hongxiu said, "Isn't the Imperial Household Department under the management of the inner palace? The power is all in the hands of the Empress Dowager."

“There might be two Imperial Household Departments, so the Emperor can have his own private funds.” Lianye added, “So if he often travels around the palace, you will have more and more opportunities to meet. If he still likes you, will you like him back?”

Hongxiu said, "We've all gone to like other people, so our young lady is all alone now. You don't know how difficult the Empress's situation is right now..."

In fact, the accounts of the Prince's private property were in the hands of the Empress, and Hongxiu had been managing them. So she and Steward Cheng were still in contact.

However, the Empress Dowager used her pregnancy as an excuse to prevent her from managing anything in the inner palace.

-

Over here, Tang Qianran, who had been promoted to the rank of Imperial Concubine, was accompanied by a large group of palace maids and eunuchs. She herself was dressed exquisitely and slowly approached, supported by a nanny.

When she saw Jiang Fenghua, she bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, I greet you. May Your Majesty be blessed with longevity and good health."

Jiang Fenghua glanced at her group and realized that things were indeed different. Tang Qianran was already generous, but now she was even more so.

She said, "Consort Tang, you may dispense with the formalities!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Then she stood up straight, straightened her back, and said to the wet nurse, "Hurry up and have the Third Prince pay his respects to the Empress."

The wet nurse then carried the Third Prince to Jiang Fenghua and gave a slight curtsy, saying, "The Third Prince greets Her Majesty the Empress."

Jiang Fenghua glanced at the child and was about to reach out to touch him when the wet nurse suddenly shrank back.

Jiang Fenghua was stunned. She had watched this child being born with her own eyes. Tang Qianran had been in labor for three days and three nights before giving birth to him, and she had indeed suffered a lot.

Tang Qianran said, "Why didn't Your Majesty bring the First Prince? The Empress Dowager always asks me to bring the child over for her to see."

A cold glint flashed in Jiang Fenghua's eyes as she smiled and said, "I've heard that Consort Tang often brings the Third Prince to Cining Palace to accompany the Empress Dowager, but the spring chill in January is quite strong. The child is still too young, so Consort Tang should take the Third Prince out in the wind less often!"

"Yes, it's because the Empress Dowager likes children that I brought them out," Tang Qianran said.

At this moment, Consort Song and Consort Gao also slowly walked over. The two bowed to Jiang Fenghua and Tang Qianran at the same time, saying, "Your Majesty, we pay our respects to the Empress and Consort Tang."

Jiang Fenghua's face was as gentle as jade. "No need for formalities!"

With the Empress speaking, naturally no concubine dared to flaunt her power.

Everyone arrived, but no one saw Zhu Zhenzhen. Since she returned to the palace, there had been guards at her palace gate. Later, when she moved to Qinghua Palace, one of the six palaces, she was escorted there as well. No one knew what had happened to her, and no one dared to ask.

Gao Qingtong stayed with her for a few days. Although she had never met her, she would hear howling coming from Zhu Zhenzhen's room at night, which would wake her up. So she deduced that Zhu Zhenzhen might have gone crazy.