Wei Hong nodded.
"The Imperial Concubine was originally the daughter of a minor official of the eighth rank. Her family background was not high, but she was very much favored by His Majesty and gave birth to two princes in a row!"
Song Xibai was suddenly stunned.
"I remember she only had one son!"
Wei Hong pursed her lips: "The Seventh Prince died unexpectedly twelve years ago."
Song Xibai asked again.
"The Imperial Concubine's current son is the Eighth Prince... How many years apart are they?"
"She was about two years old!" Wei Hong knew a lot about things in the palace. "When the Noble Consort was still the Virtuous Consort, she wasn't very favored. She was made a Consort because she gave birth to a son, and her rank was below that of the Virtuous Consort. The Virtuous Consort had a son and a daughter. Because the Seventh Prince was born prematurely and his health wasn't very good, His Majesty blamed her at the time and it took a long time before he was given the rank of Consort."
Wei Hong whispered a long passage in Song Xibai's ear.
Song Xibai looked at the three concubines who were walking towards the seat of honor, and a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.
"And what about Consort Shu?"
"Consort Shu comes from a high-ranking family, so although she only has one son, she ranks ahead of Consort De. More than ten years ago, when the Empress was still alive, Consort Shu was the most arrogant, and no one in the entire palace dared to oppose her. Who could have imagined that more than ten years later, the tables would turn!"
Wei Hong seemed to have flipped a switch; once she started talking about palace gossip, she became incredibly talkative.
Song Xibai gestured to her, and Wei Hong quickly stopped talking and returned to her original position.
Song Xibai lowered her head and turned the bracelet, glancing at the high seat from time to time.
I always felt there was something strange about how the Imperial Concubine rose to power!
Originally out of favor, she was demoted to the lowest rank among the four concubines after giving birth to a son. Later, her son died, and she suddenly gained favor? And in less than two years, she had another son?
Song Xibai carefully recalled the princes and princesses she knew. This eighth prince was the emperor's youngest son.
After him, none of the many women in the harem ever gave birth to a child, not even when they became pregnant.
But the emperor was only in his forties, which should have been the prime of his life. How could he have been childless all this time?
This is clearly problematic!
Song Xibai thought of the poison that had poisoned the Crown Prince, and then of the cup of tea in the Qianqing Palace, and suddenly felt a chill run through her body.
How could a mere imperial concubine possess such great abilities?
Is this what real palace intrigue looks like?
Song Xibai clenched his fist and exhaled a breath of stale air.
Just as she was lost in thought, the emperor arrived in a grand procession with a large entourage.
He smiled, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before finally settling on the Eighth Prince.
The Eighth Prince was only 10 years old, but he was not afraid of the Emperor's imposing presence at all. He jumped up from behind the table and ran towards the Emperor.
"Father!"
The emperor picked him up and bounced him around a bit.
"You've gained weight again. Have you been practicing riding and archery with your master lately?"
The Eighth Prince's eyes flickered, and he chuckled, but he didn't answer.
The emperor wasn't angry. He chuckled twice, patted the man's bottom, and put him down.
The Eighth Prince hurriedly ran back to his seat and sat down.
The emperor walked up to the high platform and sat in a specially made chair.
Everyone immediately stood up and bowed respectfully to the emperor.
Song Xibai knelt to the side and heard the emperor speak with a touch of emotion.
"Another year has passed. I still vaguely remember how you were when you were young. Now, the Prince of Qi has children, and this year the Fifth Prince will also establish his own residence and get married. Time really flies!"
The emperor was lost in memories of the past.
Song Xibai rubbed her knees.
If you want to express your feelings, can't you let everyone get up and express their feelings first?
I suspect many people think the same way, but no one dares to say it out loud.
After a moment of reflection, the emperor gestured for everyone to rise, then looked at the crown prince with concern.
"The Crown Prince is already twenty-five, halfway to the age of knowing one's destiny. Remember to set a good example for your younger brothers and do not slack off."
The prince hurriedly replied that he dared not.
Song Xibai couldn't help but look towards the high platform.
That's a really nasty remark.
What does it mean to be halfway to fifty? The Crown Prince is only twenty-five!
Is this how a father should act?
Song Xibai pursed her lips.
After the emperor finished speaking, he waved his hand, signaling the start of the banquet.
Then, a continuous stream of delicious dishes was served.
Song Xibai looked at each dish, picked up a cold plate, ate a couple of bites of food, made a token gesture, and then put down his chopsticks.
Unexpectedly, just as she put down her chopsticks, the imperial concubine above suddenly looked over.
Who is behind the Crown Prince?
Song Xibai paused, stood up, and curtsied.
"This humble servant is Lady Song."
The imperial concubine smiled kindly, her crimson fingernails lightly tracing her chin before she pointed to a dish in front of her.
"This soup tastes quite good, so let's give it to Consort Song as a reward!"
The old woman behind her immediately stepped forward, carrying the bowl of soup to Song Xibai.
"Her Imperial Concubine has bestowed a meal upon you; Consort Song, why are you not yet expressing your gratitude?"
Song Xibai's expression remained unchanged; he even smiled.
"Thank you for your generosity, Your Highness. However, this mandarin duck soup is specially made for loving couples. Your Highness is the Crown Princess, and I am merely a concubine, just like Your Highness. I dare not use this mandarin duck soup."
Her words caused many people present to change their expressions.
The Crown Princess almost couldn't resist the urge to turn her head away, her eyes sparkling.
The crown prince, however, frowned and looked displeased.
He felt sorry for Song Xibai and thought she had been wronged today.
On the high platform, the imperial concubine's face suddenly froze.
Consort Shu was sitting closest to everyone in the Eastern Palace, so she heard everything clearly and couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"That's right, we're all concubines, why are you giving away so many rewards? Even though the Imperial Concubine is in charge of the Phoenix Seal, she shouldn't forget her place!"
Although Consort Shu is not as favored as before, her temper hasn't changed much. Even when facing Consort Gui, she still dares to argue.
Song Xibai recalled the rumors circulating in the palace, saying that Consort Shu and Consort De had fought against Consort Gui and lost. Now it seemed that this was not the case.
Perhaps Consort Shu was using a strategy of retreat as a means of advancement?
If Song Xibai's words only made the Imperial Concubine's expression stiffen slightly, then Consort Shu's blunt and unpolished remarks made the Imperial Concubine's face darken.
Her gentle, refined demeanor as a woman from Jiangnan vanished in an instant, leaving only a cold and austere expression on her beautiful face.
"Does Consort Shu disapprove of my taking over the Phoenix Seal? This is His Majesty's decree. Do you harbor resentment or dissatisfaction towards His Majesty?"
The Imperial Concubine's gaze swept coolly over the Consort Shu.
Just as Consort Shu was about to retort, Consort De on the other side suddenly spoke up softly.
"My two elder sisters, today is the Lantern Festival banquet. Please do not displease His Majesty."
When Consort De made her move, Consort Shu and Consort Gui fell silent and turned their heads away at the same time.
Song Xibai was filled with admiration.
This Consort De is truly a hidden master! With just one sentence, she resolved the crisis.
Of course, it's also possible that the Imperial Concubine and the Noble Consort simply backed down. After all, they've been fighting for over twenty years and both have risen to the rank of Consort. They wouldn't be so foolish as to cause a scene in such a situation.
The atmosphere became tense for a moment. The old woman holding the soup looked embarrassed and conflicted, unsure of what to do.
Song Xibai ignored her and sat back down in her seat.
That soup with two different ingredients, let whoever wants it drink it!
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