Chapter 244 The Noble Little Princess
Since the Empress Dowager left the palace, the inner palace seems to have remained largely unchanged.
When the Empress Dowager was in the inner palace, she also lived in the West Garden, which was far away from Emperor Zhaoheng's concubines. She did not often interact with the concubines other than the Empress and Consort Wan.
However, everyone could vaguely sense the difference in the atmosphere of the harem.
With the Empress Dowager gone and the Empress confined to her quarters, only the Imperial Noble Consort's family remained in power in the harem...
Although Narcissus did not often associate with the concubines, and it was commonplace for the Lihe Palace to refuse visiting cards, the concubines' desire to curry favor with this Imperial Noble Consort, who had both the Emperor's favor and the prospect of having children, was unstoppable.
Another morning meeting has come to an end.
The concubines took their leave according to protocol.
Consort Wan did not leave with the others, but remained seated at the end.
After the other concubines had gone far away, she put on a perfectly timed, even somewhat ingratiating, smile and walked toward Narcissus, who was about to get up.
Upon seeing Consort Wan approaching her, Narcissus's eyelids twitched slightly.
Since the Empress Dowager left the palace, Consort Wan has clung to her like a stubborn plaster that she can't shake off.
Consort Wan had previously shown her favor, how could Shui Xian not know? Consort Wan, who appears gentle on the surface but is actually more scheming than anyone else, must not have any good intentions.
She pretended not to see Consort Wan's overtures, but Consort Wan was incredibly thick-skinned. She seemed completely oblivious to Shui Xian's resistance towards her. When she couldn't visit Lihe Palace on weekdays, she would deliberately wait for her after the morning assembly.
"Your Highness, please wait."
Seeing that Narcissus seemed not to hear her call and was about to leave, Consort Wan quickly stepped forward and blocked Narcissus's retreat.
Out of the corner of her eye, Shui Xian caught a glimpse of Consort Wan's crimson winter attire. She sighed inwardly, knowing she could no longer pretend not to see it, and could only slowly stop in her tracks.
Consort Wan looked over with a gentle smile.
"Your Majesty, I have recently acquired some fine pre-Qingming Longjing tea. I heard that Your Highness the Imperial Noble Consort is fond of this tea, so I brought some with me. Please do not find it offensive."
She gestured to the palace maid behind her to present an exquisite rosewood tea box.
Narcissus's gaze fell calmly on Consort Wan, as if she had expected her to do so.
She did not accept it immediately, but said lightly, "Consort Wan is very kind."
Seeing that she did not refuse immediately, Consort Wan felt a little more at ease and quickly said, "Your Majesty is now in charge of the Phoenix Seal and is busy with countless affairs every day. It pains me to see this. If Your Majesty does not mind my dullness, I would like to come to Lihe Palace often after the morning meeting to talk with Your Majesty and relieve your boredom. It would also be good to ask Your Majesty for advice on palace affairs so as not to make mistakes."
She adopted an extremely humble posture, and her words were full of surrender intentions.
Shui Xian did not speak immediately. She scrutinized Consort Wan, pondering the many women in the harem who all wanted to pledge their allegiance to her.
Now, she holds the Phoenix Seal, a position equivalent to the Vice Empress, and the burden on her shoulders is very heavy.
Responsibility always comes with power. In her position, she needs to manage the entire vast harem, not make friends as she pleases.
Since Consort Wan had taken the initiative to show goodwill, and since I had just come to power, it was not appropriate for me to immediately shut her off and make enemies for no reason.
Moreover, it's always safer to keep someone like Consort Wan, who's always up to no good in the shadows, under our watchful eyes than to let her roam in the dark.
"Since Consort Wan has such intentions, how could I refuse?"
Narcissus chuckled softly, as if in response to Consort Wan's surrender.
"It's just that I'm busy with many affairs and I'm afraid I might neglect Consort Wan."
"No, no, it is my honor to receive Your Majesty's guidance."
Consort Wan quickly replied, her smile widening.
From that day on, Consort Wan indeed stayed at Lihe Palace every day after the morning assembly.
She is no longer as arrogant as before, and her clothing and appearance have become much more low-key.
It seems that Consort Wan has truly bowed down to Shui Xian because of her power.
Normally, Consort Wan always praised Narcissus highly, and even treated Narcissus's servants, such as Yinzhu and Tinglu, with great courtesy.
However, Narcissus was not fooled by her act.
Sure enough, less than half a month later, Shui Xian discovered Wan Fei's true purpose—she was after Yong Ning.
In the dead of winter, Consort Wan, wearing a dark green brocade cloak with gold thread, arrived at Lihe Palace a day early, before the morning assembly, when there was still an incense stick's time left.
Behind her, a palace maid was holding a brocade box.
Consort Wan entered the warm chamber and saw Shui Xian, who had changed her clothes, playing with toys with Yong Ning on a soft carpet.
Hearing him enter, Narcissus merely glanced at her with a faint look.
After bowing to Shui Xian, Consort Wan smiled and waved to Yong Ning, who was playing with a cloth tiger on the soft carpet.
"Princess Yongning, come and see what fun things Consort Wan brought you?"
Yongning looked up, her big, dark eyes gazing at him curiously, like a famous black grape brought as tribute from the Western Regions.
Consort Wan opened the brocade box and found that it contained not ordinary toys, but a set of extremely exquisite miniature porcelain dolls.
The dolls are dressed in colorful costumes, with lifelike features, and reflect the warm luster of white porcelain under the light.
There was also a small velvet jewelry box containing pearl earrings slightly larger than a grain of rice, and a necklace strung on a gold chain and adorned with rubies, the perfect size for a child.
"Oh my, look at our Princess Yongning, she's getting more and more beautiful!"
Consort Wan picked up the pair of pearl earrings and pretended to hold them up to Yongning's ear, praising them in an exaggerated tone that children love to hear.
"Such snow-white skin, paired with these pearls from the East Sea, makes her even more radiant and lustrous. And this necklace, these rubies, are precious tributes from foreign lands, perfectly complementing the unparalleled noble bearing of our Princess Yongning!"
She kept referring to Yongning as "the most noble little princess in the world," and gently stroked her soft hair, clicking her tongue and saying, "Look at those eyebrows and eyes, that face shape, when she grows up she will definitely be a stunning beauty!"
Consort Wan gently touched Yongning's little face with her fingertips and said softly, "You must take good care of yourself from a young age, and you can't be careless in the slightest."
Yongning was just a child under two years old; how could he resist such sweet words?
Even more, Consort Wan brought with her incredibly exquisite and beautiful jewelry!
Humans are naturally drawn to beautiful things, even though Yongning was just a child.
She was immediately drawn to the porcelain dolls and jewelry, reaching out her little hands to grab them. A delighted smile bloomed on her face, and she became much closer to Consort Wan, mimicking her in her childish voice, "Yongning...noble...beautiful..."
Narcissus sat to one side, holding a teacup in her hand.
At first, seeing her daughter's delighted expression, she couldn't help but smile as well.
However, upon hearing Consort Wan's seemingly affectionate yet malicious praise, a strange feeling stirred within Shui Xian.
She knew that Consort Wan did not truly love Yongning. This move was merely an attempt to consolidate her favor by pleasing Yongning. Even worse, she wanted to use these extravagant material possessions and illusory honors to subtly erode Yongning's young mind.
The narcissus theory is just speculation; there is no concrete evidence.
Even if she were to take control of the Phoenix Seal, she couldn't immediately show wariness towards Consort Wan's goodwill, as it would inevitably leave people with the impression that she was intolerant or even making a mountain out of a molehill.
Shui Xian secretly suppressed her displeasure and paid close attention to the interaction between Yong Ning and Consort Wan.
When Consort Wan was satisfied and went to the main hall to attend the morning assembly at Lihe Palace, Shui Xian pulled Yong Ning to her side and asked softly, "Yong Ning, do you like the gift that Consort Wan gave you?"
"like!"
Yongning nodded vigorously, admiringly examining the set of white porcelain dolls. "Beautiful!"
She touched her face again, the very spot where Consort Wan had just touched.
Yongning's actions were clearly imitating Consort Wan's earlier movements.
Yongning said in her childish voice, "Yongning is just as beautiful and noble as the doll!"
Shui Xian's heart sank slightly, but she didn't show it on her face. She simply instructed gently, "Yongning is naturally a noble princess. But nobility is not just about having the best things to use, but also about having the virtue and benevolence to match them, do you understand?"
Yongning blinked her big eyes, seemingly understanding but not quite.
Seeing the confusion in her daughter's eyes, Shui Xian knew she had been too hasty.
My daughter is too young, but I can't just ignore her.
Take the heir of Prince Duan for example. He was spoiled as a child, so he will definitely not amount to anything in the future, and may even... bring disaster to the people.
Shui Xian said no more, and instead summoned Yin Zhu and Yong Ning's wet nurse, solemnly instructing them: "From now on, anything that Consort Wan sends, whether it is a toy, food, clothing, or jewelry, must be carefully inspected first, and only after confirming that it is harmless can it be given to the princess."
"When serving the princess, if you notice anything unusual in her words or actions, you must report it to me immediately."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Fortunately, no matter how they checked, the things Consort Wan gave to Yongning were just things; they didn't contain any poison powder or soak in any poison.
However, having witnessed the spoiled brats and dissolute playboys in her previous life, Shui Xian knew that sometimes gold and silver jewelry could harm people invisibly.
Ignoring Shui Xian's subtle hints, Consort Wan simply said that she liked Yong Ning and sent all sorts of exquisite and beautiful things to Lihe Palace.
Today it's an exquisite nine-linked ring inlaid with various gemstones; tomorrow it's a face cream mixed with pearl powder and precious floral fragrances; and the day after tomorrow it's a miniature palace dress embroidered with intricate patterns in gold and silver thread...
She timed it perfectly, and Yongning always saw it when it was delivered.
Yongning was very excited and always couldn't put those things down.
Shui Xian couldn't compete with the child for Yong Ning's affection; she didn't want to discourage him.
Children's likes and dislikes are simple, but Consort Wan's heart was not necessarily simple...
She seemed determined to instill in Yongning's young mind the idea that the most noble princess in the world should use the best things in the world.
Under this daily influence, Yongning indeed began to show subtle changes...
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