Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager glanced at her and said, "Although you are clever, you do not see things deeply."
The old nanny hurriedly apologized, "It is this servant's fault for being foolish. Please, Your Majesty, enlighten me."
The Empress Dowager picked up a purple grape and placed it on the table: "This Consort Yi has done so many wrong things. She thinks the Emperor doesn't know, but in fact the Emperor knows very well. It's just that he had some feelings for her before, so he didn't make a fuss."
The Empress Dowager picked up another green grape: "Now that the Emperor's affections have been exhausted by her, he will naturally see a new one. However, this new one just happens to be her niece from the Bai family."
Empress Dowager: "I have long heard that the eldest daughter of the Bai family is exceptionally beautiful, but she is frail and rarely goes out. Consort Yi keeps her hidden away and never lets the Emperor see her."
The old nanny said, "The Imperial Concubine must be feeling bad now. After all, the Emperor is cold-hearted and has never really fallen in love with anyone. Yet now she's being overshadowed by her niece."
Empress Dowager: "More than that. Women in the harem must keep their hearts firmly in check so that life won't be too difficult. How much better off can Consort Rong be?"
The old nanny said, "The Empress Dowager is wise."
——————
What happens in the palace is another matter.
The Prime Minister's Residence.
The third young lady of the Prime Minister's mansion, Zhao Xueqing, a concubine's daughter, was carried back in a small sedan chair, looking rather disheveled, and she was no longer as domineering as usual.
The Prime Minister looked unwell; he had been holding his breath for the past few days. The servants all acted according to their master's mood, not wanting to be his punching bag.
Inside the young lady's boudoir, Zhao Xueqi lay on a soft couch, holding a book in her hands, her eyes glazed over as she intently read, her mind elsewhere.
The door creaked open, and Moxiang hurried in, whispering, "Miss, I've found out."
Zhao Xueqi immediately sat up straight and asked, "How is it?"
Mo Xiang closed the door, and seeing that no one was around, she leaned close to the young lady's ear and said, "This matter concerns the reputation of the Prime Minister's mansion, so the servants have all been reprimanded by the Prime Minister, and no one dares to divulge a single word."
Jasmine: "Until I met Xiao Cui in the kitchen. Her brother was a servant of our late young master. She was deliberately keeping an eye on the Third Miss's movements in order to get revenge."
Jasmine: "She vaguely heard rumors that this matter concerned the Seventh Prince. She may have done something to anger the Seventh Prince and was originally going to be punished. It was only after the Prime Minister pleaded with her that the matter was settled and she was quietly sent back to the Prime Minister's residence. The Master also felt that this action had disgraced the Prime Minister's residence, so he also kept those who knew about this matter silent."
Jasmine: "But there are too many people in the kitchen and they gossip. A few old women let slip a few things after drinking. They said that the Third Miss offered herself to the Seventh Prince, but was rejected by him. Somehow, it got to the Prime Minister, which made the Third Miss lose face. The Prime Minister was afraid of ruining the Third Miss's reputation, so he didn't make a fuss about it."
Zhao Xueqi felt something was wrong, but she really had no clue. The talent show was in a few days, and she hadn't avenged her mother and brother yet. She felt that time was too short and she could only make her move after this period.
Zhao Xueqi rubbed her temples, feeling a bit of a headache, and Moxiang quickly came over to massage her head.
Mo Xiang comforted her, "Miss, the imperial concubine selection is in a few days. With your intelligence, you will surely be selected. Then, with the help of the Seventh Prince, it won't be too late to take revenge."
Zhao Xueqi closed her eyes and said, "It's really not advisable to make any moves on the eve of the talent show. Have your people sent any messages to me about which families have contestants?"
Though not explicitly stated, the meaning was clear, and Mo Xiang quickly understood: "Although His Majesty is in his prime, the Seventh Prince is not young either. This selection of consorts is actually to choose a principal wife and concubines for the Seventh Prince."
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