When Guarjia arrived at Muhe Courtyard with her entourage, there were four eunuchs guarding the entrance and four strong old women standing in the courtyard.
One of the distinguished old nannies, upon seeing Lady Guarjia arrive, stepped forward respectfully and said, "This servant greets the Crown Princess. Aunt Suma is inside speaking with Lady Niohuru."
Heart-wrenching screams came from inside the house, sounding especially eerie amidst the cold wind and falling snow.
Guarjia nodded and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "I only came to see what was going on after I heard that Aunt Suma had come. After all, it is a matter within Yuqing Palace. If there is anything wrong, I will report it truthfully when His Highness the Crown Prince returns."
The old nanny immediately stepped aside to make way, and the two old women guarding the door also made way.
As soon as Guarjia entered the room, she saw the palace servants in Muhe Courtyard kneeling on the ground. Baizhi was kneeling at the front, and Niohuru Yuhe was crying and shouting incessantly in front of her.
She didn't know what had been forced down her throat, but dark, viscous liquid was dripping from the corners of her mouth. Her eyes were filled with despair and resentment, and when she saw Guarjia appear, she rushed towards them like a madwoman.
"Guarjia, you come from a humble family. It's one thing to climb up to the position of Crown Princess, but now you want to take my life while His Highness the Crown Prince is away? Let me tell you, I am the legitimate brother of Niohuru clan. My father, Shifaka, and my aunt are the current Consort Wenxi. Aren't you afraid of the Niohuru family's revenge for dealing with me in such a hurry?"
Guarjia glanced at the expressionless Sumalagu, seemingly understanding her intentions.
Then he said, "Do you see clearly who punished you today? Do you think Aunt Su Ma was bribed by me? You keep talking about the Niohuru family, if your father knew how stupid you are, I wonder if he would still have sent you to the palace. I advise you to just wait for your punishment quietly, at least you won't implicate the Niohuru family."
Niohuru Yuhe's eyes were practically spitting fire, his gaze shifting back and forth between Guarjia and Sumalagu, and then he suddenly burst into laughter.
"I know, it must be you, you wretch, who took advantage of His Highness the Crown Prince's absence to use the child to gain favor, which is why the Empress Dowager attacked me, right? Hmph, let me tell you, don't think you're so great just because you raised a little prince. He's not your biological son after all. When he grows up and finds out that you killed his own mother, let's see if he'll still repay you."
She got more and more excited as she talked, and even felt that it was the truth.
"His Highness the Crown Prince dotes on the young prince so much. Once he takes power, he will surely seek revenge for his own mother and will not let you off the hook."
From beginning to end, Sumalagu did not say a word, but just looked at Niohuru Yuhe indifferently, as if he were looking at a dead person.
Judging from Sumalagu's reaction, Guarjia knew that Niohuru would not live past today.
Since that's the case, she didn't want to create any more complications.
"The truth about Hongxi's birth mother is known to the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and even His Highness the Crown Prince, so I don't need to say more. If Hongxi insists on believing that I was the one who interfered when he grows up, there's nothing I can do. But you, you've been causing trouble ever since you entered Yuqing Palace. Faka went to great lengths to atone for your sins, and what have you done besides bringing trouble to your family?"
Just then, a nanny walked in and looked at Sumalagu, saying, "Eldest aunt, Cuiliu, the eldest aunt of Consort Wenxi, has arrived. She says she is here to deliver a message from the Consort to Princess Niohuru."
Sumalagu glanced at Guarjia, and only agreed after seeing her nod.
A moment later, Cui Liu entered with two palace maids. She first bowed and greeted Guarjia, then looked at Niohuru Yuhe.
"By the word of the Imperial Concubine, Princess, you have repeatedly made grave mistakes. The fact that the Empress Dowager is willing to discipline you is already a great honor for the Niohuru family. If you still have any sense of family honor, then shut up and accept your punishment."
This means being abandoned by the family.
Niu Hulu Yu stared blankly at Cui Liu, seemingly not expecting his own aunt to say such a thing.
Her aunt used to dote on her the most; whenever there was something good in the palace, she would have someone send it to her.
Why did she change after entering the palace?
She looked at Cuiliu with a mixture of laughter and tears, her voice filled with despair, "How could my aunt treat me like this? Now that my father has gone to Mongolia with the emperor, not only does she not protect me, but she also wants to use my life to curry favor with the Empress Dowager? Has she forgotten how she secured her position in the harem? Without my father's support and the support of the Niohuru family, what would she be, to have become a Noble Consort and have a healthy son..."
With a sharp "smack," Guarjia slapped her hard across the face.
"You're disregarding the entire family!" Guarjia said, no longer wanting to listen to her gossip. She looked at Sumalagu and said, "Since Aunt Sumalagu is personally instructing me, I won't interfere here."
After saying this, she turned and left with Wenying and Granny Gui. Seeing this, Cuiliu and the others bowed to Sumalagu and then hurriedly left as well.
Before going to sleep that night, Wenying entered the palace and reported: "Your Highness, Niohuru is suffering from severe abdominal pain. Baizhi summoned the imperial physician to examine him, but he is still gone."
Guarjia remained silent.
She thought the Empress Dowager had given Niohuru a half-dead medicine, but she never expected that one bowl would kill her.
She truly lives up to her reputation as a woman who has served three dynasties; her methods are decisive.
"Bury him according to regulations, and inform Chuxiu Palace of this matter."
Wenying accepted the order and withdrew.
The next morning, the wind and snow quietly disappeared, and the sun shone on the vast Forbidden City.
Yesterday it was still cold, but today it's as warm as early spring.
Who could have imagined that a mere snowstorm would claim a person's life?
Inside the Cining Palace, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang coaxed Hongxi to eat steamed egg custard.
The little guy is never picky about food; he eats heartily, which makes the old lady very happy.
“This kid is easy to raise, unlike Bao Cheng when he was a child, who had to be chased around and fed.”
Sumalagu also recalled the past, "His Highness the Crown Prince was not healthy when he was young, so he didn't like to eat. Unlike our little Prince Hongxi, whose arms and legs are so strong. If he were any fatter, I wouldn't be able to carry him."
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang laughed heartily.
Just as he finished eating a bowl of steamed egg custard, Zhao Lihe ran in with a happy expression on his face.
"Ancestors, ancestors."
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang squinted at him and said, "You're so old, why are you running around? Did a dog chase you?"
Zhao Lihe, disregarding the formalities, shouted, "His Highness the Crown Prince has returned to the palace!"
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