Chapter 163 Consort Su's Restriction Was Lifted by the Empress
"Thank you, Your Majesty." She plopped down in a seat, her back ramrod straight, looking down at everyone. She was still savoring the noble and majestic image she had in her dream, so real, as if that was the second half of her life.
Su Tingwan stared at Jiang Fenghua's belly again. In her dream, the two little beasts that Jiang Fenghua gave birth to would torment Jiang Fenghua and make her wish she were dead. She was happy then. She said, "I heard from Physician Mei that the princess is pregnant with twins. The princess is really lucky to have twins in one pregnancy."
Because she mentioned that Xie Shang had won a battle, the Empress's face didn't fall. She continued, "Shang'er is so lucky to have married such a virtuous and dignified princess as Ruan Ruan. Ruan Ruan is also very capable, getting pregnant with twins right away. Some people can't even get one in their entire lives." Actually, she was referring to Su Tingwan.
Mentioning this, Su Tingwan felt a pang of pain in her heart. If the Empress hadn't given her the contraceptive soup, she would already be pregnant with the Princess, and Xie Shang would love their child dearly. It was all the Empress's fault.
She said, "I think I saw Princess Yu. I heard that Consort Yan is also ill, and Princess Yu has come to the palace to take care of her. Princess Yu has been married for so many years but has no children. It's really pitiful." Anyway, she will be with Xie Shang again and will have children in the future.
Empress Cheng originally disliked Princess Yu, but later, after learning that she was often bullied by Consort Yan and Xie Yu, she felt pity for her.
Su Tingwan continued, "The Su family has always guarded the border. My grandparents have always praised the Prince for his bravery and said that he has the talent of a general since he was a child..." These are all things that her grandmother taught her. If Xie Shangruo were to compete for the throne in the future, the Su family would definitely support Prince Heng. If the Empress is smart, she should not oppose the Su family anymore. Her aunt is no longer a threat to the Empress.
Her grandmother also taught her to be patient. Empress Cheng only had one son in her life, so she had to say what Empress Cheng liked to hear. She would deal with that old witch, Empress Cheng, slowly when she became empress.
Empress Cheng understood. It was because of the Su family that she could only let Su Tingwan suffer, but not take her life. If she died, it would be difficult to explain to the Su family. Just like Su Qingqing is still alive, the emperor did not take her life. Since she has gone mad, let her go mad for now!
Nothing is more important than Shang'er, so she pretended for a moment, "The weather is getting colder and my illness is cured, so you don't need to come to make breakfast for me so early anymore!"
"Yes, Your Majesty is well, and I am very happy too." Su Tingwan had a sweet tongue.
Jiang Fenghua gave Su Tingwan a deep look and saw that she was indeed different from usual today, and her words were even more sharp. Fortunately, Princess Yu was not there, otherwise, if they were to compete with each other, it would probably be Princess Yu who would get hurt in the end.
Prince Yu went to war with the army, and Princess Yu did indeed stay in the palace to serve Consort Yan after that day. It is said that Consort Yan is not a kind person. Ugly people are always up to no good. She always makes trouble by bringing up the fact that Princess Yu cannot have children. She also said that Princess Heng is lucky to have twins and that Princess Yu is the most useless.
In comparison, Jiang Fenghua was caught in the crossfire, offending people for no reason. It remains to be seen whether Princess Yu has a brain and can distinguish right from wrong.
After Jiang Fenghua entered the palace, the imperial physicians took turns examining her pulse, and it was no longer a secret that she was pregnant with twins.
She never expected that Su Tingwan could speak, and that her words were sharp and piercing, hitting the heart of Empress Cheng. So Empress Cheng lifted the ban on her.
She always felt that Su Tingwan's eyes were strange, as if she was smug.
She thought to herself, "I feel like I've seen Su Tingwan like this somewhere before."
She wasn't like this yesterday. After a whole night, what exactly happened? When she saw Su Tingwan this morning, her face was full of resentment.
She didn't want to study Su Tingwan, but was waiting for the emperor to summon her. Half a month had passed, and there was still no movement from the emperor. The progress of the march should have reached the emperor's hands by now!
Jiang Fenghua did not intend to rely on Empress Cheng forever. In her previous life, Empress Cheng had humiliated her quite a bit. She was suppressed by Su Qingqing in the first half of her life, and she was still suppressed by her in the second half.
Just then, Eunuch Wuxin arrived at Kunning Palace and bowed to the Empress, saying, "This servant greets Your Majesty, may Your Majesty be blessed."
The Empress also liked this young eunuch very much. He was sweet-talking and capable. He had helped the Emperor reconcile with her and had been very helpful. The Empress said, "No need for formalities. Does His Majesty have something to ask me to see him?"
"His Majesty has always been concerned about Her Majesty the Empress's health. These days, His Majesty has been busy with the border war in the Imperial Study, so he will visit Her Majesty in the future. He also told Her Majesty to take care of herself." Wuxin naturally added a lot of nice words, and the Empress would not ask the Emperor to verify these words. She just wanted to feel comfortable.
The Empress smiled and said, "I trouble Eunuch Wuxin to convey to His Majesty that I will take good care of myself and tell Chief Eunuch Cao to take good care of His Majesty. I am not in a good state to appear before His Majesty in my illness." She had no intention of dealing with the Emperor. After more than twenty years of indifference and ruthlessness, she had long since lost any romantic feelings for him. All she had left was pretense and politeness.
Wuxin added, "This servant is acting on His Majesty's orders to invite Princess Heng to the Imperial Study for an audience."
The Empress looked at the dignified Princess Heng, full of doubt, and asked, "His Majesty wants to see Ruan Ruan, but did he have something to say?"
Wuxin didn't hide anything, "I heard from my master that he invited the Princess to discuss the supply of materials to the border. I don't know anything else. After the morning court session this day, the Emperor also invited the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince to the palace. They are currently in the Imperial Study."
The Empress ordered someone to reward Wuxin, and then said to Jiang Fenghua, "Since that's the case, then go. The Emperor has his reasons for inviting you, so there's no need to be afraid."
Jiang Fenghua said gently, "Yes, Mother, your daughter-in-law understands."
The Empress thought that Jiang Fenghua was just a sixteen-year-old girl who might be afraid of the Emperor's might. Little did she know that this was all something she and Jiang Jinyan had planned long ago. Whether the Jiang family could make a contribution in this war depended on her and Jiang Jinyan's cooperation from the inside and outside.
As soon as Jiang Fenghua left, Su Tingwan stared at her retreating figure, her eyes practically bulging with hatred.
Seeing this, the Empress seemed oblivious, a faint smile playing on her lips. Whether in the harem or the inner quarters, the struggles among women are never-ending. It seems she should select a few more women to serve Shang'er in the mansion.
Even if she liked Jiang Fenghua very much, she wouldn't really consider her feelings. The Prince's mansion would still add new people as needed.
After leaving Kunning Palace, Aoxue and Lianye followed, but Lianye deliberately kept a distance from Aoxue.
Uninterested in seeing Jiang Fenghua, he became even more respectful and said softly, "Grand Tutor Pan is the chief examiner for this imperial examination..."
Jiang Fenghua listened quietly. Apart from being somewhat pedantic, Grand Tutor Pan was fairly fair. The question was whether he could resist the temptation, because at this time of year, countless officials accepted bribes from students.
Upon arriving at the Imperial Study, Jiang Fenghua respectfully bowed to the Emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects."
"No need for formalities." The Emperor glanced at her briefly, then turned to Chief Cao and said, "Give Princess Heng a seat."
"Thank you, Father Emperor." Jiang Fenghua's etiquette was impeccable, without the slightest mistake. Her belly was growing larger and larger, and kneeling for a long time was indeed a bit difficult for her. Because it was twins, her belly seemed to have grown a size larger in just half a month.
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