Chapter 423 The Third Princess Consort came to her to whisper sweet nothings in her ear.
Dawn Palace
As soon as they returned, Granny Wang immediately sent someone to fetch hot water.
Jiang Fenghua leaned back on the soft couch, and only then did she feel that her feet were still her feet and her legs were still her legs. She felt completely relaxed. She had always kept the things that the late emperor had given her hidden in her sleeve.
At this moment, she fell into deep thought. She never expected that she would receive so much favor from her father in this life. He personally issued decrees to confer upon her the positions of Crown Princess and Empress.
She thought something so far away was obtained so easily. Could it be because of the late emperor's entrustment to her, so he reciprocated by bestowing upon her the title of empress upon the new emperor?
If she asked herself honestly, since her rebirth, apart from seeking revenge on the Su family and Su Tingwan, she had indeed been helping Xie Shang establish his authority. She knew what kind of royal wife the royal family needed, what kind of crown princess the crown prince needed, and she could even manage the affairs of the harem. She considered herself to have indeed been a competent royal wife, and perhaps the late emperor had also seen these merits of hers.
They believed she was capable of being the new Empress of the Great Zhou Dynasty, which is why they left a will. In any case, this generation did not have Su Tingwan or the powerful Su family, so it was only natural for her to take the throne.
Everything is moving in a positive direction, and the Jiang family's glory is only just beginning.
"Your Majesty, please soak your feet and wash your face first. I will give you a massage to loosen your muscles and bones. Your Majesty's hard work will not have been in vain."
Although the formal investiture ceremony has not yet been held, the late emperor left a will, and Granny Wang can now address her as "Empress," it's just a matter of a formality.
The weather was getting colder and colder, but her bedroom was warm. Jiang Fenghua didn't feel cold even after taking off her shoes, socks, and outer robe.
She put her feet into the hot water and felt her whole body warm up.
She said, "Luckily, I had Granny Wang to help me, otherwise I would have been really flustered."
"These are all things that we servants should do. Your Majesty is currently pregnant, so we servants should naturally be more considerate." She was originally the matron who taught etiquette to the Empress Dowager, so she should naturally be familiar with the matters of national mourning.
At this moment, Lianye also brought in her meal, saying, "Your Highness must be hungry. I've cooked some porridge for you to have a little to tide you over."
Seeing that it was made with fish and meat, Jiang Fenghua said, "Please change it to vegetarian during Father's funeral!"
"But Your Highness is carrying a little prince, and this is the time when he needs nutrition."
Granny Wang also said softly, "Although it is a time of national mourning, the princes and princesses have several filial sons. The Empress's situation is special. For the sake of the imperial heir, I believe the late Emperor will not blame the Empress."
"Go prepare vegetarian food! I trust Lianye's cooking skills." Jiang Fenghua was indeed hungry, but the late emperor had treated her well, and she should sincerely show her most basic filial piety. Fasting during this period was the last bit of filial piety she could fulfill.
Lianye took the porridge away, and Jiang Fenghua instructed again, "During this period, Granny Wang must remind the young ladies of the East Palace to be careful with their words and actions. If anyone dares to do anything shameless or against filial piety during this time, I will punish them severely."
The young ladies of the Eastern Palace were also very busy. Their plain clothes had been prepared long ago, and without Granny Wang's supervision, they naturally dared not dress in anything flashy.
Jiang Fenghua ate dinner and then took a nap.
At midnight, the Third Princess Consort suddenly arrived at Chenxi Palace. "I have something to discuss with Her Majesty the Empress. Please, Granny Wang, make an exception for me."
For the past month, the princesses have been staying in the palace and have often come to Chenxi Palace. Granny Wang knows that the Third Princess is close to the Empress and does not want to offend her. "Third Princess, please wait a moment. This servant will go and inform Her Majesty the Empress."
Jiang Fenghua was awakened by the noise. She got up, dressed in plain clothes, and came out of the inner hall. She smiled and said, "Why did you come at this hour, Third Sister-in-law? Did something happen?"
The Third Princess Consort gestured to Jiang Fenghua and said, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace."
Jiang Fenghua chuckled, "Third sister-in-law is teasing me too. The investiture ceremony hasn't even been held yet."
“Whether we hold the ceremony or not doesn’t matter. The whole palace and the entire court already know that the Crown Princess has appointed the new Emperor and Empress.” She held Jiang Fenghua’s hand and said affectionately, “From the first time I saw you, I knew that you would be exceptionally wealthy and noble in the future.”
Jiang Fenghua said, "Third sister-in-law, please feel free to say anything. As long as it is within Fenghua's power, I will do my best to help."
The Third Princess suddenly teared up. “Everyone says I’m lucky to have married such a considerate man as the Third Prince, and to have so many children and a long life. But only I know the bitterness behind my life. I never talk to anyone about the bad things in my family, but Fenghua, I really have no other choice.”
Jiang Fenghua listened quietly. Now that she knew she had become Empress, she was starting to ask for favors. She remained calm and said, "Third Sister-in-law has worked very hard to manage the Third Prince's mansion. Everyone envies the Third Prince for marrying such a wise and capable woman. It is the Third Prince's good fortune to have such a woman in charge."
“What good fortune? You know he has a foot ailment. Although he is a prince, he is ridiculed outside and idles around in the government office. In fact, life in the Third Prince’s mansion is not easy.” The Third Princess slowly explained.
Hearing this, Jiang Fenghua finally understood. After the national mourning, the new emperor would bestow fiefs upon the princes. In her previous life, she had neither the power nor the ability to participate in these royal affairs. So, in this life, after she became empress, the Third Princess wanted her to whisper in Xie Shang's ear and persuade him to grant the Third Prince a better fief for his retirement.
The Third Prince was born with a disability and was considered an unlucky person. From birth, he was destined to be ineligible for the position of Crown Prince, so he gave up. After all, he was a prince, and when he left the palace to establish his own residence, he was granted land and property. His status was also noble, and he wouldn't starve on these things. In addition, the Third Princess was capable, and the Third Prince's residence was doing fairly well in the capital. However, the Third Princess also had to consider her children and couldn't just continue living like this, half-dead.
In the future, they will all need to earn a title and honor, so the quality of their fiefdoms is of paramount importance to the princes.
The Third Princess said, "Could Fenghua go and talk to the Emperor about arranging the Third Prince's fiefdom in Yangzhou, which is close to my family home?"
Yangzhou is a prosperous city, which is probably why the Third Princess wanted to go there!
Jiang Fenghua said, "The empress dowager is not allowed to interfere in politics. This is a rule passed down from the Holy Ancestor Emperor. I may have to disappoint my third sister-in-law." Besides, Xie Shang may not grant fiefdoms to the princes according to ancestral rules.
The Third Princess's expression was somewhat unpleasant. She forced a smile and said, "I have indeed overstepped my bounds." She had originally intended to have her niece from her maternal family enter the palace for the imperial concubine selection, and she also hoped that Jiang Fenghua would make an exception for her.
She didn't know how to start the conversation.
Just then, the sound of a funeral bell tolled outside. Jiang Fenghua said, "This is not the time to discuss state affairs. We are just royal wives. Let the men handle other matters. Third sister-in-law's good fortune is yet to come."
The Third Princess said, "Yes, Fenghua is right. It's getting late, I'll head back now. There's a ceremony tomorrow morning."
"Wang Mama, please see the Third Princess out!" Jiang Fenghua did not keep her. The Third Princess must have wanted to seize the initiative since she had rushed over so late.
If Xie Shang were to grant fiefdoms to the princes, what would he choose to do?
After seeing the person off, Granny Wang returned. "Your Highness, please don't be easily swayed. If the Third Princess Consort can come tonight, the Second Princess Consort, the Fourth Princess Consort, and the Sixth Princess Consort will also come to bother Your Highness tomorrow morning."
"I naturally won't concern myself with these matters. They just think I can influence the Emperor's heart, but little do they know that no matter how favored I am, the Emperor has his own opinions." Jiang Fenghua understood Xie Shang; he was not an emperor easily swayed by women.
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