Chapter 80 Only Pick the Soft Persimmon
Jiang Fenghua had naturally anticipated this step, and she also knew that Su Tingwan had used her identity to owe money. She had been ignoring it all, waiting for the day when Su Tingwan would be exposed. She didn't expect that Xie Shang would take the initiative to pay off the debt for Su Tingwan and consider the matter settled, without even a word of reprimand.
She naturally had to appear magnanimous, but the Empress was not as magnanimous. A married woman leaving the palace without permission and not returning all night was more serious than her spending tens of thousands of taels of silver.
Thinking more deeply, Xie Shang's identity was not that of an ordinary citizen, but that of a prince, a king. Their every word and action was being watched by the people of the world.
No matter how much Xie Shang tried to cover for Su Tingwan, he couldn't stop the gossip and discussions about the Heng Prince's Mansion from the world.
Last time, even though the Empress knew that Su Tingwan owed money, she didn't summon her to the palace. But when Su Tingwan left the palace without permission, the Empress hurriedly summoned her to the palace for a reprimand. This is the rule of the royal family.
Jiang Fenghua had been setting things up for a long time. Enticing her to spend money was just the fuse. Although it would have some impact on her reputation, the impact wouldn't be too great. Eventually, everyone would find out that it was the concubine who did it.
Besides, Xie Shang personally took her to various shops yesterday, which was a way for him to show off his power.
Jiang Fenghua continued, "Yesterday, His Highness was presiding over a case at the yamen, so I secretly followed him. We stayed together until this morning. I didn't know when Consort Su left the palace, nor where she went. I suppose Consort Su is used to being free and unrestrained; she's lively, unconventional, and doesn't distinguish between men and women. It wasn't until Granny Wang came to report today that I learned she hadn't returned all night. It was my fault; I should have inquired about it."
The Empress, of course, knew nothing of Xie Shang's trial. She immediately became interested. "You went to watch Shang'er's trial. How did it go? What was the public's reaction? Were there many spectators?"
"Your Highness is a benevolent and impartial ruler in the hearts of the people, praised by everyone." Jiang Fenghua's eyes were full of admiration, as if no man in the world could compare to her husband.
Empress Cheng felt a little better upon hearing this. As long as Shang'er could win the hearts of the people, that would be the best outcome.
The better Shang'er's reputation, the less his household should hold him back. Empress Cheng said coldly, "You are indeed wrong. How can the dignified Princess Consort of Heng not manage the household? What use is it for me to marry you into the palace? I was hoping you would suppress Su Tingwan, but you let Shang'er consummate the marriage with her."
Yes, whenever something happens, she is always the one who takes the blame. Just like in her previous life, Xie Shang only had Su Tingwan in his heart, and he never said a good word for her. She could only swallow her bitterness and bear all her grievances alone.
Xie Shang's decision to sleep with Su Tingwan is also her fault.
"That day when you left the palace, I repeatedly told you to take good care of Shang'er, but in the end you let Shang'er get so sick. I should punish you severely for failing in your duty." Empress Cheng didn't care about the reason at all. Her heart and eyes were full of her own son. She started to nag again, determined not to stop until she had scolded Jiang Fenghua.
"You've been in the manor for a while now, why is there still no sign of pregnancy? If you're not feeling well, let Granny Wang help you so you can give birth to a son for Shang'er as soon as possible. That's your duty."
"It's all my fault, I accept the punishment." Jiang Fenghua knelt on the ground, prostrating herself in a submissive manner.
Jiang Fenghua thought to herself: She was also sick with her son, so why didn't she ask about it at all? Instead, she pushed all the responsibility onto her. Xie Shang was in a bad mood and wanted to go out in the rain, what did that have to do with me? If I hadn't found a way to get him back to the car, I don't know if he would have survived that night.
She was Xie Shang's mother or wet nurse, and it was her fault that he got sick.
She was in good health, but she didn't want to get pregnant so soon and give Su Tingwan an opportunity.
It seems that with Consort Su's downfall, Empress Cheng has become even more idle. Since no one is provoking her anymore, she's provoking others instead—she's simply insane.
Jiang Fenghua understood Empress Cheng. Her sending Granny Wang into the Heng Prince's mansion to monitor Xie Shang's every move had long aroused Xie Shang's dissatisfaction. This is why, in his previous life, after Xie Shang ascended the throne, he appointed Consort Su as the Empress Dowager of the Western Palace based on a single sentence from Su Tingwan.
Unable to gain the emperor's favor, she turned all her energy to Xie Shang, and this intense desire for control almost drove her mad.
Empress Cheng let her kneel on the ground, not even giving her a cushion. Her skin was delicate, and her knees were already bruised and red, but she didn't move an inch. She pressed her knees down hard on the ground, the harder the better.
When Xie Shang stormed into Kunning Palace, he saw Jiang Fenghua kneeling in the middle of the main hall, her whole body trembling and prostrate on the ground in fear.
Without looking at her again, he respectfully bowed to the Empress and said, "Your subject greets Your Majesty."
Su Tingwan followed behind Xie Shang. Seeing Jiang Fenghua kneeling properly on the ground, she also bowed respectfully, saying, "This concubine greets Your Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings."
Granny Xi followed in, saying, "It was the prince who forbade me from announcing this."
Empress Cheng said, "You may leave."
"Why is Shang'er here?" Empress Cheng's expression changed, and she quickly stood up from her seat.
Xie Shang's face was icy cold. "I heard that the Empress Dowager summoned the Princess Consort to the palace, so I came to see for myself."
Wasn't Jiang Fenghua the princess she insisted he marry? Wasn't she the one she was most satisfied with? Yet now she's being summoned to the palace to be punished by kneeling.
Now Xie Shang understood that his mother not only wanted to control him, but also Jiang Fenghua. She hated Su Tingwan the most because Su Tingwan was beyond her control.
Jiang Fenghua was caught in the middle of the three of them and suffered the most.
Empress Cheng glanced at Su Tingwan, "There's been trouble at the Prince's residence. Your Majesty has sent someone to invite the Princess to the palace to inquire about the situation."
"Mother should also invite her son along!" The mother only picks on the weak.
"She is the mistress of the Prince's mansion. The loss of money in the mansion and the mismanagement of the inner quarters are not Shang'er's business, but the Princess's business." Empress Cheng glanced at Su Tingwan and said, "Consort Su has not returned all night. It is a rare sight to see you now. This is the first time I have seen you since Consort Su married into the Prince's mansion."
She said it on purpose, implying that Su Tingwan had never asked her for permission to pay her respects.
Remembering Yunfang's instructions, Su Tingwan knelt on the ground and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, I haven't been back to the Su residence for a long time. I just wanted to go back and visit. I should have come to pay my respects to Your Majesty, but I was afraid of disturbing Your Majesty and incurring your displeasure."
"You've only been married into the Prince's mansion for two or three months. If all married women were like you, running back to their parents' home every few days, what would be the point of getting married? Just stay in the Su mansion!" Empress Cheng was annoyed whenever she saw her, and it was all Su Tingwan's fault.
Su Tingwan quickly apologized, "I know I was wrong."
"Hmph, now that you know you're wrong, I'm going to punish you. Do you accept the punishment?" Empress Cheng asked her.
This time, Su Tingwan didn't argue back. "I accept the punishment."
"Like mother, like daughter. Your aunt couldn't stand being alone and dared to have an affair in the palace. Who knows, you might follow suit and stay out all night to meet some lover and bring shame to the prince." In front of Xie Shang, Empress Cheng showed no mercy and was even less polite: "Granny Xi, take Consort Su into the side hall."
Su Tingwan was confused as to why she was being taken to the side hall. She looked at Xie Shang and said, "Your Highness, save me."
Xie Shang, unsure how his mother intended to punish her, quickly said, "Mother, Wanwan, she..."
"Shang'er, don't worry about it. Do you think I'd kill her? All these years, I haven't been able to stop her from getting close to you. Now that she's entered the Prince Heng's residence, if we don't discipline her, she'll become even more unruly," Empress Cheng said in a deep voice.
Xie Shang also knew that Su Tingwan was unruly, so the Empress Dowager punished her to teach her a lesson.
Empress Cheng then said to Xie Shang, "Go and help Ruan Ruan up. I didn't mean to punish her. As the mistress of the royal residence, I should ensure that my husband has no worries and can manage the household well."
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