"You're still protecting her? It was your Meng family who treated her badly back then, which is why she went to be with the Crown Prince. And now you're protecting her? Do you have any shame?" Ever since Yan Jinsi gave birth, she hasn't had a single smooth day, and her temper is unusually short.
Meng Junxian sighed wearily, "Don't talk nonsense. When have I ever protected her? I know my place very well. If outsiders heard this, wouldn't you think things are already chaotic enough at home?"
"I'm afraid of her?" Yan Jinsi glared. "You're all afraid of her now, and Mother isn't the same as before. I'm not afraid!"
Meng Junxian sighed again: "Jinsi, Mother isn't afraid, she's avoiding us. She has to learn to bow her head, doesn't she?" Meng Junxian was also aware of the precarious position of the Eldest Princess.
If I don't bow my head, won't things be even worse?
But Yan Jinsi didn't understand, or perhaps she didn't want to understand.
Yan Jinsi's mindset had already exploded back when she was about to marry Meng Junxian.
For several years now, I haven't been able to calm down; I've been constantly angry. I get angry at the drop of a hat.
Meng Junxian was in great distress, but no matter what he thought in his heart, he had to persuade her on the surface.
He was truly terrified.
Now Yan Nangui is His Majesty's concubine, and it seems she is still favored.
It would be best if Your Majesty forgot what happened before. If you remember it, will you still be able to keep your head?
He had no idea that he could survive and remain in the capital, or that Yan Nangui had won him his favor.
But what he was really thinking was, who wouldn't be afraid of His Majesty?
Especially since he was once a subject.
Yan Jinsi was angry for a while before she calmed down.
She wasn't entirely fearless, but she felt mostly frustrated and unaccustomed to it.
"Fourth Sister's marriage was ruined by the Empress Dowager's words." Yan Jinsi, having lost her temper, regained her composure.
It's not that one sentence ruined her reputation, but with just one sentence, which courtier would dare to ask for her hand in marriage?
Unless she marries someone from another place, but if that person is an official, then she probably can't marry him.
After all, it was a marriage proposal with a prince. Whether it was a genuine proposal or a sham, who knew?
To marry well, one would need an imperial decree or empress dowager's blessing.
How could that be?
"How smug she was when she watched me marry you? She was so eager to marry a prince. And look at her now!" Yan Jinsi sneered.
Meng Junxian thought to himself, "Is marrying me really that bad?"
I dare not say. But I thought of the Seventh Prince; how can he possibly be doing well now that he's imprisoned?
In the other carriage, Yan Jinfei had been crying in Princess Rongning's arms for quite a while.
“What’s the use of crying?” Rong Ning sighed.
“Mother, how could this happen… how could this happen…” Yan Jinfei sighed and wiped away her tears.
Yan Jinfei is much smarter than Yan Jinsi.
But being so young, he hadn't even had a chance to show his abilities before things turned out this way.
She was filled with grievance and fear. Unfortunately, her grievance and fear were of no use.
Unless Rong Ning has the ability to rebel and support someone else.
But that's impossible.
All she can do now is try to maintain her position so that she doesn't end up in a terrible state.
A counterattack is impossible.
Only now does she realize how wise it was for Yan Nan to join the Crown Prince's residence.
“We underestimated her in the past.” Rong Ning hadn’t quite connected everything yet, but she was starting to have some doubts.
“Mother, I also find it strange.” Yan Jinfei cleared her throat. “Mother, now that Empress Ning is the Empress, the Empress Dowager definitely hopes that a daughter from the Ye family will be Empress. Can we try to influence her in this direction?”
Princess Rongning was taken aback, then nodded: "Don't rush, wait a moment."
That's a good idea, if she could support the Ye family girl...
But this was to curry favor with the Empress Dowager, something she didn't really want to do.
Then why don't we befriend the Ning family?
The Ning family... must be worried too, right?
Back in the palace, everyone returned to their respective residences, all quite exhausted.
Princess Zhen had just returned and sat down on the ground before even going inside.
She was already ill, and even though it was the New Year, she still had to copy scriptures these past few days.
Needless to say, she couldn't expect to eat anything at a banquet, unlike others who might manage to eat something.
She had been ill for a while, and her mood had been low lately due to fear and anxiety, which she couldn't bear.
Consort Cao hurriedly ordered someone to help her up, frowned, and had someone help her into the house.
She panicked upon encountering the water and said, "This servant will go and fetch the imperial physician right away."
"Why summon the imperial physician! Do you want her dead?" Consort Cao roared.
Given the current situation, summoning the imperial physician on the eve of the Lunar New Year is surely an attempt to give the Empress Dowager a handle to continue her repercussions.
"But...but the person has already fainted!" Yu Shui exclaimed excitedly.
"There's nothing to do tomorrow, so you can rest well. Even if you need to call the imperial physician, you can't do it today," said Consort Cao.
Luo Shui nodded: "Today is not a good day to call the imperial physician, so stop joking around."
It stared wide-eyed at the water, but could only remain silent for a long time.
Consort Zhen fell into a deep sleep, and the next day passed.
I woke up with a terrible headache and it took me a long time to come to my senses.
Feeling hungry, Yu Shui came in with red eyes: "Your Majesty, you're finally awake..."
Consort Zhen thought about what happened yesterday and understood the situation. She felt extremely sad, but her face remained expressionless.
"Are you hungry? The meal is ready."
Consort Zhen nodded, got up, washed up, and went out for her meal.
He frowned as soon as he opened the food box.
The diet isn't bad, it's just unsuitable.
How could she possibly have an appetite for such greasy meat so early in the morning? None of the six dishes were to her liking.
She wanted some porridge today, but instead, steamed buns were served...
This is so early in the morning, they're not letting her eat.
Princess Zhen's hands trembled as she said, "Go...go pour me a bowl of boiled water."
She had to swallow all her bitterness.
I didn't dare say anything when I encountered water, I was busy. There have been far too many things like this lately.
Hot water was brought over, and Consort Zhen numbly tore open a steamed bun, threw it in, stirred it a few times, and drank it like porridge.
This made her stomach feel a little better.
But as she was eating, tears started streaming down her face.
She had never suffered like this before; she was pampered and spoiled at home when she was a child.
After getting married...
After marriage, she became a prince's consort, so she naturally wouldn't suffer any mistreatment. Later, she entered the palace...
She entered the palace as a Noble Consort and lived a life of luxury for so many years; she never imagined such a thing would happen.
Because the late emperor had promised her that the twelfth prince would be the crown prince, and their child would be the crown prince.
But everything changed for me too fast.
She suddenly took a deep breath: "You tell me... have I always trusted the late Emperor wrongly? The Empress Dowager has the Ye family behind her, and even the other princes have their own backing. But the Cao family has never... never been a top-tier family. Has the twelfth prince never had any hope? But I still believe..."
Wiping away tears with water, she said, "How could that be? It's...it's because the late emperor...left us too soon. You know how much he doted on you. Our twelfth prince was always the most favored prince, it's all because he left us so early..."
“I know she wants me to regret it! But I don’t regret it, I won’t regret this.” Princess Jane wiped away her tears.
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