Chapter 23 Looking for a roommate
"That vile woman!" Consort Hua took two steps forward, her voice filled with rage, and shouted, "That vile woman is indeed pretentious! She's been clinging to the Emperor for so long because she lost her child, but now that she couldn't protect her own child, she's trying to drag me into this mess!"
Seeing that her words were getting increasingly offensive, Lü Yingfeng stopped her slightly and looked at Zhou Ninghai, who was covered in sweat, and said, "What's going on? Didn't His Majesty promote Consort Fang to Noble Lady the other day? Why is she causing trouble again?"
Zhou Ninghai curled his lip, "This Consort Fang heard from somewhere that Consort Cao had a difficult childbirth, and she went half-mad, ran to the front of the Hall of Mental Cultivation with her hair disheveled, and shouted that the Empress had harmed her child and that the Emperor should do justice for her."
After understanding what had happened, Lü Yingfeng pulled Nian Shilan back to calm her down and led her to the armchair. He gently pressed her shoulders and sat her down, saying nonchalantly, "I thought it was something serious that would make you so angry."
"You're so easy to talk when you're not the one suffering," Consort Hua glanced at her, took a deep breath, and rolled her eyes slightly.
Lu Yingfeng ignored her barbed words and smiled, saying, "The imperial physician checked the crab roe pastry and there's nothing wrong with it. The emperor knows about this too. You're upright and have nothing to fear, so why should you care about her?"
Nian Shilan didn't want to get involved, but she couldn't suppress her anger. Pointing outside, she said indignantly, "Are we just going to let her ruin my reputation in front of the Emperor?"
Lü Yingfeng raised an eyebrow and smiled – “Your reputation with the Emperor isn’t something that can be ruined by a few words from others.”
“For the past month, Consort Fang has been crying and making a scene day and night. Even I am getting annoyed by it every day, let alone the Emperor. Her words are incoherent and repetitive; what can they possibly sway? The important thing now is to keep an eye on Consort Cao’s unborn son. The Emperor will handle her own affairs; why should you worry about it?” With just a few words, Lü Yingfeng calmed Nian Shilan down.
Songzhi watched Lü Yingfeng with sparkling eyes, wishing she could take a notebook and write it down.
“Yes, yes!” Nian Shilan listened to the words and went over them in her mind several times. The more she thought about it, the more relieved she felt. She slowly leaned back in her chair and murmured, “That vile woman is spouting nonsense and slandering me. The Emperor will definitely not believe her. The Emperor will side with me.”
Seeing that she had come to her senses, Lü Yingfeng said no more.
Perhaps the medicine from Jiangcheng was working at this moment, because Cao Qinmo's suppressed, intermittent moans finally rang out again from behind the screen.
The candlelight flickered, and the three women, who didn't talk much to each other, sat silently facing each other, watching the palace maids come and go all night.
"She's given birth! Consort Cao has given birth!" As the midwife's tired yet relieved voice rang out, the three of them breathed a sigh of relief and stood up to take a few steps inside.
"Is it a prince?" Consort Hua asked as she walked in front and saw the midwife come out.
The midwife, who had been working for a day and a night, had bloodshot eyes and could not hide her exhaustion. She paused for a moment upon hearing this, then forced a smile and brought the child to Consort Hua: "Congratulations, Your Highness, Consort Cao has safely given birth to a princess."
“Princess…” Nian Shilan let go of the baby in her arms, her heart broken, and didn’t look at the baby who had been crammed in her arms all night, her body turning purple and her head deformed.
"She's just a princess..."
Lu Yingfeng and Consort Qi exchanged a glance, realizing that it was not appropriate for them to stay there at this time. After gesturing to Songzhi, the two of them left Yikun Palace.
——
"Your Highness is finally back! You were gone all night. Your servant and young master were so worried about you." Hong Xihai rushed over to help Lü Yingfeng when she finally returned.
Lu Yingfeng waved wearily, her nerves, which had been holding on, only becoming numb when she returned to her palace.
"Has Your Majesty heard? Consort Fang has been banished to the Cold Palace."
Hong Xihai's words immediately snapped Lü Yingfeng back to reality—"What's going on? Is it the Emperor's decree?"
"Yes, the decree was issued last night, and the person was taken away early this morning." Xue Xin deftly removed the hairpins from Lü Yingfeng's head, while Hong Xihai bowed behind her and said.
After the probing, Lü Yingfeng was basically certain that Consort Fang's miscarriage had nothing to do with Consort Hua. Consort Hua wore her heart on her sleeve, and her anger just now was completely undisguised; she didn't have that much self-control.
But a perfectly healthy child wouldn't just disappear for no reason; there must be someone else involved.
It's just a pity for Consort Fang. She lost her child and was used as a pawn. Now that she's in the Cold Palace, she probably won't be able to get out anyday.
——
“I see that Hongzhou is much stronger now.”
In Yongshou Palace, Yinzhen sat cross-legged on the couch, with his wet nurse holding the sixth prince Hongzhou beside him. Lü Yingfeng sat opposite him, also peeking at her youngest son.
"Yes, it can eat and sleep well, and it has grown quite a bit."
Yinzhen nodded in satisfaction, and teased Lü Yingfeng with a smile in his eyes, "Ying'er is healthy, so her child will naturally resemble you."
Lu Yingfeng gave the Emperor a reproachful look, then lowered her head and refused to speak.
Fearing he might tease her too much, Yinzhen changed the subject and asked, "How many days has your mother been in the palace? Is she getting used to it?"
At this point, Lü Yingfeng looked up, her bright, moist eyes gazing at Yinzhen with reverence and gratitude in them. "It's all good, it's all good. Thank you for remembering me, Your Majesty. I've been grateful for Your Majesty's kindness ever since I entered the palace."
"I'm glad you're happy." Yinzhen leaned forward and said earnestly with a smile, "You've always been a joker. It's good that your mother has someone to talk to you about her feelings now that she's in the palace."
At this point, Lü Yingfeng seemed to remember something. She propped herself up on the table, cupped her face, tilted her head, and looked at the Emperor with curiosity, asking, "Your Majesty, I heard that a new concubine will be entering the palace in two days. May I ask Your Majesty for a favor and find a companion for me as well?"
Yinzhen was somewhat surprised to hear her say that—"Everyone else would love to live alone in the palace, why did Ying'er suddenly ask me for someone?"
This wasn't actually what Lü Yingfeng wanted, but rather it was because Hongzhao had been pestering her these past few days to bring it up with his father, the Emperor.
Hongzhao was always precocious, and Lü Yingfeng was well aware of this, so she never interfered much with her eldest son's thoughts.
Fortunately, his request wasn't too unreasonable. It wasn't impossible for him to have a concubine from a humble background who was gentle and quiet to live in the side hall of Yongshou Palace.
She brought out the words she had prepared long ago: "Your Majesty, you know my personality. I love to chat and laugh with people. My mother will leave the palace sooner or later, and Your Majesty cannot come all the time. Yongshou Palace is empty and I am all alone again."
"These three children are indeed quite energetic. If I had a gentle, quiet, and talkative younger sister who could chat, embroider, and look after the children with me, that would be wonderful."
The room was filled with the sweet fragrance of pine and bamboo, and a gentle spring breeze seeped in through the half-open window. Under the lamplight, a beautiful woman cupped her face, her bright eyes gazing intently at him.
Her skin was as white as snow, and her hair as black as ink.
Which man could refuse such a request, especially since it wasn't a big deal?
Yinzhen reached out and touched Lü Yingfeng's unadorned hair, giving it a couple of light rubs—"Alright, as you say."
——
Hand in hand, arm in arm, they entered the boudoir; with a shy smile, she blew out the lamp.
——
"Your Majesty, the Han Banner women have entered the palace today."
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