Chapter 61 Internal Strife – You dare to be so bold! She is my maternal grandmother! ...
Inside the cabins on the second floor of the ship, wisps of smoke rose from a blue-and-white porcelain incense burner, the air filled with a mixture of incense and medicinal fragrance.
The woman leaned against the headboard, dressed in plain clothes. The flickering candlelight on the table illuminated her snow-white face, outlining her delicate features. Although she was seriously ill, her beautiful appearance could not be concealed. Her slightly furrowed eyebrows revealed a pitiful and fragile look.
A maid carefully brought over a bowl of medicine, squatted down by the bedside, and said softly, "Princess, it's time to take your medicine."
Xie Nianzhi opened her eyes and saw the cloudy medicine in the bowl. Her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she coughed softly a few times.
The maid hurriedly put down the medicine bowl, raised her hand to pat the woman's back, and said with heartache, "Princess, why are you doing this to yourself? You were just about to recover, but you had to catch a cold. Physician Huang said that if you get a fever again, I'm afraid your cold will get even worse!"
Xie Nianzhi coughed for a while before recovering, her pale cheeks showing an unnatural flush.
She said softly, "We're about to enter the capital. My status is different now. From now on, if I want to enter the palace, I can only be summoned by the Empress Dowager. I want to see him one last time before I go to the capital..."
The maid picked up the medicine bowl and comforted her, "Princess, you are overthinking it. During your illness, Lord Pei has visited you three times, which shows that he cares about you. I have inquired and found out that even with the Empress Dowager, Lord Pei only went to see the Prince once, on the day of his departure."
Xie Nianzhi gave a bitter smile: "But every time he comes to see me, he's always with my brother..."
"That's because Lord Pei and our Prince have a good relationship. Princess, have you forgotten that the Governor's Mansion initially refused to let you return to the capital? It was Lord Pei who had General Lin lead troops to surround the Governor's Mansion, forcing that old hag to personally escort you out, and not a single dowry chest was returned."
"Princess, please think about it again. All these years have passed, and Lord Pei has remained unmarried, which shows that he has always cherished you in his heart..."
Xie Nianzhi took a spoonful of the medicinal soup. The bitter taste made her frown slightly, but she still forced herself to swallow it.
"I'm already a withered flower, what is there for him to miss..."
"Princess, do not give up on yourself. You are the daughter of the Eldest Princess, and your status is unmatched. Besides, the Prince will soon return to the capital to take up his post. Soon, the Prince's mansion will be able to restore its former glory. With your looks, talent, and status, you are more than qualified to be a match for any noble or high-ranking official!"
"Ahem... Don't talk nonsense..."
Xie Nianzhi absentmindedly stirred the medicine, the spoon lightly tapping against the rim of the bowl, making a tinkling sound. She lowered her eyes and whispered:
"Have you taken care of the task of sending meals to your brother these past few days?"
The maid added a few incense balls to the incense burner and said, "I remember. Prepare two meals a day. The meal for Lord Pei will be prepared by the kitchen according to the dishes you listed."
Xie Nianzhi nodded and took a small sip of the bitter medicine.
Pei Muwei was on good terms with her elder brother and was a frequent visitor to the Princess's residence.
I remember one year, the osmanthus grove in the Princess's mansion bloomed overnight, and she invited noble ladies from the capital to have tea, arrange flowers, and burn incense at the lakeside pavilion.
The man followed his elder brother through the water corridor, his elegant and tall figure reflected on the lake. His wide sleeves, adorned with bamboo patterns, fluttered with each step, and his black hair, tied up with a jade crown, accentuated his handsome features and imposing presence. The laughter of the girls in the pavilion immediately subsided, with only the soft sound of tea whisks gently brushing against the sides of the teacups, like feathers gliding through the pounding hearts of the young women.
At that time, she and he were the most dazzling figures in the capital.
The maid put away the empty medicine bowl, hesitated for a moment, but decided to speak: "These past few days, when I was delivering lunch to the Prince, I bumped into Miss Jin, who serves the Empress Dowager, a few times. I saw that Miss Jin was also carrying an ivory food box..."
Xie Nianzhi's gaze narrowed slightly. She suddenly coughed, covering her lips with a handkerchief, her shoulders trembling violently, and the corners of her eyes turning a glaring red.
The maidservant hurriedly brought a cup of tea and said quickly, "Princess, please rest assured. I check the food box every day when I bring it back. It is clean and tidy. Lord Pei has not disappointed you. I think... the Empress Dowager sent someone to deliver that portion, but Lord Pei did not touch it."
Xie Nianzhi drank the tea, lowered his eyes, and said softly, "I heard from my brother that the Empress Dowager is not yet twenty years old, but has an extraordinary way of speaking and a stunning appearance."
The maid curled her lip, her tone disdainful: "Even if she's a beauty, she's certainly far inferior to the princess. Otherwise, why didn't we hear of her when we were in the capital? If the princess hadn't been forced to leave the capital, how would those Chu family girls have had the chance to rise to prominence..."
"Shut up...cough cough...Even if the Empress Dowager comes from a humble background, she is still the Emperor's mother in name only. Are you trying to kill me with your arrogance?"
Upon seeing this, the maidservant quickly knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "This servant knows her mistake. This servant will never dare to speak nonsense again. Princess, please be careful not to upset yourself."
Xie Nianzhi supported herself on the bed with her palms, a trace of helplessness and weariness flashing in her eyes. She sighed softly, "Get up. Things are not what they used to be. Even if my brother and I return to the capital, the Prince's Mansion can never be restored to what it used to be. Remember, be careful with your words and actions in the future."
"I've got it."
The flame in the lotus candlestick flickered gently. On the huanghuali wood ruyi-shaped robe hanger opposite the bed, a black cloak was made of superior material and exquisitely embroidered. The black base gleamed faintly in the candlelight.
The four-clawed golden python embroidered on the cloak is lifelike, with its eyes inlaid with precious rubies. When the candlelight shines on it, it seems to breathe life into it.
Xie Nianzhi stared unblinkingly at the cloak, as if someone who had fallen into a dark valley had seen the only beam of light above their head.
————
Three days later, the Qilin-shaped ship docked at the ferry crossing in the capital.
The Prefect of the Capital received advance notice and, before dawn, dispatched patrol troops to heavily surround the dock, paving the road with blue bricks and sprinkling flowers and water on the street.
Chu Yueyuan boarded the imperial carriage prepared by the Imperial Stud. Before leaving, she lifted the bright yellow gauze curtain and saw Prince Chun and the Regent riding side by side on horseback.
In just over ten days, Prince Chun's figure became much rounder, and his originally well-defined chin had gained a ring of flesh.
Xie Yu bent down and stroked the horse's mane, sighing, "It's been so many years, and your tastes have changed so much. I remember back in the princess's residence, you never missed a spicy meal."
Pei Muwei held the reins in one hand and smiled faintly: "As I get older, my tastes have become milder."
Xie Yu turned his head and saw his young master sitting on his horse, his figure as straight as a pine tree, his demeanor elegant and graceful. The morning light shone through the thin mist, casting a faint shadow on one side of his high nose, making his features even more distinct and his temperament aloof.
"Nianyi is unaware of your changes, and she still meticulously prepares dishes according to your old preferences. Afraid she'll overthink things, I force myself to eat six meals a day, and I even got sores on my lips..."
Xie Yu was naturally optimistic, and after a moment's thought, a new idea popped into his head: "Alright, I'll take up my post tomorrow and let Prime Minister Shen and those officials from the Ministry of Personnel see how much effort I've put into preparing for this imperial examination, to the point that I'm so anxious!"
Pei Muwei smiled faintly, then reminded him, "Sizhou mentioned in his letter that during the six months I was away from the capital, the eldest son of Prince Anxian married the daughter of the Duke of Fengguo. Their families already held opposing political views, and now, by joining forces, their power has increased significantly. You must be careful in court from now on..."
Like the Shen family, the Duke of Fengguo was a noble family that had been rooted in the capital for centuries. However, the Shen family had produced more civil officials in recent years, while the Duke of Fengguo's family were all military generals who held military power in seven prefectures. Their status in the court was extremely important, and no one except the imperial relatives could match them.
Xie Yu raised his thick eyebrows slightly, his tone surprised: "How come I remember that the Anxian Prince and the Fengguo Duke's families were not on good terms? It's only been a few years, yet they've turned swords into plowshares!"
He paused, then continued, "Young Master Xiao married at seventeen. You are nine years older than him, yet you don't even have a concubine. You should keep an eye out for suitable women from prominent families in the capital. A friendly alliance between the two families would be very beneficial. I won't go into details, but you should understand..."
Pei Muwei did not reply. He raised his eyes to look at the carriage with its jade canopy not far away, his gaze slightly deepening.
Inside the car, Chu Yueyuan met the man's burning gaze, her heart suddenly raced, and she hurriedly lowered the curtain.
Since having physical intimacy with a man in Xixia Kingdom, although it didn't go all the way, it far exceeded the boundaries that should exist between men and women, and Chu Yueyuan clearly felt that her feelings for him had changed slightly.
In the past, under the gaze of those deep phoenix eyes, she was filled with fear and worry, and she dealt with them cautiously, half-truthfully and half-falsely.
When I looked into his eyes this morning, I was no longer worried or afraid, but my heart was beating even faster.
Chu Yueyuan fidgeted with the silk handkerchief in her hand, not wanting Jin Tong to see her panic, so she casually asked, "Why aren't the carriages moving?"
"I just asked, and the Regent Prince is not comfortable with the people sent by the Prefect of the Capital, so he ordered General Lin to assemble a team of men to escort His Highness back to the palace."
Chu Yueyuan frowned slightly and muttered, "They're already in the capital, what could possibly go wrong? He's clearly just being arrogant..."
A dull knocking sound came from the window frame.
Without even guessing, Chu Yueyuan knew who dared to knock on her window, a widow's window, and immediately gave Jin Tong a wink.
Jin Tong understood immediately and lifted a corner of the gauze curtain.
Pei Muwei looked at the young empress dowager sitting in the carriage. The woman had changed into a gorgeous palace dress, and her black hair was combed into a high bun, making her snow-white neck appear even longer and more slender, like an exquisite porcelain doll.
The woman kept her eyes straight ahead, maintaining an air of absolute authority, and spoke in a calm voice: "What is it, Minister Pei?"
"There will be a court assembly on the fifteenth, Your Highness, please do not forget."
Chu Yueyuan had really forgotten... She couldn't show it, otherwise her airs as the empress would be wasted.
She nodded, feigning composure: "Of course I remember."
"And Princess Nianyi's imperial decree."
This time, Chu Yueyuan couldn't help but be surprised. She turned her head sharply to stare at the smiling man with phoenix eyes, her tone uncertain: "Does Minister Pei want me to draft an imperial edict?"
It's no wonder she was surprised, after all, her reputation as Empress Dowager Fengyin had long been known in the court.
Writing an imperial edict to confer titles and honors was not a major event, but it demonstrated the regent's determination to hand over the power to manage the harem to her.
Pei Muwei's gaze fell on the woman's bright, sparkling eyes. He stared at her for a while before slowly saying, "The matter of bestowing titles and honors is originally the Empress Dowager's duty."
Chu Yueyuan instinctively wanted to refuse.
Rights were a foreign concept to her.
However, in the imperial city, power is more useful than money; it can protect people's safety while also taking their lives.
Although Chu Yueyuan did not want to take other people's lives for the time being, she wanted to protect her own life, as well as the loyal people like Xiao Yun, Granny Xu, Jin Tong, Xiao Yanzi, Yu Luo, and Bao Luo. The longer she held the title of Little Empress Dowager, the more people she would need to protect under her wing.
The "no" that almost escaped her lips was swallowed back down.
Chu Yueyuan smiled and said "okay" as her bright eyes curved slightly.
"I understand. Does Minister Pei have anything else to say?"
Pei Muwei's gaze never left the woman's face; his dark eyes were extremely focused as he said calmly, "There's more."
Chu Yueyuan leaned slightly towards the window and pulled the curtain up a little, revealing her bright face bathed in sunlight. She asked curiously, "What is it?"
"Your Highness, please take care while I am away."
Chu Yueyuan was stunned at first. Her clear eyes flickered, and this time the smile on her lips became a little more sincere.
"Alright, I've got it."
The carriage rumbled along the Imperial Street, and when Chu Yueyuan looked up again, the sky above her head had turned into the blue sky of the palace.
Thinking of giving Xiao Yun and Granny Xu a surprise, she didn't ask the palace servants to announce her arrival and went straight to Fengqi Palace.
At midday, the sun shone brightly, making the glazed tiles of the Phoenix Perch Hall gleam with golden light, showcasing its royal magnificence.
But as soon as Chu Yueyuan took her first step into the hall, she sensed that something was wrong.
In the past, whenever the young emperor was present, Fengqi Palace was always bustling with activity. Xiao Yun disliked being cooped up indoors, so as soon as the weather warmed up, he would either be outside spinning tops, playing marbles, or jumping rope, or he would invite a group of eunuchs and maids to play Cuju (ancient Chinese football) and pitch-pot with him. Even through the carved doors, one could hear the joyful laughter coming from outside the palace.
Chu Yueyuan entered the quiet inner palace. Apart from the palace servants bowing to her along the way, she could not see the bright yellow figure.
Hearing the commotion, Xiao Yanzi rushed back from outside. Seeing Chu Yueyuan standing in the hall, his face lit up with excitement and joy, and he quickly kowtowed, saying:
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, you've finally returned!"
Chu Yueyuan walked hurriedly, a thin layer of sweat beading on her forehead. She sat down on the rosewood chair with openwork phoenix patterns, took the floral palace fan handed to her by Yu Luo, and gently fanned herself with the fan, asking, "Has His Majesty not returned from the school yet? And where is Granny Xu? I can't see her anywhere."
Xiao Yanzi immediately looked troubled, as if she didn't know what to say first.
"Your Highness, after you left the palace, Granny Xu was accompanying the Emperor to catch butterflies in the Imperial Garden when she accidentally fell down the stone steps. Fortunately, Imperial Physician Zhao was there at the time, and Granny Xu is in good health, so her bones were fine, but her hip joint was dislocated and she needs to rest in bed."
Chu Yueyuan was taken aback. She stood up abruptly and asked anxiously, "How is Granny now?"
"Your Highness, rest assured, Zhao Qiming's medical skills are superb. With his meticulous care, Granny's injuries have almost healed. In the past few days, she has been able to get out of bed and walk a few steps with crutches."
Chu Yueyuan was slightly relieved. She frowned and scolded, "Why didn't you mention such a serious injury as the nanny's fall to me in your letter?"
"Granny Xu said that the Empress Dowager had important business to attend to outside the palace and instructed me not to inform Your Highness so as not to distract you. It was all my fault, and I beg Your Highness to punish me!"
Chu Yueyuan couldn't care less about punishing Xiao Yanzi at this moment. Thinking of the crucial point, she asked again, "If Granny Xu is ill, then who usually takes care of the Emperor?"
Xiao Yanzi shrank back, her eyebrows drooping, and said, "It's...it's the Emperor's maternal grandmother, Madam Du. Right now...Madam Du is accompanying the Emperor to catch butterflies in the Imperial Garden."
Du Shi—Du Chuirong—was a noblewoman whom her father pursued relentlessly behind the backs of his first wife. She was also Chu Wanxi's birth mother and Xiao Yun's maternal grandmother.
A layer of frost gradually formed in Chu Yueyuan's eyes: "Did I not give an order that Du Shi shall not be summoned to the palace to visit the Emperor without my summons?"
Xiao Yanzi's tone was aggrieved and helpless, and she said with a sob in her voice, "After Xu Mama fell and hurt herself, this servant and Zi Rui took His Majesty to Zishan Hall every day. Coincidentally, the eldest grandson of Prince Anxian was also studying at Zishan Hall. I don't know when Madam Du became friends with Princess Anxian. Every time the Princess entered the palace to pick up the young prince, she always brought Madam Du with her."
"When Madam Du saw that the Emperor only had servants and Zi Rui by his side, she indirectly said that the Empress Dowager's arrangements were inadequate, as the Emperor did not even have an elderly head maid by his side. Princess Anxian then reported this matter to the Censorate, and the Censorate officials reported that the Emperor was being mistreated in the harem. In order to quell the incident, Chief Minister Lin finally allowed Madam Du to enter the palace to take care of the Emperor!"
After listening to Xiao Yanzi's account, Chu Yueyuan frowned, her fingers unconsciously gripping the sandalwood fan handle.
I never imagined that I would be away from the palace for only half a year, and that Lady Du would be so eager to sneak in.
Lin Sizhou was unaware of her past circumstances in the Chu family. Moreover, Du Shi was the emperor's maternal grandmother by blood, which ultimately gave her the opportunity to get close to Xiao Yun.
She pondered for a moment, the sandalwood fan handle turning slightly in her hand.
"How long has Lady Du been by the Emperor's side? Your Majesty... is it permissible to be intimate with her?"
Xiao Yanzi quickly replied, "At first, the Emperor ignored Madam Du, but later... I don't know what method she used, but the Emperor stopped rejecting her. Sometimes, if he didn't see her for a day, His Majesty would make a fuss about bringing Madam Du into the palace."
Chu Yueyuan lowered her eyelashes, a faint sense of loss in her heart. She said softly, "After all, they are blood relatives. His Majesty is simple-minded; naturally, he will be good to those who are good to him..."
Seeing this, Jin Tong stepped forward and advised, "Your Highness, there's no need to overthink it. Now that you're back in the palace, you can issue an order forbidding Lady Du from entering again. In time, His Majesty will forget about her. In the past, when His Majesty had a headache or fever, you would rush to the Zichen Palace in the middle of the night wearing only a thin robe and stay up all night to watch over him. Everyone in the palace can see how good Your Highness is to His Majesty, and even though His Majesty is young, he understands it!"
Xiao Yanzi quickly chimed in, "Yes, during the six months since the Empress Dowager left the palace, His Majesty has missed you every day and even dreamt of you. Granny Xu said that as long as His Majesty listens attentively to the lessons at Zishan Hall, His Highness can return from Xixia sooner. His Majesty has taken Granny Xu's words to heart and has never been late since, rain or shine. We servants can't persuade him otherwise!"
"How about this servant goes to the Imperial Garden to fetch His Majesty and bring him back?"
Chu Yueyuan forced herself to cheer up and smiled faintly: "Never mind, let the Emperor have his fun. I'll go and see Granny Xu first."
Xu Mama's residence was right next to the main hall of Fengqi Palace. Chu Yueyuan specially chose a bright and spacious single room and sent two palace maids to serve her.
When she arrived, Granny Xu was leaning on her cane, about to leave, presumably having heard the news of her return to the palace.
Xu Mama's joyful reaction was exactly the same as Xiao Yanzi's.
"His Highness is finally back!"
Chu Yueyuan quickly went over and helped Granny Xu sit down. She noticed that Granny Xu was much thinner than before she left, and there were more gray hairs at her temples. Her eyes welled up with tears.
"It's my fault. I should have put more capable people around the old woman so that she wouldn't get hurt."
Xu Mama looked Chu Yueyuan up and down. Seeing that her complexion was rosy, she smiled and said, "The Empress Dowager looks even brighter after returning from her trip out of the palace. Your Highness need not worry about this old servant's health. Imperial Physician Zhao is very skilled. With a little more rest, this old servant will be able to get rid of this troublesome cane."
After saying this, Granny Xu changed the subject and said seriously, "Your Highness, while I was recuperating, I allowed that woman, Madam Du, to find an opportunity to get close to the Emperor, and she..."
Chu Yueyuan gently patted the back of Xu Mama's hand and said softly:
"I have heard everything from Xiao Yanzi about this matter, so you don't need to worry, just focus on recovering. When I first entered the palace, I was able to find a way to get rid of Madam Du, but now that I have been training under the Regent for a year and a half, I have been influenced by what I see and hear, and my ability to be a villain will not diminish."
A relieved smile appeared on Granny Xu's face as she looked at Chu Yueyuan with loving eyes: "Now that Your Highness has made up your mind, this old servant is relieved. There is one more thing, which this old servant has been keeping quiet about..."
Chu Yueyuan leaned forward slightly, and the two, mistress and servant, began to speak in hushed tones...
———
It was nearly dusk when Lady Du finally escorted Xiao Yun back to Fengqi Palace.
"Mother Empress!!!"
A bright yellow figure stepped over the threshold, followed by the tinkling sound of jade beads and the panicked cries of palace maids.
Hearing the familiar sounds, Chu Yueyuan smiled and watched as the bright yellow figure rushed in and threw himself into her arms.
"Why has Mother Empress only just returned? Your Majesty, I thought... that Mother Empress no longer wanted me..."
Chu Yueyuan gently wiped the sweat from Xiao Yun's forehead with a silk handkerchief and said with a smile, "If I didn't want Your Majesty, I wouldn't have had a boatload of rare trinkets brought back."
Xiao Yun's dark eyes gleamed: "What did Mother bring back? Let your son see!"
Chu Yueyuan gently flicked Xiao Yun's tender nose: "Let your mother take a good look at you first!"
Xiao Yun straightened his back, tilted his head back, and couldn't hide his smugness: "Mother, look, haven't I grown taller? Imperial Physician Zhao touched my bones and said I'll grow as tall as the Regent. Also, Mother, I lost two of my front teeth. I originally planned to wait for you to come back so we could bury them together, but you haven't returned, so I buried them under your favorite magnolia tree..."
Xiao Yun kept chattering, and when he got to the part about losing his teeth, he even opened his mouth to show Chu Yueyuan his newly grown teeth.
Jin Tong brought over two bowls of rock sugar pear soup, smiling and complimenting, "Oh, Your Majesty, look, His Majesty's newly grown teeth are so big and even, as white and clean as two pearls!"
Chu Yueyuan smiled and said, “That’s right. Your Majesty has grown a good set of teeth. If you don’t pick and choose your food, you will definitely be taller and more powerful than the Regent in the future.”
Xiao Yun was flattered by the praise, blinking his big, dark eyes: "Really? Really? I'll be even more mighty than the Regent in the future!"
Chu Yueyuan was about to tease him a few more times when she was interrupted by a sudden sound of bowing from behind the jade beaded necklace:
"Lady Du pays her respects to the Empress Dowager and wishes Your Highness a long and happy life."
Chu Yueyuan's smile remained unchanged, but the temperature in her eyes turned cold.
"Mother, the person outside is my maternal grandmother. She often brings me snacks from outside the palace, which are even tastier than those made in the imperial kitchen."
Xiao Yun said innocently, "Grandmother said that we are a family, so we should see each other often."
Du Chuirong, standing outside the curtain, stood up and said with a smile, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. The Empress Dowager has raised the Emperor to be filial and sensible over the years. If His Majesty's birth mother, Consort Chun, knew this in heaven, she would surely bless the Empress Dowager with lasting happiness."
Du's words were laced with barbs, causing Chu Yueyuan's delicate eyebrows to furrow slightly.
Yu Luo, who was serving in the inner room, couldn't help but scold, "How dare you! The Empress Dowager hasn't even excused Madam Du from her formalities, yet you've already excused yourself. Don't you have any manners?"
"You dare! She is my maternal grandmother!"
Xiao Yun slammed his fist on the table and roared angrily. Although his voice was childish, it still carried a hint of the imperial might of the emperor, which frightened all the maids in the room into kneeling down.
Yu Luo's face was deathly pale, and she was trembling all over.
Standing behind the curtain, Madam Du lowered her eyes, appearing humble, but a smug smile inadvertently appeared on her lips.
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