"What is this?" Yun Beiye suddenly realized something and wanted to leave the bedchamber to see which palace this was.
Which concubine gave birth to such a lovely and adorable little princess? He must reward her handsomely.
"Your Majesty, this is the Hibiscus Palace, the residence of Consort Bai," Zhang Mama reminded him shrewdly from the side.
"Yes, yes, Consort Bai, hmm, I'll go take a look." Yun Beiye rubbed his hands together, a smile in his eyes as he walked into the bedchamber.
He rarely set foot in the inner palace. Although he couldn't remember what Bai Jieyu looked like, he remembered her as an extremely gentle yet resolute woman.
The last time I saw her was about ten months ago.
That day, he was overwhelmed with official duties and went to the back garden to clear his head. He passed by the Hibiscus Palace and heard the soft sound of reading coming from inside, so he went in to take a look...
"Consort Bai is gone..." Zhang Mama said in a low voice with regret, as if she were talking to herself, or perhaps reminding the emperor.
Upon hearing this, Yun Beiye stopped in his tracks, a flash of shock and sorrow crossing his eyes.
Yun Duoduo frowned. She thought her granary, her provider, had arrived, but her own father didn't know this was her mother's residence?
How ruthless and cold-blooded! The imperial family is the most heartless of all.
She couldn't help but sigh to the heavens, wondering how she was going to live from now on!
The Empress Dowager held Yun Duoduo in her arms. Seeing the worried look on her face at such a young age, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. "Child, don't be afraid, I love you."
The Empress Dowager gently patted Yun Duoduo, "From now on, you will be called Duoduo, Yun Duoduo."
The Empress Dowager personally bestowed the name, marking the first time she had named a grandchild, a great honor for Nanyang.
May this child have many good things to do in the future and a smooth life.
Yun Duoduo blinked her big eyes and tried to say that she liked the name, but all she could make was wah wah wah.
The name is the same as in my previous life.
She hopes to have abundant wealth, be pampered, and be surrounded by many handsome men.
"Mother, Consort Bai is gone. This child is not as good as..." Yun Beiye swallowed hard, nervously reaching out his hand. Looking at the Empress Dowager's expression, he wanted to take Yun Duoduo into his arms and raise her himself.
"I will raise this child myself." After saying this, the Empress Dowager hugged Yun Duoduo tightly in her arms, stuffed a warm little hand warmer into the embroidered cotton quilt wrapped around Yun Duoduo's small body, and left Mujin Palace without looking back, heading towards Shouchang Palace.
Yun Beiye's hand froze in mid-air as he watched the Empress Dowager carry Yun Duoduo away, feeling a pang of reluctance in his heart.
"Your Majesty, isn't it a bit unreasonable that the little princess is being raised by the Empress Dowager herself?" Zhao Zhongquan, the eunuch beside the emperor, wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Today he witnessed the Empress Dowager berating the Emperor. Fortunately, he was usually tight-lipped and had a good reputation, otherwise he would have been dragged out and silenced.
In the imperial harem, if a concubine of low rank gave birth to a child, the child would be raised by the Empress.
But the Empress Dowager just took the princess away like that, which clearly shows that she doesn't respect the Empress. I'm afraid the political climate in the harem is about to change again.
"It's alright. This is also the Empress's dereliction of duty," Yun Beiye said calmly.
Eunuch Zhao nodded. The princess of the harem was thrown into the well, but fortunately she was unharmed. The Empress Dowager and the Emperor did not punish the Empress. If the Empress were smart, she should not have tried to raise the little princess.
"After all, the Empress Dowager is getting old. Send a few capable people from the Imperial Household Department to serve her at Shouchang Palace."
"You choose them yourself, pick a few clever ones, and don't let them be clumsy and make the Empress Dowager angry."
"Yes, Your Majesty, rest assured, this old servant will make the arrangements immediately." Zhao Zhongquan bowed respectfully, his expression solemn.
"By the way, do not touch anything in the Hibiscus Palace, and do not let other concubines move in. Have someone clean it every day."
"When Duoduo grows up, she will always come to visit her mother." Yun Beiye sighed inwardly. This child lost her mother at a young age, so she should be pampered.
...
Inside Zhaoyang Palace, Empress Zhaoyuan of Nanyang felt extremely uneasy upon hearing the news.
"Today is the Empress Dowager's birthday. Who on earth has done such a heinous thing?"
"This is truly despicable! Isn't this just causing trouble for people?" Empress Zhaoyuan felt as if a thousand ants were tearing at her heart. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead. Such a big incident had occurred in the harem under her control. How would the Empress Dowager and His Majesty punish her?
"Your Majesty need not worry, thankfully the little princess is unharmed." Cui Ling, the head palace maid beside the Empress, comforted her and handed her a cup of hot tea.
"I heard that the two have been taken to the Imperial Prison," Cui Ling whispered in the Empress's ear.
"If anything happens, I'm doomed!" Empress Zhaoyuan sat down and then stood up again, her hands clenched tightly.
"Don't let me find out which bastard, that pathetic coward, used such despicable tactics!"
"Pah!" Empress Zhaoyuan spat on the ground.
Cui Ling swallowed hard, listening to the Empress's foul language, and didn't know how to respond.
"Your Majesty, please don't be anxious. Have some hot tea to calm your nerves."
Empress Zhaoyuan was from the Xiongnu and grew up in Nanyang. She was quick-tempered and had a fiery temper, and would start cursing at the slightest disagreement.
When Yun Beiye was still a hidden dragon, she saved his life, and later became his princess, crown princess, and empress.
"Quickly, prepare the carriage and head to the Ministry of Justice!" Empress Zhaoyuan downed her tea in one gulp, then slammed her hand on the table, preparing to interrogate the two treacherous servants who had caused her trouble.
"Hurry up and prepare a hand warmer for me! Hurry up! Don't dawdle, be quick!"
Seeing his mother so anxious, the eldest prince Yun Yibo was also very worried. "Mother, I will accompany you."
"Oh dear, can you just shut up for a bit? Stop being so nosy!" (meaning meddlesome) The Empress frowned, looking at her own son with displeasure.
"If it weren't for your idleness and neglect of your studies, spending all your time reading with me, Mother wouldn't have been so busy managing the inner palace!" (The phrase "idleness and neglect of your duties" is used to describe someone who is not focused on their studies.)
As she put on her fox fur cloak, Empress Zhaoyuan strode quickly toward the Shenxing Division, hurling insults and profanities.
Cui Ling followed the Empress with small, quick steps, tying the belt around the Empress's neck and waist, and placing the carved hand warmer containing incense charcoal into the Empress's hands.
Yun Yibo is twelve years old this year. He doesn't like studying politics or practicing martial arts. He only likes to squat in the corner and chew on his hands while reading storybooks. His father doesn't care about him either. Empress Zhaoyuan has no choice but to take on the responsibility of educating her son alone and accompany him in his studies every day.
As for the Empress Dowager, she ignored her grandson, who had a high probability of inheriting the throne but was utterly incompetent in both governing the country and winning people's hearts.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
