Qin Jingzhou had been making up missed lessons, reviewing the mountain of memorials waiting for approval, and judging the situation in the various regions based on the secret reports sent over the years by the original host’s former trusted aides. At this point, things really didn’t look good.
Moreover, Qin Jingzhou still needed to heal Xuan Qing later, while Ling Jing planned to take Tuantuan back to Jingren Palace to meet Han Xuerou’s biological mother and maternal aunt.
As for Han’s mother, Lady Li, and her sister-in-law, Lady Han, after getting out of the carriage at the palace gate, they were forced to walk the rest of the way on foot.
Both women currently held the fourth-rank honorary title, whereas their respective mothers-in-law were first-rank title holders. Without reaching the third rank, palace protocol dictated they didn’t even qualify to ride in a sedan chair within the palace.
But then, didn’t they each have a daughter or niece at the pinnacle of favor in the harem?
Until now, regardless of whether it was the Noble Consort or Consort Han, if either of the two entered the palace, they would personally have Inner Attendants carry sedan chairs to wait for them at the gate. The attendants at the gate, both Inner Attendants and bodyguards, would naturally turn a blind eye to this bending of the rules.
Now, all of a sudden, this privilege was withdrawn. Even though the palace grounds were swept clean of snow, walking for over half an hour on the wet, icy, and cold pavement left these pampered sisters-in-law miserable. Resentment inevitably built up in their hearts.
At long last, they entered Jingren Palace and were able to change out of their shoes, which were nearly soaked through with melted snow.
They spent quite some time warming up inside Jingren Palace, cursing the Noble Consort in their hearts all the while, but she still didn’t show up.
Coupled with the lack of sedan chairs today, even with slow wits, it wasn’t hard for them to sense something was wrong: Was the Noble Consort angry? But why would she be angry? Because Wei Guangmei was involved in bribing the Imperial Physician, making the Crown Prince’s illness worse so he would die sooner?
If the Crown Prince were to die, what harm could it do to the Noble Consort? Wouldn’t it only clear a path for her own future son?
However, the Inner Attendants and palace maids served everywhere within Jingren Palace. This wasn’t simply eavesdropping through a wall, it was having someone right across from you overhearing everything.
Thus, neither dared to strike up a conversation and they sat in silence for nearly another half hour before the Noble Consort finally arrived, late as ever.
Lady Li, Han’s mother, originally wanted to ask what on earth had happened in the palace today. But when she caught sight of the tall, slender eunuch beside the Noble Consort—one with fine brows and large eyes—she swallowed all the words she had prepared. This Senior Eunuch seemed to be favored by the Emperor himself!
Ling Jing caught the look on her birth mother’s face, noticed her hesitancy, and didn’t bother changing her clothes—she still needed to return to Qianqing Palace after seeing off these two. She sat atop her large chair, thickly cushioned, and set Tuantuan at her side, looking down from above at her mother and aunt. “Is there something you need?”
At these words, Lady Li was certain her daughter was truly angry. She wasn’t so foolish as to directly question her daughter as to why she was angry or on what grounds she would show her own family such a face, but she couldn’t help feeling uneasy. So she said, “We at home miss you always, my lady. I came to the palace just to see you.”
Han’s mother was more concerned about news from the Emperor’s side, but she managed to restrain herself and force out a smile. “That’s right, my lady. You look… quite well, which sets our hearts at ease.”
Ling Jing studied the two for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
Tuantuan looked left and right, then tugged at her mother’s hand and murmured softly, “Their smiles look so fake, Mother Consort.”
Ling Jing lifted her daughter and set her on her lap. “Is that so? Do you think Mommy should have someone bring a mirror, so they can see for themselves?”
After receiving hugs and kisses from her Father Emperor, Mother Consort, and Crown Prince brother yesterday—and spending the night with her Mother Consort arranged in the main hall while she and her brother stayed in a side hall in Qianqing Palace—Tuantuan had grown a lot braver. “Yes!”
Lady Li and Lady Han’s smiles froze on their faces.
Ling Jing hugged her daughter. “You really aren’t even trying… You think that as long as I care about my family, care about you, you would have something to rely on. Now you’re actually trying to use yourselves to threaten me?”
Her words struck a nerve, and both women flushed bright red, unable to respond.
All they could do was look helplessly at each other. The plans at home were something the Noble Consort shouldn’t have known about! Even if she did suspect, if they simply poured out their grievances and hardships, shouldn’t that have defused things?
After exchanging glances, Lady Li lowered her gaze and simply hung her head, afraid that her expression might reveal her true feelings.
She had always secretly envied her daughter. As soon as the girl had matured, she’d effortlessly become the center of attention for the whole family. To be honest, when news arrived that her daughter had fallen out of favor some years after becoming a Noble Consort, Lady Li had been filled with satisfaction. Rather than see her daughter give birth to a prince, she would rather see Han Xue’ning’s illegitimate child inherit the throne!
Neither the Noble Consort’s son nor Consort Han’s son had even the faintest hint of fate yet…
She took a deep breath. No matter how angry her daughter was, it wasn’t her place to bow her head. She still had her sister-in-law, after all.
As for Lady Li’s sister-in-law, Lady Han, she was even less at ease.
Her own promising genius of a son was completely obsessed with Han Xuerou. Even after she entered the palace, became a consort, and bore a child, all the family’s persuasion, scolding, and even beatings had failed to change his passion—he refused to marry anyone but her…
Other than being a lovesick fool, her son was flawless and widely regarded as the family’s golden child. So it wasn’t just her; neither the patriarch nor the matriarch or her own husband could do anything about it!
If she could, she would simply get rid of the troublemaker, Han Xuerou—end it once and for all. And she even knew how: as long as she exposed that Han Xuerou was still in secret contact with her old paramours after entering the palace, that would suffice!
But if she really cut things off at the root, she feared it would drag her own son and natal family down. In short, she was like a person trying to smash a rat but afraid of breaking a precious vase.
Her resentments simmered inside, and after being shown such a cold face, she couldn’t help but snap, “My lady, is this… where we offend you so much that you must vent your anger at us? Even if you don’t care for me, you ought to spare some thought for your cousin!”
Lady Li’s heart gave a jolt: I wanted you to shield us, not to provoke her! Her daughter seemed gentle, but was by no means weak or easy to push around—she was actually quite calculating.
Lady Han had only spoken in the heat of the moment, blurted out without thinking—especially when seeing her sister-in-law’s face, not to mention the expressions of the nearby Inner Attendants and palace maids. She regretted it the moment the words left her mouth.
What she worried about wasn’t what her noble niece might do, but if these words reached home, how could she answer to her beloved son?
Ling Jing stood up, carrying Tuantuan in her arms, and strode out. She really felt sorry for the original host. To think the family she had sincerely relied on turned out to be like this. Fortunately, after learning of Tuantuan’s fate, the original host chose her daughter and not these heartless, selfish relatives.
Watching the Noble Consort leave without a backward glance, Lady Han was dumbfounded.
She wanted to explain herself when the Noble Consort questioned her—after all, so many eyes had witnessed what happened!
Lady Li, meanwhile, reacted quickly and hurried after her daughter, only to be blocked by the tall Senior Eunuch.
He spoke softly. “Her Ladyship has returned to Qianqing Palace. Let the two madams know, Her Ladyship has already gone to attend His Majesty in Qianqing Palace since yesterday, and all her things have been packed.”
Was this… filing a complaint with the Emperor directly?
Lady Li was so terrified she went weak at the knees. “It was just a minor spat, nothing that need trouble His Majesty…”
The Senior Eunuch only smiled in silence.
As panic seized Lady Li, her gaze landed on her sister-in-law, who looked slightly dazed. Without warning, she lunged forward and shoved Lady Han to the floor, then raised her hand and slapped her. “You just had to run your mouth! I’ll teach you to shoot your mouth off!”
Lady Han toppled to the ground from her sister-in-law’s push, and took the slap as well. Her fury instantly overshadowed any guilt. “How dare you hit me? Who do you think you are? Even my parents have never laid a finger on me!”
Thus, the two titled ladies broke into a brawl right in the audience hall of Jingren Palace.
The Senior Eunuch retreated to the wall and traded looks with the attending Inner Attendants and maids. Everyone was waiting for a good show.
Of course, someone still had to run and deliver the news to His Majesty and the Noble Consort.
The young eunuch messenger broke into a sweat despite the cold as he sprinted off.
By then, Qin Jingzhou had already received Tuantuan from Ling Jing. After hearing the eunuch’s report, he smiled and said, “Tell Youde to wait until both of their faces are marked with bruises before separating them, and then have their husbands and eldest sons come personally to the palace to take them home.”
Ling Jing couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re so heartless, shrimp and pig heart mixed together.”
Qin Jingzhou sent a message with a smile. “I’m giving Fate’s Son Wei Guangmei a final chance to pour out his feelings to his beloved.”
“It’s also a perfectly legitimate opportunity to deal with the Wei family.”
When the eunuchs went to summon the Han and Wei families, both families’ heads were shocked.
Especially since the eunuchs were so vague, saying only that His Majesty had summoned them to the palace to see for themselves. Han’s father and Wei’s father suspected their wives had caused trouble, but knowing the Noble Consort always protected her natal family, they thought it unlikely… Their real fear was that the Imperial Physician or National Preceptor would expose them. Still, even if they were implicated, they would have ways to get out of it…
Han’s father and Wei’s father brought their eldest legitimate sons to the main gate, where they ran into each other. In front of the Inner Attendants and palace guards, they could only exchange bitter smiles and greetings.
Han’s eldest son couldn’t hide his anxiety, while Wei Guangmei wore a blank expression but was inwardly thrilled at the chance to see his beloved again.
He had even made up his mind about the medicine recipe—the legendary one that could send someone off in their sleep, completely unaware. Though it was worth a fortune and the ingredients were hard to procure, as long as Xuerou agreed, he was willing to go bankrupt to get it and send Emperor Jiang Jingzhou on his way!
But once Wei Guangmei, his father, and his uncle-cousin were led by the Senior Eunuch straight to Jingren Palace, they couldn’t help being surprised by the scene that greeted them: their mothers and aunt sat together, faces battered and bruised, while the Emperor’s favored Senior Eunuch Youde recounted the events of just moments before in detail.
Han’s father and Wei’s father felt utterly humiliated.
Only Wei Guangmei was concerned about one thing. “Where is Her Ladyship?” he asked, bowing to the Senior Eunuch, “Would you kindly pass on my request to Her Ladyship for an audience, so that we may offer an explanation?” He deliberately added, “This especially concerns the National Preceptor.”
Senior Eunuch Youde frowned slightly. Since the National Preceptor was mentioned, he dared not decide on his own, and replied, “This humble servant understands.”