Jiang Nian had sunk into gloom within Fu Garden for quite some time. Her appetite dwindled, leaving Lian Zhi and Xiao Tao anxious, constantly seeking ways to cheer her.
Lian Zhi said: “Your Ladyship, today the small kitchen made your favorite peach blossom pastries. Please try some.”
At the mention of pastries, Jiang Nian immediately thought of the osmanthus cakes from that day and shook her head firmly.
Xiao Tao suggested: “Your Ladyship, there’s a pile of snow outside. Shall we build a snowman?”
Before entering the palace, Jiang Nian had loved building snowmen. Now, gazing at the snow beyond the window, she felt no interest at all.
After much thought, seeing her mistress unmoved, Lian Zhi cautiously ventured: “Earlier, the cat His Majesty gifted gave birth today. Would Your Ladyship like to see?”
Ordinarily, Lian Zhi would never dare mention it. That cat had been given by His Majesty to ease her boredom, but Jiang Nian had despised it, beaten it, and left it to fend for itself in the rear courtyard. Only Lian Zhi, pitying it, secretly tended its wounds and saved its life. Months ago, when the cat became pregnant, she dared not speak of it, secretly feeding it until today, when she discovered it had given birth to kittens.
These days, Jiang Nian had personally made food for His Majesty and spoken of reconciling with him. Emboldened, Lian Zhi tested the waters.
At once, Jiang Nian thought of the tabby cat and ordered: “Prepare my clothes.”
It was a gift from Qi Yi. She must reclaim it and care for it properly.
Lian Zhi had hidden the cat well, fearing her mistress’s wrath. They walked a long way, yet Jiang Nian showed no impatience, which eased Lian Zhi’s heart.
But sharp cries came from the corner wall. Jiang Nian assumed it was the cat in labor pains. Approaching, she saw someone crouched there.
It was Zhao Jing!
Alarmed, Jiang Nian had no time to stop him before he turned and hurled a blood-soaked kitten straight at her face.
Cold, sticky, reeking of blood and rot—the stench overwhelmed her. Jiang Nian froze, mind blank, overcome with nausea.
Xiao Tao and Lian Zhi, horrified, rushed to wipe her face with handkerchiefs. The young prince had moved too swiftly, as if prepared in advance; they hadn’t even managed to shield her.
Feeling her mistress trembling, Lian Zhi nearly wept: “Your Ladyship, are you all right?” It was her fault—she should never have brought her here. Even a glance at the bloody kitten was sickening, let alone having it thrown at one’s face.
The shock left Jiang Nian cold and voiceless.
Zhao Jing, delighted by her reaction, stepped on the tabby’s corpse and lifted his chin proudly: “I told you—you would pay the price.”
Consort Jin had been right. This trick truly frightened Jiang Nian. Luckily, he had learned she planned to see the cat; otherwise, he wouldn’t have known how to strike back. Now, he thought, she would no longer dare defy him.
Cold—so cold. Not only her body, but her heart shivered with chill. She had once thought Zhao Jing merely spoiled, at worst slandering her before the Empress Dowager. But just now, this child had shown a viciousness beyond imagination. Thank Heaven she had awakened. Otherwise, with Zhao Jing’s malice, her death might have been even worse than in her dream.
Jiang Nian clenched her fingers tight, staring at his arrogant face—and slapped him hard.
The blow sent Zhao Jing staggering, clutching his cheek, crying out in disbelief: “Jiang Nian! You… you dare strike me? I am a prince! I’ll tell my aunt and father—they’ll kill you!”
But she had dared to assassinate the Emperor himself. A mere foster son—without His Majesty’s command, neither the Empress Dowager nor any royal kin would dare touch her.
Moreover, Zhao Jing was registered under her name. As his mother-consort, disciplining an unruly prince was her duty—no one in the empire could fault her for it.
Jiang Nian gave a cold snort: “I strike you when I wish. Must I wait for an auspicious day?”
“Today I’ll see—if I smash your face, how will the Empress Dowager punish me?” Another slap landed, this time on the other cheek, leaving his face perfectly symmetrical in swelling.
When Consort Jin entered, she saw Zhao Jing sprawled in the snow, his face covered in welts, while Consort Jiang—who had always doted on him—stood coldly aside, watching Xiao Tao rain slaps upon him. She had expected Zhao Jing to bully Consort Jiang, after which she could comfort her, win forgiveness for Zhao Jing, and draw closer to Consort Jiang. But the scene before her was nothing as she had imagined.
Zhao Jing’s face was grotesquely swollen. Fearing Consort Jiang might truly kill him—and that she herself would be implicated if the Empress Dowager blamed her—Consort Jin forced a harmless smile and stepped forward.
“Sister, why such fury today?” She caught sight of the dead cat in the corner and shrieked: “Ah! What… what happened here?”
Jiang Nian’s cold gaze swept over her. In her dream, Consort Jin had been her greatest ruin—constantly inciting her to harm Qi Yi, using Zhao Jing’s hand to torment her. Foolishly, Jiang Nian had believed Consort Jin’s feigned sisterhood, thinking she truly wished to help her escape the palace. She had treated her sincerely, only to discover Consort Jin sought her death.
Whether or not today’s matter was directly tied to Consort Jin, Zhao Jing’s viciousness could not be separated from her influence.
Jiang Nian withdrew her hand from Consort Jin’s grasp and said coolly: “He threw a dead cat at me. I am disciplining him.”
“Ah? Sister, are you hurt?” Consort Jin looked her over with feigned concern. “The young prince is indeed a bit willful.” She scolded Zhao Jing lightly, then shifted her tone: “But no matter what, the young prince is your support. If you punish him today and he grows distant, how will you ever leave the palace smoothly?”
“Besides, he is deeply cherished by the Empress Dowager. Sister, you should restrain yourself, or the Empress Dowager will be displeased.” Her words sounded like earnest counsel.
If not for the risk of arousing suspicion by changing too suddenly, Jiang Nian would have slapped Consort Jin across the face. But now was not the time. She had yet to regain His Majesty’s favor, had no strong backing, and could not act rashly.
Still, she was not one to swallow humiliation. Her eyes sharpened as she asked coldly: “Support? He is but an uncertain prince, not even the Crown Prince. How could he be my support?”
“In the harem, only His Majesty is true support. Rather than pin hopes on a child, I would do better to find ways to please His Majesty.”
“Or is it that Consort Jin knows for certain that Zhao Jing will be the heir? That His Majesty will never have another son?”
Such a pitfall—how could Consort Jin dare answer? Even the Empress Dowager would not presume to declare that His Majesty would never sire more children. To say so was to invite death.
Once as foolish as a pig, how had Consort Jiang grown so sharp-tongued?
Consort Jin tried to probe further, but Jiang Nian had no patience. She turned and left. She needed to bathe quickly, or else she would surely suffer nightmares tonight.
Zhao Jing still clutched his face, crying. Consort Jin crouched to hear his account, and nearly cursed him a fool. She had only told him to kill the tabby cat to frighten Consort Jiang. Who would have thought he’d hurl the corpse at her face? No wonder her attitude had shifted so drastically.
If Jiang Nian truly realized she must rely on and win back His Majesty’s favor… what then?
Consort Jin’s face darkened again and again. She had no mind to comfort Zhao Jing, letting him run off in tears to the Empress Dowager.