"Why are you staring at me like that?" Zhou Songyi timidly looked at Xu Rusheng, pitifully hiding behind Princess Chunyi.
Princess Chunyi was fiercely protective of her child and immediately shot a hostile glare at Xu Rusheng.
Xu Rusheng, with her plain and clean face, smiled as she looked Zhou Songyi up and down.
She tilted her head and said to Empress Wen, "Aunt, she looks a bit like me."
Only then did everyone notice that the two girls, who were about the same age, did indeed share some resemblance in their features.
Princess Chunyi’s heart skipped a beat, and she forced an unnatural smile. "You’re mistaken. How could Songyi look like you? It would make more sense if she resembled Xi."
She quickly changed the subject, first paying her respects to Empress Dowager Yang, then asking Xu Rusheng, "I heard your father is returning to the capital soon. When will you go back to Linjiang Houfu?"
Empress Wen beckoned Zhou Songyi over and affectionately took her hand. "Songyi, it’s been a long time since you came to the palace to pay your respects to your aunt. How have you been lately? Are you settling in well at the Princess’s Residence? I heard a few days ago that Old Madam Ning isn’t feeling well. Have you gone back to the Ning family to see her?"
Zhou Songyi’s face instantly turned pale. She lowered her head and stammered, unable to speak.
Her grandmother… didn’t want to see her at all, and her mother wouldn’t let her go to the Ning family. The thought of it made her want to cry with frustration.
Princess Chunyi abruptly pulled Zhou Songyi back, furious. "Songyi’s surname is Zhou. She has nothing to do with the Ning family. Don’t you know that, Sister-in-law? Changing Songyi’s surname from Ning to Zhou was approved by my brother and Mother."
Empress Dowager Yang looked at her daughter, who was no longer young yet showed no signs of maturity, and felt a headache coming on.
She scolded Princess Chunyi with deep disappointment. "General Ning sacrificed his life for the country. The Ning family are meritorious subjects. You threatened to kill yourself to bring Songyi back and even forced her to change her surname. Old Madam Ning nearly dashed herself to death in Cining Palace."
"Now that Old Madam Ning is ill, you still won’t let Songyi go and fulfill her filial duties. How do you expect Songyi to face others in the future?"
The more Empress Dowager Yang spoke, the angrier she became, pointing at Princess Chunyi’s nose and berating her.
But Princess Chunyi remained indifferent and dismissive. "So what? After making a scene in Cining Palace, didn’t she gain many benefits?"
Old Madan Ning’s life-threatening protest had led to a flood of memorials from censors criticizing Princess Chunyi, nearly overwhelming the Emperor.
But Empress Dowager Yang had only this one daughter, and no matter how disappointing she was, she still had to protect her.
In the end, the Emperor intervened. He arranged for a distant relative of the Ning family to be adopted as the heir of the late General Ning to ensure the family line continued. He also promoted Old Madam Ning’s youngest son three ranks in a row, appointing him as the Vice Minister of Revenue. This gradually quelled the court’s anger.
Princess Chunyi ultimately got what she wanted and grew even more arrogant, but it was Zhou Songyi who suffered.
The Ning family didn’t welcome her, and the Zhou imperial family wasn’t her true paternal clan. Caught between two sides, she pleased neither, and the noble ladies in the capital were unwilling to associate with her.
Suddenly, Xu Rusheng stood up, approached Princess Chunyi, and took Zhou Songyi’s hand with a smile. "You can come to Linjiang Houfu to play with me in the future. I have three younger sisters at home. My father is also very kind. He teaches me how to write, reviews my homework, and even takes me horseback riding."
The tense atmosphere in Cining Palace dissolved with these innocent words.
Zhou Songyi looked at Xu Rusheng, who had suddenly extended a friendly gesture, and her intuition told her that Xu Rusheng had ulterior motives. She tried to pull her hand away but found it tightly held. She could only turn to Princess Chunyi for help.
Unexpectedly, Princess Chunyi, who usually disliked her going out, beamed with joy and said to her, "Songyi, why don’t you thank A Sheng for the invitation? From now on, whenever you’re free, go to Linjiang Houfu to play more often."
Zhou Songyi felt irritable inside; she really didn't want to go. Seeing Xu Rusheng, she felt an innate aversion.
Xu Rusheng, however, smiled even more brightly, turning around to throw herself into Empress Wen's arms, acting coquettishly and playfully.
"Can Xi go too?"
Although Empress Wen was surprised by her sudden friendliness toward Zhou Songyi, she simply took it as a childish joke.
"Of course you can go, right, Xi?"
Zhou Xi nodded with a smile.
Consort Yang watched Zhou Xi obeying Empress Wen's every word and felt a surge of anger. She cursed inwardly: This little troublemaker crawled out of my own belly, yet she acts as close to the Empress as if they were mother and daughter, making the Emperor and Empress Dowager always think I mistreat her.
Fortunately, she still had the Eldest Prince, Zhou Yan. Thinking of Zhou Yan, Consort Yang cheerfully said to Empress Dowager Yang:
"Auntie~"
Empress Dowager Yang corrected her unhappily:
"I've told you, address me as Empress Dowager like the other consorts."
Consort Yang was left speechless, feeling resentful inside—how could she be the same as those other consorts?
Still, she changed her words:
"Empress Dowager, this concubine wishes to ask for a favor. Yan'er is already fourteen and can be betrothed. This concubine thinks Minister Yan's daughter, Yan Zhu, would be an excellent match."
Cining Palace suddenly fell into an eerie silence.
Consort Shu twitched her lips. Why not just ask the Emperor to appoint a Crown Prince directly?
Marrying the eldest daughter of the Nei Ge Shou Fu—the Eldest Prince might as well start planning his reign name now.
Empress Wen held her teacup, gently blowing away the floating foam.
"The marriages of princes are the Empress's concern. When is it your place to meddle?"
The Emperor arrived after court, stepping into Cining Palace just in time to hear Consort Yang clamoring to marry Yan Shan's daughter.
Consort Yang cooed and pouted:
"Cousin…"
But she was sharply tugged by Granny Gui, who stood beside Empress Dowager Yang.
Only then did Consort Yang reluctantly fall silent.
The Emperor ignored her, speaking first to Xu Rusheng:
"Your father has returned to the capital."
Xu Rusheng's face showed surprise, but she turned and hugged Empress Wen.
"Auntie, Father is back. Do I have to return to Linjiang Houfu? I can't bear to leave you, Uncle, and Sister Xi."
The Emperor laughed heartily, his usually calm eyes now tinged with amusement, and patted Xu Rusheng's head.
"You may stay in the palace as long as you wish."
Princess Chunyi had been unable to contain her excitement since hearing that the Marquis of Linjiang had returned to the capital. But today, for some reason, her waist ached terribly.
She tried to grit her teeth and endure, but the longer it went on, the worse she felt. Just as she was thinking of an excuse to leave, she felt a wave of nausea.
"Ugh."
Empress Dowager Yang immediately wanted to summon the imperial physician, but Princess Chunyi forcefully stopped her.
"I might just have caught a chill. It's fine. I'll return to the Princess's Residence to rest."
Xu Rusheng's eyes sparkled.
Just as she had suspected—Princess Chunyi was already pregnant at this time.
To confirm this, she had specifically instructed Qingbi to steal some safflower and hide it in a pouch.
She was both furious and resentful. Her dear father truly kept one at home while stealing from outside.
Empress Wen had some suspicions.
"Better let the imperial physician examine you. Your health is precious, and I won't feel at ease without a check-up."
Princess Chunyi panicked, her tone sharpening.
"I said no, and that's final."
Without caring what others thought, she dragged Zhou Songyi and left.
Empress Dowager Yang was both worried and angry that she had walked out right in front of the Emperor, so she awkwardly said to him:
"Your sister has always been this temperamental."
Empress Wen frowned, somewhat unable to believe it, and glanced toward the Emperor.
She saw that the Emperor also wore a puzzled expression.
Xu Rusheng softly said,
"Aunt, let Aunt Lu take the imperial physician to check on the princess."
Empress Wen, who had been hesitating, now made up her mind.
"Your Majesty, I will have Lu Hui take the imperial physician to check on her, so that Her Majesty the Empress Dowager can rest assured."
Empress Dowager Yang shook her head wearily, stood up, and entered the inner hall.
"You all decide."
The Emperor leaned on his chair, pondering before speaking.
"Have Yuanzheng Sun go and examine her thoroughly. If she is ill, let her recuperate properly at the Princess's Residence. If she is not ill, I will not forgive her for today's disgraceful behavior."
The decision was final.
Lu Hui had already hurried after Chunyi, while two young eunuchs were ordered to summon Yuanzheng Sun.
Empress Wen stood up, preparing to return to Fengyi Dian.
"I will go to Fengyi Dian with you to await news from Yuanzheng Sun," the Emperor said as he also rose.
Empress Wen's gaze, however, subtly fell upon Consort Yang, who was nervously twisting her handkerkerchief nearby.
The Emperor understood her meaning and spoke calmly.
"Consort Yang lacks propriety, disrespects the Empress, and even presumes to interfere in the marriage affairs of the princes. She is demoted to Consort Xian and placed under house arrest for one month."
Consort Xian Yang had not expected the trouble to spread to her and quickly knelt.
"Your Majesty, this concubine knows her mistake, this concubine…"
But when she looked up, she saw only the Emperor holding Zhou Xi's hand and the Empress holding Xu Rusheng's hand, walking side by side out of Cining Palace.
Consort Shu was in high spirits and pretended to help Consort Xian Yang up.
"Sister, after all these years, how have you still not understood? The Empress's place in His Majesty's heart is something that all six palaces combined cannot compare to."
That was why she had desperately tried to please the Empress—only by pleasing the Empress would Heng'er have a chance.
Consort Shu's thoughts raced as she instructed her palace maid,
"Go and see where Er Huangzi is. Have him go to Fengyi Dian to pay respects to His Majesty and the Empress."
That child from the Xu family seemed quite decent. Heng'er marrying her would not be a disgrace.