Jin Chenghui possessed a charming and adorable appearance, with a soft voice that made even her angry scolding sound like coquettish complaints. Those unfamiliar with her might dismiss her as merely spoiled and straightforward, not taking her delicate complaints seriously.
But Kan’er knew better.
This was merely a facade.
Though Jin Chenghui acted without thinking, in terms of vicious words and cruel actions, she was no less formidable than Zheng Shi. In her previous life, Kan’er had suffered numerous such verbal attacks from her. Unfortunately, back then, she was low in status, timid, and cowardly, not daring to argue even a single word.
It was only later, by chance,
When Jin Chenghui was humiliating her outside and was overheard by the Crown Prince, Jin Chenghui was immediately demoted on the spot, becoming Jin Fengyi.
Kan’er, meanwhile, was promoted over ranks to become a Chenghui.
Later, Jin Fengyi was manipulated by Cao Liangyuan and became entangled in conflicts with Zheng Shi, ultimately becoming the first concubine in the Eastern Palace’s Back Palace to be sentenced to death—but that’s another story.
“Sister Jin, please mind your words.”
Kan’er lightly furrowed her delicate brows, her gaze subtly flickering toward the direction of Jiarong Hall, her expression serious as she spoke.
Jin Chenghui laughed.
She stepped past Qin Zhaoxun and approached, appearing utterly innocent.
“Why should I mind my words with you? You are fat and ugly, aren’t you? You’ve offended my eyes—am I not allowed to say so?”
As she spoke, she turned to Cao and Qin with a smile:
“Look at her face—oily and flushed, pale in patches. Doesn’t it resemble the pig’s head used in household sacrificial ceremonies during festivals? And this chest and buttocks—tsk, tsk. I’ve only seen nursing mothers with such figures, never a young maiden like this.”
“Heavens, Song Zhaoxun, could it be that you’re producing milk?”
As she said this, she covered her mouth in feigned shock, yet her peach-blossom eyes were filled with malicious laughter.
Master and servant share both glory and disgrace.
Tiao Zhu was so furious her heart ached, but Jin Chenghui was no mere maidservant. In such a situation, there was nothing a servant like her could do.
Qin Zhaoxun frowned slightly.
Clearly, she disapproved of Jin Chenghui’s latter remarks.
They were too excessive.
Cao Liangyuan had initially intended only to watch the spectacle, but as the leading figure among the concubines, she now felt compelled to take a stand.
To avoid being implicated later.
But before she could speak, Kan’er began wiping her tears, mustering what seemed like all her courage as she looked at Jin Chenghui.
“I am fat, I admit I cannot compare to the delicate grace of my sisters. But if not for my sake, then for the sake of His Highness—after all, I was permitted by Dianxia to enter our Back Palace. Sister, by humiliating me like this, what position are you placing Dianxia in? Aren’t you afraid that if Dianxia finds out, he will hold you accountable?”
Jin Chenghui was, of course, afraid of the Crown Prince. Upon hearing this, her expression stiffened momentarily.
But facing the tear-streaked, pitiful, and delicate appearance of the person before her, the fire in her heart
“Whoosh!”—flared up intensely!
“Don’t you dare use Dianxia to intimidate me! Who knows what underhanded tricks you used to deceive Dianxia…”
“Guards!”
A furious shout came from behind.
It was Zheng Mingzhi, who appeared to be on her way to Kunhe Palace to pay respects.
Jin Chenghui trembled, her flowery countenance paling in fear.
“Cr—Crown Princess…”
“Slap her face!”
Zheng Mingzhi’s expression was colder than ever before, a rare public display of anger.
Shuangyun stepped forward upon the order.
Without giving Jin Chenghui a chance to explain, she raised her hand and delivered dozens of sharp slaps—”Smack! Smack! Smack!”
In the blink of an eye,
Jin Chenghui’s fair, delicate face was swollen and bruised. It was only when she could no longer bear the pain and collapsed to the ground
That Shuangyun finally stopped.
Zheng Mingzhi walked over.
“Spreading falsehoods about Dianxia, showing contempt for imperial authority, and bullying the women of the inner residence—Jin Chenghui is hereby confined to her quarters for three months of reflection, her stipend suspended for one year, and she must copy the palace regulations one hundred times as a warning to others!”
“No, Crown Princess, this humble servant…”
Jin Chenghui struggled to rise and beg for mercy, but speaking tugged at her split lip, and her face burned fiercely.
The pain brought forth a flood of tears and mucus.
None of her earlier arrogance remained.
Zheng Mingzhi shot her a glare before turning and leaving without a backward glance.
Kan’er and the others knelt in respectful farewell.
They only straightened up once the figures had disappeared from view.
Jin Chenghui was helped to her feet by two senior palace maids.
The excruciating pain left her with no energy to even threaten Kan’er, and she was half-carried away like one barely alive.
Cao Liangyuan and Qin Zhaoxun didn’t linger either.
Though before departing, Cao Liangyuan cast an extra glance at Kan’er.
That glance held a smile, rather ambiguous in meaning.
Kan’er pretended not to notice.
She led Tiao Zhu back to the Western Six Courtyards.
.
Zheng Mingzhi left the Eastern Palace and boarded her palanquin.
Granny Pang followed alongside: “Mistress, shall we schedule that wench’s bed service upon our return?”
“Not yet!”
Zheng Mingzhi had been infuriated repeatedly since morning and hadn’t yet recovered, leaning against the armrest irritably.
Granny Pang didn’t dare press further.
Zheng Mingzhi massaged her pressure points and exhaled slowly before adding: “It’s not that we won’t schedule it, but there’s no hurry.”
The women in the Eastern Palace’s Back Palace, including herself.
All had their bed service scheduled after their monthly courses ended.
Selecting a few auspicious dates favorable for conception.
The day she had assigned that wench to serve the Crown Prince was such an auspicious date, but unfortunately the wench had bad timing.
Coinciding with the Crown Prince’s sudden obligations.
The Crown Prince had visited Cao Liangyuan’s courtyard last night.
And today being the eighteenth of April, the twentieth two days later was when the Crown Prince routinely stayed at Jiarong Hall.
Given the Crown Prince’s habits, he likely wouldn’t visit the Back Palace for the rest of today, tomorrow, or the remainder of April.
Thus, scheduling that wench’s bed service now would be futile—they’d have to wait until next month.
Granny Pang still wanted Kan’er to serve soon.
Otherwise, delays might truly let Cao Liangyuan seize the advantage.
Of course, the imperial family prioritized heirs, so there was no rule forbidding concubines from bearing children before the principal wife.
But throughout history, favored concubines with sons and legitimate heirs were natural adversaries. The imperial court had seen many instances where princes born to favored consorts ultimately ascended the throne.
Just like the current Consort Wei and her son, the Third Prince Rui, who now posed a formidable challenge to the empress’s faction!
“If not, perhaps you could discuss it with Dianxia again the day after tomorrow? It would be safer to have that wench serve soon,”
Granny Pang attempted to persuade.
Zheng Mingzhi waved her off impatiently: “We’ll see.”
The arrival of new women in the Back Palace wouldn’t merit attention in any princely estate or noble household.
But in the Eastern Palace, it was different.
Especially now, with the Crown Prince twenty-one years old, yet having pitifully few women in his Back Palace and no heir in sight.
Though no rumors had surfaced yet, with so many eyes inside and outside the palace fixed on the Eastern Palace, who knew what schemes some might be harboring.
When new women entered the Eastern Palace’s Back Palace, the Internal Affairs Bureau had to assign staff to prepare the chambers, making it impossible to conceal—not that there was any need to.
See?
This very morning, when the imperial consorts went to Kunhe Palace to pay respects to Empress Pei, Consort Wei had been the first to bring up the matter.
Repeating the same tiresome points over and over.
Actually, she just wanted to indirectly probe Empress Pei for some information while subtly mocking her for not yet having any grandchildren to hold.
Fortunately, Empress Pei was well aware of Consort Wei’s character and managed to shut her up with just a few words.
When the palace maid announced the Crown Princess’s arrival, the consorts who had come to pay their respects had just left. Upon hearing this, Empress Pei summoned her in.
Zheng Mingzhi entered and paid her respects to Empress Pei.
After the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law exchanged a few casual pleasantries,
Empress Pei asked, “That Song Zhaoxun, Song Kan’er—wasn’t it originally decided that she would be given a title only after giving birth? Why the sudden change of mind? I heard it was the Crown Prince’s idea?”
The Crown Princess had found someone to bear a child for her, but matters concerning the Crown Prince’s heirs were not something Zheng Mingzhi could decide alone.
Thus, aside from the Crown Prince and her,
Empress Pei and Yuan Longdi were also aware of this matter.
In these times, marrying a wife emphasized family status and background, but taking a concubine was not necessarily the same. This was true for ordinary noble families, and the imperial family was no exception.
Therefore, Yuan Longdi had not commented on this matter.
He also had no time to meddle in the affairs of the Crown Prince’s Back Palace.
This matter thus fell to Empress Pei.
After learning who her daughter-in-law intended to send to the Crown Prince, Empress Pei had her trusted aide investigate Kan’er— her appearance, background, character, and so on.
Once it was confirmed that the girl had no suspicious qualities, she left the matter entirely to Zheng Mingzhi.
Matters that should be decided by the young couple were not something a mother-in-law should interfere with too much, lest she invite her daughter-in-law’s displeasure.
“Your reply, Mother Empress, it was Dianxia’s intention,”
Zheng Mingzhi said gently.
“I only learned of it yesterday when Hai Shun came to deliver the oral decree. As for what Dianxia meant by it, your daughter-in-law does not know.”
Empress Pei pondered, “It’s merely a title.”
“Your daughter-in-law thinks so too,”
Zheng Mingzhi said with a smile.
“After all, once she gives birth, the child will be taken to Jiarong Hall to be raised. Whether the title is given early or late makes little difference.”
Empress Pei frowned almost imperceptibly, then relaxed her brow, speaking in a gentle tone:
“That is reasonable, but matters of children cannot be rushed. It is enough if the Crown Prince has sons and daughters before he turns twenty-five.”
In truth, from Empress Pei’s perspective, the Crown Prince’s indifference to women was not necessarily a bad thing.
Looking throughout ancient history, not all royal descendants kept numerous wives and concubines, and balancing court politics did not rely solely on favoring consorts.
For instance, Emperor Mingzu had only his principal wife, the empress, as his sole woman throughout his life, and the Great Jing royal family had continued to this day.
That was one reason.
The second was the Emperor’s attitude toward the Eastern Palace in recent years.
The Crown Prince was born of the central palace, with the Duke of Kang’s estate—a maternal family that had endured four reigns and held ironclad imperial patents—as his backing.
He had been bright and studious since childhood, with a reputation for virtue spreading far and wide.
Moreover, among the several adult princes, the Crown Prince resembled Yuan Longdi the most in appearance.
Too perfect.
A Crown Prince does not need to be overly perfect.
Thus, heirs were necessary, but there was no need to rush.
Empress Pei had previously hinted at these principles to the Crown Princess, but the latter had clearly not taken her words to heart.
Empress Pei thus saw no point in repeating herself.
After all, children would come sooner or later.
It was just that illness of the Crown Prince’s…
Hypocrite!
Zheng Mingzhi smiled on the surface but inwardly sneered.
How could a Crown Prince not prioritize heirs?
For Empress Pei to say such things was plainly for the sake of her own reputation of virtue, and to avoid being criticized for pressuring her daughter-in-law to take a concubine for her husband.
Truly hypocritical!
Empress Pei did not miss the fleeting mockery in Zheng Mingzhi’s eyes, and suddenly she no longer wished to speak.
She found some excuse to dismiss her.
After the Crown Princess had left, Empress Pei leaned back in her chair and sighed.
Feng Momo, the steward of Kunhe Palace, brought over a cup of tea.
“Your Highness, why are you sighing? It’s a joyous occasion for someone to enter the Crown Prince’s Back Palace, especially since His Highness chose her himself. Perhaps that Song Zhaoxun truly suits his preferences.”
Empress Pei took the teacup and chuckled wryly.
“Don’t you know the Crown Prince’s temperament? I suspect he promoted that Xiao Zhaoxun mostly to compete with the Crown Princess.”
Feng Momo found it inappropriate to comment on this.
She could only change the subject, offering comforting words like, “His Highness has always acted with propriety since childhood. Your Highness need not worry.”
Little did she know that the Crown Prince, who had always been known for his proper conduct, had been behaving peculiarly all day, his words and actions carrying an indescribable strangeness.
The most obvious sign:
Every time the Crown Prince went to the washroom, he would tense his handsome face, lower his head to stare for a long while, with a thoughtful expression.
“Godfather, do you think our master is… unwell today?”
In the evening, at Yuan Chun Palace.
Yuan Bao waited outside the washroom, whispering quietly to his godfather.