But she quickly regained her composure, a complex look surfacing in her eyes.
"Since you've brought her up, let me ask you—it's been this long, have you found out anything or not?!"
A faint trace of jealousy and resentment flickered in her eyes.
Seeing her beautiful face darken with lingering hatred, the old nursemaid sighed inwardly.
It was no wonder their Consort Shen resented the Princess.
Anyone who had been deeply in love with the Prince for so many years, having waited out the death of the first Princess and believing she would be elevated to the rightful position, only to have the prize snatched away like a bolt from the blue—no one could let that go.
Moreover, if the Prince had married a lady from a distinguished family, with outstanding pedigree and virtue that could outshine the Consort, that would at least make sense.
But the Princess he brought home had neither status nor a good reputation—wasn't that a knife to the Consort's heart?
Thinking of how the Consort had ordered them to investigate the new Princess's background, and recalling what she had uncovered after all this searching, the nursemaid hurried to claim credit, speaking with utmost deference, "This servant has already gathered most of the information and was just about to report to Your Ladyship. That woman in the main courtyard is no ordinary commoner—she comes from a Marquis's household."
She recounted everything she had heard about Lin Zhen and her mother's origins, her face barely concealing contempt as she said, "Her reputation is utterly ruined, Your Ladyship. With a mother like that, you should report this to the palace. How could the palace allow such a woman to occupy the Prince's main courtyard?"
"Nonsense!"
She had been trying to please Consort Shen, eagerly sharing all the gossip she had heard outside.
She had thought that with such a major handle on the main courtyard, would the so-called Princess of Fu Prince's residence have any place to stand?
Wouldn't she be sent off to a temple and locked away!
But instead of the satisfaction she had imagined on Consort Shen's face, she only saw her expression darken as she spat, "What kind of handle is this?!" She did indeed want to find fault with Lin to drive her out of the Fu Prince's residence, but what was this she was hearing?
"Improper conduct? That man surnamed Lin must be blind—could he really not notice his wife's infidelity in his own household?! If he truly didn't notice, then he never held his wife dear in his heart."
A beloved in one's heart—if even the slightest thing were amiss, one would notice immediately.
Just like her and Prince Fu.
If he so much as glanced at another woman twice, she—she would catch it right away.
So when he began to distance himself from her, she sensed it immediately, yet felt utterly helpless.
She didn't know what she had done wrong. When they were together, he still smiled, still treated her well, but she just knew… he no longer seemed as close to her as before.
"Anyone with ears can tell—it's just a faithless, heartless man slinging mud! Vile scum, only knowing how to spread rumors about women. Pah!"
She wouldn't use such filthy nonsense as leverage!
Consort Shen hadn't expected that after all this searching, they'd only come up with such inexplicable rubbish. She asked impatiently, "Did you find nothing else about Lin? Such as…"
She stared at the nursemaid she had always relied upon, asking in a low voice, "She sold wontons—all these years, was there never any shortchanging or cheating?"
Was Lin really so honest in her business dealings?
Did she never occasionally put two fewer wontons in someone's bowl?
The nursemaid was struck speechless, looking at the beautiful woman before her who wore an expectant expression. After a long moment, her mouth twitching, she said, "Your Ladyship, it's time to offer incense for the Prince."
So it seemed they had found nothing of that sort either.
"Useless thing!" Consort Shen cursed the nursemaid, but then her face fell, her eyes reddening, her voice turning shrill as tears spilled over. She laughed bitterly, "You want me to offer incense for him? Who would offer incense for that dead man! If he won't make me the Princess, why should I offer him incense!"
Ever since Prince Fu had remarried, she had been unable to let it go. Day and night, whenever she thought of it, an inexpressible pain choked her heart.
"I wanted to be the Princess, but why did I want to be his Princess?"
Seeing her begin again, the nursemaid habitually lowered her head.
These days, her mistress had such moments every day.
Just listen and let it pass.
"I only want to know—was it wrong for me to want him to have me in his heart?" He always said he loved her, but if he loved her, shouldn't he give her the title of Principal Consort, so she could stand openly beside him instead of behind another woman?
Moreover, Consort Shen beat her chest and wept, "Even if not for my sake, then for Tiansheng's! A legitimate son versus a concubine's son—are they the same? I can bear hardship myself, but I don't want Tiansheng to be looked down upon his whole life!"
She had fought desperately to become the Princess, and yes, she had her own selfish motives.
But more than that, it was for her son.
What was the weight of a Prince's legitimate son compared to a concubine's son?
She only wanted to secure a proper standing for herself and her child.
Besides, she hadn't killed that woman before her—she hadn't resorted to murder for the title.
"Tiansheng, Tiansheng is so outstanding, he's been a good child since he was little. He used to love Tiansheng too." Tiansheng was Prince Fu's eldest son, his first child, a child he had cherished and cared for since birth—how could a father not think more for his child?
Moreover, her son was born with early wisdom, clever and refined, praised by the mansion's tutors from a young age as a bright child, beautiful and filial.
In Consort Shen's eyes, there was no better child in this world than Tiansheng.
Such a good child only lacked a proper title.
"Incense, what incense should I burn for him! I only want Tiansheng to succeed… that dead man doesn't love me anymore!"
A burst of crying immediately filled the luxurious room.
Outside the room, a small figure leaned against the door, listening quietly for a while, until the faint scent of incense drifted from within and the crying subsided, then he carefully slipped toward the side room.
Fortunately, Lin Zhen knew nothing of these matters.
She also didn't know that someone was still investigating her affairs… Her life before marrying into Prince Fu's mansion had been quite transparent, so even if investigated, she didn't care—who didn't already know everything about her?
She was busy going through all the mansion's account books, checking for any improper expenditures.
After reviewing them all, she had to say, well now, well now—and what a pity… Lady Dongyang had been too lenient in her handling.
As had been said, Prince Fu was the Empress Dowager's beloved son, and to ensure he lived in wealth and comfort, Prince Fu's mansion owned a great many properties.
The various shops alone were numerous.
All these years, Earl Dongyang's household had charged their expenses at Prince Fu's shops to the mansion's own public accounts.
In other words, that bunch from Earl Dongyang's household had their daily living, meals, and lodging… all paid for by Prince Fu's mansion.
Lin Zhen's eyes flickered.
The past expenses had been tacitly approved by Prince Fu, and if she went to demand repayment now, it would likely damage Prince Fu's reputation.
But having these records wasn't entirely useless.
She sent word forbidding Earl Dongyang's household from charging to Prince Fu's shops any longer, while also organizing these account books, preparing to carry them with her… She would be moving about the capital in the future.
If Earl Dongyang's household spoke ill of her before others, she could show them these accounts, letting everyone know how useless the men of Earl Dongyang's household were—even buying a dog required their son-in-law to pay for it.
As long as the men of Earl Dongyang still served at court, they would know that face was a very important thing.
Of course, when entering the palace, Lin Zhen instinctively had her attendant maid bring them along.
"Mother, going to the palace again?" Ping'an asked reluctantly, tugging at Lin Zhen's hand.
He wasn't even as tall as a carriage wheel, tilting his little head up.
Lin Zhen boarded the carriage, unable to suppress a smile as she looked at him, patting his little head and saying, "Mother will be back soon." She hadn't entered the palace for so many days, and she wondered if the Empress Dowager had recovered better.
And recalling that yesterday a visiting card had arrived from the First Prince's mansion, saying he wished to pay respects to her as his aunt, Lin Zhen was very willing to have dealings with the First Prince, and also wanted to enter the palace to thank the Empress… This was clearly the Empress asserting authority on her behalf.
That Earl Dongyang's wife and son had been thrown out of Prince Fu's mansion had already spread far and wide these past days.
The First Prince calling on them at this time was clearly a gesture of protecting Prince Fu's mansion and lending it support.
As such, Lin Zhen naturally wanted to enter the palace to check on the Empress Dowager's health and also thank the Empress.
"Alright." The little cub nodded his small head, perfectly obedient, showing none of the fierce look from days past when he had bared his tiny milk teeth to protect her.
Lin Zhen ruffled his head again before leaving Prince Fu's mansion and entering the palace.
But her timing was unfortunate—she had just arrived outside the Empress Dowager's bedchamber, not yet at the door, when she heard the Empress Dowager's angry shout, "Get out! Before my eyes, who are you dressing up in all those gaudy colors for!"
At this rebuke, a graceful figure strode out quickly with barely concealed anger. Lin Zhen looked over and saw a beauty in silver-red palace robes, a ruby-gold hairpin swaying in her hair.
Though dressed in vivid colors, it only accentuated her air of aloof pride, sleeves fluttering with a transcendent, detached bearing—if one were to use more cultured words, she seemed to carry a touch of Wei-Jin dynasty elegance?
Cold and aloof, but having been dismissed by the Empress Dowager, she couldn't help losing face before so many eyes, and now wore an expression of irritation, losing some of her cool detachment.
Aloof…
Lin Zhen met the beauty's angry eyes and instinctively felt that her bearing looked somewhat familiar.
Who in her mansion did she resemble…
But there was no time to ponder further—a palace attendant by the Empress Dowager's side had already said in a low voice, "Your Highness, this is the Noble Consort."
Lin Zhen withdrew her thoughts and gave a slight nod, watching as the Noble Consort swept her gaze over with eyes full of contempt and disgust, then lowered her own eyes slightly.
She understood why the Empress Dowager had dismissed the Noble Consort.
Prince Fu had not been dead long, though he wasn't such an important person that others couldn't continue living after his passing—it wasn't as if everyone had to stop wearing fine clothes and eating well.
Yet she remembered that this Noble Consort was, by calculation, a cousin of Prince Fu. Even setting aside that connection, the Noble Consort was the daughter of Duke Cheng'en and had to address the Empress Dowager as her aunt.
That her aunt's son had died and she felt nothing was one thing, but to come visiting her aunt dressed so brightly…
"Who is this?"
Although Lin Zhen frequently entered the palace, the only people she had met there were the Empress Dowager and the Empress… and, counting the Consort Zhou from a few days ago, she had seen no one else.
The Noble Consort naturally did not know her either.
Yet Lin Zhen felt that this Noble Consort, who looked down at her from above with a hint of disdain in her brows and eyes, might not truly be unacquainted with her.
Sensing this inexplicable hostility, Lin Zhen frowned slightly.
She had never met the Noble Consort before, so she should not have offended her.