"Your Highness, His Majesty is heading this way…"
But before anyone could say anything more, an elderly matron emerged from the Empress Dowager's hall.
She didn't even glance at the Noble Consort, only smiling at Lin Zhen and saying, "The Empress Dowager heard a princess consort's voice outside and sent me to receive you. Please come in, Princess Consort—Her Majesty is waiting for you."
Since she said that, Lin Zhen wasn't about to stand on ceremony… Why should she stay here and let this Noble Consort, who was clearly looking for trouble, humiliate her?
She didn't know what the Noble Consort might do to her, but judging by her demeanor, she didn't seem inclined to be friendly. So Lin Zhen replied with a smile, "I've been thinking of Mother Empress these past few days and was just eager to see her soon."
Smiling, she walked toward the hall.
She wasn't foolish.
Since the Noble Consort clearly didn't like her, why should she grovel and curry favor?
Even if she were respectful, it would only invite the Noble Consort's bullying.
Better to cling to the Empress Dowager's support.
Since the Empress Dowager didn't care for the Noble Consort, as her beloved daughter-in-law and little warm coat, she naturally ought to be of one heart with the Empress Dowager.
Even if she wouldn't directly quarrel with the Noble Consort, at least she needn't hold any reverence for her the way other noblewomen did.
She brushed past, leaving the Noble Consort behind.
For a moment, the Noble Consort, who had been wearing an air of superiority, stood frozen.
It took her a while to realize she had been utterly disregarded.
Since entering the palace with such imperial favor, she had never suffered such humiliation. She whirled around, glaring daggers at Lin Zhen's retreating back.
Unfortunately, looks couldn't kill, and the Princess Consort Fu remained entirely unaffected.
As Lin Zhen hurried into the hall, she saw the Empress Dowager reclining on a couch. Looking closely, she noticed the Empress Dowager's face bore less of the pallor and frailty of illness.
Lin Zhen breathed a silent sigh of relief and stepped forward to pay her respects.
The Empress Dowager felt delighted at the sight of her these days. She had Lin Zhen sit beside her, ordered tea to be served, and asked gently, "I heard someone came looking for trouble with you?"
Clearly, the Earl Dongyang affair had caused quite a stir.
The Earl Dongyang was, after all, a noble family.
For a noblewoman to suffer such a great humiliation—how could it not become the talk of the town?
If such a major matter escaped the Empress Dowager's notice, she would have to wonder whether she had lost her influence in the palace.
Lin Zhen pursed her lips in a small smile but didn't lodge any complaints. She only said softly to the Empress Dowager, "Don't worry, Mother Empress. I didn't come out the worse for it."
"Establishing your own household requires a firm hand. You did very well. Having dealt with this one, no one will dare underestimate you lightly from now on."
If one was weak and yielding, people would only think them easy to bully, and they'd never be able to protect their family estate.
After all, the Prince Fu manor had lost its master yet remained extremely wealthy. Even with the palace's protection, if the family themselves couldn't stand strong, they would be schemed against and coveted by others.
Lin Zhen had made an example of one to warn the rest. Though the capital was abuzz with gossip, no one now thought the new Princess Consort Fu was some seductive fox spirit.
She was clearly a fierce woman.
But the Empress Dowager preferred Lin Zhen being able to protect herself.
"The manor's guards are still too few. I'll pick some good ones from the palace later."
One could never have too many guards.
Lin Zhen also felt the more guards the better, so she nodded quickly and said, "Thank you, Mother Empress."
"You ran into the Noble Consort outside?" The Empress Dowager reached out and touched Lin Zhen's cheek with concern.
"We only crossed paths briefly before you sent someone to call me. I know you were protecting me, Mother Empress." Lin Zhen didn't speak falsely before the Empress Dowager, for she genuinely relied on her. She said quietly, "I just don't know how I offended the Noble Consort—she seemed to take a dislike to me."
Her frankness was all the more endearing. The Empress Dowager appreciated that Lin Zhen didn't hide things and treated her as a true elder, telling her everything. Her gaze turned slightly cold as she sneered, "Just a creature spoiled by arrogance. It's likely because of that garden."
Lin Zhen was startled, then quickly understood, stunned speechless.
…She had known the Duke Cheng'en's household wasn't up to much, but could the Noble Consort hate her simply because she hadn't gotten a summer retreat garden?
Such shallow vision?
If the Noble Consort disliked her for being closer to the Empress, that would at least be understandable—there was the Emperor involved, something on a higher level.
But over a garden she hadn't even obtained…
Wasn't the Noble Consort supposed to be aloof and above worldly concerns?
"This matter has caused you grievance on my account." The Empress Dowager had insisted on giving the garden to Lin Zhen, which had offended the Duke Cheng'en and, by extension, the Noble Consort.
"Mother Empress gave me so many fine things out of love for me—how is that any grievance? Lying on a mountain of gold, I sleep even more soundly. Mother Empress, I've just finished organizing a small storeroom for my private treasures, and half of it is still empty. You can't stop giving me good things just because you feel bad that I've earned someone's resentment."
Seeing the Empress Dowager in much better health, Lin Zhen rested her head against the Empress Dowager's arm, furrowing her brows slightly as she said softly, "As long as Mother Empress likes me, what do others' opinions matter to me?"
The Empress Dowager patted her shoulder with affection, her gaze complex.
She lay against her own arm—this person she called her daughter-in-law was, in truth, still a young woman in the prime of her youth.
She loved her, trusted her, and depended on her as her mother-in-law.
Yet she had no idea that the mother-in-law she devoted her whole heart to was actually…
"You're right. With Mother Empress here, no one else can stir up trouble." It was precisely this conviction that had helped her recover so quickly now.
Having weathered three reigns, the Empress Dowager was never a weak woman—once she said she was well, she was well.
Lin Zhen raised her head and saw that the hall was filled with the Empress Dowager's attendants. She had great faith in the Empress Dowager's ability to govern the palace, so she said softly, "And as for Noble Consort… this daughter-in-law has no wish to grow close to her either. Mother Empress, Noble Consort dresses in such lavish finery…"
If she didn't plant a seed of discord against Noble Consort now, it wouldn't do justice to the contempt Noble Consort had shown her from on high.
"You are a thoughtful child." Seeing that Lin Zhen was clearly feeling wronged on Prince Fu's behalf, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but feel moved.
Lin Zhen said only one unkind thing about Noble Consort and then let it go, quickly changing the subject to share amusing stories about how she had been raising her little one at home.
Like how after just a few days of care, Ping'an had already begun to gain a little chub.
Like how after dinner, once the day's heat had passed, she would take the child out for a stroll.
The Empress Dowager listened with good cheer, and when Lin Zhen recounted how Lady Dongyang had come to the prince's residence to make a scene and the little one had known to protect his mother, she nodded slightly and said, "This child knows you treat him sincerely—that's very good. It's only a pity he isn't your own flesh and blood."
As she said this, the Empress Dowager's gaze flickered, but Lin Zhen was magnanimous. "There's no difference, really. They're all my children. Having Ping'an by my side is more than enough for this daughter-in-law."
She had raised him—how was that any different from bearing him herself?
She truly believed this.
The Empress Dowager pressed her lips together, as if wanting to say something, but in the end she held back. After a moment, she said, "About what you mentioned before—having Tiansheng come to the palace to study…"
Lin Zhen quickly looked up at her, hope shining in her eyes.
"I've agreed. Have him prepare for a few days and then enter the palace." The Empress Dowager paused thoughtfully before adding, "But I don't wish to see the Shen woman. You will handle the arrangements for Tiansheng's entry into the palace."
Regardless, the Empress Dowager had ultimately granted Lin Zhen's request.
Lin Zhen was deeply satisfied. She stayed to share some tea and refreshments with the Empress Dowager, when a female palace official hurried in. She did not avoid Lin Zhen's presence and said to the Empress Dowager with joy, "Your Grace, the Ministry of War just received a battle report—a great victory in the northwest. Prince Ning has pacified the region and has submitted his report to the court. He will return to the capital in a few days."
Clearly, though the Empress Dowager resided within the palace, she had not set aside matters of state—she knew everything.
"So soon?" the Empress Dowager asked in surprise.
"The prince moved swiftly this time."
"Has His Majesty been informed?"
"Officials from the Ministry of War have already gone to report to His Majesty."
These words drifted past lightly, and Lin Zhen kept her gaze fixed on an exquisitely carved corner of the hall.
She had truly heard something extraordinary.
A great victory in the northwest—the Ministry of War's news had been delivered first to the Empress Dowager, and only later, or perhaps simultaneously, to the Emperor.
The Princess Consort Fu felt she had truly latched onto a leg gleaming with gold.
"Mother Empress is busy with matters of state—I wouldn't understand any of it." Seeing that the Empress Dowager clearly still had much to attend to, Lin Zhen rose with a smile and said, "I'll go pay my respects to the Empress instead."
She truly did not understand politics, though the Empress Dowager had actually hoped Lin Zhen might listen more to affairs of the court… Could women not involve themselves in governance?
The Empress Dowager had never believed that a woman's virtue lay in ignorance. On the contrary, she supported women gaining broad knowledge—otherwise, why would her palace have so many female officials?
Still, thinking that her youngest son's wife was indeed a complete novice in matters of state, the Empress Dowager nodded slightly.
…She would find a few simple, concise books later to give her daughter-in-law first.
Lest she be overwhelmed by what she heard and end up being harmed by over-eagerness.
"Go on, then." The Empress Dowager also sent people to arrange various rewards.
Thinking of the unsavory behavior of Duke Cheng'en's household, and how Noble Consort dared to flaunt herself in bright colors, the Empress Dowager sneered inwardly, then bestowed upon Lin Zhen a thousand-qing imperial estate, saying, "All of this is your private property—keep it well. Let me see who dares to make a fuss!"
What the Empress Dowager gave her, Lin Zhen accepted without false modesty, and went straight to the Empress's palace.
The Empress had been worried about her today as well, and Lin Zhen naturally recounted to the Empress how magnificently she had carried herself that day.
She had just finished speaking and was beginning to tell the Empress about the First Prince's visiting card, when a palace attendant hurried in and said, "Your Grace, His Majesty is coming this way!"
"His Majesty?" The Empress was taken aback.
To be honest… the relationship between Emperor and Empress was lukewarm.
In other words, His Majesty treated the Empress quite ordinarily.
Not to mention recent years—in the early days, the Empress had married the Emperor when he was still the Crown Prince, making her his true wife from their youth.
She had borne him two princes.
Yet the Emperor had never regarded the Empress with particular favor. Indeed, when the Emperor ascended the throne and came to ennoble the Empress's maternal family, custom dictated that her family should receive the title of Duke Cheng'en.
But the Emperor argued that since the Empress Dowager's maternal family also held the title of Duke Cheng'en, how could a daughter-in-law's family stand shoulder to shoulder with the Empress Dowager's? He would only grant the title of Marquis Cheng'en.
…If this decree were to be issued as such, would the Empress still have any face left?
It was clear that the Emperor did not favor her, which was why he sought reasons to deny her this honor.
In the end, it was the Empress Dowager who stepped in and pressured the Emperor to confer the title of Duke Cheng'en upon the Empress's maternal clan.
After that came the Noble Consort's entry into the palace, and from then on, the Noble Consort enjoyed exclusive favor. The Emperor rarely came to see the Empress except to order her about with tasks.
"The Noble Consort has also come with His Majesty," the palace attendant said in a low voice.