“Your Majesty!”
Emperor Qianwu’s dark eyes fixed on Consort Chen, causing her to freeze instantly and take half a step back.
“We recall that all matters of the inner palace were entrusted to Guifei to handle.”
“The enfeoffment ceremony is of great importance. For such negligence to occur is a sign of your incompetence.”
“Mother Empress, since Guifei is incompetent, We can only beseech You to help Us manage the affairs of the inner palace, with Consort Rong assisting from the side. What do You think?”
The Empress Dowager glanced at Consort Chen and slowly nodded.
Consort Rong naturally had no objections.
She lowered her eyes, a faint trace of a smile flickering in their depths.
“This concubine will certainly do her utmost to share the burdens of Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager.”
Consort Chen immediately turned deathly pale, trembling like a sieve, nearly collapsing to the ground.
“Yo-Your Majesty!”
Her voice was first hoarse, then gradually grew more shrill.
“Your Majesty, please investigate clearly, this concubine…”
She had no defense!
This entire incident had been her plan from the start.
The goal was to ruin Consort Zhen’s reputation.
Even if she couldn’t have her convicted and sent to the Cold Palace, she wanted to create a rift between her and the Emperor.
Once His Majesty grew tired of her in the future, losing favor would be a natural outcome.
But she never imagined that His Majesty would trust Consort Zhen completely.
How was this possible?
Even after years in the palace, even after bearing a princess for His Majesty, she had never gained His Majesty’s complete trust. How had Consort Zhen… managed it?
Consort Chen loved Emperor Qianwu deeply, but after all these years in the palace, she still never knew what His Majesty was thinking.
Sometimes, she felt His Majesty cared for her.
But more often, she simply had no idea what was in His Majesty’s heart.
She even thought that His Majesty loved no one.
But how could that be?
When she was pregnant with the princess, she could feel how happy His Majesty was.
That period of carrying the princess was the happiest time for Consort Chen since entering the palace.
Back then, His Majesty would rush to have lunch with her every day after morning court, and for over twenty days a month, he would also have dinner in her palace.
When her belly grew large, His Majesty stayed with her every night.
Could all that sincerity and genuine affection from that time have been false?
Later, when she gave birth to the princess, although His Majesty was somewhat disappointed, the smile on his face was still genuine.
After the princess’s full-month celebration, His Majesty immediately shared her bed again, performing the rites of Zhou.
She also hoped to conceive another child for His Majesty, but it never came to pass.
After the princess turned one, His Majesty gradually began visiting other imperial concubines’ palaces, no longer coming to hers every day.
At the time, Consort Chen only felt loss. She thought it was because her womb was uncooperative, so His Majesty was disappointed.
It wasn’t that His Majesty didn’t love her, only that he was disappointed.
But now, a newly arrived Consort Zhen could make His Majesty strip her of her palace authority. This not only broke Consort Chen’s heart but also forced her to doubt: did His Majesty’s love truly exist?
Nanny Chen said, “Your Highness, it is precisely because His Majesty loves you that he acts this way.”
Consort Chen was stunned, then clung to these words like a lifeline.
“What do you mean by that?”
“If His Majesty loved me, he would not distrust me. It should be that Zhou woman who is sent to the Cold Palace.”
Nanny Chen sighed.
As an observer, she understood perfectly well that their Emperor loved no one.
But their mistress loved His Majesty so deeply—how could she dare say such a thing?
She could only placate her.
Nanny Chen was not the Emperor, so she did not know whom the Emperor truly loved, but she knew what the Emperor desired most.
“This servant believes that Your Highness is being too impatient.”
“That Madam Zhou has only just entered the palace. Though she has won the Emperor’s favor with her seductive appearance and was immediately granted the title of Fei upon entering the palace…”
“But without an heir, what use is even the title of Empress?”
Consort Chen was stunned.
“You mean I am impatient? I shouldn’t have targeted her?”
“But with her seductive appearance, I fear she might charm the Emperor away…”
Nanny Chen said, “Does Your Highness still not understand?”
“The Emperor’s favor cannot last forever. Only an heir is of utmost importance.”
Consort Chen gradually calmed down.
“Yes, only by bearing the Emperor an heir, a prince… Since I could give birth to a princess, I can surely bear the Emperor a healthy prince!”
“By then, no matter how bewitching that wretch may look, she will not be able to shake my position!”
Consort Chen reconsidered, her expression suddenly turning anxious. “But the Emperor has ordered the Imperial Guards and the Directorate of Ceremonial to jointly investigate this case. It is not impossible that they might trace it back to me…”
Nanny Chen remained extremely composed.
“Your Highness, please be cautious with your words.”
“We have never been involved in this matter…”
Consort Chen abruptly turned to look at Nanny Chen, her expression filled with shock and confusion.
“You…”
Nanny Chen said, “We did not use the princess. It was the princess who could not bear to see Your Highness disappointed, which is why she targeted that Madam Zhou. It has nothing to do with us.”
“Moreover, Your Highness and Princess Chaoyang share a deep mother-daughter bond. When a daughter makes a mistake, it is only natural for a mother to do her best to cover it up, is it not?”
“As for that Jin Baolin, she believed in baseless rumors of her own accord. What does that have to do with us?”
Consort Chen:…
Her eyes suddenly lit up.
Nanny Chen continued, “At most, you were somewhat negligent during the investiture ceremony, which allowed that Madam Jin to seize the opportunity.”
“At most, you were merely negligent.”
Consort Chen’s gaze shifted thoughtfully. “You are right.”
…
“Although Consort Chen is foolish, her devotion to the Emperor is genuine.”
“Moreover, she has borne Chaoyang for the Emperor and is a meritorious subject to both the Emperor and this Dowager.”
“The Emperor must not let a meritorious subject grow cold-hearted.”
In private, the Empress Dowager spoke thus to Emperor Qianwu.
Emperor Qianwu was no longer the powerless youth living under his mother’s wing.
He frowned deeply, his brows like swords. “Mother, if not for Consort Chen giving birth to Chaoyang, the things she has done over the years would have been enough for this son to sentence her to death.”
The Empress Dowager sighed helplessly:
“But this matter does involve Chaoyang after all. The Emperor must still show some leniency. Although Madam Zhou is good, as a royal consort, her reputation must not be tarnished. Only if she can bear a royal heir in the future will she truly be blessed.”
The implication was that until Zhou Mingyi bore a prince, Consort Chen must still be protected.
After all, Consort Chen had Princess Chaoyang.
If the Emperor could have no other heirs in this lifetime, Chaoyang would be the only one.
They must not let Consort Chen and her daughter become disheartened.
Emperor Qianwu lowered his gaze, concealing the surging suspicion in his eyes.
“This Emperor understands.”
The Empress Dowager added, “How does the Emperor plan to deal with that Madam Jin?”
Emperor Qianwu remained silent for a moment. “Send her to the Cold Palace.”
He held no fondness whatsoever for Madam Jin.
With Madam Zhou as the shining pearl before him, Emperor Qianwu now found all other beauties to be “lacking in appearance.”
Madam Jin was not unattractive, but compared to the stunningly beautiful Madam Zhou, she appeared rather plain and ordinary.
Moreover, she had never received the emperor’s favor and was merely a Baolin in name only. Being sent to the Cold Palace instead of being executed outright was already the last act of mercy from Emperor Qianwu.
“No.”
The Empress Dowager, however, firmly refused.
Emperor Qianwu raised an eyebrow in surprise.
The Empress Dowager understood her son well and knew she had to provide a convincing explanation.
“Madam Jin was originally someone I specifically sought out for you at Hanshan Temple.”
“Master Jingming said that the Heaven’s Mandate Maiden was at Hanshan Temple. Although it was Madam Zhou who consummated the union with you, Madam Jin might still be the one.”
“What if there are two Heaven’s Mandate Maidens?”