Dragon Spring Palace, Jiaotai Hall.
“You’re saying the Empress was the one who threw the Second Princess and Fourth Princess into the pond?” Guo Yichen’s brows furrowed slightly, though not in anger. Instead, there was obvious amusement in his eyes.
Wang Fugui had originally assumed the Emperor would be furious, but unexpectedly, His Majesty actually seemed rather pleased.
Unable to discern the Emperor’s true thoughts, he could only answer respectfully, “Replying to Your Majesty, yes.”
“Tell me the details carefully.” Guo Yichen leaned sideways against his chair with one elbow propped up, looking as though he were preparing to enjoy a theatrical performance.
Wang Fugui: “……”
After organizing his thoughts and choosing his words carefully, he said, “This servant only heard it from the guards on duty.”
“At the fourth quarter of the fifth watch, Her Majesty the Empress went alone to Jinghe Palace. She ordered an early-rising palace maid to lead her to the residence of the Second and Fourth Princesses. Then she directly pushed open the doors to their room, lifted the two princesses from their beds, and threw them into the pond.”
“Only afterward did Her Majesty order the guards and palace servants to jump into the water and rescue them.”
“By the time the Second and Fourth Princesses were brought ashore, Her Majesty had already vanished without a trace.”
The corners of Guo Yichen’s lips unconsciously lifted.
In his mind, he recalled the scene from yesterday when the Empress had been teaching Luo Li, along with the Empress’s characteristic crazed boldness.
He knew Wang Fugui had already phrased it gently.
Most likely, the Empress had swaggered out of Fengyi Palace, casually grabbed a random guard to lead the way to Jinghe Palace, and entered without alarming Consort Xian. Then, openly and confidently, she had seized another palace servant to guide her to the Second and Fourth Princesses’ chambers. She had probably kicked the doors open violently, dragged one princess in each hand all the way to the pond, and mercilessly tossed them into the water.
After throwing them in, she likely dusted off her hands cheerfully amid the horrified cries of the guards and servants before leisurely ordering them to save the girls and then striding away with dramatic flair.
The entire process could be summarized in two words:
Utterly arrogant.
Or more accurately, in four words:
Arrogant as hell.
She clearly had not placed Consort Xian in her eyes at all.
If this had happened in the past, he would certainly have loathed the Empress’s arrogance.
But now, he felt her arrogance was perfectly justified.
Luo Li had been bullied. If the Empress, as her mother, still failed to stand up for her and only bullied people within her own palace, then that would truly make her contemptible.
Besides, although Luo Li was the Fifth Princess, strictly speaking, she was a legitimate daughter.
Two concubine-born princesses daring to bully a legitimate princess was already improper according to etiquette and deserved punishment.
No matter what, Lin Anran was still the Empress, mistress of the central palace, and mother to all imperial princes and princesses. It was perfectly reasonable for a mother to discipline children.
As for the methods used, as long as no real harm was done, it was acceptable.
With these thoughts in mind, Guo Yichen ordered Wang Fugui to silence everyone involved in the incident. Absolutely no rumors harmful to the Empress were to spread—especially not to the Empress Dowager.
This was the respect he chose to give the Empress.
…
Jinghe Palace.
Crash!
The sound of a cup shattering rang through the room, followed by Consort Xian’s furious voice:
“What? You’re saying the Emperor ordered everyone silenced and forbade anyone from spreading word that it was the Empress who threw the Second and Fourth Princesses into the water?”
Consort Xian felt as though she were about to explode from rage.
Before dawn today, the Empress had turned Jinghe Palace upside down. The Second and Fourth Princesses had been thoroughly frightened and cried nonstop.
Yet because the two girls had been the ones at fault first, Consort Xian was powerless to seek revenge against the Empress.
In a fit of anger, she had therefore skipped paying her respects to the Empress.
She had the courage not to greet the Empress.
But she did not have the courage to neglect greeting the Empress Dowager.
However, while on the way to Cining Palace, a young eunuch had splashed her with water. The boy had been astonishingly agile, fleeing immediately after throwing the water, leaving not even a shadow behind.
Consort Xian was no fool.
She knew this servant must have been instructed by the Empress. The purpose was obvious—to stop her from going to greet the Empress Dowager.
Now she had been caught in a dilemma.
If she went to greet the Empress Dowager in wet clothes, she would be accused of improper conduct before the throne.
If she did not go, at worst the Empress Dowager would be displeased for a short while. Later, she could simply bring the children to the Empress Dowager, act pitiful, and smooth things over.
Thus, Consort Xian had returned to Jinghe Palace, intending to change clothes before taking the Second and Fourth Princesses to pay respects.
But just as she finished changing and was preparing to leave with the girls, the Empress Dowager’s order arrived confining her to her palace.
The shock and fury nearly made her faint on the spot.
Consort Xian truly had never imagined that one day she would be outmaneuvered by that mad, foolish Empress.
She had still been planning to find a chance to retaliate when she heard the news that the Emperor had ordered everyone silenced.
Wasn’t the Emperor obviously protecting the Empress too?
What tricks had the Empress used to make both the Emperor and Empress Dowager help her?
This was completely different from what had happened in her previous life.
So where exactly had things gone wrong?
As Consort Xian struggled with these thoughts, a terrifying possibility suddenly flashed through her mind.
Could it be that the Empress, like her, had also been reborn?
The idea filled Consort Xian with an unprecedented sense of crisis, making her desperate to verify it in person.
But now that she was confined to Jinghe Palace, she could not leave no matter how anxious she felt. She would have to wait several more days before she could seek out the Empress.
…
While storms brewed throughout the harem, Fengyi Palace remained peaceful and harmonious, filled with warmth and lively joy.
By the time Lin Anran returned to Fengyi Palace, Luo Li’s fever had already broken and she had awakened.
Nurse Jian was feeding Luo Li porridge.
Smiling, Lin Anran walked forward. “Let me feed her instead.”
Nurse Jian froze for a moment. After some hesitation, she still handed the bowl to the Empress and quietly stepped aside.
Though inwardly, she couldn’t help wondering—
Did Her Majesty even know how to feed a child?
Lin Anran carried the bowl and sat by the bedside. Scooping up a spoonful of porridge, she blew gently on it before testing the temperature against the back of her hand. Only after confirming it wasn’t too hot did she bring it to Luo Li’s lips.
Luo Li simply stared blankly at Lin Anran the entire time.
At some point, a mist of tears had filled her large eyes.
Seeing Luo Li seemingly about to cry, Lin Anran became alarmed. “What’s wrong, little A’Li? Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere? Why are you crying?”
As she spoke, Lin Anran set down the spoon and moved to check on her.
But Luo Li reacted faster.
Her tiny hands grabbed Lin Anran’s wrist as she shook her head with a choked sob and swallowed the spoonful of porridge in one bite.
She ate with complete satisfaction, happiness radiating from her soft, adorable face.
Just being fed porridge by Lin Anran already made her feel like the happiest child in the world.
At that moment, Lin Anran finally understood.
And her heart ached even more for Luo Li.
How starved for love and sensitive must a child be to become this moved simply because her mother fed her a spoonful of porridge?
“Silly child, and you’re crying already? If Mother fed you porridge every single day, wouldn’t your eyes cry themselves blind?” Lin Anran teased gently.
Unexpectedly, Luo Li seriously considered the question before answering sincerely:
“If Mother feeds this child porridge every day, I don’t know whether my eyes would go blind… but I would definitely grow skinny from hunger.”
Lin Anran froze briefly before bursting into laughter.
Even the nurses and palace maids in the room smiled warmly at the exchange.
“What has everyone so happy? I could hear the Empress’s carefree laughter from far away.”
Suddenly, Guo Yichen’s voice sounded from outside the doorway.