Chapter 108: The Seed

Chapter 108: The Seed

Consort He, indeed bored, took Jiang Hui's suggestion and chose a snowy day to admire the scenery at Taiye Pond.

There, she unexpectedly encountered Consort De, who had also come to enjoy the scenery, at the Zhaoyue Pavilion.

Since giving birth to the Third Prince and ascending in rank, Consort De felt herself the undisputed third in command in the palace and didn’t hold Consort He in high regard. She merely glanced at her and said bluntly, "Consort He, please leave. I prefer to be alone here in Zhaoyue Pavilion."

However, Consort He nonchalantly sat down on a wooden bench in the pavilion and said to Consort De, "Why don’t you bring the Third Prince out to see?"

Caught off guard and unable to drive her away, Consort De replied stiffly, "The Third Prince is still too young to withstand the cold."

Consort He then looked Consort De up and down, causing her to feel uneasy. Raising her chin, Consort De asked, "What are you looking at?"

"I was admiring how beautiful Consort De is," Consort He replied, her eyes, with a hint of exotic charm, curving into a smile. "Surely, if His Majesty were here, he would be captivated by your beauty as well!"

Having said this, Consort He, unconcerned with Consort De’s reaction, stood up laughing, and left Zhaoyue Pavilion with her maids, holding an umbrella as she retraced her steps.

Even the naïve Consort De understood that Consort He wasn’t really praising her but mocking her for waiting in vain for the Emperor.

Although Consort De’s status had risen due to the Third Prince, the Emperor had seldom visited Guangyang Palace during her pregnancy and confinement period. Now, nearly two months post-confinement, she still hadn’t seen the Emperor, hence resorting to wandering around Taiye Pond.

Fuming with anger, her face flushed, Consort De, a well-bred lady whose parents died early but was raised well by her uncle, refrained from uttering any coarse words. Frustrated, she stomped her foot and glared at Consort He’s departing figure.

Consort He, in high spirits, left Zhaoyue Pavilion and cheerfully chatted with Luocairen and Wanmeiren she encountered along the way, returning to Yufu Palace in a joyful mood.

Meanwhile, in Yaohua Palace, Jiang Hui gazed at the list of gifts in her hand, her expression slightly somber.

Quan Xi had already subtly informed her that even though the Emperor hadn’t extracted any significant information from the surviving servants of the Empress Dowager, he hadn’t dismissed his suspicions and had turned his attention to the attendants who died in the fire.

Jiang Hui had earlier speculated that the attendants of the Senior Princess Chengping had perished alongside the Empress Dowager. Thus, she discreetly inquired about the aftermath of the deceased servants from Quan Xi and received an affirmative answer. This meant that if the Emperor sought to uncover anything from this angle, it would likely be difficult to achieve immediately.

However, Jiang Hui couldn’t just wait idly. Unable to rely solely on the Emperor, she had to create distractions. Her previous maneuver of sending Lady Linping to Prince Cheng’s mansion was just a diversion, and the birthday gift sent to the Empress Dowager last year presented a good opportunity.

The Emperor harbored suspicions about her because he was aware of the enmity between Jiang Hui and the Empress Dowager. After all, it seemed unlikely that others would target the Empress Dowager, who rarely intervened in palace affairs.

Therefore, if Jiang Hui wanted to extricate herself from this situation, she needed to find someone else who also had a motive to harm the Empress Dowager.

The Empress was the perfect candidate, especially since the Empress Dowager had personally ordered the Second Prince to be raised in Fengyi Palace.

Since the Second Prince was not officially under the Empress's care, if she wanted to raise her own son, it was natural for her to weaken the influence of the Changping Marquis' house, and targeting the Empress Dowager could be justified.

But what was the gift the Empress sent last year…

Agarwood headrest?

That was indeed a fine item for calming nerves and aiding sleep. Given the Empress Dowager's anxiety and insomnia before leaving the palace, whether true or false, it was a thoughtful gift from the Empress, hard to fault.

Jiang Hui murmured "agarwood" softly to herself and then, with a faint smile, said to Qing Feng standing nearby, "Has Luocairen been particularly favored recently?"

"Yes," Qing Feng immediately replied, "I heard the Empress say Luocairen has been working hard attending to His Majesty. Just this morning, several rolls of Yuehua brocade were bestowed upon her and sent to Jinlan Garden."

Jiang Hui nodded and instructed, "Please invite Consort Xue to come here."

"Yes," Qing Feng acknowledged.

It's widely known throughout the palace that Consort Xue and Lady Luo of Changxin Palace are at odds.

Initially, neither of them had much favor, but since the demotion of a previously favored consort, and with Consort Zhao unable to attend to the Emperor due to her pregnancy, Lady Luo started to stand out.

Consort Xue thought that once Consort Zhao's confinement ended, Lady Luo's days of favor would be numbered. However, after the Imperial Physician diagnosed Consort Zhao with a need for extensive rest, Lady Luo's favor only grew, making it increasingly difficult for Consort Xue to suppress her resentment.

So, Consort Xue gave extra rewards to the servants of Qingxin Pavilion, claiming she wanted to rise early to admire the rime and fog at Taiye Pool in winter, instructing them to clear the snow early.

It wouldn’t have been an issue, except Lady Luo from the neighboring Jinlan Garden was disturbed every day before dawn by the sound of brooms scraping against the stone pavements, preventing her from sleeping.

If she complained to Consort Xue, she would receive a sincere apology, but always the same excuse: “I’m so captivated by Taiye Pool in winter! Why don’t you join me, Sister Luo?”

This effectively silenced Lady Luo's complaints.

The ongoing conflict between Consort Xue and Lady Luo of Changxin Palace was secretly followed by other court ladies, who couldn't help but snicker when seeing the vibrant Consort Xue and the weary Lady Luo during their daily greetings.

But Lady Luo was the favored consort of the time, and Consort Xue, only slightly higher in rank, couldn't keep tolerating it.

So, when the Emperor once again visited Jinlan Garden, Lady Luo, after careful preparation, subtly showed her weariness, successfully drawing the Emperor’s concern.

With brows relaxed, Lady Luo displayed a practiced smile she had refined in front of a mirror a thousand times and softly said, “Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am fine, just not sleeping well lately.”

“Not sleeping well?” The Emperor raised his eyebrows slightly, following her lead.

“Yes,” Lady Luo replied, lowering her eyes as if unintentionally, “Consort Xue from Qingxin Pavilion has been rising early to enjoy the scenery at Taiye Pool, and Jinlan Garden is quite close. I’ve always been a light sleeper…”

The Emperor clearly understood the implication. He glanced at Sheng An, who immediately bowed and said, “Your Majesty, residing in Qingxin Pavilion is Consort Xue, daughter of Colonel Xue.”

Colonel Xue was known for his competent service. The Emperor nodded and said to Lady Luo, “In that case, I will send someone to reprimand her.”

Lady Luo seemed reluctant to appear as a tattletale in the Emperor's eyes and hurriedly suggested, "Your Majesty, it's not Consort Xue's fault; she merely steps out to enjoy the scenery. It's just my poor sleep. If Your Majesty could kindly bestow some agarwood, I've heard it aids sleep and calms the mind. With it, I'm sure I could sleep soundly regardless of the noise outside."

"Agarwood is a tribute item, and there are many in the palace storeroom of the Palace Servitude Bureau."

The Emperor, preoccupied with state affairs, seldom bothers with the details of the harem unless it's a major issue. Most matters there are merely for his amusement, not worth his attention. He lavishes favor for a while, then disregards as he pleases.

However, despite his lack of concern, he instinctively understood that the woman before him intended to use this imperial gift to embarrass Consort Xue. Indifferently, he nodded and instructed Sheng An, "Go fetch the agarwood and send it to Jinlan Garden."