Chapter 54: Changmen

Chapter 54: Changmen

Consort Min’s pupils contracted slightly. Ignoring the Emperor's cold demeanor, she forced a pale smile and said, "Your Majesty, many items in the palace are stored in such mahogany boxes, they all look somewhat familiar to me."

Unmoved, Emperor Xiaosheng ordered Sheng An to open the wooden box and held it close for Consort Min to see clearly, then asked, "Do you recognize it now?"

Consort Min glanced inside, startled by the sight of long needles and wooden debris. However, she had braced herself for the worst since receiving her breakfast. She feigned confusion on her face and shook her head, "Your Majesty, I do not recognize this item."

Emperor Xiaosheng had anticipated such a response. He glanced at Sheng An, who immediately said, "Consort Min, these items are used for practicing witchcraft."

The Empress, sitting aside, tensed upon hearing "witchcraft," gripping Xia Chan's arm tightly. An epiphany struck her, clarifying the events of the previous day.

With an indescribable expression, she looked at Consort Min and thought: This is a crime punishable by the execution of the entire family. Sadly, Consort Min belongs to the Emperor's maternal family, sparing us from a dramatic scene...

Meanwhile, Consort Min had already knelt on the ground, her face pale as she said, "Cousin, do you suspect Yun'er of practicing witchcraft in the palace?"

Hearing the term "cousin," Emperor Xiaosheng felt no usual pity but rather increased annoyance, unwilling to speak further.

Consort Min wept, "Cousin, how could Yun'er commit such acts?"

She looked up to see Emperor Xiaosheng's indifferent face, tears streaming down, "If it were really done by Yun'er, why would I be so foolish as to not burn or dispose of these things, but instead leave them in Hanzhang Hall? It's clearly a setup!"

"A setup?" Emperor Xiaosheng said, almost mockingly.

Sheng An spoke in a low voice, "Consort Min, these items were found in Xianyu Pavilion."

Consort Min's crying halted, disbelievingly saying, "Cousin, do you suspect Yun'er deliberately placed these items in Xianyu Pavilion?"

Emperor Xiaosheng, too weary to continue the conversation, stated indifferently, "Consort Min has lost her virtue. Effective immediately, her title is revoked, demoted to commoner status, and transferred to Changmen Palace."

Having said this, he walked away, ignoring the chorus of "cousin," "my lord," and "Imperial Physician" calling from behind.

The Empress watched the drama unfold with detachment and signaled to Chunyan, "It seems there will be bloodshed now. Call Doctor Cheng back in."

Then, with a concerned expression, the Empress directed Dongqing and Du Ruo to carry Zhao Ruyun back to her bed, expressing pity, "Sister Zhao, no matter what, the most important thing is the imperial heir in your womb. Rest well in Changmen Palace, and one day His Majesty may think of you again."

"The imperial heir...?" Zhao Ruyun murmured, finally calming down.

After tidying up the aftermath in Hanzhang Hall, the Empress returned to Fengyi Palace around noon.

Chunyan brought a cooling drink for the Empress and asked softly, "Your Highness, will the child in...Zhao, the commoner's womb, survive?"

"Why wouldn't it?" the Empress set down her porcelain cup, saying sarcastically, "Zhao's life was spared because of that child. If the heir is lost, she no longer needs to exist in this world. To save her own life, she wouldn't dare to make trouble."

Did this mean that once the child was born, Zhao, the commoner, would no longer live?

Startled, Chunyan hesitated, "But what about Cining Palace...?"

The Empress's expression softened, "His Majesty told me that the Empress Dowager wishes to visit Wutai Mountain to pray for a while. We are not to disturb her unless necessary."

It was mentioned 'for a while' without specifying the duration.

Chunyan and Xia Chan exchanged a glance, unable to hide the shock in their eyes.

Consort Min's demotion to commoner status and relocation to Changmen Palace, and the change of servants in Cining Palace and Hanzhang Hall, did not cause much stir in Yaohua Palace.

However, the news of the Empress Dowager's indefinite pilgrimage to Wutai Mountain left Jiang Hui momentarily surprised.

No matter how upset His Majesty was with the Empress Dowager, he would not do something that seemed like driving her away. After all, she was his birth mother.

So, was this a strategic retreat by the Empress Dowager?

Indeed, distance lends enchantment to the view. Even if the Emperor's heart was still overshadowed by the incident of witchcraft and framing, the long separation between mother and son might gradually be softened by feelings of longing.

On the day the Empress Dowager left the palace, the clouds were light in the sky. Jiang Hui, having drunk the Snow Essence Four-Contraries Replenishing Soup for several days, showed noticeable improvement in her complexion. Along with the Emperor, the Empress, and other consorts, she bid farewell to the Empress Dowager at the Chaoyang Gate.

Dressed in a crow-black long robe, her hair coiffed into a coiled bun and adorned with a peacock blue hairpin, the Empress Dowager, wearing Buddhist beads around her neck and wrists, was assisted by her attendants. Her face bore the usual benevolent expression.

At that moment, she said to the Emperor, "Although Yun'er has made a mistake, the child in her womb is innocent. It's fine for the child to be born in Changmen Palace, but it's not appropriate for an imperial child to grow up there. In my opinion, it's better to have the child raised in Fengyi Palace."

Upon hearing this, a complex look flashed in the Empress's eyes, and she remained silent.

The gender of Zhao, the commoner's unborn child, was still unknown. If it were a princess, it would be fine, but if a prince, being raised in her Fengyi Palace would be akin to having a legitimate son. If she were fortunate enough to conceive again, it would be an added advantage.

Xu Xiuyuan, standing below, hesitated, wanting to speak but not daring to, her eyes secretly fixed on the Emperor, hoping he would remember there was still a high-ranking consort without children.

Emperor Xiaosheng hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement, "As Mother wishes."

The Empress Dowager smiled faintly, turning to Jiang Hui, who stood slightly behind, and said affectionately, "Both mother and son in Anning Palace are unwell. While I am away from the palace, take good care of yourself."

Stepping forward, Jiang Hui bowed gracefully, replying softly, "Anning heeds the teachings of the Empress Dowager."

As if she knew nothing.

The Empress Dowager nodded in response, exchanged a few more words with the Emperor, then boarded her carriage, accompanied by a long procession of guards and attendants, heading towards Wutai Mountain.

After the Empress Dowager left the palace, Jiang Hui rested for a few more days, finally resuming her regular visits to Fengyi Palace.

One day, the manager from the palace embroidery department came, stating that the weather would soon turn cold and asked the Noble Consort to select some designs for new clothes.

As a noble consort, Jiang Hui was entitled to six sets of palace attire every ten days, and she had more than ten embroideresses dedicated to serving Yaohua Palace.

It was only the end of July, yet the embroidery department was already preparing for winter clothing.

Jiang Hui picked out a few fashionable designs from a lacquered box full of patterns and said to Shen, the manager dressed in an apricot-colored robe, "These will do. For the entwined branch pattern, don’t pair it with a gauze skirt; the rest is up to you."

"Yes, I understand," Shen bowed and then brought out a pair of round and adorable tiger-head shoes from the embroidery basket, "Your Highness, the tiger-head shoes you ordered are ready. Would you like to see if anything needs to be adjusted?"

Jiang Hui took the shoes, examined them for a while, noticing the fine stitches and soft soles, and said contentedly, "They are perfect. Shan Zha—"

Jiang Hui gestured to Shan Zha to give Shen, the manager, a reward.

Once alone, Shan Zha said, "My lady, the little master's clothes are always hand-sewn by us. Why suddenly ask the embroidery department to make these tiger-head shoes?"

There was a hint of regret in her voice, feeling as if her work had been taken away.

Jiang Hui smiled, "These aren’t for Nian'er. The second princess's first birthday is coming up soon. They are for her."