Chapter 55: Lifting the Ban

Chapter 55: Lifting the Ban

"Oh," Shan Zha said, embarrassed, then muttered, "After how Hu treated you, and the second princess..."

"Enough, I know you feel indignant on my behalf. But it's just a pair of shoes. The child is innocent. Besides, in this palace, we can't neglect the necessary formalities," Jiang Hui chided her.

"Yes, I was wrong," Shan Zha replied sheepishly.

Okra returned with the tiger-head shoes packed in a lacquer box and reported to Jiang Hui, "My lady, I heard that the Fengyi Palace has again sent Doctor Qiu to Changmen Palace to treat Zhao, the commoner."

Jiang Hui remained expressionless, "Hmm," she hummed, unbothered, "Since His Majesty has decreed, the child is now under Fengyi Palace's care. It's normal for the Empress to be concerned."

After listening, Okra added, "I also heard that the Empress has been frequently summoning Lady Linping to the palace."

Lady Linping, the mother of the Empress, held the title of a first-class imperial lady due to her daughter's status.

"Lady Linping?" Jiang Hui pondered for a moment, "Right now, the Empress is most concerned about her own pregnancy. Her summoning Lady Linping is probably mostly about that."

With the drama unfolding in Cining Palace, the Empress wouldn't trouble Yaohua Palace until she gives birth to a son.

Now, she should be more concerned about the clever person who instigated Zhao and Sun against each other, leading to Zhao Ruyun’s conflict with her.

Observing this clever person's schemes, using Xiaolian’s matter to demote the favored Concubine Wanse and confine her, making Zhao Ruyun and Sun Manyun suspect each other after Zhao's fall into the water;

Using Consort Liu's miscarriage to make the pregnant Zhao Ruyun disliked by the Emperor, while also increasing Zhao’s fear and jealousy towards herself...

The people involved in these incidents are Concubine Wanse, Zhao Ruyun, Sun Manyun, Consort Liu, and Jiang Hui herself.

Two are pregnant, one has a child, and even those without children hold a degree of favor, easily sparking rumors of good news.

With only one prince in the palace and few consorts showing signs of pregnancy, who would be so eager to target the prince or even the prince's mother?

Jiang Hui considered all the consorts in the palace and then instructed Qingfeng, "It's almost August, and the confinement of the Selected Attendant should be lifted. Go to Gongye Si and quietly let them know, take extra care of her."

"Yes," Qingfeng didn’t ask why but accepted the order and left.

The second princess's first birthday celebration was scheduled for the sixth day of the eighth month. The Empress, showing her affection, held a banquet in Fengyi Palace, inviting all the significant figures of the palace, creating an event even more lively than the grand princess's birthday in April.

Wan Xuan Shi, recently released from confinement, was also on the guest list.

She still maintained her innocent and charming appearance, but the three months of confinement seemed to have matured her significantly. Gone were her usual laughter and chatter, sitting silently among the lower-ranked consorts.

The wet nurse brought out the second princess and placed her on a thick velvet mat, which was laid out with various items like gold and silver toys, pearl hairpins, rouge boxes, small bows and arrows, seals, stationery, abacus, rattle drums, and embroidery frames.

It was time for the first birthday 'grabbing' ceremony.

The little infant crawled and paused on the velvet mat, touching this and looking at that, but not grabbing anything.

The Emperor, not in a hurry, watched with a fondness for his daughter, showing no aversion to her due to Hu Shi's influence.

Tired from playing, the second princess stopped by the rouge box, reaching out to grab the delicate box.

Immediately, someone cleverly exclaimed, "The second princess grabbed the rouge box! She will surely grow up to be stunningly beautiful!"

The Emperor and Empress, pleased by this, doubled the rewards for the attending palace staff. The first birthday celebration was lively until a porcelain cup was suddenly dropped, shattering the festive atmosphere.

The incident occurred near the lower-ranked consorts close to the entrance.

"What happened?" the Emperor asked with a frown.

A woman in a plain pink silk robe hurried forward a few steps, kneeling on the ground, her voice trembling, "Your Majesty, it was my fault, I accidentally dropped the teacup. Please punish me, Your Majesty, and the Empress."

It was the terrified Wan Xuan Shi, Feng Pingping.

Xiao Sheng recognized the familiar voice; it was Wan Xuan Shi, whom he hadn't seen for many days. Her panicked and fearful demeanor reminded him of their first encounter in Langhuan Ge.

Back then, Wan Xuan Shi, lost and frightened, had tearfully begged him to show her the way, mentioning her family relied on her selection into the palace for the dowry, to fund her father's imperial examination expenses...

Wan Xuan Shi, after three months of confinement, appeared somewhat haggard and fearful, but her beautiful face still outshone everyone else in the room, except for the Noble Consort and Lady Li.

At that moment, Sun Guiren, who was sitting nearby, stood up, bowed, and said slowly, "Your Majesty, I witnessed that it was Zhang Yuniang next to Wan Xuan Shi who accidentally bumped her, causing her to drop the cup."

Sun Guiren, or Sun Manyun, had been promoted from a sixth-ranked talent to a fifth-ranked Noble Lady for revealing Zhao Shi's misdeeds, after the Empress reported to the Emperor.

Sun Guiren's beauty may have been marred, but her noble family background and recent promotion to Noble Lady made Zhang Yuniang, whom she accused, dare not refute and instead knelt beside Wan Xuan Shi, trembling, "I didn't mean to... please forgive me, Your Majesty, and the Empress."

Breaking a cup was a minor issue, but it happened in Fengyi Palace during the second princess's birthday celebration, considered an ill omen.

Moreover, this banquet was a rare opportunity for many less favored concubines to see the Emperor.

Thus, both Wan Xuan Shi and Zhang Yuniang were pale with fear, dreading any punitive words.

"Since it was unintentional, get up," said the Emperor, not blaming them on the second princess's birthday.

Both quickly expressed their gratitude and sat back down, now too cautious to even hold a teacup, merely picking at the snacks with bamboo chopsticks.

Sitting at the front, Jiang Hui glanced indifferently over Sun Guiren and focused on Wan Xuan Shi, observing the mole at the corner of her eye before casually shifting her gaze away.

As the feast concluded, the second princess being raised by the Empress, the Emperor naturally spent the night in Fengyi Palace.

The remaining consorts, seeing that the Emperor had no intention of summoning any of them, returned to their respective palaces feeling dejected.

Lady Sun and Concubine Wanse, who both resided in Chonghua Palace, naturally came together despite some friction during their selection.

Lacking the privilege to be carried in a sedan chair, the two had to walk, followed a few steps behind by their maids, Huamei and Xiaodie.

Xiaodie was the palace maid recently reassigned to serve Concubine Wanse at Xue Xuan.

Glancing around, Concubine Wanse leaned closer to Lady Sun and whispered, "Sister Sun, if I do as you suggested, will His Majesty really summon me tomorrow?"

Lady Sun, her face still veiled, replied playfully, "Sister Feng, as I’ve said before, let’s just address each other by our birthdays, not bothering with rank and status."

Pausing, she whispered back, "If not tomorrow, then the day after. Just follow my advice, and your day will come."