In Yongxin Palace, when Noble Princess Consort Rong learned that the Emperor was going to suspend court on the anniversary of the Late Empress’s death, she accidentally knocked over a teacup. The tea soaked her dress.
Seeing this, Jin i quickly picked up the pieces of the cup and imdiately suggested that Noble Princess Consort Rong return to the bedroom to change her clothes.
Noble Princess Consort Rong grabbed Jin i’s arm, anxiously asking, "Is it true that His Majesty is going to suspend court on the Late Empress’s anniversary?"
Jin i winced at the pain in her arm from Noble Princess Consort Rong’s grip, but she endured it and said, "It’s true, Your Highness, His Majesty said it himself." After saying this, she noticed Noble Princess Consort Rong’s expression turn forlorn and hurriedly consoled her, "Your Highness, this year marks the seventh year since the Late Empress’s passing, the most important one. It is not surprising that His Majesty would suspend court to honor her. Do not overthink it."
"In recent years, His Majesty has never suspended court," Noble Princess Consort Rong felt a stone weighing down her heart, "I rember two years ago, when His Majesty fell severely ill and couldn’t even get out of bed, yet he still insisted on attending court despite all our persuasion being futile."
"To His Majesty, nothing is more important than the affairs of the court. Yet now he wants to suspend court for the Late Empress, which truly shows how important she is to him." Jealousy uncontrollably rose in her heart.
"Your Highness, the reason His Majesty suspends court for the Late Empress again is just to show the world, to show the Duke Zhen Country Mansion." Jin i knew where Noble Princess Consort Rong’s heart lay, "You know the Xie family was indebted to the Imperial Family back then. If His Majesty doesn’t show importance to the Late Empress, he would be criticized as ungrateful."
"Is that so?" At this mont, Noble Princess Consort Rong lacked her usual confidence and looked doubtful. "Is it really so?"
"Of course, it is." Jin i said with great certainty, "Your Highness, please do not overthink it." The Empress knows you care about the Late Empress, so she deliberately provokes you, hoping you’ll lose composure in front of His Majesty. Do not fall for the Empress’s trick."
At the ntion of Empress Xie, Noble Princess Consort Rong’s expression imdiately changed, turning vicious. Her jealousy towards the Late Empress was instantly replaced by hatred for Empress Xie.
She dared not resent the Late Empress, so she could only bla Empress Xie for taking her rightful position as Empress.
"Your Highness, actually Empress Xie cares more about the Late Empress than you do," Jin i said, "Though the Late Empress was her sister, they do not share the sa mother. Moreover, the Late Empress was a concubine’s daughter of the Xie family, while Empress Xie is the legitimate daughter. As a legitimate daughter becoming the successor, do you think she truly doesn’t mind at all?"
Noble Princess Consort Rong sneered, "Of course she minds. She pretends to be gentle and virtuous but is more sinister than anyone else." Noble Princess Consort Rong, an adversary to Empress Xie, understood her well, "Being the legitimate daughter of the Xie family, she naturally looks down on the Late Empress, who was a concubine’s daughter. That’s not even what she hates the most. What she resents most is the constant comparison people make between her and the Late Empress. If she does well, others praise her as worthy of being the Late Empress’s sister. If she does poorly, people say she’s not as good as the Late Empress."
"These past few years, she played a gentle and virtuous part for everyone, gaining so praise, but no one ever praised her over the Late Empress," Noble Princess Consort Rong continued to mock, "No matter what she does, she can’t surpass the Late Empress. She lives in the Late Empress’s shadow. Do you think she wouldn’t hate the Late Empress?"
"I bet Empress Xie despises the Late Empress to death."
Noble Princess Consort Rong’s previously dejected mood was swept away by thoughts of Empress Xie. In this palace, only Empress Xie could lift Noble Princess Consort Rong’s spirits and awaken her fighting spirit.
"Compared to , Xie Yi is more pitiful."
"Indeed, how can Empress Xie compare to you, Your Highness? You hold a special place in His Majesty’s heart," Jin i said with so pride, "Empress Xie cannot even receive half of your affection, how can she compare to you."
"His Majesty is kind to Xie Yi because of the Late Empress and the Xie family, but he doesn’t give her half the respect he showed to the Late Empress," Noble Princess Consort Rong sneered, "Xie Yi resents the Late Empress, yet she has to imitate her. The funniest thing is, she has to rely on the Late Empress to gain His Majesty’s favor. Compared to her, I am much happier." She never needed to rely on the Late Empress for His Majesty’s love, nor did she need to imitate her.
"Your Highness, you must not fall into Empress Xie’s trap." Each year on the Late Empress’s death anniversary, Jin i worried that Noble Princess Consort Rong, driven by jealousy, might lose composure.
The Late Empress was like a needle, lodged deep in Noble Princess Consort Rong’s heart, impossible to remove or ignore. On usual days, the needle lay dormant, but on the Late Empress’s anniversary, it would pierce her heart acutely.
Suddenly rembering sothing Empress Xie said, Noble Princess Consort Rong squinted slightly, her expression contemplative.
Noticing her strange expression, Jin i asked with concern, "Your Highness, what’s wrong?" She hoped she hadn’t said anything wrong earlier.
"Xie Yi will probably take action against on the Late Empress’s anniversary," Noble Princess Consort Rong had been troubled lately by rumors about Prince Dai, and coupled with the Late Empress’s anniversary, she had lost her composure, not heeding Empress Xie’s comnts then. Upon reflection, Noble Princess Consort Rong felt Empress Xie’s words held deeper anings.
"Taking action against on the Late Empress’s anniversary would be most fitting and could make His Majesty despise ."
"Then Empress Xie is making a wrong calculation," Jin i said, "Even if you did sothing on the Late Empress’s anniversary, His Majesty wouldn’t forsake you because of that."
Noble Princess Consort Rong found these words pleasing, a smile unknowingly appeared on her face.
"You have such a sweet mouth."
"Your Highness, this is the truth," Jin i suddenly worried, recalling what Noble Princess Consort Rong had said earlier, "But Your Highness, we cannot just sit and wait. We must respond to Empress Xie."
"In the next few days, keep a close eye out," Noble Princess Consort Rong instructed, "Xie Yi will surely target people around ."
"Rest assured, Your Highness, I will keep watch. I will definitely ferret out any moles Empress Xie plants."
"Once found, we will turn the tables," Noble Princess Consort Rong said, standing up and instructing Jin i, "Assist in changing clothes."
In the bedroom, Jin i took out a newly made plain dress to help Noble Princess Consort Rong change.
"On the Late Empress’s anniversary, you cannot wear bright and beautiful dresses, Your Highness. It’s really unfair to you." Noble Princess Consort Rong was best suited for bright colors. "Not even hairpins can be worn."
Noble Princess Consort Rong didn’t mind these things, "His Majesty is mourning the Late Empress; how can we wear bright clothes?"
"Nevertheless, even in plain attire, Your Highness is still the most beautiful woman in the world!"
Noble Princess Consort Rong lightly pinched Jin i’s cheek, playfully scolding, "Is your little mouth sared with honey?"
"I’m speaking the truth, Your Highness; Empress Xie pales in comparison to you."
Noble Princess Consort Rong mocked, "In terms of beauty, Xie Yi isn’t fit to hold a candle to ."
"Empress Xie can’t even compare to the Late Empress," Jin i retorted, "She isn’t inherently gentle, yet she insists on presenting a gentle image, making her seem out of place."
"She has sharp and an features; if she doesn’t present herself as gentle, her true nature would be exposed," Noble Princess Consort Rong frowned a little at her reflection in plain clothes, although she still looked beautiful, "The Late Empress was truly gentle, which she has to emulate."
"The Late Empress’s gentleness is sothing Empress Xie can never replicate." Honestly, the Late Empress was genuinely gentle, the most gentle woman she had ever known. The phrase "gentle as water" described the Late Empress perfectly.
Noble Princess Consort Rong fixed her appearance and, with Jin i, went to the study to continue copying Buddhist scriptures for the Late Empress.
While copying, a thought crossed her mind. Before the Emperor ascended the throne, the Late Empress had always been healthy. Though she seed delicate, she wasn’t frail. In her mory, the Late Empress rarely fell ill. Even during the births of the Crown Prince and Princess, it went smoothly unlike her own experience with Prince Dai, nearly leading to complications.
After the Emperor’s enthronent, they both beca busy, yet the Late Empress still appeared well. But within a few years, the Late Empress fell gravely ill, and then passed away shortly thereafter.
"What are you thinking about, Your Highness?" Jin i saw Noble Princess Consort Rong pause, looking thoughtful, and asked with concern.
"I was thinking about how quickly the Late Empress’s illness ca and went."
Jin i understood Noble Princess Consort Rong’s suspicion, "Do you suspect sothing unusual about the Late Empress’s illness?"
"I just suddenly feel that her illness was too abrupt."
"If there was an issue with the Late Empress’s illness, His Majesty wouldn’t have left it unchecked," Jin i believed there was no issue, "Didn’t the Imperial Physician say it was due to accumulated exhaustion, suddenly breaking out fiercely?"
"Yes, if there was an issue with the Late Empress’s illness, my cousin wouldn’t have been unmoved," Noble Princess Consort Rong dismissed her doubts and focused on copying the Buddhist scriptures.
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