The Beloved Imperial Consort Chapter 176

“Wei Rui, even if you were intent on entering the Eighth Highness’s residence, you should have discussed it with the family before making any decisions.” He Lian Zhang’s demeanor was cold as he looked at the daughter who had once been his greatest pride, sighing in resignation within his heart. 

Following the news received from His Highness, they carried out a secret purge within the household, which uncovered three spies from two dynasties. Although He Lian residence was now clean, this daughter had been indirectly alienated and could no longer be of use to the He Lian clan. 

“Father.” He Lian Wei Rui, sitting with her back straight and poised, gazed at He Lian Zhang unafraid, “If this opportunity is missed, Wei Ru’s prospect for marriage might turn even more dismal.” She was determined to find out who had ruined her plans. Even if following the Eighth Highness resulted in a worse situation than with the Sixth Highness, the taste of making her own choices versus being driven to a dead end was something she no longer wanted to differentiate.

“Father, if the family is concerned about the phoenix stick in Mu’shi’s possession, doesn’t Wei Rui also hold one? Why can’t you convince grandfather to support His Eighth Highness? There could still be a chance.” Preconceptions did not always guarantee the fulfillment of one’s desires. She and Mu’shi – she originally thought they would face off later, but she had never imagined herself being driven into a corner and inadvertently alerting the enemy. By now, that woman was likely harboring thoughts of retaliation.

Thus, it was women who understood women the best.

Switching allegiance to Zong Zheng Han? He Lian Zhang couldn’t help but shake his head. It wasn’t that he hadn’t considered withdrawing and waiting to see how the situation developed before pledging loyalty. Unfortunately, such thoughts only existed before his meeting with the Sixth Highness. Now… the He Lian House’s lifeblood had long since been tightly gripped by others.  

The world only saw the Sixth Highness as upright and stern, yet they were oblivious to the profound depth of this lord’s intellect, having pushed the He Lian House into the spotlight early on. In this round, the He Lian House lost more than just their waterway trade routes. 

“Wei Rui, there’s no need to discuss this matter any further.” Apart from the old patriarch, He Lian Zhang had not spoken of his private agreement with the Sixth Highness with anyone else. “Since His Eighth Highness has requested an edict, you should just wait peacefully for your marriage and make preparations in advance. As for your dowry, there will be no deductions by the family.” After this, He Lian House and He Lian Wei Rui will serve their own respective lords, having nothing to do with each other.

“Is that so?” He Lian Wei Rui forced a smile, respectfully offering He Lian Zhang a deep bow. “Wei Rui understands Father’s meaning. Wei Rui only hopes that after she leaves, father, out of consideration for the familial bonds and affection of over a decade, will extend some care to mother.” 

If there was any softness left in He Lian Wei Rui’s heart, it was reserved for He Lian Zhang’s secondary wife. Although she was not her biological mother, the indelible kindness of raising her could not be erased.

“You, take care of yourself.” Once he stepped out of this door, He Lian Zhang reverted to his cold and hard-hearted self. Compared to the future prospects of the clan, the daughter who lost her value was destined to be abandoned without hesitation. 

“Has it really come to this, the worst-case scenario?” Watching the head of the He Lian House walk away with a straight back, He Lian Wei Rui’s expression turned frosty.

What was originally mere suspicion has now become undeniable certainty. Zong Zheng Lin acted swiftly, seizing control of the He Lian House at the most opportune moment. This alone made it clear that both she and Zong Zheng Han had let their guard down. Right from the start, she should have considered this layer of closely linked interests. A delay of ten days or half a month might have opened up the possibility of turning the tables.

Against Zong Zheng Lin and Mu’shi – one truly cannot afford to be the slightest bit careless.

“Xue Qin, ask mother to find out more about the movements within the palace these days. Lady Mu is not the type to take hits without retaliating. Should she take any action, it would likely start from the Inner Palace.” If her guess was correct, employing a tactic to pass a message before the Empress Dowager should prove most effective.  

—

“Mo Lan, deliver the letter to the Fourth Princess Consort and say that I, your Mistress, have been terribly missing my sister-in-law after not seeing her for so long. Given Qie’s current health, Qie is unable to leave the residence. Qie can only send her regards through a letter, and hope she understands.” The big boss, acting autocratically, had already ordered that if Tian Fu Shan let her sneak out again, the Chief Steward along with all the other stewards, would be sent to the military camp outside the city for three months of training.

Recalling Tian Fu Shan with a miserable face, so aggrieved he had nowhere to express his grievances, Mu Xi Yao felt particularly delighted. The Chief Steward avoided her like the plague; it served him right to be bullied by Zong Zheng Lin.

Listening to her instructions given in a nonchalant manner, Mo Lan silently left the room. Her Mistress’s lazy nature truly made things difficult for her. Just a few days ago, the Fourth Princess Consort had visited to present a congratulatory gift to the Young Master, and now, it was suddenly ‘missing her terribly after not seeing her for so long’. Mo Lan could already imagine the comical scene that would unfold when she relayed this to the Princess Consort.

Two days later, everyone was in Feng’an Palace paying respects to the Old Ancestor, and the conversation naturally drifted to the Eighth Prince’s selection of a consort.

“Aijia heard that the Eighth has asked for a maiden from the He Lian House?” Empress Dowager Jin’s face remained expressionless, revealing no hint of pleasure or displeasure.

“Yes. Chengqie sent the list over, and within a couple of days, His Eighth Highness made a special trip to the palace to give his response to Chengqie. He said he was very fond of that lady.” Selecting consorts for Zong Zheng Han was the responsibility of the Imperial Noble Consort, hence it was naturally up to her to reply. 

The Empress Dowager eased back slightly onto the brocade couch bed. Before she had a chance to summon attendants, Fu Zhaoyi, who was seated next to her, smartly stepped forward. With care, she lifted the Empress Dowager’s legs onto the couch bed and gently began massaging them.

Consort Shu looked coldly at the woman who feigned loftiness, groveling before the Old Ancestor. She simply turned her head, dismissing her presence entirely.

Women like her may intrigue His Majesty for a while, but a time will come when he becomes bored with them. New faces continue to emerge in the harem, with both overt and covert rivalries intensifying noticeably in recent months. Several younger Chonghuas¹ seem to have gained favor with the Yuancheng Emperor through his summons for night visits. She remained patient, but, regrettably, it appears that some were no longer able to hold back. 

“Maiden from the He Lian House.” Empress Dowager Jin fiddled with her prayer beads. This vague sentence made it difficult to discern whether she approved or harbored some other sentiment.

“Is it the lady of considerable talent that everyone mentioned before?” The moment these words were spoken, a number of people in the room started to feel uncomfortable. Turning towards the source of the comment, they saw it was the Fourth Princess Consort, who rarely spoke up, poking at this sensitive topic.

Empress Dowager Jin, with her eyes closed, refrained from entering the conversation, and for a moment, silence fell upon the great hall. Those concubines who had previously served as a bridge for He Lian Wei Rui did not want to initiate conversation, betraying their guilty consciences.  Only one person retained her haughtiness, conducting herself with a greater sense of liberty within the palace.

“The Princess Consort remembers quite well. Instead of harboring such needless concern, perhaps it would be better to focus on how to provide a son for the Fourth Brother,” Zong Zheng Ying said mockingly,  interrupting this awkward topic.

The  Fourth Princess Consort’s expression changed subtly, yet she just smiled without saying a word. Mu Xi Yao had asked her to ‘just bring it up, regardless of the outcome’. She had done her part; what followed was no longer her concern. However, Zong Zheng Ying’s words hit her where it hurt, making her angry. 

“Qie is naturally worried. Should the princess receive joyous news, Qie hopes you won’t scorn Qie’s plea for a good remedy then.”

A smile flashed in the Imperial Noble Consort’s eyes. The Fourth Highness’s Principal Consort wasn’t a simpleton to be easily pushed around. 

—

“So, she really sought a favor from the Fourth Princess, didn’t she?” The one who could enter the palace to pay respects and speak on her behalf could never be He Lian Min Min. It was logical for Mu Xi Yao to choose the sister-in-law with whom she shared the closest bond.

“She won’t get her way.” As long as the Fourth Princess Consort’s sore spot was stepped on in front of the Empress Dowager, it would inevitably arouse the latter’s dissatisfaction buried deep in the heart. What use was there to ask a barren woman to offer advice? At this moment, Yuancheng Emperor was expecting the Imperial Noble Consort’s report. Without the Empress Dowager’s involvement, this issue will not undergo any further changes. 

“The Fourth Princess’s personality is truly endearing.” Simply by secretly bribing a maid from the Princess’s household to sow discord, the objective was easily achieved. With Mu Xi Yao under the watch and protection of the Sixth Highness, unable to cause trouble, others were nowhere near as difficult to deal with as her. 

Zong Zheng Lin’s care for her, this time, has instead bound her hands and feet. 

“In three days, once the selection at the Flower Viewing Banquet is over, this position of Cefei should be firmly secured.” He Lian Wei Rui rarely smiled genuinely. 

“This servant congratulates her Mistress on fulfilling her wishes.” Xue Qin understood clearly that the only person she could rely on from now on was the cold-tempered Mistress before her, and no one else. Only by showing loyalty now could she be entrusted with important tasks by the Mistress and stay by her side. If she received her Mistress’s grace in the future and was matched with a decent husband, becoming Head Gugu, her life would be considered well-lived. 

—

“How come no one is worried about me, your Mistress, this time?” Mu Xi Yao was puzzled. “Could it be that because your monthly allowance is quickly spent, you think I, your Mistress, am not considerate enough?” In the past, even the mere rustle of leaves in the wind² would have Zhao Momo and Mo Lan express their concern with a few questions. Now that the fourth sister-in-law failed to change the Empress Dowager’s attitude, why did no one come to ask how she was doing? After all, she had written a letter and put in the effort.

“Mistress, just tell us, when has our worrying ever been worth it? With every letdown, anyone would start to smarten up, wouldn’t they?” Hui Lan replied first, her face showing she no longer fell for the Mistress’s innocent tricks.

“Mistress, could you please refrain from dividing this servant’s attention? This servant needs to go over the report she’s going to present to His Highness today in her mind once more.” Should the presentation lack precision, His Highness won’t be as easy to talk to as the Mistress. Mo Lan intently studied the xuan paper, which detailed the Mistress’s daily affairs, no matter how significant or trivial, spanning two sheets. Even her irritated comment, ‘Playing chess with His Highness is the most boring thing,’ was recorded. This content belongs to thehlifestyle.com, if you see this translation elsewhere, it’s been stolen!

Mu Xi Yao tossed aside her fan and listlessly sprawled over the Eight Immortals table. Life was becoming increasingly dull, even the maids had a more commanding aura than she did. It was difficult to trick those familiar with you…

And then there was the great boss, who seemed to be suffering from prenatal depression. Recently, he has been keeping a tight watch on her. It was simply due to the imperial physician, who, failing to read the room during the pulse examination, commented that the fetus was somewhat large and that childbirth might not go smoothly. Just this ‘possible’ speculation – who knows which nerve it struck in Zong Zheng Lin, leading him to have Mo Lan monitor her diet and physical activities every day. 

Disobedient? Fine, once the great boss gets the news upon his return in the evening, her mother will come to visit the next day, worried sick.

This tactic of pulling the rug from under her feet was a move Zong Zheng Lin was most skilled at, leaving Mu Xi Yao so enraged that she gritted her teeth.

“A grown daughter cannot be kept unmarried, the longer she stays, the more enmity it breeds.” Mu Xi Yao mumbled to herself. 

Mo Lan and Hui Lan exchanged helpless glances. Seeing her rascal demeanor and her manner of sitting…to address her as a lady of a prestigious family would be to flatter their Mistress.  

“The Fourth Princess is as unlikeable as ever,” Mu Xi Yao’s opinion was starkly different from He Lian Wei Rui’s. Shaking her head for a while, she yawned and walked back into the house. “Seeking trouble with Qie, and then being provoked to make things difficult for the fourth sister-in-law. Such a barbaric temperament, Qie really feels anxious for the prince consort.”

“Momo, go find Qiang San’er, and have him make a trip to the Shuxiang Hall for Qie.” 

If gifts were to be given, then let it bring double the blessings. 

Zhao Momo was dusting the ornaments in the room with a feather duster. Upon hearing her Mistress’s orders, her hands quivered, and she turned to look at Mu Xi Yao, her eyes almost popping out.

Translation notes:

[1] Chonghua refers to the rank of an imperial concubine. 

[2]  The rustle of leaves in the wind, fig. hints of trouble. 

Relationship Diagram  (by Sith Kazar)

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