Xia Ruqing seemed pensive. "Oh! I didnât really take in much..." She let out a long sigh.
Indeed, she was in a passive situation! But she couldnât just sit still and wait for doom; she had to think of something. If someone comes at you with a knife, can you afford not to dodge? Even if she were to be cut down, it would be considered self-defense! Her conscience wouldnât trouble her at all.
ă...ă
This matter was widely discussed in the Harem for a good three to four days. There was no real evidence, just hearsay. In the end, everyone from top to bottom in the palace began to have their doubts.
A few Palace Maids gathered, buzzing with discussion.
"They say the Emperor denied it on the spot at Ningshou Palace, claiming he never said such words!"
"Really?"
"Absolutely!"
"In that case, Lady Xia is rather pitiable!"
"Yes, she might not live much longer!"
Just then, someone mentioned that the Steward was coming, and the Little Palace Maids scattered!
Once the Lantern Festival arrived, the palace buzzed with excitement for two days. After it calmed down, the issue seemed to fade considerably.
The Empress Dowager had Xia Ruqing thoroughly investigated. They found nothing, only a few insignificant details. Annoyed, the Empress Dowager had no inclination to delve further.
The Empress couldnât be bothered; Lady Xia was the apple of the Emperorâs eye. Only a fool would trouble her at such a time.
Noble Concubine Shih wanted to intervene but had neither the right nor the status and was beside herself with frustration. Day after day, she pressed the few Palace Maids and eunuchs around her to think of a solutionâto have Lady Xia fall ill and die, to wish death upon her!
"Such an ambitious woman should not be allowed to live!"
Ying Yue was frantic with worry but couldnât dissuade her. Ying Yue was so aggravated that sores formed around the corners of her mouth.
"Even the Empress isnât meddling, Your Ladyship, letâs not concern ourselves either!"
Noble Concubine Shih simply wouldnât listen.
"HMPH! Besides fawning over the Emperorâs Favored Consorts, what else is the Empress good for? Useless creature!"
"The Empress fears her! But I certainly do not!"
Having lost her child, Noble Concubine Shih and the Empress had completely fallen out; there was nothing left to restrain her.
Ying Yue sighed and resignedly closed her mouth.
ăOnce the Lantern Festival passed, Zhao Junyao became even busier.ă
The locust plague in the north remained unresolved, and now banditry had escalated. A stream of memorials was presented, and the young emperor was enraged. In a fit of anger, he mounted his horse, whip in hand, and set off for the north under imperial escort.
Before leaving, Zhao Junyao instructed Li Shengan, "While I am away, if anything happens to Lady Xia, you will answer with your head!"
Li Shengan was so frightened that he immediately knelt. "Your servant obeys the command!"
Zhao Junyao said no more.
He could turn a blind eye to the despicable schemes of those women in the Harem. But if anyone dared to harm Qingqing... HEH HEH!
ă...ă
The Imperial Forest Army Commander was stationed in the Capital and couldnât be moved. There were two Deputy Commanders: one surnamed Xia, the other Xu. In the end, Zhao Junyao decided to take Vice Commander Xu with him.
"Your Majesty!" Xia Tingfeng knelt on one knee, fists clasped. "My duty is to protect Your Majestyâs safety. Thereâs no justification for Your Majesty to go personally while I remain in the Capital! Your Majesty, I am willing to go in your stead to suppress the bandits. I would lay down my life without a second thought!"
Zhao Junyaoâs expression softened considerably. He walked over to Xia Tingfeng, personally helped him up, and patted his shoulder. "I have my own reasons for leaving you behind!"
Xia Tingfeng was somewhat confused.
Zhao Junyao continued, "Thereâs some unrest in the palace, concerning Qingqing... Keep a close watch; Iâm somewhat uneasy!"
Having said that, and without waiting for Xia Tingfeng to react, Zhao Junyao strode away.
ăOn the seventeenth day of the first lunar month, the Emperor set off for the north.ă
Because it was close to the Capital City, the journey wouldnât be longâat most half a month, at least ten days.
The groundless rumors eventually dissipated, and the uproar over appointing a Crown Prince soon faded. Of course, Li Shenganâs discreet yet crucial support was indispensable in this. With the Emperor away from the palace, the women had little to contend for. Life finally began to quiet down.
However, just at that moment, another bombshell was dropped onto the gradually calming waters. A single stone cast a thousand ripples. This news once again stirred the already murky waters of the Harem until they were thoroughly muddied.
"To grant Xia Jieyu a legitimate promotion, the Emperor specifically summoned her brother to the palace."
"They say heâs even been given the coveted position of Deputy Commander of the Imperial Forest Army!"
"Deputy Commander of the Imperial Forest Army? Thatâs one of the Emperorâs most trusted men!"
"No doubt! Heâs destined to become a Great General in the future!"
"Once he becomes a Great General, Xia Jieyu will be truly honored. If she gives birth to a Prince, he might very well become the Crown Prince!"
A group of Palace Maids gossiped with ill intent, chattering away. In less than a day, the rumors had spread to every corner of the Harem. It was obvious someone wanted her dead.
Upon hearing these rumors, Xia Ruqing tore the book in her hands to shreds. She sneered, "These women! They wonât be satisfied until Iâm dead!"
Zi Yue was also pale with rage but could only suppress it. "My lady! Please try to calm down for now!"
Xia Ruqing sneered, her eyes cold. "Calm down? If they want me to calm down, theyâll have to pay a price first. Only then might I feel calm!"
Zi Yue bowed her head. "But my lady, who could have such power to spread this so quickly, in just one day?"
Xia Ruqing gave a dark smile. "Need we even guess? Who holds the greatest power in the Harem? Who did my brother just arrest? She must be feeling indignant!"
Zi Yue ventured tentatively in a low voice, "Could it be... Qiu Tong is one of the Empressâs people?"
Xia Ruqing sneered without a word.
Qiu Tong had served her from the very beginning; she was one of the original ladyâs entourage. Besides Hai Dasheng, only the Empress could assign Palace Attendants to the consorts in the Harem. So, if not the Empress, who else could it be?
Zi Yue looked somewhat disheartened. "Itâs the Empress... My lady, but thatâs the Empress!"
How could we dare to confront the Empress directly?
Xia Ruqing stood up, her gaze sharp, a cold sneer on her lips. "So what if sheâs the Empress? She wants me dead! Iâm dead if I fight, and Iâm dead if I donât. The barefoot arenât afraid of those with shoes. If it comes to it, Iâll drag them all down with me; no one will get off easy!"
Xia Ruqing was resolved. If she wasnât afraid of death, what did she have to fear from the living?
ă...ă
The rumors once again swirled within the palace walls, vivid and detailed.
"They say that Deputy Commander Xia isnât very capable!"
"PFFT! From a minor family, and a ruffian at that. What could he possibly be capable of!"
"A ruffian, you say? Like a common street hoodlum?"
"SHH! Be careful someone doesnât hear you!" they whispered, then deliberately raised their voices a little. "Deputy Commander Xia comes from a street thug background, you absolutely mustnât spread this around!"
HA... So this was their way of ensuring the news *didnât* spread, was it?
ăNingshou Palaceă
The Empress Dowagerâs face turned ashen with rage. "Absurd! Utterly absurd! My Imperial Son is being completely absurd!"
Her illness, only half-healed, flared up again, necessitating another round of bothersome medical consultations and treatments.
The Empress knelt before the Empress Dowagerâs sickbed, crying ceaselessly. "Mother, Iâve lost all face! My own brother was arrested by that street hoodlum and thrown into the Ministry of Justiceâs Prison! My brother might be somewhat unreliable, but isnât Lady Xiaâs brother just as bad? On what grounds? One is now imprisoned while the other is soaring to great heights! Mother, I canât go on living like this!"