Consort Ning quickly said with a smile.
"Noble Consort Xian, you are overthinking it!"
"Though the Empress is still here, isnât the palace already your domain?"
"I mean no harm!"
"If thereâs nothing else, I will take my leave first!"
With that, Consort Ning turned around and left.
The Eldest Princess stood by, a bit at a loss.
She looked at her mother, then turned back to glance at her two younger brothers, her eyes filled with reluctance.
Her mother wouldnât let her play with her younger siblings.
She only wanted her to study well.
But she... felt lonely all by herself!
She didnât want to do embroidery; she wanted to play with her siblings.
She envied the second sister who could visit Duanning Palace with Consort Hui.
She liked the two younger brothers born to Noble Consort Xian.
She also liked her lively and adorable second sister.
But...
She looked down at herself.
A sense of inferiority rose up, making her feel unworthy!
They were good at everything.
But she, aside from being able to embroider, knew nothing else.
She wasnât even as good as the second sister in reading, not to mention other skills!
"Yiming, why havenât you left yet!" Consort Ningâs tone carried a hint of reprimand.
The Eldest Princess bowed her head, her back slightly hunched, and quickly performed a salute toward Xia Ruqing before leaving.
Xia Ruqing stood in place, watching the mother and daughter as they left.
She felt quite astonished in her heart.
"What kind of matter is this!"
Zi Yue and Zi Su stood by, exchanging glances.
After hesitating for a long time, they finally spoke.
"My lady... yesterday... was the fifteenth!"
Xia Ruqing was lost in thought, the fifteenth?!
Moments later, she finally came to a sudden realization.
"The fifteenth!"
The first and fifteenth of the month were the days the Emperor always went to Jiaofang Hall!
Even later, when the Empress fell out of favor.
On that day, the Emperor would stay at Zhaochen Palace without going anywhere else.
But now...
Xia Ruqing started to panic a little.
"I actually forgot about this!"
"Why didnât you remind me earlier!"
Xia Ruqing looked at Zi Su and Zi Yue.
Zi Su lowered her head, bit her lip, and suddenly looked up.
"My lady, you have nothing to fear!"
"This servant thinks... the Emperor is acknowledging you!"
Otherwise, why would the Emperor not visit before, and suddenly start visiting now!
Xia Ruqing smiled ruefully.
"Acknowledgment? What acknowledgment?"
She suddenly remembered something, nodded, and seemed to understand.
"I finally understand!"
"Recently, the Ministry of Internal Affairsâ gifts, the Imperial Kitchenâs tributes, and even the palace maids and eunuchs of the Imperial Garden, all treat me with such respect when they see me!"
"Before, I didnât feel there was a reason, but now thinking back..."
"Itâs likely because of this matter!"
Seeing her master like this, Zi Yue knew she could no longer hide it and nodded.
"Master!"
"After all..."
She struggled to say.
"After all, the Emperor now visits us the most, and you are the most favored!!"
"And... regarding the first and fifteenth, which the Emperor used to avoid, he no longer shuns!"
"So rumors are circulating..."
Xia Ruqing felt both amused and helpless.
"Saying what? That I want to climb to the position of Empress?!"
Heaven knows.
She swore she had never had thoughts about the Empressâs position!
But looking at Zi Yueâs expression, she knew she had guessed right.
She suddenly let out a cold laugh.
"So this is how it is!"
"I was wondering why those people had become so attentive lately!"
"Just making a few winter clothes, and they even sent hand stoves with covers!"
Something that never happened before, now sheâs experiencing it.
Whatâs the saying again?
Thereâs something odd about the abnormal!
Xia Ruqingâs complexion darkened a bit.
"Forget it! I donât want to think too much!"
"Letâs go back to the palace!"
She commanded, ordering someone to carry her two little white bundles and returned to the residence.
Henger was somewhat dissatisfied, but upon seeing the displeased look on his mother consortâs face, he couldnât act up.
Yeye remained indifferent.
The two behaved exceptionally well along the way.
After returning to Duanning Palace,
Xia Ruqing held her anger in check and smiled at her two sons.
"Mother now has something to attend to! Sister Jiang and Sister Liang will play with you, alright?!"
Henger nodded.
"Okay!"
Yeye copied him.
Xia Ruqing felt relieved and instructed them to take the children away.
And she herself...
Inside the inner chamber.
Her gaze was as sharp as a knife, sweeping over the large and small attendants kneeling beneath her.
Finally, she spoke coldly.
"Speak, what recent rumors have been circulating?"
"Xiao Xizi, you often run about outside, you go first!"
It truly had been a while since she left Duanning Palace.
She had no idea what was happening outside and felt deceived.
Judging by Consort Ning today, these rumors must have already been rampant.
Sure enough.
Xiao Xiziâs face turned pale.
"Noble Consort, you..."
"Speak!"
Xia Ruqingâs face was calm.
Xiao Xizi closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.
"My lady, the rumors say... you are seducing the Emperor, preventing him from going elsewhere!"
"Furthermore..."
"They say... you want to become the Empress!"
Xia Ruqing had anticipated this answer.
She closed her eyes, slowly digesting the information.
Suppressing the anger in her heart, she let out a cold laugh again.
"Is there anything else?"
Xiao Xizi thought for a moment and shook his head.
"Thatâs mostly it!"
All those little bits and pieces, theyâre just fabrications.
Thereâs all sorts of talk, but itâs unnecessary to detail them all!
Xia Ruqing lowered her head, composing her expression, then looked toward Zi Yue and Zi Su.
"What about you two?"
The two exchanged a glance.
What they eventually said was mostly the same as Xiao Xizi.
Essentially that she wanted to be Empress, she was seducing the Emperor, those sorts of things!
Xia Ruqing stood up and walked around, took a long breath, and coldly laughed.
"Empress?!"
"Whatâs so good about being the Empress?!"
Every three years, she has to arrange a whole bunch of concubines for her imperial husband.
If her imperial husband doesnât fancy them,
she also needs to persuade him:
âYour Majesty, you canât be without concubines, itâs important to have many descendants, etc.!
Just the thought is enough to make her feel nauseated, isnât it?
"These people, they really can think things up!"
Zi Yue tried to console her.
"My lady, we understand your thoughts!"
"These rumors shouldnât bother you!"
"We can live our own lives in peace without paying attention to them!"
Xia Ruqing quickly interrupted.
"No!"
"How can I ignore it?"
"Iâve endured for so many years, this time, I want to vent my anger!"
"Go!"
"Xiao Xizi, investigate where these rumors originated!"
Xiao Xizi immediately agreed!
Zi Su also chimed in.
"My lady is right!"
"Our lady has been favored for so many years, yet there have never been such rumors before!"
"Someone must be scheming in the shadows!"
Xia Ruqing glanced at her.
"Alright, all of you leave! I wish to be alone!"
Zi Su wanted to say something but was stopped by Zi Yue.
They all paid their respects and then withdrew.
Watching their retreating figures, Xia Ruqing felt a wave of emotion.
âThis is... being caught in the crossfire without even leaving the house?!â