After Shen Xihe’s warning today, even if Yu Sangning had more schemes in mind, she wouldn’t dare harm the child again. She knew that her every move was under Shen Xihe’s control. The charge of harming an imperial heir was not something she could bear – her wealth and status hadn’t come easily, and she wouldn’t recklessly throw it away.
What Shen Xihe hadn’t expected was that when Princess Anling returned to her princess mansion, she encountered her Prince Consort who had just finished his duties. Upon seeing him at the mansion gates and thinking of what had happened in the palace, she coldly snorted and turned away.
The Third Prince Consort hurried after her. He had chosen to pursue her hand in marriage himself. Though she had her little schemes and a fierce temper, she was extremely timid – she could be frightened to tears by a spider falling from a tree branch, her beautiful face contorted in fear. Every time he thought of that scene, he couldn’t help but smile.
“Who has upset the Princess?” the Third Prince Consort asked as he caught up with her.
Princess Anling hurriedly walked to a small pavilion in the courtyard and sat down with a sweep of her sleeve. “It’s all because of my dear second sister-in-law…”
The Prince Consort before her wasn’t the man she had yearned for. After various circumstances, it was an imperial marriage arranged by her father. Already twenty years old and unable to delay further, she had reluctantly agreed. Before marriage, she couldn’t even remember what he looked like.
However, after marriage, he treated her exceptionally well. To prevent Prince Consorts from being eunuchs, the palace would first bestow knowledgeable palace maids before a princess’s wedding. These maids would follow the princess after marriage to serve the Prince Consort during the princess’s inconvenient days, but this man hadn’t taken advantage of them.
After marrying him, she discovered he had no other women and was completely devoted to her. Her in-laws didn’t give her cold looks either. Her life was much more comfortable than it had been in the palace.
Princess Anling told her husband everything that had happened, including how Shen Xihe had handled the situation, spilling it all out like beans.
“Princess, you’re saying the Crown Princess kept Noble Consort Zhao behind alone?” The Third Prince Consort keenly sensed something amiss.
“She’s her person, naturally the Crown Princess wanted her to see clearly,” Princess Anling also felt Yu Sangning’s servant had been too disrespectful.
The Third Prince Consort fell silent for a moment, then turned to order someone to inquire about when Noble Consort Zhao left the palace and her demeanor when leaving.
“Why are you inquiring about these things?” Princess Anling didn’t understand.
“Since marrying His Highness the Crown Prince, Her Highness the Crown Princess has never easily interfered in others’ affairs. Father says the Crown Princess is someone with great ambitions who disdains petty squabbles. The usual jealousies between women, their confrontations, comparisons of ornaments and dresses – to Her Highness the Crown Princess, these are all beneath her…”
“Hmm?” Princess Anling became displeased immediately – wasn’t this saying she was beneath notice?
Weren’t these exactly what noble ladies and refined women did in their leisure time – gathering today, attending banquets tomorrow?
Prompted by her husband’s reminder, thinking carefully, she realized that since arriving in the capital, Shen Xihe indeed didn’t like participating in these ladies’ banquets. Others assumed she thought too highly of herself and disdained their company.
But when interacting with Shen Xihe, she never put on airs of superiority. It was truly her natural disposition – she simply didn’t enjoy these feminine gatherings.
“How could the Princess, a noble of imperial blood, be compared to ordinary ladies?” The Third Prince Consort quickly soothed her, then returned to the main topic. “Though you and Noble Consort Zhao had a small dispute today, given the Crown Princess’s temperament, she could have simply sent a female palace official to give instructions. This would have avoided offending either of you while resolving the matter without much fuss, and neither you nor Noble Consort Zhao could have refused to let it pass. Yet the Crown Princess came personally…”
Perhaps because Shen Xihe rarely intervened personally, whenever she did appear in person, it was never for small matters. For instance, the downfall of Prince Kang’s mansion, Noble Consort Rong losing her palace authority, the Emperor and Lady An…
Which of these wasn’t earth-shattering?
Therefore, Shen Xihe had left them with a deep impression that she only appeared for major events. At this moment, not just him, but anyone with a bit of sense who knew Shen Xihe had personally ordered the beating to death of Noble Consort Zhao’s maid would deeply ponder its significance.
The Third Prince Consort felt this was extraordinarily significant, but couldn’t grasp the full meaning. He quickly took Princess Anling’s hand: “Let’s go see Father.”
Since failing to inherit the position of Marquis and remaining a Baron, the Baron of Lingwu had been resentful. He resigned from his official position, living on his noble’s salary and managing the ancestral properties passed down through generations. At home, he enjoyed birds and listened to music, yet he was a crafty old fox.
Hearing his son’s words, he sprang up from his chair and gestured for the singers to withdraw.
“Quickly, find your mother and prepare generous gifts for the Eastern Palace. The Crown Princess has saved our entire household!” The Baron of Lingwu hurriedly instructed the steward.
“Grandfather? How did Imperial Sister-in-law save our entire household?” Princess Anling was confused.
“You all…” The Baron of Lingwu was exasperated. “Each one as stupid as Ahai!”
Ahai was a pig the Baron kept, supposedly one that would never grow up. The Baron’s favorite entertainment was pig wrestling, where each side would choose a pig to push against the other, usually with stakes involved. Ahai was an undefeated champion.
Princess Anling wasn’t offended. Having been married into the family for so long, she understood her father-in-law’s temperament – he only spoke so freely with family members. “Grandfather is wise, we all need your guidance.”
The Baron of Lingwu was fond of this daughter-in-law. Though she had a princess’s pride, she knew her limits and could distinguish right from wrong. He said, “If the Crown Princess hadn’t had that person beaten to death today, what would the Princess have done?”
What would she have done? She would have been furious!
She couldn’t have swallowed that anger and would certainly have sought revenge. But Yu Sangning was now a Prince’s Noble Consort, no longer just a minor concubine’s daughter from a marquis’s household. She admitted she wasn’t clever, and naturally wouldn’t have discussed such women’s matters with her husband, worried he would think her petty.
The only person around her who could make decisions was her mother-in-law, and coincidentally, she knew the Yu family and the Baron of Lingwu’s household were at odds. Her mother-in-law would stand up for her.
“Your mother would certainly stand up for you.” This outcome was obvious, and the Baron of Lingwu sighed lightly. “Given your mother’s temperament, the most effective way to make Noble Consort Zhao suffer would be to harm the Imperial Grandson.”
The Third Prince Consort’s gaze suddenly froze: “Once Mother acts against the Imperial Grandson, Noble Consort Zhao would take the Imperial Grandson’s life. With Mother having made the first move, she would have no defense. Even if she insisted she had no intention of harming the Imperial Grandson’s life, if the Imperial Grandson died and no trace of others could be found, Mother would become the scapegoat. Plotting against an imperial heir, His Majesty’s only grandson, our entire household…”
Only Princess Anling might have survived.
“Truly worthy of being old Yu Xiang’s spawn, equally ruthless! When Fifth Lady Yu’s blood splattered in Qinzheng Hall, I knew Noble Consort Zhao was no simple character. Unexpected that at such a young age, her methods would be so vicious and sophisticated!” The Baron of Lingwu laughed coldly.
“Father, must we swallow this anger?” The Third Prince Consort was furious.
“Noble Consort Zhao carries imperial blood. We’ll temporarily avoid confrontation. As for Prince Zhao and the Yu family, let them proceed as they wish!”