Empress Lu had long ago refused to be used as someone else’s weapon, and she had always believed she had achieved this. Yet this time, her daughter had been used as a weapon in someone’s hand, and even her most valued grandson was the same.

A trace of disappointment flickered between her brows. After a long while, she reached out to help Princess Rongcheng up: “I once warned you not to interfere in the matter of the Sixth Miss of the Song family. When Twelfth Lady came to seek my help, I said the same thing.”

Everyone knew that Master Yuanhui’s words were pure nonsense. If she truly had the fate of a calamitous lone star, the Song family should have all died long ago. How could only one birth mother and one stepmother have died? But the Song family did indeed deserve to be taught a lesson. Thinking of this, the Empress’s lips curved into an arc that could be considered a smile. The Song family always wanted to be pure officials. Because of the Yangzhou corruption case stirred up by the Eastern Palace, that old fox Song Chengru had probably sensed danger and actually made up his mind to break away from the Eastern Palace—though it couldn’t be called breaking away from the Eastern Palace, it could only be considered self-preservation, wanting to register as a pure official in Emperor Jianzhang’s heart.

But once you’ve boarded certain ships, how could you disembark so easily? Did Song Chengru really think that after helping the Eastern Palace a few times and helping to eliminate Prince Duan, he could rest easy standing on high ground as his pure official? Things weren’t that simple. She would show Song Chengru the consequences of being uncommitted.

She was crystal clear in her heart that the Chen family was scheming against him and Cui Shaoting, yet she chose to pretend ignorance, neither interfering nor warning Princess Duanhui. The reason was that she wanted the Song family to take a great fall.

Who knew the Song family would be clever enough to weather the crisis together with Cui Shaoting, and even rise higher in Emperor Jianzhang’s esteem. Though she wouldn’t go so far as to take action against the Song family, she chose instead to turn around and elevate Elder Chen’s granddaughter, letting the Song family know that the Eastern Palace had more than just their family to choose from.

Now Princess Rongcheng and Zhou Weizhao had—one saved Sixth Miss Song, the other came forward to take responsibility for Sixth Miss Song’s sake—stood up for Song Chuyi. She felt a hidden anger in her heart.

Princess Rongcheng knew her mother was angry because of the Song family’s previous deliberate distancing, and sighed inwardly. She intimately sat on the Empress’s left side and rested her head on her shoulder: “Mother should also breathe easier. Consort Xian is clearly already a setting sun. Why must you yield everywhere?”

Xie Siyi glanced at Princess Rongcheng, somewhat agreeing in her heart. The Empress was indeed overly cautious. Clearly, her bond with Emperor Jianzhang was far deeper than Emperor Jianzhang’s with Consort Xian, yet she never used this affection to curry favor, much less to seek any benefits. Even during those years when Prince Duan was most triumphant and His Highness the Crown Prince nearly lost his life, when she also faced obstruction from Grand Empress Dowager Rongxian above, she remained steady as Mount Tai, not showing even a hint of distress before Emperor Jianzhang.

They say that what is overly rigid is easily broken. Though the Empress was different from men, this strength of character was firmer than that of most men under heaven.

Empress Lu laughed softly, her voice as cold as river ice, making people feel chilled to the bone on this winter day: “Yielding? If not for my yielding, would she have had such great audacity to mobilize Prince Duan’s remaining faction and leave such a big handle for others to grasp?”

Things could clearly have been done better, more without a trace, yet Zhou Weizhao and Rongcheng had to stir into this muddy water.

Princess Rongcheng stared in shock, her eyes wide, momentarily at a loss. She had always known her mother empress was formidable. Even during those years that outsiders saw as most difficult, actually in the palace neither Grand Empress Dowager Rongxian nor Consort Xian gained much advantage. Though Emperor Jianzhang didn’t say it out loud, in his heart he knew how wronged Qingning Hall and the Eastern Palace had been. When she married, the specifications of her wedding and dowry were doubled compared to Princess Shijia’s. The ten-mile bridal procession in red was incomparably glorious—all of this was Father Emperor’s compensation.

But she hadn’t expected her mother empress’s thoughts had reached such depths. If Empress Lu hadn’t spoken, even she, the biological daughter, wouldn’t have known that all these concessions she made were step by step causing Consort Xian to die faster.

Empress Lu truly did it without leaving any trace. Even she hadn’t seen through it.

“Mother Empress…” She lowered her eyes, somewhat at a loss: “I didn’t know…”

It didn’t matter. This was because she had concealed it too well. Only this way—only when even her children thought she was a magnanimous and dignified woman who never took small grudges to heart—would others believe this even more and admire the Lu family women’s magnanimity and forbearance even more.

She finally showed a hint of a smile, embracing her daughter’s shoulders and sighing softly: “How could I be angry with you? In this lifetime, am I not living for you all? It’s just that little girl from the Song family is quite interesting.”

During the hunting grounds incident, Song Chuyi had already been shockingly wise. Unexpectedly, encountering such matters this time, she could still remain calm and composed. Even if she didn’t come up with this plan herself, she must have thought of the implications behind it.

The Chen family’s young lady was only sharp on the surface, but this one from the Song family had clearly truly become shrewd.

She suddenly found this little girl rather interesting. If she were truly as clever as she herself thought, pairing her with Ye the Second would indeed be somewhat of a waste. Her anger at the Song family’s wavering and indecisiveness dissipated somewhat, and she revealed a thoughtful smile.

After a moment of silence, she beckoned Xie Siyi over and instructed her softly: “Have Cuiting and Mingtai go ask Qing Zhuo and Han Feng what exactly has happened these past days.”

Cuiting and Mingtai were servants she had sent to attend to Zhou Weizhao at Longhu Mountain since childhood, and now they too had learned considerable skills. Though not as capable as Qing Zhuo and Han Feng beside Zhou Weizhao, they were still useful.

Xie Siyi respectfully listened, turned to leave, but was called back by the Empress.

“Additionally, have them accompany him more and pay special attention to the Song family’s movements.” Empress Lu waved her hand at her, then turned to extend her hand to Princess Rongcheng: “Since you’ve made a trip to the palace, you might as well accompany me to see your brother.”

The Song family had been schemed against and would certainly not let it rest. The unfortunate one probably wouldn’t be just Consort Xian alone. Empress Lu intended to see just how far they could go.

When Princess Rongcheng heard her mother empress mention her elder brother, worry unconsciously showed on her face again: “Things had finally been somewhat better these past few years. How could he suddenly fall ill again, and so seriously? His health was already poor to begin with. With such agitation causing him to faint…”

Empress Lu’s gaze deepened slightly. The phoenix crown on her head shone brilliantly, making her entire person exceptionally noble and magnificent. After hearing Princess Rongcheng’s words, a cold smile slowly appeared on her face.