In fact, the Empress originally hadn’t thought to specially issue an edict of reprimand to a ranked lady over this matter. Truly, in all these years, she could count on one hand the times she had done this—there were very few cases where the inner quarters were so disordered that the Empress herself needed to issue an edict reprimanding improper family conduct. Most often it was the Emperor issuing edicts to reprimand ministers and nobles.
Precisely because it was so rare, it spread even more widely. Before long, the entire capital knew about the Wei estate receiving a reprimand, and naturally also knew about the Wei estate spreading messages to smear the Sixth Miss of the Earl of Changning’s estate’s reputation. Those who understood secretly sweated for Madam Wei in their hearts—where had Miss Song the Sixth returned from? How had she returned? She had returned to the capital together with the Grand Prince’s imperial envoy procession, and it was said she had even saved the Grand Prince on the road! What tremendous face this was, what tremendous merit! The Empress loved her for it and couldn’t be happier about the Sixth Miss. Yet Madam Wei foolishly threw herself forward to make trouble for the Song family. Wasn’t this equally making trouble for the Empress and the Grand Prince?! She was truly impossibly stupid. Those who didn’t understand cursed in their hearts that the Song family’s power was great, that they could even manipulate the Empress, and inevitably thought that perhaps Consort Song had blown wind in there. But regardless of what people ultimately thought, the rumors disadvantageous to Song Chuyi were thoroughly quelled.
When Princess Rongcheng entered the palace, she specially asked the Empress: “Why did Mother specially issue an edict reprimanding Madam Wei? It hasn’t happened in so many years. I heard Madam Wei was scared into fainting on the spot.”
The Empress also knew the Wei family belonged to the Eastern Palace faction and had no intention of completely trampling them into the mud. Hearing this, she couldn’t help but sigh. “It’s also meant as a reminder to Dongping. His mother is muddled, but he cannot be muddled.”
Yet some matters were not good to speak of directly. If this grandson didn’t have that intention, speaking of it would instead plant a thorn in his heart and make him even more distant from Zhou Weizhao.
Princess Rongcheng fell quiet upon hearing this, worry also appearing faintly between her brows. “Mother’s concerns are correct. This time when the Prince Consort returned, he told me that during that assassination in Yangquan, they actually found some traces, but he and Weizhao suppressed it.” Seeing the Empress look toward her, she continued: “Does Mother know? Around that time, many people with Xingyang accents appeared in the county next to Yangquan. Not only that, those masons hired to dig mine tunnels to bury the Prince Consort and the others also said that the merchants who recruited them all had Xingyang accents.”
What merchants? The Empress’s brows knitted together. “This matter originally couldn’t be separated from Lady Fan. No one is a fool. Weizhao and Jingkuan worked so hard to suppress the information, yet she instead intensified her actions. If this matter comes to light, Father Emperor, he… you also know Father Emperor. He’s already been very dissatisfied with your brother recently.”
The Crown Prince’s ambitions were too excessive. Princess Rongcheng, as the Crown Prince’s own younger sister, also couldn’t help but complain: “It’s not that I’m speaking on behalf of the Prince Consort, Mother. My father-in-law and the Prince Consort are utterly loyal to His Highness the Crown Prince, but just because of Weizhao, brother has always been indifferent to the Ye family. If brother continues like this, it’s not a solution.”
Indeed, it was only because the Ye family had married Princess Rongcheng that they had no choice but to have a natural alignment. Otherwise, wouldn’t this be pushing people away? The Empress felt she had endless worries. Rubbing her temples, she shook her head. “I’ve already said all these things to him, and I hope he’ll be more clear-headed. That Lady Fan cannot be kept. Someone so arrogant with such grand ambitions—your brother hasn’t even ascended the throne yet and already there’s discord in the household. When the day comes that your brother truly ascends, she’ll be like Daji or Baosi. At that time, Weizhao and all of you will probably be in dire straits.”
After all, because of the relationship of being cousins through Lady Lu, Princess Rongcheng had always been much closer to the Crown Princess and always looked down somewhat on Lady Fan’s side.
Princess Rongcheng sighed deeply. “If brother would listen, that would naturally be best. Otherwise, wouldn’t it be heartbreaking? The Prince Consort, he… he and second brother expended who knows how much effort to return safely with Weizhao. You don’t know—when my mother-in-law saw second brother’s wounds, she cried aloud. It truly was… Mother, you also must not forget that if brother truly cannot be supported, there’s still second brother.”
The Prince of Zhennan’s estate had wholeheartedly helped the Crown Prince. During Prince Duan’s affair, the Prince of Zhennan’s estate had also exhausted all their strength. But the Crown Prince was always indifferent to the Prince of Zhennan’s estate, relying instead on his confidants. It truly broke people’s hearts.
The Empress was shocked and immediately rebuked her daughter: “Don’t mention such words again!”
Her entire life, from the moment she took her younger son and abandoned her eldest son, had been spent in guilt, unease, and constant anxiety, fearing that one day these two brothers born of the same womb would cross swords. It was truly that the eldest son’s thoughts were so sensitive and delicate, while the younger son harbored resentment over being sent away to his fief too early and the matter with Lady Lu. Thinking of these things, she couldn’t help but feel sad, and beyond sadness, a somewhat powerless helplessness. “The two of them haven’t been like real brothers since childhood. If he knew of these words, in the future he would probably resent you and the Prince of Zhennan’s estate. Don’t mention it again.”
Princess Rongcheng had only meant to give the Empress a reminder. Seeing the Empress react so strongly, she could only close her mouth and instead speak of the Wei family matter. “You say, was it Weizhao’s intention?”
As she spoke, much of the gloom in her heart dispersed, and she couldn’t help but laugh. “He could actually think of this?”
The Empress chided her daughter: “I’ve said before that he’s not a block of wood, yet you always called him wooden. Take the Prince Consort for example—before marriage, I heard he was also wooden and dull, and you also complained he didn’t know how to please girls. Once he knew he was loved, naturally he learned to cherish people. He came to ask me for help to clear Miss Song the Sixth’s name. What’s funny about that?”
Princess Rongcheng still couldn’t help but smile. She took her mother’s arm and leaned on her shoulder, then couldn’t help but restrain her smile and sigh softly. “I’m happy for him, Mother.”
How difficult it had been for this child. At five years old, he went up Longhu Mountain. When she left, looking up from the distant foot of the mountain, she could still see him standing on the mountainside, like an immovable stone statue.
All these years he had lived so hard. Now he had finally grown up, and not only grown up, but had someone he liked. In the future, he would have a wife he loved to accompany him. Thinking this, her voice became even lower. “He’s truly had it too difficult. Now that he has a girl he wants to protect, I’m truly happy for him.”
The Empress was moved to sadness by her daughter’s words and sighed lowly along with her.