The autumn wind blew gently.

Yun Chu brought her two children into the palace to pay respects to Imperial Concubine Yin. Normally they should first go to Kunning Palace to pay respects to the Empress, but the Empress had been sent to the Cold Palace.

The palace maids, eunuchs, and nannies in the palace were all in a state of anxiety.

After entering Changqiu Palace, the atmosphere improved somewhat.

“The Empress is so pitiful!” Imperial Concubine Yin said with lingering fear. “That Li Jingshu is so old, a fifty-year-old person, still flirting with His Majesty. How shameless! Why didn’t the Empress stab that old harlot to death with one knife? That old harlot actually moved into His Majesty’s Yangxin Hall. It’s infuriating! Alas… The Empress, such a wise person, fell into that old harlot’s hands. The palace is going to change…”

Yun Chu spoke, “His Majesty is intent on protecting her. Mother Consort should try to avoid encountering that Madam Jin.”

“The men in this world, not one of them is any good…” Imperial Concubine Yin had only said half of this when the old nanny beside her immediately coughed.

Only then did Imperial Concubine Yin swallow back her dissatisfaction with the Emperor. She changed the topic. “It’s just pitiful for us women. Even if we’re honored as princesses, we still cannot obtain a man’s true heart.”

Yun Chu’s eyes flashed. “What does Mother Consort mean by this…”

“We’re all family, so I won’t hide it from you.” Imperial Concubine Yin sighed. “That maid called Ding Dong from your manor—wasn’t she taken away by Qinghua last year? She’s not an honest one. In the second month after arriving at Pingliang Prefecture, she climbed into the prince consort’s bed. She quickly became pregnant and was elevated to the position of concubine… The prince consort really is no good. Usually taking concubines is one thing, but now he even dares to touch the people around Qinghua, completely disregarding Qinghua as a princess… Alas!”

Yun Chu’s face showed understanding.

Last year, Qinghua had insisted on interfering in her bedroom affairs, wanting to make Ding Dong a concubine of the prince’s manor. So she went with the flow and let Ding Dong follow her to Pingliang Prefecture.

That Ding Dong would do such a thing was completely within her expectations.

She spoke lightly, “It’s normal for men to take concubines. At the time, second sister advised me to accept it. She herself should also maintain a calm mindset.”

Imperial Concubine Yin couldn’t help but choke.

Then her expression became awkward.

She had previously bestowed four people to her daughter-in-law’s quarters, advising her daughter-in-law to accept it.

But when this matter happened to her own biological daughter, she couldn’t accept it.

“Chu’er…” Imperial Concubine Yin spoke. “As long as you and Yi’er live your days well, that’s better than anything. After Brother Jue grows a bit older, bring him into the palace to keep me company more often…”

After chatting about the children for a while, Yun Chu finally stood to take her leave.

She brought the two children and headed toward the palace where Imperial Concubine Yun resided. Since the eighth prince left the capital to establish his fief, Imperial Concubine Yun had become increasingly lonely and rarely participated in palace banquets. Whenever Yun Chu had the opportunity, she would always come to chat with her aunt.

Rounding the long palace pathway, before reaching Imperial Concubine Yun’s residence, Yun Chu saw two people approaching from ahead—the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess.

“Third sister-in-law.” The Crown Princess spoke first. “Are you going to pay respects to Imperial Concubine Yun?”

Yun Chu smiled and nodded. After exchanging pleasantries for a few sentences, she was about to leave.

“Third sister-in-law, wait a moment.” The Crown Prince said in a deep voice. “There’s something I want to ask third sister-in-law to help with.”

Yun Chu’s smile remained unchanged. “Crown Prince, please speak directly.”

“Now that mother has been confined to the Cold Palace, the harem is in chaos. This turmoil will sooner or later affect Imperial Concubine Yin and Imperial Concubine Yun. Third sister-in-law must plan ahead.” The Crown Prince spoke slowly. “I want to ask third sister-in-law to persuade the Yun family to step forward and pressure my father to return the phoenix seal to my mother. If third sister-in-law helps with this favor, no matter what happens to the Yun family in the future, I will spare no effort.”

“The Yun family cannot help with this.” Yun Chu shook her head. “The harem is a woman’s battlefield. Pressure from the outer court will only make father more contrary. If mother wishes to escape this predicament, there is only one method, and that is to admit her mistake to father. Otherwise…”

She didn’t continue, but the Crown Prince had already understood.

He clenched his fists tightly. “My mother did nothing wrong. Why should she admit fault?”

The Crown Princess advised, “But father believes mother was wrong, then mother was wrong. We can’t remain in a stalemate forever…”

Yun Chu gave a slight curtsy, took the two children by the hand, and left.

The Crown Prince stood in place thinking for a very long time. He sighed and brought the Crown Princess with him to the Cold Palace.

An old nanny guarded the Cold Palace entrance. The Crown Prince stuffed a large pouch of silver, and only then did the old nanny step aside and allow entry.

“Mother!”

The Crown Prince saw the Empress sitting on the ground, and his heart immediately leapt to his throat.

The Empress in daily life always sat upright, lofty and aloof, elegant and composed. This was the first time the Crown Prince had seen the Empress like this.

Although he didn’t like how mother was always stern and lecturing, when mother fell into such a situation, he still couldn’t help but redden his eyes. He hurriedly stepped forward, and together with the Crown Princess, one on each side, they helped the Empress up and seated her on a hard, cold chair.

The Empress wore a plain face, her hair disheveled, her eyes red and swollen. At a glance one could tell she had quietly shed many tears.

“Mother, admit your mistake to father.” The Crown Prince choked as he advised. “Mother is father’s first wife, the mother of the nation. You bore children for father. As long as mother bows her head, father will definitely not pursue this matter further and will definitely let mother return to Kunning Palace…”

The Empress reached out to touch the Crown Prince’s hair.

Even for her son’s sake, she must stand up.

She would give herself one more chance, and also give His Majesty one more chance.

“Prepare water for me to wash. I will go see His Majesty.”

The Crown Prince was overjoyed.

He knew mother had always been proud. He thought it would take some effort to persuade her, but unexpectedly she agreed so easily.

The Crown Princess quickly had the servants beside her fetch water. After helping the Empress wash and groom again, the party of three walked out of the Cold Palace. The nanny guarding outside immediately blocked them.

“Let me see which of you dares to block?” The Empress swept them with a cold glance. “This harem is my harem. Even lowly servants dare to block my path? Scram!”

The old nanny trembled and knelt down.

The Empress proceeded without obstruction all the way to the outside of Yangxin Hall.

Eunuch Gao had already received the news and had already reported to the Emperor. Seeing the Empress, he immediately bowed at the waist. “Your Majesty the Empress, please.”

The Empress stepped into the great hall. From the corner of her eye, she glanced toward the side room on the left. She knew Li Jingshu was living there.

She pressed her lips together and walked into the study of Yangxin Hall.

“This consort pays respects to His Majesty!” She lowered her head. “This consort left the Cold Palace without permission. Please punish this consort, Your Majesty!”

The Emperor looked at her coldly. “What have you come to do?”

“This consort was wrong. I should not have been disrespectful to Madam Jin.” The Empress bit the tip of her own tongue. “If, if Your Majesty favors Madam Jin, this consort can make the decision to let Madam Jin enter the harem and be enfeoffed as Imperial Concubine Jin.”

After she finished speaking, her vision immediately blurred.

Her tears fell uncontrollably, drop by drop.

She stood at the lowest position, compromising as much as she could possibly compromise, yet for a long while, she heard no response.

She raised her head and saw the Emperor’s eyebrows tightly furrowed, his fingers tapping on the desk surface.

She and the Emperor had been husband and wife for thirty years. How could she not understand what the Emperor was thinking? Her heart immediately sank to the bottom.

She had always known Li Jingshu coveted the position of Empress.

But she never imagined! The Emperor was actually wavering too! Actually wanted to let an old woman who had been married before become the mistress of the harem!

Then what did all her years of devotion amount to? Hahaha!