Chapter 53

Chapter 53: Zhen Huan Chronicles, An Ling Rong

“You agree?” Noble Consort Nian was excited and a little disbelieving. “You’re not joking? You really want to let me help you raise the children?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Li Si Qi smiled. “If Your Highness is willing to help me look after them, I couldn’t ask for more.”

“Since you agreed, you can’t say I stole your child.” Noble Consort Nian’s smile grew even brighter. Holding the little princess, she said happily, “Wen Ning, from now on your Noble Consort Mother will play with you every day.”

Little Princess Wen Ning answered her with an adorably sleepy face.

“Your Highness, you should put Wen Ning on the bed to sleep.” Li Si Qi had to re mind her. “Wen Ning is too small. If you keep holding her while she sleeps, she’ll be uncomfortable.”

“Then hurry and let her sleep.” The moment she heard Wen Ning might be uncomfortable, Noble Consort Nian quickly handed the baby to her.

Li Si Qi took Wen Ning and carried her to the side chamber.

“Your Majesty, didn’t you tell Concubine Xin to move to Yong Shou Palace?” Noble Consort Nian re minded him. “Now she has two children, plus wet nurses, plus maids and eunuchs. Living in such a small place is far too inconvenient.”

“It really is inconvenient.” The Emperor had already seen how cramped it was, and he agreed. “She should move to Yong Shou Palace. It’s almost been tidied up. The three of them can move in.”

“They’ll officially move in three days.” Noble Consort Hua chimed in with a plan. “These two days, send people to clean and arrange it properly again. Especially where the Sixth Prince and Wen Ning will stay – it must be made comfortable.”

“With you, their Noble Consort Mother, helping, of course the best will be prepared.” The Emperor was happy to indulge her. Wanting even more to see the lively Nian Shi Lan, he smiled. “We’ll do as you say. Arrange it however you like. As long as you’re happy.”

“Good.” Noble Consort Hua was satisfied, then she added, “In three days, this concubine will hold a full-month banquet for the Sixth Prince and Wen Ning. Your Majesty, don’t forget to tell the imperial clan and the ministers.”

“Three days from now?”

“What, Your Majesty really wasn’t planning to hold a full-month banquet for the dragon-phoenix twins?”

“If Shi Lan says we’ll hold it, then we’ll hold it.”

“Hmph. That’s more like it.”

… By evening, after spending several hours in the delivery room, Noble Lady Tian gave birth to the Fourth Princess, and Attendant Jing gave birth to the Fifth Princess. Noble Lady Tian was promoted to Concubine Tian, and Attendant Jing was promoted to Noble Lady Jing. As soon as the imperial decree came down, the consorts who were present envied them endlessly. Everyone had only one thought: hurry up and have a baby, then get promoted.

Of course, everyone also knew the full-month banquet for the dragon-phoenix twins would be held in three days. No matter what they thought inside, they could only envy An Ling Rong for her good fortune. One pregnancy, two babies – who wouldn’t envy that? That night.

“Mistress, you’re really willing to hand the two babies over to Nian Shi Lan?” Little Teapot did not understand her move. “Mistress should know that Nian Shi Lan is destined to fight the Empress to the death. If you send the babies to Yi Kun Palace, aren’t you giving the Empress a chance to strike?”

“Isn’t that what you’re for?” Li Si Qi shot back. “If you’re helping me keep an eye on both babies and you still let something happen to them, what use are you to me?”

“…”

Little Teapot could not refute that. He asked again, “Aren’t you afraid that when the two babies grow up, they’ll only think of their Noble Consort Mother and won’t want you, their birth mother?”

“Little Teapot, when did you get dumb?” Li Si Qi laughed in anger. “Please use your brain before you speak. I gave birth to them, and they took the Awakening Pill. If that still isn’t enough for them to tell what matters most, then I’ll just treat it like I gave birth to a piece of char siu.”

“Mistress, don’t forget that the Emperor still misses his foster mother, Empress Tong.”

“Because she’s dead. Of course he misses her,” Li Si Qi said, unconcerned. “Believe it or not, if you swapped them back – Empress Tong still alive, Consort De dead – do you think the dog Emperor would miss his birth mother?”

“He probably would!”

“Then tell me, between me and Noble Consort Hua, who will die first?”

“Noble Consort Hua definitely won’t outlive Mistress, unless Mistress doesn’t want to live.” Little Teapot added, “Mistress sent the two little masters to Noble Consort Hua. There has to be another reason, right?”

“Of course.” Li Si Qi nodded. “In the dog Emperor’s heart, even the Empress isn’t as important as Nian Shi Lan. His heart only holds Empress Chun Yuan and Nian Shi Lan. Zhen Huan isn’t even in there yet.”

“As long as Nian Shi Lan wants to treat my children well, the Emperor has no choice but to go along with it. How could I miss such a good deal? Besides, Nian Geng Yao holds military power. I can’t just let that be handed to someone else for free, right?”

“I knew Mistress wouldn’t give away the babies for nothing.”

“Most importantly, Nian Shi Lan truly likes the two babies, unlike the Empress Dowager, who only thinks about using people for profit.”

… Kang Shou Palace. The Empress Dowager had just recovered a bit of energy. “A full-month banquet for the dragon-phoenix twins in three days?” Hearing the news, the Empress Dowager fell into thought.

“If I remember correctly, their full month already passed days ago. Holding it at this point – isn’t it a bit late? Three days from now is also the third-day washing ceremony for the Fourth Princess and Fifth Princess.” Zhu Xi explained softly, “In reply to Your Majesty, the Emperor means to hold them together.

It will be livelier.”

“So it’s the Emperor’s idea?” The Empress Dowager asked again. “How is the Empress? Can she come out to host the full-month banquet for the dragon-phoenix twins?”

“I’m afraid not.” Zhu Xi shook her head. “The Empress cannot even get out of bed right now, let alone walk around. She has wasted away until she’s skin and bones. She likely cannot attend the full-month banquet for the dragon-phoenix twins.”

“How could it be this serious?” The Empress Dowager’s expression turned ugly. “Did Imperial Physician Zhang still not find the cause?”

“In reply to Your Majesty, Imperial Physician Zhang believes the Empress is overthinking and worrying too much, and her obsession is too deep. She cannot forget Prince Hong Hui. The more she refuses to let go, the deeper the obsession grows, and the harder it is for her to escape the nightmares.” Zhu Xi lowered her voice. “It’s said the Empress asked temples and Taoist abbeys outside the palace to pray for Prince Hong Hui, hoping he can reincarnate in peace.”

“Hmph!” The Empress Dowager’s face filled with anger. “Hong Hui couldn’t even rest in peace after death, and isn’t it all because of the sins she created as his mother? If she doesn’t let go of that obsession and keeps harming the children in other consorts’ wombs, then Hong Hui won’t be able to rest in peace – even down below.”

Zhu Xi did not dare to take up that topic. After thinking, she added, “Your Majesty, the Empress believes she only started having nightmares after the dragon-phoenix twins were born. She thinks the dragon-phoenix twins are incompatible with her fate, and there are signs they ‘harm the legitimate mother.’ The Empress is preparing to spread this news.”

“Outrageous. She’s gone mad!” The Empress Dowager flew into a rage. “She wants to destroy the imperial dragon-phoenix twins. Does she even have the Emperor and me in her eyes?”

“The Empress is desperate to break free of the nightmares. She tried every method without effect, so she can only use this to force a way out,” Zhu Xi said softly. “It’s said the dragon-phoenix twins are an auspicious sign, blessed with deep fortune. The Empress wants to borrow the twins’ good fortune to help Prince Hong Hui find release, so the Empress won’t have nightmares anymore.”

“Absurd. Utterly absurd!” The Empress Dowager scolded, losing composure. “She committed sins herself and made Hong Hui unable to rest in peace, and now she wants to use the imperial dragon-phoenix twins to borrow fortune for the dead. It’s simply ridiculous.”

“It’s already been almost a month,” Zhu Xi had to continue. “The Empress has also grown somewhat possessed.”

“She’s been possessed for a long time.” The Empress Dowager snapped. “If she weren’t already possessed, how could she keep harming the children in consorts’ wombs? Look at how many sins she’s piled up. Her actions are becoming more and more outrageous.”

“Your Majesty, the Empress already has this plan.” Zhu Xi had to re mind her. “Once the Empress sends people to spread the rumor, it will definitely alarm the Emperor, and it will also draw the imperial clan’s attention. Since it involves the empire’s first pair of dragon-phoenix twins, the Emperor will surely investigate it thoroughly.”

“If the Emperor deploys the secret guards, I’m afraid nothing that happens in the inner palace will be able to stay hidden from him.”

“You’re right.” The Empress Dowager nodded. “The Emperor knows there is some filth and ugliness in the inner palace, but he still believes I and the Empress will manage it well. If a rumor appears targeting the dragon-phoenix twins, it will absolutely enrage the Emperor.”

“It wouldn’t be strange if people from the Sticky-Rod Office show up. At that time, every move everyone makes in the inner palace will be laid before the Emperor. Especially the Empress…”

“If the Emperor learns what she has done, he will certainly depose her as Empress.”