Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Zhen Huan Chronicles, An Ling Rong

While she was confined to her quarters to reflect, the Imperial Kitchen didn’t dare go too far. She still got what she was supposed to have, just not as good. But over these two months, as a Noble Lady who had never been favored again, the Imperial Kitchen began to do things perfunctorily. They even started sending whatever they felt like.

Especially over the last half month, what was brought back every day was leftover scraps. If they slipped a bit of silver, it was slightly better – at least it was edible. If they didn’t, it was just a few rotten leaves of greens boiled with crumbled tofu, or bean sprouts boiled with crumbled tofu. Forget any meat or oil – they wouldn’t even toss in a single grain of salt.

It was hard to swallow. And it wasn’t just a day or two. They had been enduring it for more than half a month. Not only did the palace maids and eunuchs of Cun Ju Hall have complaints, even Shen Mei Zhuang, who had been raised delicately since childhood, was about to fail to hold on.

“My lady, there isn’t much silver left.” Cai Yue had to re mind her. “We sent gifts for Concubine Xin’s dragon-phoenix twins’ full-month celebration. We also sent gifts for Concubine Tian’s Fourth Princess and Noble Lady Jing’s Fifth Princess, for their third-day ceremonies and full-month celebrations. After sending gifts these few times, the silver is almost gone. There are only a dozen or so taels left in the box…”

Hearing that, Shen Mei Zhuang instantly felt her cheeks burn, as if she couldn’t face anyone. Proud and self-respecting as she always was, she had never felt this kind of hardship. As the mistress, she still forced herself to stay calm. “Cai Xing, what about the banknotes Mother gave us when we entered the palace?”

“My lady, are we going to use the banknotes?” Cai Xing couldn’t bear it. “My lady, you said the banknotes were to be saved for later. Only when you gave birth to a prince could we use them. If we use them now, then later…”

“It’s fine. Use them.” Shen Mei Zhuang said as if steady. “When we truly have no silver to use, we’ll tell the family again. As long as I become pregnant, Father will definitely be willing to send more banknotes into the palace.”

“My lady, you sent Noble Lady Wan so much silver.” Cai Yue re minded her in a small voice. “Now that Noble Lady Wan is favored, she certainly isn’t short on silver. She knows you aren’t favored, yet she acts like she doesn’t know anything. She’s such a thankless wretch, with no conscience at all…”

“Enough, Cai Yue.” Shen Mei Zhuang couldn’t listen anymore. She felt worse and worse. “Once silver is given away, how can you ask for it back? Don’t bring it up again in the future.”

“My lady…”

“Stop talking.” Shen Mei Zhuang sent them off. “You all go out. I want some quiet for a while.”

“Yes, this servant takes her leave!” Cai Yue and Cai Xing saluted and withdrew.

Sitting there in a daze, Shen Mei Zhuang didn’t know what she was thinking. After a long while, she let out a deep sigh and murmured, “Huan’er, I believe you didn’t mean it. You definitely didn’t mean it…”… Yong Shou Palace. Four babies lay in a row, making baby coos and babbles.

Beside them sat three mothers, chatting idly.

“An Ling Rong, why didn’t Noble Consort Hua bring the Sixth Prince and Princess Wen Ning over today?” Summer Dong Chun said. “We come ten times and can see them maybe twice. Did Noble Consort Hua go accompany the Emperor again?”

“Isn’t it normal to accompany the Emperor?” Li Si Qi raised her brows. “She can’t help me raise babies every single day. You know how scary it is when a baby starts crying, especially when two babies cry at the same time. Even I’m their real mother, and I can barely take it. Let alone Noble Consort Hua, with her violent temper. The fact that she hasn’t tossed the babies out of Yi Kun Palace already is pretty good.”

“Is that how you talk about your own children?” Concubine Tian was exasperated and amused. “I think the Sixth Prince and Wen Ning are very well-behaved, all right?”

“No matter how well-behaved a child is, they’ll still torment people sometimes.” Li Si Qi curled her lips. “Don’t Wen Xiao and Wen Yue ever make trouble for you two?”

“Not too bad.” Concubine Tian answered with a smile. “Wen Xiao is quite good. When she cries once in a while, it’s because she isn’t feeling well. There was one time she threw a tantrum and cried for a long time. I only felt sorry for her. How could I feel annoyed?”

“Wen Xiao really is good.” Summer Dong Chun sighed. “I also thought Wen Yue was a gentle, obedient child, but it turns out she’s another hot-tempered one. If you don’t satisfy her right away, she’ll pull her throat raw and howl. At first I thought something was wrong with her and dragged the imperial physicians over several times. Later I found out she was just impatient.”

“She takes after you.” Concubine Tian laughed and scolded. “When you get anxious, don’t you curse and rant too, unable to control your temper?”

“My temper is bad, but I don’t like crying.” Summer Dong Chun pulled a bitter little face. “This little ancestor – her crying can kill people.”

“It’s fine. At least you gave birth to her.” Li Si Qi offered a halfhearted comfort. “Since you can’t throw her away, you can only raise her yourself.”

With that, she successfully made everyone laugh. Just then, Hui Chun from Jing Ren Palace appeared in Yong Shou Palace. She came in and saluted the three of them. “This servant pays respects to Concubine Xin, pays respects to Concubine Tian, pays respects to Noble Lady Jing.”

“Rise.” Li Si Qi instructed. “Hui Chun, why have you come?”

“Replying to Concubine Xin.” Hui Chun answered respectfully. “Her Majesty the Empress has an order. In three days, all consorts of every palace are to go to Jing Ren Palace to pay respects.”

“Pay respects?” Summer Dong Chun blurted out. “Is Her Majesty the Empress well again?”

Hui Chun didn’t lift her head. “Replying to Noble Lady Jing, Her Majesty the Empress has recovered.”

“We understand.” Li Si Qi spoke up. “You don’t need to go to Yan Xi Palace anymore. In three days, we will go to Jing Ren Palace to pay respects.”

“Yes.” Hui Chun saluted. “This servant takes her leave!” Lv He personally escorted her out of Yong Shou Palace.

“We have to pay respects again.” Summer Dong Chun’s little face fell. “We haven’t gone to Jing Ren Palace for almost half a year. Once we start again, we’ll have to get up early every day. I don’t want to get up that early.”

“It’s not just you.” Concubine Tian smiled. “I’m afraid everyone will be unaccustomed. But no matter what, it’s only right for us consorts to pay respects to the Empress.”

“Jing Ren Palace is about to get lively.” Li Si Qi said with a smile. “Then we’ll have a good show to watch, right? But you two must be careful. Don’t jump in yourselves. If you get torn apart, that’s one thing – don’t drag Wen Xiao and Wen Yue into it.”

… Imperial Garden. After leaving the Imperial Study, Noble Consort Hua drifted here without realizing it.

“Your Ladyship, didn’t you say we were going to Yong Shou Palace…” Song Zhi hadn’t finished speaking before Noble Consort Hua cut her off. “Not today. I want some quiet.”

Hearing their mistress, Song Zhi and Nanny Jiang couldn’t help laughing to themselves. The dragon-phoenix twins really were wonderful. When they were good, they could practically melt your heart with how adorable they were. But when they cried, the brother and sister nearly tore the roof off Yi Kun Palace.

One cried, and the other was sure to cry along with them. That two-part devilish sound poured straight into your ears. The damage was huge. The Emperor was so frightened he fled in panic.

Even their mistress was stunned. It took her a long while to come back to herself. The two little devils wouldn’t stop no matter how you soothed them. Noble Consort Hua almost cried along with them.

In the end, they had to invite Concubine Xin over, and only then did the siblings finally stop. Ever since then, Noble Consort Hua and Concubine Xin had started playing hot potato. The two of them kicked the twins back and forth, and neither wanted to provoke those two little ancestors. Still, though Noble Consort Hua complained, if she went even one day without seeing the twins, she would miss them.

Song Zhi and Nanny Jiang would bet that when they went back, their mistress would definitely detour to Yong Shou Palace to see the dragon-phoenix twins. “Ai Yo, what rotten luck!” Yu Ying Er’s mocking, sing-song voice suddenly rang out. Noble Consort Hua and her attendants, resting in the pavilion, couldn’t help looking over at the sound.