Chapter 89
Chapter 89: Pei Ying Takes the Bat-pattern Tassel
Under the eaves of the corridor, the sun was warm and the breeze was gentle.
The palace maids and eunuch attendants had purposely stepped away and were standing in the distance, leaving only Luo Ning and Xiao Huai Feng in this corner.
Today, Xiao Huai Feng wore a casual robe, light blue with cloud patterns embroidered on it. His black hair was tied up in a crown. He looked both graceful and dignified, yet also tall and strong.
“Fourth Brother and Fourth Sister-in-law have returned to the capital. He is not the same as Third Brother. Be a little careful when you deal with them,” Xiao Huai Feng said.
Luo Ning agreed.
Xiao Huai Feng also asked her: “How are the matters at home going?”
“Everything is in order. Everyone who needed to know already knows. I have not left any handle for others to grab,” Luo Ning said.
Xiao Huai Feng gave a small nod.
He asked a few more questions, especially about that defense deployment map.
“My father understands taboos better than anyone. When he got it, he did not even check if it was real or fake. He burned it at once, to cut off future trouble,” Luo Ning said.
She added: “You can trust him. In his heart, his own life and power come first. He would never do something that harms others and does not benefit himself. He will not stir up trouble for you, Prince.”
Xiao Huai Feng glanced at her.
Very few people could speak about their own father so plainly and objectively, without emotion. Most either tried to cover things up or poured out their anger.
These were all subconscious reactions. Once the words came out, people might not even realize what they had revealed.
But Luo Ning stood outside of it all.
She could see family ties clearly and did not care about them. Maybe she was destined to be an excellent enforcer.
Looking at the sunlight beyond the corridor, Xiao Huai Feng felt his mood steady a little.
Satisfied, he said a few more words to her: “Today we will be shooting at Mugwort Rice Dumplings. If you are not good at it, you can hand the bow and arrows to me.”
He added: “Imperial Sister-in-law and Fourth Sister-in-law are both skilled at mounted archery. They are quite capable. You do not need to compete with them.”
The unsaid meaning was that she was not really a daughter-in-law of the Imperial House.
But now, Luo Ning only accepted the good intentions. Any words that were unpleasant to hear, she pretended not to hear at all.
She smiled and said: “Thank you, Prince. The nursemaid who instructs me already told me, and Sister Lin also trained me for a few days. I should be able to hit the Mugwort Rice Dumplings, though I may need to shoot a few more times.”
“It doesn’t matter. My older sister’s shooting is only average. She does not like to draw a bow either,” Xiao Huai Feng said. “Other than that, you do not need to compare yourself to any of them.”
His reminder had reached this level of detail. It was already very considerate.
Luo Ning thanked him again, honestly and sincerely.
Because of this matter, Luo Ning forgot that she had also brought pouches and longevity thread charms into the palace and did not get around to giving one to Xiao Huai Feng.
After chatting for a moment, Xiao Huai Feng went in first, and Luo Ning followed him in.
Steward Aunt took the longevity thread charms, and the Empress Dowager tied them one by one onto her children.
Luo Ning and Xiao Huai Feng were the last to come in. She waved to them. “Huai Feng, A’Ning, come here.”
Xiao Huai Feng stepped forward, and the longevity thread charm was tied to his belt. Luo Ning also stepped forward, and the Empress Dowager carefully tied one around her upper arm, the ribbons fluttering with bright colors.
“Thank you, Imperial Mother,” Luo Ning said.
Princess Consort Wei glanced at her and smiled, but the smile did not reach her eyes.
The Empress Dowager looked at them and was very pleased.
The only thing lacking was that Prince Chen’s consort had passed away. Now Prince Chen was alone.
Prince Chen and his princess consort had been deeply in love. The princess consort had been in poor health, so Prince Chen had never had any children. There was no secondary consort or concubine in the prince’s manor.
“…This jade pendant is worn backward,” the Empress Dowager said to Prince Chen.
Prince Chen did not care. “It is not time for a ritual sacrifice. There is no need to worry about such small things, Imperial Mother.”
“The people around you are not taking good enough care of you,” the Empress Dowager said with a smile. Then she called someone. “Qing Yun.”
A palace lady of about twenty stepped out and bowed respectfully. “Your Majesty.”
“You will serve Prince Chen,” the Empress Dowager said. “You are my person. Only if you serve the prince can I be at ease.”
Qing Yun agreed.
Prince Chen felt a little helpless about this, but he did not refuse.
Luo Ning sat quietly to the side, not letting her gaze wander, even though she was a little curious inside.
When the time was almost up, the Empress Dowager moved to Kunyu Hall.
Kunyu Hall was very lively, full of laughter and cheerful voices.
The concubine who was currently in the highest favor had been only a Jieyu the last time Luo Ning had entered the palace. Now she had already risen to become Consort Li. Her promotion had been very fast.
Consort Li was also the most lively and cheerful. Her clear, pleasant laughter almost drowned out everyone else as she alone told funny stories about the Emperor getting up early to eat breakfast in her palace.
“You are simply too noisy,” Empress Zheng said to her in a fond tone.
This made everyone burst into laughter again.
Only when an eunuch attendant announced the Empress Dowager’s arrival did Kunyu Hall instantly fall silent.
Everyone hurried to bow to the Empress Dowager.
Luo Ning saw Beauty Chen by Empress Zheng’s side, personally holding the Eldest Prince.
“Everyone, sit. This is a family banquet; there is no need to be so formal,” the Empress Dowager said with a smile after she sat down, excusing them from further bows.
Consort Li stepped forward and presented a longevity thread charm. “Imperial Mother, I made this myself.”
The Empress Dowager only told Steward Aunt to take it. “You are thoughtful.”
She did not put it on.
Beauty Chen walked forward holding the Eldest Prince, Xiao Yu. When the Empress Dowager saw her grandson, her smile grew even brighter.
“Imperial Mother, has Beauty Chen still not been promoted?” Princess Consort Wei suddenly asked from the side.
The hall fell silent again.
Because Consort Li looked a bit like the Noble Consort who had been ordered to die, she had gone from Beauty to Jieyu and then to consort rank in just a few months. Yet Madam Chen, who had given the Imperial House an imperial prince, was still only a Beauty.
It really was unfair.
The expressions of Beauty Chen, Consort Li, and even Empress Zheng all changed slightly.
Only Empress Zheng was more controlled. Her face wavered only a little before returning to calm.
The Empress Dowager’s smile did not fade. She said kindly to Princess Consort Wei: “You, they say being pregnant makes one silly for three years. I have some very good tonic medicines. I will send them all to you later.”
Her words directly covered what the princess consort had said.
Luo Ning listened from the side.
Nanny He had once told Nanny Yin that Prince Wei and the Empress Dowager had some disagreements. But Princess Consort Wei had also been personally chosen by the Empress Dowager, and she valued her very much.
This princess consort was rather straightforward.
Luo Ning could tell that Empress Zheng wanted to raise the Eldest Prince. If Beauty Chen were promoted and had her own consort rank and palace, there would be no reason for the Eldest Prince to stay in Kunning Palace.
Both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor were willing for the Eldest Prince to be raised for now by the Empress.
Suppressing Beauty Chen and not promoting her was all for the sake of the Eldest Prince.
If, in the future, the Eldest Prince had a chance to take the throne, Beauty Chen would naturally become another palace’s Empress Dowager. Only then would she have the right to compete with Madam Zheng.
If Beauty Chen grew ambitious and wanted to separate into her own palace, her end would be death. That way, the Eldest Prince would even more naturally fall to Empress Zheng.
But Beauty Chen did not seem foolish. So she did not bring it up or ask for anything. She simply humbled herself and lived quietly in the Empress’s palace.
Yet Princess Consort Wei had brought this up in front of the entire hall full of the imperial family.
Everyone felt awkward.
The only ones present who did not seem uncomfortable were Princess Consort Wei herself, Prince Wei, and the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager’s smile did not lessen in the slightest. She simply ignored what Princess Consort Wei had said.
She did not even warn her not to say such things again.
She could say whatever she liked; the Empress Dowager would not even blink.
“[This is actually quite interesting,]” Luo Ning thought. “[Imperial Mother has a firm will and a steady temper.]”
She wanted to learn that from her.
No matter what happened, she should not lose her temper. The sky would not fall.
While Luo Ning was thinking about this, she suddenly heard someone ask: “This bat-pattern tassel is so pretty. Who dropped it?”
She turned her head along with everyone else and saw her own pouch.
Just as she was about to speak, Pei Ying beside her said: “It’s mine.”
Luo Ning was stunned.
Had she seen it wrong?
She reached into her sleeve and felt her own pouch.
So she really had been mistaken.
Why did that one look so much like hers?