A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 493: Chapter 493: A Good Hand Played Terribly

How impressive.

”Without deploying a single soldier, Noble Concubine Shih has been severely weakened, and there’s nowhere for her to seek justice!”

”This time, even the Empress Dowager won’t help her!”

Zi Yue just laughed.

”Indeed, Noble Consort has been busy for a year or two, but it has all been in vain. In the end, she has just been a wedding dressmaker for someone else!”

Xia Ruqing let out a long sigh.

Weren’t the Emperor’s methods just like this? Once it came to things that touched his bottom line, he would sweep away and strike without leaving any leeway. In the future, without her daughter, what influence could Noble Concubine Shih still wield?! When the Empress Dowager passes away eventually, without any support, she will be completely silenced in the palace, won’t she? Ha-ha! What does it mean to mishandle a good hand of cards? This time, I truly witnessed it with my own eyes!

Zi Yue still had some doubts in her mind, so she asked, ”Master, this time... the Empress was also involved, why... wasn’t she punished?”

Xia Ruqing pursed her lips and smiled, blinking her eyes.

”She was punished. Didn’t she lose half a year’s salary?”

Zi Yue was a bit eager.

”Mistress, you know that’s not what I mean!”

Xia Ruqing then said with a laugh, ”Alright, I won’t beat around the bush any longer!”

She immediately put on a serious face and said, ”Actually, the Empress wasn’t deeply involved this time; she was purely misled by the Noble Consort! So, the Emperor didn’t punish her much!”

Zi Yue was even more puzzled.

”Even if not punished much, that still shouldn’t...” Reward? Allowing the Empress to care for the Little Princess, that must count as some kind of reward.

Xia Ruqing smiled faintly.

”In this palace, who could be more suitable than the Empress?”

”Shih Jieyu has no capability; if she were to raise the Little Princess herself, she wouldn’t be able to protect her. She’s still under the Noble Consort’s control!”

”The Empress is different. Even if just for the sake of her reputation, she will put in one hundred and twenty percent effort! After all, the Emperor did it for the Princess’s own good!”

”Ultimately, he is not completely heartless!”

”If the Empress raises her, she will definitely do her best, and the Little Princess will only fare better. Furthermore, it would also make the Empress understand: ’As long as you stay in your place and don’t cause trouble, I won’t mistreat you. If you dare to make trouble again, just as I have elevated you, so can I bring you down!’ This is also... using both carrot and stick, isn’t it! The Empress will definitely be obedient from now on!”

Zi Yue finally had a moment of realization. However, she said nothing further, nor did she dare to gossip about the Emperor behind his back.

Xia Ruqing didn’t continue either.

She hugged Little Bun and said with a smile, ”Anyway, it’s none of our business who takes care of the Little Princess! Isn’t that right, Little Bun?”

Zi Yue looked over, saw that the Little Prince’s drool had made another puddle, and quickly went to wipe it up.

Outside, Zi Su and Zi Ning came over.

”Master, these are the things we need to take with us when we leave the palace. Would you see if there’s anything else that needs to be added?”

Xia Ruqing put her son down, took the list, added and removed a few items, and smiled.

”Nothing else!”

Zi Su and Zi Ning both left with a smile.

「Ningshou Palace」

Zhao Junyao personally informed the Empress Dowager of this news. He also said that the Little Princess had already been taken to Jiaofang Hall to be raised.

Zhao Junyao asked indifferently, ”Does Mother have any objections?”

After hearing this, the Empress Dowager was so astonished she was at a loss for words. In the end, though she felt bitter inside, she managed to keep up a smile on her face and complimented, ”The Emperor has done well; Noble Consort needs to reflect upon her actions and indeed shouldn’t continue to raise the Princess! Sending her to be raised by the Empress is both reasonable and appropriate!”

Seeing that the Empress Dowager didn’t offer much resistance, Zhao Junyao’s expression eased a lot.

”That’s my intention too!!”

The Empress Dowager was left with no choice but to force a smile.

Zhao Junyao didn’t stay much longer and left after sitting for a while.

After the Emperor left, the Empress Dowager flew into a rage.

”Useless thing!”

”Just a pile of mud that can’t be helped up the wall!”

She was angry and utterly disappointed, yet she couldn’t find a single mistake to point out. The upbringing of the Little Princess by the Empress might not necessarily be worse than if raised by the Noble Consort; in fact, her status would even be a notch higher. What fault could she find?!

”Wanxin is really causing too much trouble! How can she fabricate such things so carelessly?!”

Sister Qing was somewhat anxious by her side, but though she opened her mouth, she couldn’t utter a word. What could she possibly say? Causing such trouble... being sentenced to death wouldn’t have been excessive. It was fortunate the Emperor showed mercy.

The Empress Dowager stood up, paced around, and thought for a long time before taking a deep breath.

”Enough of this! I can’t manage these things!”

”Buddhism teaches of karma; you reap what you sow. I can’t help her for the rest of her life!”

”Let her bear it herself.”

After saying this, she gave another instruction.

”From now on, do not report the affairs of the Harem to me! I don’t want to handle them either!”

Sister Qing sighed and had no choice but to assent. She knew in her heart that the Empress Dowager had completely despaired!

The Little Princess was thus raised in Jiaofang Hall as a matter of course.

No one dared to say anything.

「Zhaochen Palace」

Zhao Junyao grinned like a cunning old fox that had gotten its way.

Seventh Master Zhao Junyan sat opposite him. Seeing his Imperial Brother in a good mood, he asked, ”Imperial Brother, have you encountered some happy news? Share it so your younger brother can rejoice with you.”

Zhao Junyao restrained his smile and cleared his throat twice. ”AHEM... it’s about the Harem!”

Seventh Master also lived in the palace but not in the Harem, and was quite far from it. He naturally didn’t know what had happened. Just back from horseback riding, he asked casually, merely making conversation, ”I heard the Third Princess is weak and has not yet been named? Is she any better now?”

Zhao Junyao sipped his tea and spoke indifferently, ”It seems she is somewhat better, and will be even better in the future!”

Seventh Master couldn’t help but ask, ”What do you mean by that?”

Zhao Junyao glanced at him and simply smiled.

”She’s been given to Jiaofang Hall!”

Zhao Junyan was stunned for a moment, then laughed.

”So she was given to the Imperial Sister-in-law! Excellent!”

”Does that make her legitimate?”

Zhao Junyao spoke again calmly, ”More or less.”

Zhao Junyan rambled on about various things: how the hundredth-day feast hadn’t been held, how her name hadn’t been chosen yet, and so on.

Zhao Junyao didn’t hear a word.

His mood wasn’t elevated because of the Little Princess. Rather... it was because he had punished the Noble Consort and metaphorically slapped the Empress Dowager in the face. The feeling was like being suppressed for so long and finally being able to hold his head high, utterly satisfying and exhilarating! The Empress Dowager had always been partial to the Shih Family, even to the point of forcing me and Shih Jieyu together just to have this child. I could never swallow that indignity. The Third Princess was, after all, just a child, only four months old; I couldn’t take my anger out on her. As for Shih Jieyu, that pitiful woman, even if I killed her, it wouldn’t change anything. Besides, I detest arguing with women the most. Ultimately, the Empress Dowager was the true culprit! Yet, she is my own mother, so there wasn’t much I could do. The Empress Dowager had said her last wish was to leave a bloodline for the Shih Family. So, even though I was extremely frustrated, I had to comply. But deep down, I just couldn’t accept it! In the Empress Dowager’s heart, was the Shih Family truly that important? Was I, her own son, nothing at all? I felt wronged, I was resentful, yet I couldn’t retaliate! I had been suppressing this for so long, and finally, an opportunity arose. It was like someone offering a pillow just as I was dozing off—Noble Concubine Shih provided the perfect chance. Of course, I wouldn’t be polite about taking it. So, even though I don’t like the Empress, I still decided to give the Little Princess to her. Firstly, it was for the child’s good. Secondly, it was perfectly justifiable. And thirdly, it would also make all the women in the Harem clearly understand my bottom line.