CHAPTER 638: CHAPTER 638: THE TRAGIC DEATH OF HONORED LADY DU

In the following month, the Empress indeed shut herself away for self-reflection. No matter who visited, she would not see them. All matters of the Harem were temporarily managed by Sister Ji on her behalf, while the Empress herself copied Buddhist scriptures and prayed daily.

Honored Lady Du had succumbed to hysterical madness, nearly harming Honored Lady Cheng and the Little Prince. The Empress ordered her to be demoted to Lady and moved to Yaoguang Hall for rest and recuperation. She also issued a special command that no one was to disturb her.

The concubines instantly understood. This is house arrest! It was almost the same as being sent to the Cold Palace. Honored Lady Du would have no more hope in this life. Amid the sighs, no one dared to utter a word.

Consort Hui Pin, holding her daughter, watched as Palace Attendants moved Honored Lady Du’s belongings out one by one. She finally felt a great sense of relief. "At last, she’s gone!"

It was unknown since when Honored Lady Du had become so unreasonable. She would often come out and deliberately frighten Yi An until she wailed and cried. Consort Hui Pin had scolded her several times. Although Honored Lady Du would admit her mistakes, she would always repeat them. She, too, was only a Pin-rank consort and lacked the authority to deal with Honored Lady Du. Now... with the Empress taking action, everything was resolved.

Xiang Tan also smiled beside her. "My lady, from now on, we will be the only ones living here!"

Consort Hui Pin gave a faint smile, said nothing, and took the Princess to the inner chamber. Xiang Tan and the others followed, and no one continued the discussion.

Honored Lady Du’s matter thus concluded, causing no significant stir in the Harem. It was only later, in July, that a Palace Attendant reported that Honored Lady Du had completely lost her mind. By the end of August, she had passed away. According to the Palace Attendants who dealt with the body, her death was wretched. She had become emaciated beyond recognition, clearly having not eaten for many days. Her hair was disheveled, and her eye sockets were deeply sunken. Her ribs were starkly visible, a horrifying sight.

But all of this happened afterward. Moreover, in the Harem, no one dared to gossip. Everyone was struggling to survive; who would concern themselves with the life or death of a criminal?

「Let’s rewind the time a bit.」

By mid-July, and after another ten days or so, the days were not as hot. Mornings and evenings were noticeably cooler, although midday was still unbearably hot. The Emperor was busy with state affairs and had not summoned anyone to serve him at night for more than ten days. Even when he occasionally visited the Harem, it was only to see the children.

The Emperor had visited Xia Ruqing three times. He dined with her twice, leaving each time just before she went to sleep.

As for Consort Cheng Pin, the Emperor had visited twice, but he did not dine there. He only had a cup of tea, looked at the Little Prince, and then left.

He visited Consort Hui Pin once to see the Second Princess.

The Emperor did not visit Consort Ning, but he did encounter her once in the Imperial Garden. The Eldest Princess was already seven years old, her hair braided into pigtails. Dressed in new children’s clothes and a small skirt, she looked very much like a little girl, albeit a bit too timid and sadly lacking the aura befitting the Eldest Princess. However, Zhao Junyao could not say much to a little girl. He asked if she had begun her studies, whether she could recognize characters, and after offering some encouragement, the visit was considered complete.

In the Harem, with the Emperor not visiting and the Empress confined to copying scriptures and seeing no one, an unusual peace settled.

On July 17th, the Second Prince’s full-month celebration took place. Without the Empress’s involvement, the full-month banquet was quite simple. Consort Cheng Pin, like Consort Hui Pin, was a clever woman and did not fuss over this. She was even somewhat relieved.

"It’s just right. The Imperial Son is still small, and I’m afraid too much good fortune might be too much for him to bear!"

"Simplicity is best!"

This earned her praise from all the Mamas and Wetnurse Nannies for her good temperament.

Early in the morning, the gifts from the Empress Dowager arrived first. This was indeed an extraordinary occurrence, as the Empress Dowager usually paid no heed to Harem affairs. Not even when Shih Jieyu gave birth to the Third Princess did the Empress Dowager show such enthusiasm. Now... to think rewards were sent so early in the morning. This was truly rare!

After the Empress Dowager’s rewards were delivered, the Empress also had someone send rewards over. Though she did not attend, the rewards could not be absent. The other Noble Consorts also dared not delay. The remaining consorts also presented their congratulatory gifts promptly.

When it was about time, everyone dressed up and went to Zhaoxiang Pavilion for the banquet. Taking advantage of the good weather, Consort Cheng Pin brought out the Little Prince, who had just turned a month old, for everyone to see.

Xia Ruqing, standing not too far away, saw him clearly. The swaddled infant was thin and small, his face barely half a palm wide, looking quite frail. After all, he was premature. She turned her face away, unable to bear looking any longer. She lowered her head, took a sip of tea, and sighed deeply inwardly.

Consort Cheng Pin is quite a character! To endure such things!

If it were me, I would probably have killed Lady Du with my own hands!

How long must a premature child be nurtured before he can be like a normal child?

Clearly, there was still one month to go...

Forget it, forget it. Xia Ruqing shook her head, not wanting to think too much anymore. There were so many in the Harem with difficult fates; could she possibly sympathize with them all? She too had suffered in the past, yet who had shown her sympathy?

Xia Ruqing picked up a grape and popped it into her mouth, her expression softening considerably.

Everyone chatted and laughed, offering auspicious words. Consort Cheng Pin joyously expressed her gratitude. The atmosphere at the banquet was thus exceptionally harmonious. There was no opera troupe, no storyteller, nothing. The weather was hot, and it was midday, so everyone soon dispersed after finishing their tea and leaving the banquet.

「Returning to Qingya Residence.」

Upon returning to Qingya Residence, Xia Ruqing once again saw Little Bun running around outside, giving her a headache.

"Son, do you think you aren’t dark enough?"

Little Bun, immersed in play, did not like his mother fussing over him, and giggled in response. "Yellow Bean is too mischievous! I’m going... to catch it!"

Xia Ruqing tapped her son’s forehead. "Go, take a bath. It’s time to sleep!"

Though mischievous, her son was obedient. He loved playing with water, so upon hearing he could take a bath, he wiggled his small, tanned body and excitedly called for Sister Huang. He called out as he walked, "Sister... time for a bath! Sister!"

Sister Huang quickly emerged from the side room. "Little ancestor, stop shouting. I’m coming, aren’t I?"

Little Bun laughed, "I’m not an ancestor!" As he spoke, he threw himself into Sister Huang’s arms.

Sister Huang, feigning exasperation with the little child in her arms, patted his bottom and chided, "My Little Master, how have you gotten even darker!"

Little Bun looked at himself and smiled proudly.

"Father Emperor said this is what a real man looks like!"

"Father Emperor also said that when I grow up, he will personally teach me to ride horses!"

The small, tanned child, with his adorable baby talk and proudly coy demeanor, was cute enough to melt anyone’s heart.

Xia Ruqing lay on the heated brick bed, waving her fan, feeling rather regretful. "Son, it’s all your mother’s fault for letting you get so dark!"

He was so dark that she, his mother, almost couldn’t bear to look!

Sister Huang, despite feigning exasperation, was laughing, her eyes filled with such genuine affection it seemed ready to overflow.

「The days passed by, one after another.」

There wasn’t much happening in the Harem. In the Imperial Court, however, issues arose one after another, as if they had all been saved up for this moment. This was The Sixth Year of Jiayuan, and the triennial imperial examinations were to be held. Many scholars from humble backgrounds were probably already on their way to the capital by now. The rivers of Jiangnan had breached their banks time and again, and in many places, crops that were about to be harvested were submerged by the floods.