CHAPTER 260: CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY-EIGHT

The late Empress was deeply revered by the Emperor, and although Noble Princess Consort Rong was favored on ordinary days, she dared not defy the late Empress. In fact, there was a time when Noble Princess Consort Rong, relying on her favor, caused some trouble for the late Empress, only to be severely reprimanded by the Empress Dowager. When the Emperor learned of this, he scolded her as well. At that time, the Zhao family had not yet ascended the throne.

Noble Princess Consort Rong dared not disobey the late Empress’s words, thus she stopped finding trouble with Liang Zhaoyi.

Yu Meiren and Pan Cairen were punished by Noble Princess Consort Rong because she was in a bad mood that day, and they were made to kneel for two hours.

In this palace, besides the late Empress, Noble Princess Consort Rong almost punished all the concubines. Of course, Princess Consort De and Concubine Shu were also punished by Noble Princess Consort Rong.

Later, when Empress Xie entered the palace, Noble Princess Consort Rong didn’t take her the least bit seriously as the Empress consort and often opposed Empress Xie. Thus, it is evident how extremely arrogant Noble Princess Consort Rong was.

None of the concubines in the palace liked Noble Princess Consort Rong, all hoping to see her lose favor. Now that Qin Xiulian has appeared, everyone wishes for her to defeat Noble Princess Consort Rong and make her lose favor.

Yu Meiren smiled and said, "I thought I would never see the day when Noble Princess Consort Rong falls out of favor, but now it seems there is a chance."

Liang Zhaoyi shook her head helplessly and said, "Noble Princess Consort Rong will not lose favor."

Upon hearing Liang Zhaoyi say this, Yu Meiren and Pan Cairen looked at her in surprise: "Sister, why do you say that?"

"Miss Qin may gain favor after entering the palace, perhaps even more than Noble Princess Consort Rong, but Noble Princess Consort Rong will not lose favor," Liang Zhaoyi said. "It won’t be as you imagine her losing favor."

The way Yu Meiren and Pan Cairen imagined Noble Princess Consort Rong’s fall from favor was like this: Noble Princess Consort Rong would be demoted to concubine or consort, and no longer be a noble princess. The Emperor would no longer favor her like before and would not often visit Yongxin Palace. Yongxin Palace would henceforth become the Cold Palace.

"Sister, why do you think so?" Yu Meiren felt that Qin Xiulian, being more favored than Noble Princess Consort Rong, would surely be framed by a jealous Noble Princess Consort Rong, eventually angering the Emperor, leading to her demotion to a concubine or consort.

"Firstly, the Emperor and Noble Princess Consort Rong have over thirty years of affection, and Noble Princess Consort Rong has given birth to children for the Emperor. The Emperor, being a man of deep emotions, would not abandon Noble Princess Consort Rong just for Miss Qin," Liang Zhaoyi analyzed objectively. "Secondly, for Prince Dai’s sake, the Emperor would also not abandon Noble Princess Consort Rong. Lastly, Noble Princess Consort Rong is also a relative of the Emperor."

After hearing Liang Zhaoyi’s words, Yu Meiren and Pan Cairen felt they made a lot of sense.

"So it seems Noble Princess Consort Rong will not lose favor."

Yu Meiren and Pan Cairen showed a disappointed expression on their faces.

"Noble Princess Consort Rong has accompanied the Emperor since childhood, longer than anyone else in the palace. Do you think the Emperor would abandon her?" Liang Zhaoyi said, "The Emperor is not a heartless person."

"So we won’t see Noble Princess Consort Rong lose favor?"

"Compared to before, maybe she will lose some favor," Liang Zhaoyi thought silently; knowing the Emperor’s temperament, she feared he would...

"Alas, we thought that after Miss Qin entered the palace, Noble Princess Consort Rong would completely lose favor..."

Upon hearing this, Liang Zhaoyi smiled and said, "Whether Noble Princess Consort Rong loses favor or not, what has it to do with us? Why worry?"

Yu Meiren said, "We just want to see Noble Princess Consort Rong lose favor to avenge the enmity of those years."

Pan Cairen echoed, "I just want to see if Noble Princess Consort Rong would still be so arrogant after losing favor."

"You two..."

"Sister, don’t you hate her? Back then Noble Princess Consort Rong always bullied you. If it weren’t for the late Empress, who knows how badly you would have been bullied." Back when Liang Zhaoyi was bullied by Noble Princess Consort Rong, Yu Meiren and the others witnessed it.

"Sister, have you forgotten? When you were pregnant with Yao Yao, Noble Princess Consort Rong made things difficult for you," Pan Cairen said. "Had it not been for the Empress protecting you, Yao Yao might not have existed."

"Noble Princess Consort Rong just made things a bit difficult for me; she didn’t dare harm me to cause a miscarriage," Liang Zhaoyi said. "Noble Princess Consort Rong knows very well that the Emperor hates those who harm children the most; she wouldn’t act recklessly."

During the time of the late Empress, concubines were repeatedly warned not to resort to malicious means against each other due to jealousy, especially not to harm children. If discovered, neither she nor the Emperor would be lenient.

Actually, in the first two years of the Emperor’s reign, a concubine ignored the late Empress’s warning and poisoned a concubine living in the same palace, causing her to miscarry. Once it was uncovered, the Emperor ordered her execution.

At the time, both the previous dynasty and the harem were shocked by the Emperor’s decree. Many people said the Emperor’s decree was excessively harsh; the Emperor ignored these words.

When the concubines saw they would be executed for causing a pregnant concubine to miscarry, those who shared the same reckless hope as the poisoning concubine were terrified. Since then, such incidents of causing miscarriage or harming princes or princesses in the harem have never reoccurred.

Back then, Noble Princess Consort Rong only dared to make things difficult for a pregnant Liang Zhaoyi; she did not dare cause her to miscarry. If Liang Zhaoyi miscarried, Noble Princess Consort Rong’s fate wouldn’t be favorable.

Pan Cairen asked, "Sister, didn’t you hate her at all?"

"I did hate her at the time, but not anymore, given how many years have passed," Liang Zhaoyi laughed and said, "Now we coexist peacefully with Noble Princess Consort Rong."

"Sister, you have such a magnanimous heart." Yu Meiren still hated her. Back then, not only was she punished by Noble Princess Consort Rong, but she was also severely humiliated, an event she could never forget. "I can’t do it. I still hold a grudge for Noble Princess Consort Rong humiliating me."

"It’s normal you can’t forget," Liang Zhaoyi gently patted Yu Meiren’s shoulder, comforting her, "It’s not wrong to hate her."

"I just want to see her lose favor, see her unfortunate," Yu Meiren’s eyes were full of hatred when she thought about that event back then.

"Me too." Pan Cairen, due to her low rank, was once harshly humiliated by a senior palace maid of Noble Princess Consort Rong.

Liang Zhaoyi heard them say this but said nothing.

"It will take at least a month for Miss Qin’s injury to heal up."

At this moment, Gui Xing walked in and reported to Liang Zhaoyi: "Your Grace, the Emperor just issued a decree for the Chief Historian to select an auspicious date, and at that time Miss Qin will be escorted into the palace."

Yu Meiren quickly asked, "When is the auspicious date?"

"In two months."

"Then it’s soon."

Gui Xing continued to report: "Just now, Miss Qin’s mother entered the palace."

"Why did Miss Qin’s mother enter the palace?"

Liang Zhaoyi speculated, "Probably the Emperor arranged for Mrs. Qin to visit Miss Qin."

"Miss Qin hasn’t officially entered the palace, but the Emperor has done so much for her. This is truly unprecedented."

"He is truly showing immense favor."

Liang Zhaoyi sighed inwardly: the Emperor must be doing it on purpose.