Chapter 329: An Unpleasant Affair
The Laba Festival palace banquet concluded abruptly.
The heir of the Duke's residence was thrown into prison, with the Court of Judicial Review conducting a rigorous investigation of the case.
Over the years, the Duke's residence had achieved little, and many families held grudges against the Madam of the Duke, leading to successive memorials of impeachment.
With both witnesses and material evidence solidly in place, the Emperor ultimately succumbed to pressure from all sides and stripped the Duke's residence of its noble title.
"Erlang..." The Madam of the Duke gazed at the Emperor before her, her voice choked with emotion. "This is clearly a deliberate frame-up. Couldn't Erlang investigate further?"
The two of them were in the Jinying Hall.
This was a remote palace hall with no palace attendants coming or going. Since the Empress Dowager's passing, they had often met here.
But with the Duke's residence gone, the title of Madam of the Duke vanished as well. For Li Jingshu to enter the palace again would be as difficult as climbing to heaven.
"The Court of Judicial Review has already concluded this case. There is no need for further investigation." The Emperor's voice was exceptionally calm. "I will confer upon you the title of Second Rank Lady, granting you unrestricted entry to the palace. What honorary title would you prefer?"
Li Jingshu raised her eyes.
Though fifty years of age, she had never borne children. These years, she had seldom worried, indulging in pleasures and never allowing herself to suffer, maintaining her appearance exquisitely.
In her every smile and frown, traces of her twenty-year-old self still lingered.
"I don't want any Second Rank Lady title. I... only wish to be with Erlang forever."
Li Jingshu leaned against the Emperor's chest, her voice filled with tenderness.
The Emperor reached out to embrace her. "How about this: I shall use the pretext that the Duan Imperial Concubine requires companionship to order your permanent residence in the palace."
Li Jingshu bit her lip in humiliation.
Must she always appear by Erlang's side in such a capacity?
After all these years, she had truly had enough.
"Erlang, I still remember how you vowed before the late Emperor to marry me..." Li Jingshu whispered. "Forced by the late Emperor's pressure, we had to part... Now that both the late Emperor and Empress Dowager are gone, no one can influence your choices anymore. Erlang, why not..."
The Emperor pressed his thin lips together.
In his youth, filled with impetuousness, he had been determined to win the woman he loved, quarreling with the late Emperor for over half a year until he ultimately conceded.
After ascending to the highest position, he orchestrated the sudden death of the Duke, thus obtaining the person he had failed to win in his youth.
Common gossip labeled him lustful, and he admitted this. However, no matter how licentious, he knew what could and could not be done.
If he were to take the widow of a First Rank Duke as his consort, the Censorate would surely impeach him furiously, and perhaps even veteran ministers would dash themselves against pillars in fatal remonstrance...
He knew he had wronged Li Jingshu, so both openly and covertly, he had protected her.
Even with the Duke's residence gone, he would not let her life become difficult.
"As long as I am here, no one dares harm you."
Hearing this, Li Jingshu lowered her eyelids in disappointment.
Between her and his reputation, Erlang had chosen his reputation.
She suddenly felt that her more than twenty years had been a joke...
Although the Duke's residence was stripped of its title, the Emperor, mindful of their ancestors' contributions, preserved the residence itself, permitting three subsequent generations to dwell there.
This matter became idle conversation among the common people of the capital during their leisure hours.
During these days, Ting Xue got married.
As Yun Chu's highly trusted chief maid, Yun Chu arranged a grand ceremony for Ting Xue. She departed from the side gate of the Prince's residence in a large bridal sedan chair all the way to the Cheng family residence.
Being pregnant, Yun Chu did not attend the wedding banquet.After entering the middle of the twelfth lunar month, the festive atmosphere of the New Year grew increasingly strong. Qinghua Princess returned to the capital with her legitimate eldest son, Meng Shen, to prepare for the New Year's Eve banquet.
Originally, Meng Shen was supposed to enroll in the Imperial College this September. However, at that time, Yun Chu and Chu Yi were being punished and were not in the capital. Worried that her son would have no one to protect him at the Imperial College, Qinghua Princess delayed their arrival until now.
In the past, when she returned to the capital, she stayed in the Everlasting Autumn Palace where Yin Fei resided.
But since her son would now be living in the Prince of Pacifying the West Manor, she decided to stay there as well to familiarize herself with the environment and settle all matters related to her son's daily life.
Yun Chu had long since arranged a welcoming banquet.
"Second Sister, you must be tired from the journey," Yun Chu greeted at the manor's entrance. "It's cold outside, please come in."
"Aunt," Meng Shen, an eight-year-old well-mannered child, bowed respectfully to Yun Chu. "Thank you for personally welcoming us."
Qinghua Princess glanced at Yun Chu's abdomen. "Yi'er wrote to me, saying you're with child. Have you had someone check whether it's a boy or a girl?"
Yun Chu's smile remained unchanged. "The Imperial College has a new teacher this year, from the Wang family. As everyone knows, the Wang family is known for their eccentric temperaments. Shen Ge'er must be careful while studying at the Imperial College to avoid offending Teacher Wang. It wouldn't be good if he were deliberately neglected."
Qinghua Princess's attention was immediately diverted. "Which Wang family has such audacity? The Imperial College is attended by imperial princes, grandsons, and nobles—how dare a Wang neglect them?"
"He is the Teacher Wang most respected by the current Emperor," Yun Chu explained. "Teacher Wang had already retired, but His Majesty went to great lengths to invite him out of seclusion from the mountains..."
Upon hearing this, Qinghua Princess hurriedly asked, "Then tell me quickly, what are Teacher Wang's taboos?"
As they conversed, they entered the Warm Pavilion. Maids orderly served steaming hot dishes, and the group sat around the table.
"The Chief of the Court of Judicial Review has invited the Prince for tea. He will return later," Yun Chu said. "There's no need to wait for the Prince. Let's eat first."
Qinghua Princess was somewhat displeased. She only returned to the capital once a year, and her own younger brother hadn't even personally welcomed her.
Her dissatisfaction showed on her face.
Meng Shen spoke up, "Over the past six months, Uncle has been suspended from his duties at the Ministry of Works. It's indeed necessary for him to socialize more."
Qinghua Princess suddenly remembered. Ever since Yun Chu caused Consort Fang to miscarry half a year ago, Chu Yi had been caned and dismissed from his position, and he had not returned to court since.
A prince of such stature, absent from court for over six months—his former confidants had likely already switched allegiances.
It truly was time for him to socialize more and regain his official position as soon as possible, so that Shen Ge'er would have an easier time in the capital.
When it came down to it, it was all Yun Chu's fault for causing someone else's child to be lost. Who knew what great enmity lay between them?
"I won't ask for details about Consort Fang's miscarriage," Qinghua Princess said, looking at Yun Chu. "But now that you're pregnant and can no longer attend to Yi'er, shouldn't arrangements be made for a Side Princess Consort, low-ranking imperial concubines, and concubines?"
She paused before continuing, "I mentioned this on the first day of your marriage to Yi'er. It wasn't appropriate to bring it up then, but now is the perfect time."
Yun Chu set down her chopsticks, her expression somewhere between a smile and a smirk.Her expression somewhat angered Qinghua Princess: "Forget the imperial family, even among lower-ranking households, which man doesn't have multiple wives and concubines? You're a married woman yourself, how can you not know how to care for your man properly. If you insist on being jealous, then as your elder sister-in-law, I'll have no choice but to do something unpleasant."
Yun Chu asked, "What unpleasant thing?"
"I'll select several women to fill the rear chambers of Prince of Pacifying the West Manor." Qinghua Princess said with complete self-assurance, "If you won't handle this matter, naturally someone else will have to."
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