As Qi Daiyu walked out of the Qianqing Palace, she still felt somewhat dazed.
The Empress noticed her troubled expression and asked, "What is it? Are you feeling unwell?"
Qi Daiyu shook her head and smiled bitterly. "It's just that after planning for so long, I didn't expect His Majesty's punishment for Consort Shu to be so... mild and insignificant."
The Empress's expression, however, was profound. "Consort Shu has enjoyed favor for many years; His Majesty naturally holds deep affection for her. From the very beginning, I never harbored the hope of dealing her a fatal blow. Today's decree from His Majesty is within my expectations."
Although the joint trial by the Three Judicial Offices regarding Yuan Hao's case had not yet concluded, it could be foreseen that the Yuan family would inevitably fall. Without a powerful maternal family, Consort Shu was merely a beautiful, favored consort—her threat greatly diminished. And now, this favored consort had left a poor impression in the Emperor's heart. In the future, she might not even retain that "favored" status.
As for whether Consort Shu's beauty might rekindle the Emperor's old feelings?
The Empress smiled. The Emperor was never one to be blinded by beauty. Moreover, while Consort Shu was beautiful, she was not so stunning as to haunt one's dreams. Flowers do not bloom red for a hundred days. Confined for a long time within the Chengqian Palace, how long could Consort Shu's beauty last? The palace was never short of beauties. The Empress looked at Qi Daiyu. For example, the Noble Lady Hui before her—how much did she really lack compared to Consort Shu?
"Retaining her title of Consort Shu is also for the sake of the Eldest Prince. After all, he is the Emperor's first son; his birth mother's rank should not be too low," the Empress thought to herself. Even the tacit agreement to attribute everything to Mingcui was the same—the mother of a prince could not have a stain.
Qi Daiyu was thoughtful but still said, "And what about Luhui? And Suo'er? And all those innocent servants in the Jingren Palace and Chengqian Palace? They all have to pay with their lives because of this."
This was what chilled her to the bone the most.
Hearing her question, the Empress found it very strange. "Noble Lady Mei miscarried. Luhui failed in her duty to protect her mistress. Suo'er even personally harmed Noble Lady Mei. According to the rules, they deserved to die. Furthermore, now that they know these secrets, naturally they cannot be allowed to remain. As for the servants of Jingren Palace and Chengqian Palace, from the moment they were assigned to serve their masters, their fates became inextricably linked to them. If the master is favored, everyone treats them with respect when they go out. If the master commits a wrong, they naturally cannot escape implication."
Surely Suo'er could not be pardoned for her previous grave crime just because she exposed Mingcui's deeds?
The Empress spoke earnestly, "Noble Lady Hui, your kindness is a virtue, but a heart too soft can make it difficult to establish authority. The inner palace has its rules. Servants who merit reward are rewarded; those who commit errors are punished. That is the proper way."
Qi Daiyu was speechless. After a long while, she finally said, "Yes."
The Empress looked at her a few more times but said nothing further, only hoping she would take these words to heart.
Qi Daiyu naturally could not take them to heart. She possessed a worldview utterly different from this one. Some things, she could never accept. It was merely due to circumstances and her own safety that she superficially complied and submitted.
Snow had begun to fall at some point. Qi Daiyu reached out her hand to catch it. The icy snowflakes landed on her palm, the cold seeping into her bones.
The news of Consort Shu's confinement quickly spread throughout the inner palace. Many said the Emperor was venting his anger over the Yuan family affair onto Consort Shu.
Upon learning the news, Consort An rushed to the Qianqing Palace, pleading with the Emperor to allow her to see Consort Shu once. The Emperor initially refused. Consort An knelt before the Qianqing Palace and refused to rise. Snow blanketed the palace grounds. Only after Consort An's shoes and socks were soaked through and she was nearly frozen stiff did the Emperor finally relent, permitting Consort An one visit.
Because of this, everyone praised Consort An as someone who remembered her former mistress, a person of loyalty and kindness.
After her visit to the Chengqian Palace, Consort An fell ill, lingering on her sickbed for several months before recovering. Once well, she frequently showed concern for the Eldest Prince, but that is a story for later.
Not many days after Consort Shu's confinement, Concubine Cao of the Jingren Palace caught a chill. With no cure, she passed away. As it was close to the New Year, Concubine Cao's funeral was very simple. This reminded some that last year, a Consort Ma had also died from a chill around this time. It was said Consort Ma and Concubine Cao had been very close in life. That their fates were so similar was indeed lamentable.
Apart from these two major events, many in the palace also noticed that the servants of Jingren Palace and Chengqian Palace had, at some unknown time, been replaced entirely. The palace servants felt uneasy, conducting themselves with ever greater deference.
In mid-December, Yuan Hao's case finally reached a conclusion. After the Three Judicial Offices presented their findings, the Emperor was furious. Yuan Hao was sentenced to execution by beheading. The remaining members of the Yuan family and their close relatives within three degrees of kinship were exiled to the northwest. Their descendants were barred from taking the imperial examinations or entering government service for three generations.
Once the decree was issued, it instantly became a hot topic of discussion among the capital's commoners. Within the inner palace, however, it was as if the matter had been forgotten. Every palace had already been decorated for the New Year.
A new year was approaching.
Inside the Yanqing Residence, Qi Daiyu was reading a letter sent by Qi Caishang.
Perhaps because of the Yuan family affair, Qi Caishang had discovered that his daughter possessed quite a "political sense." In this letter, he mentioned some court matters—not much, not involving secrets, not quite reaching the level of colluding with the inner palace.
These matters also primarily revolved around the Yuan family.
Qi Caishang said that from a drunken County Magistrate of Xin County, he learned about the affairs of the former magistrate, Qi Ruhai. Greatly shocked, he waited for the magistrate to sober up and then urged him to go to the capital to report Qi Ruhai.
As parents, what they worry about most is their children's future. That Magistrate of Xin County might have originally planned to accept his fate, taking sole responsibility for the Xin County flood. But if he committed a major crime, his children would become the offspring of a criminal official. Qi Caishang laid out the pros and cons, hinting to the magistrate that if he reported Qi Ruhai's falsification during the construction of the Xin County embankment, there might be a sliver of hope.
The Xin County Magistrate still hesitated, after all, behind Qi Ruhai stood the powerful court official Yuan Hao, whose daughter was Consort Shu, mother of the Eldest Prince.
Fortunately, Qi Caishang was clever. From the incident with Suo'er, he deduced that Consort Shu's future was unstable and strenuously persuaded the Xin County Magistrate.
"I promised that if it failed, I would raise his children until they married and established themselves. Fortunately, it was a fright but no harm done. Still, I think I will fund his son's studies until the day he passes the imperial examinations."
The punishment for the Xin County Magistrate was also announced, not affecting his descendants.
Qi Daiyu nodded silently. Qi Caishang bringing the Xin County Magistrate to the capital would certainly be remembered by the Emperor as a meritorious deed. Even if there was no immediate reward, it would be noted for future use. For that, funding the magistrate's son's education was nothing.
She thought she would provide the silver for this.
Reading further, she saw Qi Caishang switch to a tone of pride/satisfaction.
"A summons came from the palace! His Majesty will summon me for an audience on the 18th!"
The 18th?
Qi Daiyu was startled. Wasn't that today? Was her father-in-law in the palace right now?
Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Qi Caishang, in his official robes, stood tall and slender, his features refined and elegant. He reported the situation of his Xin County trip to the Emperor with respect yet grace. His voice was like the clear, tinkling sound of a spring—gentle yet crisp.
Jiang Yuan nodded from time to time, feeling quite satisfied with this newly acquired official.
Little did he know, while he was satisfied with Qi Caishang, Qi Caishang was also secretly sizing him up.
Previously, his official rank had been too low, disqualifying him from an audience with the Emperor.
During the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, he had been too overwhelmed to observe carefully.
Later, during court assemblies, his position as a fifth-rank official was separated from the lofty dragon throne by dozens of people, making it hard to see clearly.
Only today could he finally get a good look.
A dragon among men, commanding respect without anger, an imposing noble aura... well, as the Emperor, he was utterly awe-inspiring.
But as a son-in-law... apart from a rather handsome face, he seemed rather ordinary. And speaking solely of looks, Qi Caishang, who was often mistaken for a refined gentleman due to his own appearance, was quite picky in this regard. Thus, even the Emperor's face seemed merely passable to him.
Of course, Qi Caishang dared not reveal these petty thoughts in the slightest; he valued his life too much.
"You have done well in this matter. However, you have only recently been promoted. Another promotion so soon would inevitably invite gossip, and I also wish for you to gain more experience in the Department of Waterways for a few more years. So, do you have any other requests?" Jiang Yuan said.
Qi Caishang, with hands clasped, suddenly reddened his eyes: "Performing duties for Your Majesty is this humble official's responsibility; I should not covet any reward. However, I do have an impertinent request. My father and mother were peasants, toiling their whole lives to support me in pursuing scholarly honors. My sole wish in this life has been to allow my parents to live a life where they could afford meat and medical care. Alas, a son's desire to provide comes too late for his father; my father passed away early due to illness from hardship, leaving only my mother."
"Now my mother is sixty-six, suffering from constant illness and pain. It pains me deeply to see. After much thought, the only thing that might alleviate her suffering is seeing her son serve Your Majesty wholeheartedly and be fully utilized by you. Your Majesty, I dare not seek promotion. I only beg Your Majesty to bestow upon my mother the lowest honorary title, to bring some joy to the old lady."
His words were sincere and heartfelt, with slightly reddened eyes and a trembling voice, combined with that face capable of deceiving anyone, even Quan Fuhai couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
This Lord Qi is truly a filial son!
As for Jiang Yuan, hearing Qi Caishang's request did not feel like an affront. It was merely seeking an honorary title for a family elder, a trivial matter. Qi Caishang was already a fifth-rank official, so it was within regulations.
Thinking this, Jiang Yuan waved his hand grandly and agreed.
"Quan Fuhai, go to the Kunning Palace. Have the Empress issue an edict. Bestow upon Lord Qi's mother..."
"My mother's surname is Liu!"
Jiang Yuan: "Bestow upon Madam Qi née Liu the title of Ninth Rank 'Ru Ren'."
Qi Caishang immediately expressed his gratitude. As he knelt down, he nearly failed to suppress the smile at the corner of his mouth.
That recently demoted Lord Yuan Hao, his mother was only granted the title of 'Ru Ren' back then, wasn't she? The old lady at home had been quite envious at the time. No need for envy now.
What pleased Qi Caishang even more was that with this honorary title, his mother could enter the palace to pay respects during festivals. The old lady could bring her daughter-in-law to pay homage to the Empress, which meant there would be an opportunity to see Daiyu!
Once they heard this news back home, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law would be overjoyed.
Tonight, I must have Mrs. Wan wash my feet! Qi Caishang thought this as he withdrew from the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
This wasn't any important secret. Thinking to bring some good news, Quan Fuhai personally went to Yanqing Residence to inform Qi Daiyu of this matter.
After listening, Qi Daiyu was stunned for a good while. She politely thanked Quan Fuhai and had someone present him with celebratory money. Returning to her room, alone at last, she couldn't help but sigh with deep feeling.
She really had to admire her nominal father. He never missed a trick, daring to even fleece the Emperor's... sheep? wool. Probably even the Emperor was convinced by that performance that he was a truly filial son.
Before Qi Daiyu could finish her sigh, Shiliu knocked and entered.
"Mistress, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager is assigning supervising matrons to each palace. The one assigned to Yanqing Residence is already on her way."
Supervising matrons?
Qi Daiyu's mouth fell open slightly. She had almost forgotten about this! At the Summer Palace, due to Consort Nie's miscarriage, the Empress had proposed selecting some experienced older palace maids, either knowledgeable about childbirth or having served princes and princesses, to be sent to the Empress Dowager for training before being assigned to various palaces. This was to prevent situations where concubines were pregnant but unaware.
Counting the days, these people had been training in the Empress Dowager's palace for quite some time.
Now they were being assigned.
Qi Daiyu immediately said, "Receive her properly. Remember, you must not show any disrespect."
She felt somewhat worried inwardly. What temperament would this assigned supervising matron have?
