After being jilted, the entire neighboring village was filled with deep regret.

Chapter 471: Taking sides
Zhao Wanyi felt extremely aggrieved. "Grandpa, His Highness is coming back soon. I've been busy managing the household affairs to welcome His Highness. I haven't been idle at all!"
Moreover, on the day my granddaughter went to the palace to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager, my father was also there. From what I heard, my father didn't want me to stay with the Empress Dowager for long, so I thought I'd take care of things at home first.

The Grand Tutor's expression tightened, and he hurriedly asked, "Did His Majesty really tell you not to go to the palace?"

Zhao Wanyi nodded hesitantly, "If my granddaughter understands correctly, that's what it means."

The Grand Tutor fell into deep thought. "That's not right! If the Emperor has forgiven the Second Prince, why wouldn't he let you into the palace? Is there something else going on?"

Zhao Wanyi was bewildered. "No way! The Empress Dowager explained that day that Father Emperor wasn't targeting me, so everything should be fine."

She couldn't imagine, nor did she want to think the worst. As long as the Second Prince returned, her world would be back, and she wouldn't have to live in such fear.

Seeing his granddaughter's expression, the Grand Tutor shook his head helplessly. "Never mind, when you have time, you should still go to the palace to pay your respects to the Empress. Don't let people gossip."

After the Grand Tutor left, Zhao Wanyi learned what had happened outside and was furious.

"It's that Shen Tian again! What's with all the showing off! She's just a poor girl, what's so great about her! Does she really think she can sit on equal footing with us princes' wives and concubines?"

After thinking for a moment, Zhao Wanyi sent someone to invite the Fourth Prince's wife and the Fifth Prince's wife over, intending to have them isolate Shen Tian together.

Therefore, Zhao Wanyi specially held a flower-viewing banquet, inviting all the noble ladies of the capital, but not Shen Tian.

When the unsuspecting lady inquired about the matter, Zhao Wanyi replied sarcastically, "The Sixth Prince's concubine is busy going to the palace to pay her respects! She doesn't have time to come here and join in the fun!"

Everyone immediately understood what the Second Prince's wife meant and didn't say anything more.

After all, compared to the disabled sixth prince, the young, promising, and healthy second prince obviously has a brighter future. Moreover, the emperor has summoned the second prince back, and his rise to power is just around the corner. Anyone with eyes can see which side to choose.

Of course, there were also a few people who disapproved of the Second Prince's wife's actions, such as Princess Huai'an.

She was furious after returning from the Second Prince's wife's flower-viewing banquet, and took the opportunity to mention the matter when she went to the palace to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager.

"Mother, the second son's wife used to look virtuous and proper, but now she's just like him, getting worse and worse as she gets older!"

"What's going on now?" The Empress Dowager knew about the Second Prince and Cen Mingzhu's affair, and frowned subconsciously upon hearing this.

Princess Huai'an, unaware of the situation, immediately embellished the story of what happened at the flower-viewing banquet, saying, "The Emperor merely praised the Sixth Prince's concubine once, and the Second Prince's wife specially arranged a flower-viewing banquet, inviting all the ladies and young ladies that the Emperor could invite, but she deliberately omitted Concubine Shen, and even made sarcastic remarks about her. Is it appropriate for her to target Concubine Shen like this?"

Logically speaking, Princess Huai'an would not meddle in such matters, but Shen Tian was indeed good at interpersonal relationships. She still respected her aunt, who was divorced from her husband's family and was criticized by others. Knowing that she often came to the Empress Dowager to pay her respects, she would specially prepare a snack that Shen Tian liked to eat every time she sent food.

If anything happened to her, Consort Shen would not fail to show the proper etiquette.

Over time, Princess Huai'an naturally developed genuine affection for Shen Tian, ​​and coupled with the Second Prince's wife's excessive behavior, she could no longer remain silent.

The Empress Dowager let out a long sigh of relief and shook her head in disappointment. "I thought she was a well-educated, virtuous and kind woman, but I never expected that even the sixth prince's concubine would be jealous of her. She is truly absurd! Someone, have the second prince's wife copy some scriptures for me to pray for blessings."

Princess Huai'an smiled secretly, feeling relieved.

The Second Prince's Consort's expression upon receiving the Empress Dowager's edict was priceless. After the palace servants left, she burst into tears, crying, "What did I do wrong? Why is the Empress Dowager punishing me like this?"

The maidservant asked timidly, "Master, is it related to the flower viewing banquet?"

In fact, she had long wanted to advise her master not to bully Consort Shen so openly at this time, but her master had been feeling very frustrated and depressed these past few years because of the Second Prince. If she were to speak up, she would inevitably be scolded by her master and might even be punished. So she could only protect herself and remain silent.

Zhao Wanyi was stunned for a moment, then laughed angrily, "You're saying the Empress Dowager punished me because of that bitch Shen Tian?"

The maid shrank back and quickly knelt down, "This servant is just guessing, it may not be true."

Zhao Wanyi's lips curled into a cold, wicked smile. "Since that's the case, then slap yourself in the face! Don't stop!"

The maidservant knelt on the ground with tears in her eyes, slapping her mouth repeatedly.

Zhao Wanyi snorted coldly. Seeing the scriptures on the desk made her angry. She angrily swept the books to the ground and vented her frustration before sitting down to quietly copy them.

The Empress Dowager's punishment of the Second Prince's wife for copying scriptures shocked all the ladies and young women attending the flower-viewing banquet.

Princess Qingfeng's brows remained furrowed ever since Hongqin reported this. "You mean the Empress Dowager punished the Second Prince's wife by making her copy scriptures? Why is that?"

Hongqin shook her head. "I don't know the specifics, but this happened when Princess Huai'an came to the palace to pay her respects. I think the Second Prince's wife did not offend Princess Huai'an."

However, Princess Huai'an is very fond of Consort Shen and has praised her more than once. This servant suspects that Princess Huai'an might have stood up for Consort Shen and complained to the Empress Dowager.

Princess Qingfeng blinked and rubbed her temples. "Maybe you were right! The Second Prince hasn't even returned yet, and Zhao Wanyi has already caused him such a huge mess. She's more trouble than she's worth!"

Hongqin said cautiously, "Princess, Consort Shen has given birth to two sons and is deeply favored. It's understandable that the Second Prince's wife is jealous of her."

Princess Qingfeng slammed her fist on the table in anger, “Understand what? Understand her pettiness, or understand that she overstepped her bounds? If Consort Shen were from the Second Prince’s household, that would be one thing, but what has the Sixth Prince’s Consort done to her? Can she blame others for not being able to give birth to a son?”

What's infuriating is that her outburst has forced even this princess to take a stand!

Princess Qingfeng has maintained a friendly relationship with Shen Tian over the years, and they occasionally sit together to play chess and drink tea. Everyone knows that she and Shen Tian have a good relationship.

Hongqin rolled her eyes and said, "Princess, Consort Shen is just a consort, not the principal wife. Besides, she is very busy right now and may not have time to contact you. The Second Prince's wife is in a bad mood right now, so let's lay low for a while. After that, you can have contact with the consort again, and I'm sure she won't say anything."

Princess Qingfeng closed her eyes wearily; this was the only thing she could do for now.

The Sixth Prince felt sorry for Shen Tian because of the flower viewing banquet incident, so he specially brought back a lot of good things to cheer her up.

Shen Tian glanced at the boxes, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Why is Your Highness so generous?"

The sixth prince was speechless. "Have I always been so stingy?"

Shen Tian shook her head, "No, it's just that it's not a holiday, and I don't feel at ease accepting these things from Your Highness."