Too high to reach

Chapter 204 Palace Gossip
Looking at the Empress's gentle appearance...

During our several meetings... she was always like this: calm and serene, making people feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze.

Mo Yi said in a low voice, "Your Highness, the Crown Princess has left a very good impression."

"Hehe... She's a prime example of a good shoot emerging from a bad bamboo!" Consort Liang chuckled. "Have you heard about her family's scandalous affairs?"

"Favoring a concubine at the expense of the wife?"

“Yes. Her own aunt married the Empress’s elder brother. So it can be said that…” Consort Liang lowered her voice, “that was the only thing the Crown Prince had that was related to military power. So even though the Crown Princess couldn’t give birth to a son, the Empress wasn’t angry and even valued her highly. Also… she was indeed very proper in her dealings with people. Even I, a nobody in the palace, respected her greatly.”

"Yes, I can feel the sincerity in it."

"Hmm..." Consort Liang looked at the Crown Princess again, savoring her appearance, "She has a rather dignified air about her!"

“Your Majesty the Empress Dowager,” Mo Yi pointed to the wealthy old lady with her head full of pearls and jade, “wasn’t it said that she was a bit… forgetful? But the few words she just spoke were very clear and logical.”

The gossipy duo looked towards the Empress Dowager again. The old lady was smiling kindly as she watched the children playing in front of her.

"...To be honest, it wasn't easy for the Empress Dowager to get to where she is today. She had a son and was once very powerful. But then her son died... But perhaps it was precisely because of this that she was able to survive until the end and become the Empress Dowager in peace. A few years ago... her family committed a crime with a huge impact, and originally all the men in the family should have been beheaded."

To show his filial piety, the Emperor not only spared her from prosecution but also granted her a partial pardon. Only the ringleader was executed, and the entire family was exiled. Unfortunately, they were struck by natural disaster shortly after arriving at their place of exile, leaving only a few survivors. Heartbroken, she was devastated, and the Emperor pardoned the rest of the family and brought them back. Sadly, all the capable members were gone… The little girl she often keeps by her side now is her grandniece.

"Oh, I see..." Mo Yi listened as if she were reading a story.

"Hmm. I heard... when the fifteenth prince pays his respects to the Empress Dowager, he often encounters that girl, and the two seem to have a childhood sweetheart relationship." Consort Liang's mind was racing, but her face remained expressionless.

"Perhaps it's because Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has experienced too much. When our Lady had her accident, she was so frightened that she fell seriously ill. Afterwards, her mind became somewhat confused. It's been ten years now." She finished speaking, a hint of disbelief in her voice. Ten years...

“But…” Consort Liang narrowed her eyes, “Although she’s confused, she’s been running around peacefully for so long. And there are some things that I find strange…”

"What's so strange?" Mo Yi's eyes were full of curiosity, which motivated Consort Liang to continue.

"Once, Princess Wenhua, who had married out of the capital, returned to the capital with her daughter. While chatting in the Empress Dowager's palace, she pointed to her youngest daughter and said that eating peanuts caused her lips and face to swell up with red bumps. Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager immediately ordered the maids to remove the peanut-filled pastries. But after a while, the Empress Dowager said to Princess Wenhua, 'The peanut brittle is very good today; you and your daughter should try it…' The nanny beside her was startled and quickly reminded her that the Empress Dowager had forgotten what she had just said…"

Mo Yi blinked, thinking: Maybe the Empress Dowager just wants the princess's daughter to grow up...

"But some time later, at another palace banquet, some palace maids, unaware of the situation, served peanut and sesame paste to the young girls as a snack. The Empress Dowager saw this and quickly said, 'She can't eat this!' and stopped them... Do you think her memory is good or bad?"

Mo Yi chuckled inwardly, thinking: "She's faking it..."

"And that's not all!" Consort Liang had probably not had a chat like this in many years, and she felt very comfortable as she poured tea to soothe her throat.

A burst of laughter came from the side, and everyone went to look.

Mo Yi then saw Prince Yong'an, who was sitting quietly, not watching the spectacle, but observing intently...

Following his gaze...

"Then... what about Consort Dong?"

"Her cousin is the Imperial Concubine Dong, and the son she had was so spoiled by the Emperor that he became lawless... taking pleasure in bullying others." Consort Liang shook her head. "She caused chaos in the harem, and didn't even respect our Empress... the Fourteenth Prince's brother..."

Consort Liang's eyes welled up with tears.

"Your Majesty, please don't be sad," Mo Yi quickly comforted her.

Consort Liang took a moment to process this. "Back then, Empress Jiang and her two children... were having a very difficult time. Don't be fooled by Princess Yu'an's current radiant and flamboyant appearance; back then, she lived worse than a servant! In the entire harem, only our Seventh Prince and Princess Ming'an were unafraid of them. She provoked the Empress, and Seventh Prince almost beat her to death... The Emperor was truly enraged that time."

Thinking about it now, I still feel a little scared. The Emperor almost...

"This Consort Dong is quite flamboyant and holds a grudge against Qi Lang, so she never gives me a kind look. But to be honest, she just likes to cause trouble, but she doesn't do anything particularly bad. She's much more humane than Consort Dong. The Emperor also dotes on her and always opens his private treasury... Empress Jiang is very tolerant and never confronts her directly."

Mo Yi nodded. The fifteenth prince, born to Consort Dong, was only a little over ten years old and was not yet a match for her.

"Is there anything to say about the Prince of Yong'an?" "This prince is extremely wealthy, and the emperor is very fond of him. The concubines and princesses in the palace have all benefited from him. They are constantly receiving new and interesting gifts from him, and they all remember his kindness."

"Seventh Sister-in-law?! What are you talking about with Consort Liang? Why are you saying so much?!"

At first, neither Consort Liang nor Mo Yi realized that they were being spoken to. It wasn't until the person was right in front of them that they saw it was Princess Yu'an.

"Your Highness, Consort Liang, Yu'an hasn't offered her congratulations yet!" Princess Yu'an said with a sweet smile.

Consort Liang regained her usual gentle demeanor, "Thank you, Your Highness... This is all thanks to the Emperor and Empress's grace."

Yu'an smiled and said to Mo Yi, "Seventh Sister-in-law, look how different Seventh Brother has become since his marriage. Finally, someone can make him soften up!"

"Your Highness is joking..." Mo Yi said somewhat embarrassedly.

“I’m telling the truth. Consort Liang, isn’t it strange? When I met Seventh Sister-in-law, I didn’t even know who she was. But I just felt a connection with her… and a desire to be close to her. I never expected that she would become my Seventh Sister-in-law… Perhaps Heaven sensed that Seventh Brother and I weren’t close, so it specially sent Seventh Sister-in-law to mediate…” After saying that, she laughed brightly.

Consort Liang nodded: "The princess has always been dignified in her dealings with others. The Emperor and Empress are also pleased to see that you get along well with Princess Qi."

Princess Yu'an secretly resented Consort Liang for spouting useless nonsense!
"But even now, Seventh Sister-in-law hasn't invited me to her home, nor has she come to my house to acknowledge my presence."

Mo Yi smiled wryly: "Princess, to be honest, I haven't really started entertaining guests at home yet, nor have I ever gone out!"

"Will Seventh Sister-in-law and Seventh Brother go to the Crown Prince's residence on the fourth day?"

"I heard from the prince that we are going."

"Alright, let's meet at the Crown Prince's residence. I've prepared a few jars of fine wine, I'll bring them with me. After the New Year, when things have settled down, I'll invite you to my home!"

"Alright. What about the fifth day? We sent an invitation to the princess... The princess is coming too!"

"I received the invitation. I used to visit Seventh Brother's residence often. I just don't like being constrained; I might go if I don't say so, and I might not go if I do say so..." She laughed for a while, then asked in a low voice, "I heard that Consort Feng is still in charge of Seventh Brother's residence?"

Princess Yu'an quietly pointed at Consort Feng, who was socializing with people while having her son with her.

Mo Yi nodded. “I’ve only just entered the household and the New Year is approaching. The princess must know that my family is of humble origin, and I usually teach the girls ordinary tasks. The Prince’s mansion is large and has many people, so I’m afraid I can’t manage it. Therefore, the Prince has instructed Consort Feng to take over.”

She was so honest! "Hurry up and learn. Always having a concubine in charge is awkward, no matter what others say! Besides, that concubine gave birth to Seventh Brother's eldest son..." Princess Yu'an's voice was low and sincere.

"The princess is right..."

Suddenly a palace maid came over: "Princess Qi, our Noble Consort invites you."

Mo Yi quickly bid farewell to the princess and Consort Liang and left with the palace maids.

Princess Yu'an's smile faded slightly as she looked at Consort Liang: "Oh dear, I almost forgot, my fourteenth brother is going to be married into the Zhao family. Congratulations again, Your Highness!"

Consort Liang smiled sincerely, "Thank you, Princess."

"You really are something! If you had this idea all along, why didn't you tell the Empress Dowager? This is a good thing, why keep it a secret?" The princess smiled, but her eyes betrayed her true feelings.

“Princess…” Consort Liang was eager to explain.

"Alright! What's the rush? I'm just worried about Mother. I've found quite a few candidates for Fourteenth Prince. Although they can't compare to Seventh Prince... If you had said so earlier, Mother wouldn't have wasted her time. She has so many things to do; she's not just sitting around doing nothing!"

“What the princess says is true…” Consort Liang blushed deeply as she listened to the reprimand, “It has indeed caused trouble for Her Majesty the Empress.”

"Hmph! People only wear hats that fit their heads. Even those born to be followers should understand that sticking to one tree might lead to their downfall. My Lady Liang, you must cherish this hard-won position!"

Princess Yu'an's eyes were as cold and sinister as a snake. This was her usual demeanor.

"What the princess said is true..." Consort Liang nodded in agreement, as if she would agree even if she didn't understand.