Proud Feather

Chapter 129 Rumors
The two women, an aunt and a sister-in-law, stepped into the garden and slowly walked along the flower wall.

The warm winter sun shone down, spreading a golden carpet across the ground. Whispering voices drifted from the other side of the flower wall, growing clearer as they walked forward.

"...It's very noisy outside! I heard there was even a fight today, and the palace is in complete chaos."

"Adults fight too! I never expected that."

"That's right! Pulling beards and grabbing hair, it's not much better than us girls fighting."

The palace servants laughed and chatted, their clear laughter adding a touch of warmth to the winter day.

Hearing this, Lü Chan's anxious mood eased slightly, and a smile appeared on her face. But the smile didn't last long, because the palace servants soon spoke of herself.

Do you think the Crown Princess and the young prince will move to another palace?

"It's gotten this bad, it's probably true, right?"

"Yes! To avoid suspicion, the Crown Princess would also request to move to another palace, right?"

Chu Ling curled her lips into a cold smile. That made perfect sense; wasn't this exactly what they were planning to achieve by making such a big fuss?
Lu Chan, standing beside her, had already pursed her lips. Scholars valued their reputation, and according to custom, she should indeed take the initiative to express it. However, with Jin'er ill, she had no mind to care about outside affairs.

"I don't think so. Don't you know? The little prince has been ill, so even if the Crown Princess wanted to move, she couldn't!"

The subtly sarcastic tone of her voice caused the palace maid beside Lü Chan to frown and whisper, "Crown Princess, these people..."

Lu Chan gave a look, stopping the other person from speaking.

Fortunately, the palace servants were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't notice what was happening here.

"Is the little prince still not better? Has it been several days? Is it serious?"

"I heard it's not serious, just a minor cold, but it just won't get better."

"Yes! When I went to the East Palace to deliver something earlier, I saw the little prince out sunbathing. If he were seriously ill, he certainly wouldn't have been brought out."

"...Isn't this a bit strange? If it's not serious, why won't it get better?"

A palace servant chuckled: "Did you all notice that the young prince fell ill precisely at the time when someone submitted a memorial requesting a relocation of the palace..."

He left the sentence unfinished, but everyone understood the unspoken meaning.

"No way?" another palace maid whispered. "The Crown Prince is gone, and the little grandson is the Crown Princess's lifeblood! How could this be..."

"It's only because the Crown Prince is gone that the Crown Princess has to think about the little grandson! Besides, whether he's actually sick or not, everyone only knows what they've heard; who knows the truth?"

The older palace servants warned, "Don't talk nonsense! She is, after all, the Crown Princess. If word gets out, you'll be in big trouble!"

The palace servant who had spoken up protested, "I didn't say that; it's been all over the palace already!"

"Really?" a voice came from behind.

"Of course!" The palace servant said halfway through, but suddenly sensed something was wrong. He turned around and was terrified.

"Crown Princess! Princess!" Her knees buckled, and she knelt down.

The palace servants who were gossiping around were also startled, and soon they all knelt down.

The palace maid swallowed hard, regaining some of her composure, and kowtowed, weeping, begging for forgiveness: "Your Highness, spare me! I deserve to die, I will never dare to do it again!"

Lu Chan's face was ashen, but she asked, "Where did you hear these things?"

The palace servant was stunned: "This..."

Chu Ling said coldly, "The Crown Princess is asking you a question, so answer quickly!"

The palace maid hurriedly replied, "Your Highness, it's not that I don't want to answer, it's that I don't remember..."

"Nonsense!" Zheng Qiu stepped forward and rebuked, "It's only been a few days, and you've already forgotten? How can you still be working in the palace?"

The palace maid hurriedly said, "No, I heard it from someone last night when I was washing clothes. It was dark then, and I really couldn't see who it was..."

Palace servants had to perform their duties during the day, and their personal affairs could only be handled at night. Back then, with only a dim light and a large group of people huddled together, it was indeed difficult to recognize who was who. Lü Chan then asked, "You said it's already spread throughout the palace, is that right? What have they been saying?"

The palace maid hesitated and stammered.

"Say!"

In her haste, the palace servant replied, "Yes! Several people said last night that the young prince is sick these past few days, not earlier or later, but not seriously, as if he's deliberately dragging it out. This way, the Crown Princess can occupy the Eastern Palace without having to move to another palace."

Lu Chan's chest heaved, and her face grew increasingly pale.

"Your Highness!" a palace maid beside her said worriedly, "Please don't be angry. These people are talking nonsense. I will go and report to Consort Xian right away so that they can be punished!"

The palace maids were terrified and kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "We were wrong! We shouldn't have spoken out of turn! Please, Your Highness, spare our lives! Please, Your Highness, spare our lives!"

Lü Chan laughed instead: "Spare my life? I should be begging you to spare my life."

After saying that, she wiped her face vigorously and turned around: "To the Funing Palace!"

Funing Palace! Your Majesty!

The palace servants were terrified, crying out, "Your Highness! No, Your Highness! We were wrong! You can punish us however you like, just don't go..."

However, Lü Chan ignored them. When they went forward to plead, they were stopped by the palace maids and could only watch helplessly as the Crown Princess left quickly.

It's over, it's really over now.

"Sister-in-law!" Chu Ling caught up with her, "Don't be angry, they're ignorant..."

Lü Chan said calmly, "I'm not angry."

"Sister-in-law..."

Lu Chan gently squeezed her hand and said firmly, "Don't try to persuade me."

Chu Ling stopped and watched her head towards the Funing Palace.

“Princess.” Zheng Qiu walked over.

The two exchanged a glance and subtly curled the corners of their lips.

……

The emperor was resting with his eyes closed.

These past few days have been filled with many troubles. The court is in turmoil, and things aren't going well with Consort Shu. Chu He has submitted a letter of apology, but it's still not enough…

"Your Majesty," a palace attendant whispered as he approached, "the Crown Princess requests an audience."

The emperor slowly opened his eyes: "Why is she here instead of raising Jin'er in the Eastern Palace?"

The eunuch in charge looked troubled.

"Just say whatever you want to say."

The eunuch in charge of the palace said, "The Crown Princess knelt down as soon as she arrived at the palace and said that she was going to die and begged His Majesty to give her a way out."

The emperor was taken aback: "What?"

The eunuch repeated, "The Crown Princess said she begged His Majesty to spare her life."

The emperor was displeased: "What are you saying? When have I ever refused to give her a way out? What happened that she would say such a thing?!"

Before the eunuch could explain, Chu Ling's voice rang out from outside: "Father! Father!"

The emperor looked helpless: "Ah Ling is here too?"

Upon hearing the response, Chu Ling rushed in and shouted, "Father, I know what happened! Someone is spreading rumors in the palace that my sister-in-law kept Jin'er sick in order to avoid being moved to another palace, forcing her to come and apologize to you! Father, what kind of family is the Lü clan? They're trying to drive my sister-in-law to her death!"