The Black Chamber Dream: Daiyu's Revenge

Just as he was trying to figure it out, he was summoned by the emperor.

"I've heard that you've taken a concubine?" The emperor's expression was unreadable, and his voice was calm.

Even though his tone was normal, Xiao Tingkai was still startled. He couldn't help but think of Wang Xiyun's words, and quickly replied, "It wasn't my initiative, it was the Princess's opinion..."

The emperor was immediately disgusted upon hearing this, and his face turned cold, but Xiao Tingkai, who had his head down, did not notice at all.

"Enough. I don't mean to interfere with your taking a concubine, but taking a concubine is fine, but why has it become the subject of gossip? You are a prince, after all; you should be mindful of your reputation." The emperor impatiently interrupted his son and issued a warning.

What was this "after-dinner talk"? Xiao Tingkai had no idea and immediately panicked. He was about to explain, but the emperor didn't give him another chance to speak.

"I just returned to the palace and heard all this gossip. My good mood is completely ruined." The Emperor thought about the situation in Hunan and Hubei, and his disappointment in Xiao Tingkai grew even stronger. The Emperor had already secretly sent people to investigate, and he was afraid that the results would be available soon.

"Go back and properly manage your own residence. How can a prince or duke be allowed to become a laughingstock among the people?" the emperor said coldly. "Furthermore, gossipy women are not the behavior of a royal daughter-in-law."

It wasn't that I was being gossiped about, but my father's words made it seem as if everyone criticizing my backyard was a gossipy woman.

Xiao Tingkai was completely bewildered, but the emperor had already dismissed him.

"Go back and properly manage your household. How can you help the Crown Prince and govern the court if you can't even manage your own small family?"

The emperor's words chilled Xiao Tingkai's already dampened heart to the bone.

Little did they know that before they even left the palace, they would encounter Crown Prince Xiao Tingjun.

Beside Xiao Tingjun was Lu Wenzhi, the teacher of the little princesses, whom the emperor had also brought along on his trip to Shandong.

Xiao Tingkai had an idea in his mind, but after bowing, he didn't say anything and went straight back to the Prince's Mansion.

Chapter 281 Uncovering the Hidden Truth While Tidying Up the Backyard

On his way back to the manor, Xiao Tingkai thought a lot. After returning to the inner courtyard, the first place he went was Wang Xiyun's courtyard.

Beneath the shade of the trees, a gentle breeze rustled the leaves, casting dappled sunlight on the ground like a flowing painting. A wicker cradle rocked softly, its gentle creak blending seamlessly with the surrounding tranquility. Wang Xiyun sat beside the cradle, dressed in a simple white dress, her eyes gentle, a smile playing on her lips. She leaned down and gently kissed the sleeping child in the cradle, her fingertips lightly tracing the child's rosy cheeks, as if afraid to disturb the moment of peace.

Her daughter slept soundly in the cradle, her tiny hands slightly curled, her eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings. Wang Xiyun hummed a soft song, her voice gentle as water, as if it could soothe all the world's anxieties and worries. Her gaze never left her child, her eyes filled with love and tenderness, as if this little life was the only thing she cared about in the world.

Xiao Tingkai stood not far away, his tightly clenched fists gradually loosening, and the anger on his face unconsciously dissipating. He looked at the scene before him, took a deep breath, and slowly approached, his footsteps so light they were almost inaudible, as if afraid of breaking the tranquility.

He gently placed his hand on Wang Xiyun's shoulder and whispered, "Come with me, I have something to ask you."

Wang Xiyun handed the child to the wet nurse and got up to follow Xiao Tingkai into the house.

“A few days ago, you told me that it was a trivial matter in the inner quarters and that His Majesty should not know about it. Did you hear something?” Xiao Tingkai asked directly.

Xiao Tingkai entered the palace only after receiving the emperor's summons, so it seems this trip wasn't for anything good. Wang Xiyun had her suspicions, but pretended not to know anything, acting as if she was concerned for Xiao Tingkai.

"Originally, I was going back to my parents' home. My wife said that she heard some people talking outside and asked me to come back and persuade the prince that since the princess and Huixiang are sisters, they should keep a low profile."

These words made Xiao Tingkai understand why his father was unhappy with his taking a concubine: the Song family had sent their illegitimate daughter to his side, so that the sisters would share one husband, which was a sign of their ulterior motives.

I was actually blinded by beauty, which shows how easily beauty can mislead people.

"You truly care about me." Xiao Tingkai sat down next to Wang Xiyun, took her hand, and asked, "Besides this matter, are there any other gossipy women in the capital recently talking about anything related to our palace?"

Wang Xiyun thought about it carefully for a while: the words "long tongue" reminded her of the phrase the Crown Princess had used to describe the Princess. Upon further thought, Wang Xiyun realized—it was likely that their rumors about the Crown Prince's infidelity had been disproven by his return to the capital.

When the princess came to him, he thought he could try this method—to sow discord and cause the relationship between the crown prince and the crown princess to break down.

But clearly, this method failed.

If Xiao Tingkai were to ask now, things might get bad, so Wang Xiyun quickly admitted her mistake, but downplayed it, recounting how Song Huilan had come to her for advice and had taken the initiative to propose a scheme to sow discord, and even deliberately took the blame: "It was all because I was too eager to succeed, thinking I could take this opportunity to cause discord between the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess, and I didn't think things through properly. Your Highness, please don't blame the Princess Consort, it was all my idea."

Wang Xiyun knew very well that the more she admitted her mistake, the less Xiao Tingkai would think it was her fault, and the more he would push the greater responsibility onto Song Huilan.

Xiao Tingkai was indeed both angry and frustrated. No wonder his father had said he couldn't even manage a small household properly. But when he saw Wang Xiyun's face filled with self-reproach, her eyes lowered, her long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, casting a faint shadow beneath her eyes, he was struck by her expression. Her usually radiant face had lost its brightness, replaced by a somber look. Her skin, as smooth as cream, was slightly pale with self-reproach, as if covered by a thin layer of frost.

Her lips were slightly pursed, the corners of her mouth downturned, as if she were trying her best to suppress the regret and unease in her heart. There was a hint of tears in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall. Her eyes, which were originally as clear as autumn water, were now covered with a thin mist, revealing a sense of vulnerability and helplessness.

Xiao Tingkai swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue. Instead, he sighed softly and held Wang Xiyun's hand tightly, comforting her: "It's alright, what's done is done. Don't blame yourself. Think carefully before you do anything in the future."

"Especially the princess, she is always impulsive and acts without thinking. You are always more decisive, so you should advise the princess more often and not let her do whatever she wants."

"Especially the Crown Princess, she is the most cunning person. When you encounter her, you must plan carefully before you act."

Wang Xiyun quickly replied, "I understand. In the future, if I have any matters to discuss with Your Highness first, I will never act on my own. As for the Princess Consort's matters, I will also report to Your Highness first."

Her understanding and obedience only served to highlight Princess Song Hye-ran's lack of manners.

Upon hearing Xiao Tingkai's question, Song Huilan immediately flew into a rage and coldly smiled: "Your Highness, you yourself are lusting after my fourth sister's youth and beauty, staying overnight every night, so how come today it's our family's fault?"

These words greatly angered Xiao Tingkai: "Your family? Don't forget, you are now the Princess Consort of Rui County!"

The two parted on bad terms.

Song Huilan even went so far as to cause trouble for Wang Xiyun, but the composed Wang Xiyun not only apologized but also diverted Song Huilan's attention.

"I have inquired and found that it was all the work of the concubine of the Prince Li's mansion."

Song Huilan frowned: "What do you mean?"

"His Majesty has brought the Empress and the Crown Princess with him on this trip. Consort Xu is in charge of the palace, and Consort Zhou is assisting him."

"It was Consort Jia who sent the message to my cousin. The fact that His Majesty knows about these rumors is entirely due to Consort Xu's deliberate actions."

Jia Zhaoyuan? Yes, I had completely forgotten about her. Come to think of it, ever since my mother's accident, there's still someone living in Fengqi Palace.

"What did Jia Zhaoyuan say?" More than being angry with Wang Xiyun, Song Huilan was more concerned about what Jia Zhaoyuan had said.

“Her Highness Zhao Yuan said that Consort Xu was unaware of these matters; it was the concubine of Prince Li who told her when she entered the palace,” Wang Xiyun told Song Huilan. “Not only that, but I’m afraid the concubine of Prince Li really wants to attach herself to the Crown Princess.”

"That's perfectly normal. Don't even mention her. Even the fifth prince's wife, the granddaughter of a first-class duke, with such a prestigious background, still fawns over the Crown Princess," Song Huilan said sourly.

"Your Highness, Consort Jia is still in the palace and may know some information. We shouldn't waste this opportunity."

Wang Xiyun's words reminded Song Huilan.

However, neither Wang Xiyun nor Song Huilan expected that two months after they reconnected with Jia Zhaoyuan, trouble would break out.

Chapter 282 Consort Zhao's Birthday, Yuan Chun Deposed

Song Huilan was delighted, as having Jia Zhaoyuan as a pawn allowed her to learn about news from within the palace. However, only two months later, news arrived that Jia Zhaoyuan was morally deficient and restless, and that she was to be stripped of her title and relocated to Pear Blossom Palace.

Pear Blossom Palace was the desolate palace where Consort Wu lived in seclusion after being deposed. Rain pattered on the pear blossoms, the doors remained tightly shut; Pear Blossom Palace truly was a place of heartbreak, a high tower overlooking the willows.

Not only was Song Huilan surprised, but the entire Jia family was also shocked and angry upon hearing the news. They didn't know why such a thing had suddenly happened.

Baochai frowned even more. She had finally managed to get Yuan Chun, who had been relatively unknown, to pass on the information through the concubine of Prince Rui. Who would have thought that Yuan Chun, who was a concubine, would be deposed so easily after such a short time?

Baochai hurriedly went to the Wang family for help: it was impossible to rescue Yuanchun now, but even if she died, she wanted to know the truth and find out why.

As for Daiyu, what she wanted was for them to investigate—ever since she learned in Shandong that the Jia and Zhen families were colluding and using her father and the Lin family, Daiyu had already planned to investigate upon her return.

Unexpectedly, her second aunt was a truly greedy person. After the Zhen family's property was confiscated, they rushed to send several boxes of goods to the Jia family. Others would certainly not have dared to accept them, but her second aunt accepted them all.

What's even more interesting is that the Jia family had been sending money to Yuan Chun to bribe everyone in the palace. Later, the Jia family became increasingly unsuccessful, and Lady Wang even went so far as to send the stolen goods sent by the Zhen family into Yuan Chun's palace.

Yuan Chun couldn't use jade artifacts, calligraphy, and paintings to bribe officials, but they were very suitable for social interactions, such as for other concubines.

Now that the Empress has entrusted all palace affairs to Daiyu, Daiyu went to the Empress's residence early on this occasion of Consort Guo's birthday and suggested that Consort Guo be given a proper celebration: "In recent years, there have been various things happening in the palace, and Consort Guo's birthday has always been celebrated simply. This year, there are no major events, and everything is going smoothly in the court, so why not give Consort Guo a proper birthday celebration?"

Princess Ying is very popular now, even the Empress likes her very much. Consort Guo is also always sensible, and the Empress is happy to give her face. She immediately nodded and said, "That's right, Yu'er, you make the arrangements. Prepare everything in the kitchen and other places. I will also take advantage of Consort Guo's birthday to relax and have some fun."

The weather was hot, so Daiyu ordered that her birthday banquet be held at the Bihe Palace on the winding pond. This palace floated quietly on the water, as if it had grown naturally from the water, blending seamlessly with the lotus flowers reflecting the sun and the lotus leaves reaching to the sky in the winding pond.

The building's overall shape resembles a giant lotus flower, with layers of eaves unfolding like petals. Each "petal" is meticulously crafted, with golden patterns inlaid on the edges, shimmering in the sunlight.

The building is topped with a circular dome, shaped like the stamen of a lotus flower, covered with glazed tiles. The tiles gleam with a pale greenish hue under the sunlight, like morning dewdrops adorning the petals. The building is surrounded by winding corridors, the railings of which are carved with exquisite lotus patterns, creating a charming contrast with the real lotus flowers in the lake.

It's hot outside, so holding a banquet here would be a beautiful and naturally cool option. Not to mention, when the wind blows, it perfectly embodies the poem about the fragrance of lotus leaves carried by the breeze.

Thanks to Daiyu's secret arrangements, everyone in the harem knew in advance that Consort Guo's birthday celebration was quite grand.

Therefore, Consort Xu and Consort Zhou prepared quite presentable gifts.

Yuan Chun receives almost no rewards from the emperor these days. She does receive her monthly allowance as a concubine, but that cannot be used as a gift. So Yuan Chun had to rummage through her trunk and found a carved landscape painting in the shape of a scroll-shaped incense stand.

This carved lacquer incense stand has a rectangular top with inward-curving ends, giving it a scroll-like shape. The rounded corners and overall design are both stable and elegant. The top is decorated with carved brocade patterns in red lacquer, symbolizing water, and further embellished with black lacquer carving. Within the rectangular panels on the top is a carved scene of a recluse amidst mountains and water: high skies and clear waters, verdant rocks and cypress trees, pavilions nestled among the trees, scholars either conversing under the pines or boating on the river—a scene full of vitality and tranquil charm, showcasing the ideal life of ancient Chinese literati.

The two sides of the scroll table are decorated with openwork panels, featuring peony patterns carved in black lacquer on a red brocade background. The overlapping and curling of the flowers is truly breathtaking. The entire piece is rich in decoration, with intricate yet orderly patterns. The lacquer is thick, the carving is deep and sharp, the polishing is meticulous, the patina is smooth, and the color scheme is elegant.

Yuan Chun felt a pang of heartache. She was reluctant to give it away, but now that she had lost the Emperor's favor, she had to go to great lengths to find out anything about the palace. But Consort Guo was different; she had a princess and was favored. If she could befriend her, it would open up more avenues for her.

The gift that Yuan Chun sent was originally delivered discreetly to Consort Guo's palace the day before, but unexpectedly, at the banquet the next day, Consort Guo insisted on giving Yuan Chun a special thank you.

Guo Zhaoyi smiled and said, "The carved lacquer landscape scroll-shaped incense table that my sister gave me is truly irresistible. It combines the refined literati aesthetic with the superb and intricate carved lacquer technique, making it a rare masterpiece of carved lacquer art."

Yuan Chun was initially quite pleased, since the Emperor was right there above her. If Consort Guo mentioned her, perhaps the Emperor would develop a better impression of her and gradually remember her good qualities.

To everyone's surprise, the emperor, who was initially quite pleased with Consort Guo's words, gradually lost his smile and calmly asked her, "It seems to be a treasure. May I take a look at it?"

Yuan Chun had a feeling that something was wrong, but before she could speak, Consort Guo had already sent someone to fetch it: "I suspect that His Majesty will like it very much."

A little while later, a palace maid came with a long, black lacquered box and presented it to Consort Guo. Consort Guo opened it and then presented it to the Emperor.

Upon seeing it, a flash of anger crossed the emperor's eyes, but he immediately exclaimed, "Indeed, this is no ordinary item. I liked it at first sight."

Consort Guo immediately smiled and said, "Since Your Majesty likes it, then I will take this opportunity to present it to Your Majesty." After saying that, she did not forget to mention Yuan Chun, "I suppose you won't mind, sister?"

Yuan Chun certainly didn't dare to mind. In fact, she genuinely believed that the Emperor liked the incense table. She even secretly hoped that if His Majesty remembered the good things she had done for him because of this incense table, he might regain her favor.

So the next evening, the emperor came to Fengqi Palace, which he hadn't visited in a long time, and Yuan Chun was very happy when she heard the news.

Now that Consort Wu was no longer in Fengqi Palace, only Yuan Chun remained. Therefore, the Emperor was naturally coming to see her, and Yuan Chun thought she was finally going to be favored by the Emperor.

Fortunately, she had dressed up in advance, and Yuan Chun was still feeling relieved.

Chapter 283 Sending her to the Cold Palace, Wu Shi goes mad

The Emperor hasn't visited Fengqi Palace in a long time. If you think about it carefully, ever since Consort Wu's incident, Fengqi Palace has been deserted and quiet, and even the palace lanterns seem dim.

Upon hearing of the Emperor's arrival, Yuan Chun's eyes lit up, and an overwhelming joy welled up within her. She thought she had finally gotten her chance to be favored.

From the moment that incense stand was given to the Emperor by Consort Guo, Yuan Chun had been looking forward to it, so every day she would have the palace maids do her hair and makeup.

Upon hearing that the Emperor had arrived, she quickly picked up the mirror to examine herself. In the mirror, her features were exquisite, her skin as white as snow, and her light purple dress made her even more beautiful and charming.

Yuan Chun gently touched the pearl hairpin at her temple, secretly glad that she had been prepared and had not been negligent. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her excitement, and slowly walked out to welcome the emperor's arrival.

One by one, the palace lanterns of Fengqi Palace lit up, illuminating the magnificent palace. She saw the emperor strolling in and remembered the night she was promoted to the rank of Virtuous Consort.

However, when the emperor approached and didn't help her up at all, Yuan Chun realized that things didn't seem to be going as she had imagined.