The Black Chamber Dream: Daiyu's Revenge

Wang Shanbao's wife was also ignorant and even chimed in with a couple of comments.

Coincidentally, word came from outside that the second aunt had returned and was talking to the old lady.

Speaking of Yingchun, because she married well, she receives gifts during festivals. Madam Xing immediately laughed when she heard this: "A woman really needs to marry well. Look at Er Yatou, she used to be so dull, but now she's quite something. Every time she comes back, she's so impressive."

Wang Shanbao's wife chimed in, "That's right. In the end, it's all thanks to Mr. Lin's ability. He just casually introduced them to such a good family."

Madam Xing got up, intending to join in the fun with Grandmother Jia, when she saw her maid carrying in two bolts of fabric: "Second Miss sent them back, saying they are new flower patterns from the south."

When Madam Xing saw that there was something there, her face crinkled with laughter.

She hadn't gone to Grandmother Jia's place yet, but Wang Xifeng and Yingchun came over together.

Yingchun is back today because she's worried about Xichun.

Wang Xifeng understood Madam Xing's thoughts perfectly. After Yingchun finished her meal and left, Wang Xifeng advised Madam Xing: "Madam, look how well your second sister has married! Now she has a respectable position in her husband's family. When she came back this time, she even brought you nice things! As long as a daughter is raised well, she will always be a source of respect for her family."

Wang Xifeng pointed to the fabric that Yingchun had brought and said, "Think about it, Xichun has now been betrothed to you by the Emperor. What a great favor this is! If you raise her well, she will marry into a good family like Yingchun in the future. Wouldn't that make you even more distinguished? If she marries into a high-ranking family, she might even be able to help her own family in the future!"

As Madam Xing listened to Wang Xifeng's words, her eyes gradually brightened.

"Putting everything else aside, just based on Uncle Lin and Princess Yi, Fourth Sister's marriage prospects won't be bad in the future," Wang Xifeng added.

"Hmm... what you said does make some sense." Madam Xing finally relented, a thoughtful look on her face.

"That's right!" Seeing that she was wavering, Wang Xifeng quickly pressed her advantage. "Besides, Xichun has been well-behaved since childhood and doesn't like to cause trouble. Putting her under your care won't take much effort on you. If she really benefits from this in the future, it won't just be a matter of a few bolts of cloth!"

After weighing the options, Madam Xing decided that the deal wasn't a bad one, and immediately took out a pair of bracelets to give to Xichun.

With Xichun's situation settled, Daiyu was finally relieved. Although she knew that Madam Xing was a profit-driven person, at least Xichun's status was no longer awkward, and things would be easier to handle in the future.

"Your Highness, the situation at Prince Li's residence seems to be not good. All the imperial physicians have gone there," Zijuan reported as she entered. Prince Li's residence was very close to Daiyu's and the others' residence, just across the street.

Upon hearing this, Daiyu immediately instructed, "You all keep an eye on Yueyue, and Xueyan will come with me."

Prince Li, Xiao Tingfeng, married Zhao An, the daughter of the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. They had been married for over a year, and the couple seemed to be quite loving and harmonious. At this moment, Zhao An was about to give birth, but she was unable to deliver smoothly, causing great anxiety throughout the household.

Inside the delivery room, heart-wrenching screams came and went, and the imperial physicians and midwives went in and out, their expressions growing increasingly grave.

Xiao Tingfeng paced anxiously outside the door, his forehead covered in sweat. He tried to rush in several times, but was dissuaded by the guards and his confidants.

Not only Daiyu came, but Yu Ran also came. The two sisters-in-law went into the delivery room to check on the situation.

If this drags on for too long, things might not go well.

As night deepened, a faint cry of a newborn baby finally broke the silence. Xiao Tingrui's heart leaped with joy, and he rushed to the door. The midwife, sweating profusely, came out to report, "Congratulations, Your Highness, it's a little princess!"

However, there was no joy in her tone; instead, it carried a hint of heaviness.

Immediately afterward, the imperial physician also emerged from the delivery room with a grave expression, kneeling and reporting, "Your Highness... the Princess Consort... the Princess Consort has exhausted herself in childbirth... I'm afraid she won't make it..."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Tingfeng was struck dumb. He shoved aside the midwife and the imperial physician and rushed into the delivery room. In the candlelight, Zhao Shi's face was deathly pale, her breath weak, but her eyes held a hint of relief and reluctance.

She reached out with difficulty, wanting to touch her newborn daughter in the swaddling clothes, but ultimately she had no strength.

"Your Highness...take good care of our daughter..." Zhao Shi used her last bit of strength to say these words with difficulty, and then closed her eyes forever.

Xiao Tingfeng knelt by the bedside, tightly holding Zhao's cold hand, his eyes filled with grief and despair. He never imagined that he would lose his beloved wife so soon after welcoming the birth of his daughter.

The emperor, pitying his son, quickly bestowed a name upon his newborn daughter, Jia Rong, and conferred upon her the title of Princess Ningyou County.

Consort Shu was well aware of the dangers within the inner palace and worried that her young granddaughter would suffer in the future without the care of her birth mother. She wanted to send Chunmei, a capable and beautiful palace maid from her own palace, to the Prince Li's residence to be a concubine for her son, Xiao Tingfeng.

Consort Shu thought that the Empress was always the smartest, so she simply told the Empress her thoughts.

"I understand Consort Shu's intentions," the Empress gently advised, "but this matter requires further consideration."

The Empress paused, her tone calm yet earnest: "The fourth prince is currently grieving. If we rush to send someone to him now, it might offend him and make him feel that we don't understand his pain of losing his wife."

She observed Consort Shu's expression and continued, "Besides, the Princess's body is not yet cold. If a new person enters the manor immediately, it will damage Rui'er's reputation and may earn him a reputation for being heartless and ungrateful."

Consort Shu listened and thought it made sense.

"As for that child, if Consort Shu is worried, why not bring her to live with you and raise her?" The Empress thought that Consort Shu wasn't very bright, and having a granddaughter might distract her from other thoughts.

The Empress's Rebirth - Consort Guo Arrives

Lately, the Empress has been living a very comfortable life.

The Crown Prince is intelligent and capable, and the Crown Princess Liu Ying is filial and considerate. Even the Second Prince Xiao Tingkai, who has always been somewhat restless, has temporarily behaved himself and dares not cause any more trouble.

The Third Prince Xiao Tingjun and Daiyu made great contributions in Jiangnan, and their harmonious marriage added to the royal family's joy.

The Empress felt that she could finally relax and enjoy her retirement.

Little did they know that their peaceful days hadn't lasted long when Consort Shu and Consort Chen, who came to pay their respects, both mentioned the Emperor, their conversations revolving around his recent favoritism towards a palace maid who did needlework in the Imperial Palace.

The Empress's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. She instantly thought of the woman from her previous life who eventually rose to the rank of Consort Guo.

It seems she's been enjoying good times for too long; she'd almost forgotten about Consort Guo. However, Consort Guo arrived a little later than in her previous life.

However, the Empress also felt a little curious: why did Consort Qiao not react to this matter at all, as if she was not jealous at all? Consort Qiao was always straightforward and had enjoyed the Emperor's favor for many years, so she should have been the most sensitive.

Just then, Consort Qiao gracefully entered Fengyi Palace. Her expression was calm, even somewhat relaxed, showing none of the anxiety of Consort Shu and Consort Chen.

The Empress couldn't help but ask, "Sister Qiao, are you aware that the Emperor has recently been favoring the palace maids in the Imperial Palace?"

Upon hearing this, Consort Qiao smiled slightly, a smile carrying a hint of detached optimism. She sighed softly and uttered words that surprised even the Empress:

"Your Majesty, I have long since come to terms with it. In this harem, new women come and go, flowers bloom and fade—it is only natural. Now, I only wish to see Lin'er marry into a good family and have a good home, and then I will have no worries." Consort Qiao's eyes were filled with love and expectation for her daughter.

She continued, "As for the third son... he married Yu'er as he wished, and the couple is harmonious. The third son is also ambitious. If Yu'er could give birth to a grandson and hold a chubby grandson in her arms, then I would feel happy even if I closed my eyes."

Her eyes gleamed with longing for the blessings of her descendants.

"I am deeply grateful to Heaven for Your Majesty's protection over the years, which has allowed me to secure my position as a Noble Consort. Lin'er and the Third Prince also have bright futures," Noble Consort Qiao concluded. "As for the Emperor, what monarch throughout history hasn't been like this? Three palaces and six courtyards, numerous offspring—these are all the responsibilities of a monarch. Rather than worrying about such trivial matters, it's better to live your own life well."

The Empress looked at Consort Qiao with admiration: "In the past, when Consort Qiao was jealous, she wouldn't say anything, but would secretly hide and cry. Now, she really seems to have matured."

Just as Consort Shu and Consort Chen had feared, not long after, the Emperor indeed issued an edict, bestowing upon this newly favored palace maid the title of Consort.

Consort Guo was not only exceptionally beautiful, but also had a gentle and understanding personality, which won the emperor's favor.

Even more coincidentally, shortly after her promotion to the rank of Consort, good news spread—Consort Guo was pregnant. This undoubtedly added fuel to the fire of the emperor's favor, further solidifying her position in the harem, making her the most favored woman for a time.

However, the turmoil in the imperial harem was always closely related to the upheavals in the imperial court.

Just as Consort Guo was gaining favor and becoming pregnant, an old case was quietly unearthed – the Guo family's old case.

It turns out that Guo Chongyi's mother and brother were killed on trumped-up charges by a wealthy family who seized farmland.

The emperor was furious and discovered that the case was closely related to the Song family, the Minister of Revenue, through marriage.

The government and the public were shocked.

When Prince Rui, Xiao Tingkai, learned of this news, especially the connection between the Guo family's old case and the Song family, he was filled with lingering fear.

He suddenly remembered that he had once considered marrying a girl from the Song family as a concubine, and even wanted to make the Song family part of his power. Now it seemed fortunate that he hadn't acted on it!

If he really marries the Song family girl, and now that the old Song family case has been brought up again, wouldn't he also be dragged into it?

The Empress knew about this, since it had happened in her previous life.

After Guo Chongyi gave birth to a daughter, the Emperor bestowed upon her the title of Zhaoyi and promoted Lu Zhaoyi, the mother of the Sixth Prince, to the title of Defei.

The Empress wanted to train the Crown Princess, so she entrusted the Dragon Boat Festival banquet to her.

After Consort Guo successfully gave birth to a daughter and was promoted to the rank of Zhaoyi by the emperor, her favor with the emperor reached its peak. At the same time, Consort Lu, the birth mother of the sixth prince, was also promoted to the rank of Consort De.

These empresses were not worried, after all, to secure the crown prince's position, training the crown princess was of paramount importance.

The Empress wanted to train Crown Princess Liu Ying, so she entrusted her with the entire responsibility of the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival palace banquet.

The Crown Princess did not try to be assertive, but immediately asked the Empress for instructions: "Your Majesty, this is my first time in charge of a palace banquet, and I am afraid there may be some shortcomings. Perhaps it would be better to ask Princess Rui and Princess Yi to help me with the preparations, so that we can brainstorm and I can learn more."

"You are such a sensible child! You are able to humbly ask for advice and understand the importance of sisterly unity. That's excellent!" The Empress knew that the Crown Princess's actions would not only share the burden but also bring her closer to the two princesses through cooperation, thus enhancing harmony within the royal family.

With the Empress's approval, Crown Princess Liu Ying immediately invited Princess Rui, Yu Ran, and Princess Yi, Dai Yu.

The three young ladies got along well from the start. The Crown Princess was gentle and graceful, Yu Ran was quick-witted and capable, and Daiyu was meticulous and had an outstanding sense of aesthetics. They discussed things together, divided the tasks, and arranged every aspect of the palace banquet in an orderly manner.

From the banquet menu and drinks to the palace layout, the choreography of songs and dances, and the arrangement of seats for noblewomen, every detail was meticulously crafted to be perfect.

On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival palace banquet, the palace was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and the aroma of zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) filled the air.

The court officials and noblewomen who entered the palace to attend the banquet all praised the exquisiteness and grandeur of the event.

During the banquet, there was singing and dancing, and the atmosphere was warm and harmonious.

"Her Highness the Crown Princess is truly capable!"

"Both Princess Rui and Princess Yi are extremely talented. The three ladies working together are truly extraordinary!"

The emperor was also very pleased to see it.

But the Empress also advised the Crown Princess: "There will always be a time when you will take the lead at banquets like this in the future."

"Don't worry, Mother. Your daughter-in-law has learned a lot this time and will work hard in the future."

Seeing that the Crown Princess understood the situation, the Empress said no more.

On the other hand, there were two things that pleased the Empress: first, her brother Li Su was transferred to the Ministry of Personnel as Minister; second, Minister of Revenue Song resigned and Lin Ruhai was promoted to Minister of Revenue.

The Empress's Rebirth - Daiyu Refuses Gifts

Although the Empress's brother was promoted to Minister of Personnel, Lin Ruhai also became Minister of Revenue.

With Xiao Tingjun's military achievements and the fact that both of Qiao's uncles were very capable, rumors began to circulate in the court. Some bold officials even started to discuss it privately, naturally focusing on Crown Prince Xiao Tingrui and Prince Yi Xiao Tingjun, secretly comparing who was more capable and whose future was brighter.

Some officials with keen sense of opportunity and a knack for opportunism began to consider taking sides in advance to gain greater benefits for themselves and their families.

As for the Crown Prince, he became the Crown Prince as soon as he arrived, so his contribution to the rise of the new emperor is not significant enough.

The situation was different for Prince Yi.

Since it was difficult to make a move against Prince Yi, the female members of the household sent lavish gifts to visit Princess Daiyu, intending to curry favor with Xiao Tingjun and express their "surrender".

For a time, the Prince Yi's mansion was bustling with activity, with a constant stream of visitors. Every day, ladies and young misses from various households would come to visit, bringing lavish gifts and showering them with flattery and obsequiousness.

Despite the presence of these ladies with obvious motives, Daiyu remained clear-headed and measured throughout.

Daiyu was well aware of the political allegiance and exchanges of interests behind these gifts, so she refused to accept any. She always greeted each visiting lady with a gentle smile, had Xueyan and Zijuan serve tea, and was always courteous and tactful, neither behaving in the manner of a royal princess nor appearing arrogant or rude.

At the same time, no matter how the other party tried to subtly probe or hint at winning her over, Daiyu skillfully avoided the topic, giving them no opportunity to take advantage. She resolutely refused any lavish gifts, whether explicitly or implicitly offered, and provided only simple hospitality, without any special treatment.