Volume One, Chapter Eleven: The Emperor's Fury
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Yun Momo hurried back and relayed everything she had seen and heard to Lady Jiang.
“Madam, he is just a concubine’s son; where does he get so much money?”
“And now he’s even using this money to harm Miss.”
Lady Jiang’s face darkened deeply. It was obvious without asking that the funds came from Xia Huai’an and the Old Madam Xia.
Yet her own children received only five taels of silver each month.
Yun Momo, also realizing this, said angrily, “Madam, you must strictly control their lavish and reckless spending!”
Lady Jiang shook her head, sighing softly.
The household authority seal was in the hands of the Old Madam Xia; she held no power as housekeeper and could not intervene even if she wished.
Lady Jiang’s face was stern as she thought of ways to obtain the seal—not for the Xiahou household’s sake, but for her children.
She did not want her children to lose everything, only to be ruined by others.
Yun Momo added, “Should we inform the Master about Xia Ziyi inciting a mob to attack Miss?”
Lady Jiang shook her head again. “No need.”
Even if told, he would not believe it; he was too proud to think his concubine’s son would stoop to such despicable tactics.
Within the imperial palace,
Emperor Yong’an and Empress Dezhuang Cui sat at the forefront, their faces betraying anxiety.
“Empress, do you think Wan Ning will come?”
Empress Dezhuang cast a sidelong glance at Emperor Yong’an. “I initially opposed it, thinking Wan Ning’s happiness alone would suffice. Yet you insisted on finding her a husband. Now look—she’s trapped deep within the mansion; you even have to seek others’ permission to see her!”
The Emperor’s face hardened. “Nonsense. If I want to see someone, it’s but a word away.”
The Empress snorted coldly. “Yes, on this court, who dares disobey your summons? But what if someone makes Wan Ning refuse your summons?”
Yong’an choked on the words; he had already been refused many times.
He had only thought Wan Ning was holding a grudge, unwilling to see him.
“Impossible. The Marquis of Anjing wouldn’t have the nerve.”
The Empress glared fiercely; had there not been others present, she would have slapped him to remind him of the childhood fears he once imposed.
At that moment, the voice of Eunuch Pei came from outside the door.
“Your Majesty, Your Highness Empress, Princess Anjing and the young princess have arrived.”
Both brightened with joy and rose simultaneously.
“Quickly, let them in!”
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Lady Jiang followed Eunuch Pei outside the hall, her heart pounding.
The Emperor and Empress treated her exceptionally well; the largest pearl sent from a foreign land was given to her first, followed by selections from the imperial concubines, with the remainder left for the princes and princesses.
Yet she had ruthlessly severed contact with them.
If it were not for having given birth to Qianqian, she might have lost all face to even see them again.
Eunuch Pei stopped before the hall and respectfully said, “Princess Anjing, please enter.”
Lady Jiang nodded, took a deep breath, and stepped inside.
No sooner had she taken a few steps than a woman dressed in resplendent finery, crowned with a phoenix headdress, strode toward her.
She warmly grasped Lady Jiang’s hand, eyes glistening with tears. “Wan Ning, you’ve finally come to see me.”
Emperor Yong’an rose to approach but forcibly sat back down.
He had not forgotten that Wan Ning’s child harbored resentment toward him.
Lady Jiang’s nose tingled with emotion; she bent her knee, about to kneel.
“Your son pays respects to Father and Mother…”
Before she finished, Empress Dezhuang stopped her.
“You’ve just given birth and are weak; spare yourself the ritual.”
“Look at that face—how poorly the Xiahou household has cared for you!” The Empress’s heart ached.
The last time they met, her cheeks were still plump; now they had sunken.
Lady Jiang shook her head. “Having just delivered, my body is indeed weak.”
She then gently presented Xia Qianqian to her.
Wrapped in bright red swaddling, the plump, pale infant looked like a charming painting of a child.
“Ah… ah…” The stormy great beauty before them…
Xia Qianqian certainly did not think anyone looked better than her mother.
But the Empress was over a decade older, yet showed no sign of aging.
She carried the aura of one in high station—cold, regal, and commanding.
Alas, she would later die from a foreign venomous curse.
Watching, the baby forgot to close her mouth.
Empress Dezhuang saw the child’s infatuated expression and could not help but laugh, covering her mouth.
“This little one is quite the flirt.”
“Come, Grandma will hold you.”
Lady Jiang was the Emperor and Empress’s adopted daughter; it was not wrong to call the child her granddaughter.
Empress Dezhuang carefully took Xia Qianqian, gently poking her chubby cheeks with unarmored fingers.
Soft and tender, it seemed to soften her very heart.
“Oh my, such a good baby.”
Emperor Yong’an, unable to remain seated, said, “Why stand? Come, sit and chat.”
Empress Dezhuang, sensing his subtle intentions, strolled over deliberately.
Once seated, Yong’an couldn’t resist peering into the swaddled infant’s face.
Seeing that smile, his lips curved involuntarily.
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Xia Qianqian glanced at him and immediately closed her mouth, breaking her grin.
The Emperor was handsome, but far too old.
His hair was graying, and wrinkles marked his face. Had she not read the books, she might have thought the Empress was his daughter, given their similar ages.
“Why… why are you not happy to see me?” Yong’an’s face fell.
“Giggling, perhaps the little one is a flirt and judges by looks,” Empress Dezhuang laughed heartily, darkening the Emperor’s face like burnt charcoal before finally stopping.
After playing with the child, she returned Xia Qianqian to Lady Jiang.
“Wan Ning, how have you fared in the Xiahou mansion? Have they treated you well?”
Lady Jiang’s eyes dimmed.
She had always said everything was fine to ease their worries and to avoid bringing trouble upon Xia Huai’an.
But now, she only wanted to secure a space for her children to survive.
With a sudden thud, she knelt.
“Father, Mother, I beg you to protect me and my children.”
Both were taken aback.
“Stand up. What has happened?”
Lady Jiang remained kneeling.
“Three years ago, a high monk came to the Xiahou mansion, saying a star of fortune and a star of disaster would be born there. They all believed Qianqian was the disaster star. Xia Huai’an and the Old Madam even planned to give Qianqian as a child bride to a crippled servant’s son with cerebral palsy!”
“What?!” Empress Dezhuang and Emperor Yong’an were outraged.
To marry the Jiang bloodline to a slave as a child bride was an insult to their lineage!
They had heard of the monk’s prophecy.
But the monk had not specified whose child was the fortunate star!
No matter who was the disaster star, it was still their flesh and blood!
“Xia Huai’an is a beast!” Yong’an slammed the table, spilling tea onto his dragon robe without noticing.
Lady Jiang kowtowed deeply again, then recounted the events from the street earlier that day.
“No matter if my child is the disaster star or not, I only want her to live well.”
Yong’an was deeply shocked, unable to regain his composure for a long time.
At first, he had not believed the Empress, thinking Wan Ning held a grudge.
But now it seemed she was indeed forced to sever ties with them.
Now that they sought to harm Wan Ning’s child, she had no choice but to resist and seek their help.
Suppressing his anger, Yong’an said, “Wan Ning has not been to the palace for a long time. The imperial garden was recently renovated. Empress, why don’t you take Wan Ning and Qianqian there for a breath of fresh air?”
Empress Dezhuang’s eyes darkened as she extended her hand to Wan Ning.
“Wan Ning, come with me to the imperial garden.”
Lady Jiang understood but did not resist, linking arms with the Empress as they stepped out.
After their figures disappeared, Yong’an’s face instantly darkened, his fury no longer concealed.
“Summon Xia Huai’an and Xia Ziyi at once!”