Chapter 777: Of Course, Relying on Her Sons

The matter with An Pin came to a close and was considered settled. For a few days, the traveling palace was quiet.

All the concubines, from the highest rank to the lowest, knew what they needed to know: the incident had started because of the Empress Dowager, but the specific reason remained a mystery.

Yun Zhao had no intention of kicking the Empress Dowager while she was down at a time like this. A blow to the Empress Dowager’s reputation would do Feng Yi no good either.

To break the awkward atmosphere, she announced that the Emperor had set aside a pasture for everyone to go horseback riding. The news instantly sent the traveling palace into a frenzy.

All thoughts of An Pin and the Empress Dowager were thrown to the back of their minds.

Back in the Capital City, they were locked away in the depths of the palace. Just getting a glimpse of the outside world was incredibly difficult.

Now that they had such an opportunity, who wouldn’t be overjoyed?

Moreover, the pasture that the Imperial Concubine had asked His Majesty to set aside was very close to the traveling palace, right at the foot of the mountain outside. It spanned over ten li, leaving everyone stunned.

To be honest, even Yun Zhao was taken aback.

Feng Yi rode up, reached out, and swept the Imperial Concubine up by the waist, placing her on the horse in front of him. With a flick of the whip, they galloped away.

Consort Shu and the others: …

Consort Shu stomped her foot in frustration. She still had things to say to the Imperial Concubine! How could the Emperor just snatch her away?

‘This is infuriating!’

‘What good is an Emperor if he’s just going to steal the Imperial Concubine from me!’

Princess Consort Zhuang was the quickest on the uptake. Looking heroic and dashing in her purple, floral-patterned riding attire, she said to the group, “Let’s go pick our horses. The stables are over there. Those who can’t ride can just relax on the grass, and if you want to learn, there are palace attendants to teach you.”

A row of tents had been pitched at the edge of the field for the concubines to rest in. They were arranged according to rank, ensuring no one was overlooked.

Ning Ji didn’t go to choose a horse. She sat alone at the edge of the field, gazing up at the sky. Soon, someone approached. She glanced over and saw it was Wang Xuan.

They had lived together in Qingyan Palace for ten years and were on good terms. Ning Ji smiled and said, “Why aren’t you going?”

Wang Xuan curtsied before sitting down beside Ning Ji. She smiled and said, “I wanted to be lazy for a bit. When I saw Sister Ning over here, I decided to join you.”

Wang Xuan sat on the grass, hugging her knees as she gazed at the group of beauties laughing and teasing one another in the distance.

“Sister Ning, I never thought we would see a day like this,” Wang Xuan said in a low voice. The incident with Zhao Liangren, who had once lived in the same palace, had frightened her so badly that she hadn’t dared to leave her quarters for a long time.

Ning Ji smiled at her words. “Yes, who could have imagined?”

As she spoke, her gaze drifted to the distance, where the Emperor and the Imperial Concubine had long since disappeared from sight.

She recalled how His Majesty had just swept the Imperial Concubine up and placed her in front of him, completely unconcerned with the stares of others, before riding off with his most beloved concubine.

In all her years in the palace, this was the first time she had seen such a side of the Emperor.

‘So, when he’s with the woman he likes, His Majesty has such a vibrant and impulsive side to him.’

‘Like a young man chasing the wind, wild and unrestrained.’

Listening to Ning Ji, Wang Xuan tilted her head back to bask in the sunlight. She was no longer afraid of getting a tan or looking unkempt; she just wanted to do whatever made her happy. The freedom to simply soak up the sun, be herself, and feel joyful made life suddenly feel light and easy.

“Sister Ning, I truly wish we could live like this forever,” Wang Xuan said, a hint of melancholy in her voice. She wondered if such joyful times would still be possible after they returned to the palace.

Hearing this, the smile on Ning Ji’s face faltered slightly. “Yes, who wouldn’t want that?”

‘But no one knew how long His Majesty’s favor for the Imperial Concubine would last. If she were to fall from grace one day, their own good days would likely come to an end.’

At that thought, Ning Ji suddenly froze.

‘It seems that, without even realizing it, our hopes have become more pinned on the Imperial Concubine than on His Majesty.’

The Imperial Concubine paid attention to their food, clothing, and housing, and wouldn’t let the Six Departments or the Inner Workshop exploit and bully them.

The Imperial Concubine ensured their monthly stipends were paid in full and on time. She provided clothing for all four seasons, and there were extra rewards for the various festivals. They no longer had to spend their own silver just to buy some fresh fruit to eat. They no longer had to scheme and plot just to get their hands on a new style of silk for a dress.

Before the Imperial Concubine was in charge of the palace, the three concubines in power wouldn’t deliberately make things difficult for them, but they certainly wouldn’t have been so thoughtful and considerate on their behalf.

“Sister Ning, what are you thinking about?” Wang Xuan asked, noticing that Ning Ji was lost in thought.

Ning Ji snapped back to reality and smiled at Wang Xuan. “Come on, let’s go pick a horse too.”

“Huh?” Wang Xuan got up instinctively. ‘Didn’t we just say we didn’t want to ride?’

Consort Shu rode with speed and stability. She turned her head to show off to Princess Consort Zhuang. “How about that?”

Princess Consort Zhuang didn’t want to humor her. ‘Back before we entered the palace, Consort Shu actually lost to me,’ she thought. ‘And now she’s showing off.’

Princess Consort Zhuang pulled on her reins, stopping to catch her breath. She looked at Consort Shu and said, “It’s been a long time since we’ve ridden. You should take it easy, or you might not be able to get out of bed tomorrow.”

Consort Shu nearly rolled her eyes, but she had a point. She followed Princess Consort Zhuang’s lead and dismounted, letting out a long sigh. “Where’s Princess Consort Wan?”

“She’s over there, taking a slow ride,” Princess Consort Zhuang said with a chuckle. “You know what Princess Consort Wan is like. It’s rare enough for her to even get on a horse for a single lap.”

Consort Shu sneered. “You all spoil her. She stays in Roufu Palace all day and never comes out, treating a box of rouge like an imperial decree. If she keeps this up, she’ll probably turn into a fool.”

Princess Consort Zhuang didn’t seem to mind, only saying softly, “Being able to live the life you want is what truly brings happiness.”

Consort Shu tossed her reins to a palace attendant and strode forward across the grass.

Seeing this, Princess Consort Zhuang also handed her horse to an attendant and hurried to catch up with Consort Shu. “So, is the matter with An Pin considered over?”

“Mhm,” Consort Shu nodded. “What else could be done?”

It involved the Empress Dowager. Whether it was the Emperor or An Pin—one being her son, the other her niece—they couldn’t allow the Empress Dowager’s reputation to be damaged.

What good would a tarnished reputation for the Empress Dowager do them?

They had to swallow this bitter pill, whether they liked it or not.

Princess Consort Zhuang frowned slightly. “I really didn’t expect this. At first, I thought…”

Consort Shu understood her unfinished thought and sneered. “Just wait and see what happens.”

‘That’s right. I also thought this incident had something to do with Zhao Ling’e. Who would have expected it to turn out like this?’

“The Zhao Family has been making quite a stir. Aren’t you worried?” Princess Consort Zhuang asked, looking at Consort Shu.

Consort Shu turned her head to look at Princess Consort Zhuang. “What’s there to worry about? Did you see the Emperor’s display just now? Tsk, I could hardly bear to watch.”

Princess Consort Zhuang: …

“Wasn’t that a warning to all of us? ‘Don’t get any ideas about the Imperial Concubine,'” Consort Shu said, rolling her eyes.

‘What use is the Emperor to me?’

‘Is my life dependent on the Emperor now?’

‘As long as the Imperial Concubine is doing well, so am I.’

Hearing Consort Shu’s words, Princess Consort Zhuang knew she truly had no feelings for the Emperor anymore. ‘Then again,’ she thought, ‘am I any different?’

With that thought, Princess Consort Zhuang also smiled and said softly, “When beauty fades, love dwindles. We should always be prepared for that.”

The Imperial Concubine was young and beautiful now, but what about in five or ten years?

A look of disdain crossed Consort Shu’s face. “So what? By the time the Imperial Concubine loses favor, the Eldest Prince and the Second Prince will be grown. Will she still need to rely on His Majesty then?”

‘Of course, she’ll rely on her sons.’