Chapter 16: The Legend of Zhen Huan — Xia Dongchun, Part 15

Not only was Paozhu startled, but even the emperor, who had been silently sulking inside with a cold expression, was frightened. Immediately, he picked up the little girl and headed further inside.

“What’s wrong? Why are you crying like this?”

“Hm? Speak.”

“Say it, and I will handle it for you.”

Half an hour later, after Yinzhen exhausted every comforting word he could muster, Xia Dongchun finally stopped crying. However, she still wouldn’t look at him; from the moment he entered the room, she hadn’t once glanced directly at him, let alone spoken to him.

For several days afterward, Xia Dongchun shut herself away in her chamber without any response, even when Ye Yun returned. As Ye Yun put it, she was… depressed.

At sixteen, Xia Dongchun faced the first bout of depression in her life.

Half a month passed with no sign of improvement. Seeing this, Ye Yun feigned illness and secluded herself, especially driving away anyone who came from the Empress’s palace. This left the Empress utterly humiliated, as she had hoped to find a way to save face.

She had originally planned to seek the Empress Dowager but was sharply reprimanded and sent away. After all, the Empress Dowager had once been saved by Princess Ziyun—how could she harm the daughter of someone who had saved her life?

As for niece or not, of course, her precious son was the priority.

~

Within Jingren Palace, gloom hung heavily. The Empress was ‘ill’, and the root cause was Zhen Huan, which infuriated her to no end.

What had started as a manageable situation spiraled when the Zhaohua Palace suddenly went mad. The next day, that woman named Paozhu, accompanied by Noble Consort Nian, stormed into Chengqian Palace and exposed all of Zhen Huan’s special privileges.

At that moment, she no longer feigned illness to frame Lady Jia but immediately gathered her things and rushed to Chengqian Palace. There, she found that Zhen Huan not only lived alone in the main hall of her palace but also had palace maids and eunuchs under her control. She had even secretly given her maidservants to other concubines.

Among these accusations, only the handing over of maids had been reported to her beforehand and was barely justifiable; the rest were incontrovertible.

Noble Consort Nian, it seemed, had been coached on what to say and quickly pinned the blame on the Empress without allowing her to respond. The palace maid from Zhaohua Palace was no better—through singing, recitation, and acting, she painted the young mistress as grievously wronged, forcefully linking past events to this incident, accusing her of deliberately favoring Zhen Huan to slander her own mistress.

Although this was true, the problem was she had not yet had the chance to act on it. Mysteriously, Noble Consort Nian’s faction had somehow allied with Zhaohua Palace, a group where no one was simple except Lady Li. Unfortunately, the Empress had genuinely overlooked these matters and had no way to explain herself, thus unjustly bearing the blame.

Combined with the Jingren Palace incident, the scandal spread like wildfire throughout the court, sparking endless gossip that no one could suppress.

Three days later, the Emperor stripped her of her palace authority, officially declaring her ‘ill’.

~

Seated on the soft couch in Jingren Palace, the Empress pondered the peculiarities surrounding Zhen Huan with disbelief, seriously suspecting some dark force at work nearby.

“Jianqiu, tell me, is it possible that I’ve been… blinded by something? How could Zhen Huan’s faults be right under my nose and yet I never noticed?”

Not only the Empress but even Jianqiu herself was tempted to visit the temple to pray—it was unnerving. Neither Huichun nor the many informants in Chengqian Palace had detected anything.

Jianqiu’s voice trembled as she replied, “Your Highness, Zhen Huan is truly a formidable presence. Perhaps it’s better we find another person. Even if she’s not guilty, her misfortune is real. Before any plan even took effect, she already caused a direct conflict between Your Highness and Lady Jia, which is…”

Misfortune.

Bah!

The Empress had been recovering for several days but still felt no relief. Before the new arrivals entered the palace, she had intended to maintain her position calmly. Even when Lady Jia gained favor, she barely managed to hold her ground. When she finally became so angry she considered taking a risk with Zhen Huan, it was meant to be a private maneuver.

How did things come to such a state?

Now she was attacked from both front and back, even incurring the Emperor’s displeasure.

Most importantly: the previous dynasty.

Thinking of the former reign, the Empress shuddered slightly. She had no idea who intercepted the information, but she had only just received news from that era—only after the Ulanara family was wiped out.

Moreover, the Empress Dowager, once a sure remedy, had now abandoned her!

What was she to do?

What should she do?

Lady Jia was now directly opposing her.

That meant…

And Noble Consort Nian—“Jianqiu, investigate what’s going on with the Noble Consort. I have a bad feeling.”

Jianqiu seemed to remember something and immediately replied, “Your Highness, a few days ago, news came from Yikun Palace that Songzhi, who served the Noble Consort, went home briefly and brought back a woman. I only learned afterward that she is a medical attendant.”

The Empress suddenly understood, “No wonder the Noble Consort stubbornly refuses to relent, insisting on my downfall at all costs. It turns out she knows she can no longer bear children. With no hope left, she wants to drag me down with her even in death.”

Jianqiu’s face changed drastically. “Your Highness, this…”

After knowing everything, the Empress calmed herself. “What is there to fear? She has no proof. Besides, the Emperor was aware of the previous incident, and the Empress Dowager stepped in to dismiss it. Even if she exposes it now, I will remain unharmed.”

She tapped the table. “However, with Noble Consort Nian... this will likely be a fight to the death.”

Jianqiu thought for a moment and said, “Your Highness, Zhaohua Palace has been closed. Perhaps we can make good use of this time.”

The Empress raised an eyelid. “I cannot act now. You must pave the way for the new arrivals in the harem. Mobilize all informants. Before Lady Jia emerges, we must divide the Emperor’s favor and, if luck permits, cultivate someone useful.”

Jianqiu immediately agreed, then hesitated before asking, “What about that Zhen official girl…”

Before she could finish, the Empress interrupted. She hated Zhen Huan so much she wished to consume her flesh. Even if the entire harem perished, she would never use her.

“No need. Just keep someone watching her. I don’t want any more strange ‘accidents’.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Until the eve of the Lunar New Year banquet, Zhaohua Palace remained closed.

Meanwhile, the harem blossomed with many competing beauties, and a dark horse emerged—An Yingying, who, in less than three months, rose to the rank of Noble Consort, firmly surpassing the self-assured noble lady Shen Meizhuang.

~

On Lunar New Year's Eve, the Empress appeared, but Zhaohua Palace remained closed due to illness.

Inside Zhaohua Palace, Xia Dongchun lay on a swinging chair in the courtyard.

She greatly enjoyed the sensation of being gently rocked.

Since regretting entering the palace, Xia Dongchun increasingly felt she had lost out. She now truly did not want to see the Emperor, especially after her mother came to speak with her two months ago, giving her much confidence.

Her mother even said she could do whatever she wished, even leave the palace if she desired. Of course, Xia Dongchun did not agree. She admitted to being stubborn but was still somewhat sensible—the palace was no place one could enter or exit at will. While her mother might manage it, the family would surely pay a heavy price.

She had already caused her family much trouble by entering the palace.