A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 722: Chapter 722: First Birthday Feast

Noble Concubine Shih could bear it no longer.

”Mother, I won’t go! If you want to go, go by yourself!”

Madam Shih was extremely shocked. ”You child...”

Noble Concubine Shih furrowed her brows tightly, thoroughly unwilling. ”I don’t have that ability! Just because I touched his Favored Consort, this is the end I met! If I disobeyed the Emperor’s decree, I might not even survive!”

Noble Concubine Shih felt a surge of bitterness!

Madam Shih tried to persuade her a few more times, but the Noble Consort simply disagreed.

”Mother! How long are you going to protect my brother? That vile woman, Lady Xia—her brother was originally a local ruffian, but now he’s one of the Emperor’s personal guards! My brother has been a loafer for so many years; it’s about time he experienced the world!”

Madam Shih’s face was filled with disbelief!

”Wanxin, are you looking down on your brother? Don’t you remember how much he doted on you when you were little? What delicious foods and fun toys didn’t he get for you? Now that you’re a Noble Consort, you despise your brother?”

Noble Concubine Shih frowned. ”Mother! Can’t you be reasonable?”

Madam Shih raised an eyebrow. ”Reasonable? What reason do you want me to be?”

”Guangnan is at war; it’s so chaotic! Your brother knows nothing. Sending him there is just sending him to die needlessly!”

Noble Concubine Shih grew somewhat impatient. ”Mother! How chaotic can Guangnan possibly be? The Emperor went, didn’t he? The Fifth Prince and Seventh Prince went too, right? And all the military generals from the court, high and low, haven’t they all gone? Even that vile Lady Xia’s brother went! The Emperor is leading the expedition personally; there’s no way they’ll send your son to the battlefield! So many people can go, why is it that only your son cannot?”

Madam Shih was speechless.

Indeed, if the Emperor could go, why couldn’t her son? But... after much thought, she still couldn’t accept it.

Seeing that she couldn’t persuade the Noble Consort here, Madam Shih grumbled a few complaints and then headed to the Empress Dowager’s residence.

The gates of Ningshou Palace were tightly closed. Only a Little Palace Maid came out and said, ”The Empress Dowager has been in seclusion recently, praying to Buddha for the Emperor’s well-being. She is not seeing anyone, no exceptions!”

Madam Shih was furious and utterly unwilling to accept this. But this was Ningshou Palace, and she didn’t dare force her way in. After lingering for a while, she had no choice but to leave in resentment.

A day in the palace, and she had achieved nothing. Madam Shih deeply felt that the matter was already decided.

Returning to the main courtyard in the evening, the more she thought about it, the sadder she became. Sobbing and weeping, she ordered people to pack Hengheng’s belongings. She spent the entire night, filling three large carts.

But when she sent someone to find Shih Heng, she was informed, ”He was already taken away by men sent by the Emperor! It happened just as you were entering the palace!”

Madam Shih was both anxious and enraged. She berated all the servants in the residence and then cried out of frustration.

After her son left, Madam Shih lost her appetite. Before long, she fell ill. Grand Tutor Shih was also sick, and the entire residence seemed to be shrouded in gloom.

「Meanwhile, in the palace.」

The Empress Dowager knelt before the Buddha statue, her eyes closed. Gently turning her prayer beads, she asked in a low voice, ”How are things at the manor?”

Sister Qing recounted the situation in detail. ”The Lord is also sick. After Madam returned from the palace, she was heartbroken for two or three days and then fell ill as well!”

The Empress Dowager’s eyes remained closed. She gave a cold smile but said nothing more. After what seemed like an eternity, the Empress Dowager finally rose, and Sister Qing quickly moved to support her.

The Empress Dowager went to the inner hall, reclined on the couch, and let out a long sigh. ”Wanxin did the right thing! Her mother is truly unreasonable! In my view, the Emperor choosing this specific time—not earlier, not later—to have Shih Heng taken away means he likely knows about the matter concerning Lady Xia! This is his way of warning me and Wanxin!!”

Sister Qing hurriedly advised, ”Empress Dowager, you mustn’t think that way! What if the Emperor genuinely wants to cultivate Grand Tutor Shih’s eldest son?”

The Empress Dowager snorted coldly. ”You said it yourself—’what if’! Sigh! After all these years, don’t you and I know the Emperor’s temperament? He’s afraid I’ll bully his Favored Consort in the palace!”

Sister Qing fell silent. She quietly presented a bowl of nourishing soup to the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager took the bowl, had a few sips, and sighed deeply. ”Enough, let’s not dwell on this matter anymore! By the way, those young ladies I selected some time ago—have their temperaments and conduct been thoroughly investigated? Selecting consorts is no small matter; it cannot be done carelessly!”

Sister Qing smiled, ”Naturally, everything has been taken care of! I will report the details to you shortly, Your Highness!”

The Empress Dowager nodded and said no more.

「 」

There wasn’t much activity in Ningshou Palace, but the harem was somewhat busy.

Since Noble Concubine Shih was punished and confined, she had stopped managing palace affairs. All these matters, big and small, fell onto Consort Hui’s shoulders. Fortunately, the Second Princess had grown a bit older, allowing Consort Hui to find some spare moments. Otherwise, she really wouldn’t have known what to do!

The seventeenth day of the sixth month was the Second Prince’s first birthday. Consort Cheng Pin lacked experience, so Consort Hui helped with all the preparations. However, even Consort Hui didn’t have much experience. After all, the regulations for princesses and princes were different. The regulations for the Crown Prince and the Second Prince were also different; the Royal Family was very particular about seniority, and the distinctions between elder and younger, superior and inferior, had to be crystal clear.

Therefore, the Second Prince’s first birthday banquet was rather simple! Many things they were unsure about were simply omitted.

Furthermore, because the Second Prince was born prematurely and there were fears he might not survive, he had never been given a name. Ordinarily, by the first birthday, the Emperor should have bestowed a name. But with the Emperor away at war, he naturally couldn’t attend to such matters.

Thus, at his first birthday banquet, the Second Prince still had no name.

Looking at the somewhat shabby birthday banquet and then at the still unnamed Second Prince, contempt filled Consort Ning’s face.

During the banquet, her every sentence was barbed and laced with sarcasm, making everyone uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the Noble Consort did not attend, and among those present, Consort Ning was the most senior. No one dared to contradict her. As things went on, Consort Ning grew even more arrogant. She didn’t even show Consort Hui any respect and even mocked the Second Princess. Her words were utterly insolent.

Consort Hui’s expression turned very grim. However, she was not one to stir up trouble. Moreover, she inherently looked down upon Consort Ning’s arrogance and disdained to argue with her, pretending not to hear.

Speaking her barbs alone for a while, Consort Ning eventually found it dull. So, she turned her fire on Xia Ruqing.

Xia Ruqing was enjoying some fruit when she was suddenly ridiculed by Consort Ning. She immediately flared up.

Damn it! I’m just eating some fruit, and she actually says I’m from a humble background and have never seen good things! Eating fruit means I haven’t seen good things? Shouldn’t a pregnant woman eat fruit instead of junk food? This Consort Ning must be an idiot!

Xia Ruqing put down the peach in her hand, wiped the corner of her mouth with a silk handkerchief, and smiled, ”Consort Ning comes from such a prestigious background; naturally, she wouldn’t understand the hardships of those from humble origins like us! For us, entering the palace is like ascending to heaven, isn’t it? Things we’ve never seen, never eaten before—we must certainly try them all! Thankfully, the Emperor is considerate enough to have people send lychees, mangoes, bananas, and grapes from Guangnan. Otherwise, I wouldn’t get to eat any of them!”

Consort Ning: ”...”

What on earth is this Consort Xian saying? She’d heard of lychees, but what on earth were mangoes?

Seeing Consort Ning’s perplexed look, Xia Ruqing gave a sarcastic smile and said no more.