Pampered Consort's Acting Awards - Chapter 25

So it is like this… As it turns out…

The eldest prince is a mute. This matter was approved tacitly by the whole harem, which is why when he suddenly spoke, everyone was astonished.

The hands of the young eunuch in the center of the hall shook, almost dropping the scenic painting of Jiangnan in his hand.

Empress Dowager Chu swept her gaze at the calm emperor and Jieyu Qin, and couldn’t help squeezing the Buddhist beads in her hand.

To clear her mind.

No wonder the consort dowager has been protecting her like that, and no wonder the emperor promoted her into a jieyu at once. It turns out she is the eldest prince’s medicine.

Empress Dowager Chu looked towards the consort dowager and said as if nothing happened: “Yun’er is…”

Consort Dowager Sun immediately smiled: “I don’t know what happened to Yun’er during these few days as well, but he is now willing to speak. I was about to mention this matter to you, because the opportunity was snatched by him first.”

Look, this is the story the consort dowager came up with.

“Unexpectedly, he is now willing to speak” and “Unexpectedly, he can speak” have completely different meanings.

The eldest prince who couldn’t talk has now turned into the eldest prince who was not willing to talk.

“It’s really a good thing.”

Consort Dowager Chu said to Xiao Yun: “Yun’er, you still have to pay respect to Grandmother.”

Xiao Yun blinked and walked to Empress Dowager Chu, and while bowing, he said word by word: “B-Before, it was this child’s lack of manners, I hope Imperial Grandmother will not dislike me.”

After listening to the words, Empress Dowager Chu laughed heartily and rubbed the back of Xiao Yun’s head lovingly.

The gaze of the concubines of the harem towards Xiao Yun completely changed.

They knew clearly in their hearts. If the eldest prince is not a mute, then the matters of heaven and earth will change completely.

Xiao Yu said at that moment: “Prepare a seat for the grand princess.”

Grand Princess Changning sat next to the consort dowager, and when she raised her head, she happened to meet Qin Ling’s eyes. Her apricot eyes widened and she blurted out: “Imperial Sister-in-law?”

Nobody was surprised by her reaction.

The consort dowager pulled at Changning’s sleeve and lowered her head to whisper in her ear. Changning muttered: “But this way too…” similar.

The banquet continued. Everyone listened to the qin and watched some dances. It was joyous and harmonious.

From time to time, Xiao Yu would give Qin Ling an open and explicit gaze. It was unavoidable.

Under the scorching gaze of everyone, Qin Ling looked down at the mandarin fish in the bowl. After hesitating for a long time, she stretched out her chopsticks.

With each bite, the emperor’s heart was broken.

When the end of the banquet was approaching, the consort dowager coughed again. Grand Princess Changning looked at the kerchief that was held tightly in the consort dowager’s hand, her eyes immediately flushed.

“Consort Mother!”

***

The period of haishi. Shou’an Palace.

As Physician Ning of the Imperial Hospital was diagnosing the pulse of the consort dowager, Changning’s tears were running down her cheeks.

She knelt down beside the consort dowager and said with a trembling voice: “If Imperial Brother did not call me back this time, until when are you going to hide this matter from me?”

The consort dowager said to her, “Ah Yu.”

The consort dowager lifted her hand to touch Changning’s face, and said softly: “Ah Yu, sooner or later, a person will have to leave.” Everyone has to.

Grand Princess Changning shook her head. She then buried her head on the consort dowager’s lap and said while crying: “But you clearly did not say that in your letters to me…”

The consort dowager patted her back and spoke slowly: “As for me ah, I only hope you will not cause a disaster, do you know what I mean?”

Changning’s shoulders stiffened, then she replied softly: “Consort Mother doesn’t need to worry. I have a measure in my heart.”

“Ah Yu, how have you been in Mount Li? Are you well now?”

Changning nodded her head, “Mount Li is surrounded by green hills and clear waters, this daughter is now a lot better.”

The consort dowager looked at her daughter’s eyes and suddenly felt sad.

This was the most beloved princess of the late emperor, the true proud daughter of heaven. Her anger, her joy, her sorrow, had the naivety and delicateness unique to daughters of distinguished family. In no way she should be the way she is today.

No matter how well Xiao Lianyu concealed it, all the hardships brought about by the years left indelible marks on her face.

She used to be her worry-free, little princess. Until she met Su Huai’an.

The consort dowager lowered her head and sighed.

Who would have thought that the son and daughter of the late emperor would both fall head first in the hands of the Su family brother and sister.

For several days, the gate of Shou’an Palace was closed, leaving only Qin Ling and the grand princess to serve.

Grand Princess Changning almost never slept. The consort dowager kept vomiting and had diarrhea, Changning did not ask others for help.

If the consort dowager closed her eyes to rest, she would fall asleep next to her.

Occasionally, the mother and daughter talked and laughed about the past, but everyone knew in their hearts that the consort dowager’s body had not improved.

Sometimes, the human body is really magical. Before Changning came, even if the life of the consort dowager kept passing here and there all the time, there was always a breath still hanging there.

However, once she met the person she wanted to meet and completed all her wishes, the body lost that strength.

When Changning’s shout faded, the consort dowager opened her eyes and raised her hand to stroke her hair.

Her eyes gradually blurred, and the past events were replayed layer after layer.

She came from a family of humble origin. She was just a small female official in the palace back then, but destiny liked to tease her. That day, she was waiting in front of the Imperial court, when suddenly, a pair of large hands held her waist and a voice asked her, “What is your name?”

She once hated those hands so much, but after Changning was born, that hatred began to fade, so much that she didn’t even regret entering this deep palace.

The moon hung high.

Consort Dowager Sun leaned on the couch sideways. Her breathing grew weaker, and the cup in her hand fell to the ground with a “clang”, not having the strength even to drink water.

Xiao Lianyu immediately put down the unfinished clothes in her hands and quickly approached her: “Consort Mother, let me.”

But after these words, the consort dowager did not open her eyes.

She stared blankly at the spot and said in a small voice: “Mum, don’t abandon me…”

Xiao Yu became scared inexplicably, his little hands trembling. He turned around and hugged Qin Ling’s leg.

Qin Ling crouched down and hugged him tightly: “Don’t be afraid.”

Momo Yuan covered her mouth, her eyes soaked with tears. She turned and raised the curtain, and said to the young eunuch: “Everyone withdraw. Be ready.”

***

The emperor quickly rushed over from Fengtian Gate. As soon as he entered the door, he met the listless look in the consort dowager’s eyes.

He knew that today’s matter could not be avoided.

The consort dowager had lived through two dynasties. Being in this deep palace for years, she had seen all kinds of trials and hardships. Now that she was facing death of old age and illness, she had become calmer than others.

After all, the people she cares about are all present.

Xiao Yu walked to her side, saw that she was still trying to get up, and immediately spoke: “If the consort dowager has something to say, just say it and We will agree to it.”

Nobody knows whether a person will surely regain their glorious appearance right before their death or if the true dragon, the Son of Heaven, is indeed different from other people, but after Xiao Yu came, the consort dowager regained some of her spirit.

Looking at Xiao Yu, the consort dowager seemed to see the little prince from 20 years ago.

She knew that Xiao Yu’s good treatment for her was inseparable from the affairs back in the Yongchang era.

In this whole harem, only she and the emperor knew about it.

During the Yongchang era, the treacherous servants were in power, the harem was involved in politics, while the monarch had favoritism and lacked discipline. Not only was the previous dynasty chaotic, the harem was just as bad. Whoever is favored by the emperor will hold supreme power.

Consort Meng, who was the only favorite of the emperor that year, is the best example.

Consort Xue was a singer from Jiangnan. At the age of 14 she had taken infertility medicine, and should not be able to give birth to an heir. The Great Zhou had a law of getting buried along with the dead. Therefore, for an Imperial concubine who was favored but had no heir, she would not be able to escape the fate of being buried alive.

It had been like this for generations.

Since she couldn’t have children on her own, then she could only take other people’s children.

As a result, Zhaoyi Yu, who had a son under her body, became a thorn in Consort Meng’s eyes.

Consort Meng was very spoiled and a jealous person. While hooking in the emperor’s soul on one side, she sowed disorder in the harem on the other side.

She arranged something via a bureau.

A bribed female official brought poisoned food to Zhaoyi Yu. The amount was very small, making it difficult to check. It only showed signs of cold. A famous physician surnamed Jiang came to diagnose Zhaoyi Yu’s pulse every three days, and Consort Meng seized the opportunity. Consort Meng threatened Zhaoyi Yu and forced her to admit her sins for having an illicit relationship with Physician Jiang.

Since it was a false accusation, it would not be able to withstand a detailed investigation, so she could only urge with the words “hurry up!”

Seeing that Zhaoyi Yu did not want to admit it, Consort Meng took advantage of the darkness and poured a cup of Hedinghong into Zhaoyi Yu’s mouth.

[Hedinghong: lit. Red-crowned crane]

At that time, the third prince was present at the scene.

In that year, Consort Dowager Sun was just a humble Cairen Sun, living at the side hall of Zhaoyi Yu’s place. She was one step ahead of Consort Meng and pulled the little prince into a wardrobe. She covered his eyes with her hand and said: “Third lang, you must not let out a sound no matter what happens.”

[T/N: Iirc, cairen is an eight-ranked concubine.]

She could cover his eyes, but could not cover his ears. His small body was trembling constantly.

After Zhaoyi Yu’s roar subsided, her palms were filled with silent tears.

Regarding the matter of 20 years ago, Consort Dowager Sun had never mentioned it to anyone.

Consort Dowager Sun knew that Xiao Yu’s fickleness was not unreasonable. He had experienced the terror of the harem until he grew up, so he would not trust others easily.

He didn’t enter the harem for three years. Apart from still thinking about his first wife, he also didn’t want the concubines in the harem to raise Xiao Yun.

Consort Dowager Sun breathed slowly, and after a little while, she said to Xiao Yu: “What happened back then was the late emperor’s fault, not Your Majesty’s fault.”

Xiao Yu was taken aback. He then nodded and said: “We know.”

Xiao Yu felt that the consort dowager was getting weaker, so he immediately said: “We promise, no matter what mistakes Changning commits in the future, We will not blame her.”

The consort dowager smiled: “Your Majesty, take Yun’er out. He is still young, he might be frightened. Don’t let him get affected by this kind of unlucky thing.”

Xiao Yu’s throat moved. He turned around and hugged the little prince. Xiao Yun lay on his father’s shoulders, the whole person looked wilted, and he did not say a thing.

Grand Princess Changning leaned on the couch, her tears fell uncontrollably. She called “mum”, and the consort dowager replied with a “hmm”.

Even that one sound was weak.

If one has reached this point, even a Daoist immortal will not be able to return.

The consort dowager’s eyes gradually slackened. With her last strength, she looked at Qin Ling.

She knitted her eyebrows once before loosening them, and said: “Ah Líng…”

[T/N: Líng from Su Líng, her old name.]

Everyone present knew that it was impossible for the consort dowager to call for Jieyu Qin, so this “Ah Líng…” must’ve been used for the wrong person.

Qin Ling walked over slowly, knelt beside the consort dowager, and said: “Chenqie is here.”

The consort dowager suddenly smiled. With tears streaming down the corners of her eyes, she muttered: “So it is like this… As it turns out…”

Qin Ling held the consort dowager’s hand and came closer.

The consort dowager smiled and said: “It turns out that Yun’er was not mistaken ah. You truly don’t have that mole…”

After that, the consort dowager closed her eyes.

Qin Ling’s pupils shrank, she took a deep breath and said: “Your Highness!”

Changning grasped the consort dowager’s clothes with both hands and cried out: “Mum!!”

After the consort dowager passed away, everyone in Shou’an Palace knelt with their forehead to the ground.

When the young eunuch reported the time of death, the little prince on Xiao Yu’s shoulder was suddenly ‘awake’ and sobbed incoherently: “Father, Father… T-The consort dowager…”

Xiao Yu stroked his son’s back with the palm of his hand.

The child’s back was so thin that he felt he could touch his trembling heart.

***

Seven days later.

The colored curtains of Shou’an Palace were hung up high. Grand Princess Changning was dressed in plain clothes, kneeling on the ground. Her eyes flushed, but her body had calmed down a lot.

Xiao Yu walked over and patted her shoulder to comfort her, “When are you going to move back from Mount Li?”

“Imperial Brother, give me some more time.” Changning lowered her head.

Xiao Yu nodded: “Alright, it’s up to you. If you find any problem, just let Us know.”

Right now, the concubines were mourning in Shou’an Palace, and yet, Changning frowned at Qin Ling at the side, “It’s strange…”

Xiao Yu followed her gaze: “What is?”

Xiao Lianyu said: “I was thinking about the words that Consort Mother said before her death.”

Xiao Yu said, “What did the consort dowager say?”

Xiao Lianyu frowned and said, “Imperial Brother noticed the mole on Jieyu Qin’s chin, right?”

Xiao Yu nodded helplessly, “Naturally.”

Changning said in doubt, “Then why did Consort Mother say she doesn’t have it?”

Xiao Yu’s back stiffened and he replied: “What did you say?”

Translator’s note:

Xiao Yu is the emperor, our ML.

Xiao Yun is the eldest prince, our ML and FL’s child.

Xiao Lianyu is the grand princess, Xiao Yu’s younger half-sister.

It can get confusing, yes. I cannot count the number of times I mistyped.