A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace-Chapter 581: Unforgiving
She was wondering if the Empress Dowager had set her sights on the Third Princess. After all, the Noble Consort was her true niece. How could she possibly not be partial to the Noble Consort—her own niece—and instead help the Empress against her? That defied all reason. If, at this time, the Empress Dowager said she wanted to keep the Third Princess in Ningshou Palace to raise her, and in the future... hand her over to the Noble Consort to bring up, then in the end, wouldn’t it still be someone from the Shih Family stirring the pot from within? Wouldn’t all the Empress’s long-time efforts and worries have been in vain?!
The Empress, holding the Princess, indeed stopped in her tracks. Thinking it over, she felt it was unlikely.
"Sister, what you said isn’t impossible!"
"But... how long has it been since the Empress Dowager last saw the Noble Consort? She won’t even see Shih Jieyu!"
"When Shih Jieyu goes to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager, she just kowtows outside and leaves!"
"Do you think the Empress Dowager still has... for the Shih family...?" The Empress trailed off, unable to continue.
One wouldn’t write the character ’Shih’ twice. On the surface, the Empress Dowager seemed to have ignored them, but what about behind the scenes? What if they were just putting on an act!
"Sister, if the Empress Dowager summons me, I can’t refuse to go!" With that, she looked at the Little Princess in her arms with a worried expression.
The Little Princess was nine months old. Nurtured well by the Empress, her face was much chubbier and fairer, and the gap between her and children of the same age was also shrinking.
Sister Ji touched the Princess’s hair and, after thinking for a long while, finally said, "How about... asking Shih Jieyu to go with you?"
"No matter what, the Little Princess is now in your care. If Shih Jieyu is sensible enough, she will naturally speak up for you!"
"Having someone to support you is naturally better than having no one!"
The Empress considered it, then nodded. "It seems that’s the only way!"
Sister Ji, feeling reassured, had someone invite Shih Jieyu over.
Afterwards, the Empress, taking the Little Princess and accompanied by Shih Jieyu, went to the Empress Dowager’s Ningshou Palace.
Shih Jieyu was very excited. Seeing the Third Princess in the Empress’s arms—plump, with bright eyes darting around, looking so clever and cute—she felt like crying! She had almost forgotten how long it had been since she had last seen her daughter. During banquets, the Empress wouldn’t bring her out. Normally, she dared not visit too often, fearing that seeing her too much would make the Empress uncomfortable. So, she had always simply endured it.
Now, she finally had the chance to see her.
The Third Princess was smiling at her; the little girl’s eyes and brows looked so much like hers. So well-behaved, one moment chewing on her little hand, the next looking at the Empress, then turning to look at her.
Shih Jieyu’s heart melted. This was her daughter, her... daughter with the Emperor! She was truly beautiful!
The Empress watched her for a while, then said with a smile, "Shih Jieyu, do you think I have raised her well?"
Shih Jieyu abruptly snapped back to reality. Struggling to tear her gaze from the Little Princess, she quickly said, "Very well! It’s obvious Your Majesty the Empress has been most dedicated!"
If she weren’t dedicated, the Little Princess wouldn’t be so close to the Empress. Even a child so young understands. If you treat her well, she can sense it. If you don’t treat her well, she would probably be timid and cringing like The Eldest Princess. Or, she might outright refuse to be held!
The Empress smiled contentedly. "And you think... it’s good for her to be raised here with me always?"
"In the future... she will be the Great Chu Dynasty’s first Legitimate Princess!"
"As long as I am here, no one would dare to harm her!"
"Her marriage, her Prince Consort, her Princess’s Mansion, all would be the best! What do you think?"
It was blatant temptation.
Shih Jieyu looked at the tender baby in the Empress’s arms, her heart a mix of emotions. Could she refuse these things? If she could raise her daughter herself, she would willingly give them all up. But she couldn’t! From the moment she entered the palace, it was destined that the children she bore would not be her own!
Thus, Shih Jieyu fell silent for a moment before smiling and saying, "That Your Majesty the Empress treats her as your own flesh and blood is this concubine’s blessing, and the Princess’s blessing too!"
In other words, she had no complaints!
The Empress’s smile instantly widened considerably. "Shih Jieyu, you are indeed sensible!"
Shih Jieyu’s expression remained composed, but inwardly, she was bitter. She didn’t want to be sensible at all. How she wished to snatch her daughter back and hold her in her arms! Mother and daughter, never to be separated again! But... she couldn’t! She was not favored, she lacked capability, she lacked pedigree, and even more so, status! Even the Emperor probably didn’t remember someone like her existed! What would be the point of taking her back? To run away? Hah! Impossible! She could only comply; there was no other choice!
「Ningshou Palace had arrived.」
The Empress Dowager was delighted to see her granddaughter after so long. She hurriedly asked the Empress to bring her closer, to sit nearer.
The Little Princess had not often seen the Empress Dowager. But, being a baby, she wasn’t afraid of strangers; she just stared at the Empress Dowager with her round, bright eyes.
"Ah! Such a good girl! The Little Princess is so good!" The Empress Dowager couldn’t help but praise, "The Empress has raised her well!"
The Empress smiled. "You overpraise me, Empress Mother. Since the Emperor entrusted the Little Princess to this concubine, this concubine must naturally do her utmost."
The Empress Dowager gave her another appreciative look. "Mm."
Then she took the Little Princess into her arms and played with her for a while; both grandmother and grandchild were very happy.
At lunchtime, the Empress Dowager had the Empress and Shih Jieyu stay for the meal. After the meal, she told them to take the child and leave.
Before they left, the Empress Dowager didn’t forget to add, "Empress, I am old now and don’t wish to involve myself too much in Harem affairs. I only want to dote on my grandchildren and enjoy a few years of family happiness. In the future, bring the Princess to visit me more often!"
While saying this, the Empress Dowager’s voice carried a note of vulnerability.
The Empress’s heart stirred slightly, as if she had taken a calming pill. Did this mean the Empress Dowager wasn’t planning to take the Princess from her? That would be good!
The Empress smiled. "Naturally. As long as Empress Mother doesn’t find my daughter and me too noisy, I can come every day!"
The Empress Dowager chuckled.
"Oh, by the way, there’s another matter I must entrust to you, Empress!"
"What is it?" the Empress asked.
"Wanxin has been unruly and has committed many acts of great irreverence. I don’t intend to plead for her! But... for my sake, Empress, please don’t be too hard on her!"
The Empress’s expression changed immediately. So, this is what she was waiting for! No wonder the Empress Dowager was suddenly so kind to me; this was the reason! The Noble Consort is still the Noble Consort, after all. But then again, they are aunt and niece. This isn’t surprising; it would be abnormal if she didn’t do this! In any case, as long as it’s not about snatching the child from me, anything else is negotiable.
The Empress’s smile faded somewhat, but she still said, "Empress Mother, what are you saying? Noble Consort, my younger sister, has learned her manners quite well now. In fact, the Emperor himself personally taught them to her!"
With that, the Empress took her leave with a smile. The Empress Dowager didn’t say more and waved them off.
Watching the Empress’s figure disappear at the palace gate, the Empress Dowager’s gaze instantly turned cold and indifferent, a faint, cold smile playing on her lips.
"The Empress is still so unforgiving!"
