After leaving Yongrong’s palace, Empress Feng felt as though her legs had been filled with lead.
She was just about to speak with Xiao Yunting when Emperor Yongchang emerged as well.
He had not stayed behind to accompany Yongrong.
Nor had he spent any extra time with Furong.
That was truly strange.
Empress Feng could not help feeling shocked.
And she was not the only one puzzled. Many others were equally bewildered.
Yongrong had finally stopped crying. Holding the sugar figurine his sister had given him, he tilted his head and looked at her. “Sister, did I do something wrong? Why didn’t Royal Father pay any attention to her?”
Princess Mingcheng stroked his head and forced a smile. “Of course not. Yongrong did very well. Very, very well.”
Then she took a breath. “It’s getting late, and you’ve been through such a fright. You should go to sleep now. Leave the sugar figurine here and look at it tomorrow, all right?”
Yongrong nodded vaguely. “Okay.”
Princess Mingcheng then summoned the wet nurse and palace maids to attend to him, while she herself took Furong back to her own residence.
The moment they were alone, she coldly demanded, “Are you deaf and blind? Can’t you even speak?”
How could she just stand there like a wooden post?!
Furong’s eyes immediately filled with tears.
“I, I was instructed by Liao Gonggong. He said it was better not to speak, because the more one says, the more mistakes one makes. So it was better to say nothing.”
Princess Mingcheng sneered.
Narrowing her eyes at Furong, she rebuked her in a low voice. “Get out! Stay by Yongrong’s side and behave yourself. Your time to shine will come!”
Furong hurriedly agreed, wiping away her tears as she backed out of the room.
Only after she left did Princess Mingcheng rise, put on a hooded cloak, and quietly make her way through the covered corridors, leaving her palace and heading for the Imperial Garden.
Liao Bin was already waiting there.
The moment he saw Princess Mingcheng, he immediately stepped forward with a grin and offered his congratulations.
Princess Mingcheng was in no mood for that. She kicked him hard and said coldly, “Congratulations my *ss! Royal Father didn’t even look at her twice! Didn’t you people say this was foolproof? Bunch of idiots!”
The Crown Prince had approached Princess Mingcheng as an ally for one reason only: To place Furong in Emperor Yongchang’s bed.
But a son presenting a woman to his father was never a simple matter.
Especially when it was the Crown Prince presenting a woman to the Emperor.
That was even more taboo.
If anything ever went wrong, the blame would fall entirely upon the Crown Prince.
Not to mention the swarm of censors constantly watching him.
If they found out about this, they would undoubtedly attack him from all sides and condemn him as a sycophantic heir apparent.
So the Crown Prince had turned to Princess Mingcheng instead.
Coincidentally, ever since Noble Consort Xiao Liu and Duke Chu’s household had fallen from power, life for Princess Mingcheng and Yongrong had deteriorated drastically compared to before.
Of course, they still lived far better than ordinary people, they were royal blood after all.
But it is difficult to go from luxury to frugality, while the reverse is easy.
Once someone had been the most favored prince or princess, once they had experienced power and influence, who would willingly accept losing favor?
Thus both sides immediately hit it off.
And this scheme was born.
Yet now, it seemed the plan had failed.
Princess Mingcheng was beside herself with frustration.
Liao Bin’s knee throbbed from the kick, but he did not dare complain. Still smiling, he said, “Your Highness, don’t be anxious. How can such things succeed in a single attempt?”
“Besides, the Imperial Grandson was present. Think about it, how could His Majesty openly favor a palace maid who looks exactly like someone who once had a grudge against his grandson?”
Princess Mingcheng’s anger eased slightly.
She asked coldly, “Then what now? Am I just supposed to sit around waiting?”
Liao Bin immediately smiled. “Of course not. Listen to me…”
He lowered his voice and whispered several sentences into her ear.
When he finished, he looked at her confidently. “Think about it. Once we do that, how could His Majesty possibly resist?”
Princess Mingcheng lowered her eyes.
After a long silence, she nodded heavily.
Agreement.
Liao Bin hurried back to report to the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince’s complexion was deathly pale, but his spirits were surprisingly good. With a mocking curl of his lips, he sneered, “They think this incident has turned me into a sickly housecat. I made my plans long ago. If I’m ill, they’ll treat me like a useless cripple. But being useless is good. Only useless people live long. Only useless people get what they want.”
Xiao Yunting had celebrated too early.
He thought that by destroying the Ren family and driving away Grand Secretary Li, the Crown Prince had been completely defeated.
But there were always more solutions than problems.
All he needed was to cultivate a favored consort. A substitute. A woman capable of influencing Emperor Yongchang.
With Mingcheng and Yongrong helping from the side, what did he have left to worry about?
He was the true power behind the curtain.
He could control Emperor Yongchang’s joys and sorrows.
He could influence every decision the emperor made.
Old ginger was still the spiciest.
Xiao Yunting thought he had seen through everything?
Bah!
The boy still had much to learn.
At that very moment, Xiao Yunting suddenly sneezed.
Emperor Yongchang immediately frowned. “I told you to take better care of yourself. Look at you!”
Xiao Yunting hurriedly smiled. “No, no. The wind just irritated my nose a little. It’s nothing.”
After speaking, he hesitated as though wanting to say something.
Emperor Yongchang snorted. “Enough. Stop acting so secretive. Do you think I don’t know the little calculations in your head? Speak. What do you want to ask?”
After a moment’s hesitation, Xiao Yunting said, “Grandfather, that Furong looks far too much like the late Noble Consort Xiao Liu. You…”
“Why wasn’t I tempted?” Emperor Yongchang interrupted with a scoff. “When something is abnormal, there’s always something suspicious behind it. When there are too many coincidences, then it must be deliberate. I’m not senile yet.”
Xiao Yunting immediately let out a long breath of relief.
Emperor Yongchang raised an eyebrow at him. “I know you want to go to the Northwest. Then go. The sooner the better. And come back as soon as you can. Preferably in time to celebrate the New Year.”
Though if he left now, it would be impossible for him to return before New Year’s.
Xiao Yunting’s throat tightened. “Grandfather… Your grandson has wronged you!”
He was referring to how he had taken advantage of Emperor Yongchang’s trust in order to bring down the Crown Prince.
Emperor Yongchang smacked him lightly on the head. “The day you returned from Longhu Mountain, you were a foolish little thing. You barely even recognized me. But a giant python escaped into the Western Garden and nearly strangled me to death. You threw yourself at it without a thought for your own safety and saved me. Yunting, I have always known that you are a good child with a kind and upright nature.”
There had always been a reason for his favor toward Xiao Yunting.
Xiao Yunting could barely remember the incident anymore. What he remembered instead was everything that had happened afterward. Emperor Yongchang had always treated him well. He brought him everywhere. Praised him. Established his authority.
All Xiao Yunting could think about was the kindness Emperor Yongchang had shown him.
With a loud thud, he knelt and kowtowed three times.
“Grandfather, your grandson will honor you forever! Even if I die, I will still honor you!”
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