Bai Shixi spoke in a cautious tone, “I only heard rumors.”
Mingxi pondered for a moment. Bai Shixi must have picked up some information from the Empress’s or the Crown Prince’s attendants, but without certainty, she could only phrase it this way.
That meant this matter might happen—or it might not.
The hall gradually fell into silence. Opposite her, Duan Wang, who was always reserved, sat with a stern expression that made him rather unapproachable.
Jin Wang and Yu Wang both maintained their smiles, but due to Side Consort Qian’s pregnancy, Yu Wang’s gaze carried a hint of gloom, leaving him with little interest in conversation.
Jin Wang, on the other hand, was immersed in the joy of impending fatherhood, completely oblivious to the moods of his brothers.
Kang Wang had always been well-behaved and cautious. Now, he was even more silent, practically a mute.
Qi Wang scanned the room. Seeing the atmosphere, he wisely chose to keep his mouth shut.
The entire hall was engulfed in quiet. Mingxi took a sip of tea, gently setting down her cup. As she lifted her gaze, she noticed Xiao Muchen, sitting not far across from her, watching her intently.
Their eyes met, and Mingxi saw the corners of his lips curve into a faint smile.
Almost instinctively, she smiled back.
That smile left her slightly dazed. At some point, she and Xiao Muchen seemed to have fallen into an increasingly natural rhythm with each other.
Whenever she saw him, he smiled.
Whenever he appeared, she found herself smiling.
Perhaps… this wasn’t so bad after all.
After all, it was better for two people to look at each other with fondness rather than resentment.
—
As night fell, the imperial palace grew livelier. The Imperial Kitchen bustled with activity, with palace servants hurrying back and forth, preparing for the evening banquet.
Amid the crowd, a seemingly insignificant palace maid kept her head lowered as she carried a basin of freshly washed vegetables toward the kitchen at a quick pace.
The moment she stepped inside, someone snatched the copper basin from her hands.
“Why are you so slow? If you delay the meal, just wait and see how the steward punishes you! What are you standing there for? Go light the fire!”
“Yes.” The palace maid staggered slightly from the push. Her eyes reddened slightly as she lowered her head and replied softly before quietly making her way to the stove.
The people coming and going in the room had obviously long been used to this scene. There were at least a few hundred people working in the Imperial Kitchen, and low-level palace maids, like those washing vegetables and tending to the fire, were rarely treated as real people.
The palace maid entered the kitchen and started to stoke the fire. Taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention, she slipped something into a basket in the corner where the stove ash was collected.
As the time for the banquet approached, the sounds in the Imperial Kitchen became increasingly frantic. The head chef was pacing around with his hands on his hips, checking everything, afraid that even the smallest mistake might occur.
The young palace maid, unnoticed in a corner, was soon called upon. The kitchen staff began to bring the food out, and she was instructed to wash dishes again.
After finishing washing the dishes, she was called away to tidy up the tables. Her small, thin figure darted through the crowd, constantly running back to her stove to add more firewood to keep the flames alive.
If she let the fire go out and delayed the cooking, she would definitely be beaten.
As the previous group of workers returned, the cold dishes were sent out, and the palace maid continued to rush about, constantly being called here and there.
When she was again summoned to help with chopping vegetables, she pulled out a small porcelain bottle, no larger than a thumb, hidden in the stove ash.
Each person had their own responsibilities. The food station she was called to was the area where the palace maid who had shoved her earlier was now responsible for delivering the food.
At that moment, the scene in Kunde Palace was bustling. The Emperor and Empress were seated high above, with concubines and royal princes and princesses seated below in their respective places. The palace was alive with singing and dancing, the sounds of strings and bamboo instruments filling the air.
Mingxi sat beside Consort Shu and Xiao Muchen. At this moment, the Crown Prince was leading a group of brothers to toast the Emperor, the royal family appearing harmonious and joyful.
Consort Shu turned to speak with Consort Gui beside her, saying something that made them both smile, raising their cups to drink. Mingxi noticed that Jin Wangfei, sitting next to Consort Gui, was looking at her.
She gave the other woman a faint, dismissive smile and then turned her gaze away.
At that moment, Xiao Muchen strode back and sat down next to Mingxi. Seeing the insincere smile on her face, he asked, “What’s wrong?”
Mingxi’s face remained unchanged, but she replied, “Today, Jin Wangfei’s gaze towards me made me uncomfortable. I haven’t offended her, so I don’t know why she’s looking at me like that.”
Xiao Muchen, hearing this, was about to look over at Jin Wangfei, but Mingxi gently tugged at his sleeve. “Don’t look. If you do, won’t she know I’m complaining about her?”
“So what if she knows?” Xiao Muchen gave a light laugh. “Are you afraid of her?”
“Not really, I just find it troublesome.”
Conflicts between women couldn’t be resolved by using weapons; the only way to fight was with words, and that was tiresome.
Xiao Muchen looked at her again, then smiled and whispered, “Jin Wang’s side consort is pregnant, and Jin Wang couldn’t wait to tell His Majesty. Watch, the Jin Wang Mansion will be lively now.”
Mingxi slowly said, “Jin Wang is really too eager. At least he should have waited until Side Consort Qian was settled before reporting this.”
If something were to happen to Qian, Jin Wang would have trouble explaining himself to the Emperor.
“Jin Wang has always wanted to suppress the Crown Prince. With this opportunity, he can’t contain himself.”
“Perhaps Jin Wang did it intentionally, revealing this matter in front of the Emperor. Maybe he’s trying to protect Side Consort Qian.”
Side Consort Qian was a low-born whom Jin Wang had met on his journey, taken a liking to, and brought back to the capital, eventually making her his Side Consort.
Mingxi had heard that for this matter, Jin Wang had been scolded by Consort Gui, and Jin Wangfei had tried to stop it, but unfortunately, Jin Wang was resolute.
The Emperor didn’t care much for a Side Consort as long as her family background was clean and her character proper.
Qian’s father was a local magistrate, and while his reputation wasn’t bad, it wasn’t comparable to that of the high aristocratic families in the capital.
Since entering the Mansion, Side Consort Qian had been obedient and discreet. If it weren’t for her pregnancy, others might have forgotten she even existed.
Xiao Muchen didn’t take Mingxi’s words too seriously. If Jin Wang truly wanted to protect Side Consort Qian, he would surely safeguard her and the child.
If there were other motives, that was another matter.
At this moment, Li Peilan, sitting next to Duchess Cao, looked unhappy. She leaned towards her mother and said in a low voice, “I really don’t understand what Duan Wang sees in Duan Mingxi. Is it just her face?”
Duchess Cao responded lazily, “If he really likes her for that face, it would be fine. But without that face, what do you think she would be like?”
At this moment, a palace maid, holding a tray of food painted with bright red lacquer, came forward. The palace maid who had previously bullied the small palace maid in the kitchen was now the one bringing the food to Mingxi.
With a very polite smile, she placed the delicacies in front of Duan Wang’s table.
