The Eastern Palace was in utter chaos. Bai Shixi held her daughter in her arms while her attendants hurriedly packed their belongings. Su Ying was running around tirelessly. There was no time to be afraid over the Crown Prince’s demotion—her mind was focused only on making sure the young lady’s dowry was taken out in its entirety.
Life would surely be hard in the days ahead, so these material things were more important than ever.
“Madam, Concubine Chen and Concubine Jiang are fighting again. What should we do?” a palace maid came rushing to report.
Bai Shixi responded calmly, “Tell them this—if they don’t want to leave, then they can stay behind.”
The maid was taken aback. The Crown Princess had always been gentle and courteous, yet now she revealed a bit of backbone. But to stay? Stay for what?
The Third Prince was no longer the Crown Prince. If his women remained in the Eastern Palace, what would happen if word reached the Emperor?
The maid quickly went to deliver the message. Su Ying had just returned from her errands. Upon hearing this, she muttered angrily, “At a time like this, they still don’t know their place. If they go to Donghua Palace, they won’t settle down anyway.”
Bai Shixi thought to herself—unruly is good. Once they reach Donghua Palace, if they keep making a scene, His Highness—the Third Prince now—certainly won’t indulge them anymore.
“Where is His Highness?” Bai Shixi tightened her hold on her daughter and looked toward the main hall of the Eastern Palace.
Su Ying shook her head. The palace was in disarray, and ever since the decree abolishing the Crown Prince was issued, many palace staff had been secretly seeking ways to escape.
“I heard His Highness locked himself in and won’t see anyone. Madam, the scheduled hour is almost upon us—what should we do?”
The transfer of the deposed Crown Prince to another residence had a set time.
These past few years, Bai Shixi and the Crown Prince had maintained appearances while harboring mutual coldness—he was heartless, and she was guarded. Now the day had finally come. She no longer had to endure the Empress’s disapproving looks for bearing a daughter, nor the Crown Prince’s indifference due to her family’s lack of power. And she had long since stopped counting on her natal family for help. She had always relied only on herself.
At this moment, she was simply thankful she’d given birth to a daughter. If it had been a son… it was questionable whether he would have survived this.
“If His Highness doesn’t want to leave yet, then we’ll go first,” Bai Shixi said decisively.
Su Ying didn’t hesitate. “Yes. The dowry has already been loaded into carts.” Then she lowered her voice. “Duan Wangfei has already arranged with the guards outside to ensure your dowry arrives safely and completely.”
Su Ying had not expected that, in a moment of crisis, the one most concerned for her lady would be none other than Duan Wangfei.
Her heart was full of gratitude. With this confinement, they might never be free again. If they couldn’t preserve the young lady’s dowry, their future life would be miserable.
Bai Shixi gave a faint smile and looked down at her daughter. The little girl was over a year old, in the most lively stage—but she was unusually quiet, her dark eyes gazing at her mother, then giving a pure and innocent smile.
Bai Shixi held her daughter closer and said softly to Su Ying, “We’re free now. Let’s live a peaceful life. After a couple years, once the storm has passed, I’ll ask Duan Wangfei to help find you a good match.”
Su Ying’s eyes turned red as she shook her head. “I won’t marry. I’ll stay by the young lady’s side.”
If she left, what would happen to her and the little one? She couldn’t leave.
Bai Shixi had already made up her mind. She simply smiled at Su Ying. “Let’s go.”
“Madam!”
Bai Shixi had only just stepped out when a voice called to her. Turning back, she saw Xie Yiniang being supported by a maid, making her way over.
“Madam, I’ll go with you.”
Bai Shixi was surprised. She had thought Xie Muhua, who was so favored by His Highness, would surely stay with him.
“You’re coming with me?” Bai Shixi looked at her. “Not staying with His Highness?”
Xie Muhua gave a sincere smile. “I want to go with you. Ever since I entered the Eastern Palace, Madam has treated me with generosity and kindness. I have considerable personal wealth—I’ll help you take care of the young lady.”
Bai Shixi: ?
“That won’t be necessary. My dowry is more than enough to raise her.” Bai Shixi didn’t sense any malice in her expression—her eyes were bright and clear. It felt hard to turn her away. “If you really want to come, then fine.”
At the very least, she was less troublesome than Chen or Jiang. Bringing her along might not be a bad thing. It was just strange—a favored concubine choosing not to stay with His Highness but to follow her instead.
Hearing Bai Shixi accept her, Xie Muhua let out a quiet sigh of relief. Duan Wangfei had asked her to look after the Crown Princess. Though she had found it odd, the task had to be done.
And besides, she was pregnant now. Staying with Madam just felt more dependable than staying with His Highness.
Meanwhile, Chen and Jiang, still in the midst of their quarrel, heard that Bai Shixi had already left with Xie Yiniang. They panicked, stopped fighting, and hurried to pack up and catch up.
The deposed Crown Prince, now the Third Prince, was stunned when he heard his consort and concubines had left him behind for Donghua Palace.
They… just left?
He flew into a rage and completely wrecked the main hall of the Eastern Palace.
On the other side, Mingxi wasn’t paying attention to the Crown Prince’s fate. She only cared that Bai Shixi had safely moved into Donghua Palace. With Xie Muhua’s help, the likes of Chen and Jiang wouldn’t be able to stir up much trouble.
With her dowry and Xie Muhua’s wealth, Bai Shixi wouldn’t suffer for the time being. What came next would depend on time. Mingxi had done all she could for now.
The Emperor’s decision to move the deposed Crown Prince into Donghua Palace made it clear that Bai Shixi, as the Third Prince’s consort, would be safest by keeping a low profile and staying well-behaved.
The scandal surrounding the Crown Prince quickly faded as the first shipment of silver from Donggang arrived. Though it was only a few tens of thousands of taels, it was the first batch from the silver mine.
The Donggang Maritime Bureau was officially established. The Emperor dispatched a trusted official to oversee it, and with no objections from the court, even Zhang Gelao, lacking full confidence, refrained from making a move.
Donggang’s Maritime Bureau was like a savory meat bun—who wouldn’t want a bite?
But His Majesty was keeping a close watch, and no one dared to make a move lightly.
The only one who could openly establish a connection and do business through the Maritime Bureau was the Duan family!
The Xie family, who once fought bitterly with the Duans, withdrew swiftly and cleanly after the Crown Prince was deposed, adopting an extremely proper attitude. In the blink of an eye, Zhiyi’s first birthday arrived.
Mingxi and Xiao Muchen didn’t throw a grand celebration—just invited a few close families for a small gathering, and the matter passed quietly.
Consort Shu felt her granddaughter had been wronged, but with the turmoil around the deposed Crown Prince only just settling, Xiao Muchen truly couldn’t afford to make a spectacle. It was something they had no choice about.
Since the start of spring this year, the weather had been favorable, and good harvests were reported across Great Chu. After the summer harvest, the national treasury became quite full, and the Emperor’s mood noticeably improved.
It was at this time that Tan Guiren was reported to be pregnant.
That truly was a stone that stirred up a thousand ripples.
