CHAPTER 635: CHAPTER 635: SPECIAL GRANT

The two eunuchs looked at each other uncertainly.

"An unusual incident?"

They obviously didn’t quite understand.

Li Shengan grew somewhat anxious.

"It’s... something out of the ordinary. Regarding... Honored Lady Du or Honored Lady Cheng!"

It was said that there wasn’t any conflict between the two Honored Ladies before this. It couldn’t have been that right from the start, one was after the other’s life. So there must have been some irregularity behind the scenes.

The two eunuchs started scratching their heads in thought. After mulling over it for quite a while, they still couldn’t come up with any explanation.

The managing eunuch from Zhaoxiang Pavilion spoke with consideration, "As for Honored Lady Du, she is a bit restless on normal days, liking to talk back to our master! But our master, Consort Hui Pin, is good-natured and doesn’t hold it against her. She can’t cause any trouble!! Besides, there was a time when Honored Lady Du loved to visit the Empress’s Jiaofang Hall! Every time she came back, her complexion didn’t look good, and we servants didn’t dare to speculate further! Other irregularities... I really can’t think of any!"

Anyhow, that’s always been Honored Lady Du’s way. Not good at speaking, nor is she popular. She always acts superior, but in reality... what kind of life she leads is only known to herself.

Li Shengan asked further, "Recently, has there been any conflict with Honored Lady Cheng?"

The managing eunuch didn’t even think before answering, "Eunuch Li, you probably know as well, given Honored Lady Du’s disposition, there aren’t many in the palace she hasn’t had disputes with! Arguing with this one today, talking back to that one tomorrow, that’s not unusual! It would actually be unusual if she didn’t do that!"

Li Shengan: "..."

Well, there was nothing more worth asking here. He turned his attention to the managing eunuch from Yichun Palace.

"What about you? Do you have any clues? How could your Honored Lady Cheng have encountered such an incident, seemingly out of the blue?"

The managing eunuch from Yichun Palace seemed even more troubled. What’s there to say? Isn’t Honored Lady Cheng’s temperament quite good too? It might even rival Consort Xian Pin’s in that regard.

He immediately knelt down and said, "Eunuch Li, the temperament of our Honored Lady Cheng is well known in the Harem! Everyone says Consort Xian Pin is of good nature; our lady here isn’t far behind. Not to mention scolding servants, she rarely even raises her voice in speech! Though she doesn’t receive many rewards, her daily grace is not lacking! As for conflicts, there are none whatsoever! We have never seen our Honored Lady Cheng get into a heated argument with anyone!"

The two managing eunuchs had said all they could.

Zhao Junyao then waved them off, letting them go.

Li Shengan also became worried. "Emperor, this is probably not a conflict!"

If it wasn’t a conflict, then it was a conspiracy! Honored Lady Du was being used as a pawn. But who was behind it all?

Zhao Junyao narrowed his eyes. Could it be... the Empress?

"Leave it to the Punishment Department!" he ordered. "You also keep an eye on it. I will not tolerate any deceit under my nose! If this is overlooked, what about next time? What would my Harem become!"

Li Shengan quickly knelt down and kowtowed. "Yes, your servant obeys!"

Li Shengan had been in the palace for many years and possessed formidable means. The Punishment Department was not subject to the Harem’s restrictions, answering directly to the Emperor. Therefore, they were his own trusted agents, and there was no need to worry about them falsifying anything. Handing the case over to them meant it was likely to be thoroughly investigated.

So, Zhao Junyao let the matter rest.

Lunch had been late, so he didn’t eat much for dinner either. Tired from the day, Zhao Junyao went to rest in Zichen Hall.

The night passed peacefully.

「On the seventeenth day of the sixth month of the sixth year of Jiayuan, Emperor Jiayuan’s second son was born.」

On the twentieth day of the sixth month of the sixth year of Jiayuan, after the Little Prince’s first bath ceremony, the Emperor decreed that, in recognition of Lady Cheng’s merit in bearing an imperial heir, she be promoted to Jieyu of the Fourth Rank.

Since the Little Prince was born prematurely, Lady Cheng was granted the special privilege of raising him until his first birthday.

At the end of the sixth month of the sixth year of Jiayuan, the Little Prince fell seriously ill. Lady Cheng took meticulous care of him, watching over him day and night.

Appreciating her wholehearted maternal devotion and considering her consistent virtue and gentle quality, the Emperor granted a special decree, promoting Cheng Jieyu to Pin of the Third Rank. As the Little Prince was young and frail, he would not be moved for the time being. Further rewards would be considered upon the Prince’s first birthday.

Upon the issuance of the imperial edict, the entire Imperial Palace was abuzz. Yet, oddly enough, nobody could utter a word of objection.

After all, she had given birth to the Second Prince. When the Second Prince was critically ill, she had attended to him day and night without rest, until the Little Prince recovered. Such motherly grace was enough to move heaven and earth. The Emperor’s reward was well within reason. Therefore, even the Empress Dowager could not oppose it.

With this, Honored Lady Cheng’s streak of bad luck finally came to an end. First, she encountered Honored Lady Du, which led to her child’s premature birth. Then, due to the premature birth, illness took root. Even a slight chill had almost cost her child’s life. During those days, Honored Lady Cheng didn’t know how she had managed to pull through.

Thus, when she received the decree, she almost couldn’t hold back her tears. After sending away those who had come to congratulate her, she went back, shut the door, and had a good cry.

"My Lady, are you feeling unwell anywhere?" Huan Cui asked, her eyes red with fright.

"No... no, I am just happy, so happy!" Cheng Pin choked out. "Huan Cui, we’ve finally made it through the hard times!"

A mother gains status through her son. Now, as a Pin, she had borne the Second Prince. Following the usual course of events, she would never fall out of favor in her lifetime. A Pin with a Prince would indeed have a better life than many others, not just now, but also in her later years. Even if her son became a Prince and took her to his fiefdom to be well provided for, enjoying her grandchildren wouldn’t be difficult. Hence, she would have security for life.

How wonderful!

Holding the decree, she looked at it over and over, tears still falling.

Huan Cui, too, wept for joy. "My Lady, on this joyful day, please don’t cry! Didn’t the Sister say that crying during confinement is bad for one’s health?"

Consort Cheng Pin quickly nodded. "Yes! I’ll stop crying, I won’t cry anymore!"

Huan Cui took the decree and let out a chuckle. "My Lady, you are now a Pin! From now on, you should refer to yourself as ’this palace.’ Come on, say it once, try it out?"

Consort Cheng Pin blushed with discomfort. "This... palace?"

Such strange words, so noble. She never imagined that one day, she could use these words, that she could become a Pin! She was no deity; she couldn’t remain undisturbed by honor or disgrace.

The maid addressed her as ’Your Highness,’ while she practiced referring to herself as ’this palace.’ They were excited for a long time before finally calming down.

The sound of a baby’s cry came from the side chamber, and they immediately fell silent.

"My Lady, don’t get up. I’ll go check!"

Consort Cheng Pin was somewhat worried but still nodded her head.

Actually... there was nothing wrong with the Little Prince; he had just wet his nappy. When Huan Cui came back and told her, both master and servant laughed.

「The Yichun Palace was filled with joy.」

The rest of the Harem, however, was not pleased. But this was normal; in the palace, who would want to see someone else soar to great heights? If someone else skyrocketed, wouldn’t that mean they themselves had been trampled into the mud?

Noble Concubine Shih, long neglected, sneered. "Hmph! That Lady Cheng is truly fortunate!" Her cousin hadn’t come to see her again, and now she lacked the confidence to look for trouble in anyone else’s quarters. The only thing she could do was make some sour comments behind their backs.