Chapter 1234: Chapter 1234: Minor Selection
"Even if the Emperor chooses not to be close to me, I am still his own mother!"
"Some matters make it difficult for me to see my son being wronged!"
The Empress Dowager sternly reprimanded.
As she spoke, her gaze fiercely focused on Xia Ruqing.
In Xia Ruqing’s heart, bewilderment brewed.
What nonsense is this?
Did I offend your son?
Though it was known that the old witch had long disliked her, she would usually show some decorum.
What happened today?
Is she mad? What benefit does she gain by disrupting the harem?
With such thoughts in mind.
Xia Ruqing promptly stood up.
As she rose, all the concubines behind her followed suit, speaking in unison.
"Empress Dowager, please quell your anger!"
The Empress Dowager let out a cold chuckle.
"Quell my anger!"
"How am I to quell my anger?"
She pointed fiercely at the foreheads of the dozen concubines behind Xia Ruqing.
"It’s been over a decade!"
"You’ve been in the palace for over a decade!"
"And still, my son’s harem remains so sparse!"
"Lady Xia! Ever since you gained favor, you’ve monopolized the Emperor, leaving the harem barren, and the royal family unable to flourish, you..."
"You’re simply despicable!"
Xia Ruqing: "..."
So, this is where the issue lies!
Monopolize the Emperor?
Absurd, she entered the palace as a mere weak woman, barely able to protect her own life, how could she possibly have the power to monopolize the Emperor?!
Unable to flow blessings?
Then where did the Emperor’s other children come from? Did they jump out of rocks?
Unable to flourish? More confusion.
Four sons and four daughters, with eight children, if this doesn’t count as flourishing, then she truly doesn’t know what flourishing means.
Upon reflection, she felt the Empress Dowager was simply picking faults today.
"Empress Dowager, I don’t understand your intentions! Please enlighten me!"
Just intent on tearing things apart, say it straightforwardly!
Why speak in such a veiled manner? Want her to guess?
The Empress Dowager chuckled coldly and continued hurling insults at her.
"Intention? Lady Xia, stop feigning ignorance!"
"It’s been three or four years since the last selection, last year the Emperor’s southern tour hindered a full selection, this year it should take place!"
"Yet up to now, I’ve heard no such news!"
"This is ancestral custom, do you intend to defy tradition?"
"You jealous woman, the Emperor belongs to the whole world, not just to you!"
"You..."
Xia Ruqing suddenly understood, so it’s about the selection!
She thought for a moment and responded truthfully.
"I originally remembered, and sought the Emperor’s opinion!"
"But the Emperor said that the affairs in Guangnan and Jiangnan recently ended, and he wasn’t in the mood, thus it was postponed!"
What she said was factual.
Though her tone lacked much reverence.
Exuding an attitude of ’I have backing, what can you do to me.’
The Empress Dowager was infuriated, her nose flaring.
"You...!"
She turned to Shih Wanxin, harshly addressing Xia Ruqing.
"Jealous woman! Malicious woman!"
"Even if Wanxin is victimized, casting her into the fire, I have nothing to say!"
"But monopolizing the Emperor is ultimately wrong!"
"The Emperor is ultimately my son, born after ten months of gestation!"
"How can I, as his mother, simply watch as he suffers injustice?"
"Inform the Emperor, this year’s selection will proceed as usual!"
"I am his mother, this minor decision I can certainly make!"
Xia Ruqing: "..."
She felt the Empress Dowager had planted a big trap for her.
However... there’s a saying in tactics about turning the situation.
Thinking swiftly, she appeared compliant.
"Yes, I will heed the Empress Dowager’s teachings, I will report the selection matter to the Emperor again!"
The Empress Dowager finally seemed at ease, nodded her head.
"At least you possess some clarity!"
"However..."
She paused before continuing.
"It’s already March, the selection is untimely, choose some girls from prominent families within the Capital City, to fill the harem!"
"I hope the Empress arranges this well!"
"I do not wish for my son’s harem to have just one or two additions, nor do I wish to see my son suffer any more!"
"Yes!"
Xia Ruqing was certain the Empress Dowager intended to meddle.
She wanted to see what the Empress Dowager was scheming.
Thus.
She agreed to all the many demands the Empress Dowager introduced.
In the end, both Consort Cheng and Consort Hui looked at her with concern.
Xia Ruqing just faintly smiled, giving them a reassuring glance.
...
The concubines remained in Ningshou Palace for a full Shi Chen before the Empress Dowager released them.
Once everyone left.
The Empress Dowager went to the inner room’s small shrine.
Having embarrassed Xia Ruqing before the concubines, her mood was quite uplifted.
Shih Wanxin attended her carefully from the side.
"Empress Dowager, this woman is the most insidious and treacherous, I don’t believe she will surrender obediently."
The Empress Dowager chuckled coldly.
"Do you think she’ll complain to the Emperor?"
Shih Wanxin remained silent, nodding slightly.
The Empress Dowager scoffed dismissively.
"Beyond that skill, what else can she do?"
"The selection is right and proper, even complaining to the Emperor is of no help!"
"Rest assured! The wise might even err!"
"Even Heaven should have open eyes to grant us victory this time!"
Shih Wanxin nodded.
"Given this, I ask the Empress Dowager to bear with me!"
The Empress Dowager nodded.
"No problem!"
"We are partners now!"
"Once we win this round!"
"You gain him, I gain the empire, a win-win!"
Shih Wanxin smiled contentedly.
In her heart, after some contemplation, she hesitated before softly addressing her as Aunt.
"You truly care for me the most!"
The Empress Dowager didn’t bother to disguise anything, her sharp gaze sarcastically focused on her.
"Don’t play this trick!"
"I am not moved by your emotional cards!"
Anticipating this, Shih Wanxin smiled serenely.
"Back then, I was indeed blinded by foolishness!"
"I wholeheartedly wanted him, believing that by doing so, he would love and favor me like before!"
"But I was wrong!"
"A man who changes his heart is like spoiled food!"
"No matter how unwilling, even if starved, it cannot be consumed, it must be discarded!"
The Empress Dowager chuckled coldly.
"You might be considered enlightened now!"
"I won’t speak subtly!"
"Forget about the little blood tie between us!"
"If not for using some tricks, having utility to me!"
"Do you think you’d still be alive now?!"
Shih Wanxin’s eyes finally turned cold.
She hesitated for a moment, finally calmly saluting.
"Yes! Empress Dowager!"
The Empress Dowager was satisfied with that address.
She waved her hand, letting out a yawn.
"Alright, you head down first!"
"Be cautious, there are informers everywhere in our vicinity!"
"This matter must not leak in the slightest!"
Shih Wanxin nodded in acknowledgment, then withdrew.
Once the Empress Dowager saw everyone had departed, she too got up.
She left the small shrine, sitting before the brass mirror.
Staring at her unusually flushed complexion and increasingly prosperous figure, she let out a faintly bitter smile.
