Chapter 146: Everything Is Here!

The next morning, early.

The Emperor dined in the Empress's Palace and that night stayed at Fengyi Palace.

The unprecedented news spread through every corner of the harem like it had grown wings.

"Did you hear? His Majesty spent last night at Fengyi Palace!"

"It's as if the sun rose in the west!"

"Exactly! How long has His Majesty not entered the gates of Fengyi Palace?"

"I think so, because that Little Princess now lives inside Fengyi Palace."

"Tsk tsk tsk, that Little Princess is truly blessed!"

"Indeed! I heard last night Fengyi Palace was full of laughter and merriment, so lively!"

"With her there, His Majesty might start visiting every day!"

"The Empress is truly being favored this time!"

Consort Hui and Consort Rong, who were sipping tea together in a pavilion of the Imperial Garden, grew increasingly displeased as they listened.

Consort Rong set down her tea cup, her beautiful face full of discontent: "How long has His Majesty not entered Fengyi Palace! The Empress's Palace has been empty for so many years, you can't expect iron trees to bloom!"

"Sister, choose your words carefully," Consort Hui gently pressed her hand, "His Majesty merely wishes to thank the Empress for her hard work in managing palace affairs, and since the Princess resides in her palace, a bit more favor is natural. No need for you to mind it."

Just as Consort Rong was about to speak again, a figure in a royal‑blue small robe ran over crying and flung herself into her arms—it was her six‑year‑old Eleventh Prince Xiao Lin.

"Mother Consort! Mother Consort! Wuwu..."

Consort Rong held the child, wiping his tears with a brocade handkerchief: "What's wrong, Lin'er? Who bullied you?"

"Mother Consort! My fish are gone! Wuwu..." Xiao Lin sobbed breathlessly, "The few most beautiful fish with red‑yellow patterns have all disappeared!"

"How could the fish disappear?"

"They say they were taken by that newly arrived Little Princess!"

"Those are the fish I feed daily! How can she take my fish!"

The child's wailing was like a knife, twisting Consort Rong's heart with pain.

"Oh dear! Those few brocade koi are foreign tribute!" Consort Hui exclaimed, then shook her head slightly, "His Majesty cherishes them daily, yet the Empress lets the Princess run wild with them."

She sighed softly, "The Empress really is something; His Majesty was only there for one night."

"Tribute items can't be so freely taken by the Little Princess on a whim! If this spreads, won't people mock our harem for having no discipline?"

She picked up a pastry from the table and handed it to Xiao Lin: "Be good, stop crying; it wouldn't be good if the Empress heard you."

"Alas, perhaps the Empress has been without a child by her side for so long that she momentarily forgot propriety in her joy."

"Her palace's child treats tribute as nothing, yet my son must hold back his cries so she doesn't hear?"

"She forgot propriety, but I cannot turn a blind eye!"

She sprang to her feet: "I'll go to Fengyi Palace right now and ask the Empress whether the harem's rules are still needed!"

Consort Hui reached out as if to hold her: "Sister! Do not be like this! Now the Empress governs the Six Palaces; confronting her directly will only backfire!" Yet her hand never touched even a fragment of Consort Rong's robe.

Consort Rong, clutching her continuously sobbing son, stormed toward Fengyi Palace.

After passing the reception hall and entering the main hall, Consort Rong suddenly halted in her tracks.

Usually cold and empty, Fengyi Palace was now filled with warmth.

The mischievous Little Princess wore a smiling face, playing chase with the Empress's lion‑cat throughout the house, her bell‑like laughter ringing endlessly.

Mu Rong Jin sat on the main seat, a gentle, indulgent smile at his lips, his gaze constantly following that tiny figure.

What is this? Consort Rong's sharp eyes spotted on the Empress's side table a remarkably familiar Nine‑Dragon Jade Pendant!

That is clearly His Majesty's personal item!

Did His Majesty rush here this morning?

Consort Rong felt a surge of genuine fury rise to her head, but she suppressed it, pulling her son and hastily bowing to Mu Rong Jin: "I, your servant, request an audience with the Empress."

Mu Rong Jin's smile faded slightly: "Consort Rong, you seek an audience now; what urgent matter?"

"I have come for the sake of the harem's discipline!" Consort Rong straightened her back, fury blazing, "My son just went to the Azure Pool to feed the fish, and discovered several precious tribute brocade koi had vanished!"

"A palace attendant reported that this was done by Princess Jiayou yesterday!"

"Princess Jiayou disregards palace rules, unlawfully handling tribute; she should be punished!"

"Now the Empress governs the Six Palaces; she must act justly to set an example for the harem!"

Hearing his mother's words, Xiao Lin's halted sobbing resumed: "My fish! My fish are gone! Wuwu, I'll find them! Where are they?"

Tuan Tuan, who had been chasing a cat, stopped upon hearing this, blinking her big eyes at Xiao Lin and, as if obvious, patting her little belly, "Ah, the fish that jumped ashore yesterday? They won't come back; they're all right here!"

Xiao Lin was stunned at first, then let out a "Wow" and wailed earth‑shatteringly.

Tuan Tuan tilted her head, her face puzzled: "Why do you keep your fish outside? Not in your own palace? I didn't even know they were yours!"

"You!" Consort Rong, dizzy with anger, "Fallacious reasoning! Tribute is tribute, wherever it's kept! You cannot act recklessly!"

She turned to Mu Rong Jin: "Empress, you heard everything; the Princess has admitted it herself, please adjudicate impartially!"

Mu Rong Jin listened quietly, restrained from rolling his eyes, and slowly said, "Punish? In my view, it's unnecessary."

Consort Rong was startled: "Empress, are you shielding and indulging the Princess?"

"Consort Rong," Mu Rong Jin said calmly, "Because those fish were also used by His Majesty and me. Last night's grand fish banquet was prepared with those fish."

Consort Rong was so shocked she could not close her mouth: "His—His Majesty?"

"Consort Rong, if we follow your logic, eating those fish violates palace rules; are you now intending to punish both me and His Majesty as well?"

Consort Rong's complexion shifted from pale to white, and she remained silent for a long moment.

Punish the Emperor and Empress? Even with ten thousand chances, she wouldn't dare!

She froze in place, trapped, suddenly feeling she should never have come!

"Lin'er!" she turned, intending to call her son to leave quickly.

Turning back, the Mother Consort saw her son, who had been crying his heart out just moments ago, not knowing when he had already squatted together with Tuan Tuan.

He reached out his little hand, trying to touch that aloof lion cat.

"Don't be scared! Its fur is soft! Learn from me! You have to pet it like this for it to let you touch it!"

Tuan Tuan supported Xiao Lin's little hand and gently placed it on Snowball's back.

Snowball didn't dodge, looking proud and aloof as it flicked its tail.

Xiao Lin lifted his head in delight, tears still hanging on his face, yet he was beaming with joy: "Mother Consort! Look! Snowball let me touch it! It used to ignore me! Tuan Tuan is great!"

Consort Rong felt a wave of dizziness, her chest tight, almost unable to breathe.

She gritted her teeth and forced out: "Come here! Your Majesty the Empress, I take my leave!"

Seeing this, Xiao Lin, though very reluctant, obediently followed them out, and even as he reached the palace gate he didn't forget to turn back and wave at Tuan Tuan and Snowball: "I'll come play again later!"

Murong Jin watched the mother and son's backs, glanced at Tuan Tuan, and shook his head, laughing and crying at once.

Consort Rong returned to her palace, where Consort Hui was seated properly inside the hall.