Chapter 378: then translation of title, then ===GLOSSARY=== with list of named entities

Grand Princess Xiyue led a mighty throng, striding swiftly over.

She grabbed Pei Lao Furen and helped her up first.

"Old General, you've been wronged; please rise quickly."

Grand Princess Xiyue respectfully comforted Pei Lao Furen, then turned to Pei Zixuan and sneered: "Consort Jing, you are merely a low-ranking consort, yet you dare to humiliate and disrespect General Pei, a meritorious minister!"

"You Pei family, you truly open my eyes again!"

Pei Zixuan's face changed.

Although she is a young mistress of the inner palace, nominally she is considered of a generation above Grand Princess Xiyue.

But in fact, before this eldest legitimate grand princess Xiyue, even Pei family's daughter Pei Zixuan, despite now being a consort young mistress, still bears a lesser aura.

This Grand Princess Xiyue doesn't even give the Empress much face.

How could someone like me, a consort, earn even a shred of her respect?

But whenever the Pei family is mentioned, Pei Zixuan still cannot help but darken her face.

"I am, after all, His Majesty's consort; they were the first to insult my family..."

"Do I not even have the right to seek justice for my family?"

Grand Princess Xiyue: "Justice?"

"Rather than argue who's right or wrong, let me decide: first summon the Duke and Duchess, and let us get to the bottom of this today."

Pei Liuniang: "No……"

Her low exclamation made Pei Zixuan immediately realize and lower her head to glare at her.

Could there really be some hidden truth behind this?

However, Pei Liuniang and Pei Shiniang now dare not meet Pei Zixuan's gaze.

What they said earlier were naturally biased and exaggerated; they would never admit that they were the ones who provoked others.

Moreover, the attitude of my great-uncle and elder brother toward Li Qingluo and her grandmother has become quite friendly.

If they were to find out that the two of them had stirred up trouble and even gotten Fifth Sister to speak up for the family, I fear they would……

Seeing her two cousins' expressions, Pei Zixuan had no doubt left.

She suppressed her anger and could only continue to endure Grand Princess Xiyue's incessant ridicule.

"Consort Jing, you today used power for personal gain, found a pretext to stir up trouble, and brought people to shout loudly outside the Empress Dowager's palace."

"As a consort of the Father Emperor, you have disturbed the Grand Empress's tranquility—what propriety is this, and what punishment do you deserve?!"

"I never expected that, while appearing respectful, courteous, gentle, virtuous, and obedient before the Father Emperor and Empress Dowager, your true nature in private would be so vicious and malicious."

"You really know how to put on a show!"

Pei Zixuan's face turned pale as well.

Now, who exactly is making the racket?

But if Grand Princess Xiyue were to present this to His Majesty and the Empress Dowager, wouldn't all I've done since entering the palace be for naught?

Pei Zixuan: "Princess, you have misunderstood me. I acted only out of concern for my family; if not for Li Qingluo's aggressive pressure, I would not have……"

Grand Princess Xiyue gave a cold sneer and rolled her eyes: "Enough!"

"I am neither blind nor deaf."

"It is you who, relying on your status as a consort young mistress, have first bullied others excessively—can't Miss Li, who is flesh and blood, say a few words in her defense?"

"We are members of the imperial family and not unreasonable lunatics; if everyone used power to silence speech, where would justice be in this world?"

"Moreover, stop putting on an act before the Grand Empress."

"You don't even respect your own paternal great-aunt; how could I believe you truly respect my Grand Empress?"

Having said that, Grand Princess Xiyue no longer paid any attention to the utterly displeased Pei Zixuan.

Supporting Pei Lao Furen and the just‑risen Li Qingluo, they strode away.

"Come, I'll accompany you back."

"Today I shall see who still dares to bully others by relying on power!"

Pei Zixuan clenched her palms, waiting for them to go far, then prepared to follow and leave quickly.

Behind her, another familiar voice sounded: "Consort Jing, please stay."

Seeing the arrival, Pei Zixuan forced a smile: "Aunt Fang, why have you come out?"

"But I just… disturbed the Empress Dowager?"

Pei Zixuan's eyes reddened; she bore the day's grievances and responsibilities alone, enduring in silence.

Aunt Fang merely smiled: "The Empress Dowager indeed heard the commotion and sent this old servant to check."

"You know, Consort Jing, the Empress Dowager has kept to quiet these years and does not like bustle."

"Unless she wished to accompany His Majesty for the sacrificial rites, she would hardly ever leave the Palace of Longevity."

"Consort Jing, you have many sisters; if you offend the Empress Dowager again, even I would find it hard to intercede."

"For the next couple of days, Consort Jing, you need not go to pay respects to the Empress Dowager."

Having said that, Aunt Fang gave a slight bow, left Pei Zixuan and the Pei sisters standing stunned, and turned to leave directly.

"She… she is actually someone close to the Empress Dowager…"

Pei Liuniang's face turned deathly white; she was utterly terrified.

Pei Zixuan looked at her again, unable to believe it.

Knowing it again involved Pei Liuniang, she felt a surge of fierce anger flare in her chest.

"But this is, after all, the Empress Dowager's palace; I can only suppress my near‑mad anger and hiss: 'How could I have not known you were such a fool before!'"

"What exactly have you done to help me this time?"

The three Pei sisters, in disarray, hurriedly left with the palace attendants.

After everyone had left, the Empress Dowager wearily shook her head and sighed, "These ladies of the Pei family—each generation is worse than the last."

Fang Auntie said, "Empress Dowager, this old servant sees that this young lady of the Li family really has some of the graceful spirit the old general had in his youth."

"Whether in appearance or in her steady yet unconstrained temperament, she is far superior to those Pei family ladies."

"Perhaps she really is quite good."

Empress Dowager: "And what of it?"

"Hmph."

"If it weren't for this wicked Fifth Prince grabbing hold of my weakness, this humble one would not have left the palace to carry this lady in a sedan chair."

"Even if she is the biological granddaughter of Pei Xiuzhen, how could her pedigree possibly match that of a noble and luxurious imperial prince?"

Fang Auntie wiped the fine sweat from her forehead.

"Empress Dowager, this isn't something His Majesty asked you for, is it?"

"Prince Su, Your Highness, is enamored with Miss Li. He wishes to request an edict for marriage, but Miss Li's family background and clan standing… indeed lie here, putting His Majesty in a difficult position."

"Isn't this just something you came up with this time, using this Xiamiao affair to let you boost that young lady's status?"

Upon mentioning this matter, the Empress Dowager grew angry.

She slapped the edge of the table and cursed, "The emperor is muddle-headed!"

"If back then we had eradicated the root, we would have dug out and burned that empty edict long ago; could there be a day when the Fifth Prince acts so recklessly, disregarding the imperial family's dignity?"

"This Li Qingluo, having wandered among the common folk since childhood, what proper upbringing could she have?"

"Her birth mother poisoned the concubine's daughter and then killed her own mother; she is now in prison awaiting autumn sentencing."

"Her father went mad with loss of reason and, back then, also committed the grave crime of falsely claiming merit, leading to the confiscation of property and extermination of the clan."

"Her older brother is a notorious cripple!"

"Only Pei Xiuzhen managed to leave the Li family with her reputation intact."

"Although she has severed ties with her sect and clan, freeing herself from maternal connections, if the Fifth Prince marries such a consort, will he not be laughed at by the world?"

Fang Auntie dared not reply.

After the Empress Dowager's anger had subsided a bit, she then presented a cup of cool, clear tea.

"Empress Dowager, please calm down first."

"Besides, the younger generation has its own blessings; moreover, didn't Eldest Princess Xiyue, Your Highness, already yesterday present to His Majesty the evidence exonerating General Li from the Jiang family's false accusation?"

"Perhaps General Li truly has some grievance in this matter."

Empress Dowager: "Even if there isn't, now we can only say there is."

"After all, the emperor must also save some face for the Fifth Prince."

"Why on earth must it be her?"

"This humble one cannot understand."

Fang Auntie said, "Empress Dowager, if you take a closer look at Miss Li tomorrow, perhaps you'll understand."

Princess Xiyue kept her word, personally sending Li Qingluo and her grandmother back.

After Pei Lao Furen had repeatedly offered her thanks and gone inside, Princess Xiyue called Li Qingluo aside.

"I knew from the start that the Fifth Prince has taken a liking to you!"

"Indeed, look—how much effort he has expended for you!"

"You may suffer some grievance these two days, but it is worth it for the Fifth Prince."

Li Qingluo puzzled, "Your Highness, what you said about the beginning…"

Princess Xiyue snorted, "Did you think last year that I truly wanted to host a winter banquet?"

"It's only because someone forced me!"

Li Qingluo's face turned bright red in an instant.

Princess Xiyue: "Moreover, this Xiamiao affair is also inseparable from you."

Having said all that, she could say no more.

Yet she saw Li Qingluo's face flushed as if a rouge box had been overturned, her eyes darting back and forth, shining with light as she thought of someone.

Peach blossoms bloomed on both cheeks, a single gaze of spring water chilling the observer.

Such a peerless beauty, no wonder the Fifth Prince could be bewitched to the point of losing his soul, even going so far as to coerce the emperor into issuing an edict.

Princess Xiyue covered her mouth and chuckled.

Indeed, with the Fifth Prince's methods, even a stone could be made to bloom.

"All right, I won't tease you anymore."

"As for the Jiang family's affair, I have it well in hand."

"However, the Qu family may this time secretly rise up to aid the Jiang family, so I can only guarantee to the death the safety of your Li family's entire household."

"As for the rest…"

Li Qingluo: "Your Highness, you have done your utmost; I am deeply grateful."

"Moreover, this commoner girl has another matter for which she seeks the princess's aid."

Princess Xiyue: "You're not being shy. Speak—let this princess hear exactly what it is."

Night fell.

The front hall was still lively with song and dance.

Pei Lao Furen had accompanied the Empress Dowager in drinking, so she did not bring Li Qingluo to appear at the banquet.

Although Li Qingluo had only taken a small sip today, after parting from Princess Xiyue she returned and collapsed.

Pei Lao Furen came to check several times, but saw no sign of her regaining consciousness.

Unable to help sighing, "This girl really can't tolerate a drop of alcohol. Yet this drunken appearance of hers is truly strange."

Next time someone gets drunk, we should let Luo Fan let her have a look.

Who is it that just stays asleep and never wakes up?