Chapter 20: Squandering a Winning Hand

"Very well, since that is the case, we shall proceed as the Empress wishes."

Feng Yu was somewhat taken aback. Why was the Noble Consort so quiet today? She was not causing any trouble at all. This was hardly her nature!

"This concubine thanks Your Majesty." Wei Ranzhu was overjoyed and hurriedly bowed to express her gratitude.

As they were speaking, the Sixth Princess, lying on the bed, slowly began to stir.

"Yao'er, you are awake?" Jiang Daiyin moved to the bedside, looking down at the little girl with a heart full of pity. "It is all the Empress Dowager's fault. I did not know you were allergic to peanuts, and yet I gave you peanut crisps." Jiang Daiyin felt deeply guilty. One had to understand that while an allergy could be minor, in this ancient era, a moment of carelessness could cost someone their life.

"Yes, Yao'er, since the Empress has apologized to you, let us forgive her, shall we?" Wei Ranzhu pushed Jiang Daiyin aside and said with a beaming smile.

To everyone's surprise, upon seeing Wei Ranzhu, Feng Lingyao shrank back in terror, her eyes filled with dread. "Mother, Yao'er will always listen to you from now on. Please, don't make me eat peanuts anymore. Yao'er felt so terrible."

As soon as these words left Feng Lingyao's lips, the entire room fell silent. Only Wei Ranzhu shrieked as if she had lost her mind. "What nonsense are you spouting?"

Jiang Daiyin pulled the child into her arms, her expression icy. "Wei Ranzhu, you would actually not even spare your own daughter!" She truly had not expected Wei Ranzhu to be this heartless. Even a savage tiger would not devour its own cubs.

"Your Majesty, do not listen to Yao'er's ramblings! I am her mother; how could I ever harm her?" Seeing the coldness growing in Feng Yu's eyes, Wei Ranzhu panicked and scrambled to her knees to explain.

"I, too, wish to know how you could find the heart to harm your own flesh and blood! Wei Ranzhu, are you so desperate for favor that you will resort to any means?" Feng Yu’s face turned livid, and he kicked Wei Ranzhu to the floor.

"No, Yao'er, tell your mother you're lying!" Wei Ranzhu endured the pain in her shoulder, crawling back to the bedside, looking at Feng Lingyao through gritted teeth. She could never have imagined that the one to betray her would be her own daughter. If she had known, she would have been more heavy-handed to ensure she didn't wake up so soon. Then, none of this would have happened. Wei Ranzhu gritted her teeth, looking at Feng Lingyao with such hatred she could have devoured her.

"Mother, Yao'er was wrong, boo-hoo..." Terrified by her mother's appearance, Feng Lingyao burst into loud sobs. Jiang Daiyin gently patted her back. "Yao'er, do not be afraid; your Imperial Father and Imperial Mother are both here!"

At this moment, Jiang Daiyin realized something. The pastries she had prepared for Feng Lingyao were packaged by category, and there were clearly visible peanuts on the peanut crisps. If Feng Lingyao had brought items back, her personal nurse could not have failed to check them thoroughly; how could such a mistake have been made?

"No, Your Majesty, Yao'er is delirious from her fever! You cannot believe her words!" Wei Ranzhu still tried to salvage some dignity.

"She is only six years old. Could she possibly be lying?" Feng Yu sneered. He walked to the bedside, looking at Feng Lingyao with gentle eyes. "Yao'er, tell your father, why did your mother make you eat peanuts?"

Feng Lingyao glanced at Wei Ranzhu’s expression and shook her head in fear.

"Yao'er, don't be afraid. Your father is here, and he will protect you," Jiang Daiyin soothed, stroking her fluffy hair. Hearing Jiang Daiyin's words, a warm current flowed through Feng Yu’s heart.

With a tearful voice, Feng Lingyao began, "Mother said that because Yao'er went to the Empress's palace, she had to punish me. She threw away all of Yao'er's pastries. Even Nurse Xu was beaten with the rod... Boo-hoo, will Yao'er never be allowed to go to the Empress's palace again?"

The adorable, porcelain-like child was covered in tears, her pitiful state enough to melt anyone's heart. Jiang Daiyin pulled her into an embrace. "That won't happen. The Empress's palace will always welcome Yao'er."

Warmth enveloped Feng Lingyao’s entire body. The Empress smelled so fragrant; she didn't want to leave. So, this was what it felt like to be held by a mother. Her own mother often held her younger brother but rarely held her. She had never known a mother's embrace could be so warm. If only the Empress were her mother. Feng Lingyao leaned reluctantly against Jiang Daiyin, tears streaming down her face.

"Wei Ranzhu, from now on, Yao'er will be raised in the Empress's Fengyi Palace. You will remain in the Yikun Palace and reflect upon yourself!" Feng Yu’s fists, held at his sides, tightened and then relaxed. He pressed his lips together, ultimately unable to bring himself to punish Wei Ranzhu too severely. After all, she was someone who had been by his side for years; he could not sever that bond. "Empress, let us go!"

Jiang Daiyin had someone carry Feng Lingyao away. Behind them, Wei Ranzhu’s heart-wrenching cries echoed. "Your Majesty! Your Majesty—"

She collapsed onto the floor, weeping. Yanzhi, with red-rimmed eyes, hurried forward to support her. "Your Ladyship, the Emperor has already left." As an old servant by the Noble Consort's side, she could not help but speak up. "Your Ladyship, you are the Sixth Princess's mother. Why would you do such a thing? If something had truly happened to the Sixth Princess..." She did not continue, only letting out a long sigh, feeling a lingering fear at her mistress's foolish actions.

"Yanzhi, if Yao'er hadn't let it slip, I would have been able to get out! If I had known, I should have let her sleep a little longer!" Wei Ranzhu gritted her teeth in hatred, filled with endless regret.

Hearing this, Yanzhi felt a chill run down her spine. To be so ruthless toward her own daughter—the Noble Consort was truly vicious! Her mistress had held such a strong hand: she had been with the Emperor since her youth and had a pair of children, while the current Empress had no son of her own. In the future, the throne might well have gone to the Seventh Prince. But her mistress had been unable to see clearly, obsessed with seizing the position of Empress. Now, she had ruined everything. Her children were not close to her, the Emperor detested her; she had truly played a winning hand into a disaster.

Yanzhi shook her head. She would have to speak to the Master. If the Noble Consort continued like this, she feared she would commit even more irreparable acts.

Feng Yu was filled with suppressed fury. Had it not been for his years of history with Wei Ranzhu, he would have dealt with her long ago. "Empress, I leave Yao'er in your care from now on," Feng Yu said to Jiang Daiyin, his face full of guilt.

"Your Majesty, what are you saying? I am Yao'er's mother; it is only right that I care for her." Besides, Jiang Daiyin truly liked Feng Lingyao and would certainly not treat her poorly.

"I trust your judgment, Empress. I have official business to attend to, so I shall take my leave."

"This concubine respectfully bids Your Majesty farewell."

After seeing the Emperor off, Jiang Daiyin had Imperial Physician Zhang conduct a thorough examination of Feng Lingyao, noting down various dietary restrictions and precautions. By the time she finished, it was late, and Feng Wuchen had already fallen asleep.

"The Tenth Prince was still mumbling before he fell asleep that you hadn't told him his bedtime story, Your Ladyship," Dongqing whispered.

"From now on, let the two children study together," Jiang Daiyin said, stroking Feng Lingyao’s sleeping face with deep affection.