A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace-Chapter 1028: A Massive Deception (Part 1)

She could only take the items and walk away angrily.

Zi Yue and Zi Su returned to the inner chamber with pleased expressions. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Zi Su spoke excitedly.

"Empress, you really vented your anger just now!"

"I thought you might forgive her for the sake of appearances!"

Xia Ruqing couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

"I don’t owe her anything, what is there to forgive?"

"Everything I listed on the slip is achievable!"

"About eighty percent of the wedding standards for a Commandery Prince, the rest that couldn’t be achieved was removed!"

"Whether she likes it or not, that’s all there is!"

If she doesn’t like it, she doesn’t have to get married! No one’s forcing her.

Zi Yue, however, was a bit worried.

"Empress, what if Empress Dowager Zhen makes a scene?"

"After all..."

If one is shameless, they are invincible in the world!

Xia Ruqing wasn’t worried at all.

"Then we’ll have to see her courage!"

Such people, in large families outside, are just peripheral figures.

If the son is already the head of the household, it’s already good enough if he doesn’t suppress his father’s concubines and half-brothers.

It’s quite rare to see someone like Zhao Junyao who is nurtured with such honor.

In other words.

The Emperor has been good enough, with a clear conscience.

"If she makes a fuss, I’ll cut another twenty percent!"

"If she has the guts, let her keep making a fuss!"

Xia Ruqing has always been someone who acts ruthlessly with few words.

Petty squabbles are degrading, it’s better to draw the sword directly.

Zi Yue, hearing this, nodded in agreement.

Zi Su on the side praised enthusiastically.

"Empress, that’s the way to do it!"

Just a mere Imperial Noble Consort, does she think she can overturn the heavens?

...

Empress Dowager Zhen returned and saw that not only were her additions on the list deleted.

The wedding standards of the Commandery Prince were further reduced by twenty percent, and she was even more furious.

But she didn’t dare make a scene, so she had to swallow the bitterness.

July passed in the blink of an eye.

August arrived.

Zhao Junyao suddenly issued an order, formally conferring the title of Prince Wu to the Sixth Prince.

From then on, the Sixth Prince finally had a title.

Since he was lame and had a limp, he was not sent to his own territory like other Commandery Princes.

Instead, he was kept in the Capital City and was granted a Prince’s Mansion, right next to the Fifth Prince.

Under the grand reason that in the future, the brothers could look after each other.

This should have been a good thing.

However, Empress Dowager Zhen was not satisfied, claiming the mansion was too small, not as big as the Fifth Prince’s.

Zhao Junyao could only laugh helplessly.

But in the end, Empress Dowager Zhen didn’t make a scene, so he pretended not to hear or see.

While Zhao Junyao was free from worries.

Xia Ruqing was troubled.

Due to her strong stance last time, Empress Dowager Zhen didn’t dare to make public outrage.

She resorted to spreading rumors in the shadows, criticizing indirectly.

Xia Ruqing kept hearing gossip every now and then.

The entire August passed, hardly a moment of peace.

Even during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

When the Ministry of Internal Affairs distributed rewards and festival gifts to each palace and courtyard.

Empress Dowager Zhen still didn’t seem satisfied.

On the night of the Mid-Autumn banquet, she came late and left early, impatient throughout.

Xia Ruqing directly got angry and decisively declared.

"Cut another twenty percent from the Sixth Prince’s wedding banquet!"

"If she stirs up trouble again, cut another twenty percent!"

Zi Yue and Zi Su clapped their hands in approval.

Zi Su went on to praise.

"Empress, I think you should have done this long ago, why tolerate her for so long?"

Xia Ruqing sighed quietly, helplessly said.

"It’s not that I don’t want to handle it, just to avoid lowering the dignity!"

"I always feel that a squabble with an Imperial Noble Consort is inappropriate!"

"It’s much more gratifying to directly confront head-on!"

Zi Yue promptly agreed.

"Exactly!"

"Our master is now the Empress, she must be dignified and composed, poised and stable!"

"Can’t keep using these lowly tricks anymore!"

"Zi Su, the same goes for you, don’t be so reckless in the future!"

Zi Su felt a bit embarrassed.

"I just couldn’t stand seeing our Empress suffer grievance!"

"Fine, I’ll change from now on!"

Zi Yue pinched her cheek.

"You!"

"Hehe..."

...

September came, and after several autumn rains, the weather gradually cooled down.

Empress Dowager Zhen didn’t yet realize that the wedding standards for Prince Wu’s banquet had dropped to sixty percent.

So...

Even though she was somewhat unsatisfied with the original eighty percent, she was still actively preparing.

Occasionally visiting the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Consort Hui to urge them.

Consort Hui knew everything but said nothing.

Xia Ruqing certainly wouldn’t mention it voluntarily.

Empress Dowager Zhen remained in the dark.

September passed in the blink of an eye.

The Sixth Prince had relocated, moving from the Imperial Palace to his own mansion.

After the move, the wedding banquet naturally became forthcoming.

News came from Ninghe Palace.

The wedding date for Prince Wu was set for the beginning of December.

Which means.

There was less than three months left until now.

This time, not only Xia Ruqing but the entire Imperial Palace was a bit stunned.

"So soon?"

"Speaking of which... Isn’t Xia Ruyi yet coming of age?"

"We expected Empress Dowager Zhen to cover it up well."

"Didn’t expect she wouldn’t even bother with appearances!"

Zi Yue and Zi Su were somewhat puzzled.

"Empress, this is... what meaning?"

Xia Ruqing glanced at them but didn’t say, only hinted.

"You’ll understand when the time comes!"

The two couldn’t ask further.

...

In the harem, aside from Empress Dowager Zhen causing a fuss, everyone else was well-behaved.

They didn’t stir trouble; life was calm.

While outside the palace... was bustling.

To be precise, the place where Xia Ruyi lived was bustling.

During this time.

Prince Wu was at the center of the Capital City’s gossip.

Conferred as a Commandery Prince, granted a mansion, with a wedding soon, he managed to make a small splash.

Rumor had it that he was marrying the Third Miss Xia from the Xia Family of Jiangnan.

Which means.

The Third Miss Xia of Jiangnan was soon to become the Princess Consort of Prince Wu.

Even if Prince Wu had no promising future.

No matter how bad, she would still carry the title of Princess Consort, and there would always be someone willing to curry favor within the Capital’s noble circles.

Hence, her residence was always bustling now.

Yet some wondered.

"Heard the Third Miss Xia hasn’t come of age yet, is the Imperial Noble Consort really in such a rush?"

"Exactly, marrying before coming of age is against etiquette!"

"Is this information reliable?"

"This news was spread by the Third Miss Xia herself, it should be reliable!"

"Oh, Princess Hai Feng recently frequents where the Third Miss Xia resides, it must be true!"

"I guess... Empress Dowager Zhen is eager to have grandchildren!"

Some were puzzled.

’Hasn’t she gotten grandchildren already?’

’Is it really that urgent?’

In the Great Chu Dynasty, girls typically discuss marriage at thirteen or fourteen, marry at fifteen or sixteen.

There’s a transitional period of one to two years.

Unless the girl has no parents or family.

The husband’s family would marry her early.

If there are any family relatives, for the sake of appearances.

They wouldn’t let their daughter marry before coming of age.

It’s too disgraceful for the family and considered unlucky.

But now...

"Could Empress Dowager Zhen really care about nothing? Is the Xia Family willing?"

"Don’t know..."

Many doubted and sensed there was something fishy beneath.

Of course.

Xia Ruyi wasn’t suspicious at all.

After all, Hai Feng frequently came over to brainwash, which had the tacit approval of Empress Dowager Zhen.

As to what scheme they had between them.

Xia Ruyi didn’t know or care.

She was now obsessed, with the singular goal of marrying into the Prince’s Mansion, becoming a grand Princess Consort.

As long as she could marry in, she was willing for anything.

...

People can’t always live in fairy tales; there must be moments of clarity.

December arrived in the blink of an eye.

The parents of the Lady Xia from Jiangnan had also arrived.

A grand wedding feast was about to happen.

Along with the joyous banquet, a thorough deception was about to unravel.