Chapter 662 Why Are You Everywhere!

Chapter 662: Why Do You Have to Be Everywhere!

"Empress, you're still recovering. Just send your maids to check on Ming Yi. She has caught a cold—what if you fall ill?" Emperor Jiazheng was deeply concerned and insisted on having the imperial physician prepare an herbal tonic to prevent illness for Empress Nie.

Empress Nie shook her head. "Your Majesty, I am fine. It was my negligence regarding Ming Yi. I deserve punishment."

Emperor Jiazheng's eyes showed a hint of heartache. "You've always been delicate. How could you possibly manage every trivial matter?"

Empress Nie exhaled softly. "Regardless, it was my failure in managing the harem affairs. I also wish to rest for a while."

Emperor Jiazheng tenderly embraced her shoulders. "As you wish, my Empress... Today is A Yu's birthday, let’s not dwell on this now. Spend some time with A Yu first. I must visit the imperial study."

Empress Nie nodded with a smile. "Your Majesty, go ahead. There’s still time before the banquet begins."

Emperor Jiazheng gave her one more gentle embrace before departing.

Once he left Zhaoyang Palace, his smile faded somewhat.

He asked the eunuch beside him, "Have those who neglected Ming Yi been apprehended?"

The eunuch nodded. "Empress Nie has already sent them all to the Department of Punishments."

Emperor Jiazheng's eyes turned cold. Pausing briefly at a fork in the imperial garden, he finally turned toward a certain direction.

"To Changning Palace."

"To Changning Palace!"

By the time Emperor Jiazheng arrived, Consort De had already been waiting at the palace gates with the Fifth Prince.

As usual, Consort De greeted him with a smile. "I greet Your Majesty."

The Fifth Prince, standing beside her, bowed with reverence. "Your son greets the Emperor Father."

Emperor Jiazheng responded indifferently, raising a hand. "You may rise."

Both stood up.

Emperor Jiazheng's gaze lingered on the Fifth Prince. "Why are you here with your mother?"

The Fifth Prince smiled. "I report to the Emperor Father, today is Third Imperial Brother’s birthday. Mother specially made a pair of embroidered cloud boots for him and asked me to deliver them."

Emperor Jiazheng showed neither approval nor disapproval, simply stating, "Very well. The hour grows late—go and present them to your brother."

The Fifth Prince couldn’t help but glance at Consort De, who maintained her usual smile and instructed, "Be careful on your way."

"Yes."

Once inside Changning Palace, Consort De cautiously observed Emperor Jiazheng’s expression. "Your Majesty, to what do I owe this visit?"

Emperor Jiazheng studied her. "Do you truly not know, my beloved consort?"

Consort De put on an act of confusion. "Your Majesty, what do you mean? I truly do not understand."

Emperor Jiazheng let out a cold laugh. "I never realized before what a skilled schemer you are!"

At this, Consort De flinched and dropped to her knees. "Your Majesty, your words baffle me."

Emperor Jiazheng fixed her with an icy stare. "Since the Empress was attacked, you have been responsible for the harem. How have you been handling Ming Yi's care? How dare you allow the servants to neglect and mistreat our princess!"

Consort De turned deathly pale, forcing herself to plead: "Your Majesty must understand, during my management of the six palaces, such a situation never occurred. I truly don't know what's going on... Wasn't Princess Ming Yi under house arrest? Your Majesty, your words confuse me!"

Emperor Jiazheng snorted coldly, his icy stare fixed on Consort De: "Today, Empress Nie was concerned about Ming Yi and went to check on her, only to discover she has been mistreated all this time!"

Consort De protested: "Your Majesty, but... but I'd already returned authority over the six palaces to the Empress long ago..."

Seeing Consort De still evading responsibility, Emperor Jiazheng slammed a teacup at her feet!

"Do you think I'm a fool?! If not for your deliberate indulgence of the palace staff, allowing those sycophants to believe Ming Yi had fallen from favor, how dare they suddenly withhold her winter provisions?!"

Emperor Jiazheng snapped.

He hadn't wanted to burden Empress Nie with this matter, which was why he hadn't mentioned it in Zhaoyang Palace, choosing instead to confront Consort De directly.

Yet Consort De still refused to admit guilt, pleading her innocence: "Your Majesty, how could you think me so malicious! I bear no grudge against Princess Ming Yi, and she is a noble princess—why would I deliberately allow her to be slighted?!"

Emperor Jiazheng said icily: "There is some logic in your words. So, you intended to frame my Empress instead?"

Consort De was completely dumbfounded!

No—she had indeed entertained such thoughts recently, planning to pave the way for her son, but she hadn't even begun acting on them yet?!

Emperor Jiazheng's expression grew even colder as he rebuked harshly: "Consort De, I always thought you were modest and law-abiding. Never did I imagine you harbored such vile intentions!"

Consort De was now truly at a loss for words. Were it not for her dignity as a consort, she would have kowtowed desperately to plead her innocence!

"I did not..." All her words dissolved into a tearful whisper.

After venting his fury at Consort De, Emperor Jiazheng stripped her of her title, leaving only her original surname, "Meng."

Consort Meng barely managed to see the Emperor out before collapsing into illness.

When Fifth Prince returned after delivering Wei Shiyu's birthday gift, he was shocked to learn his mother had been demoted from Consort De to Consort Meng!

How—how could his mother have fallen from one of the Four Consorts to a mere concubine in the time it took him to deliver a gift?!

Inside Changning Palace, Consort Meng dismissed all her maids and eunuchs, clutching the Fifth Prince as she sobbed: "I see now—your father's heart belongs only to Empress Nie and the two sons she bore him!... Now that Empress Nie oversees the six palaces, if Ming Yi was mistreated, shouldn't your father have reprimanded her?! But he couldn't bear to scold Empress Nie, so he came to me instead and blamed me!"

Fifth Prince clenched his fists: "Mother..."

Consort Meng, recalling the years past, wept even more bitterly: "Your father is truly heartless! Though Empress Nie is his only true love, I have still served him faithfully all these years and bore him such a fine son as you! Yet in his eyes, we mother and son are nothing!... Qi'er, your mother's heart is broken!"

She clung to Fifth Prince, sobbing uncontrollably.

But once her tears subsided, Consort Meng regained her composure.

No longer one of the Four Consorts, her sole advantage over the other concubines was having raised a prince.

Beyond that, she had nothing.

With great resolve, she took Fifth Prince's hand and lamented: "...Perhaps this is for the best. I see your father clearly now—all these years of companionship and dignity mean nothing compared to the Empress. Qi'er, you must give up too; we stand no chance. After your coming-of-age ceremony, you will be enfeoffed as a prince and establish your own household. Then I shall follow you to your estate as the Dowager Consort and live out my days in peace..."

Fifth Prince was stunned.

Just as a spark of ambition ignited in him, it was extinguished.

Seeing his mother, Consort Meng, so disheartened and devoid of fighting spirit, he knew he alone could achieve nothing.

With a heavy sigh, he buried his ambitions for the throne deep in his heart.

Here's the edited translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

Wei Shiyu's birthday banquet was a small gathering, only inviting some friends his age. Empress Nie tactfully did not appear, to avoid making the children feel constrained.

Even Crown Prince Wei Shiqing, after politely sharing a few cups of light wine, soon left.

With neither his mother nor his elder brother present, Wei Shiyu clearly relaxed much more, practically bouncing off the walls in excitement.

One moment he was drinking with this friend, the next he bounded over to clink cups with Xingxing, substituting tea for wine. Then, in high spirits, he even offered to perform a sword dance for entertainment—happy as a clam.

Nie Yuke's eyes gleamed as she also toasted Wei Shiyu several times.

Wei Shiyu was overjoyed. Nie Yuke spoke so pleasantly, saying all the things he loved to hear, making him so happy that he knocked back drink after drink.

Nie Lvming was still hesitant.

If the Third Prince drank like this, would Crown Prince Wei Shiqing be pleased when he found out?

Nie Yuke whispered to Nie Lvming, "Fifth Brother, don't you see? If the Crown Prince really cared, he would have given instructions before leaving. His Highness deliberately departed to let the Third Prince have the time of his life... With attendants here to serve and the Third Prince no longer a child, perhaps the Crown Prince wanted him to experience the feeling of being drunk?"

Nie Lvming saw the logic in this.

He poured himself some wine and went to toast Wei Shiyu: "Third Prince, let me toast you."

Wei Shiyu turned, beaming, and drank with Nie Lvming.

Just then, another friend called for Wei Shiyu, and he rushed off to drink with others.

Nie Lvming glanced at Xingxing, seated at a long table not far away.

Xingxing was eating daintily.

Her etiquette was impeccable—every motion graceful, like a fairy in a painting. Nie Lvming gazed until his eyes grew slightly red.

Unable to resist, he stood and raised his cup, toasting Xingxing from afar.

Xingxing, who drank only tea, didn't mind. Seeing Nie Lvming's gesture, she raised her cup with equal grace and drank with him.

But when Wei Shiyu turned back, he saw Nie Lvming drinking with Xingxing.

Wei Shiyu bounded over, throwing an arm around Nie Lvming's neck. "Cousin Ming, where's the fun in drinking with a little girl? She's only having tea—come drink with me instead!"

Afraid Wei Shiyu might see through his thoughts, Nie Lvming flushed but didn't refuse. He hastily downed a cup, nearly choking.

Seeing his cousin so bold, Wei Shiyu wouldn't be shown up. He refilled his own cup and chugged it.

To prove he hadn't cheated, Wei Shiyu even tipped his cup upside down, showing Nie Lvming the empty bottom.

Nie Lvming silently poured himself another cup, drank it, and then displayed his own empty cup to Wei Shiyu.

Wei Shiyu's competitive streak kicked in!

They went back and forth, polishing off five or six drinks each before the nearby attendants finally stepped in.

Nie Yuke's eyes sparkled.

Nie Lvming's attendants were getting worried and tried to dissuade him, but Nie Yuke remarked casually, "Fifth Brother seems so happy. If he wants to drink, let him."

Hearing this, Wei Shiyu thought—Cousin Ming is enjoying himself this much? Well, he couldn't possibly rain on his cousin's parade.

Wei Shiyu pushed away the hand of the palace attendant who tried to dissuade him and continued drinking with Nie Luming for another three or four cups before stopping.

By this point, both of them were rather tipsy.

Nie Yuke’s whole body was trembling slightly.

She knew that an excellent opportunity lay before her—once Wei Shiyu got drunk and did something to her, the position of the Third Prince’s Consort would be hers for the taking!

Nie Yuke had already planned everything out.

They were currently feasting and drinking in a side hall of the Zhaoyang Palace. On one side of the side hall was a small tea room where she had previously taken naps. If Wei Shiyu got drunk, the attendants would most likely take him there to rest.

At that moment, all she needed to do was arrange for her and Wei Shiyu to appear in that small tea room together; then, with a slight adjustment of her clothes, she could claim it was the drunken Wei Shiyu who did it; and have her maid lead any senior lady from her aunt’s palace to witness the scene...

Nie Yuke’s whole body was trembling, her face flushed with excitement.

To her, this seemed like a piece of cake.

She wanted the Crown Prince, her cousin, to see her often in the future!

She wanted the Crown Prince to regret!

Regret not marrying her into the Eastern Palace, regret not staying with her for life!

Just as Nie Yuke’s cheeks were turning red from her thoughts, she heard Xingxing’s voice: "...Third Prince? Third Prince, you’re drunk."

Nie Yuke looked closely and saw the somewhat tipsy Wei Shiyu, his hand on the small table in front of Xingxing, speaking with a slurred tongue despite his blurred vision: "...You, just call me brother! ...From now on, I’ll protect you!"

Nie Yuke’s face, which had been flushed with excitement, turned slightly cold.

Her stare at Xingxing turned ice-cold.

Nie Yuke also stood up and addressed the attendants beside Wei Shiyu, "Can't you see the Third Prince is drunk? Quick, take him to rest!"

Just as the attendants moved to assist, Wei Shiyu waved them away, stubbornly slurring, "C-call me brother!"

Xingxing sighed helplessly. She reached into the sachet at her waist, pulled out a strong sobering pill, and handed it to an attendant, "This is a strong sobering pill. Please help the Third Prince take it."

The attendant coaxed Wei Shiyu into swallowing the pill and then supported him toward the small tea room, "Third Prince, let this servant help you rest. You can be a good brother after you rest."

Wei Shiyu mumbled in agreement, obediently letting himself be led away.

Nie Yuke was at her wit's end!

The good news was that Wei Shiyu was heading to the tea room to rest!

The bad news was that he had taken a sobering pill!

She just had to hope the pill worked slowly!

Nie Yuke took a deep breath, seething with hatred for Xingxing in her heart.

Why did that little witch have to show up everywhere?

Always ruining her plans!