Chapter 54

Chapter 54

The Eighteenth Princess ran off with light steps, and Shen Weiqing sighed softly. Princess Wen'an also sighed, "Our aunt has a hard time."

Shen Zhinuo had too many imperial uncles and aunts to count. Since she was young, she rarely left the Eastern Palace and had only seen this aunt a few times during palace banquets. They weren't familiar, so she hadn't paid much attention to her.

Shen Zhinuo only knew that her aunt's mother, Noble Lady Jing, was not favored, and her aunt seemed to live a difficult life, but she wasn't clear about the details.

She wanted to ask her brother and sister about what was going on with her aunt, but then thought it would be quicker to have A Tong scan when they arrived at Luomei Pavilion, so she decided not to.

Princess Wen'an patted Shen Weiqing's arm, "Second brother, I can walk on my own." Even though she was thin, she still had some weight, and it was tiring for her brother to carry her all the time.

Seeing her sister wanting to walk, Shen Zhinuo also kicked her little feet, "Second brother, Nuo Er can walk on her own too."

"Oh, okay." Shen Weiqing thought it would be good to give their aunt some time to tidy up, so he put both sisters down.

Shen Zhinuo walked in the middle, holding her second brother's hand on the left and her sister's hand on the right, as the three of them slowly walked to Luomei Pavilion.

The Eighteenth Princess hurried and arrived at Luomei Pavilion first. As soon as she entered, the maid Gu Yu greeted her.

The Eighteenth Princess asked softly, "How is my mother?"

Gu Yu replied in a low voice, "Her Ladyship was agitated earlier, but she's fine now, embroidering in her room."

The Eighteenth Princess nodded, "Good, I'll go in and see. The Junior Prince and two Princesses from the Eastern Palace will be coming soon. Tell Li Xia to boil water for tea and prepare some snacks."

Gu Yu looked troubled, "Princess, we don't have any snacks left."

The Eighteenth Princess was surprised, "All the ones I made yesterday are gone?"

Gu Yu, "When Noble Lady Jing had her episode earlier, she threw them all on the ground and smashed them. It's a shame, you spent half a day making them."

The Eighteenth Princess spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, "It's okay, I'll make more later. But the children are coming, and we have nothing to serve them."

Gu Yu thought for a moment, "Should I go to Consort Lü's Palace and borrow some?"

"No." The Eighteenth Princess shook her head, "Here's what we'll do instead. I still have a pack of walnut cakes in my room that haven't been touched. Bring those out for now. Then go to the Imperial Kitchen and see if you can get anything. If not, use some money to buy some. As their aunt, I should have something ready for the children."

Gu Yu nodded in agreement and pointed to the main hall, "But Princess, the room is still a mess; I haven't finished tidying up."

The Eighteenth Princess, "It's alright, I'll handle it."

Gu Yu said okay and turned to the East Side Hall to get the walnut cakes, also telling Li Xia to boil water for tea.

The Eighteenth Princess brought her embroidery basket into the main hall and saw crumbs from the snacks still on the floor, with chairs and tables askew and not in their proper places.

The Eighteenth Princess wasn't bothered and said cheerfully, "Mother, I'm home."

Noble Lady Jing sat by the window, embroidering and looked up with a smile, "Ran'er, you're back."

The Eighteenth Princess walked over, put down her embroidery basket, and leaned affectionately against Noble Lady Jing, asking, "Mother, what are you embroidering today?"

Noble Lady Jing put down her embroidery hoop and handed a stack of handkerchiefs to the Eighteenth Princess, "Today it's bamboo, just like the orchids before, ten pieces. I'll embroider a few more days to make fifty, and then you can take them to the Embroidery Workshop."

The Eighteenth Princess smiled and said okay, "Mother, I recently found a new job that will bring in some extra money. Don't embroider so much these days, rest your eyes."

Noble Lady Jing looked at her daughter's thin face with concern, "Is the job tiring?"

The Eighteenth Princess shook her head, "Don't worry, Mother, it's not tiring at all. It was introduced by my twelfth sister, eleventh sister, and thirteenth sister. It's pretty easy."

Noble Lady Jing gently patted her daughter’s head, her eyes filled with love and pity: "It's all my fault that you're suffering."

The Eighteenth Princess hugged Noble Lady Jing: "Mother, what are you saying?"

Without waiting for Noble Lady Jing to say more, she reached out and took the embroidery frame Noble Lady Jing had just put down, changing the subject: "Mother, this fabric is so dark, what are you making?"

Noble Lady Jing: "Silly girl, how could you forget again? Your grandmother's birthday is coming soon. I'm making a forehead band for her. Once I'm done, you can take the shoes I made earlier and send them out of the palace through a courier service."

The Eighteenth Princess's smile stiffened for a moment, but she quickly smiled again and nodded obediently: "Alright, I'll send them through a courier service and make sure it's expedited so grandmother gets them sooner. But mother, the children from the East Palace are coming over to play soon; they'll be here shortly. We need to tidy up the house first."

Noble Lady Jing looked nervous, smoothing her hair: "Do I look presentable like this? Should I stay out of sight?"

The Eighteenth Princess held Noble Lady Jing’s hand, soothing her softly: "Mother, there's no need to hide; you look perfectly fine."

Noble Lady Jing: "Really?"

"Really." The Eighteenth Princess nodded solemnly: "Mother, could you help me tidy up the house?"

Noble Lady Jing hurriedly agreed, quickly putting on her shoes and standing up. She first straightened the crooked tables and chairs, sighing as she did so: "Gu Yu has been getting more and more careless lately; she just spilled a tray of pastries. You should speak to her later. And these tables and chairs aren't arranged properly. It's lucky you came back first; otherwise, if guests suddenly arrived, what would they think seeing it like this?"

Gu Yu happened to enter with a tray of peach blossom pastries. Hearing this, she smiled and responded: "Gu Yu knows she was wrong, Noble Lady. Please forgive me this time."

Noble Lady Jing pretended to glare at her: "There better not be a next time."

"Thank you, Noble Lady." Gu Yu bowed seriously.

The Eighteenth Princess took the peach blossom pastries from Gu Yu, using the opportunity to whisper: "You’ve had it tough."

Gu Yu looked indifferent: "Princess, you’re too kind. Noble Lady just forgets things sometimes, but she’s never really punished me. She’s very good to me."

The Eighteenth Princess smiled and said no more. The two of them helped Noble Lady Jing straighten the tables and chairs, then each took a cloth and wiped up the pastry crumbs from the floor.

Seeing that the tidying was almost done, the Eighteenth Princess urged Gu Yu: "I’ll handle the rest; you go ahead."

Only then did Gu Yu put down her work and hurried out, heading to the imperial kitchen.

After Gu Yu left, the Eighteenth Princess and Noble Lady Jing hurriedly tidied up the room. The Eighteenth Princess took the opportunity to whisper to Noble Lady Jing: "Mother, when the children from the East Palace arrive later, no matter what strange things you hear, just listen and remember not to say anything. Don’t be afraid."

Noble Lady Jing was curious: "What strange things?"

The Eighteenth Princess stopped, held Noble Lady Jing’s hand, and spoke very seriously: "Mother, remember what I say. After the children leave, I’ll explain everything to you in detail."

For so many years, Noble Lady Jing had been especially dependent on her daughter, always listening to her. Seeing her daughter so serious, she nodded very earnestly: "Alright, I'll remember; I won't say a word."

---

After about the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, Shen Zhinuo finally arrived at Plum Blossom Pavilion with her brother and sister.

The gate of Plum Blossom Pavilion was open. The three siblings stood at the entrance, taking in the small courtyard at a glance.

Shen Zhinuo thought to herself: "Pup, this courtyard is really small."

The little black dog: "Noble Lady Jing isn’t favored, so naturally her living conditions are worse."

Shen Weiqing and Princess Wen'an were also visiting Plum Blossom Pavilion for the first time. They peeked around the courtyard and sighed inwardly. This wasn’t just worse; it was small and shabby—simply too poor.

After standing at the entrance for a short while and seeing no one come out, Shen Weiqing led his sisters across the threshold.

As soon as their feet touched the ground, the Eighteenth Princess came out of the main hall. She smiled and quickly walked up to them, looking apologetic: "I was just about to come out to greet you, but I was a step too slow."

Shen Weiqing smiled: "It’s alright. Our Nuo Er has short legs; she walks slowly. We just arrived."

Shen Zhinuo cocked her head and glanced at her second brother, surprised he could be thoughtful. This time, when he mentioned her short legs, it was to comfort their young aunt, with no hint of mockery, so she decided not to hit him.

The Eighteenth Princess looked at the chubby girl’s short legs and couldn’t help but laugh, thinking it was indeed true. She gestured for the three children to enter the main hall.

Noble Lady Jing smiled and stepped forward to greet the children as they entered. She opened her mouth to call out but realized she didn’t recognize any of them. Feeling awkward, she glanced at the Eighteenth Princess for help.

Before the Eighteenth Princess could introduce them, Shen Weiqing took the lead and bowed: "Noble Lady Jing, I am Wei Qing, and these are my younger sisters, Hui Er and Nuo Er."

Princess Wen’an and Shen Zhinuo curtsied in unison with their brother: "Greetings, Noble Lady Jing."

"Good children, please stand up," Noble Lady Jing said, pleasantly surprised. She hesitated before reaching out to help them up.

The Eighteenth Princess quickly stepped in to help the children up and said with a smile, "Come on, have a seat."

Noble Lady Jing chimed in, urging the children to sit.

The children took their seats on the neatly arranged couch. The Eighteenth Princess and Noble Lady Jing sat on the other side, with Noble Lady Jing giving the seat by the table to her daughter and sitting behind her.

The Eighteenth Princess served the children tea and slid the lone plate of peach blossom pastries toward them, apologetically saying, "I’ve been swamped and forgot to get snacks. There are only peach blossom pastries here. Help yourselves if you’d like."

Shen Zhinuo and Princess Wen’an, having been warned by their mother not to eat outside food carelessly, politely declined, saying they weren’t hungry.

Shen Weiqing picked up his teacup: "I’ll pass on the pastries, just tea for me."

The Eighteenth Princess knew the palace’s rules and that the East Palace children wouldn’t eat outside food. The snacks were just a polite gesture, and seeing the children decline, she felt relieved and nodded with a smile.

Feeling the silence was awkward, the Eighteenth Princess said, "Hold on a second," then got up and went to the inner room. She brought out a stack of floral patterns and laid them on the table: "Wei Qing, Hui Er, Nuo Er, I’m making shoes for my eldest brother and sister-in-law. Can you help me pick out some patterns?"

Shen Weiqing and Princess Wen’an agreed. They each picked up a stack and began flipping through them.

Shen Zhinuo also reached out a small hand to take one, holding it up in front of her, pretending to look while her big eyes darted around, secretly observing the surroundings.

The furnishings in the room were sparse and mostly old. The table on the floor was peeling, and one leg was shorter, propped up with a piece of wood.

In short, the entire room didn’t look like a concubine’s residence at all, but more like the homes of the poor outside the palace.

Only the flowers and plants placed around added a touch of vitality to the room.

Looking at Noble Lady Jing, Shen Zhinuo had thought her young aunt was thin, but Noble Lady Jing was even thinner, with a pale complexion, clearly from years without sunlight.

Seeing Noble Lady Jing wearing coarse clothes, Shen Zhinuo was even more puzzled and couldn’t help but complain in her heart: "Doggy, does the Old Emperor have any humanity? How can he let Noble Lady Jing and my young aunt live so poorly without caring?"

The system replied: "According to the plot hints, Noble Lady Jing committed a serious mistake, hence this situation."

Noble Lady Jing was first startled by the childish voice mentioning the "Old Emperor," then heard a strange male voice, her face changing even more. She instinctively moved closer to her daughter, looking around in panic, not seeing anyone, and became even more frightened, grabbing her daughter’s arm and tremblingly calling out, "Ran’er."

The Eighteenth Princess quickly reached out to hold Noble Lady Jing’s hand, squeezing it tightly to reassure her.

Noble Lady Jing then remembered what her daughter had told her earlier and squeezed her daughter’s hand back to indicate she understood.

Shen Zhinuo thought to herself: "Doggy, go scan my young aunt and Noble Lady Jing."

Previously at Fengyi Palace, the dog had only scanned half of her young aunt’s face, so when her brother and sister asked if she wanted to come to Luomei Pavilion, she said yes, aiming to have the dog complete the scan. Now that they were here, she didn’t waste any time.

"Okay, Young Master," the little black dog responded, flying to the Eighteenth Princess, circling around her, then circling around Noble Lady Jing, before jumping back onto Shen Zhinuo’s shoulder: "Scan complete, Young Master, what do you want to ask first?"

Shen Zhinuo: "First, tell me what serious mistake Noble Lady Jing committed?"

The little black dog reviewed the storyline and replied, "Noble Lady Jing's father and elder brother were both heroes who fought alongside Emperor Chengwu to found the empire. Her father was severely injured during the war and died shortly after Daxuan was established."

"Noble Lady Jing's elder brother, Yao Lian, was sharp and efficient. Due to his loyalty to Emperor Chengwu, he was assigned to local areas as an official to deal with the gentry who blocked the rollout of new policies."

"Yao Lian handled the local gentry problems and successfully rolled out the new policies. Emperor Chengwu issued an edict, heaping praise on him, and originally planned to recall him to the capital. However, someone secretly reported to Emperor Chengwu, accusing Yao Lian of graft, bribery, and forcibly taking fertile lands from the common people during his tenure as the prefect of Jianchang. His brutal methods against the gentry and wealthy families had already sparked widespread public outrage."

"In summary, the report suggested that Yao Lian, riding on his past contributions, had grown cocky."

Shen Zhinuo: "Were these accusations true? Did the Old Emperor order an investigation?"

System: "The previous dynasty was plagued by corrupt officials, leading to widespread decay within and outside the court. The Old Emperor despised corrupt officials above all. Upon receiving the report, he immediately dispatched agents to investigate in secret."

Shen Zhinuo: "What did they find?"

System: "According to the results reported by the investigators, all the accusations in the secret report were true."

"Moreover, the worst part was that during a major flood in the Lijiang River under Jianchang's jurisdiction, Yao Lian, in order to frame the River Governor sent for disaster relief, covertly had people breach multiple levees along the Lijiang River. Overnight, the floodwaters surged, flooding three whole counties and leaving nearly ten thousand dead or injured."

Shen Zhinuo felt a pang in her heart: "Why did Yao Lian want to frame the River Governor?"

System: "Because the River Governor was his political rival. They had always disliked each other, always trying to undermine each other and seeking to overthrow one another."

Shen Zhinuo clenched her little fist: "To overthrow someone, he didn't care about the lives of the common people. How despicable."

System: "Indeed, despicable."

Shen Zhinuo: "What happened next?"

System: "After the investigating officials returned with the results and reported to Emperor Chengwu, he was furious and ordered the execution of Yao Lian's entire family. Noble Lady Jing was also implicated and punished."

The entire family executed?

Noble Lady Jing's face turned pale, and she unconsciously tightened her grip on her daughter's arm.

Many images flashed through her mind, and then she remembered.

Yes, her entire Yao family had been executed, and her mother had also died.

Noble Lady Jing glanced at the half-finished forehead band in the embroidery basket on the couch, a bitter smile playing on her lips.

Her memory was failing her again.

The Eighteenth Princess turned her head to look at her mother, her eyes brimming with concern. Noble Lady Jing shook her head at her daughter, indicating that she was fine. The Eighteenth Princess gently touched her mother's hand gripping her arm and turned back to continue listening.

Shen Zhinuo asked again: "From then on, has Noble Lady Jing been living here in exile?"

System: "Yes. Emperor Chengwu, considering that Noble Lady Jing had given birth to the Eighteenth Princess, spared her life and stripped her of three ranks."

Shen Zhinuo counted in her heart: "Empress, Imperial Noble Consort, Consort, Noble Consort, Concubine, Lady, Noble Lady, oh yes, now she is Noble Lady Jing."

Listening to these past events, Noble Lady Jing lowered her head, overcome with shame and grief.

Shen Zhinuo thought for a moment and said: "But Doggie, I still don't understand. Even though Noble Lady Jing was demoted to Noble Lady, she should still get her monthly allowance. Why is this room so simple, and why is Noble Lady Jing wearing coarse clothes?"

"And my Eighteenth Aunt, I previously heard my mother and father mention, oh, and just now my second brother and sister also mentioned, sighing deeply, saying my aunt was struggling to get by."

System: "Back then, nearly a hundred members of the Yao family, old and young, died. After Noble Lady Jing received the news, she lost her mind overnight. She was originally to be sent to the Cold Palace, but the Eighteenth Princess knelt before Emperor Chengwu, kowtowing desperately until her head was bleeding, swearing to heaven that she would take care of her mother. Only then did Emperor Chengwu allow her to stay."

"After that, Noble Lady Jing would sometimes fall ill and sometimes be lucid. When she was ill, her mind was unclear, and she recognized no one. She would say that this person wanted to kill her, or that person wanted to harm her. She wouldn't let anyone near her except the Eighteenth Princess, and if anyone approached, she’d hurl objects at them."

Shen Zhinuo felt a pang of sadness: "She's also a poor soul weighed down by her family. What about when she's in her right mind?"

The system continued: "When she's in her right mind, she sells all her gold and silver jewelry, and after selling them, she works tirelessly on her embroidery, then asks the Eighteenth Princess to find a way to sell them outside the palace."

Shen Zhinuo glanced at the shabby interior and then at the wooden hairpin on the Eighteenth Princess's head: "Where does the money go?"

The system: "Back then, Yao Lian ordered people to dig open the Li River's embankments, flooding three counties and devastating many families and claiming lives. Noble Lady Jing sells her possessions and regularly sends the money to those three counties, giving it to the bereaved families. She has been doing this for many years."

Shen Zhinuo: "Why does she do this?"

The system: "She seeks to atone for her family's sins. Initially, when Noble Lady Jing learned that her brother had committed a crime and was to be beheaded, she was unaware of the full story and went to Emperor Chengwu to plead for mercy."

"Emperor Chengwu then told her the truth and presented a long list of the victims from the man-made disaster in front of her, who was still Noble Lady Jing at the time, and told her to seek forgiveness from the dead for her brother."

"Only then did Noble Lady Jing realize that her brother had committed an unforgivable crime against the people. After that, she was haunted by vengeful spirits seeking her life every night."

"However, at that time, the Yao family had not yet been convicted, and she was worried about her parents and other family members, so she was so anxious that she couldn't sleep, utterly exhausted. But because the Eighteenth Princess was still young, she clung to hope until she heard that her entire family had been beheaded, which drove her to madness."

Shen Zhinuo felt distressed: "Oh."

The little girl was silent for a moment, then asked: "How much can she earn from embroidering handkerchiefs? Since it was a crime committed by a court official, shouldn't the court compensate them?"

The system: "After the court investigated the truth, those guilty were punished, and those sentenced to death were executed. The court also provided compensation to the people. Noble Lady Jing does this solely to atone for her family's sins and her own."

"Moreover, it's not just her who embroiders to earn money. The Eighteenth Princess has been finding ways to earn money since she was sensible, and all the money she earns is also sent to the three counties in Jianchang."

Shen Zhinuo glanced at the Eighteenth Princess, who was embroidering with a hoop, and suddenly felt a lump in her throat: "My little aunt has had it so hard."

Every time she saw the Eighteenth Princess before, she was always smiling happily. Who would have thought she was living such a hard life.

The system: "It’s been a hard life."

Shen Zhinuo swung her chubby legs, got up, walked around the table, and went to the Eighteenth Princess. She first hugged her, then sat down next to her.

The Eighteenth Princess looked at the chubby little girl, feeling touched, and gently patted her head.

Noble Lady Jing sat beside her daughter, looking at her petite figure, tears welling up in her eyes. She quickly turned her head to secretly wipe the corners of her eyes.

Shen Zhinuo asked again: "So, what happened to my little aunt and Noble Lady Jing in the end?"

The system searched again and answered: "Noble Lady Jing stabbed herself in the throat with scissors during an episode of madness this autumn and died."

The Eighteenth Princess turned pale upon hearing this and looked back at Noble Lady Jing.

Noble Lady Jing, however, felt that dying this autumn was perhaps for the best. Her daughter was grown up and could take good care of herself. Without her as a hindrance, she would only live more comfortably in the future.

Seeing her daughter’s sorrowful face, Noble Lady Jing smiled at her and silently soothed her with a gentle pat on the back.

Shen Zhinuo: "Was my little aunt not there when Noble Lady Jing had the accident?"

The system: "The Eighteenth Princess was not in the capital at that time. During that period, Noble Lady Jing often dreamed of her parents, saying they missed her and wanted to see her, which kept her from sleeping peacefully at night."

"Since being demoted, Noble Lady Jing had never left the Plum Blossom Pavilion for so many years. Moreover, not only did she suffer from madness, which often flared up, but even a normal palace concubine couldn't leave the palace at will."

"People of this era always believe in the saying of dreams. Seeing her mother in such torment, the Eighteenth Princess went to the Old Emperor and said she wanted to return to her hometown for Noble Lady Jing, to sweep the graves of the Yao family and offer incense."

Shen Zhinuo: "Did my grandfather agree?"

The system: "The Old Emperor said the Eighteenth Princess was still young and didn't feel comfortable letting her travel so far alone, so he didn't agree. But the Eighteenth Princess left a letter behind and sneaked away."

Shen Zhinuo thought for a moment and asked: "Jianchang is so far away, did my little aunt manage to avoid the chaos in the capital?"

The system: "The Young Master is really smart. The Eighteenth Princess was still in Jianchang when the capital fell into chaos, so she didn't return. Mainly because there was fighting everywhere, and it was impossible to come back."

Shen Zhinuo's eyes lit up: "So, my little aunt didn't die in the end?"

The system: "Young Master, do you remember when the Eleventh Princess and the Thirteenth Princess were captured, and the new emperor thought only one of them was a princess? At that time, it was also said that the number of deaths didn't add up. The discrepancy lies with the Eighteenth Princess. Someone took her place, and not just one person."