The Humble Family's Daughter Has A Spatial Pocket!-Chapter 890 - 772, The Signal_2

Princess Consort Ma said anxiously.

Xiao Yechen, however, appeared calm on the surface, comforting Princess Consort Ma, "Mother Consort, please do not worry. The Empress Dowager and the Jiang Family have suffered a great loss this time, they will not let Countess Shengping off easily."

Princess Consort Ma looked regretful, "Why wasn’t it Yan Yiyi at Chonghua Hall that night?"

"Mother Consort!"

Xiao Yechen quickly silenced Princess Consort Ma, "Mother Consort, you must never speak such words again that Father would not like to hear."

Princess Consort Ma glanced sideways at Xiao Yechen, "Mother Consort is well aware, rest assured. How you and Father get along, Mother Consort understands it better than you."

As Princess Consort Ma and her son were discussing, the servants in the Prince Residence were also stirring undercurrents.

"The Prince usually wouldn’t even spare a single flower, but now he is using them to decorate the Eastern Courtyard. It shows just how much value he places on the Little Prince."

"Alas, the exclusive favor of Princess Consort and the Eldest Son is likely coming to an end."

"Indeed, the Little Prince is born from the original wife and is a legitimate son. Even though Princess Consort is now the legal wife, she is still a stepmother."

Unbeknownst to Princess Consort Ma and her son, the servants they had won over for more than a decade had unknowingly shifted their allegiance to the Eastern Courtyard due to the conversation about transplanting flowers from the Hundred Flowers Garden.

...

At Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager had intended to hold off for a while to raise Jiang Wanying’s value, as Daxia did not easily engage in warfare with Xiliao, and the Emperor also wished to form a friendly alliance with Xiliao.

Establishing good relations between the two countries, the simplest and most direct way was through marriage.

The Emperor was reluctant to marry off his daughter, and Wanying was just right to take her place.

In doing so, it would be the Emperor seeking the Jiang Family.

However, several days had passed since the birthday celebration, and there had been no reaction from the Emperor’s side, which made the Empress Dowager feel somewhat uneasy.

If the Emperor took the initiative, then the daughter of the Jiang Family would be marrying into Xiliao for the sake of Daxia. That would be a meritorious service to Daxia.

But if she were to speak first, the meaning would be completely different.

After waiting two more days, seeing the Xiliao Delegation was already discussing returning home, the Empress Dowager couldn’t sit still anymore.

Wanying’s affair with the Crown Prince of Xiliao had been witnessed by everyone. Only her marrying into Xiliao would be the most beneficial for the Jiang Family.

At Qianqing Palace.

The Emperor was discussing serious matters with Yang Chenghua and others when Eunuch An hurried in and quietly said, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has come."

Hearing this, Yang Chenghua and the other officials glanced at the Emperor, then silently stood still, not saying a word, observing propriety.

The Emperor glanced at Eunuch An, continuing to casually discuss the previous matter.

The officials dared not to keep the Empress Dowager waiting too long, but the Emperor was insisting on discussing affairs with them, so they could only grit their teeth and respond.

It was only after the matters had been thoroughly discussed that the Emperor waved his hand, indicating for everyone to leave.

Yang Chenghua and the others sighed with relief, wiped the sweat from their foreheads, and quickly exited the grand hall, glancing at the Empress Dowager who was sitting in the side palace, waiting and drinking tea.

Seeing this, the officials exchanged silent glances, then hastily left.

The Emperor deliberately keeping the Empress Dowager waiting was indeed unprecedented.

It was evident that the scandal between the Jiang Family’s girl and the Crown Prince of Xiliao in the harem had truly infuriated the Emperor.

"I’ve been busy with state affairs, and I am sorry to have kept the Empress Dowager waiting."

The Emperor, smiling, entered the side hall and gracefully took a seat opposite the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager looked at the Emperor, suppressed her anger, and set down the tea cup in her hand, smiling at the Emperor, "The Emperor manages myriad affairs every day, and it is no bother for me to wait for a while. By the way, I hope my visit hasn’t disturbed you, has it?"

The Emperor replied with a smile, "Whatever words you speak, Empress Dowager, if you need to see me, even if there are urgent matters at hand, I must put them aside and see you, mustn’t I?"

Empress Dowager struggled fiercely to contain herself, so no hint of displeasure showed on her face.

The Emperor picked up his tea. "What does the Empress Dowager think of this tea?"

With a forced smile, the Empress Dowager replied, "Whatever the Emperor uses is naturally the best."

The Emperor chatted about family affairs with a smile, deliberately avoiding asking the Empress Dowager why she had come. Seeing her struggle to keep her composure, he felt both gratified and delighted.

He remembered when he had first ascended to the throne, how he consulted the Empress Dowager and Duke Cheng’en on every military and political matter. Yet now, what he considered from them was less than a drop in the bucket.

Knowing the Emperor was waiting for her to capitulate, the Empress Dowager took a deep breath and initiated, "About the matter between Wanying and the Crown Prince of Xiliao, what does the Emperor plan to do?"

The Emperor feigned surprise. "Jiang Wanying is the daughter of the Jiang Family. If the Empress Dowager wishes to inquire about her and the Crown Prince of Xiliao, she should ask the Jiang Family, why come to me?"

Hearing this, the Empress Dowager could no longer maintain her composure, and with an accusatory tone, she asked, "What does this mean, Your Majesty? Do you intend to ignore the matter between Wanying and the Crown Prince of Xiliao?"

The Emperor’s smile faded a bit. "Empress Dowager, your question is truly unreasonable. Jiang Wanying has committed a scandal in the palace, and I haven’t issued a decree for punishment. That alone is enough to save face for you and the Empress."

He then looked straight at the Empress Dowager.

"Empress Dowager, you come questioning me, clearly not thinking Jiang Wanying has done wrong. Could it be that the Empress Dowager believes the Imperial Palace is the Jiang Family’s backyard, at their disposal to do as they please?"

The Empress Dowager caught her breath. "Isn’t what the Emperor has said a bit too harsh?"

The Emperor scoffed. "Harsh? If I were not so permissive, the scandal at Chonghua Hall would not have occurred."

The Empress Dowager, frowning, looked at the Emperor, then after a moment’s silence, proposed, "Xiliao has come this time to establish friendly relations between our two nations. I see the Emperor is also reluctant to marry Princess Lekang to Xiliao. Why not let Wanying take her place? Wouldn’t that be the best of both worlds?"

The Emperor shook his head with a smile. "Friendly relations between nations don’t require a marital alliance. I never planned to marry off a Princess."

"Your Majesty!"

The Empress Dowager’s voice suddenly heightened. "Wanying’s marriage to Xiliao would be a good thing for Daxia, after all. I beseech the Emperor to consider her services to Daxia and bestow on her the title of Princess."

The smile completely left the Emperor’s face. "Empress Dowager, there are some things I do not wish to say outright, but why must you push me to speak? I now tell you plainly that I will not bestow the title of Princess on a daughter of the Jiang Family."

"Jiang Wanying will marry into Xiliao because of her own scandalous actions; there is no credit to Daxia in that. On the contrary, I feel she has brought shame upon the people of Daxia."

The Empress Dowager stood up abruptly. "Is Your Majesty so heartless?"

The Emperor’s expression remained indifferent. "Empress Dowager, do you still remember your identity? You are the Empress Dowager of Daxia, yet you allowed the Crown Prince of Xiliao to behave indecently in the harem. It was you who lost sight of your own status first."

As he spoke, the Emperor also stood, hands clasped behind his back, looking out the window.

"How that night came to be, I’ve already thoroughly investigated. Empress Dowager, did you and the Jiang Family ever consider the dignity of the Daxia Imperial Family for just a moment in pursuit of your own selfish interests?"

The Empress Dowager was stunned before letting out a cold laugh. "So the Emperor is indeed..." she said, flinging her sleeves and leaving in an atmosphere that couldn’t bear further tension.

Watching the Empress Dowager’s retreating figure, the Emperor’s lips curled slightly.

Not bad; he had cleared a few more of the Jiang Family’s spies from the Imperial Palace.

...

Everyone waited until the Xiliao Delegation had left the capital, yet no decree from the Emperor arrived to bestow the title of Princess on Jiang Wanying and engage her to Xiliao; only a decree from the Empress Dowager, presenting Jiang Wanying to the Crown Prince of Xiliao.

Thus, the Crown Prince of Xiliao left the capital with a Countess of Daxia.

Despite her generous dowry, not a hint of joy could be seen on the face of the Crown Prince of Xiliao. He could already imagine the ridicule from his brothers once back in Xiliao upon learning he had married a mere Countess.

Especially considering the hundreds of fine horses brought this time vanished without a trace, bringing no advantage in return.

This diplomatic mission to Daxia had yielded nothing.

From the Emperor’s refusal to grant the title to Jiang Wanying, some astute nobles and officials discerned a signal, a signal that the Emperor was no longer willing to tolerate the Jiang Family.