Planning for the Future

Although Hua Meng did not know what Emperor Jing'an hoped for her deep down, she could tell that he had become very happy after she said she wanted to study.

Asking for a teacher was not a decision Hua Meng had made on impulse.

Since vaguely sensing her own shortcomings the night before, she had spent the whole night thinking them over carefully.

Hua Meng knew her goal. If she had entered the palace at first because she feared retaliation from the Zhang family and the Elder Princess, then after becoming pregnant, her goal was to become the most honored woman under heaven, support her elder brothers and nephews, and give the Hua Family a chance to become a great family that could endure for a thousand years.

But after last night, she also understood that, as she was now, she still had many shortcomings.

Fortunately, Emperor Jing'an was willing to give her a chance.

She would surely make herself better.

With this in mind, Hua Meng prepared gifts for the newly promoted Consort Wan and Commandery Princess Shouning, who would soon enter the palace, while also giving careful thought to whether she should send a birthday gift to the Song Family’s Old Master.

Aside from that, she quietly tended to her pregnancy and waited for the teacher Emperor Jing'an would find for her.

Before then, Hua Meng also sent word home, asking Lu Shi to bring a few of her nephews and nieces into the palace to keep her company when she had time in a while. She also mentioned that Emperor Jing'an was arranging a match.

Just as word of Hua Meng's wish to see her family left the palace, the news that Emperor Jing'an had promoted Consort Wan and entrusted Grand Elder Princess Huiying's youngest granddaughter to her care stirred unrest in both the harem and the imperial court.

Although Liang Xijun's surname was not Yue, the Great Yue imperial family had dwindled. As long as someone held a rank or distinction and had some connection to the imperial family, they could be entrusted with important duties.

Not to mention that Liang Xijun's own grandmother had helped Emperor Jing'an ascend the throne, and Liang Xijun herself now held the title of commandery princess.

Moreover, Emperor Jing'an had promoted Grand Elder Princess Huiying's eldest son at court. Considering that Liang Jiaze had only three sons and Liang Xijun was the Liang Family's only legitimate daughter, she was a desirable marriage prospect in the eyes of many families, even though her parents had died young and her own health was not very good.

But now Emperor Jing'an had placed Liang Xijun directly in Consort Wan's care and entrusted important duties to members of the Song Family. Any official with a bit of sense could see that Commandery Princess Shouning would likely marry into the Song Family in the end.

How could the families still hoping to marry into the imperial family accept that?

As for those whose daughters were in the palace, such as Consort Qi's family, they submitted a request for an audience at the palace the very day they received the news.

Consort Qi was angry too.

She had originally been the foremost woman in the harem. Although Consort Ru held the same rank, she was cold by nature, and aside from her stunning face, she could not compare to Consort Qi in Consort Qi's eyes.

But Consort Wan, or rather the Song Family, was different.

Although Consort Wan was not a legitimate daughter of the main branch, after all these years together, Consort Qi understood that the Song Family had put no less effort into raising Consort Wan than her own family had put into her.

Most importantly, the Song Family had flourished in recent years, and its younger members had shown promise. Her own family, though it did not have as many wastrels as the Wei and Zhan families, was all too ordinary.

Looking at her mother's worried face, Consort Qi took a deep breath before speaking. "Mother, go back and tell Father not to worry. His Majesty does have me in his heart." With that, she told her mother that starting today, she would be taking charge of some palace affairs.

Of course, she did not mention that she would be managing those Palace Affairs together with Consort Wan, Consort Ying, and Consort Jing.

Hearing Consort Qi's words, her mother looked at her as if she wanted to speak but hesitated. In the end, she could not hold back. "But how can palace affairs be more important than a child?"

Everyone in the Jiang Family believed that even though Hua Meng was pregnant now, it was still hard to say how many children Emperor Jing'an would ultimately have.

Although Commandery Princess Shouning was only a commandery princess, she had been brought into the palace to be raised at such a young age. As long as she was raised well, her place in Emperor Jing'an's heart in the future might be no lower than a princess's.

The Jiang Family was in decline. If it could marry a commandery princess who held a place in the emperor's heart, it would naturally benefit the family.

How could Consort Qi not understand all this? Her brothers had failed to live up to expectations. Her father had kept a close eye on her nephews' studies since they were young, but they simply could not grasp what they learned.

Her father always said that all the Jiang Family's gifts had gone to its daughters, and that her nieces were all like her. But even if Hua Meng gave birth to a prince this time, the Jiang Family might not have the means to send another daughter into the palace more than ten years from now.

Thinking of what the imperial physician had said when he took her pulse a few days ago, Consort Qi closed her eyes helplessly for a moment.

"Mother, I intend to try harder and see if I can conceive a child. If I can't, have my brothers try hard to produce another clever, lively niece." With that, Consort Qi reached out and took her mother's hand, then continued, "I've been by His Majesty's side for so many years. If I say I want to bring a niece of the same age as the prince into the palace to keep me company, I imagine His Majesty won't refuse."

Since the Jiang Family lacked the means to send another daughter into the palace more than ten years from now, she would raise a woman for the future emperor in the palace herself, starting now.

Though Consort Qi had not spelled it out, how could her mother fail to understand?

Thinking of her disappointing sons and grandsons, then looking at her daughter, who was struggling in the depths of the palace for the sake of the family, and her granddaughters at home, who had no choice but to wait for the best offer because their fathers and brothers were incapable, Consort Qi's mother found tears falling uncontrollably.

"My Ke'er..." You have truly suffered all these years.

There was nothing wrong with her daughter's health, but for the sake of the family, she had entered the palace without a backward glance, even though she knew that marrying Emperor Jing'an when he was still the crown prince would very likely leave her childless to the end of her days.

Now fine lines had appeared at the corners of her daughter's eyes, but for the sake of the family, she would likely have to go on living cautiously in the palace for at least another ten years or more.

Consort Qi, who had been holding herself together and telling herself not to cry, could not help her eyes reddening when she saw her mother's tears.

She had been proud for so many years, but for the Jiang Family's sake, she could only put her pride aside for the time being. For the Jiang Family's future, she had to make the right choice.

While Consort Qi held back for the time being for her family's sake, the other consorts in the harem were also displeased. But seeing that Consort Qi and Consort Ru said nothing, they naturally dared not speak up either.

Things were quiet in the palace, but outside it, Yue Shu, who had just returned to the Princess Royal's Residence from her country estate, was displeased.

Though unhappy, Yue Shu did not lose her temper or curse anyone with Wei Heng present. She merely said to him with great certainty, "He did this deliberately to slap me in the face."

Thinking that his own daughter had only the title of commandery lady while Grand Elder Princess Huiying's granddaughter held the rank of commandery princess, Wei Heng was displeased as well.

But Wei Heng had grand ambitions, and in his mind, this was no more than a trivial matter.

"You went too far this time."

Wei Heng had barely finished saying this to Yue Shu when she looked at him in displeasure and said, "I am of noble birth. How can that vile bastard compare to me?" After saying this, Yue Shu snorted disdainfully before continuing, "I will not let this matter rest."

Wei Heng knew Yue Shu's temperament well, so he was not surprised to hear her say this.

But thinking of the family's grand plan, Wei Heng still urged Yue Shu, "He is no longer the young emperor who had no one at his disposal back then. You had better be more careful in what you do from now on."

Yue Shu did take Wei Heng's words to heart.

After the events of the past few times, Yue Shu had also realized that she had underestimated Emperor Jing'an before.

Emperor Jing'an, in the palace, did not yet know about this. After court that day, he had first gone to the Empress Dowager's Chaohuang Palace. Only after telling her about promoting Consort Wan, the division of palace affairs, and Liang Xijun's upbringing did he mention that he wanted to find someone to teach Hua Meng.

Emperor Jing'an had originally planned only to visit the Empress Dowager briefly that day and leave once he had made sure she was well.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he arrived at Chaohuang Palace, he found an air of joy everywhere.

When he asked, he learned that several physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy had just come to take the Empress Dowager's pulse. All of them had found that she was recovering exceptionally well from her injuries this time, and that even her underlying ailments showed faint signs of improvement.

The physicians were now gathered together, studying why the Empress Dowager was recovering so quickly. Emperor Jing'an, however, did not concern himself with all that. Once he had made sure it would do the Empress Dowager no harm, he happily spoke of those matters.

The Empress Dowager looked at Emperor Jing'an's joyful expression and said, just as happily, "That Consort Jing has such foresight is a blessing for Great Yue." And a blessing for you, too.

Although the Empress Dowager did not say the last sentence aloud, Emperor Jing'an, as her son, understood what she had left unsaid.

"You are right, Mother." Emperor Jing'an first agreed with the Empress Dowager, then continued, "But as for the person to teach Consort Jing?"