Another Rumor

Hua Meng dared to imagine herself in the Empress Dowager's place. Had she not been reborn and received the Spirit Spring from the Immortal Maiden, she feared she would not have had the courage to carry on.

She already held the Empress Dowager in high regard, and now she could not help admiring her even more.

Having learned of this, Hua Meng also thought over what she needed to do in the next few days.

After pushing back a few things that were not urgent, she decided to let Nanny Ming rest the next day. That would give her a chance to return to Chaohuang Palace and ask the Empress Dowager whether Hua Meng could pay her respects the day after.

It did not take Hua Meng long to think it all through. When she came back to herself, weariness showed on her face.

"Since you're tired, we'll head back now." Seeing that not only Hua Meng but Shou Ning also looked exhausted, Consort Wan spoke up at once.

Consort Ying was still energetic, but she now had Palace Affairs to handle as well. With Hua Meng pregnant and Consort Wan having a child to raise, the Palace Affairs awaiting her were somewhat troublesome.

Seeing that Consort Wan was leaving, she rose as well, ready to go back and attend to Palace Affairs.

When Hua Meng heard that Consort Wan and Consort Ying were leaving, she immediately smiled at them. "Take care on your way back, sisters. I won't see you out."

The three were close, so Consort Wan and Consort Ying naturally took no offense at her words.

Hua Meng really was tired. For the past half month, her appetite had remained good, but she had tired more easily than before.

Neither Jiang Chan nor Nanny Ming had stopped her from resting, so lately she had slept whenever she felt tired.

Hua Meng had originally thought the investigation would take at least two days. But early the next morning, while she was still asleep, she felt someone calling her softly.

Hua Meng slowly opened her eyes and frowned at Ling Cui by the bed. "What is it?"

Her voice was a little hoarse from sleep. Ling Cui quickly turned, poured a cup of warm water, and helped Hua Meng drink it before looking at her. "Consort Wan sent word that she and Consort Ying will be here shortly."

Hua Meng knew that neither Consort Wan nor Consort Ying would put her to trouble on purpose. They knew she slept a lot these days, yet they were still coming so early in the morning. There must be news about what she had asked them to investigate yesterday.

At that thought, Hua Meng raised a hand and rubbed her forehead. "Help me get up."

Hua Meng got up and washed quickly, but before she had time to change, Consort Wan and Consort Ying arrived with their attendants.

The two had no such scruples. Once Qiu Die showed them in, they watched Hua Meng change without a care.

"What news have you found, sisters? Why are you here so early?"

Hua Meng had only asked casually, but to her surprise, Consort Wan and Consort Ying both nodded.

Seeing their reaction, Hua Meng raised an eyebrow. "So there really is news." As she spoke, she gestured for them to sit down first and talk.

Seeing how calm Hua Meng was, Consort Wan and Consort Ying thought of the news they had just heard and, somehow, breathed a sigh of relief.

"After I left your place yesterday, I sent people to investigate the rumors outside the palace that you mentioned. I thought it would take at least two days to hear anything, but the people I sent came back with news early this morning." As Consort Wan spoke, she saw that Hua Meng's expression remained unchanged, and only then did she feel reassured enough to continue. "Besides the rumors outside the palace about which of the two princes in your womb should inherit the throne, there's a new rumor saying that the child in your womb was born to bring misfortune to his family, and that the Empress Dowager fell ill as soon as you conceived him."

Consort Wan watched Hua Meng's expression carefully the whole time. When she reached the end, Hua Meng merely widened her eyes and looked incredulous, without panicking or showing any discomfort. Only then did Consort Wan feel completely relieved.

It was not that Hua Meng was unconcerned, but her emotions fluctuated for only a moment before returning to normal.

It was not that she did not care, but that she believed Emperor Jing'an and the Empress Dowager would not believe the rumors.

Still, she understood that if the rumors were not dealt with quickly, they would surely affect the child in her womb.

"What are the people spreading these rumors thinking? Do they really believe these rumors can hurt me? Or do they think that because of them, His Majesty will abandon the child in my womb?"

Never mind that people were only saying her child would bring misfortune to his family. Even if the child in her womb really did bring misfortune to his family, it was still highly likely that Emperor Jing'an would leave him the throne.

After all, this was his only bloodline now.

Most importantly, after half a day and a night to think it over, Hua Meng had realized that she had probably been schemed against this time.

Consort Wan and Consort Ying were both startled by Hua Meng's bold words. They were just about to speak when a voice suddenly sounded from outside the door in approval.

"My beloved consort is right." As he spoke, Emperor Jing'an strode in. Seeing that the three women were about to pay their respects, he waved a hand casually, then took Hua Meng by the hand and led her to sit on the couch.

"I only just heard the news myself." After hearing it, he had worried that his young lady would dwell on it.

But when he hurried over, he learned that Consort Wan and Consort Ying had arrived just ahead of him. Curious about what the three would say, he stopped anyone from announcing him and eavesdropped for a while.

To his surprise, what he heard made him feel even more that his young lady was to his liking.

He squeezed her soft little hand, then looked at Consort Wan and Consort Ying. "You two should investigate the palace thoroughly and see whether anyone is spreading rumors here."

As for outside the palace, that was naturally his concern.

Upon hearing Emperor Jing'an's words, Consort Wan and Consort Ying rose, bowed, and assented.

After they sat down again, Emperor Jing'an turned to Hua Meng. "You needn't worry about the Empress Dowager. I've already sent word to her that this has nothing to do with you."

Emperor Jing'an and the Empress Dowager both knew exactly what had happened to her. First, Yue Shu and her mother had angered her into illness, and later, the Remnants of the Former Dynasty had tried to assassinate her.

When Hua Meng heard Emperor Jing'an's words, she did not obediently assent as she usually did.

Although she eventually saw Emperor Jing'an out of Sparrow Plume Palace with a smile as he returned to Phoenix Approaches Palace to review memorials, she could not help thinking of her previous life. At this time, the Empress Dowager's health had not been particularly robust, but Yue Shu had not angered her, much less had she been stabbed.

Perhaps Hua Meng hid it well. Emperor Jing'an, Consort Wan, Consort Ying, and even Qiu Die and Jiang Chan all thought she lacked energy because she had not slept well. Only Ling Cui, who had grown up with her, could tell she was in a bad mood.

"Mistress, please don't dwell on it. You are with child now and mustn't worry too much." After saying this, Ling Cui paused, then immediately added, "I'll accompany you to see the Empress Dowager tomorrow. She certainly won't blame you for this."

By now, Hua Meng had made considerable peace with it. Although her rebirth had caused the Empress Dowager to suffer more illness and pain at this time, she had also brought her a grandson.

She had the Spirit Spring. As long as she was bold and careful enough to give the Empress Dowager some of it, her present ailments would soon be cured.

After hearing Ling Cui's words, the last trace of sadness in her heart vanished.

Indeed, she was pregnant now. The Empress Dowager certainly would not blame her.

In the palace, neither Emperor Jing'an nor Hua Meng, nor even the Empress Dowager, who was still recuperating from her injury at Chaohuang Palace, took the two rumors to heart.

But outside the palace, Lu Shi and the others in the Hua Family had been unable to eat or sleep well for several days because of them.

"Didn't the palace send word a few days ago asking you to submit a request to enter when you had time? Why hasn't anything come of it?"

Hua Teng looked at Lu Shi with some concern. A few days ago, when he came home and heard about the matter from his nephew, he had not taken it to heart. Only when he happened to hear colleagues at the Ministry of Revenue talking about it over the past two days did he grow anxious.

Now that his daughter had entered the palace, he feared it would be difficult to see her again. But he did know that the palace had sent word some time ago asking his wife to bring several nephews and nieces into the palace.

Lu Shi raised her eyes and glanced at Hua Teng. Seeing the worry on his face, she patiently replied, "No one submits a request to enter the palace in the days before the Ghost Festival each year. Have you forgotten?"

Hua Teng had been too worried about Hua Meng. Hearing Lu Shi's words, he remembered that his teacher's wife entered the palace every Ghost Festival.

Other families might not know about it, but as her husband's student, he knew that her entire clan had been massacred on the day of the Ghost Festival.

Only Hua Teng and Lu Shi in the Hua Family knew that the Empress Dowager's entire clan had been massacred on the day of the Ghost Festival. They exchanged a glance and understood what the other meant.

"I've discussed it with our daughters-in-law. Once the Ghost Festival is over, I'll take a few of our grandsons and granddaughters into the palace to visit Mengmeng." Seeing that Hua Teng was still worried, Lu Shi finally added, "Rather than fretting at home about this, why don't you go to your teacher's house and ask?"