Chapter 48:

From a comprehensive perspective, this incident seems to have satisfied everyone except the hidden mastermind and her accomplice, Chen Yulan—people like Layue, Fu Jinyao, and even the Empress Dowager are content.

In the past, there was a balance between two influential consorts—the Virtuous Consort and the Noble Consort. Now, only the Virtuous Consort remains. Though she is gentle and considerate, how could the Empress Dowager ever place her complete trust in another? Having spent a lifetime entangled in the machinations of the palace, how could she possibly allow a single individual to amass power unchecked and dominate all affairs?

Even though she isn’t particularly fond of Fu Jinyao, the Empress Dowager clearly understands what needs to be done at this moment.

All things considered, this situation works out quite well for her.

In a good mood, the Empress Dowager invited a few people to accompany her for lunch.

Even more unexpectedly, the Emperor himself arrived to join the Empress Dowager for lunch, which further improved everyone’s mood.

Layue also displayed a cheerful expression.

How could she not show delight when she is in such a favorable position now?

The Emperor did not favor anyone particularly during lunch. On the contrary, he showed genuine care and concern only toward the Empress Dowager. Naturally, they were mother and son by blood; as for the rest of the women in the harem, they were merely there to entertain him.

Even if they were just for his pleasure, he still analyzed their familial backgrounds with great precision.

Before the day ended, the news about Fu Guibin assisting in managing the affairs of the palace spread everywhere. However, what happened inside the Empress Dowager’s palace remained a tightly guarded secret.

Fu Jinyao intended to follow the trail to uncover the truth, even if it might not lead anywhere—it was still a path worth exploring. Surprisingly, the Virtuous Consort, despite her higher status, refrained from commenting much and instead gave Fu Jinyao the initiative. Regardless of their intentions, Layue remained in a good mood.

That night, the Emperor stayed at Fu Guibin’s quarters.

Perhaps some would mock Layue for paving the way for others, but only she herself knew that this was the wisest choice. The Fu family had survived for a decade in the palace for a reason, and the chances of Fu Jinyao successfully giving birth were slim.

By doing so, Layue ensured an extra layer of security for herself.

Although the Empress Dowager appeared to be promoting Fu Jinyao, she was, in reality, placing her in a precarious position. A pregnant woman should be resting, yet administrative duties were still assigned to her. Even though Fu Jinyao understood that she should avoid dividing her attention, she could not resist the allure of this easily obtained power.

“Your Highness,” Xing’er entered the room after lifting the curtain, carrying a tray of delicately made osmanthus cakes.

Looking at the cakes, Layue asked, “Made by the kitchen?”

Xing’er replied, “No, these were specially sent by the Emperor. He said they leave a lingering fragrance in your mouth—sweet but not greasy—and wanted you to taste them.”

Layue smiled slightly, “Bring them over. Also, pour me a cup of tea. These two go best together.”

As Xing’er prepared the tea, Layue set aside the vermilion hairpin she had been playing with. She accidentally brushed against one of the cakes, but it didn’t seem to matter.

The eunuchs and maids around Layue all knew how fond she was of playing with her jewelry.

Picking up a piece and taking a small bite, Layue noticed that the cake was even carved into the shape of osmanthus flowers. Indeed, it was sweet yet not overly rich.

“Later, send for Qiaoning from the kitchen. Let her see how these cakes are made. If she learns well, we won’t have to rely on the Emperor’s gifts anymore—our own kitchen can make them.”

It was evident that Layue really enjoyed the Emperor’s gift of osmanthus cakes.

“Yes, my lady,” Xing’er handed over the tea, bowed slightly, and left to carry out the order.

Layue picked up her vermilion hairpin again and smiled.

She couldn’t be too careful—after all, one could never be certain what the Emperor might have done. Better safe than sorry.

“Time really flies. Not long ago, when I first entered the palace, I was still excited about wearing fine silks. Now, it’s already snowing heavily outside,” Layue mused while chatting with Jin Xin.

Jin Xin smiled, “If not for the changing seasons, I wouldn’t have realized how quickly time has passed. Every day has been so busy and fulfilling.”

“Come to think of it, the New Year is less than two months away, isn’t it?”

In previous years, Layue had always been busy around this time, staying by the old lady’s side. Although she wasn’t required to do much, she still had to manage affairs within her own courtyard—after all, things handled personally were always more reassuring.

“Yes, the palace has already started preparing for the New Year. I was thinking of informing you that we should start preparing in Tingyu Pavilion as well.”

Layue nodded, “You can discuss the details with the others. Some things shouldn’t wait until the last minute.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Speaking of the New Year, Layue felt a pang of homesickness. In her previous life, she had spent ten years in the palace and only seen her family once a year during the New Year, and even then, only the female relatives.

In this reborn life, she had only enjoyed a short half-year of familial warmth before returning to the treacherous palace intrigues.

Seeing the wistful expression on her mistress’s face, Jin Xin understood Layue’s longing for her family.

Separated from the Shen household and all the familiar faces, even Jin Xin herself felt a little melancholy. In previous years, she would have been helping prepare for the New Year alongside Jin Ling. This year, she was still busy, but in a completely different setting.

“Your Highness, Lady Chen requests an audience,” a little eunuch entered to report.

Layue smiled cheerfully and simply said, “I won’t see her.”

Regardless of Chen Yulan’s intentions, Layue had no intention of entertaining her.

Reportedly, after hearing that Layue refused to see her, Chen Yulan left heartbroken. Layue scoffed—undoubtedly, tomorrow rumors would spread about her being indifferent to sisterly affection. But what did it matter? Even without further accusations, the things Chen Yulan had done were enough for Layue to disregard any familial bond.

“Musket? Do you really think a simple denial of ignorance can absolve you of such treachery? Your intent to harm was clear enough. Why should I pretend to be friendly? Moreover, I want everyone to know—if even my own cousin could betray me like this, I will not tolerate any further harm from others.”

In the palace, people tend to flatter the powerful and ignore the weak. Although her rank was not high, Layue enjoyed the Emperor’s favor. With the Emperor’s affection, who would dare to mistreat her? Therefore, she must hold tightly to what she had.

Not long after, Tao’er entered the room with a slight smile on her face.

Noticing her cheerful demeanor, Layue teased, “What good news has put you in such a good mood?”

Tao’er was not restrained in front of Layue and grinned, “Your Highness is making fun of me. I just heard an interesting piece of news outside and was going to report it to you, but you teased me the moment I walked in.”

Though slightly bold, Tao’er still maintained proper etiquette.

She always knew how to strike the right balance.

Layue raised an eyebrow, “Oh? Could this interesting news be related to me?”

Tao’er shook her head, “In a way, yes. In another way, no.”

After a brief pause, she continued, “Actually, it’s about Zhuxuan. Although Zhuxuan tried to keep it quiet, I still heard that one of Fu Guibin’s senior maids was punished. I suspect it has something to do with today’s events.”

This was within Layue’s expectations.

Fu Jinyao had acted in a certain way today, clearly having figured something out. It seemed that even within her quarters, things were not entirely stable.

“I bet someone must have advised her to take that small path yesterday. Fu Jinyao is clever—she probably set up a trap and found the traitor upon returning.”

Tao’er nodded, “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

Although Layue pretended to scold her, her tone was filled with concern, “You should avoid nosing around for such gossip too much. You don’t want to draw unwanted attention.”

Tao’er gave a slight bow and smiled, “Don’t worry, my lady. I’m smart enough. Besides, every palace has people gathering information. We can’t afford to be blind or deaf.”

Jin Xin teased, “It’s just your curiosity again. You make it sound so noble.”

Tao’er playfully stamped her foot, “Sister Jin Xin, why are you teasing me?”

“Alright, alright. You two stop fooling around. It’s getting cold. Get ready for bed.”

Although it was already dark, it was still early. Layue’s words were just a way to send them off so they could attend to their own affairs.

Tao’er responded with a “Yes” and left the room.

Meanwhile, Qiaoning from the kitchen had already arrived. Following Lady Shen’s instructions, she took the remaining osmanthus cakes to study the recipe.

After everyone left, Jin Xin couldn’t help but ask, “Your Highness, there’s something I’ve been wondering about.”

Layue, casually trimming flowers without turning around, simply said, “About Qiaoning?”

“Yes.”

“You’ll probably understand soon enough.”

Jin Xin didn’t ask further after hearing Layue’s words.

“Layue, what do you think of the people around us?”

Jin Xin thought for a moment before answering as objectively as she could, “Xiao Dengzi is the Empress Dowager’s man. We can use him, but we must always be cautious. Xing’er comes from a poor background and has no family left. She’s been in the palace the longest, skilled with her hands but not particularly adept at social matters. Her popularity isn’t high, but I find her the easiest to get along with. Tao’er is lively and talkative, always eager to gossip and gather information. She gets along well with others but rarely talks about our affairs in Tingyu Pavilion—I find her clever. As for Guo’er, she’s the most quiet but gets her tasks done efficiently and rarely goes out. People say she’s gentle and kind-hearted. As for Xiao Mosquito, from my observation, he’s quick to anger and acts swiftly. If anyone speaks ill of Tingyu Pavilion, he’s the first to stand up. He’s a bit impulsive.”

Jin Xin didn’t know why her mistress was asking these questions, but she answered based on her observations.

Shen Layue nodded. Jin Xin’s analysis was quite thorough. With a “snip” of the shears, she cut a branch and asked in a neutral tone, “If one of them were a spy, who do you think it would be?”