The Child I Raised Has Been Reborn - Chapter 29.1

The Young Emperor paused, startled. “A proverb?”

Consort Dowager An leaned close to her ear and whispered, “A dog meddling in a cat’s business—mind your own affairs.”

The Emperor’s face flushed with fury, shifting from pale to ashen. “Is Consort Dowager An insulting me?”

“I merely uttered a common saying, Your Majesty. Why the sudden agitation?” Consort Dowager An replied calmly, her voice soft and her smile gentle. She patted the Emperor’s slender shoulder, her eyes filled with affection. “Your Majesty is far too thin. You should practice restraint. After all, lust is a double-edged sword—you know this well.”

“I understand Consort Dowager An is anxious,” the Emperor said, his tone shifting from anger to amusement. “While I bask in the pleasures of the harem, Sister remains unattached. I imagine you must be eager to see her settled. The Ministry of Rites has prepared some candidate lists. Why don’t you review them?”

Consort Dowager An had been the Former Emperor’s favored consort, her influence in the Inner Palace overwhelming that of all other imperial concubines. She must have possessed considerable cunning to achieve such prominence.

“That’s a good idea,” Consort Dowager An replied, her enthusiasm waning. She turned to Qin Tangxi, her expression growing colder. “Handing over the one you love isn’t magnanimity, but cowardice—a fool’s act.”

Qin Tangxi’s eyes flickered. “Mother.”

Those few words unearthed memories long buried in the dust of time.

That year, when Qin Jianhan came of age, the Duke of Xinguo’s Residence had sent a pair of jade disks as a congratulatory gift. The jade was of the highest quality, the disks naturally formed and exquisitely polished, their intricate craftsmanship a testament to the Duke of Xinguo’s Residence’s intentions.

Qin Jianhan held the jade disc and asked happily, “Aunt, do you think Lan’er is pretty?”

Without hesitation, she replied, “Yes, she’s beautiful.”

The young lady she favored was pure and lovely, a unique gem impossible to find elsewhere.

Qin Jianhan’s eyes sparkled brightly as she pressed the jade disc into her aunt’s hand. “Aunt, I like her. Do you think the Duke of Xinguo will look kindly upon me?”

“You like Lan’er?” She was still puzzled. The two children had always been competitive when they met; how could they have grown fond of each other?

“Yes! Yesterday, she took my hand and asked if I liked her. She was the one who took the initiative, and now I find myself liking her too.” The young girl’s eyes lit up with joy, her longing for affection making her glow with youthful charm.

The aunt fell silent. During the coming-of-age ceremony, the young lady had circled around Qin Jianhan, no longer competing with her. The two children had grown fond of each other, leaving her feeling like an outsider.

Coming back to her senses, she shook her head slightly at her mother. “It’s not what you think.”

Consort Dowager An was accustomed to her daughter’s magnanimity, never realizing that matters of the heart could be so complex. With the Emperor, that unfortunate child, still standing before her, she chose not to elaborate.

Upon arriving at Cining Palace, the three of them entered and took their seats.

The peonies blooming in the hall were stunning, captivating the Empress Dowager’s attention. She glanced at Consort Dowager An and asked, “Consort Dowager, do you think peonies are truly red?”

Qin Tangxi lifted her gaze and replied, “Whether peonies are red or not has little to do with my mother. More importantly, after all these years, aren’t you afraid of being stung by them, Your Majesty? You’ve been so eager to wear them every day.”

The Empress Dowager’s expression darkened. “The Grand Princess’s temper grows increasingly sharp. How dare you interrupt your elders so rudely?” Her words carried a veiled warning about the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate heirs. She was reminding them not to abuse the power of the regency. The throne belonged to her daughter, and no one else should covet it—especially not Qin Tangxi.

The Grand Princess’s demeanor was icy, every expression tinged with frost. Arching an eyebrow, she stared at the Empress Dowager. “In that case, this subject will return to her office.”

Her blunt declaration left everyone at an impasse, leaving the Empress Dowager visibly displeased.

Consort Dowager An stepped in. “Wait. I have something to say. Your adopted daughter at the Grand Princess’s Residence has become involved with His Majesty. She can’t possibly marry into the Palace Attendant’s family now. Since you’re here, nod your consent to send her to the palace for His Majesty…”

“Absolutely not!” The Empress Dowager’s voice sharpened, her hand slamming against the table. She glared at the Grand Princess. “The Grand Princess has neglected her duty to discipline her daughter, allowing her to become entangled with the Emperor. Now she has the audacity to suggest sending her to the palace—a disgraceful shamelessness!”

Consort Dowager An was visibly displeased at being interrupted. Seeing Qin Tangxi’s indifferent demeanor only deepened her anxiety. “One hand cannot clap alone,” she said. “Your Majesty, still young and accomplished, used your silver tongue to lure her into a betrothal and then into your imperial bed. This alone shows remarkable skill. Empress Dowager, you needn’t be so modest. Our Emperor is quite exceptional.”

The Emperor cleared his throat. “Consort Dowager, you jest.”

Consort Dowager An frowned. “Your Majesty, there’s no need for false modesty. You orchestrated this entire affair. Whether she enters the palace or not rests entirely on your whim. She’s deeply in love with you, even abandoning her betrothal to Zhao Lan just to become your… plaything. You shouldn’t deny her now that you’ve had your way with her, right?”

“Consort Dowager, your… your words are outrageous!” The Empress Dowager erupted in fury. “Such slander! Aren’t you afraid of defiling the memory of the Former Emperor?”

“Empress Dowager, if anyone has defiled the Former Emperor’s memory, it’s Your Majesty yourself,” Consort Dowager An replied calmly, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “After all, you were the one who taught our young emperor to entangle himself with his subject’s wife. If the Palace Attendant’s family ever learns that the empress they’re marrying into their household has already been ‘sampled’ by Your Majesty, do you think it will damage his reputation?” Her tone was honey-sweet, her delivery deliberate, as if she were sparring with a crowd of scholars.

Qin Tangxi stood to the side, silently sipping her tea, showing no desire to become involved in the quarrel.

The Emperor, deeply ashamed, spoke before the Late Empress Dowager could react. “I wanted to marry her earlier, but Sister wouldn’t agree. I had no choice.”

He smoothly shifted the blame onto the Grand Princess.

Qin Tangxi spoke calmly. “Mother has already said it—she won’t interfere. Now there’s a strong suspicion of incest, and Your Majesty’s reputation is at stake. Today, when I return to the Grand Princess’s Residence, I’ll disown Qin Jianhan. Once she becomes a daughter of the House Hu, Your Majesty can then bestow the marriage.”

The Empress Dowager glared daggers at the Grand Princess. “Everything hinges on your words. How can Your Majesty and I possibly resist?”

“Then it’s settled. I’ll return to my residence now.” Qin Tangxi rose, ignoring the Empress Dowager’s venomous tone. As she reached the door, she remembered something and turned back with a smile. “The palace maids attending you have changed several times. If you’re dissatisfied with their service, I can visit the Pleasure House to find you a suitable replacement.”

Their eyes met without malice, yet the Empress Dowager flew into a rage. “An Shi, is this the daughter you raised? So impudent, defying her elders!”

Consort Dowager An stepped forward and patted her back kindly. After the Empress Dowager caught her breath, she said, “I didn’t raise her. The Former Emperor raised her to adulthood. I was an unworthy mother.”

The Empress Dowager: “…” I’ll believe that when I see it.

******

When Mingshu awoke again, the room was empty. Her stomach grumbled with hunger, and she climbed out of bed.

Several small dishes of pastries and fruits sat on the table. She quietly grabbed a pastry and popped it into her mouth. The sweet, fragrant treat melted on her tongue, instantly dispelling the bitterness in her mouth.

Just as she was about to grab a second pastry, a maid’s voice called from outside the door, “Your Highness, are you well?”

“Is Miss Mingshu awake?”

“Not yet, Your Highness.”

Mingshu jolted awake, quickly set down the pastry she was holding, and scrambled back onto the bed, tucking herself under the covers.

The maid entered, lifting the bead curtain to peek inside. After confirming Mingshu was still asleep, she quietly slipped in.

The brocade curtains hung low, concealing the untold beauty beneath. When lifted, they revealed a long, glossy black hair draped across the pillow.

The young girl’s hair was strikingly beautiful, jet-black and smooth as silk.

Qin Tangxi’s lips curved slightly. She reached out to pull the corner of the quilt down, covering the girl’s mouth and nose—she found the exposed face uncomfortable to look at.

As the quilt slid past her lips, it caught on something. Qin Tangxi reached out to retrieve it, discovering it was a small crumb from the pastry.

For some reason, she found the situation oddly amusing.

For a moment, Qin Tangxi felt as if she had returned to her childhood, when a little girl with bad teeth and a sweet tooth would sneak pastries and burrow into her arms, her neatly coiled hair bun often becoming askew from the squirming.

After finishing the pastries, the girl would insist on helping Qin Tangxi brush her hair, lingering in the Grand Princess’s Residence for most of the day and only leaving as dusk fell.

Qin Tangxi pretended not to notice, patting Mingshu’s small face. “Mingshu, it’s time to wake up.”

The dismissed girl feigned sleepiness, opening her eyes and climbing to her feet before the princess could give further instructions, sitting up as if nothing had happened.

Qin Tangxi turned away, a faint smile playing on her lips as she instructed a maid to fetch Mingshu’s clothes and waited in the outer chamber.

Before she could sit down, the head of the Chen family arrived to request an audience.

Chen Hongzhuang was the eldest daughter of the Chen family, and this patriarch was her own brother. The Chen family, traditionally merchants, had suffered declining fortunes in recent years, with many unprofitable ventures.

Unwilling to see him personally, Qin Tangxi sent for Commandery Princess Long’an.

Mingshu, supported by a maid, emerged and closed her eyes against the piercing light. When she opened them again, a shadow had fallen across her vision.

The Grand Princess stood before her, tucking stray strands of hair behind her ear. Her features were as soft and refined as a painting. “After breakfast, the physician will come to take your pulse. If you feel unwell, be sure to tell her.”

Mingshu obediently nodded in agreement. After she sat down, a maid placed a bowl of congee in front of her.

The congee, nourishing to the spleen and stomach, was excellent for her health.

Support The Child I Raised Has Been Reborn