The Changchun Palace team travels back in time to Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace

Yanwan felt that the Empress seemed to have something on her mind these days.

After the silkworm-raising ceremony, Rongyin felt it would be a waste to just throw away the silkworm cocoons. She also had the thought of showing compassion for the people, so she asked the Imperial Household Department to bring spinning wheels and other equipment so that she could learn to spin thread and weave cloth like the folk weavers.

Yanwan used to do all sorts of chores at home. Seeing that the Empress was a little unskilled, she would lend a hand whenever she went to Changchun Palace.

But recently she noticed that the Empress would often space out and forget what she was doing.

On this day, Yanwan sang the "A Dream in the Garden" scene from "The Peony Pavilion" for the emperor. The emperor commented that although her singing and recitation skills were already very proficient, she was still lacking in emotion and did not capture the essence of Du Liniang.

Yanwan then thought of going to Changchun Palace to seek advice from the Empress.

She took a sip of tea and expressed her doubts: "In truth, I really cannot understand Du Liniang. Du Liniang was the daughter of the Prefect of Nan'an. She had no worries about food and clothing, her parents were loving, and she was literate. If I had her background, I would only feel happy. But Du Liniang died of melancholy because of a man in her dreams. This is really beyond my understanding."

Rongyin pondered for a moment and said, "Although I am not knowledgeable, I have seen a few plays. In my opinion, Du Liniang did not die for Liu Mengmei, but for love, and was reborn for love."

Yanwan didn't understand. Wasn't "love" just about romantic love with Liu Mengmei?

Rongyin said, “Tang Xianzu’s inscription for The Peony Pavilion says, ‘How can we say that reason is something that cannot exist, but affection is something that must exist?’ This affection can be seen as a general term, just like the ‘reason’ here. Du Liniang was a young lady from a prominent family, but she was confined to her home from a young age, spending her time either embroidering or reading. She never even went to her own back garden.”

The play "Su Yuan" states, "Even the caged ospreys still yearn for the islets and sandbars; how can humans be inferior to birds?" The dream of wandering in the garden, rather than being a youthful infatuation, is more about the carefree wandering in the garden in the dream, followed by waking to find oneself still in the room. This yearning for freedom dissipates, leading to illness and an inability to recover.

Yanwan seemed confused; she seemed to understand the reasoning, but she still didn't seem to grasp the emotional meaning.

Rongyin seemed to remember something and sighed.

At this moment, Yingluo came in and called out "Your Majesty the Empress" twice. Rongyin, who was lost in thought, finally came to her senses and smiled apologetically.

Yingluo reported: "The medicine and hides have been delivered to Xianfu Palace. The Imperial Concubine said that she will come to thank us in person when she is feeling better."

Suddenly, Yanwan had a flash of inspiration. Perhaps the Empress's concern was about Consort Gao's recent illness.

Consort Gao's health had always been poor, and she was often ill. Even when she was healthy, she was irritable, and she was even more impatient when she was sick. Therefore, whenever Consort Gao was ill, the other concubines would usually send someone to deliver some gifts to her as a courtesy, and few of them would personally visit her at Xianfu Palace.

However, this time Consort Gao's illness struck suddenly and was more serious than before. She even took the initiative to request that Yongcheng be sent to Prince Lü's residence to be raised. The Empress and Consort Gao have known each other for many years and their relationship is no different from others, so she may be more worried.

So Yanwan said, "If Your Majesty is worried about the Consort's illness, why don't I accompany Your Majesty to Xianfu Palace to visit her?"

Rongyin said, "Let it go. The Consort is ill and needs peace and quiet. Even Yongcheng has been sent away. If she has to go through the trouble of seeing us, it will only disturb her recovery."

Yanwan said, "Your Majesty, please don't worry too much. I heard that the Imperial Concubine's health is much better than it was a few years ago. Even if she is sick for a while, she will recover quickly."

Rongyin nodded, and Yanwan took her leave.

As Yanwan had predicted, the Imperial Concubine's health was indeed gradually improving, even better than the imperial physician had anticipated. Imperial Physician Huang had thought she wouldn't be able to go to the Yuanmingyuan Garden for summer retreat this year, but by the end of June, the Imperial Concubine was fine except for still being a little weak.

Even when Princess Aodeng entered the palace for an audience, she was already able to go to Changchun Palace and see the Second Prince's fiancée along with the other concubines.

Ao Deng inherited her mother Abu's tall stature. Although only nine years old this year, she was already a head taller than ten-year-old Jing Se. With a narrow face, straight nose, and long, narrow eyes, she had a somewhat sharp appearance and seemed unapproachable. However, her smile before speaking and her respectful and polite attitude made her seem completely at ease.

She respectfully greeted the Empress, the concubines, and Jingse, and sat properly in the seat prepared for her by Rongyin, somewhat reserved.

In her previous life, Yonglian and Yongcong both died young. Rongyin never imagined that she would have the chance to meet her future daughter-in-law one day. She was very nervous and didn't know what to say, so she could only invite her to drink tea and have some snacks.

Ao Deng thanked him, then drank some milk tea that the small kitchen had specially prepared, and ate some pastries.

Rongyin knew that her birth mother had passed away after she was born and that she had grown up by Prince Chaoyong's side since childhood. So she only asked about Prince Chaoyong's recent situation and what she usually liked to eat and play.

Ao Deng replied with a few words, saying humbly, "This servant has been following Ouwo and has learned a little about riding skills, but my archery skills are not very good. I can only draw a sixth-class bow."

Rongyin had heard Yonglian say that a sixth-grade bow requires one to three units of strength, and the late emperor could only draw a bow with four and a half units of strength. For Ao Deng at his age, even if he could only draw a bow with one unit of strength, it would already be quite impressive. Several concubines also praised him.

After saying this, Rongyin noticed that the milk tea had hardly been touched. Considering that it was already quite hot at this time of year, and because the little princess was young, the small kitchen dared not use ice. The milk tea had been served piping hot and left for a while, and she was afraid it would spoil, so she asked someone to take it away and bring a new bowl.

Ao Deng had heard from Ouwo that milk in the palace was rationed and the process of making milk tea was complicated, so he said, "This servant dares not trouble Your Majesty the Empress. As long as it is bestowed by Your Majesty the Empress, it is fine no matter what kind of tea it is."

Rongyin then had the palace servants bring out some tea, and Yanwan said, "Little princess, don't be shy. This is the finest Longjing tea, please have a taste."

Ao Deng said, "Thank you, Consort Ling." He picked up the teacup with his left hand, pushed the lid off slightly with his right hand, and took a small sip.

Seeing that her tea-tasting gestures were quite skillful, Rongyin realized that she wasn't just being polite to her.

Come to think of it, Prince Chaoyong spent his youth in the capital, where the diet was somewhat mixed. Aodeng must have been influenced by what he saw and heard. Moreover, with the prosperity of trade in Mongolia, Central China, and even the south, tea was widely sold. Aodeng might prefer milk tea, but it's unlikely that he would be completely unable to get used to plain tea.

Seeing Ao Deng's obedient nature, Gao Xiyue thought of the mischievous Yong Cheng and felt a greater fondness for her. However, she felt resentful because the Empress's second son was already engaged, and she herself had no biological children. Moreover, she had also hardened her heart and abandoned her adopted son, the fourth prince, in the Prince Lü's mansion.

However, I will soon be able to get my revenge.

That night, the emperor arrived at Changchun Palace.

Rongyin reported on Aodeng's performance at Changchun Palace. The Emperor said with satisfaction, "This child has learned good manners. What's rare is that, as the granddaughter of the Prince Consort, she is not arrogant. Instead, she has the prudence and humility of her father and grandfather. I think she will get along well with Yonglian." He then added, "The concubine of Prince Chaoyong came to see me today and said some things that were inconvenient to say in front of the little princess. So she did not pay her respects to the Empress today. Let her make it up to her later."

Rongyin knew that in this world, the women of noble families could also meet the emperor directly, so she didn't have much of an objection to it. She simply said, "The concubine is getting old, so I don't think it's necessary to be so formal."

The Emperor said, “The Empress is so considerate. The Consort was taken in before Prince Chaoyong married the Princess. She has served Prince Chaoyong for many years and is indeed virtuous and experienced. Today, the Consort told me about the circumstances of Aunt Chunque’s passing.”

Rongyin was somewhat surprised.

The Emperor said, "After Aunt Chunque gave birth, she was in great distress. She was serving her at the bedside and heard Aunt Chunque calling out 'Mother' for a long time."

Rongyin sighed, "When one is afflicted with illness and pain, one cannot help but call out to one's parents. Aunt Chunque must have had regrets before her death."

The Emperor looked at her intently: "Does the Empress feel the same way? The Consort said that Prince Chaoyong personally went to the palace to request that the Emperor make an exception and release his aunt's adoptive mother, Consort Xi, and her birth mother, Noble Lady Tong, from the palace. The Emperor always cherished his children and tacitly agreed at the time. However, Consort Xi was ill and could not get up, and Noble Lady Tong was accompanying Empress Dowager Renxian to worship Buddha at that time and could not go. Not long after Prince Chaoyong returned alone, Aunt Chunque passed away."

Rongyin was very surprised: "Since the Holy Ancestor has already agreed, and Empress Dowager Renxian has always been kind to the younger generation, there is no reason for her not to release them. Why has things come to this?"

The Emperor sighed softly: "The affairs of our elders are not something the Empress and I can discuss or speculate about. However, Aunt Chunque was raised by Consort Xi during her lifetime, and they had a very close relationship. I was thinking that if we could posthumously honor Consort Xi as Imperial Ancestress Consort Xi on the grounds that Aunt Chunque's granddaughter became a royal daughter-in-law, it would be a comfort to Aunt Chunque's spirit in heaven."

Rongyin said, "I leave it to His Majesty to decide."

After finishing this matter, the emperor brought up Consort Gao's desire to visit the Yuanmingyuan Garden.

"The imperial physician said that the Consort's illness was not fully recovered and she should not be moved. However, she has recovered faster this time and is only a little weak now. She insists on going with me and said that she wants to play the pipa for me at the Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet. I thought that it would be even worse for the Consort to stay in the Forbidden City during the hot summer. So why don't we let her go?"

Rongyin remained silent for a long while before saying, "Your Majesty's consideration is very wise. The Yuanmingyuan Garden is spacious and cool, which should be more conducive to the Consort's recuperation. I will definitely instruct the palace servants and imperial physicians to be extra careful and take good care of the Consort on the way there."

The emperor was very satisfied.

Since holding a Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet at the Yuanmingyuan Garden three years prior, the emperor felt that the Mid-Autumn Festival moonlight was best appreciated there. Therefore, subsequent Mid-Autumn Festival family banquets were also held at the Yuanmingyuan Garden.

Because Gao Xiyue proposed to perform for the emperor this year, the emperor felt that although the Consort was sometimes willful, she was generally docile. Even though she had disagreements with the Empress Dowager and Hengti, she still tried to please him as soon as her condition improved.

He was somewhat pleased with himself. When the Imperial Concubine suggested that he wanted something different, he ordered that she be in charge of all the arrangements.

Rongyin repeatedly advised the Consort not to trouble herself with this matter, but the Consort turned a deaf ear.

On the Mid-Autumn Festival, several members of the imperial family, along with the Empress Dowager and Princess Roushu, visited the Yuanmingyuan Garden.

Rongyin decided to make one last effort, taking Yingluo and Mingyu to the Empress Dowager's residence to request a private conversation.

She stopped beating around the bush and asked directly, "Back then, did Your Majesty instruct Qi Ru to do anything to the Imperial Concubine?"

Since Cheng Han left, the Empress Dowager had realized that the Emperor and Empress had discovered something, but she simply asked, "So what if they have?"

Rongyin took a deep breath, trying to keep her tone calm: "Why would the Empress Dowager do this?"

The Empress Dowager said, "Back then, it was Gao Bin who strongly urged my daughter Hengchu to marry far away."

Rongyin countered, "If Lord Gao hadn't advised against it, given the circumstances at the time, wouldn't the late Emperor have allowed Princess Duanshu to marry far away? Do you really think it's right to secretly harm Lord Gao's innocent daughter for such a reason?"

This was the first time the Empress Dowager had seen the Empress express her dissatisfaction so openly. She paused for a moment, then regained her composure and said coldly, "In this harem, is there anyone truly innocent? I only know that Hengchu has married far away and is separated from me, leading a difficult life. I can't worry about anything else! But Empress, although the Consort has outwardly obeyed you for many years, she has often been secretly competing with you. Why is the Empress holding onto this matter for the sake of the Consort?"

Rongyin said, "If someone suffers inexplicably without receiving the explanation they deserve, isn't that a valid reason?"

The Empress Dowager thought to herself that although the Empress was shrewd, she was sometimes frighteningly naive.

She forced a smile and asked, "So, what does the Empress intend to do?"

Rongyin said earnestly, "I have already heard rumors about the Imperial Concubine, and my advice is useless. I request that the Empress Dowager summon the Imperial Concubine to explain the matter, repent, and make amends. Perhaps then we can salvage the situation."

The Empress Dowager snorted coldly: "Even if the Consort has suspicions, Cheng Han has probably already been silenced. What can she do without evidence? For the sake of the royal family's reputation, even if the Emperor hates me, he will cover this up. If I were to confess, I would only be giving him a handle to use against me. Empress, you have been in charge of the six palaces for many years, so you should know that no matter how filthy things are in the palace, they can only rot inside."

Rongyin stood up and bowed, saying, "Your subject understands. Then I will take my leave."

As the three of them left the Empress Dowager's palace, Yingluo immediately said on the team channel, "I'll have someone go and replace Princess Roushu's wine with the strongest one right away."

That evening, the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was held, attended by the Emperor, Empress, Empress Dowager, several imperial relatives, and concubines from various palaces.

After a few rounds of drinks, Hengti felt dizzy and had to excuse herself and leave the table early.

Mingyu and Hengti's maids helped her away.

After the banquet, Gao Xiyue asked Moxin to bring her a pipa and said with a smile, "The Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake in the Yuanmingyuan Garden is a magnificent sight. On this beautiful night, boating on the lake and enjoying the music of silk and bamboo instruments is just like being in Jiangnan. It is a truly elegant thing to do."

Rongyin advised, "The lake is extremely cold, and the Imperial Concubine has just recovered from a serious illness. Isn't it too much to push yourself?"

Gao Xiyue said calmly, "I am much better now, Your Majesty need not worry. My only wish is to entertain Your Majesty, please grant my request."

The Emperor, who was always fond of refined pursuits, said, "The Imperial Concubine is indeed ingenious. Then, Empress, Mother, let us go boating on the lake together and listen to the Imperial Concubine play the pipa."

The Imperial Concubine said, "As an Imperial Concubine, I must be filial to the Empress Dowager and respectful to the Emperor and Empress. Therefore, sitting next to the Empress Dowager will allow her to hear more clearly without disturbing the Emperor and Empress."

The Empress Dowager, recalling the Empress's words from earlier that day, felt a pang of panic.

Just as she was about to say something, she saw the Empress gently grasp the Emperor's hand, and then she heard the Emperor say, "The Consort used to be willful, but now she is much more sensible. Very well, then we will do as the Consort says."

So the Emperor and Empress boarded one small boat, while the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Concubine boarded another. This small boat was originally intended for boating on the lake, and the cabin was cramped, so apart from the eunuch who rowed the boat, only Fu Jia, Jin Zhong, and Ying Luo boarded the two boats respectively. The rest of the imperial relatives, concubines, and palace maids remained on the lakeside.

The cool, round moon was reflected on the lake. A gentle breeze rustled the reeds on the shore, and the moon swayed in the ripples on the water.

The Imperial Concubine was dressed in a purple-red auspicious robe embroidered with butterflies and flowers, and wore a cloisonné enamel headdress with bats holding longevity ornaments. Because she had just recovered from a serious illness, she was somewhat thin, and even the rouge seemed to be floating on her face.

She held the pipa, her face expressionless, as if a casual pluck produced melodious music.

The pipa's sound was like weeping and lamenting, like resentment and longing. At its highest points, it was like the clear cry of a phoenix; at its lowest points, it was like dewdrops on a lotus. Then, the playing changed, and it was like pearls of all sizes falling onto a jade plate. The emperor and empress, sitting in the boat, felt that the music, separated by the water, had an ethereal quality, making them feel as if they were in a fairyland.

The people on the shore also heard the music from the boat and were captivated by it.

The music gradually faded and fell silent.

Everyone was deeply moved and remained silent for a long time. All around was quiet, the bright moon hung high in the sky, and its silvery light bathed them.

Rongyin snapped out of her reverie and realized that tears were already streaming down her face. She couldn't help but say, "Truly, 'East and west boats are silent, only the autumn moon shines white on the river's heart.'"

As if in response, the Imperial Concubine stood up, adjusted her hair ornament, and recited: "This year's joy will come again next year, autumn moon and spring breeze pass by idly. My brother went to war and my aunt died, evening goes and morning comes, and my beauty fades."

The music started again, this time with a stirring melody and a chilling aura, like a vast army.

At the end, the pipa made a sharp, tearing sound, as if a string had broken, followed by two abrupt "thump" sounds.

Two splashes of water rose from the lake, shattering the reflection of the full moon.

Fu Jia's screams echoed through the night: "The Empress Dowager and the Imperial Concubine have fallen into the water! Someone, come quick!"