Selfishness, if left unaddressed, could pass without incident. But once exposed, it inevitably revealed aspects that were best kept hidden.
At this moment, Wang Jingshu felt a humiliation and unwillingness she had never experienced before.
She bit her lip, looking at Baili Chongyan. "Your Highness..."
"Miss Wang, please leave," Baili Chongyan said suddenly, standing up. "I will not interfere in the affairs of the capital, nor do I need any promises from the Wang family. Your fate has nothing to do with me."
Wang Jingshu stood frozen.
Baili Chongyan, pulling Zhu Zhu who had been watching the scene unfold, walked towards the exit. He left a parting remark, "Please escort our guest out, Sister-in-law."
Song Fanghua immediately became more boisterous. "Gladly, Brother-in-law."
Watching them leave, she turned to Wang Jingshu with a smile. "Miss Wang, did you hear what His Highness said? Will you leave on your own, or shall I have you escorted out?"
"...Bitch."
Song Fanghua, her smile not reaching her eyes, beckoned to the guards. "Guards, escort the guest out."
As soon as she spoke, the guards stepped forward, intending to escort Wang Jingshu away.
Wang Jingshu, who had never been treated this way, retreated backward, yelling, "Get away! Don't touch me!"
"What's going on?"
Zhang Yicheng returned, not finding Song Fanghua. He had heard that a young lady from the Wang family, who was once betrothed to His Highness, had arrived, and he had come to see what was happening.
He saw two guards "escorting" Wang Jingshu away.
The guards stopped their actions and bowed. "Lord Zhang."
"Why are you back?"
Zhang Yicheng looked at her with affectionate eyes. "I didn't see you in the experimental field when I returned, so I came to look for you. What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Song Fanghua said, acting much more demure in front of her husband. "This is Miss Wang, she came to plead for mercy, but His Highness didn't agree, so he asked me to escort her out."
Zhang Yicheng glanced at Wang Jingshu, then quickly averted his gaze. "Are you done? Mother and Father are waiting for us to return for lunch."
"She seems unwilling to leave."
Zhang Yicheng finally understood what the guards had been doing. After a moment of thought, he said, "Find two wet nurses to escort her out, to avoid any rumors that the Prince's mansion mistreated her reputation."
Song Fanghua's smile instantly widened.
She loved his seemingly upright and honest demeanor, which hid a mischievous streak. It was simply adorable!
"Yes, My Lord."
One guard watched her, while the other ran off to find the wet nurses.
Wang Jingshu's face was filled with disbelief.
The two of them, however, acted as if she were invisible.
"What kept you busy today, Madam?"
"I went to the experimental field in the morning. As soon as I returned, I heard she was here, so I came to see. And then you arrived."
"Where are His Highness and the Princess Consort?"
"They just left. His Highness feared being pestered, so he asked me to escort the guest out."
Zhang Yicheng put an arm around her shoulder. "Who would dare to cause trouble in front of His Highness? You're worrying too much."
"People die for wealth, birds die for food. Of course, some would dare. Look, she can't even be driven away..."
Wang Jingshu: "..."
Of course, she wouldn't wait for the wet nurses from the Prince's mansion to escort her out. Her face burning with shame, she left on her own.
The Wang family was a powerful clan that had been entrenched for centuries. How could they be without the means to protect themselves? They simply wanted to appear weak at this moment and join the southern faction.
However, even someone seeking favors, when sending an envoy for negotiation, would include ulterior motives. They thought of having Wang Jingshu replace Zhu Zhu, or perhaps share her power, so they could continue to control the harem in the future.
Truly, greed knows no bounds.
It was the same with the Emperor's harem in the past. The noble families would push their daughters into it, and after giving birth to sons, they would fight amongst themselves, competing openly and secretly, which led to the current chaos in the capital.
Setting aside the deep affection between Baili Chongyan and Zhu Zhu, which meant no third person would ever be involved, even if there were, he, having tasted the bitterness of harem interference, would never choose women from noble families to fill his inner court.
With their plans thwarted, the Wang family had to find another path.
Just as the Empress could wield power by controlling the Emperor, so could they.
Thus, a young lady from the Wang family, holding the Imperial Grandson, returned to the capital in great fanfare.
The struggles between the Wang family and the Empress aside.
In the thirty-second year of Kangxi, the Lin'an Imperial Palace was completed. Baili Chongyan's enthronement ceremony and Zhu Zhu's investiture ceremony were held on the same day.
The capital was in ruins, while the south prospered. Many people had fled south. Baili Chongyan issued a general amnesty, specifically allowing the populace to witness the ceremony.
It was not his enthronement ceremony, but Zhu Zhu's investiture ceremony.
He couldn't help but want to announce to the world that Zhu Zhu was his wife, his eternal love, who would share his glory and hardship, and face life and death together!
On the day of her investiture, the auspicious phenomenon of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix further spread Zhu Zhu's fame. Those who had not known Zhu Zhu well changed their minds.
She was the Empress bestowed by heaven!
She was the true phoenix.
Watching the colorful birds circling in the sky and the common people below paying their loyal respects, Song Fanghua, also dressed in palace attire and standing in front, let out a sigh of relief.
It was good that it had succeeded.
When Baili Chongyan approached her and asked her to do this, she had been somewhat incredulous. It was only after Baili Chongyan told her certain matters and made promises that she agreed.
Now, seeing the significant results, she was finally at ease.
Zhang Yicheng, hearing her sigh, quietly asked, "What's wrong, Madam? Are you feeling unwell?"
Song Fanghua gently touched her belly. "It's nothing, I'm very well."
There was no better time than this.