The Crown Princess Is Jealous Again - Chapter 20
The Empress hesitated, her voice catching slightly as she unconsciously pulled out a handkerchief and gripped it tightly. “You already know that His Majesty and I have only one child—Tang’er. Though there are several consorts in the harem, none of them have borne children since our marriage. This is not by chance. It’s because His Majesty gave them medicine… to prevent them from conceiving.”
She paused and then asked gently, “Qingqian, have you ever heard of the Rebellion of the Eight Princes during the late Emperor’s reign?”
Song Qingqian thought for a moment and replied, “My father has mentioned it. It caused great bloodshed within the royal family. His Majesty ascended the throne in its aftermath.”
The Empress let out a long sigh. “The late Emperor had many children, over a dozen of whom were Dryn (乾元). He favored them above all, allowing them to compete and fight for succession. As a result, factional
strife plagued the court during his reign, and the status of the Dryn reached its peak.”
Song Qingqian, unfamiliar with the details, frowned slightly. “I’ve heard some of his children were exceptionally talented, many held high offices in the court.”
A trace of sorrow appeared in the Empress’s eyes. “Indeed. Under the late Emperor’s influence, the empire came to revere the Dryn above all—power above all. His children were ambitious, fiercely competitive.”
Her grip on the handkerchief tightened. “But their ambition turned into destruction. In the end, they tore each other apart, plunging the royal family into a bl00d-soaked disaster.”
“His Majesty was never among those eight princes. She was merely a quiet prince then, unremarkable in the late Emperor’s eyes and never considered for the throne. Her younger sister, Princess Changle, was also a Dryn and became involved in the power struggle. To protect herself, His Majesty eventually built her own faction.”
“Later, when the eight princes reached a stalemate, the late Emperor regretted his choices. But it was too late. Chaos consumed the court. Princess Changle died the day Prince Zhao forced his way into the palace.
Many other princes and princesses perished that same day—those who had taken sides, even the neutral ones. The royal family was nearly wiped out.”
“Among the surviving Dryn, only His Majesty was of age. After issuing an edict of self-condemnation, the late Emperor abdicated in his favor. He passed away not long after.”
The Empress’s voice trembled. “That tragedy left a deep scar in His Majesty’s heart. From that day on, he vowed he would only ever have a child with one person—no others.”
Song Qingqian was surprised. “Everyone believes His Majesty dotes on you alone, that after giving birth to Her Highness, your health declined and you could no longer bear children.”
The Empress gave a faint sigh. “That’s not entirely wrong. I truly cannot conceive again…”
“Before she met me, she already had consorts—Consort Shu and Consort Li. At that time, the factional conflict was still fierce, and those marriages were political necessities. Yet in secret, she ensured they couldn’t bear children.”
Though Song Qingqian remained outwardly calm, her heart was already reeling in shock at these revelations.
The Empress hesitated, her eyes turning red as she choked back a sob. “Qingqian, Tang’er should have had a younger sister…”
Seeing the faint shimmer of tears in the Empress’s eyes, Song Qingqian felt a twinge of sympathy.
The Empress’s voice trembled. “A year after Tang’er was born, I conceived again. But when the child was just four months along… I was poisoned. We couldn’t save the baby. My health was damaged, and since then, I’ve never been able to carry another child.”
Song Qingqian looked at her in shock. “Who would dare harm the imperial heir?”
“It was Consort Shu,” the Empress replied with bitter resentment.
“But why would she do such a thing?”
“At first, none of the consorts could bear children, so all were treated equally. But once I had Tang’er, His Majesty cherished me deeply, rarely leaving my side.”
“Later, when I became pregnant again, they grew suspicious. Consort Shu was jealous. By then, the court had stabilized, and His Majesty was less cautious than during the first pregnancy. I never imagined anyone would dare such a thing…” Her voice faded, her expression tinged with remorse.
“His Majesty was furious, but out of consideration for Consort Shu’s years of service—and the fact her brother had rendered great service during the Rebellion—she was exiled to Jingci Nunnery, preserving her dignity and that of her family. A few days later, she took her own life.”
Song Qingqian nodded slowly. She would never have known any of this had the Empress not revealed it. After a moment, she asked, “But if Her Majesty only has one child, is she not concerned that Her Highness might differentiate as a Neutral (中庸) or Kunzhe (坤澤)? Our ancestral edicts forbid those from inheriting the throne.”
The Empress sighed deeply. “That… is precisely the knot in their hearts. His Majesty may seem distant and strict with Tang’er, but he loves her deeply. No other child could ever take Tang’er’s place. Unless I could bear another heir—which is now impossible.”
“So, after my condition became irreversible and all treatments failed, His Majesty sought out the Grand Seer… and that is the true source of Tang’er’s pain.”
Song Qingqian’s brows furrowed. A sudden realization struck her, and she asked in shock, “Differentiation is partly innate, but it can be manipulated through external interference… Could it be that His Majesty had the Grand Seer forcibly influence Her Highness’s differentiation?”
The Empress looked at her with sorrowful admiration. “Qingqian, you truly are brilliant. You’re exactly right. Tang’er began taking medicine at age seven. After she turned nine, His Majesty frequently took her to a secret chamber, leaving her there alone. What went on inside, neither of them would say.”
Tears finally spilled from the Empress’s eyes. Her voice turned hoarse. “But later, when I saw her bathe… there were bruises all over her body…”
She sobbed, wiping her tears with the handkerchief. “At first, she would cry and resist, refusing to go. But His Majesty insisted, always escorting her personally and telling me not to waver. Eventually… she stopped crying. She just quietly walked in on her own. But something changed between us. She became distant, estranged.”
She sighed deeply. “My heart broke, but there was nothing I could do.”
Song Qingqian spoke gently to comfort her: “Imperial Mother, please do not grieve so. You must take care of your health.”
“Everyone says I spoil her, indulge her—but who knows what she’s endured? His Majesty allows me to dote on her only because he feels guilty. When Tang’er finally differentiated at twelve and was named Crown
Princess, only then did the court stop urging His Majesty to take more consorts and bear more heirs. No one knows how much pressure he bore—except me.”
“That’s why I’ve always been caught between the two of them, trapped in the middle…”
Song Qingqian nodded. “His Highness does hold deep resentment toward Her Majesty.”
“But what choice did Her Majesty have? They both carry so much pain in their hearts…”