A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace Chapter 1078: Establishing the Crown Prince

Pan Zhu ended up being sold away.

Regardless of her desperate cries and begs, Xia Ruyi refused to show even the slightest mercy.

The decades-long bond of service and companionship were utterly broken.

Xia Ruyi observed everything with icy detachment, her face remaining stoic.

’Hmph! This is exactly the punishment she merits for her betrayal!’

Once Pan Zhu departed.

The Sixth Prince sent over a few beautiful maids to serve her.

Handy for future... *cough cough!*

Regarding Lady Zhu.

After passing out, the Sixth Prince neither came to see her nor inquired about her condition.

On top of that, he placed her under confinement.

He claimed the ’stolen hairpin’ matter would be forgiven, but she must reflect for a full month.

When Lady Zhu regained consciousness and learned of this.

Overwhelmed by shame, she yearned to end her life.

In the end, the maid restrained her tightly.

"Princess Consort!"

"Don’t die! Your passing would only delight those villains!"

Lady Zhu wept bitterly, tears streaming like rain on pear blossoms.

"A person relies on face like a tree on bark; with my reputation ruined, why keep living!"

She, the noble princess consort, had been branded a thief.

Such a scandal was utterly without precedent!

Should word spread, the humiliation wouldn’t just stain her but the whole Zhu Family.

In rage, she tried smashing into a tree.

Once more, the maid stopped her.

"No, Princess Consort!"

"You still have the Imperial Noble Consort!"

"She’ll surely defend you!"

Lady Zhu abruptly snapped back to her senses.

Right, her aunt was still there!

She ceased resisting, allowing the maids to hold her up as she sobbed uncontrollably.

After venting her tears.

Lady Zhu composed herself and headed directly to the Imperial Palace alongside the maid.

Within Ninghe Palace.

Spotting Empress Dowager Zhen, she flung herself forward, sobbing as she poured out her woes.

She detailed all the events from the mansion.

Most details rang true.

Yet she wasn’t naive and avoided outright blaming the Sixth Prince.

She shifted the bulk of fault onto Concubine Lan and Lady Xia.

What was originally the Sixth Prince’s rash behavior.

Transformed into Lady Xia and Concubine Lan using their seductive wiles.

They manipulated and enchanted the Prince, pushing aside her as Princess Consort.

Empress Dowager Zhen knitted her brows upon hearing this.

"Mere petty plots from the inner courtyard women!"

"As Princess Consort, how can you fail to manage even that!"

Her voice held a trace of scorn.

In ancient eras.

A wife unable to control the household or capture her husband’s devotion was deemed a failure.

The husband bore no blame.

Empress Dowager Zhen evidently held this view.

As Princess Consort.

Had she possessed any cunning, no concubine could dare oppress her.

Evidently, she fell short as Princess Consort.

Her son was flawless, particularly her cherished youngest boy.

Lady Zhu noticed Empress Dowager Zhen’s apathetic look.

She stood stunned.

"Aunt?"

Empress Dowager Zhen placed a hand on her shoulder, advising solemnly.

"Yurou!"

"Having wed into the Imperial Family, grasp these realities!"

"The Prince is male; he won’t orbit solely around you!"

"Be broad-minded, understanding, patient, and attend to him devotedly."

"Producing heirs for Wuwu comes first! All else pales in comparison!"

The implication was clear.

In the Royal Family, envy meant nothing.

Besides, she had no grounds for jealousy; such pettiness ranked among the seven grounds for divorce.

Thus...

Instead, prioritize bearing children.

Lady Zhu Yurou was utterly speechless.

"Aunt?"

"Me?"

Wasn’t she tolerant enough?

When the Prince accepted concubines, had she objected? When he doted on them, had she complained?

Meanwhile, she tirelessly oversaw the household for the Prince.

Managing details such as ’assigning residences to concubines, appointing kitchen and storeroom overseers, scheduling night duties across courtyards’.

The Prince schemed with those women.

Thrusting this immense shame upon her—where could she air her wrongs?

"Enough!"

Empress Dowager Zhen silenced her.

"You youngsters lack wisdom; squabbles are expected!"

"Spouses quarrel by the bedside’s head and make up by its foot—mere trifles!"

With that, she sent her away.

No matter the issue, Wuwu stayed blameless.

How could household squabbles burden a man?

The deep injustice Lady Zhu endured!

Grief bred utter despair.

Expecting Empress Dowager Zhen to champion her proved futile.

Since aid was hopeless, no point in further words!

Accepting fate, she rose and departed.

Empress Dowager Zhen assumed she simply hadn’t comprehended, saw her escorted out, and paid no more heed.

’Women! Spoiling them does no good!’

Lady Zhu went back and remained confined.

The Sixth Prince’s Mansion fell under Concubine Lan and Consort Liao’s control.

Naturally, Xia Ruyi held the top favor.

The Sixth Prince kept her and her maids close.

Luxurious feasts and fine liquors filled nights of wild indulgence, extravagance without bounds.

Edging toward a scene of ’wine pools and meat forests’.

One word: ’disorder’, two words: ’utter absurdity’!

However.

The lame-legged Sixth Prince, Zhao Junyao, faced no demands.

Plus, Empress Dowager Zhen always pampered him.

For a while, none oversaw the Sixth Prince’s Mansion.

Furthermore, the mess stayed within walls.

As long as no outsiders suffered!

…

Time flowed calmly in such days.

September flew past.

Early October arrived.

With front and rear palaces at peace.

Zhao Junyao released an imperial edict, crashing like a massive stone into calm waters, unleashing massive ripples through the Capital City and beyond.

It shook the world to its core!

"By heaven’s mandate, the Emperor decrees: His eldest legitimate son, Kichen, aged ten, shines with talent, kindness, and magnanimity, excels in filial piety, studies literature and martial arts assiduously, displays impeccable virtue, possesses vast wisdom and strategy, fits to shoulder the duties of heir and guardian, as the nation’s pillar and realm’s Crown Prince—now named Sixteenth Crown Prince of Great Chu Dynasty, to dwell in Eastern Palace. Proclaimed widely for all to know. So it is commanded!"

The Great Chu Dynasty stood supreme.

Upon release, shockwaves thundered in all quarters.

The Capital City buzzed with fervor.

Though anticipated across the land, and Zhao Qichen as the Emperor’s eldest trueborn son made him the natural choice.

Still, none foresaw.

The Emperor, merely in his early thirties at vitality’s height, naming a Crown Prince.

History showed Emperors fretted greatly over Crown Prince selection.

Too soon, and the heir might grow bitter over delayed throne, plotting to poison his aged sire and usurp.

Too delayed, the empty seat sparked brothers’ strife, chaos, even dynasty’s fall.

In essence, premature or tardy both spelled peril—timing was everything!

Yet...

As the Capital City erupted.

Folks felt only astonishment, no dissent emerged.

Crown Prince Chen excelled in scholarship and valor, arts and tactics alike.

Moreover, born to the central Empress, as rightful eldest son.

This position commanded universal assent.

The legitimate heir apparent, beyond dispute.

If not him, who?!

As turmoil swelled in court and Capital City, the harem stirred too.