A wu only later came to know that Princess Dening had previously gone to Emperor Jingxi’s Fengtian Hall to see him and submit her written remorse.
But Emperor Jingxi was indifferent and paid her no mind.
This happened repeatedly, over the course of more than a month.
When Princess Dening finally wrote her fifth letter of repentance, Emperor Jingxi received her in Fengtian Hall.
At that moment, A wu was also present.
She quickly got up and slipped behind the curtain to avoid embarrassing Princess Dening.
Even so, she could still hear the sounds outside.
There was a sudden thud—it seemed Princess Dening had knelt down.
Then came a series of sobs, crying softly, filled with grievance.
Emperor Jingxi remained unmoved, coldly listening, as if methodically continuing to read memorials.
Princess Dening cried for quite a while before slowly stopping her sobbing.
She wiped her tears and said softly, “Father, your daughter knows her fault.”
Only then did Emperor Jingxi lift his eyes slightly, glancing at his kneeling daughter.
“You wrote eight letters of self-reflection in total. Have you finally figured out where you went wrong?”
Princess Dening wept as she replied, “Your daughter should not have openly questioned the court’s investiture ceremony at the banquet, nor should I have offended my father. It was disrespectful and unfilial—rash and arrogant.”
Emperor Jingxi said, “Do you still harbor resentment toward Noble Consort Ning, thinking your father favors her, which is why he is so harsh with you?”
Princess Dening bit her lip, silently lowering her head, not daring to speak further.
Emperor Jingxi sneered and threw down a pile of letters with a slap.
“Look at these yourself! What kind of nonsense is this?”
Princess Dening’s face drained of color.
Ashamed, she looked on helplessly.
“It’s your daughter’s uselessness.”
These were the writings she had done after studying at the Imperial Academy, all heavily corrected by the Palace Ladies.
She thought she had been punished and thus sent to the Academy unwillingly, so she hadn’t taken it seriously and didn’t care about the corrections.
She never imagined these writings would be presented to her father.
Her face burned red with shame, as if she had no place to hide.
Emperor Jingxi said, “You’re a girl, raised in the inner chambers. Compared to your elder brother, I admit I have paid less attention to you.”
Great Hui strictly values the distinction between men and women.
Even as a biological father, after a daughter turns eight, contact lessens.
Besides, the education for daughters differs from sons.
Naturally, it’s impossible to accompany her riding horses and shooting arrows as he had done with the Crown Prince.
He continued, “But I have always wanted you to study diligently with the Palace Ladies. You have been difficult to the women in the harem. I sent you to the Imperial Academy not just to punish you, but because you have come of age, and in a year or two, you will be married off. Shouldn’t you learn to manage the inner chambers? Shouldn’t you learn how to take care of the household?”
Princess Dening bowed her head deeply, not daring to breathe audibly.
Emperor Jingxi said, “Yet you remain willful, surrounding yourself with bad company and showing no respect to the Palace Ladies! And now you openly questioned your father in the main hall, disrespecting your consort mother and defying the rites! Do you think you have the dignity of the Great Hui princess?”
Hidden behind the curtain, A wu couldn’t help but smile wryly and feel some pity.
She had never understood that being born in the imperial family was not like being an ordinary girl who could act spoiled and willful at will.
At this moment, Princess Dening finally couldn’t hold back and sobbed, “But… but your daughter feels so wronged.”
Emperor Jingxi said coldly, “Wronged? What grievances do you have?”
Princess Dening hesitated, almost afraid to speak.
She knew her father favored the new Noble Consort Ning, and that she had bullied her before.
If she spoke too freely, it would be her ruin.
Emperor Jingxi commanded, “Speak.”
His voice was so stern it startled her.
She had no choice but to say, “Why is my mother’s rank so low? Noble Consort Ning was just pregnant and already a Noble Consort, even granted the Golden Seal. Was my mother not your consort?”
Emperor Jingxi smiled.
Raising an eyebrow, he said coldly, “Dening, you must know that from the moment you were born, as my bloodline, you were destined to enjoy the world’s glory. As the Great Hui princess, your father is the emperor, and your elder brother will be emperor. You will never truly suffer injustice. What you call grievances are merely your inflated pride and self-importance.”
Princess Dening was stunned, looking up at Emperor Jingxi in confusion.
He said, “When you were born, I granted amnesty to the realm. When you came of age, the palace prepared for two months in advance. When you marry, it will be the grandest wedding in all the land. You are a flower of noble birth, enjoying wealth and honor, yet you are never satisfied, instead taking it for granted and even complaining that your father did not grant your mother a higher rank?”
Princess Dening gradually paled.
Emperor Jingxi said, “Have you ever seen a girl in the inner chambers who dares to meddle in her father’s harem affairs? The day you marry, will you manage your uncle’s household? If your uncle shows any fault, will you arrogantly confront him openly?”
His expression was icy.
“Not to mention this is the imperial harem. All the women here are your consort mothers. They have ranks and titles, and are Da Hui’s Imperial Consorts. Today, even a Noble Consort, let alone an eighth-rank attendant, has no right to be ordered around by an unmarried girl like you!”
Princess Dening’s lips trembled as she murmured, “Your daughter… your daughter knows her fault. I only asked because I saw my mother crying every day, feeling heartbroken. I didn’t mean to cause trouble or offend anyone. I didn’t expect my rashness to cause such a great mistake.”
Emperor Jingxi’s voice was indifferent, “Dening, thirty years ago, there were Da Hui princesses who were married off to foreign lands or imprisoned deep in the palace. Do you think without your father, you would have such glory today? Who gave you the courage to be so reckless before me?”
Princess Dening broke out in a cold sweat, trembling in fear.
“Now I understand. My mother is a consort, which is a great imperial grace, a way for you to give me a dignified mother.”
At this moment, she finally realized a truth—her father had no love or pity for her birth mother.
Granting her the rank of Consort Kang was already an act of kindness; it would never be raised higher.
Because her birth mother was ungrateful and greedy, the rank was taken away and she was demoted to concubine.
Emperor Jingxi lowered his eyes, silently watching his tearful daughter.
After all, this was still his blood.
A wu, hiding behind, vaguely sensed the subtle change in the emperor’s mood.
He seemed less angry and more pained for his daughter.
Finally, Emperor Jingxi spoke again, his voice still cold: “Dening, you may think I am too harsh today, but you must understand. I will select a husband for you immediately, and you will be sent off with a grand wedding no one in the court can fault. As for your birth mother, since she erred, why should I tolerate her? I will issue an Imperial Edict to send her to the cold palace. She shall not say another word!”
Emperor Jingxi continued, “In truth, I have long had many dissatisfactions with you and your brother. I always felt you were not the children I desired.”
Princess Dening looked up in surprise.
She hadn’t expected such words from her father.
Emperor Jingxi said, “But I also understand, you were born yourselves. Though you are my children, I cannot prune you like bonsai trees. So I accept it, and I endure it, I have no choice but to.”
Princess Dening was shocked, whispering, “Father…”
Emperor Jingxi said, “Despite my many complaints, I’m glad you’re still kind-hearted, not arrogant bullies who abuse their power.”
At this, tears fell instantly from Princess Dening’s eyes, full of gratitude and trembling fear.
She hurried to defend herself, “Father, I did not mean to bully Noble Consort Ning. When she was an Imperial Noble Lady, I did say a few words, but… it wasn’t intentional!”
A wu, hidden, gasped inwardly.
She couldn’t believe the princess was bringing this up…
Emperor Jingxi said, “Oh? Then tell me honestly. I want to hear.”
Princess Dening then poured out everything, even the incident with the red silk pouch.
A wu was speechless.
She had never mentioned those details herself and had already skirted the issue, but now the princess was digging it all up again—only stirring trouble!
She didn’t want Emperor Jingxi to interrogate her again!
To make matters worse, Princess Dening even told how A wu had scolded her for wearing it.
A wu felt awkward and helpless, wishing she could shut the princess up immediately.
In her haste, she accidentally made a noise.
She quickly covered her mouth, but it was too late.
Inside the hall, Princess Dening’s eyes widened in surprise, glancing toward the rear.
Emperor Jingxi’s expression was unreadable as he looked back and then ordered, “Come out.”
A wu was mortified, wishing she could vanish.
Emperor Jingxi said again, “If you don’t come out, I will have someone drag you out.”
A wu had no choice but to steel herself and step out trembling, bowing to Emperor Jingxi.
She was now with child and was specially excused from kneeling.
Princess Dening saw A wu and blushed deeply with embarrassment.
She hadn’t expected her to be present and was mortified that her words had been overheard.
She didn’t know where to look.
Emperor Jingxi’s expression was hard to read.
“Dening, continue.”
A wu quickly interjected, “There’s no need to continue, it’s nothing important.”
Princess Dening looked at A wu in surprise.
Then she realized, “So… you didn’t report me?”
A wu’s anger flared; she shot Princess Dening a cold glare.
Princess Dening, a bit resentful but now having learned her lesson, dared not speak further in front of her father and could only endure.
Emperor Jingxi, fully aware of the situation, asked, “Dening, do you have anything to say?”
Feeling helpless and wronged, Princess Dening defended herself, “Father, I didn’t know she hadn’t reported me. Didn’t she report the lecture matter?”
A wu chuckled, “Nonsense, I didn’t report anything.”
Princess Dening said, “You didn’t?”
Emperor Jingxi said, “Noble Consort Ning never reported you. I learned about the lecture matter from elsewhere. As for the jewelry incident, you were far too arrogant. Do you think only you can wear it, and no one else?”
Princess Dening panicked, “I only meant to teach her a lesson, I was just speaking casually. Who knew she’d actually listen?”
A wu found this even more amusing.
“No wonder you bullied me during the lecture. You thought I was easy to pick on? I didn’t report you, so you kept bullying me? So a princess is just someone who picks on the weak?”
Princess Dening felt even more wronged, “I didn’t! I only said a few words!”
Emperor Jingxi asked, “A few words? What do you mean? Tell me exactly what you said.”
Princess Dening shrank back, unwilling to say in front of her father.
Emperor Jingxi asked, “What did Noble Consort Ning say?”
A wu lowered her head and kept silent.
Princess Dening dared not speak; A wu didn’t want to cause more trouble.
Emperor Jingxi cast a cold glance at the two below the steps.
“Dening, for your past mistreatment of Noble Consort Ning, start by apologizing to her now. Then, perform the wanful bow to her.”
A wu glanced at Princess Dening.
Princess Dening was reluctant, but under Emperor Jingxi’s authority, she unwillingly apologized and performed the wanful bow to A wu.
Then Emperor Jingxi said, “Noble Consort Ning, return her the nod of acknowledgment.”
A wu was stunned.
Emperor Jingxi repeated, “Hmm?”
Princess Dening also didn’t expect this.
The wanful bow is performed by juniors to elders of the same status, while the nod is a recognition from elders to juniors and can also be exchanged between equals.
Now, Emperor Jingxi was asking A wu to nod back to Princess Dening.
This gave her some face.
She looked carefully at her high and mighty father and felt a faint comfort in her heart.
Then she looked toward A wu.
A wu thought it wasn’t worth making a fuss and quietly returned the nod.
Emperor Jingxi said, “I have understood your past mistakes and already punished you. Dening, I hope you learn your lesson and never repeat this. If you do, I will show no mercy.”
Thinking of her punishment and her birth mother’s demotion, Princess Dening felt sorrow but dared not say anything, only bowed and said, “Yes.”
Emperor Jingxi said, “Now, Dening, return to your chambers and continue your closed-door reflection.”
Princess Dening’s chest felt tight and suffocated.
She had actually come to plead, but it seemed her hopes were dashed.
Then Emperor Jingxi added, “In a few days, the Shangsi Festival will come. I will take Noble Consort Ning on an outing to the countryside, and you may accompany us.”
Princess Dening was incredulous and looked at Emperor Jingxi in surprise.
She was naturally delighted; this was unprecedented for her.
Emperor Jingxi continued, “Noble Consort Ning is your consort mother and is now carrying your imperial brother or sister. You must take good care of her. This is also to make you understand your role as elder sister and fulfill your duties.”  Â
After a moment, she glanced curiously at A wu’s belly.
It had already begun to swell somewhat, arousing her curiosity and expectation.
“When will my brother or sister be born?”
A wu replied, “Maybe tomorrow.”
Princess Dening was shocked and suspicious.
“I don’t believe it. How could that be… You’re lying, right?”
A wu said flatly, “Yes, I’m lying. You’d believe that?”
Princess Dening was speechless.
Emperor Jingxi’s lips curved slightly with a faint smile, but he still commanded, “A wu, no teasing her.”
Then he instructed Princess Dening, “Noble Consort Ning is now a first-rank Imperial Consort and head of the harem consorts. She is also your elder. You must respect her as your consort mother.”
Princess Dening was momentarily stunned.  Â
A wu remained silent, unwilling to speak.
Emperor Jingxi, seeing their thoughts clearly, said, “It’s late. I will accompany Noble Consort to lunch. You may withdraw.” Â
Princess Dening felt a little disappointed.
She was somewhat anxious, worried that she had disappointed her father and wondering whether she should obey, but at the same time, she found it hard to accept.
Apart from her birth mother, Consort Kang, she only called the Empress ‘Queen Mother.’
She wanted to say something more, but seeing her father unwilling to discuss further, she bowed and left.
As she stepped out of Fengtian Hall, many thoughts filled her heart, but the upcoming Shangsi Festival outing comforted her somewhat.
Her father had punished her birth mother and neglected her, but now he had summoned her to Fengtian Hall and spoken to her at length.
He was teaching her, not like her mother said, completely abandoning and ignoring her.
An emperor who truly hated a daughter would send her off with a lavish wedding and never see her again, cutting ties entirely, not talk to her so earnestly.
Her father still cared for their father-daughter bond.
As for Noble Consort Ning, she was clearly favored.
Her father had never dined with any other consort, not even the Empress, let alone her birth mother.
To Emperor Jingxi, Noble Consort Ning was different—almost like… his true wife.
This made Princess Dening feel strange.
She had always thought her father was an emperor, and the harem were merely subjects to him.
Now, it seemed… he was like an ordinary man, an ordinary husband.
But only in front of Noble Consort Ning.