Two more days passed.
Bai Zhi’er was conversing with the Empress.
Jin Lian entered angrily from outside.
Bai Zhi’er looked up and saw her: "Jin Lian, are you angry?"
Fu Xiru also glanced at her.
Jin Lian didn’t intend to speak, but since Bai Zhi’er had asked, she had no choice but to walk over.
"The people from Princess Consort Liang’s palace are really arrogant. Lady just sent to the Imperial Study Room to deliver soup to the Emperor, only to find the servants from Princess Consort Liang’s palace there too!"
"They said Princess Consort Liang realized her mistake, and to pray for the Empress’s blessing, she fainted twice from copying scriptures."
"I think Princess Consort Liang is just pretending, yet the Emperor actually believed it; he just went to visit Princess Consort Liang after leaving the Imperial Study Room."
"Did the Emperor forget that today is..."
Jin Lian, still fuming, was cut off by Fu Xiru’s calm interruption: "Enough!"
Bai Zhi’er blinked, quite puzzled.
What day is today?
Jin Lian felt aggrieved and muttered, "I’m just standing up for Lady."
Fu Xiru sighed.
She said, "The Emperor is in a difficult position too; recently he confined Prince Li Zheng, and those officials humiliated the Emperor in court several tis."
"Princess Consort Liang’s family is close to those courtiers, so it’s good for the Emperor to check on her, preventing the ministers from the forr dynasty from becoming overly hostile."
It’s said the harem should not interfere in politics, but since ancient tis, the court and the harem have shared the sa interests.
Bai Zhi’er, being a Princess, naturally understood the rationale.
She just felt sorrow for the Empress.
Even now, she still thought of Long Xiyuan.
But today, Fu Xiru was coughing severely.
"Cough cough... please bring the dicine," Fu Xiru ordered.
Bai Zhi’er was stunned: "But Lady, the last dose of dicine was taken only an hour ago; we should wait two more hours before the next dose."
Fu Xiru shook her head: "After taking the dicine, you will accompany out."
Bai Zhi’er wanted to say sothing more, but Jin Lian seed to know what the Empress intended.
"Zhi’er, go quickly and bring the dicine."
Bai Zhi’er had no choice but to leave.
When she returned, the Empress’s cough had worsened.
Bai Zhi’er watched her take the dicine as Jin Lian ca in with a basket of paper money.
"This is..." Bai Zhi’er was astonished.
Who was Fu Xiru going to mourn?
Seeing Bai Zhi’er’s surprise, Fu Xiru smiled gently, with a hint of bitterness.
"Zhi’er might not know, this is a secret in the palace known only to the Emperor, myself, and a few close individuals."
"Six years ago, while I was four months pregnant, I fell and lost a child."
Bai Zhi’er was thoroughly shocked.
Long Xiyuan had never ntioned this past event.
Seeing her expression, Fu Xiru explained: "Since it was so long ago, and kept secret from everyone at the ti, I never ntion it to outsiders."
"Today happens to be the child’s morial, so Zhi’er and Jin Lian accompany to burn so paper money."
Saying this, Fu Xiru began coughing violently.
Jin Lian quickly supported her, feeling deeply distressed.
"The Emperor only accompanied Lady to burn paper money on the first anniversary of the child’s passing. This year, with the relationship between the Emperor and Lady improving, I thought he might accompany her."
Fu Xiru smiled bitterly: "Perhaps he has already forgotten."
The Empress kept coughing, so Bai Zhi’er draped two extra layers of thin cloaks over her.
They arrived at a secluded, old palace long since uninhabited.
Fu Xiru explained: "This is the palace where I lived when I first entered the court; it was here that I had the child."
Likewise, it was here that she lost it.
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