Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved
Chapter 381: You Will Outshine Them All

Chapter 381: Chapter 381: You Will Outshine Them All

The Empress Dowager practiced vegetarianism and chanted Buddhist scriptures, her mind tranquil, and her face betrayed little trace of the years.

If she wore more colorful attire, she might appear even younger, but the Empress Dowager always favored simplicity over bright reds and purples, preferring plain colors, which lent her an air of utmost purity and kindness.

Although Consort Jing often wore clothes similar to those of the Empress Dowager, there was a significant gap in their demeanors; looking at Consort Jing gave one the impression of trying too hard to emulate her superior.

The Empress Dowager did not like the Imperial Palace; once she left it, her spirits greatly improved, and she spoke with Murong Jiu with a smile.

She inquired about the goings-on in the Prince Mansion and about the two children, treating Murong Jiu with warmth and without the airs of an Empress Dowager.

Although the Empress Dowager and Jun Yuyan were not related by blood, Jun Yuyan always remembered the kindness she had shown him. The Empress Dowager not only helped him when he was young, but also had come to Murong Jiu’s rescue in the past.

Knowing that the Empress Dowager liked to worship Buddha, Jun Yuyan also specially arranged a new small Buddhist hall for her.

However, the Empress Dowager did not like to trouble others; she usually did not ask them to rise early to pay their respects and spent most of the time chanting in the Buddhist hall. Occasionally, they would dine together, but this was rare, as the Empress Dowager was a vegetarian and did not insist that others adopt her diet.

After arriving at the Prince Mansion, the Empress Dowager’s complexion appeared noticeably improved, her smile more frequent. Zhijin and Zhiyu, the two bundles of joy, needed only to wave their little hands and chuckle to make others feel happy.

The only vexing thing was the increased frequency of the Emperor’s visits to Prince Ling’s Mansion.

Each time he came, the atmosphere of the Prince Mansion became more oppressive, and the Empress Dowager would stay inside the Buddhist hall most of the time.

But the Emperor insisted on dining with the Empress Dowager before leaving, and so Murong Jiu would also accompany them.

However, this sent a signal to the court officials, leading them to believe that the Emperor now favored Prince Ling above all, which drew many to seek association with Prince Ling’s Mansion in secret.

Thus, members of the Second and Third Princes’ factions became somewhat impatient, making frequent clandestine moves.

The several Princes also vied to invite the Empress Dowager to reside in their own Prince Mansions.

Each time, the Empress Dowager declined on the grounds that she did not wish to trouble herself.

Today, an unexpected guest visited the Prince Mansion.

It was none other than the Fifth Princess, who had set her wedding arrangement with the Tanhua, Ruan Hongwen.

She rarely visited without purpose, and each of her visits was goal-directed.

This time, under the pretense of visiting the Empress Dowager, her actual intention was to persuade the Empress Dowager to move to the Second Prince’s Prince Mansion.

The Empress Dowager met her in the small Buddhist hall and rejected her "kindness."

After hitting a wall with the Empress Dowager, the Fifth Princess’s eyes darkened with discontent, and upon leaving the Buddhist hall, she did not conceal her displeasure from Murong Jiu.

Murong Jiu naturally returned the sentiment, instructing a servant to see the Fifth Princess out, at which she turned and walked away.

The Fifth Princess shouted, "Stop! Eldest Imperial Sister-in-law, you are now a Princess Consort; is this how you treat a guest? I haven’t said I wished to leave, yet you’re eager to send me away?"

Murong Jiu slowly turned her head and with a slight curl of her lips, she said, "Oh, so the Princess isn’t ready to leave? I was under the impression that you would be eager to return and make arrangements for your own Princess’s Mansion. After all, your marriage to the Tanhua is fast approaching, and there must be much to do."

"Hmph! You needn’t concern yourself with that, Eldest Imperial Sister-in-law! I have long heard that Prince Ling’s Mansion has planted fruits and vegetables from foreign countries, and I, for one, wish to taste them today! Surely, the Eldest Imperial Sister-in-law wouldn’t begrudge such a small request?"

"How could that be? This Princess Consort is merely worried you might not be accustomed to the food," Murong Jiu said with a smile that was not quite a smile as she looked at her.

The Fifth Princess felt even more uncomfortable under that smile, fearing that the dishes might be poisoned somehow; she couldn’t believe Murong Jiu would be so kind-hearted.

But she didn’t want to show any timidity, lest Murong Jiu would laugh at her.

Besides, even if she didn’t eat, today she intended to give Murong Jiu a hard time, to let her know who was of higher status.

With a glint in her eyes, she insisted on having Murong Jiu accompany her around Prince Ling’s Mansion, even demanding to pick fruits and vegetables in the Glazed Greenhouse.

She could take these home with her; surely the Prince Consort had never seen such fine things and would treasure them greatly.

Thinking of Ruan Hongwen, who had suffered under the Emperor’s wrath, resulting in people at the Hanlin Academy finding fault with him and causing his recent depression, she knew that a lot of silver taels had been spent to smooth things over with others, including drinks with colleagues to foster good relations, leaving him in a foul mood afterward.

She wanted to cheer up Ruan Hongwen.

From a distance, she spotted the Glazed Greenhouse, but before she could get close, suddenly a huge creature lunged at her—a massive Silver Wolf with a fearsome open mouth. The Fifth Princess paled with fear, her heartbeat almost ceasing, her legs went weak, and she fell to the ground with a thump.

As the enormous Silver Wolf appeared about to bite off her head, the Fifth Princess screamed in terror, tears and snot caused by fear, nearly wetting herself.

"Kai Xuan," Murong Jiu called out softly, and the Silver Wolf immediately ceased its charge and threatening posture, obediently standing beside Murong Jiu.

The Fifth Princess, having narrowly escaped death, sat on the ground, gasping for breath. Her palace maids, terrified and losing their composure, had lost one shoe each in their flight.

As the Fifth Princess regained her composure, she snapped in fury, "Murong Jiu! You did it on purpose! You deliberately had your wolf scare me!"

"Look at what you’re saying. Kai Xuan is merely hostile toward strangers and meant to drive you away. I have already stopped it," Murong Jiu responded.

"It startled me, and you must punish it! Otherwise, I won’t believe a word you say!" demanded the Fifth Princess.

"Kai Xuan is no ordinary wolf. It owes a life debt to this Princess Consort and is an honored guest in Prince Ling’s Mansion. Furthermore, it tends to target any person who bears hostility toward me. Fifth Princess, I hadn’t realized your hostility toward me was so deep. The Prince said if you were disrespectful to me today, he would come to find you. Maybe you should wait for the Prince to return. My leg hurts, so I won’t keep you company any longer," Murong Jiu said while leisurely stroking Kai Xuan’s head.

After speaking, she slowly turned and walked away.

She had initially agreed to accompany her just to see the Fifth Princess flustered and angry; now that she had seen it and felt gratified, there was no reason to waste any more time on such a person.

The Fifth Princess watched Murong Jiu’s retreating figure, her complexion uglier than overnight vegetables.

She wanted to curse aloud, but the beast that stood taller than herself was still present, watching her with cold eyes as if it might pounce and bite off her head at any moment. The Fifth Princess could only curse silently while glaring at her palace maids to help her up.

It wasn’t until she had left Prince Ling’s Mansion that she stopped feeling the wolf’s scrutinizing gaze, which had been watching her like guarding against a thief—the worst humiliation she had ever endured in her life.

Upon her return to the Princess’s Mansion, she flew into a rage, punishing the palace maids who had run off without tending to her, and even Ruan Hongwen, who had come to visit, was affected.

Ruan Hongwen had to humble himself and patiently indulge her. After a long time, when his patience was nearly exhausted and the Fifth Princess was still angry, he had no choice but to say,

"Princess, please don’t be angry anymore. Aren’t you attending Miss Sikong’s poetry gathering tomorrow? You should pick out your attire and jewelry for tomorrow. You must outshine all the others!"

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