Chapter 12 Demotion

Consort De couldn’t believe what was happening—her lips trembled uncontrollably.

As a senior member of the palace and mother to several children, she had thought that even if the Emperor no longer held affection for her, there would at least be some lingering sentiment and pity from their years together. How could he treat her like this?!

But her despair was far from over. After expressing his satisfaction, the Emperor’s eyes suddenly darkened as he asked her solemnly, “Consort De, were you aware of the crimes committed by Desheng and the Uya family?”

“Your servant…” Her voice shook as a wave of icy dread surged through her heart.

“Out of consideration for the Fourth Prince’s diligent service, I will overlook your absurd plea for leniency. However, the Uya family’s downfall today is inseparable from your failure in discipline.” The Emperor glanced coldly at the panicked Consort De kneeling before him. “By my decree, Uya Shi is hereby demoted to Consort De. Reflect carefully on your actions.”

Without waiting for her to collapse completely, his phoenix eyes darkened further as he added, “This title remains yours for now, Consort De. Do not disappoint me.”

Dazed, Consort De mechanically thanked him for his mercy. In her confusion, she vaguely heard Li Dequan’s voice: “Consort De, if you please?”

She dug her nails into her palms, barely maintaining composure before the throne. Staggering back to the Palace of Eternal Harmony with the support of her attendants, she collapsed to the ground, darkness clouding her vision.

“My lady!” Lüwu’s voice trembled with tears, sharp and frantic, though she dared not openly summon the imperial physician. “Someone, bring the safflower oil at once!”

The main hall of the Palace of Eternal Harmony descended into chaos, with everyone on edge. The young maidservants trembled in fear, unsure why their mistress had incurred the Emperor’s wrath. All they knew was that the balance among the Four Consorts had been shattered—their pride would never recover.

After dismissing Consort De, Hong Yan found himself pinned under the amused gazes of two men—his father and his grandfather.

“…” The chubby little hands wiped away tears nonchalantly as his round face broke into an ingratiating smile. “Hanmafa is the best grandfather in the world.”

The Emperor, now immune to such flattery, snorted without comment. The Crown Prince, however, realized with exasperation—Yuanbao had truly outdone himself. He’d used the exact same words to placate him yesterday! The audacity to repeat it without fear of being caught!

Angry as he was, the priority now was damage control. With Consort De thoroughly antagonized, the Uya family posed little threat, but hidden daggers were harder to evade than open blades. If such underhanded methods were used against Yuanbao…

The Crown Prince’s mind raced through countless possibilities—from the Fourth Prince to the Fourteenth, even the Thirteenth Prince raised under Consort De’s care. The Fourth Prince would have headaches aplenty, but as Crown Prince, he feared nothing. Crushing the Uya family into permanent obscurity would be ideal.

“Mimicking palace women’s words and mannerisms—this act ends now. Who taught you such things at your age? Where is your dignity as a man? Leave room in your actions—do not expose others’ flaws…” His reprimand was severe, reducing Hong Yan to tearful sniffles as he rubbed his eyes.

Li Dequan glanced hesitantly at the Emperor, who slammed the imperial desk and scolded the Crown Prince, “I’m still here! What right have you to lecture him? What fault does Yuanbao bear? Are you proud after ransacking the Department of Extensive Storage?”

After berating the Crown Prince mercilessly, he softened and beckoned to Hong Yan. “Come here, to your grandfather.”

Hong Yan walked over with a pout, and the Emperor lovingly comforted him for a long while before finally shooting a glance at the equally sulky Crown Prince. “This is no way to teach a child. Yuanbao is different from others by nature—why should he need to hold back? As for the rest, I have it under control.”

The Crown Prince lowered his head meekly and murmured his assent, not daring to ask what “the rest” referred to.

The more the Emperor looked at him, the more irritated he became. But remembering that his beloved grandson still had to work alongside Yinreng, he reluctantly let him go.  

“Go on, don’t stand here being an eyesore,” he said, his expression shifting in an instant as he affectionately patted Hong Yan’s cheek. “Rest if you’re tired, or else who’ll be heartbroken but me?”  

The Crown Prince: “…Yes.”  

—  

**Palace of Earthly Tranquility**  

Consort Yi of the Guo Luoluo clan reclined lazily on her daybed, extending her meticulously maintained hands as a palace maid carefully painted her nails.  

She was the youngest among the four consorts, yet she enjoyed the Emperor’s favor the most.  

The warm afternoon sun made her drowsy, but her personal Momo hurried over and whispered something in her ear. Consort Yi slowly sat up, her peach-blossom eyes glimmering. “What did you say?”  

“The Emperor’s decree has spread throughout the six palaces. The one from the Palace of Eternal Harmony… is to be addressed as Consort De now,” the Momo repeated in a hushed voice.  

Consort Yi froze for a long moment before waving her hand to dismiss the busy maids. She suppressed her laughter for as long as she could but ultimately failed, bursting into giggles. “Consort De? What a fine title for ‘Consort De’! It sounds so much more pleasing to my ears.”  

Her undisguised schadenfreude amused the Momo, who merely coughed lightly before continuing, “Not only that, but Consort De must also repay a debt of 125,000 taels—said to be the embezzled silver from her elder brother.”  

Consort Yi covered her lips with her hand, her peach-blossom eyes gleaming even brighter.  

As a woman of the inner court, she was unfamiliar with court affairs and knew better than to pry. Her fifth son, Yinqi, had been raised by the Empress Dowager, cutting off any path to higher ambitions—but a princely title was guaranteed. Her ninth son was still too young to marry and had no scholarly inclinations, so lofty aspirations were far from her mind. Why bother competing?  

But Consort De was different. A bondservant who had clawed her way up to consort rank, she had given birth to the Fourth Prince, who enjoyed the Emperor’s high regard, and the Fourteenth Prince, a prodigious talent. As her longtime rival, Consort Yi could sense the ambition lurking beneath that gentle facade.  

After years of rivalry, she had only managed to outshine Consort De in rank and imperial favor. But when it came to their descendants—there was no comparison. Her fifth son and his wife were a tangled mess, while Uya Shi lived in comfort, enough to make one seethe with envy.  

Hearing the sudden news of her rival’s demotion filled Consort Yi with indescribable delight. After laughing intermittently for half an hour, she sipped some tea to soothe her throat and asked curiously, “How did Consort De anger the Emperor? And how did she end up in debt?”  

“I only caught bits and pieces. Perhaps she pleaded for her brother’s sake—the rest is unclear,” the Momo whispered. “Desheng’s crimes have spread throughout the capital. Not only did he embezzle silver from the Department of Extensive Storage, but he also stole Empress Xiao Yi’s phoenix hairpin! They say the Fourth Prince personally led the raid on his home, and the Crown Prince and the eldest grandson reported it to the Emperor immediately.”  

Consort Yi gasped. This wasn’t just courting death—it was digging one’s own grave.  

True, the Fourth Prince was Consort De’s son, but the bond of upbringing couldn’t be dismissed. Back then, Empress Xiao Yi had doted on her adopted son, even clutching the Emperor’s hand on her deathbed to beg for a change in the imperial genealogy. Consort Yi had caught wind of it, but in the end, Tong Jia’s wish had gone unfulfilled

.Two legitimate sons—the Emperor would most likely not agree.

Consort Yi sighed. She had heard about the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince teaming up, but who could have expected that Yinqi would also be dragged into this troublesome task?

They had already confiscated a household by morning—such efficiency was astonishing. After marveling at it, Consort Yi felt a hint of suspicion. Why was the Emperor’s eldest grandson involved in this?

Indeed, the Fourteenth Prince, who was currently studying, also wanted to know the answer to this question.

At this moment, news of the Department of Extensive Storage’s ‘misfortune’ and Consort De’s demotion had not yet reached the Studio of Leisurely Ease. By noon, the Fourteenth Prince had even lost his appetite for lunch. It was true that Hong Yan was favored, but how old was he this year? Could a mere toddler really handle official duties?

If he could go, why couldn’t I? The Eighth Prince being enfeoffed as a Beile was one thing, but could anyone associated with the Crown Prince rise so effortlessly?!

The Eighth Prince had followed the Da Age out of the palace. When the news reached them, the expressions of those present shifted to varying degrees.

The Ninth Prince was a little displeased, while the Tenth Prince appeared indifferent, grinning as he sidled up to his elder brother and soon managed to make him laugh.

The Twelfth Prince lowered his eyes thoughtfully, while the Thirteenth Prince laughed heartily, his smile free of any shadows. Seeing Yinzhen sulking nearby, he quickly sat beside his younger brother and whispered a reminder, “Fourteenth Brother, don’t be upset. Hong Yan’s assignment was ordered by Father. If Father were to find out—”

The Fourteenth Prince was already irritated, and these words only stoked his anger further. He shrugged off the Thirteenth Prince’s hand on his shoulder and said coldly, “I don’t need your ‘kind’ reminder.”

He emphasized the word ‘kind’ heavily, leaving the Thirteenth Prince momentarily stunned. Forcing a smile, the Thirteenth Prince felt deeply hurt but remained silently seated beside him.

The Tenth Prince, as the son of a Noble Consort, had never endured such treatment. Seeing this, he opened his mouth to speak but was immediately restrained by the Ninth Prince.

The Thirteenth Prince’s mother was of low status and still lived under the thumb of the Palace of Eternal Harmony. No matter what, the Thirteenth Prince could not afford to anger the Fourteenth Prince. While they could offer support, who knew if Consort De would take her anger out on the Thirteenth Prince’s mother?

The Ninth Prince’s frantic eye signals finally made the Tenth Prince reluctantly nod in agreement.

After lunch and an hour’s rest, the riding and archery lessons officially began.

The Thirteenth Prince was slightly better at riding and archery than the Fourteenth Prince. In the past, the two had always practiced together. But now, Yinxiang stood alone by his horse, his lips pressed tightly together, turning pale.

The Twelfth Prince sighed, hesitated for a moment, and then quickly stepped forward. Just then, a servant from Imperial Concubine Zhangjia’s side hurried over. Upon seeing Yinxiang, the servant beamed and repeatedly kowtowed, exclaiming:

“Congratulations, Thirteenth Prince! Great news! His Majesty has just promoted our mistress to Consort Min and granted her residence in the Palace of Auspiciousness. Our mistress couldn’t wait to send this servant to bring you the joyous tidings!”

The entire training ground fell silent. The Thirteenth Prince was utterly stunned.

Overwhelmed with joy, he nearly choked up before finally exclaiming excitedly, “What about my sisters—?”

“Rest assured, Your Highness. How could our mistress forget the two princesses?” the servant said. “His Majesty also decreed that from now on, Your Highness need not pay respects to Consort De anymore. You may return directly to the Palace of Auspiciousness after your studies.”

“Oh, oh, I understand,” Yinxiang replied distractedly, his feet feeling light as if walking on clouds. He vigorously rubbed his eyes and broke into a radiant smile.

The Ninth and Tenth Princes exchanged glances, dumbfounded. Had the Thirteenth Prince’s luck turned so quickly?

Wait.

Consort De? Had they heard correctly?

The Fourteenth Prince pricked up his ears, finally hearing the words clearly. His face turned pale and green, his heart sinking with inexplicable dread.  

That servant wouldn’t dare spread lies even with a hundred guts—could it be that Mother had truly been demoted, now on equal footing with the Thirteenth Prince’s mother?!  

No, that couldn’t be.  

The Fourteenth Prince gritted his teeth, suppressing his agitation, and shot a venomous glare at the Thirteenth Prince before mounting his horse and flicking the reins. “Hyah!”  

By the time he emerged from the Hall of Heavenly Purity, the sun was already high in the sky.  

The Crown Prince swiftly changed his expression, shifting from meek submission to composed indifference, though a trace of anger lingered when he glanced at Hong Yan. Hong Yan, too, quickly altered his demeanor, transitioning from tearful grievances to a look of sudden realization—though he appeared somewhat guilty when meeting the Crown Prince’s gaze.  

Racking his brains, Hong Yan raised a thumb in flattery. “Father, brilliant.”  

The Crown Prince smirked smugly, facing forward as he casually replied, “You weren’t bad either.”  

A moment passed.  

Father and son stared at each other, wide-eyed.  

Hong Yan ventured cautiously, “…Thanks for the praise. Pleasure working with you?”  

The Crown Prince flew into a rage. “He Zhuer! Fetch the feather duster from the palace!”