Chapter 490: Chapter 489: Collar Button (60 Monthly Tickets)
In Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager was still talking with Zhuang Ke.
Mu Liankang came in with the two children.
The Empress Dowager happily took Brother Hui into her arms and let Sister Ying sit beside her: "Ying Hui, these are really good names. You two have finally come home after turning around so much."
Zhuang Ke smiled softly.
Mu Liankang gave the gemstone to the Holy Emperor.
The Holy Emperor pinched it with his fingertips, looked at it, and then handed it to the Empress Dowager: "Mother, take a look, where is this gemstone used?"
The Empress Dowager turned it over and couldn’t think of it at the moment.
The Imperial Consort leaned over for a look, closed her eyes in thought, and said: "Could it be from that collar button?"
The Empress Dowager remembers, right? The Noble Consort had a golden gem-encrusted sheep prince’s collar button, gifted by the late Emperor. The lady cherished it, wearing it only during festivals.
When the Noble Consort was buried, it was intended that the collar button would accompany her, but during inventory, the central gemstone was missing, so it was struck off the list.
That collar button was later stored in..."
The storage place, the Imperial Consort couldn’t recall at all.
After all, decades had passed; it was remarkable she remembered the gemstone’s origin.
Reminded by the Imperial Consort, the Empress Dowager recalled and called Nanny Han over: "Do you remember where the items were kept?"
Nanny Han had served Consort Zhuang for two years before serving the Empress Dowager after the consort passed away.
Thinking hard, she said: "Still in Jinghua Palace."
Jinghua Palace was where Consort Zhuang lived before her death. Though she lost favor, she retained her rank and title and was not moved out until she died of illness.
After that, the palace remained vacant, awaiting no new resident until the late Emperor, in his later years, nostalgically ordered it restored. Items once belonging to Consort Zhuang, stored in the warehouse, were gradually put back.
Before his death, the late Emperor left a command that Jinghua Palace would not be touched before Consort Zhuang’s centennial, so the current Holy Emperor did not let his consorts move in.
Over the decades, although Jinghua Palace saw some thefts, filled with valuables, the strict governance by the late Emperor and Holy Emperor kept it quiet.
Nanny Han found the collar button in Jinghua Palace.
Due to the missing gemstone, the collar button was never stolen.
The Empress Dowager held the golden collar button in one hand, placing the gemstone into the central gap, fitting it perfectly.
The Imperial Consort sighed softly: "Prince Shun took the gemstone for a remembrance."
With this gemstone, Zhuang Ke’s identity was essentially confirmed.
Even with barbarian blood, she was a Royal Princess.
The Holy Emperor leaned on the armrest, asking in a deep voice: "Is Fifth Brother living well outside the pass?"
Zhuang Ke glanced at Mu Liankang, then turned and replied: "In my eyes, Father lives freely."
The Holy Emperor paused, then laughed loudly.
At ease and carefreeness, that was his Fifth Brother.
The palace was meant to retain them for a meal, but with Mu Lianxiao’s health in mind, it was dispersed.
The Empress Dowager told Zhuang Ke to visit the palace whenever possible to chat.
Returning to Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, Mrs. Xu waited at the second gate; seeing Mu Liankang nod at her, she understood.
The group headed to Baijie Hall.
Mrs. Zhou and Mrs. Lu were about to attend to Madam Wu, seeing them arrive in a grand manner, Madam Wu said with a smile: "Today is quite complete, let someone tell Fengyu Courtyard, if they haven’t set the table yet, come to the Flower Hall to eat together. Anyway, Lian Hui is here too, let her meet her brother and sister-in-law."
Servants went to deliver the message.
Madam Wu asked about the palace’s situation: "I heard Liankang returned midway, did he take the two children too?"
Mu Liankang replied: "Cining Palace wanted to see them."
"The Empress Dowager is benevolent." Madam Wu smiled.
Mu Liankang and Zhuang Ke exchanged a glance, and Zhuang Ke looked at Du Yunluo.
Du Yunluo understood, as Zhuang Ke found it difficult to speak herself, she took over, smilingly saying to Madam Wu: "Grandmother, today’s palace visit was quite fruitful."
"Oh?" Madam Wu raised her eyebrow.
"Big Sister-in-law’s maternal family was found," Du Yunluo continued, "In the palace, an elder saw Big Sister-in-law and was so shocked that they dropped the food box, saying she looked just like the late Emperor’s Noble Consort.
The Empress Dowager and the Imperial Consort called Big Sister-in-law over to see. She mentioned her grandmother, a believer in the Three Pure Ones, was the late Emperor’s Consort Zhuang, and her father was the late Emperor’s Fifth Prince, Prince Shun."
The words hardly fell before the room was filled with gasps.
The maids and old servants looked at each other; what had they heard? The eldest lady from outside the pass was imperial kin!
Mrs. Zhou and Mrs. Lu were both shocked; matters concerning the royal family, if not confirmed by the palace, Du Yunluo wouldn’t talk carelessly.
Madam Wu stared blankly at Zhuang Ke; inadvertently, the mansion had gained a Commandery Princess?
"Mrs. Kang, is it true?" Madam Wu tentatively asked her.
Zhuang Ke pursed her lips and nodded: "Father’s name and age match up, and moreover, the gemstone left by Father was taken from Consort Zhuang’s collar button, which has already been compared with the one left in the palace."
Madam Wu patted Zhuang Ke’s hand; she knew that regardless of when the edict arrived, Zhuang Ke would become Li Ke and be titled Commandery Princess.
The Holy Emperor would reward Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, and this time, Cining Palace’s invitation for Zhuang Ke was precisely for this.
Unexpectedly, it was Zhuang Ke’s identity.
Since she was the daughter of Prince Shun, the subsequent rewards were all the more justified.
Prince Shun having passed, leaving only a daughter, wouldn’t impact the Holy Emperor, the Crown Prince, or the Capital’s political structure; the Holy Emperor wouldn’t hesitate over a Commandery Princess title.
Zhuang Ke married Mu Liankang, not Mu Lianxiao, who would inherit the title.
Should Mu Lianxiao earn more military merits later, the Holy Emperor wouldn’t be forced to elevate Dingyuan Marquis Mansion to a Duke Mansion begrudgingly.
Moreover, even if there were lingering doubts about her identity, Zhuang Ke was just a daughter, posing no threat to royal bloodlines.
A Commandery Princess without parents or siblings only elevates her status without other concerns.
This was why the palace straightforwardly acknowledged Zhuang Ke.
Moreover, there was that gemstone.
"Thus, the mansion will be awaiting an edict again." Madam Wu said.
"An edict?" Mu Lianhui’s voice called from outside; she lifted the curtain and entered, "Grandmother, is Ah Shao inheriting the title? Is Ay’s wartime reward coming?"
Mu Lianhui’s voice carried a hint of chill; as disgusted as she was with Mu Lianyu and Mu Yuanjing’s relationship, Mu Lianyu was still her younger brother.
She could loathe, be angry, and hate but never wished him dead.
Mu Lianyu dying on the battlefield wasn’t anyone’s fault; yet, all morning, listening to Lian Family’s complaints about the first and third branch left Mu Lianhui dizzy, her mood increasingly irritable.