"Nothing of that sort will happen to you. As long as the Eldest Prince is alive, His Majesty will always remember to drop by your palace. Naturally, he will not neglect you as well," Aunt Sumala said firmly, smiling. "My mistress often praises you for being the most sharp-witted concubine in the back palace. It's the Eldest Prince's fortune to have a mother like you."
Noble Lady Hui's eyes flickered with shock as she took in the meaning of Aunt Sumala's words. However, she dared not believe it was true yet.
Seeing the tremulous look on her face, Aunt Sumala chuckled and explained, "Consort Zhao has been wanting to adopt the Eldest Prince for some time now. There's nothing wrong with that, since she's the highest-ranked consort in the palace. However, the Grand Empress Dowager feels that you've been doing an excellent job in raising the Eldest Prince, and there's no need to seek an adoptive mother for him. Because of Empress Xiaochengren's death, however, the message may not have been relayed to you yet."
Noble Lady Hui was kind and generous, and she got along well with most of the other concubines. Xuanye favored her, but not too much. Although she seemed rather content with her life, Noble Lady Hui missed her son greatly and lived in constant fear that Consort Zhao would steal him away from her.
Thankfully, Aunt Sumala had delivered the reassurance she needed today. Noble Lady Hui was so agitated that she teared up immediately. Trying to comfort her, Aunt Sumala took her hand and said, "If you go and attend to the Grand Empress Dowager with those red eyes, she might think I bullied you!"
Noble Lady Hui tried hard to stifle her sobs. Courteously, she asked, "Does the Grand Empress Dowager have any instructions for me? I will always do my best to serve her, of course, but now that she has bestowed this great kindness upon me...whatever I do is going to seem superficial."
Aunt Sumala smiled inwardly at Noble Lady Hui's earnestness, but said solemnly, "It's nothing serious. With the recent developments in the harem, the Grand Empress Dowager has been complaining to me that trouble is right at the doorstep. She has lived through the reigns of three kings—she's always right about these sorts of things!"
"Does the Grand Empress Dowager mean for..." Noble Lady Hui said haltingly, "for me to take particular care of First-Class Female Attendant Wu?"
Aunt Sumala smiled but didn't say anything. Looking out of the window, she got up and said, "The Grand Empress Dowager must be awake by now. She's waiting for you to help her comb her hair."
Noble Lady Hui got up and left for the Grand Empress Dowager's bedchamber, shoving her thoughts to the back of her mind. As expected, the Grand Empress Dowager was already awake. She seemed very happy to see Noble Lady Hui there. Grinning, she said, "Mind you don't blame me for calling you to my palace so early in the morning. When you're free after this, go to the Princes' Palace and bring the Eldest Prince to me. I would like to see my grandson."
"Yes, Your Highness. I'll do that." Noble Lady Hui was overjoyed. She combed the Grand Empress Dowager's hair carefully and helped to serve her breakfast, before rushing over to the Princes' Palace. On her way there, she suddenly thought of something and sent one of her maids to invite First-Class Female Attendant Bu to come with her.
A while later, First-Class Female Attendant Bu came hurrying over. The moment she saw Noble Lady Hui, she blurted out excitedly, "May I go and see the princess as well?"
Noble Lady Hui told her about the Grand Empress Dowager's kind favor, and the two of them headed to the Princes' Palace. After playing with the princess for a while, they fetched the Eldest Prince and brought him to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility.
On their way there, Noble Lady Hui asked, "Is First-Class Female Attendant Wu feeling a little better? Perhaps all that discomfort means she's pregnant."
First-Class Female Attendant Bu shook her head quickly. "I asked her about it this morning, but she told me her period was here. No wonder she felt so horrible yesterday."
Noble Lady Hui sighed quietly. Even a woman as favored as Lanqi couldn't conceive—there was a limit to her blessings, after all.
Just as they were about to go their separate ways, the Eldest Prince said in his adorable voice, "Mother, look over there! Father is coming." Noble Lady Hui and First-Class Female Attendant Bu looked at where he was pointing, and spotted Xuanye heading towards the Palace of Accumulated Purity.
First-Class Female Attendant Bu sighed and mumbled, "Why has His Majesty arrived so early...I'd better wait a while before I return."
Noble Lady Hui smiled and said, "Let's go to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility together, then. The Grand Empress Dowager likes the way you prepare tea."