Neither Qin Yining nor the Empress had expected Consort Yun to act this way, leaving both momentarily stunned.

Having truly learned proper etiquette in Great Yan, Qin Yining knew what was appropriate behavior in the palace and what would invite gossip and mockery. Seeing someone so blind to hierarchy who only knew to tattle when disciplined left her genuinely shocked.

“Let’s go pay our respects to the Empress Dowager as well.” The Empress’s smile was strained, yet she maintained her composure without losing the dignity befitting an empress.

Qin Yining replied “Yes” and followed the Empress’s steps.

Last night had brought another heavy snowfall. The spacious courtyard of Ci’an Palace was covered everywhere with a thick white blanket, with palace maids sweeping snow, their brooms making soft swishing sounds against the ground.

Seeing the Empress’s arrival, the palace maids set down their tools and bowed respectfully.

“Greetings to Her Majesty the Empress.”

“Rise.” The Empress smiled gently, raising her hand graciously.

“Your Majesty, please allow this servant to announce your arrival,” said an elderly palace maid, curtsying before the main hall. Though smiling, she still displayed a measure of authority.

The Empress paused and nodded.

Qin Yining sighed inwardly. Standing here, she could already faintly hear weeping sounds from within the hall – clearly Consort Yun had already begun crying her complaints before the Empress Dowager.

Qin Yining looked questioningly at the Empress.

The Empress’s face showed unconcealed helplessness, but she maintained her grace, smiling at Qin Yining.

Qin Yining shook her head internally again, turning to give Ji Yun a meaningful look.

Ji Yun didn’t immediately understand Qin Yining’s intention.

However, when the palace maid emerged to announce them and Qin Yining followed behind the Empress toward the main hall, Ji Yun understood. She quietly fell to the back of the group, positioning herself at the gates of Ci’an Palace.

If anything happened, she could rush home to report to the master.

At this moment in the eastern side hall, Consort Yun was kneeling gracefully beside the Empress Dowager’s legs, her pale hands clutching the Empress Dowager’s sapphire blue skirt as she wept like a pear blossom in rain, resembling a delicate flower battered by storms.

“Cousin aunt, you must seek justice for Yun’er. Those people see that Yun’er is new to the palace and all bully her. They say Yun’er doesn’t understand proper etiquette – isn’t that criticizing cousin aunt’s teachings?”

The Empress Dowager lowered her eyes without speaking, her wrinkled hand lifting a tea bowl, using the white porcelain lid to brush aside the floating tea leaves.

This cousin’s daughter was too troublesome, possessing only a beautiful appearance while leaving her brains outside the palace.

Seeing the Empress Dowager’s silence, Consort Yun grew more aggrieved, tears streaming down her face as she clutched the Empress Dowager’s skirt and refused to let go.

“Cousin aunt, please take pity on Yun’er! You didn’t see how arrogant that Princess Consort Zhongshun was – she even mocked Yun’er for being merely a consort! Her mocking Yun’er shows contempt for the Empress Dowager. Shouldn’t such an arrogant servant receive a proper lesson?”

The Empress Dowager irritably set down her tea bowl, saying sternly: “Can’t you be peaceful for even one day? How did you provoke her again?”

“What is she anyway? Just a princess consort, where does she have…”

“Shut up and move aside.” The Empress Dowager lifted her foot, pulling her skirt hem from Consort Yun’s grasp.

Consort Yun stared at the Empress Dowager in disbelief, unable to understand why she was being told to “get lost.”

“Reporting to the Empress Dowager, the Empress and Princess Consort Zhongshun have come to pay respects.”

“Let them enter.” The Empress Dowager kept a stern face as she arranged her skirt.

Upon entering the hall, Qin Yining first noticed the rather eye-catching peony-patterned carpet, lowering her head as she walked forward to bow respectfully. From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed Consort Yun with her reddened eyes, feeling rather helpless.

The Empress Dowager looked at the Empress with a stern expression, then showed slightly more warmth as she nodded to Qin Yining: “Zhixi’s daughter-in-law has returned.”

“Yes, this subject’s wife has just returned to the capital by imperial decree. Has the Empress Dowager been in good health?” Qin Yining’s attitude was both respectful and concerned.

The Empress Dowager rubbed her temples: “As you can see, this old body isn’t what it used to be. When nothing’s happening, it’s fine, but the moment any trouble arises, the headaches become unbearable.”

“The Empress Dowager works too hard,” Qin Yining smiled, saying, “Fortunately the Empress shares your burdens, allowing you some respite.”

The Empress Dowager smiled slightly: “At my age, I always want to share more of His Majesty’s burdens. The Empress is steady and must also care for the princes – she’s juggling multiple responsibilities and inevitably can’t manage everything perfectly.”

“The Empress Dowager speaks truly.” The Empress lowered her head, following the Empress Dowager’s lead: “Thanks to the Empress Dowager’s constant guidance, the palace remains stable.”

Only then did the Empress Dowager show the Empress a somewhat better expression.

Since the incident with Marquis Qingyang and Prince Li’s palace coup, Qin Yining had gained some understanding of the Empress Dowager’s character. The Empress Dowager had a strong desire for power, yet the decisions she made while wielding authority weren’t particularly wise.

Now it seemed the Empress Dowager was aging but unwilling to relinquish power. However, because of the Marquis Qingyang affair, His Majesty already harbored dissatisfaction toward the Empress Dowager and the Zhou family, making it impossible for him to support her continued grip on power. Thus the Empress Dowager could only fight for it herself – suppressing the Empress and forcing her submission was the only way to maintain her current authority.

This pampered, arrogant yet extremely beautiful Consort Yun was a tool for the Empress Dowager to check the Empress. Choosing someone so brainless was probably because such people were easier to control.

Understanding these machinations, Qin Yining grew even more disgusted with life within the palace walls. However, she still had to live within these walls during her days of studying ancient ceremonies by imperial decree, inevitably becoming entangled in such affairs.

While lost in thought, the Empress Dowager scolded the Empress several more times. The Empress kept her head lowered throughout, not uttering a single word of contradiction.

Seeing the Empress so respectful, the Empress Dowager’s mood improved considerably. She extended her hand toward Qin Yining with a smile: “Zhixi’s daughter-in-law, come here to me.”

“Yes.” Qin Yining gathered her spirits, walking to the Empress Dowager with a smile, bowing first before placing her hand on the Empress Dowager’s.

The Empress Dowager’s palm was dry and cold, making Qin Yining very uncomfortable.

Grasping Qin Yining’s fair hand that seemed carved from finest jade and patting it, the Empress Dowager sighed: “Youth is still the best. By the way, did you encounter any interesting sights during your southern journey?”

Alarm bells rang in Qin Yining’s mind as she gathered her wits: “Nothing particularly interesting. After giving birth, this subject’s wife’s health hasn’t been very good, and caring for two young masters leaves little energy for paying attention to outside affairs.

“However, I can confirm that region is now much more prosperous than before. This is all thanks to His Majesty’s excellent governance.”

The Empress Dowager was pleased to hear this, nodding with a smile. Looking down at Consort Yun, who had stopped crying but still knelt stubbornly to one side, she felt a wave of disgust.

“Why aren’t you getting up? You never learn. Look at Princess Consort Zhongshun – when will you possess even half her intelligence and sensibility? I’d wake up laughing in my sleep! Tell me, what foolish thing did you do today?”

Consort Yun’s tears fell again from the scolding, looking at the Empress Dowager with both grievance and disbelief.

The Empress Dowager turned to ask Qin Yining: “You tell me what happened earlier.”

Qin Yining smiled slightly – the Empress Dowager had set a trap for her. If she answered poorly or took the wrong side, she might offend one party or even both.