The gentle morning light illuminated the towering palace. Outside the Donghua Gate, a carriage with purple curtains slowly came to a stop. Several guards were about to approach for inspection when something was handed out from the carriage. One of the guards glanced at it and immediately respectfully lowered the curtain, allowing the carriage to proceed towards the Yuqing Gate. With the light of dawn gradually brightening the sky, the golden tiles on the palace roof shimmered, leaving two clear imprints on the thick layer of snow.
Yuanxi, dressed in ceremonial attire, sat in the carriage holding a handkerchief tightly in her hand, her demeanor restrained. The tinkling of the bells on the carriage roof echoed, echoing her nervousness. She raised her head slightly and stole a glance at the princess sitting opposite her. Today, the princess was also unusually dressed up, exuding more imposing dignity than her usual cold demeanor. Throughout the journey, however, she kept her eyes closed, letting the nanny beside her attend to her attentively, seemingly too lazy to utter a single word. Yuanxi sighed quietly in her heart, the lingering scent of cosmetics and incense in the carriage unsettling her mind.
Last night, the Empress Dowager suddenly issued an edict, stating that since New Year’s Eve was approaching, she wanted to meet with long-lost relatives. Therefore, she specifically summoned Princess Anrui and Yuanxi to visit Changle Palace. This edict not only surprised Yuanxi but also left the princess somewhat bewildered. Over the years, except for the time of the late emperor’s passing, the princess had never set foot in the palace again. Although she had the title of Empress Dowager’s niece-in-law, they had no close relationship, and there had been no contact for many years. So why did the Empress Dowager suddenly summon her to the palace on New Year’s Eve?
However, regardless of the doubts and surprises, the edict issued by the Empress Dowager herself had to be obeyed. Thus, before dawn, both women prepared their ceremonial attire and makeup, and early on, they boarded the carriage to Changle Palace to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager.
Yuanxi had never been to the palace before. Although, in terms of seniority, the Empress Dowager could be considered her aunt, her extremely distinguished status made Yuanxi feel even more nervous. She had hardly slept all night, and since boarding the carriage, her heart had been pounding, afraid of making mistakes and offending the Empress Dowager. She had hoped that the princess would give her some advice on the Empress Dowager’s taboos and preferences, but the princess remained silent throughout the journey, sitting coldly opposite her like a lifeless statue.
At this moment, the carriage slowly came to a halt. Outside the Yuqing Gate, several palace maids lined up to welcome them. Yuanxi and the princess got off the carriage and, following the guidance of the palace maids, crossed the green-tiled vermilion gates and finally arrived at the palace where the Empress Dowager resided.
Inside Changle Palace, red curtains fluttered, and gold and silver glittered. The scent of lilies from the incense burner filled the entire room. Yuanxi, with her head bowed, followed behind the princess, catching a glimpse of a figure seated at the head of the room. Her skin was fair as snow, her eyebrows delicately arched, and although she smiled gently, there was an irresistible pressure emanating from her. Despite being over forty, she couldn’t hide her stunning appearance. A few fine lines appeared only when she smiled, revealing traces of the years.
Yuanxi couldn’t help but be a little stunned, but the Empress Dowager chuckled lightly. She casually played with the rubies embedded in her armor as she carefully examined Yuanxi from head to toe, saying, “So, you are the seventh daughter of the Mingyuan family. No need to be so formal. I should call you my niece, right?”
Yuanxi’s heart raced a little, and she quickly replied, “Would Your Highness prefer to call me Yuanxi?”
The Empress Dowager raised her hand, and with the assistance of a nanny, she slowly descended the steps, coming to stand in front of Yuanxi. She scrutinized her from top to bottom before saying, “Your father and I have always been close since childhood. Unfortunately, entering the palace meant severing family ties, and even your own brother’s residence could not be visited at will. Although I haven’t met all of your younger generation personally, I’ve heard a few things about each of you from Mingyuan. It’s all stored in my memory. Otherwise, why would I arrange a marriage between you and Marquis Xuanyuan for my son?”
Yuanxi felt even more surprised. So the marriage arrangement was the Empress Dowager’s idea. But why her? She dared not ask aloud, instead bowing her head to express her gratitude, thanking the Empress Dowager for her attention and favor.
The Empress Dowager seemed to sense Yuanxi’s doubts and sighed softly, saying, “There’s no such thing as everlasting enmity between father and daughter. Whatever the matter, when he calms down, go and apologize to him. I know Mingyuan’s temperament the best. Despite his harsh words, he always cares deeply for your younger generation.”
Yuanxi’s face flushed slightly. Ever since she insisted on returning to Marquis Xuanyuan’s residence, she had cut off all ties with her family’s household, never seeing her father again. Did the Empress Dowager not know about this?
Seeming to guess Yuanxi’s thoughts, the Empress Dowager sighed again and continued, “Father and daughter will not hold grudges forever. Whatever the matter, when he calms down, go and apologize to him. I know Mingyuan’s temperament very well. Despite his harsh words, he always cares deeply for your younger generation.”
Yuanxi’s gaze flickered, nodding silently. There were many regrets in her heart. At this moment, the Empress Dowager turned her gaze towards the area where the princess was seated and said, “Huitong, it has been over ten years since we last met since you last returned to the palace, hasn’t it?”
Yuanxi also followed her gaze and only then noticed the princess sitting on the sandalwood chair. Her hands were tightly gripping the armrests, her face almost devoid of color. Upon hearing Empress Dowager’s question, she quickly raised her head, forcing a stiff smile, and replied, “Yes, that was when Dudu was only fifteen years old and hadn’t gone to the military camp yet. Thinking back now, it’s sigh-inducing.”
The Empress Dowager smiled and said, “Yes, they have all grown up, and so have we. That’s why I suddenly wanted to see you again, to see my niece. You won’t blame me, will you?”
The princess’s expression changed abruptly, and she quickly stood up, saying, “How could Huítóng dare to blame you? If it weren’t for my weak body, I would also want to move around more in the palace.”
Listening to their conversation, Yuánxī felt that the princess’s tone was somewhat strange. At this moment, the Empress Dowager suddenly said to her, “You, step out for a moment. There are some private matters I need to discuss with your mother-in-law. I’ll call you back later.”
Yuánxī breathed a sigh of relief and lifted her head to bid farewell to the Empress Dowager, but in that instant when she saw the Empress Dowager’s back, a strange thought suddenly occurred to her. It seemed as if she had seen this back before…
This thought startled her. She was certain she had never seen the Empress Dowager before. When she was in the Marquis’s mansion before, she was just an ignored illegitimate daughter. Even if the Empress Dowager had visited the mansion, she would never have had the opportunity to see her. So why did she feel so familiar with this back?
A palace maid approached, interrupting Yuánxī’s thoughts. She quickly followed the palace maid out of the hall. Just as she was thinking about her next move, a eunuch hurriedly ran over and whispered a few words to the palace maid. The palace maid nodded quickly and turned to stand at the entrance of the hall.
Yuánxī found it strange, but the eunuch had already approached her with a smiling face, saying, “Madam, please wait here for a moment. His Majesty requests your presence at the Hall of Mental Cultivation.”
Yuánxī widened her eyes, not understanding why the Emperor would summon her alone. But she understood that she shouldn’t ask too many questions, so she nodded and prepared to follow the eunuch. Then she thought maybe she should let the palace maid inform her mother-in-law first. While hesitating, she suddenly heard a clear slap from inside the hall. At this moment, the Empress Dowager had already dismissed all the servants in the hall, leaving only the princess and herself inside. Yuánxī’s heart raced, not understanding what had happened, but she didn’t dare to rashly barge in.
She turned around to look around, only to see the eunuchs and palace maids guarding the hall seemed to have heard nothing, standing straight on the side. Without the master’s orders, they would never act on their own.
Yuánxī felt anxious, but the hall was already silent. At this time, the eunuch who delivered the message had turned back, smiling as he said, “His Majesty is waiting for you, Madam. Please follow me quickly.”
Yuánxī bit her lip, and could only temporarily follow the eunuch through the various palace halls and corridors, before finally stopping in front of a palace.
The eunuch went in first to report, while Yuánxī stood on the jade steps, taking a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.
When the eunuch came out and respectfully invited Yuánxī in, the palace was brightly lit, with the fragrance of incense wafting in the air. Emperor Zhàoyǎn, dressed in a bright yellow court robe, was writing behind the desk. Seeing Yuánxī enter, he looked up and surveyed her, saying, “You must be Yuánxī?” He put down the brush in his hand, wiped the ink off with a cloth, and smiled, saying, “Perhaps I can call you my cousin.”
His smile was gentle and elegant, which eased Yuánxī’s tense nerves a bit. She also remembered many rumors about this young monarch. It was said that he was always kind and benevolent in governance and treatment of his subjects, although he faced constraints from his powerful relatives in political matters, showing a slightly weaker stance compared to his predecessors.
Yuánxī quickly knelt and bowed, and Emperor Zhàoyǎn gestured for her to rise, saying, “Back when I met your husband, he never cared about formalities. He always did whatever he wanted. Since you are my cousin and his wife, there’s no need for such formalities between us.”
Yuánxī knew that Xiāo Dù had been a childhood companion of the Emperor since they were young, and although he had never mentioned his interactions with the Emperor, she now understood that the two indeed shared an extraordinary relationship. But this person standing at the pinnacle of the imperial city, no matter how humble his posture, must have an invisible boundary that no one could cross.
She still respectfully replied, “Although Your Majesty treats Xiāo Dù kindly, you are still the Emperor. If there are any questions from Your Majesty, this subject will answer truthfully, but the proper etiquette must not be neglected.”
Emperor Zhàoyǎn couldn’t help but laugh heartily at her attitude, saying, “Back then, when Xiāo Dù and I were young, we both wondered what kind of person his future wife would be like. I said he had a wild and mischievous nature, so he would need someone extraordinary to rein him in. That day when I went to the Marquis’s mansion, I wanted to see you, but he said you were afraid of meeting outsiders and insisted on hiding you away. He must not have expected that I would find a way to see you. When you return this time, don’t tell him that you’ve met me. Let’s keep it as our little secret, shall we?”
Yuánxī heard the cunning meaning in his words and couldn’t help but sneak a peek, only to see Emperor Zhàoyǎn wink at her mischievously, his face showing a playful expression like a young boy. It was somewhat amusing, and she felt completely relaxed in her heart.
Emperor Zhàoyǎn had walked up to her by now and said, “Since you are the daughter of a duke, you can also be considered my cousin. If Xiāo Dù dares to bully you in the future, just come to me and complain.”
Yuánxī smiled lightly and replied, “Your Majesty, rest assured, Xiāo Dù treats me… very well.”
Hearing the unintentional affection in her tone, Emperor Zhàoyǎn knew that the relationship between these two must be deep. He nodded very satisfied, about to say something more, when suddenly a eunuch rushed in from outside, his expression anxious, “Your Majesty, something bad has happened! The Empress Dowager, she has fainted!”
Emperor Zhàoyǎn paled in shock, then turned to give Yuánxī a deep look, who stood frozen in place.