"People will naturally die when they get old. It's just an old nanny dying in the Meng family. No one will care. Miss, you're overthinking it."
Liu Xu disagreed and tried to persuade her young mistress in a detailed and thorough manner.
"There are nearly a hundred people in my maternal grandmother's mansion, and who knows if there are maids or servants making wild guesses."
"With so many midwives suddenly dying in the capital, the Emperor has issued another proclamation stating that to prove the time of birth, three witnesses must be present. This refers to the time my mother gave birth to me."
There were only two midwives in the room, not counting my mother's dowry maids. The first midwife died, and the other one, I heard, had already passed away. How could we possibly prove the time of her death?
Cui Yudie was young after all, and although she was originally overjoyed, she was hit with a blow this morning.
When Prefect Lu received the report from the people, he guessed that it was related to the imperial concubine selection.
He quickly wrote a memorial and submitted it, which enraged the emperor, who immediately issued a new proclamation.
This shattered the pipe dream of many who attempted to enter the palace through deception.
Seeing Cui Yudie crying with tears streaming down her face, Liu Xu was so anxious that bubbles appeared at the corners of her mouth.
Miss was so anxious after hearing the news that morning that she couldn't eat a single bite of food, so Liu Xu had to keep trying to comfort her.
She had a sudden inspiration and handed over a warm cotton handkerchief, saying, "Miss, if you ruin your eyes by crying, it won't be worth it if you lose to others on the day of the talent show."
The Emperor will eventually take concubines. Even if she doesn't become Empress, being a Noble Consort is not bad. The eldest daughter of the Wei family in the previous dynasty was Empress. What good was her family's prestige if she ultimately lost favor?
These words jolted Cui Yudie awake from her reverie, and she raised her teary eyes.
"What does Xu'er mean?"
Seeing that the young lady had stopped crying, Liu Xu leaned closer and whispered, "The Emperor is a man, and since ancient times, even heroes have found it hard to resist the charms of a beautiful woman. The young lady is exceptionally beautiful and has the reputation of being a talented woman."
She's at the prime of her life, eight years younger than the Emperor. Once she enters the palace, as long as she firmly grasps the Emperor's heart, what's there to fear from an Empress who only has a noble destiny?
Seeing the hesitation on the young lady's face, Liu Xu continued, "If the Emperor strictly selects women according to their birth charts, very few will be able to enter the harem, so you don't need to worry, young lady."
Cui Yudie thought about it again and realized that the emperor was handsome and mighty, and someone as plain as a willow would naturally not catch his eye.
In the imperial harem, it's always about who's favored; even the empress isn't guaranteed to be empress forever.
Thinking of this, she felt much better. "Xu'er, go to the kitchen and see if there's anything to eat. I'm hungry."
Liu Xu quickly bowed and said, "Miss, please wait. The kitchen has put the food on the stove, and I will go and get it right away."
The little maid was so happy that she turned and ran away. The young lady was the apple of the master and mistress's eye. If anything happened to her, she and Liuzhi would be punished.
How can one win the emperor's heart?
Cui Yudie was in a dilemma.
She was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but no one had ever taught her how to win someone's heart.
A short while later, Liu Xu returned with several maids carrying food.
Liu Xu instructed the maid who brought the food, "Put it on the tea table."
The dining room was separated from the study by a corridor, and she couldn't let her mistress go hungry for even a moment longer.
The maidservant left, and Liu Xu lifted the copper lid on the plate, instantly filling the room with an enticing aroma.
"It smells so good." Cui Yudie slowly sat down.
"Miss, this is honey-roasted goose that Madam specially had someone buy from Zuixian Pavilion. Please try it." Liu Xu said, handing over chopsticks.
"The Moon Maiden of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion is quite an extraordinary woman. Fortunately, she is the daughter of a merchant, otherwise she would be a formidable opponent."
Cui Yudie took the chopsticks and reached for the roast goose.
Liu Xu quickly ladled out half a bowl of soup and handed it over, saying, "Miss, have some Jade White Soup to soothe your throat. You haven't eaten all day, so eat slowly and don't think too much."
Miss usually eats light meals, and Liu Xu was worried that the roast goose was too oily and would upset her stomach.
Cui Yudie took the soup and drank two spoonfuls, while Liu Xu served the dishes to her.
Cui Yudie's eyes lit up after taking her first bite of roast goose. "It truly lives up to its reputation as the signature dish of Zuixian Pavilion. It's crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and even has a honey flavor."
Liu Xu explained with a smile, "Miss, you may not know this, but Juxian Pavilion's roast goose comes in more than one flavor. There's also a braised roast goose, which is broken down and then deep-fried. It's fragrant and crispy, even the bones are crispy. It's delicious."
As Liu Xu spoke, she couldn't help but swallow.
"There's such a way to eat it? Why don't you buy some?" Cui Yudie thought it sounded delicious and suddenly felt very hungry.
"Miss, I'll go buy it right away."
Liu Xu dared not say that the young lady usually ate a light diet, and that the madam had only bought it to try because she noticed that the young lady had a poor appetite.
"Come back. Who told you to go buy it now? We can't finish it all here. Next time you go, remember to buy some of that barbecue stuff to try as well."
As she passed by the street, she smelled the delicious aroma. Cui Yudie, a lady from a prominent family, was too embarrassed to stand on the street and start eating meat skewers like others.
"Alright, I've got it."
Perhaps because she was too hungry, Cui Yudie ate more than usual.
Just as I put down my chopsticks, Liu Zhi returned.
Seeing that her mistress's expression had brightened and she had even eaten, Liu Zhi said with a beaming smile:
"Miss, Madam is already thinking of another way to deal with the midwife. She has also sent a message to the Meng residence, instructing the servants there not to come and go as they please, so the news will not get out."
Cui Yudie breathed a sigh of relief. Her mother was decisive and efficient in managing the household, and even her grandmother often praised her father for having such a virtuous wife.
Cui Yudie couldn't help but blame herself, realizing she had been too impetuous. The audition wasn't even on yet, and she had already lost her composure.
...
Two days passed in the blink of an eye, and a large entourage of guards escorted the Empress Dowager out of the capital and headed straight south.
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