Shangguan Wanning smiled slightly, picked up the cup and took a sip of tea calmly.
Many days have passed since she was carried back from Yingchun Tower by the secret guards and announced to the public that she was not feeling well and needed rest. Only now did Aunt Zhao remember to come and visit her?
"Thank you for your concern, Auntie. I'm fine."
After Shangguan Wanning put down the cup, she looked straight at Aunt Zhao without responding to the rest of the conversation. Her bright eyes were filled with inquiry and scrutiny.
This made Aunt Zhao a little embarrassed.
She laughed dryly a few times, held Shangguan Wanning's hand in a flattering and affectionate manner, and said, "I'm relieved that you're okay. I was worried that you were not in good health and could not attend the Queen Mother's birthday banquet."
Shangguan Wanning's heart was stunned. She had been concentrating on dealing with Xiao Zhenting these days and ignored the upcoming Queen Mother's birthday.
She clearly remembered what happened at the Queen Mother's birthday banquet in her previous life...
Aunt Zhao saw Shangguan Wan Ning was in a daze and couldn't figure out what she was thinking, so she asked tentatively: "Miss, you... will go to the palace to participate, right?"
Shangguan Wan Ning came back to her senses and had vaguely guessed the purpose of Aunt Zhao's visit.
She smiled and said, "Of course I have to go to the Queen Mother's birthday banquet. Otherwise, it would be unreasonable and someone with ulterior motives would find fault with me and say that people in the Prime Minister's Mansion don't understand the rules."
When Aunt Zhao heard this, a look of joy flashed across her eyes.
"That's right. Miss, the Queen Mother's birthday banquet is a major event that everyone celebrates. The women who are eligible to enter the palace are either rich or noble. There will be many ladies from famous families, so you have to be careful. The maidservants you bring with you must also be very smart."
Shangguan Wanning stared at Aunt Zhao as she explained her purpose step by step, her brows slightly lowered, without saying a word.
"Lutong has been with you for so many years, and she understands your feelings, but she is still not as good as her sisters. I think it would be a good idea for you to take Xiaoxiao with you and let her serve you as a runner."
After Aunt Zhao finished speaking, she waited nervously for Shangguan Wanning's response.
Shangguan Wanning gently twisted the cup lid, tapping it rhythmically with her slender fingers. Her slow and elegant manner made Aunt Zhao secretly hate her and grit her teeth, but she could do nothing about it.
She knew very well that the only way to change her and her daughter's status in the Prime Minister's Mansion was to find a good marriage for Shangguan Xiaoxiao.
The Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet is the best opportunity to get to know the emperor’s grandsons and princes.
"Aunt, if I remember correctly, my father punished my sister by grounding her, and it seems that it hasn't expired yet."
Aunt Zhao froze, and the smile she managed was very uncomfortable. "I... know that, so I want the eldest daughter to go to the master and beg for mercy. After all, you are sisters, and seeing your sister suffer, you, as an elder sister, can't bear it, right?"
Shangguan Wanning sneered secretly.
She treated Shangguan Xiaoxiao as her own sister, but how did Shangguan Xiaoxiao treat her?
However, at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, she really needed someone like this to act as a shield.
"My aunt is right. Let me handle this matter. But, will it be unfair to Xiaoxiao to be a servant girl and follow me?"
Aunt Zhao was stunned again and felt heartbroken.
Just now she said that she was just being modest when she said that she was a servant girl. She didn't expect Shangguan Wanning to really do that.
At this point, Aunt Zhao had no choice but to grit her teeth and say, "It's not aggrieved, how could it be aggrieved? That's Xiaoxiao's blessing."
"Aunt, please go back. I know my limits."
Aunt Zhao left Shangguan Wanning's room, and the moment she turned her back, her smile froze.
She clenched the handkerchief in her hand, her eyes were bloodshot, filled with hatred and jealousy.
After turning the corner, Aunt Zhao let out a loud "Pooh" and spat towards Shangguan Wanning's room, only then did she feel a little relieved.
She came to Shangguan Xiaoxiao's room and saw Shangguan Xiaoxiao beating and scolding the maid to vent her anger. The anger in her heart surged up again.
Aunt Zhao rushed forward and kicked the maid in the abdomen, and the maid burst into tears in pain.
"Cry, cry, cry, what's there to cry about? I hit you a few times and you still feel wronged? All you can do is cry all day long. Get out of here."
As soon as Aunt Zhao finished speaking, all the maids in the room fled quickly as if they had been pardoned.
"And you..." Aunt Zhao pointed at Shangguan Xiaoxiao and accused her, "You are not motivated at all. You can't even coax your father. How can we expect you to coax your own man in the future?"
"I..." Shangguan Xiaoxiao's eyes turned red because of her mother's scolding.
Aunt Zhao felt a little soft-hearted and told Shangguan Xiaoxiao about the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet.
Shangguan Xiaoxiao jumped up in anger when she heard this, her face flushed, and she stamped her feet and said, "I won't go. I am a lady from the Prime Minister's Mansion just like her. Why should I be her maid?"
"Xiaoxiao, I know that I have wronged you, but you have to understand that this is the situation we are in now. I don't ask for anything now, I just hope that you can find a good marriage and not become a concubine like me. Otherwise, your children will be looked down upon."
As Aunt Zhao spoke, she couldn't help but feel sad, and the tears in her eyes slowly fell down.
Shangguan Xiaoxiao fell back on the stool in a daze, biting her lips tightly, and suppressed all the pain in her heart.
On the day of the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, Shangguan Wanning was woken up early by her mother and got up to wash and dress.
On such a grand occasion, even the maid Lu Tong who accompanied her into the palace was carefully dressed up by the maids.
"Lutong, take the newly made lavender gauze dress in my closet to Xiaoxiao. Tell the housekeeper to prepare an extra carriage so that Xiaoxiao and her personal maid can sit alone."
Lu Tong was a little surprised.
"Miss, didn't you ask Miss to be a maid and go with you? In that case, she can just ride with me."
Shangguan Wanning turned around and glanced at the innocent Lutong.
"Silly girl, you can say such things in front of me, but you can't say them again after you leave. After all, she is still your father's daughter. If she loses her manners and lowers her status, it will bring shame to the Prime Minister's Mansion. Since I promised to bring her into the palace, I will naturally give her enough face. Do as I say."
"Yes." Lu Tong turned around and went out to do business.
It was time to go out, Shangguan Wanning went to pick up her mother and they came to the door together. Shangguan Xiaoxiao had already dressed up and came to greet them as soon as she saw them.
"Sister, do you think my clothes look good?" Shangguan Xiaoxiao was surprised and happy when she learned about Shangguan Wanning's arrangement.
"Xiaoxiao has grown up and become more beautiful. This lavender color suits your skin tone best. It's very beautiful."
Mrs. Shangguan's sincere praise made Shangguan Xiaoxiao smile.
The group got on the carriage and prepared to go to the palace. On the way, Madam Shangguan seemed to remember something and said, "I heard that the eldest princess is back too."
Shangguan Wanning was stunned, all kinds of past events came to her mind, and she was filled with emotion.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
