Chapter 7 Women's Training
The tenth day is the day to pay respects to the Empress Dowager every five days.
Yueli woke up in the morning with a sad face and really didn't want to go and chat with the old lady.
She tried to pretend to be sick again, and Lian Qiao quickly dug her out from under the quilt:
"Master, you forgot that you pretended to be sick the last time I paid you a visit, and you even went to bed with the Queen Mother the day before yesterday. If you don't go, you will inevitably displease the Queen Mother."
"The Queen Mother has never had a good impression of you..." Lian Qiao's voice gradually weakened, and she remembered when Yue Li first entered the palace, she learned the rules and regulations, and angered the maids sent by the Queen Mother away.
At that time, behind the curtains of the Zhuoyu Palace, there were graceful singing and dancing, and the chirping of orioles. Every time Yueli went to pay her respects, her eyes were full of spring, and her waist twisted like a willow branch. There had never been such a person in the palace, so the empress dowager naturally disliked her.
Lian Qiao dressed her up while constantly nagging: "You must behave yourself when you go out later..."
Yueli curled her lips: "I know."
Her uncertainty continued until she arrived at Yeonbok Palace.
When she saw Concubine Zheng's hands, which were swollen like pig's trotters in Yeonbok Palace, she burst out laughing.
Concubine Zheng's face turned red and white, she was angry and embarrassed, but Yueli didn't want to let her go:
"Hey, what's wrong with Sister Zheng's hand?"
Concubine Zheng was not of high rank, and she was also very ashamed, so she stood at the back after arriving, and few people noticed her. Yue Li's voice drew everyone's attention to her.
The Queen's gaze lightly swept over her red and swollen hands, the palms of which were a little ulcerated. However, because it was a punishment from His Majesty, Concubine Zheng did not dare to call the imperial physician and could only apply some medicine herself in the palace.
The various gazes were like a slap in the face of Concubine Zheng. She lowered her head even more, not daring to look at everyone's expressions. She felt that this was the most embarrassing moment in her many years in the palace.
All this is thanks to that bitch Yueli!
Yue Li doesn't care how much she resents her. If she makes her unhappy again, she will slap her in the face next time.
Concubine Jin glanced at her and said casually, "I'll have someone send you some medicine later."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
There seemed to be contempt in Concubine Jin's eyes. If it weren't for the fact that the eldest prince's biological mother was still recorded as Concubine Zheng in the imperial edict, she would not bother with this idiot.
However, being stupid has its advantages. Concubine Zheng cares too much about the eldest prince, so he can only follow her lead.
When the atmosphere became tense, Madam Yang opened the curtain and came out:
"My lords, the Queen Mother invites you."
Inner Temple.
The Queen Mother was sitting in a chair, sipping tea leisurely, but there were two people beside her, the wife of Marquis Shou'an and his eldest daughter Xiao Mingyue.
"Greetings to Her Majesty the Queen Mother, may Her Majesty the Queen Mother be blessed with good health."
The empress dowager was over fifty years old, with a few strands of gray on her temples, and even her heavy makeup could not hide her haggard look.
"Everyone, get up."
The Queen Mother's attitude was relatively gentle, and the wife of the Marquis of Shou'an stood up to greet the Queen.
"It's almost the end of the year, and the palace is busy with trivial matters. I haven't been able to visit my mother often to show my filial piety. Fortunately, the wife of the Marquis of Shou'an often comes to the palace to talk with her."
The Queen Mother smiled kindly, "It's good that the Queen is so thoughtful. You are busy, and I don't want to chat with you all the time."
"How could that be?" the Queen said with a smile, "I hope your Majesty does not mind my bothering you."
Apart from the Queen, only a few high-ranking concubines could speak to the Queen Mother, and the rest of the people sat obediently below as a foil.
Yue Li was having menstrual period and her waist was sore. Tired of sitting, she leaned back and rested on the soft pillow.
I really miss the year in my previous life when I didn’t have to greet people.
"Beautiful Yu."
The Queen Mother suddenly called her.
Yueli's eyelashes trembled, and it took her a moment to react. Lianqiao hurriedly helped her up.
Today she was wearing a dark blue palace dress with pear blossom patterns. The hairpins on her bun swayed gently with her movements, making crisp and pleasant sounds. The jade-colored belt outlined her slender waist, and her slow bowing gesture revealed a natural charm.
The Queen Mother frowned imperceptibly.
Among the group of dignified and quiet concubines in the palace, she is truly unique.
"I heard you were ill. Are you well now?"
Yue Li couldn't tell for a moment whether the Queen Mother was genuinely concerned for her or was trying to taunt her, so she could only politely reply, "I'm fine now, thank you for your concern, Queen Mother."
The Queen Mother nodded slightly: "It's almost the end of the year, I hope everything is fine."
"I have a book here. I heard that Miss Yu has beautiful handwriting. Why don't you help me copy it?"
After she finished speaking, Nanny Yang handed her a book.
Yueli took a look and saw two big words written on it - Women's Training.
She raised her almond-shaped eyes and looked at the empress dowager with some helplessness and confusion.
This behavior made the Queen Mother frown again.
Too seductive.
Her fair little face was as beautiful as if it were carved out of jade. Even though the empress dowager had seen all kinds of beauties in the harem, she could not think of anyone who could compare to her.
Your Majesty has never been interested in state affairs, and now with such a beauty by his side, I'm afraid he will be even more distracted.
But she couldn't interfere too much, so she could only think about teaching Concubine Yu a lesson, so that she wouldn't lose her manners and embarrass the emperor at the New Year's Eve palace banquet in a few days.
Lian Qiao quietly touched her from behind, signaling her to be more restrained.
Yueli belatedly frowned.
It's not her fault.
She has been in Chunfeng Pavilion for more than ten years, and this is all she has learned. She can't help but make her voice soft when she speaks, and her eyes can't help but wander when she looks up. She really doesn't fit in among these noble ladies in the palace.
"Beautiful Yu?"
Nanny Yang whispered a reminder to her, and Yue Li reluctantly said, "Yes, I will follow the Empress Dowager's orders."
After paying her respects, Yueli was taken to a side hall to copy the female instructions.
She sat at the table by the window, too lazy to write. It took her a long time to write down three big characters perfunctorily:
Article 1.
"Master, how about I help you copy it?" Lian Qiao felt sorry for her. Her master's hand was still injured. How long would it take her to finish such a thick book?
Yueli's eyes lit up: "That's great!"
"Good Lianqiao, I'll give you that box of pearls as a reward when we get back."
Lian Qiao murmured softly, "I don't want that. Master, please don't show off in front of the Queen Mother next time..."
The two exchanged positions, and Yueli leaned on the couch as if she had no bones, and even considerately closed the window.
An hour later, Yueli presented the copied paper to the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother frowned and glanced at it, then looked up at her.
Yueli let her look at her without changing her expression.
"Forget it. It's getting late today. Just go back and copy the rest and give it to Madam Yang."
"Yes, then I will take my leave first."
After coming out of Yeonbok Palace and taking a few steps, Yueli saw a woman walking towards her. She was the eldest daughter of the wife of Marquis Shou'an, whom she had just met in the palace.
Xiao Mingyue went to make tea for the Queen Mother, but unexpectedly saw Yueli. Her face was immediately filled with harshness:
"Are you the skinny horse from Yangzhou that His Majesty brought back from outside the palace?"
Hearing such impolite words, Lian Qiao subconsciously wanted to refute, but was stopped by Yue Li.
There was a person named Xiao Mingyue in the previous life. The wife of Marquis Shou'an and the Queen Mother were close friends, and Xiao Mingyue could be considered He Yanchen's cousin.
She liked He Yanchen and repeatedly asked the empress dowager to allow her to enter the palace.
Yue Li remembered that in her previous life, a year later, Xiao Mingyue finally entered the palace as she wished, but He Yanchen didn't remember this cousin at all. He didn't like Xiao Mingyue's personality either. Even if the empress dowager persuaded him, he would not humble himself to favor someone he disliked.
Xiao Mingyue naturally couldn't stand the gap from being a young lady from a marquis's mansion to a resentful woman in the deep palace. She caused trouble repeatedly and was eventually imprisoned in her own palace.
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