Empress Dowager Du had already sat down on a carved wooden chair in the plum grove, and the maids and servants quickly served her vegetarian snacks and tea.
As plum blossoms drifted down in the wind, she stretched out her fingertips, painted with red nail polish, and gently caught one.
The tender petals fell into her palm, and she casually picked them up, her fingernails applying slight pressure to slowly draw lines on them.
As Jiang Luoluo approached, she witnessed this scene.
Empress Dowager Du remained calm, intently playing with the plum blossoms in her palm, seemingly unconcerned about her arrival, not even lifting her eyelids.
Jiang Luoluo wasn't in a hurry. Today, Empress Dowager Du was in a good mood after receiving nourishment, so she wouldn't be too harsh on her.
Since that was the case, she simply stopped talking, found a spot at random, and quietly began to appreciate the plum blossoms in the garden.
"They've arrived?" Empress Dowager Du's voice, radiating authority, rang out slowly.
"This humble woman greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager." Jiang Luoluo gave a slight curtsy and performed the proper greeting.
Dingdang was stopped outside by the nannies, while Empress Dowager Du only allowed Jiang Luoluo to come.
Empress Dowager Du raised her eyelids slightly, her expression indifferent. "Tell me, how are you doing with the tasks I assigned you?"
Jiang Luoluo quietly reported to Empress Dowager Du on some recent developments regarding Xie Yizhi.
She especially embellished the story of the discord between Xie Yizhi and Xie Qiyu, describing it in great detail.
Only by mixing truth and falsehood, reality and illusion, can people truly believe it.
Du Taihou picked up the teacup and took a small sip. The tea at Yunhua Temple seemed especially sweet today.
Hearing Jiang Luoluo's report, which largely matched the information she had, she nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad, Miss Jiang is indeed a suitable candidate."
Jiang Luoluo knew the time was right. She stepped forward slightly, her expression calm and her tone neither humble nor arrogant, and said, "Your Majesty, recently, under the guise of caring for Prince Yi, I have been inquiring everywhere about Prince Ye, which has cost me quite a bit."
At this point, she gave a self-deprecating laugh, "To be honest, Your Majesty, I'm a little short on funds. I wonder if Your Majesty could..."
Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Du frowned slightly and scoffed, "You certainly know how to bargain."
Jiang Luoluo smiled calmly and said frankly, "Your Majesty, you know that my brother is a businessman. I have been influenced by him since I was a child, and I have picked up some of the smell of money on me."
Empress Dowager Du glanced at Rong Mama, who immediately understood and respectfully handed the wooden box to Jiang Luoluo.
Empress Dowager Du said with a hint of sarcasm, "This is a reward for you. You did a good job."
If you consistently put in this much effort, you'll naturally reap the rewards.
Jiang Luoluo's expression shifted slightly, and she immediately knelt down to express her gratitude, her expression revealing a hint of being flattered.
Empress Dowager Du has always been suspicious. If Jiang Luoluo is completely innocent and has no ulterior motives, she will become wary.
On the contrary, by actively exposing her greed, she seemed more real and credible, which also made Empress Dowager Du lower her guard a bit.
"Jiang Luoluo, you are skilled in medicine, why do you deliberately hide it?" Empress Dowager Du's displeased voice rang out.
Jiang Luoluo calmly replied, "Your Majesty, I did not deliberately conceal anything, nor did I ever say that I was not skilled in medicine."
She glanced at the fallen plum blossoms in the distance, her gaze light. “I am the sun, what do I have to fear in my light? But others find my light dazzling and try every means to block it out.”
Empress Dowager Du scoffed, "What a sharp-tongued person! How arrogant! What a self-righteous arrogance! This arrogance is quite similar to Xie Yizhi's."
Jiang Luoluo, satisfied, took her leave from Empress Dowager Du while holding the wooden box. Dingdang anxiously paced around beside her.
Seeing his young mistress emerge unharmed, he was overjoyed and rushed over, calling out, "Miss!"
Jiang Luoluo smiled sweetly and handed the wooden box to Dingdang, "I'll treat you to shopping tonight."
Dingdang knew that her mistress's words meant that Empress Dowager Du hadn't made things difficult for her. This wasn't the place to talk, so she obediently followed behind her mistress, clutching the wooden box.
Inside the Imperial Study, Xie Yizhi's mood had noticeably improved. A guard had already reported that Miss Jiang had received a reward from the Empress Dowager for her meritorious service in treating the Minister of Works' granddaughter.
On the chessboard, black and white pieces intertwine, and the situation is deadlocked.
With a soft thud, a black stone fell to the ground, the crisp sound echoing in the tranquil Imperial Study.
Xie Qiyu stared at the chessboard for a moment, then suddenly laughed out loud, "Sure enough, I only managed to win this game thanks to my sister-in-law."
Xie Yizhi glanced down at the chessboard, a slight smile playing on his lips. He lightly touched the board with his fingertips, his mood extremely pleasant. "Brother, you're too kind!"
With Empress Dowager Du not in the palace, the atmosphere in the Imperial Study was much more relaxed, with less oppressive air.
The tense atmosphere from before had long since dissipated, replaced by the two brothers chatting and laughing, their words revealing a rare harmony.
After the plum blossom viewing ended, everyone returned to their respective meditation rooms for a vegetarian meal and rest.
As the sun sets, its golden rays fall upon the mythical beasts adorning the glazed tiles, casting a warm and gentle halo around the temple, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere.
However, the scene inside Empress Dowager Du's meditation room was quite different.
The sounds of birdsong rose and fell, luxurious clothes and jewelry were scattered all over the floor, the bed swayed slightly, and the gauze curtains trembled, revealing a somewhat disheveled state.
Rong Momo stood guard at the door, her eyes scanning all directions, her expression solemn. Although this happened every fifteenth of the month, she still wasn't quite used to it.
He silently recited the Heart-Cleansing Mantra over and over again, as if trying to suppress the fear and unease in his heart.
Yao Shiyu was just as terrified as Rong Momo.
She had just returned to her meditation room and hadn't even had a chance to catch her breath when she was met with a barrage of angry rebukes from Lu Anrou.
Lu Anrou's face was ashen, and her words were sharp, each one like a whip lashing at Yao Shiyu's heart.
Yao Shiyu was furious, but dared not argue back. She could only lower her head, grit her teeth, and swallow her pent-up anger.
Her nails dug deep into her palms, her heart churning with resentment. She didn't know when she had made a mistake; Jiang Luoluo was completely different from the one in her previous life.
After everyone had rested and settled down, Empress Dowager Du, having eaten her fill, led the group on their journey back to the capital.
Although everyone had different thoughts along the way, the ladies of the court were all discussing the same thing: Jiang Luoluo had saved the granddaughter of the Minister of Works and received a great deal of reward from Empress Dowager Du.
At the previous flower-viewing banquet, Empress Dowager Du clearly disliked Jiang Luoluo, but after this incident, Jiang Luoluo has probably become a suitable candidate for Princess Yi in Empress Dowager Du's mind.
Everyone's attention was focused on this matter, and no one noticed that Lu Baimei did not go with everyone to admire the flowers, but instead took her maid to the north side of Yuanhua Temple.
Yao Shiyu didn't even go to see her mother, who was under house arrest. Instead, Lu Baimei remembered her, which moved Jiang Yuelan deeply.
The two chatted for a while, and Lu Baimei even kindly pointed out a good path for Jiang Yuelan.
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