Inside the Cining Palace, the palace was magnificent and the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, creating a somewhat suffocating sense of oppression.
Empress Dowager Du leaned against the carved gold and inlaid jade chaise longue, her expression languid and indifferent. Several maids beside her served her with clear division of labor and great care.
One person gently massaged her shoulders from behind, not daring to be negligent in the slightest; another person knelt at her feet, carefully massaging her legs.
Another person was peeling tangerines with nimble hands, carefully peeling them so that not a drop of juice would spill onto the table.
Empress Dowager Du picked up a segment of orange with her fingertips, which were covered in nail polish, and slowly put it into her mouth to savor it.
After chewing a few times, she raised an eyebrow slightly and said coldly, "The taste of these tribute oranges from Jiaozhou is not bad. They haven't disappointed me after all."
Her voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority. The servants around her bowed their heads in unison, not daring to even breathe loudly.
On the other side, an old woman was standing in front of a low table, opening the food box that Rong Momo had brought back. The pastries inside were neatly arranged and each one was exquisite.
The old woman picked up a small silver spoon and tasted each item carefully, not daring to reveal the slightest emotion. Then she cautiously reported to Empress Dowager Du: "Your Majesty, this old servant has tried them all, and there is nothing wrong with them."
Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Du did not even raise her head. She merely lifted her eyelids and gave the old woman a cold glance, her tone still light and airy: "How dare Jiang Luoluo inquire about my preferences? She really has a lot of nerve."
Although she spoke casually, everyone present felt a chill run down their spines; Jiang Luoluo was likely to face a tough challenge today.
The old woman who had tasted the food immediately bowed her head in gratitude and stepped aside, her expression a mixture of respect and relief, as if a single wrong glance would bring disaster upon her.
Rong Momo touched the scorching gold ingot in her pocket, hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and respectfully reported, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, this eldest daughter of the Jiang family is quite clever."
Not long after the old servant arrived at General Weiyuan's residence, she ordered her maid to ride away at full speed. At the time, the old servant was still planning that she was going to inform His Highness Prince Yi.
To my surprise, they went to Liuyun Pavilion specifically to buy these golden cakes and phoenix tail pastries, saying they were a gift for you.
Empress Dowager Du was holding a teacup when she heard this. She slightly raised her eyelids and glanced at Rong Momo with a half-smile. "Oh?"
"Granny Rong, how did you know she was so devoted, and even spoke up for her?"
Though that glance was faint, it cut into one's heart like a knife.
Rong Momo immediately knelt down, her forehead covered in cold sweat, and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, please understand! This old servant had absolutely no intention of telling Miss Jiang your preferences. This old servant was merely reporting the truth and dared not utter a single falsehood!"
On the way back, as you instructed, I took Miss Jiang on a long detour, and she carried the food box the whole way without uttering a single complaint.
Empress Dowager Du sneered and put down her teacup. "Of course I know you don't have the guts."
However, the clever girl was actually quite cunning.
Unfortunately, what I detest most are these self-righteous little tricks.
Does she really think that two boxes of pastries are enough to win my favor?
Rong Momo prostrated herself on the ground, not daring to speak, and only lowered her head to listen to the reprimand
As they were talking, the aroma of pastries wafted into their nostrils. Empress Dowager Du frowned, then snorted coldly and waved her hand.
"Fine, bring those snacks over here and let me try them to see what she's really thinking."
The maidservant beside her dared not be negligent and carefully brought over the snacks. She then picked up a piece of golden cake with silver chopsticks and said softly, "Your Majesty, please enjoy."
Empress Dowager Du slightly opened her mouth, put the golden cake into her mouth, chewed it slowly, and found it to be soft, sweet and fragrant. A satisfied smile could not be hidden on her lips.
She paused for a moment, then looked up and said, "Bring up the phoenix tail pastries as well."
Soon, the maid picked up another phoenix tail pastry, its golden crust still steaming.
The moment Empress Dowager Du tasted it, she knew it was the flavor of Liuyun Pavilion. She would send someone to Liuyun Pavilion to fetch vegetarian dishes every month, and it had been a month since she last ate it.
At this moment, the long-lost familiar taste surged onto her tongue, bringing her complete satisfaction.
Served by her maid, she leisurely finished the entire plate of phoenix tail pastries, a hint of satisfaction in her eyes.
The maidservant beside him quickly handed him a cup of warm honey water to rinse his mouth.
Empress Dowager Du leaned back gently on the chaise lounge, her tone still indifferent, "These pastries are indeed quite good, but I'd like to see what other skills Jiang Luoluo has up her sleeve?"
Meanwhile, Jiang Luoluo stood outside Cining Palace under the scorching sun, sweat dripping down her forehead. She raised her hand to wipe it away, her gaze fixed on the palace gate, neither humble nor arrogant, her expression composed.
The scorching sun cut like a knife into her skin, but she stood ramrod straight without a single complaint.
Empress Dowager Du raised her eyebrows smugly and whispered to Rong Momo beside her, "Tell her to wait a little longer. I want to see how long she can hold out."
The maids and servants inside the room secretly worried for Jiang Luoluo. This kind of silent suppression is the most devastating to a person's self-esteem.
Jiang Luoluo quickly went through the plot about Empress Dowager Du in the book in her mind.
She knew that Empress Dowager Du's fate in the book was also not good.
Just as she was pondering, the palace door creaked open, and Rong Momo slowly stepped out, saying in a deep voice, "Miss Jiang, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager requests your presence."
Jiang Luoluo slightly raised her eyes, her back straight, her expression calm, and her steps composed as she walked into the Cining Palace.
Upon entering the hall, she bowed respectfully with a dignified posture, saying, "This humble woman, Jiang Luoluo, pays her respects to Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."
Empress Dowager Du slowly opened her eyes, her gaze sweeping over Jiang Luoluo with a condescending and cold expression.
After a moment, she spoke coldly, her voice as icy as ice: "Jiang Luoluo, with your status as the legitimate daughter of the Weiyuan General's Mansion, you might barely be worthy of Prince Yi."
But now?
You are a woman whose engagement has been broken off, your reputation is ruined. Do you know that you are completely unworthy of Prince Yi?
Empress Dowager Du's tone was deliberately sarcastic and oppressive; every word was like a sharp blade, trying to pierce Jiang Luoluo's self-esteem.
Jiang Luoluo now knows that Empress Dowager Du's intention today is probably because Xie Yizhi proposed to her in public that day, but Empress Dowager Du disagreed.
Since they couldn't do anything about Xie Yizhi afterwards, they decided to target her, the easy target, today.
This Empress Dowager Du is nothing like the mothers of wealthy CEOs in movies and TV dramas who throw ten million in your face and say, "You and my son are not a good match, take the money and get out of here."
Empress Dowager Du disliked her son Xie Yizhi, so she would definitely choose a daughter-in-law who was easy to control. She was testing whether Jiang Luoluo was useful to her and whether she was under her control.
Now, Empress Dowager Du's tactic is to use her supreme imperial power to torment and crush you. She won't spend a single penny; she just wants Jiang Luoluo to back down on her own.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
