Chapter 145,
Well, it was his turn again.
However: "First, we must treat them well and create an image of peace and prosperity so that they won't dare to invade."
"Second, invite them to our military headquarters and give them a try. Just scare them. After all, we have enough food and supplies, and we have enough soldiers. I believe they will not dare to attack us after seeing these."
"What the officials should be careful about is...whether those people will do something behind the scenes." He changed the subject and reminded.
Emperor Mingde, knowing what this meant, looked solemn.
………………
Su Guoer had no way to refuse the summons, so she could only pack up and follow the leading palace maid. She was very nervous along the way.
She didn't know why the imperial concubine summoned her, nor did she know how to respond. It was as if... this imperial concubine was some kind of monster.
She was truly afraid. After all, the people inside and outside the palace were ordinary citizens. Who didn't know the favor of the Imperial Concubine? It could be said that she was the most favored among the six palaces. She couldn't afford to offend such a person. If she said something that didn't satisfy her, she might lose her head.
Su Guoer came to Weiyang Palace with a nervous heart.
The Weiyang Palace was indeed as extravagant as rumored.
As soon as you enter the palace, you can feel the luxury: every floor tile in the palace is made of bluestone bricks, and the central platform is even carved with a lotus pattern, which is a unique favor given to the imperial concubine.
And that stone pillar? It was inlaid with a dozen fist-sized luminous pearls, occasionally complemented by Western glass beads. Su Guoer felt that the word "jewelry" had been embodied for the first time on a pillar.
The curtains used for decoration beside the pillars are all made of smoke green brocade that costs more than ten taels of silver per piece. They look as ethereal as gauze. When the breeze blows gently, the smoke green brocade is blown up and flies, as beautiful as a dancing fairy.
This is just the yard.
The level of luxury in the palace was beyond the imagination of a rough man like Su Guoer.
When she knelt down, she felt that the floor was made of some kind of stone, and it was shiny and reflective, reflecting her own crawling figure. She lowered her head even more.
"Your Majesty, the person you are looking for is here." The palace maid's voice echoed in the hall, making it seem extremely empty.
Is this the Weiyang Palace?
It was indeed a place that a mortal like her could not see. She would have no regrets in her life just by taking a look at it.
But...she felt even more uneasy.
Kneeling on the ground without saying a word for a long, long time, a clear voice came from above: "Lift your head!"
These four simple words carried a meaning that could not be refused. Su Guoer had no choice but to raise her head obediently and let the man see her appearance clearly, but she could not raise her eyes. In the palace, looking directly at the face of an important person was a serious crime.
These were the rules taught to her by the leading palace maid when she came.
She remembers it very well.
"You look pretty, but why do you have to stay in such a smoky place all day? Wouldn't it be better to do some light work? That way, your face won't turn yellow. That would be terrible."
Smoked yellow?
Su Guoer felt a little speechless.
Although oil smoke will make people's skin worse, it can be solved by applying more lotion. Since she decided to go to the kitchen, this series of preparations can be said to be very appropriate.
But what should she do now?
"Hmm?" The man above hummed impatiently.
Su Guoer quickly replied, "To answer your Majesty, although the cooking fumes will age your skin, I love cooking and have loved making delicious food since I was a child. Therefore, I don't think it's a big deal. It's just a personal preference."
This is quite standard.
Su Guoer then heard the voice above: "That's true. Being able to do what you love must be very happy. Why would you care about your appearance? However... with a face like this, you can't ruin your beauty. Qingyan, go get the bottle of vanishing cream that I use and give it to this young lady."
Su Guoer quickly knelt down to express her gratitude and didn't dare to say anything else.
Qingluan, who was standing nearby, spoke up: "Your Majesty is indeed kind. Miss Su spends all day in the kitchen, so it's inevitable that her face has been affected. However... this vanishing cream is made with the finest pearl powder. Wouldn't it be too expensive to give it to her as a reward?"
Su Guoer lowered her head and was about to say no.
Then Qingluan said, "Miss Su, the Queen has been so kind to you, you must not be ungrateful, right?"
this…………
What he said was incomprehensible.
Ungrateful? What gratitude have you forgotten? What loyalty have you betrayed?
A bottle of vanishing cream can't buy her off. What kind of favor is that? But Su Guoer is best at avoiding the issue.
"This thing is so good, why don't you keep it for yourself, Sister Qingluan? I was born crude and I'm afraid I can't get used to such a good thing."
Then he said, "What if I pamper my face so much that I can't afford this vanishing cream anymore? So... thank you for your kindness, Madam Queen and Sister Qingluan, but I'll forget about this vanishing cream."
This show of weakness caught people off guard.
However... the imperial concubine wasn't angry, but the female official next to her, Mi Tao, was a little angry. Upon hearing Su Guo'er speak like that, she immediately became furious and said, "How dare you refuse something the Empress gave you?"
"I told you to keep it, so just keep it! What's the point of talking about whether you can use it or not? If you can do something good for the Empress, you will definitely have more of these things in the future!"
The palace maid was arrogant and it was obvious that she was trusted by the Imperial Concubine. As soon as she opened her mouth, not only Qingluan stopped talking, but even the Imperial Concubine stopped talking, obviously agreeing with the palace maid's actions.
One was playing the good cop and the other the bad cop. Su Guoer remained sober and said immediately, "It is a blessing for me to share Her Majesty's worries and troubles, but I wonder why Her Majesty summoned me here? If I could have the opportunity to share Her Majesty's worries, I would certainly do my best."
She said this neither humbly nor arrogantly, but it turned out that...
The maid named Mi Tao snorted coldly: "Hmph, you were full of tricks when I first met you. Now it seems that you are right. This tactic of retreating to advance is probably just to trick me, right? You even refused the reward from the Empress. Do you think that by refusing the reward, you can sever all ties with the Empress? Let me tell you..."
Su Guoer quickly interrupted the other person and told her that if she continued like that, she might be accused of something.
"What are you talking about, sister? I have no intention of distancing myself from the Empress. As long as this fresh food restaurant remains open, it will be under the protection of the Empress. Since I enjoy the Empress's protection, how dare I disown her?"
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