Chapter 101 (Revised Version): "Lingxi, Prince Cheng's Residence..."
"Lingxi, did the Prince Cheng's residence send in some spices a few days ago?" The Empress leaned against the soft couch by the window, idly fanning herself with her round fan, half-closing her eyes to savor the scent brought by the breeze.
"Yes, Your Majesty. The Prince Cheng's residence has sent over a lot of spices, including many of the finest quality agarwood and sandalwood, as well as a piece of top-grade frankincense and a bottle of rose perfume. I have put them all away safely. Would Your Majesty like to try them today?" Lingxi replied, but saw no reaction from the Empress. Looking up, she found the Empress immersed in the fragrance.
After a while, the Empress finally opened her eyes fully, and a look of satisfaction appeared on her face as she smelled the aroma.
It was a unique scent, a blend of the crisp, slightly bitter bamboo fragrance from outside the window and the incense burning inside the hall. This fragrance added a touch of the coolness of herbs to the rich aroma of spring, neither too sweet nor too cold, a perfect balance.
"I smelled a wonderful fragrance today, so I won't make any incense." Although she said she wouldn't make any incense, the Empress was still thinking about the spices sent by the Prince Cheng's residence: "How does that perfume smell? Is it pure?"
"It's very pure, a rare treasure, far superior to those brought by those cunning foreign merchants. Moreover, it's contained in a bottle made of extremely clear, pale pink glass. I've grown up by Your Highness's side since I was little, and I've seen all sorts of fine things, but such fine glass is truly rare." Lingxi said with admiration.
Hearing Lingxi say this, the Empress also became somewhat interested: "Go and fetch it later. I want to see if it's really something good, or if you're just ignorant."
The spirit of the divine is blessed.
After making a joke, the Empress continued, "It used to be said that the Sixth Prince was quite accomplished in business, but I thought they were just joking. Now it seems that, putting aside everything else, he has seen and experienced a lot of all kinds of goods coming and going from the north and south. The spices he sent here are clearly something he prepared with care."
Chunxin, who was serving the Empress some snacks, laughed when she heard this: "Look at what you're saying, who in the world would dare to be careless when preparing a gift for Your Majesty! It's just that they are lucky enough to have delivered the gift to Your Majesty's heart."
Upon hearing this, the Empress covered her face with her fan and laughed: "You little rascal, you've become more and more outrageous after being by my side for several years."
After laughing, she added, "I may indulge you a little in private, but if you behave improperly in public, I will have Granny Wu discipline you properly."
These words sounded like a joke, but they were actually a warning. Although the Empress was always kind to her subordinates, she would not allow them to disrupt the established order.
Especially since she had already issued an edict summoning the sixth prince's wife to the palace in two days. Given her lower social standing, there had already been some gossip in the palace lately. If anyone in her palace showed any disrespect, and someone with ulterior motives interpreted it as her, the Empress's, intention, that would be disastrous.
She shook her fan again, savoring the lingering fragrance in the room, and sighed inwardly:
What more could she ask for now? She only wished for peace and happiness for herself and Shuhe, and that the winds of the capital would not blow into the Luanfeng Palace. Therefore, the best choice was to do her duty as Empress, stay out of all disputes, and remain uninvolved.
......
Following the young eunuch, Xiao Yan Hui was accompanied only by Granny Wang. The two walked from the palace gate to the front of Luanfeng Palace. Even though Xiao Yan Hui had always been in good physical condition, she was slightly sweating on her forehead. Especially since she was dressed in her finest clothes today, walking such a long distance was actually quite tiring.
At this moment, Xiao Yan Hui was even somewhat relieved that the imperial decree officially conferring upon her the title of Princess Consort of Cheng County had only arrived two days ago. The formal ceremony had not yet been held, and her Princess Consort court attire was not yet ready, allowing her to relax a little today.
Lost in a jumble of thoughts to ease the tension, she followed the little eunuch a few steps and stood on the steps in front of the Luanfeng Palace. Looking up, she saw that the palace was not as magnificent and luxurious as she had imagined; it was a serene and elegant palace.
As they climbed the steps, a faint fragrance gradually filled the air. When they reached the Luanfeng Palace, the young eunuch stopped, and the person leading the way became a kind-looking old woman. She didn't say much, but simply bowed to Xiao Yanhui in greeting before leading them into the palace.
Upon entering the main hall, the faint fragrance from before became much more pronounced.
Unlike the palace's long-standing tranquility and majesty, this fragrance is reminiscent of spring flowers, smelling quite natural and welcoming.
"The Princess Consort of Chengjun pays her respects to Her Majesty the Empress!" came the announcement from the head of the hall.
"Your Majesty, I, Xiao, pay my respects to Your Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty live a thousand years!" Xiao Yan did not look up rashly, but instead bowed respectfully according to the etiquette she had learned during this time, performing a grand salute to the Empress.
On the phoenix throne, the Empress was not wearing her bright yellow phoenix robe. Her attire could be described as formal, but it was not grand. After Xiao Yan returned the bow, she did not make any pretentious gestures. Instead, she directly instructed in a gentle voice: "You should also call me Mother Empress, just like the sixth prince."
Then palace maids brought various rewards, and after Xiao Yan accepted them, the Empress immediately said, "Rise, and take a seat."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Xiao Yan returned the favor and stood up, taking the opportunity to secretly glance at the Empress. She looked unexpectedly young. If we were to judge by age, the Empress should be at least forty years old, possibly close to fifty, but the person in front of her looked to be at most in her early thirties.
Judging by her face alone, the Empress was not a top-tier beauty, but she was elegant, dignified and had a unique air about her. In modern terms, she had a face that exuded an aura of peace and prosperity.
Perhaps sensing the gaze fixed on the Empress's face, the Empress turned her head slightly, and the next moment Xiao Yan Hui met her gaze. But she only smiled gently and said nothing.
Xiao Yan was led by a palace maid to sit down on a chair below the Empress. Her posture remained respectful, but she still felt somewhat embarrassed because of the sudden eye contact after she had just peeked at the Empress.
However embarrassing it may be, I finally felt relieved.
Whether it was letting her address the Empress Dowager directly, giving her a gift upon their first meeting according to etiquette, not minding at all when their eyes met during a stolen glance, or the chair beneath her that was only below the main seat.
All of this expressed the Empress's meaning; she met with her entirely according to the rules for meeting a daughter-in-law, without the slightest intention of making things difficult.
Sure enough, as soon as she sat down, a palace maid served her fragrant tea, and the Empress at the head of the table also spoke: "I have long heard that Prince Cheng has chosen a virtuous and intelligent princess for himself. Seeing her today, it is clear that the sixth prince has some discerning eyes."
"To be honest, Ru Hui has been away from the palace for many years. Now that you are here to take care of him, I feel more at ease." These words were spoken in a steady and polite tone, completely like an elder showing concern for a younger person.
Even though the Empress herself may have only met the Sixth Prince a handful of times in her life, it didn't stop her from speaking with genuine emotion, as if the Sixth Prince were truly her son with whom she had a deep affection.
Xiao Yan bowed slightly, her voice gentle and sincere: "Your Majesty flatters me. Serving His Highness is my duty, and I dare not accept such praise from Your Majesty. His Highness often remembers Your Majesty's kindness in the past and is also grateful."
Her words were half true and half false. Qin Ji had no ill will towards this empress, but of course, he also had no feelings for her. Xiao Yan Hui was just using this as a starting point to observe whether there was any possibility of getting close to this empress at the moment.
In the early and middle stages of the story, the Empress has little presence. She is like an NPC who only appears on important occasions, acts only according to her own logic and identity, and has no bias towards the princes.
It wasn't until the later stages of the struggle for the throne that the Second Prince showed some advantages, and then the incident of Su Jinyue mending clothes served as a catalyst, which led the Empress to gradually lean towards the Second Prince's camp.
At this moment, Xiao Yan recalled what she wanted to test. It was the Empress in the story who made her decide to side with the Second Prince. The key factor was that Su Jinyue repaired the dress, or rather, the Second Prince showed his advantage at that time.
So she made a suggestion to the Empress to get closer to her, but when the Empress heard Xiao Yan's reply, her face remained calm and gentle, unchanged from her previous appearance. Her words were also very tactful, simply saying, "Ru Hui is indeed a well-mannered child."
Afterwards, the Empress asked some trivial questions, such as whether the Prince was getting used to living in the Prince's residence, and whether the climate in the capital was different from that in Jiangzuo, and whether the couple was adapting well.
Her concern was merely a perfunctory formality; she didn't mention a word about the uproar surrounding the refusal to marry, the caning, or Xiao Yanhui's merchant background.
This empress seems to be the perfect template for an empress: gentle, dignified, and in accordance with etiquette while maintaining an appropriate distance.
After finishing her platitudes, she acted like an NPC who had completed her script, taking a sip of her tea and showing a perfectly measured hint of weariness on her face. She said gently, "Alright, you must be tired after your first audience with the emperor today. Go back to your residence and rest early. When you have free time in the future, come to the palace often to chat with me."
"Yes, thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I will take my leave now."
......
Respectfully leaving Luanfeng Palace, Xiao Yan felt that she and the Empress were like a pair of actors with an extremely boring script. There was no emotion, and it was all a fixed routine. As long as they went through the script together without making any mistakes, they would consider their mission for the day complete.
Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan Hui once again smelled that special fragrance in the air, and revealed the most genuine smile of the day.
Although it seemed very much like a machine, because of the fragrance, Xiao Yan felt that this Empress might still be worth trying to win over in advance.
Before entering the palace, she had already imagined what the Empress would be like.
The legendary empress was almost perfect. Born into nobility, she did not use her status as empress to gain power for her family. She possessed both virtue and beauty, had the ability to manage the smooth operation of the harem, and was also tolerant, peaceful, and free from jealousy.
If this empress had any flaws, it was only one, but that flaw was precisely the most fatal.
She has no children!
Despite sitting in such a prestigious position, her only son died in an accident at a young age. Although the emperor and empress have treated each other with respect over the years, he has shown little affection for her, so the empress has only had one daughter in recent years.
Many people know that the Empress loves incense, because she was immersed in it when she was a young girl. But before meeting her, Xiao Yan was worried that it was just the Empress's old hobby.
She feared seeing a woman heartbroken after losing her son, which meant that finding Su Jinyue and gaining her support through her skills might be a necessary condition for getting closer to the Empress.
But today she smelled the fragrance from the Empress's palace. This fragrance is called "Hidden Spring," and it is a very suitable fragrance for spring. The fragrance itself is not rare; even Xiao Yan Hui herself has tried to blend it.
Two ounces of agarwood, five mace of sandalwood, one mace each of frankincense, cloves, and nard, one ounce of scrophularia, and one fen of musk, grind into powder, mix with refined honey, and it can be made into pills or cakes.
But the key point is that the scent of this Tibetan Spring Incense she smelled today is slightly different from the scent produced according to the normal incense recipe. The scent of this Tibetan Spring Incense has been adjusted, and it is obvious that it is not provided by the Imperial Household Department but specially made in the Empress's Palace.
A person who can use fragrances according to the seasons and adjust the scents according to her own taste must have expectations for herself, for life, and for the future beneath her perfect queenly appearance.
"Even without the opportunity to mend clothes, there should be something to talk about with someone who still loves life and has expectations for the future," Xiao Yan thought to herself.
She is currently behaving like a queen without any particular inclination, perhaps simply because the time is not yet right and she has not yet seen anyone worth betting on.
What Qin Ji and he needed to do was to provide the Empress with a candidate, someone who could offer her a better future, or at least someone who could help her maintain her current lifestyle, so that the Empress would feel that they were the best partners she could choose.
"Your Highness, the person coming from over there is the head maid of Consort Shu." Suddenly, Granny Wang whispered a reminder to Xiao Yan Hui.
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Author's Note: This chapter is not finished; I will make some adjustments and additions tomorrow.
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