"You knew all along that their target wasn't the emperor?"
The Empress Dowager sat on the soft couch, not in high spirits, looking rather listless.
Perhaps they were still shocked by what happened today.
Qin Su sat in the seat below her, and the two were quite intimate, indicating that they were indeed quite familiar with each other.
"Does the Empress Dowager want to hear the truth or something nice?" Qin Su asked her, her eyes smiling as she leaned against the soft couch, the two of them looking like sisters.
The old woman standing to the side frowned slightly, disliking Qin Su's tone of voice, which showed no respect whatsoever.
The Empress Dowager didn't seem to care. Perhaps she was unpretentious with people she respected. She changed to a more comfortable sitting position, becoming even less dignified.
Her voice was languid and somewhat tired, "That depends on whether you're willing to tell the truth or say something nice; I don't mind either way."
Qin Su couldn't help but laugh. She coaxed the Empress Dowager, "To be honest, I do know a little. But to put it nicely... Your Majesty, I really don't know anything."
The Empress Dowager and Qin Su couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Empress Dowager, would you like to rest early today?" Granny Qin stepped forward and interrupted the two of them laughing and joking.
The Empress Dowager nodded; she wanted to rest early today.
"You should rest in the palace as well, and leave the palace tomorrow."
Qin Su agreed.
The next morning, Qin Su did not disturb the Empress Dowager and planned to leave as soon as possible, but unexpectedly, Emperor Mingyang sent Chief Steward Deng to pick her up again.
Qin Su suspected that Kang Lin was the one who finished things up, and she needed to ask him about it.
She thought she could go back and rest for a couple of days after talking to Emperor Mingyang, but then Eunuch Xi from the Empress's side came again.
She looked up at the sky, thinking that after the banquet, one thing after another came up, and there was never enough time to deal with them all.
She remembered what happened at yesterday's birthday banquet; in that dangerous moment, the Empress pointed her out without hesitation. To be honest, Qin Su didn't blame the Empress. She and the Empress weren't particularly close, so it wasn't surprising at all that the Empress would make that choice.
Eunuch Xi was also someone who witnessed what happened yesterday. He thought that Qin Su's status had risen so much that she might disobey the Empress and refuse to go to Fengqi Palace.
However, Qin Su, as always, smiled and asked him to lead the way.
At this moment, Eunuch Xi couldn't help but scrutinize Qin Su closely.
People who don't show their emotions are the most frightening and the most feared.
The eunuch Xi led the person to Fengqi Palace. He walked to the steps, bowed, and said to the Empress, "Your Majesty, the person has been brought."
The Empress was as radiant as ever, wearing a wide-sleeved, gold-sprinkled, front-opening blouse and a magnificent long skirt. Perhaps because of the heat, she did not wear an outer robe.
Even so, wearing a phoenix crown and gorgeous clothes, she still exuded an air of nobility.
Qin Su bowed to the Empress as usual, slightly bending over, and was not allowed to stand up without being ordered to do so.
In the past, the empress would not deliberately make things difficult for her, but today she remained silent, only instructing the palace maid beside her to apply nail polish.
Qin Su was not annoyed and remained standing in place, maintaining the status quo.
Eunuch Xi felt the atmosphere was somewhat tense, and in his opinion, the Empress shouldn't be making things difficult for Qin Su at this critical juncture.
"Your Highness?" Eunuch Xi called out cautiously, giving her a meaningful look.
The Empress was displeased, and she knew that Qin Su was currently in the limelight, and that angering her would be detrimental to her.
"Get up." The voice was lazy and condescending, as if bestowing a favor.
"Miss Qin really stole the show yesterday."
Qin Su replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "This humble woman is merely fulfilling her duty as a resident of Da'an."
The Empress snorted coldly, dismissing Qin Su's words.
She is clearly a power-hungry person, yet she tries to portray herself as so noble.
"What reward did His Majesty bestow upon you?" she asked.
Qin Su answered honestly, "She will be granted the title of Princess."
For some reason, the Empress seemed to be in a better mood. "It is right to give it to you. Years ago, when the Marquis of Zhongyi came to the capital, he said he would confer a title upon you."
However, a lot of ministers opposed it at the time, so the matter was delayed.
"His Majesty didn't mention your marriage?"
After thinking for a moment, Qin Su briefly recounted what had happened yesterday.
Everyone present was shrewd; how could the Empress not guess Emperor Mingyang's thoughts?
A cold smile played on her lips, and her resolve grew stronger.
"You said yesterday that you had someone you liked. May I ask which young master it is?"
Faced with this question, Qin Su felt a headache coming on. Where was she supposed to find a person to make up?
The Empress's gaze had turned sharp. "Are you trying to deceive me by not being able to answer?"
Even if it was a lie, Qin Su couldn't admit it, so she had to bite the bullet and say, "He's just an nobody, and even if I told you, Your Majesty wouldn't know him."
"You did a good job for Da'an yesterday. If you and that person are in love, I can ask His Majesty for a marriage decree on your behalf."
This was clearly forcing Qin Su to reveal someone today, no matter what.
The atmosphere remained tense.
Qin Su couldn't bear the blame for deceiving the Empress, or even Emperor Mingyang, but who could she accuse? She didn't know many men in the capital.
"Yesterday you said you had someone you admired, but today you hesitate and remain silent. You are deceiving me, and you are also deceiving His Majesty and the Empress Dowager. Can you bear the blame for this?" The Empress continued to press.
Qin Su was really forced into a corner. Just as she was about to use Lu Yue as a scapegoat, a palace servant rushed in from outside.
"Your Majesty, Qin Mama, the Empress Dowager's attendant, has arrived."
The Empress's face immediately showed displeasure, but she still dared not neglect Qin Mama and let her in.
Granny Qin first bowed to the Empress, and then said directly, "This servant is ordered to take Miss Qin back. She offended the Empress Dowager this morning, and now she has actually left quietly. She is really audacious."
Qin Su: ? ? ?
When did this happen?
"Is there anything Your Majesty hasn't finished saying to Qin Su?" she asked coldly, as if Qin Su had really done something wrong.
The Empress carefully examined the two of them, and a smile suddenly appeared on her face. "It's nothing, it's just that Miss Qin mentioned someone she admires, and I would like to ask His Majesty to arrange a marriage between the two of them."
"Since Mother is so eager to see her, then let's go. Don't keep Mother waiting too long."
Granny Qin led the person away, and Qin Su didn't ask any questions along the way.
After wandering around for a while, it was already noon, and lunch could only be eaten in the Empress Dowager's palace.
Granny Qin told the Empress Dowager everything that had happened at the Empress's place. The Empress Dowager nodded knowingly and asked her to go to the Imperial Kitchen to prepare lunch.
"Sit down. Why didn't you say goodbye to your master before leaving?" The Empress Dowager's tone was reproachful, like that of a young girl. She was well-maintained, so this manner was not offensive.
Qin Su sat down by herself, crossed her legs and said, "It's not that I don't want to greet the master; it's clearly that I don't want to disturb the master's good sleep."
The Empress Dowager glared at her, then changed the subject, saying, "The Empress has her eye on you. Your sweetheart won't be able to keep quiet until she gives you a straight answer."
"No matter what, they'll accuse you of deceiving the emperor."
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