Chapter 168 You also think I'm not a good match?
When Prince Duan approached, Shui Xiu felt a chill run down her spine, but dared not show it on her face. She quickly curtsied to Prince Duan.
"This humble woman greets Your Highness."
She appeared extremely polite, but her actions betrayed her true nature. Before Prince Duan could utter any more greasy words, Shui Xiu immediately led her mother, Madam Jiang, and strode into the Cining Palace.
At this moment, with Prince Hou standing behind him, the Cining Palace, shrouded in unknown danger, seemed much more welcoming.
As soon as she stepped into the Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager, who was lazily leaning on the chaise longue, heard footsteps coming from the palace gate. She subconsciously looked up and met Shui Xiu's joyful gaze, as if she had been saved.
Empress Dowager: ? ? ?
She frowned slightly, sensing that Shui Xiu was trying to curry favor with her, and then, with the help of a maid, she sat down on the phoenix chair.
After taking his seat, he raised his eyelids again, looking at Shui Xiu and Jiang Shi in the hall, his tone revealing an undisguised perfunctoriness.
"You've arrived? Please have a seat."
She said in a deep voice, "I invited you here today for no other reason than that Consort Jin is currently in poor health, and since you rarely come to the palace, I should also meet with you, lest outsiders not know the truth and instead say that I am harsh on her family."
Before coming to Cining Palace, Shuixiu had given her mother some instructions, and now Jiang Shi was also imitating her two clever and quick-witted daughters, acting cautiously.
She and Shui Xiu bowed and said, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager is kind and compassionate; we are deeply grateful."
As soon as he finished speaking, Prince Duan stepped into the hall, his gaze fixed on Shui Xiu's young and beautiful back.
After entering the hall, he first bowed to the Empress Dowager, and then, disregarding his proper place, naturally sat down next to Shui Xiu.
"Miss Shuixiu has arrived at just the right time."
He spoke with feigned familiarity, and said with a self-satisfied smile, "I've been thinking of finding an opportunity to invite you to try some of the new desserts from the Imperial Kitchen. They're much better than those outside the palace."
Shui Xiu rarely used perfume, so when Prince Duan leaned closer, she could smell a faint scent of cosmetics in the air.
Old man, and he still smells so good!
Shui Xiu immediately felt a wave of physical discomfort and barely managed to stay away.
She subtly moved closer to her mother, lowering her eyelashes to conceal the deep disgust in her eyes.
Prince Duan assumed it was just a shy young girl and was about to have some pastries served when a eunuch's voice suddenly came from outside the palace.
"Marquis Yixin, Yuan Chiyu, requests an audience with the Empress Dowager—"
The Empress Dowager seemed somewhat surprised, frowning slightly, but still said calmly, "Summon them."
Yuan Chiyu, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, strode in. He was tall and handsome, with a youthful spirit in his eyes and a hint of noble elegance.
However, that air of refined elegance vanished completely after he opened his mouth in a nonchalant manner.
"Your subject Yuan Chiyu greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace."
After bowing, he explained, "I came here today specifically to visit my aunt, Consort Yuan. I heard that Her Majesty the Empress Dowager was resting here, so I came to pay my respects. I dare not disturb Her Majesty's peace and quiet."
As Yuan Chiyu spoke, he subtly glanced around the hall and caught a glimpse of Shui Xiu's slightly tense body and the overly intimate distance between Prince Duan and her. He immediately understood seven or eight parts of the situation.
When Prince Duan saw Yuan Chiyu enter, he not only did not restrain himself, but seemed to have been aroused by some kind of desire to perform. He even raised his hand and pretended to pat Shui Xiu's shoulder.
"Lord Yixin has arrived? I was just speaking with Miss Shuixiu..."
Shui Xiu was furious and wanted to throw the sole of her shoe at the prince's face, but she remembered her sister's advice to retreat in order to advance.
She stood up abruptly after Prince Duan approached.
Without further ado, Shui Xiu knelt deeply before Prince Duan and explained everything:
“Your Highness is of noble birth, while I am of humble origin. I dare not accept such closeness from Your Highness. If this were to spread, it would damage Your Highness’s reputation, and I would be guilty of a thousand deaths.”
Don't get too close to me. I'm so lowly, don't damage your reputation!
Her words, seemingly self-deprecating and self-reproachful, were in fact a accusation that Prince Duan had behaved improperly and disregarded his status.
Prince Duan's outstretched hand froze in mid-air, his smile first stiffening, then gradually deepening.
Interesting. Consort Jin's sister is indeed a tough one; she's quite intriguing.
The Empress Dowager, seated at the head of the table, observed all of this, her expression darkening slightly.
How could she think her youngest son was being presumptuous? She only felt that Shui Xiu was being delusional.
But since the young lady had already spoken, the Empress Dowager could only respond calmly.
"Prince Duan has always been approachable and down-to-earth. It seems that Miss Shuixiu is overthinking things."
Yuan Chiyu stood aside, somewhat surprised by Shui Xiu's timely counterattack.
Looking at the delicate and fragile Shui Xiu, he initially thought she was just a little girl who needed protection, but he never expected her to be so quick-witted...
It was truly impressive.
For a moment, the hall fell silent. The Empress Dowager changed the subject and gave instructions to the servants.
"Go and brew two cups of the newly harvested Longjing tea from Jiangnan before the rain, for Madam Jiang and Miss Shuixiu to try."
The palace maid quickly brought over two cups of steaming hot tea.
Yuan Chiyu sat to the side, glancing at the two cups of tea, and said with a sly smile, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager is truly biased. Why didn't you bring me? I'm practically a junior whom Your Majesty has watched grow up. Such differential treatment... I won't stand for it..."
Listening to Yuan Chiyu's witty remarks, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.
Why did this guy suddenly show up today? We haven't seen him for years. Today, he suddenly appeared when Jiang and Shui Xiu were setting up a trap.
Just as the Empress Dowager was busy dealing with Yuan Chiyu, Shui Xiu remembered her sister's repeated instructions. Taking advantage of the moment when the palace maid brought over the tea, she quickly dipped the tip of the silver needle hidden inside her sleeve into the tea.
She felt an extremely subtle sensation on her fingertips and secretly glanced at it. Sure enough, the part of the needle that touched the tea was covered with a very faint layer of light black!
It really is poisonous!
Shui Xiu's face instantly changed to one of nervousness, bewilderment, and flattery.
She frantically reached for the teacup, but her fingers "accidentally" trembled, and the entire cup of scalding tea spilled onto the floor, soaking the carpet.
"oops!"
Shui Xiu gasped in surprise, her face turning pale with fright. She quickly knelt down and frantically tried to wipe it clean, crying, "This humble woman is so clumsy! I've dirtied the Empress Dowager's carpet!"
Yuan Chiyu turned his head at the sound and caught a glimpse of the mess on the ground and the seemingly "chaotic" Shui Xiu.
The last time I met her outside the palace gates, she and her parents were trying to avoid Prince Duan, but she didn't lose her composure like this. This isn't her usual personality. Now, her act is full of holes, and... kind of cute.
The Empress Dowager, however, did not know what Shui Xiu was like on ordinary days, and only frowned in disgust when she saw the mess on the ground.
She said impatiently, "Never mind, it's just a little tea, no need to wipe it, get up."
Shui Xiu seemed frightened and tried to stand up shakily, but she lost her balance and her elbow "accidentally" bumped into the cup of tea that belonged to her mother on the small table next to her!
"Clang!"
With another crisp sound, Jiang's cup of tea was completely poured onto the carpet, leaving the soft carpet on the floor thoroughly soaked.
Shui Xiu was terrified and immediately knelt down, kowtowing repeatedly with a sob in her voice: "Your Majesty, please forgive me! I didn't mean to! I... I've never seen such a fine teacup before, I was so nervous..."
Jiang was so frightened that she knelt down and begged for forgiveness.
The Empress Dowager looked at the mother and daughter kneeling on the ground, trembling, especially Shui Xiu's stupid and unpresentable appearance, and felt nothing but contempt.
Is someone like that even worthy of her scheming?
I'm sure Consort Yun will handle things well; she won't make a difference with these two cups of tea.
The Empress Dowager said somewhat irritably, "Alright, all of you, get up. It's just two cups of tea; I won't hold it against you. You all seem tired; go back and rest."
Yuan Chiyu took in all of Shui Xiu's unexpected events, and couldn't help but smile slightly!
Shortly after Shui Xiu and Jiang Shi left, Prince Duan glanced longingly in the direction they had gone. Just as he was about to find an opportunity to leave Cining Palace, he was intercepted by Yuan Chiyu on the way...
......
at the same time.
In the middle of the lake in the Imperial Garden, the blue waves ripple, and the painted boats drift gently.
Emperor Zhaoheng dismissed his entourage and sat on the bow of the boat with only Shui Xian.
He peeled a tender lotus seed with his own hands, carefully removed the lotus heart, and then naturally fed it to Narcissus's lips.
Narcissus opened her mouth slightly to eat, and his fingertips inadvertently brushed against the corner of her soft lips, bringing a slight tickle.
"It's a bit windy today, be careful not to catch a cold."
As Emperor Zhaoheng spoke, he took off his cloak and gently draped it over Shui Xian's shoulders.
Narcissus felt warm inside as she received his care, but she still missed her mother and sister.
Just now, Tinglu had taken the opportunity to mention to her that her mother and sister had been summoned away by Cining Palace.
"Your Majesty, my mother and sister are currently in Cining Palace... I feel uneasy."
Emperor Zhaoheng gazed into her eyes, his gentle tone reassuring.
"Rest assured, I have people keeping watch around the Cining Palace. Who would dare to lay a finger on them?"
Seeing that Narcissus still looked worried, Emperor Zhaoheng softened his voice, "After we finish boating on the lake, I'll accompany you to the Liusu Courtyard to see them, shall we?"
Narcissus nodded gently.
Not long after the lake tour ended, Emperor Zhaoheng did not accompany Shui Xian, but was summoned back to Qianqing Palace by Feng Shunxiang due to urgent state affairs.
Narcissus, concerned for her mother and sister, went directly to Liusu Courtyard by sedan chair.
Unexpectedly, I saw a young man dressed in a moon-white brocade robe in the Liusu Courtyard...
Shui Xian had seen him before at a banquet in the palace. Who else could this person be but Marquis Yixin, Yuan Chiyu?
Shui Xiu stood on the steps, a few steps away from him. The two seemed to have just spoken, and the atmosphere was somewhat subtle.
When Narcissus suddenly saw a man outside her mother's and sister's courtyard, she couldn't help but frown slightly.
She took Yinzhu's hand and walked forward.
"Why is the young marquis here? My sister and mother are new to the palace. If there is any inadequacy in our hospitality, please forgive us."
Seeing that Shui Xian was clearly wary, Yuan Chiyu felt inexplicably resentful after glancing at Shui Xian and then at Shui Xiu, even though he had been guarded against for a long time.
Yuan Chiyu raised an eyebrow and said, "I've long heard that Consort Jin is intelligent and insightful, but now it seems that she has been misled by those unfounded rumors from the streets?"
Narcissus responded calmly, "Your Excellency misunderstands. I have no opinion of Your Excellency because of the rumors. It is just that it is not proper for a man and a woman to be alone in the same courtyard. If word gets out, it will not be good for my sister's reputation. Your Excellency should avoid such suspicion."
Yuan Chiyu was well aware of his reputation, and he never bothered to argue about it, even hoping that others would misunderstand.
But today, for some reason, I couldn't help but look up at the water feature on the steps and say coldly:
"What about you? Don't you also think I'm not a good match?"
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