After Lanqin led her people to the main hall of Jingren Palace, and after being informed, everyone followed Lanqin into the hall.
"Your Highness, the Empress is resting on a soft seat facing south. Please follow me inside to pay your respects. However, the Empress is not feeling well and cannot sit for long," the maidservant who came out to report said to Lanqin and the others.
"Yes, sirs, did you hear that?" Lanqin asked.
"Your Majesty, we have only come to pay our respects. Seeing that Your Majesty is alright, we can rest assured," one of the two said, bowing.
So, Lanqin and the others followed the palace servant into the main hall, and then to the left, towards the left side room of the main hall of Jingren Palace.
The Empress was dressed in a light brown cheongsam embroidered with leather and silk, with only a simple jade headdress on her head. Her face looked pale, and she indeed appeared to be suffering from illness.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects!" Lanqin stepped forward and curtsied.
Empress Ulanara looked at Lanqin in front of her, and in her heart she wished she could tear her to pieces, but when she thought of that unforgettable feeling, like a thousand ants burning her heart, she was afraid.
"No need for formalities, Consort Xi. Please take a seat!" the Empress said stiffly.
"Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress." Lanqin stood up and, with the help of a palace maid, sat down in a guest seat on the side.
"Your humble servant greets Your Majesty the Empress!" Two ministers dressed in crane robes and wearing red hats also hurriedly paid their respects.
"Your Excellencies, please rise and take a seat!" the Empress said calmly.
After the two ministers sat down, the Empress said, "What brings you two here to pay your respects to me all of a sudden?"
Seeing that the Empress seemed to be alright, the two men felt a pang of regret and quickly said, "Your Majesty, we heard that Your Majesty has been ill for a long time, so we came to pay our respects. Is Your Majesty alright?"
The Empress wished she could immediately get up and tell them that she was being controlled by Consort Xi, but Cui Niang had already given her a few meaningful glances, which finally secured Ulanara's position.
"Thank you all for your trouble. I am just a little weak, nothing serious," the Empress said.
"Your Majesty, are you really alright?" one of them asked again, still not quite believing it.
"Lord Chen, what are you saying? Her Majesty the Empress is perfectly fine. Why are you constantly questioning her?" Thirteen hurriedly said.
"Your Majesty, I have heard that Your Majesty seems to be confined to Jingren Palace. Therefore, I have come on behalf of several senior officials to pay my respects to Your Majesty. Please tell me more." Seeing that Thirteen still did not believe him, Minister Chen stood up and suddenly said.
Lanqin's lips were always smiling. She looked at the Empress, then at Minister Chen, and said, "Minister Chen, it's rare to hear that Her Majesty's health is indeed not good, so she has been recuperating in Jingren Palace. I wonder where you heard that Her Majesty has been confined?"
When Lord Chen heard Lanqin's question, he was momentarily speechless, and then said, "This humble subject is asking about Her Majesty the Empress, not about Consort Xi."
"You! How dare you be so disrespectful to Consort Xi!" The Thirteenth Prince couldn't hold back any longer.
"Your Majesty, I am only worried that someone might disrespect the Empress while the Emperor is away, not that I would offend Consort Xi!" Lord Chen said stiffly.
The Empress was deeply conflicted as she looked at the scene before her.
"Her Majesty the Empress is the highest-ranking official in the inner palace. Who can confine her? Unless it is the Emperor's order? Your speculations are extremely improper," Lanqin said angrily.
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