When Wang Xifeng received Daiyu's reply, she was leaning against the window looking at the account book.
The moment the letter was unfolded, her fingertips trembled slightly, her eyes flashed with a sharp light, and the corners of her mouth involuntarily turned up.
The Empress actually allowed her to enter the palace for an audience!
She stood up abruptly, pressed the letter to her chest, her heart pounding like a drum, as if she could already see immense wealth beckoning to her.
"Grandma, is there any good news?" Xiao Hong came in with tea and asked cautiously when she saw Wang Xifeng's strange expression.
Wang Xifeng folded the letter carefully, her voice slightly shrill with excitement: "Quickly prepare the carriage, I need to see the Old Madam immediately!"
Xiao Hong quickly curtsied: "Yes, this servant will arrange it immediately."
Wang Xifeng paced back and forth in the room, her thoughts churning.
Why did the Empress agree so readily? Was it out of consideration for Daiyu, or did she have other motives?
She bit her lip, a hint of wariness flashing in her eyes.
But then she thought, she was just a woman confined to her home. If the Empress really wanted to deal with the Jia family, why go through all this trouble?
"There must be something to profit from!" she muttered to herself, her fingers unconsciously twisting the handkerchief until her knuckles turned white from the force.
Inside Rongqing Hall, after listening to Wang Xifeng's report, a complex emotion flashed in Grandmother Jia's cloudy eyes.
These young people are incredibly audacious, but now that the Empress has granted their request, there's not much point in blaming them.
Leaning on her cane, she said slowly, "Feng'er, the Empress is only seeing you out of respect for Yu'er. You must be careful in your words and actions before her, and never overstep your bounds."
Wang Xifeng immediately knelt down, her tone sincere: "Grandmother, rest assured, your granddaughter-in-law will certainly remember your teachings and would never dare to overstep the bounds."
Grandmother Jia stared at her for a long time, and finally sighed: "You've always been clever, I hope this time... you're truly thinking of the Jia family."
The deeper meaning behind her words sent a chill down Wang Xifeng's spine.
She prostrated herself on the ground, then looked up with her usual bright smile: "Your granddaughter-in-law understands what's important."
As Wang Xifeng walked out of Rongqing Hall, the smile on her face gradually turned cold.
The old lady's words were loaded with meaning, clearly implying that she suspected the old lady had ulterior motives.
She snorted coldly, thinking to herself, "If it weren't for me holding them back, the Jia family would have been ruined long ago! Now that they have the chance to curry favor with the Empress, they're all putting on airs of high and mighty."
Back in her room, Jia Lian was already waiting. He greeted her with a broad smile as she entered, saying, "I heard Her Majesty has granted you permission to enter the palace? This is wonderful news!"
He rubbed his hands together, his eyes gleaming with greed. "If we could win the Empress's favor, our lives would be..."
Wang Xifeng glanced at him sideways, a cold smile playing on her lips.
This man, who usually ignored her, has suddenly become very attentive.
She deliberately straightened her sleeves slowly and said calmly, "Why are you in such a hurry, Second Master? Her Majesty is only seeing me because of Lin Daiyu; she may not actually be getting any benefit from it."
Jia Lian leaned closer and lowered his voice, "Feng-ge'er, we're husband and wife, so if you get any benefits, don't forget your husband. I've heard that the Empress's businesses often involve hundreds of thousands of taels of silver..."
Wang Xifeng felt disgusted, but she didn't show it on her face. She only said, "I know what I'm doing. I'll leave the household to you, Second Master, while I'm in the capital." She deliberately emphasized the word "take care of," implying his philandering.
Jia Lian smiled awkwardly and dared not say anything more.
In the stillness of the night, Wang Xifeng sat alone under the lamp, carefully considering her options.
Ping'er brought over some calming tea and said softly, "Grandma is leaving tomorrow, so please get some rest."
Wang Xifeng took the teacup, but didn't drink it immediately. Instead, she stared at Ping'er for a long time before suddenly saying, "You'll stay home this time."
Ping'er was taken aback: "Grandma, aren't you taking me with you?"
Wang Xifeng's lips curled slightly: "You've always been clever; keep an eye on the Second Master at home for me."
What she didn't say was that Ping'er was too upright, and if she knew her true intentions for this trip, she would definitely stop her.
Xiao Hong is clever and loyal, making her easier to use.
A hint of disappointment flashed in Ping'er's eyes, but she still respectfully replied, "This servant will certainly take good care of the household and await Madam's triumphant return."
Wang Xifeng patted her hand, her tone unusually gentle: "I trust you to handle things."
The next morning, Wang Xifeng dressed herself neatly, wearing a crimson-purple brocade jacket and a red-gold and kingfisher feather hairpin, which made her look both noble and dignified.
Jia Lian personally escorted her to the second gate, giving her earnest instructions in front of everyone, putting on a show of being a loving couple.
The carriage slowly drove away from the Jia mansion. Wang Xifeng lifted the curtain and looked back at the mansion as it receded into the distance, a resolute glint in her eyes.
This time, she's determined to make a name for herself!
Inside the carriage, Xiao Hong asked cautiously, "Grandma, should we go to Miss Lin's place first, or should we directly present our petition to the Empress?"
Wang Xifeng closed her eyes to rest, then said calmly, "Let's go visit Lin Daiyu first. Although the Empress has granted her an audience, the rules cannot be disregarded."
She thought to herself, "Daiyu is now the Empress's confidante. If I can find out some of the Empress's preferences through her, I'll have a better chance of success on this trip."
Xiao Hong nodded in agreement and dared not say anything more.
As the wheels rolled on, Wang Xifeng's thoughts also churned.
Why would the Empress agree to see her? She thought of Yuan Chun's fate and felt a chill run down her spine.
But then she thought about it again and realized that she was different from Yuan Chun. Yuan Chun had violated a major taboo in the palace, while she was just looking for a way to do business.
"Fortune favors the bold!" She clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms.
Meanwhile, inside Kunning Palace, Lin Yun was leaning on a soft couch listening to Daiyu's report.
"Godmother, Sister Feng has already set off for the capital and will arrive in about three days," Daiyu said softly, a hint of worry in her eyes.
Lin Yun smiled slightly: "Yu'er, there's no need to worry. Your second sister-in-law is shrewd but lacks vision. I have my reasons for seeing her."
Daiyu hesitated for a moment, then finally asked, "Does Godmother really want to do business with her?"
A meaningful glint flashed in Lin Yun's eyes: "That depends on whether she... knows how to make choices."
She raised her hand and gently stroked Daiyu's hair, her tone softening, "Go and prepare, and bring her to see me later."
Daiyu curtsied and withdrew, still feeling somewhat uneasy.
She knew Sister Feng's temperament all too well; if she tried to be clever in front of her godmother...
Three days later, at a villa in the capital.
After resting overnight, Wang Xifeng got up early the next day to do her makeup. She stood in front of the bronze mirror and checked her appearance one last time.
The woman in the mirror was only twenty-four or twenty-five years old, with beautiful features and an extraordinary demeanor, but the glint in her eyes was too sharp.
She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her excitement, and said to Xiao Hong, "Let's go, we should go to the palace."
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