"You two, hurry up and help the Empress Dowager with her bathing and dressing. This is the Empress Dowager, and we cannot afford to be negligent."
Although Xiao Yinzi still remembered the Emperor's order that they were not allowed to disturb the Empress Dowager without permission, the situation was urgent and they couldn't let the Empress Dowager come up empty-handed.
"Yes, Eunuch Yin." The two palace maids, Liu Hong and Liu Lü, bowed gracefully to him, nodded in response, and quietly entered the inner hall.
...
Although no incense was being burned inside the hall, a pleasant peach blossom fragrance filled the room.
The rich fragrance of the flowers makes one feel as if they are in a sea of flowers, like a dream. If butterflies were kept here, they would be dancing gracefully long ago.
Liu Hong and Liu Lü exchanged a glance, both seeing amazement in each other's eyes. Such a rich fragrance could not be perfume; it must be the Empress's natural body scent.
This was the first time they had ever seen such a thing. It turned out that some people really did have a natural body fragrance, and it smelled so good. No wonder she was the woman the emperor had his eye on; she was truly unique.
However, the most urgent task now is to wake the Empress Dowager up and have her quickly get ready. Otherwise, if the Empress Dowager is kept waiting for too long, it may not leave a good impression.
Liu Hong spoke first, her voice clear and melodious. She didn't lift the curtain without permission, but called out to Song Lingxi through the curtain.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty?"
In fact, Song Lingxi does not have a title at present, and the emperor has not yet conferred the title of concubine upon her. Calling her "Your Majesty" is somewhat against the rules.
But the Emperor did not object, and even Eunuch Li addressed them that way. If they were too opinionated, they might offend their master, so they simply followed suit and called them that too.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, wake up! The Empress Dowager is coming!"
Song Lingxi felt a mosquito buzzing in her ear and tried to shoo it away, but slowly realized something was wrong.
Empress Dowager?
Yes, it seems I'm in a royal palace!
After Song Lingxi realized what was happening, she sat up abruptly. She heard the sound coming from outside the curtain and flung it open.
Then, Liu Hong and Liu Lü saw a fluffy little head peek out from behind the curtain, and when they saw the face clearly, they were all speechless.
"!"
The woman's delicate eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and her eyes were not yet fully awake, misty as if shrouded in a white veil, making her look even more intriguing.
Her delicate nose made her face more three-dimensional, and her slightly parted lips and rosy cheeks made her irresistible.
Such a woman is probably one of a kind in the entire Xiao Kingdom. She is like the bright moon in the sky, or a fairy who has descended to the mortal world. She is unforgettable once seen.
"..."
After a moment of silence, the two young palace maids finally remembered what they were supposed to do.
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is about to arrive. Eunuch Yin has instructed us to assist you with your toilette so that you may meet the Empress Dowager."
Liu Hong reacted faster. In just a few words, she clearly explained the whole situation to Song Lingxi, making her understand that time was of the essence.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!"
Song Lingxi finally felt a sense of reality about where she was. It turned out that this wasn't a nightmare, but that she had really come to the palace, and that she really had been with the Emperor last night...
Thinking of this, Song Lingxi felt a pang of bitterness in her heart, not because of Emperor Xiao Jin, but because she was reminded of her husband who had sold his wife for personal gain.
In fact, Song Lingxi also had some doubts in her heart. Wasn't she going to attend the Princess's banquet? Why did she run into the Emperor?
How did the Emperor manage to make her a concubine? She was already someone else's wife; there was no precedent in this dynasty for making a subject's wife a concubine.
If the emperor did this, wouldn't he be tarnishing his own reputation? Forcibly taking a minister's wife is hardly a good thing. Not only would he be condemned by historians, but Xiao Jin would also be criticized by later generations.
Therefore, Song Lingxi wondered, if the emperor hadn't forcibly taken a minister's wife, how could she have ended up in the palace?
The facts are obvious; that divorce agreement is the best evidence. It's just that I still harbor delusions.
So, I really have been abandoned...
All of Song Lingxi's lingering affection and love for Xie Changling in her previous life vanished into thin air!
Thinking of this, Song Lingxi felt her heart breaking. The excruciating pain brought tears to her eyes. So, there really is such a thing as heartbreak!
Liu Hong had just returned from fetching water and was about to help Song Lingxi out when she was surprised to find that the Empress was crying!
"Your Highness, is it because Liu Lü is clumsy that she has upset you? This servant will scold her right away, Liu Lü, Liu Lü—"
Liu Hong scanned her surroundings but couldn't find Liu Lü anywhere. She wondered where the girl had gone. Could she have... done something wrong and hidden away?
"Your Majesty, please don't cry. I will serve you. Don't worry, I will not make you unhappy."
Looking at Song Lingxi, at that tear-streaked little face, Liu Hong felt somewhat powerless, wishing she could be of a higher status so she could hold her in her arms and comfort her.
"Your Majesty, please don't cry. It's my fault, I was wrong."
Liu Hong frantically tried to comfort Song Lingxi, but unfortunately, she was too clumsy with words and could only repeat the same two sentences over and over again, which was not enough to appease Song Lingxi.
Just as she was at a loss, Liu Lu's voice rang out from behind her: "Liu Hong, why aren't you properly serving Her Highness while she's getting ready? What are you doing?"
"If you can't do it, then let me do it. Go away, you're in the way!"
Liu Lü held a green palace dress in her hand. The color was delicate and the style was beautiful. Most importantly, it was a style that the imperial concubines wore most often, so it was not easy to overstep the bounds of propriety.
She had just spent a lot of effort picking it out, and she even specially chose a green outfit because her name also contains the character for green. Of course, this little trick is not worth mentioning.
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