The two entered the Empress Dowager's bedroom together. Xi Lan only stood there for a short while before the Empress Dowager dismissed her, while Su Yu Shan was left behind.
The woman before her had alluring features, which the Empress Dowager disliked most. Every time she looked at her, she felt that she had a face that could bring ruin to the country.
"Everyone says that beautiful women bring disaster. The emperor has repeatedly argued with me because of you, and he didn't even come to visit me when I was sick. In his eyes, you are more important than me!"
Hongli was indeed sulking and refusing to come, but Su Yushan couldn't tell the truth, lest she disappoint the Empress Dowager. "Your Majesty, you are too kind. In fact, the Emperor was also very worried about you and wanted to visit you, but unfortunately, he stayed up all night reviewing memorials, caught a cold and had a fever, and became seriously ill, which is why he couldn't come. Please forgive him, Your Majesty."
The Empress Dowager did not believe such an excuse. How could she be ill and Hongli also fall ill? It must be Su Yushan who instigated Hongli again, otherwise how could he do such an unfilial thing?
The Empress Dowager glared at her hatefully and complained angrily, "With you causing trouble in the middle, my son and I will never be able to get along!"
"Your Majesty may have misunderstood. I have never tried to sow discord between you and the Emperor."
I remember how harmonious the relationship between mother and son used to be. But ever since Su Yushan appeared, conflicts have arisen. Now, the Empress Dowager sees her as a thorn in her side, and even a glance from her makes her uncomfortable.
"Stop pretending to be innocent in front of me. If you weren't so power-hungry, why would the Emperor insist on having you assist in managing the harem?"
Power was a hot potato to Su Yushan. "Your Majesty may not believe me, but this is indeed my truest thought. I already have the Emperor's favor, so power is not important to me. It is only because the Emperor wants to train me that he has made this arrangement."
"If you really don't want to take it on, you can simply refuse. Since you've already agreed, don't put on airs!"
"Your Majesty did refuse, but he said I was unambitious and ungrateful." Su Yushan sighed and feigned distress, saying, "I'm caught in the middle, it's very difficult for me!"
Hongli cherished her dearly, so how could he reprimand her like this? The Empress Dowager found it laughable, "Even the operas in Changyin Pavilion aren't as good as yours!"
No matter what she said, the Empress Dowager wouldn't believe her, so Su Yushan simply told a few small lies without batting an eye, "Everything I said is true. If Your Majesty doesn't believe me, there's nothing I can do."
The Empress Dowager was about to reprimand her when a palace maid entered the bedroom and said that the medicine had been prepared.
Granny Mei was about to feed the Empress Dowager her medicine when the Empress Dowager coldly ordered, "Have Consort Chun come and feed me my medicine."
Granny Mei then handed the medicine bowl to Consort Chun. Su Yushan took the bowl, looked around, and found there was nowhere to sit. After all, that person was the Empress Dowager; she couldn't sit by the tent. So she smiled gently and said to the palace servants:
"Please trouble Granny Mei to bring over a small stool."
The Empress Dowager, half-sitting in the tent, coldly retorted, "Why sit on a stool? Kneeling to feed the medicine shows sincerity."
The Empress Dowager was clearly making things difficult for her on purpose. As a concubine, she should obey the Empress Dowager's orders. However, she had already knelt down last time, and this time Su Yushan was unwilling to foolishly obey the Empress Dowager's orders again and suffer for herself.
With a quick glance, Su Yushan made an excuse: "His Majesty said he would go to Jingren Palace at 9:00 AM. If he doesn't see me, he might come to Cining Palace to look for me."
Bamboo says: I've suddenly developed tinnitus these past few days, and my ears have been ringing. I plan to go to the hospital for a checkup tomorrow, so there will be only one update tomorrow. If there's nothing serious, I'll start updating twice a day again on Thursday.
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