Yan Ning raised her head and met Fu Kang'an's handsome chin. "Where was Aunt Fang frightened?" Afraid that she would make things more complicated in front of Fu Kang'an, Yan Ning cut straight to the point.
Fukang'an stopped turning the pages of the book, put it down, and looked into Yan Ning's eyes. "Why are you asking this?"
Yan Ning smiled and replied, "I am the general's wife. If I attend a palace banquet in the future, I'm afraid I might intrude into a place I shouldn't, just like Aunt Fang!" Her eyes flickered as she looked at Fukang'an.
Everything in the study seemed to stand still; even the candlelight stopped flickering. The moonlight, calm and still as water, bypassed the candlelight on the desk and flowed into Fukang'an's slightly narrowed eyes. "Yuhua Pavilion!"
Inside the main hall of the Qianqing Palace, after the ministers had finished their reports, the Emperor still did not announce the adjournment of the court. Several golden dragons coiled beneath the plaque proclaiming "Upright and Bright," and more golden dragons circled the dragon throne, the Emperor sitting regally radiating golden light. This caused the kneeling civil and military officials to breathe evenly and silently.
The palace steps were adorned with painted decorations in the style of the Imperial Palace. The officials stared at them, gradually gaining an understanding of the palace's painted decorations. The central room was painted with blue on top and green on the bottom, while the side rooms and smaller rooms on either side of the central room had different color schemes, with the side rooms having green on top and blue on the bottom, and the smaller rooms having the same blue on top and green on the bottom as the central room.
After a short while, the Emperor spoke softly, "The Empress Dowager has been suffering from various ailments lately, and has lost her appetite. I wonder if any of my beloved ministers have any effective solutions?"
The kneeling officials exchanged glances, shaking their heads slightly, flicking beads of sweat onto the golden bricks of the hall. A layer of terror filled their eyes. This was a task where remaining silent might save their lives, but speaking up and failing to please the Empress Dowager meant certain death. The Empress Dowager had been ill for years; even if she recovered today, tomorrow or the day after, a single cough from her would send shivers down the Emperor's spine. The hall fell silent once more.
Another half-day of silence followed, and the Emperor's face showed signs of mild anger, but the officials pretended not to notice. They were only concerned with counting the beads of sweat dripping from their eyes.
Just as the Emperor slammed his fist on the golden table in anger, Heshen's voice drifted out from below. "This servant has a way to amuse the Empress Dowager!"
The officials breathed a sigh of relief, slightly raising their heads to secretly observe the Emperor's expression. The Emperor's previous anger vanished; Heshen had never disappointed him. "Tell me, my dear minister!"
"General Fukang'an's family once performed a peacock dance for the Empress Dowager, which she praised highly. This servant believes that now, in early summer, the flowers in the Cining Palace Garden are in full bloom. A dance under the peacock blossoms will surely bring a smile to the Empress Dowager's face. Illness is caused by worry and anxiety; if we can distract the Empress Dowager, her pain will naturally subside!"
Heshen's crescent-shaped smiling eyes would occasionally glance at Fukang'an, who remained expressionless.
"Very well, Fukang'an, accept the decree! Immediately summon your family members who can dance the peacock dance to the Cining Palace!" The Emperor had long heard of the peacock dance that had been so praised in the ginkgo grove of the Cining Palace that day, but unfortunately he had not been able to see it with his own eyes.
"Your subject obeys the decree!" Fukang'an bowed his head between his hands.
After leaving the Qianqing Palace, Fukang'an walked a few steps slowly, and as Heshen approached, he said, "Lord Heshen really knows how to use others' ladders to ascend to the Golden Palace!"
Heshen clasped his hands respectfully and said humbly, "I already admire Lady Fucha's stunning beauty, and now she is also favored by the Empress Dowager. It is truly a blessing for General Fucha!"
Fukang'an pinched the court beads hanging from his neck, "I only wish for Yan Ning to live a peaceful and tranquil life!" After saying that, he strode forward.
Beneath the pavilion overlooking the land and its people, a few eagles occasionally soared overhead. Heshen slowly straightened his back, his smile chilling in the front hall of the Qianqing Palace. Serving a ruler was like serving a tiger; he knew this all too well. But he would do his utmost to help Yan Ning with whatever she desired. Even if the palace was treacherous, he would protect her with all his might.
Yan Ning wasn't too surprised when she heard that the Emperor wanted her to enter the palace. She trusted Heshen, who had promised to help her get in, but she hadn't expected it to happen so quickly.
From the moment they boarded the carriage, Fukang'an held Yan Ning's hand tightly the entire way, as if this were their last meeting. Yan Ning rested her head against Fukang'an's chest and comforted him, "I won't cause trouble and implicate the Fucha family!"
Fukang'an remained expressionless as he held Yan Ning, his palms damp with a fine sheen of sweat that clung to her hands. Yan Ning sensed that Fukang'an was worried about something else, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.
After disembarking from the carriage, Fukang'an released Yan Ning's hand and, dressed in court attire, accompanied her from Xihua Gate all the way to Cining Palace. Granny Zhuang led Yan Ning inside to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager, who, looking sickly, was dressing. Her white hair was styled with a golden phoenix, making her appear as if she were soaring through the clouds, exuding an air of wealth and peace.
Granny Zhuang helped the Empress Dowager to sit in the main seat of the main hall, and Fukang'an knelt below, saying, "Your subject Fukang'an greets the Empress Dowager!"
When the Empress Dowager saw Fukang'an, she felt as if she were seeing her own grandson. Her hands trembled as she said, "Get up! I haven't seen you in so long. Come forward quickly and let me take a good look at you!"
Fukang'an lifted his court robes, knelt forward, and stopped at the foot of the palace steps. The Empress Dowager's eyes were slightly moist. "So alike, so very alike!" she said, sighing.
Yan Ning stood at the foot of the palace steps, secretly watching. She thought of the painting in the Fu residence. Fu Kang'an did indeed look very much like the man in the painting.
The person arrived before the voice.
"His Majesty has arrived!" a eunuch stood at the door and shouted in a shrill voice.
The palace maids and eunuchs in the hall immediately knelt down, and Yan Ning followed suit. "This servant greets Your Majesty, may Your Majesty be blessed with good fortune and peace!"
"Rise!" The Emperor was pleased to see the Empress Dowager away from the bed and became more amiable towards the servants.
"Your subject greets Mother!" The Emperor walked to the Empress Dowager's side and was about to kneel when she stopped him. "No need, you're already quite old, you might hurt your back." She said, laughing with Granny Zhuang beside her.
The Emperor was even more pleased to see that the Empress Dowager could still make fun of him, and he sat down next to her.
Fukang'an, still kneeling on the ground, kowtowed with both hands, saying, "Your subject Fukang'an greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be blessed with good fortune and peace!"
"Rise!"
After Fukang'an stood up, the kneeling eunuchs and palace maids also rose. Yan Ning secretly rejoiced that she hadn't stood up when the Emperor first said "Rise."
After Yan Ning stood up, her gaze fell directly upon the Emperor's face. She was almost so startled that she lost her composure before him. The Emperor before her looked remarkably like the man in the portrait at Fuzhai, only much older.
The Emperor looked at Fukang'an with loving eyes, and the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and Fukang'an seemed like three generations of a family, reminding Yan Ning of the rumors about the Emperor and the old lady Fucha.
Fukang'an lowered his head, not looking at anyone. Yan Ning's hands still bore the traces of sweat from Fukang'an's hands, so she couldn't see his expression. But she began to understand Fukang'an's worries before entering the palace; he feared that she, having seen the portrait of Fukang'an at the Fu residence, would be able to meet the emperor.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
