The warm bed's window frame held the distant verdant peaks within its confines. This reminded Yan Ning of the mountains reflected in the rippling lake water as she crossed the wooden bridge on her way to the Empress Dowager's palace. Every step Yan Ning took was nerve-wracking, yet her eyes also wandered over those enchanting landscapes.
The Empress Dowager, dressed in exquisite auspicious robes, sat regally on a warm couch, as if a painter were painting her portrait. The robes were made of crimson satin woven with gold longevity characters on the upper part and dark blue satin embroidered with dragon patterns on the lower part. The sea otter leather trim fell over a pair of bright yellow brocade flowerpot-shaped shoes.
Around her neck she wore a string of court beads, a string of pearls, and two strings of coral. In her hair she wore a sable crown, with a pearl separating three golden phoenixes, which coiled around and supported a large pearl, surrounded by hundreds of pearls on gold filigree.
The Empress Dowager's cheeks were rosy, and rouge and powder were evenly applied to her sickly face. The only thing that didn't match her royal dignity was that her eyes were closed.
This state resembled a final burst of energy before death. Recalling Yongyan's words about passing away on his deathbed, Yan Ning was so startled by the Empress Dowager's closed eyes that she fell onto the bedchamber curtains, pulling at the beaded curtains hanging from the beams.
Upon hearing the sound, Granny Zhuang looked at Yan Ning, then whispered something in the Empress Dowager's ear.
The Empress Dowager half-opened her eyes, her gaze vacant as she looked at Yan Ning. Granny Zhuang nodded to Yan Ning, gesturing for her to step forward.
Seeing that the Empress Dowager was safe and sound, Yan Ning felt relieved. Although the Empress Dowager's passing was a blessing for her, it was a tragedy for many in the capital, as she was the highest-ranking elder in the entire royal family. Moreover, the Empress Dowager had not yet told Yan Ning about the origin of the jade pendant she had given to Consort Rong, or about Miss Yue.
Yan Ning secretly wished for the Empress Dowager's good health, and seeing the Empress Dowager's current state, she feared she would have no intention of bothering her anymore.
With the help of the palace maid who was supporting her, Yan Ning rose and carefully walked to the Empress Dowager's side. Just as she was about to kneel down to pay her respects, the Empress Dowager's hand weakly shook, "Never mind, you are pregnant!"
The Empress Dowager's voice was weaker than her aged, withered hands. Half of her hands were hidden within her dark blue horseshoe-shaped sleeves, only her five wrinkled, bony fingers visible. She had barely finished speaking when a soft snore filled the air; the Empress Dowager had fallen asleep. Yan Ning stood frozen, watching the Empress Dowager close her eyes again, unsure how to react.
Granny Zhuang covered the Empress Dowager with the mink cloak beside her, sighed with a helpless smile, her face filled with sorrow, "Ever since you left the Yuanmingyuan, the Empress Dowager has become like this. Sometimes she can sleep for most of the day while talking, and when she wakes up, she doesn't even recognize anyone."
After Granny Zhuang covered the Empress Dowager with the cloak, she ordered the palace maids standing in the hall to bring a round wooden chair for Yan Ning to sit on.
The Empress Dowager was ill, so the underfloor heating and stove in this bedchamber had not been removed. Although it faced a window for ventilation, the spring breeze was gentle and calm. After only a short while inside, Yan Ning's body was already damp with sweat, which warmed up along with the cold sweat she had broken out when she entered.
She wore a mink neck warmer, which became sticky and itchy around her neck when she sweated, making her face flushed and rosy.
Granny Zhuang helped the Empress Dowager lean against the two layers of brocade quilts on the warm couch. The Empress Dowager closed her eyes, concealing her captivating brown pupils, which reassured Yan Ning considerably.
Granny Zhuang ordered the palace servants who were standing by to leave, forbidding them from entering the hall without permission.
After the palace maids withdrew, she stared at Yan Ning's face for a while, lost in thought, unsure of what to do. Granny Zhuang was about the same age as the Emperor. Perhaps it was due to the Empress Dowager's longevity, but although she looked as old as the Empress Dowager, she was healthy and robust, and her eyes, though partially obscured by her eyelids, were bright and piercing.
Yan Ning's heart, which had just calmed down, became uneasy again because of Granny Zhuang's gaze.
After a while, Granny Man spoke up, “You and Miss Yue look so alike that you seem to be the same person. With such a stunningly beautiful face, if you weren’t so young, I would probably mistake you for Miss Yue who has returned. The Empress Dowager kept you around only to atone for her past sins. I never expected that Third Master Fu would misunderstand the Empress Dowager’s intentions and make things difficult for her at every turn.”
Granny Zhuang's tone, slow and deliberate with age, gently brushed against Yan Ning's bewildered heart. Yan Ning couldn't understand the meaning behind Granny Zhuang's words.
After being reminded by Granny Zhuang, Yan Ning thought carefully and realized that the Empress Dowager's actions did not seem like an attempt to atone for her sins, but rather like a precaution against her. She had originally thought that the Empress Dowager treated her this way because of Fukang'an, but after listening to Granny Zhuang's words, she realized that the Empress Dowager's decision to keep her around was not entirely to control Fukang'an, but also because her appearance was similar to that of Miss Yue.
Miss Yue was a concubine of the Holy Ancestor. Although she did not have a title, she was still the Empress Dowager's elder. How could the Empress Dowager have any sins on her?
Yan Ning couldn't help but ask, "Who is the Miss Yue that Granny Man is talking about?"
Granny Man sighed softly, "Others only think that Miss Yue is the one favored by the Holy Ancestor, but little do they know that she is also the one cherished by the late Emperor. Regardless of whether Miss Yue has an official title or not, she is still the late Emperor's mother. How can the Empress Dowager bear to see her husband sink into such a rebellious sentiment?"
A few fledgling swallows flew past the window, their chirping attracting the attention of Granny Man. She turned and saw that the Empress Dowager's expression had changed slightly, so she ordered a palace maid to come in and close the window. Fearing the Empress Dowager might want something to eat when she woke up, she instructed the maid to cook lotus root starch and lotus seed soup and place it on the stove in the hall to keep it warm.
After all that fuss, Granny Zhuang showed no intention of continuing. Yan Ning stared at Granny Zhuang, who looked as if she had forgotten what she had just said, and could only sigh inwardly, thinking that Granny Zhuang was indeed getting old and easily forgetful.
Yan Ning patted her chest a few times to calm herself, and tried her best to ask Granny Zhuang in a calm tone, "What happened to Miss Yue afterward? Is she still in the palace?"
A soft laugh reached Yan Ning's ears. Granny Zhuang flicked the creases on her black robe. Her silver hair was tied up with a jade hairpin, and her whole demeanor was simple and kind, which did not match the cold laughter just now.
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
