"What? I'm already engaged, why do I have to enter the palace?" Mi Niang was speechless. Isn't this wife of Duke Cheng'en just making trouble? Is it necessary to do this?
Madam Ding Er said, "I said you were clumsy and that you were from a small family and didn't know the rules. But she said something like you and Fan Yu were both great poets and painters, and that you were talented and could help the Empress to relieve her boredom."
The elbow cannot twist the thigh. If Second Madam Ding says too much, she will be offended.
Mi Niang asked, "I think it's almost the New Year. Even if I go to the palace, I won't be able to stay for a few days, right?"
She knew that the wife of Duke Cheng'en was a poor woman with no skills left, and was afraid that her own daughter, Ruan Wuniang, would never enter the palace. However, as Concubine Cui's influence grew, they had already become confused.
Mrs. Ding shook her head and said, "Before I asked any more questions, the ladies said it was time. I had no choice but to follow them out."
Even the usually kind-hearted Zhou cursed: "What kind of intention is this?"
Mi Niang calmed down now and couldn't help but say, "Mother, now that the matter has come to an end, we can't complain anymore. You go and tell the Marquis's wife first, and her tone reveals that she is unwilling to come. Eleventh Sister-in-law, you go to the mansion to ask about the rules of entering the palace, whether you can bring people in to serve, and what we need to bring in. Otherwise, everything will be delayed."
"But..." Looking at her calm daughter, Second Madam Ding felt very guilty. She knew that Lady Cheng'en had acted on impulse because Old Madam Ruan was very surprised and Lady Bohai also looked at her with a very strange look.
The queen didn't know what to think, but she agreed.
She originally wanted to go to the palace to see the world, but she didn't expect to lose her daughter there.
What should I do if the emperor falls in love with my daughter?
Or maybe the Marquis's family misunderstood that they were sending their daughter to the palace, and what would they do if they canceled the engagement?
Of course Mi Niang understood her mother's thoughts, but this is how people's circumstances are. As the saying goes, eight out of ten things in life are not as you wish.
People have joys and sorrows, separations and reunions; the moon waxes and wanes.
However, when she thought of her marriage with Fang Weiyan, she felt sad about the impermanence of life.
It’s not that she loves Fang Weiyan so much, but this marriage is very good for her. The thing she once longed for so much is very likely to become a bubble.
Fan Yuzhen was originally reading at home. As she grew older, her grandmother wanted her to marry the youngest son of her uncle Cheng'en, who was also her cousin Ruan Yurong.
Her cousin loved poetry and books the most. Her grandmother had this idea when her mother brought her home when she was little.
But later she became an orphan. Although her grandmother was the elder, the Cheng'en Mansion also had its own ideas.
Fan Yuzhen saw it clearly, so she wanted to enter the palace to get a good way out.
She was unwilling to waste time any longer, knowing that her marriage was still decided by Old Madam Ruan, and her grandmother was old and didn't go out for social events very often.
If the eldest aunt or the second aunt wants to take a girl out, they will take their own daughter out and will not care about her.
But she didn't expect that a bolt from the blue would come. She actually had to go to the palace to accompany the Empress.
It would have been fine if they didn't know about the practice of burying people alive with their dead parents. But now that they knew, how could they bear to let an orphan like me go?
The fourth girl came over quietly and said, "I heard that it was the eldest aunt's idea. The fifth girl was so frightened that she vomited and had diarrhea when she heard that she was going to the palace."
But Fan Yuzhen knew that the wife of Duke Cheng'en was only a bully. Mi Niang's father did not hold a high position and was only from a branch of the Ruan family, so how could he go against the main branch of the family? As for whether she was engaged or not, and whether her husband's family would have any opinions, she would not consider that!
The reason was quite legitimate: the queen was not feeling well and needed the company of her family.
Fan Yuzhen looked at Si Niang and said, "Thank you for telling me. I understand."
Si Niang also felt a little guilty. She was already engaged to He Tinglan, the son of the Earl of Nanping, and was the daughter of the Duke's Mansion. Originally, she should have entered the palace as the empress's sister.
The Queen has been unable to give birth to a child, and Concubine Cui has long coveted the throne of the Queen. Everyone in the Ruan family is extremely anxious.
But when it comes to entering the palace, Si Niang used to want to do so, but now she doesn't want to do it at all. However, her relationship with Fan Yuzhen is still good.
So he said: "If you ask me, it would be better to let Mi Niang enter the palace!"
Fan Yuzhen looked at her strangely. If only Ruan Mi Niang was allowed to enter the palace, wouldn't that be Sima Zhao's intention, and everyone would know it?
If the people in Nanping Marquis's Mansion are unwilling to do it, Mi Niang's parents will definitely go and make trouble.
The wife of Duke Cheng'en is not in the right in this matter.
So letting her and Mi Niang enter the palace, firstly, can take the opportunity to cut off her way of marrying her cousin, and can enter the palace to be the empress's arm. Secondly, Mi Niang's family is humble, if she enters the palace, the Dong'an Marquis's Mansion will be the first to deal with Ruan Jiading, then Mi Niang can't rely on either side, and can only rely on the empress.
At the same time, Lady Cheng'en was in the right. If Mi Niang's parents said that they did not want their daughter to enter the palace as a concubine, then Lady Cheng'en could just say that she was there to keep her company and she would only enter the palace to accompany the empress for a few days.
If she didn't want to go and didn't want to be a concubine, Lady Cheng'en could lie to Old Lady Ruan, saying that she accompanied the Empress and even her fiancé Mi Niang went in, and that she was just there to take care of the Empress.
This way no one can refuse.
Even if she couldn't change it, Si Niang was too hurt. Fan Yuzhen was a little desperate. The man Si Niang was going to marry was notorious, but she was still smiling, thinking that she would be the lady of the baron.
This also shows that the Ruan family is going downhill, and this is not a good thing. Everyone knows that entering the palace is not a good thing. If you don't enter the palace, you know you are happy, but it is not good to gloat over misfortune.
They should have shared weal and woe together, but instead they committed evil upon their own family.
If you really care about your family, why don't you push your daughter?
But it was said that the Second Madam was going to the Dong'an Marquis's Mansion. When Xu saw her coming in a hurry, she knew it must be a big deal, so she hurriedly brought her in.
Madam Ding Er said, "It was Mi Niang who asked me to tell you something. Lady Cheng'en said that the queen was not in good health, so she asked the cousin and our daughter to come to the palace to accompany her. I said that Mi Niang did not know the rules, but Lady Cheng'en said that the queen was not in good health, so she asked the family members to accompany her and talk."
"The Queen has good intentions, but I also have my own selfish motives. The New Year is coming soon, and I'm afraid that the Queen will love her and keep her. I'm not in good health, and I still expect her to take care of me!"
Xu was also a smart person and she quickly figured out the truth. The wife of Duke Cheng'en was obstructing the process and was very unethical, forcing an engaged girl to enter the palace to accompany the emperor.
That was probably the intention, but Second Lady Ding's family was unwilling and could not disobey the Empress, but they were eager to bring the person back as soon as possible.
Of course, she was not happy with the Ruan family's behavior, but since Second Mistress Ding had come in such a hurry to explain, she felt relieved.
"The Queen is the mother of the world. She values Mi Niang so much. This is a blessing for your family and for Wei Yan. As for what you said, I will ask Wei Yan when the time comes."
Although the Xu family's inner court dominates the world, they still rely on their son for matters outside. Their son is mature beyond his years, and has become much more calm and steady recently, and does things flawlessly.
Mrs. Ding saw that her intention had been conveyed and that Mrs. Xu did not look angry, so she left with peace of mind.
Soon, Fang Weiyan found out. He thought that Ruan had entered the palace in his previous life, and she was clearly engaged to him in this life, so why did she have to enter the palace anyway?
"What does the Ruan family mean?"
He wanted to know what she thought.
At this time, Mi Niang was looking through the collection of essays on various topics sent by Fang Wei Yan, and she was very calm.
She is always like this. When something unexpected happens, she has to keep herself absolutely calm.
She even thought of the worst possible consequence: after she had returned from the palace with great difficulty, the Marquis's Mansion would cancel the engagement and her reputation would plummet.
How should she deal with it then?
Just as I was thinking about it, Bai Zhi came in and said, "Miss, Master Fang is here."
Fang Weiyan is here?
Mi Niang stood up, and Fang Wei Yan came in just in time. The two looked at each other, and the usually strong Mi Niang almost shed tears.
"You're here?"
Fang Weiyan nodded: "I heard that you were going to enter the palace, so I came to see you."
"Well, I don't know how I was allowed to enter the palace. I'm just a girl from the side branch of the Fang family, and I'm not familiar with the Empress..." Mi Niang thought of this and smiled again: "Thank you for sending me off."
She never mentioned asking him for help.
Fang Weiyan raised his eyes and asked: "Are you willing to enter the palace?"
If she really wanted to, he would let her go gracefully, and it wouldn't cause any bad consequences. But when he saw her big grape-like eyes, he didn't know why he felt reluctant to let her go.
Mi Niang shook her head: "I want to go home for the New Year. This is my first time to celebrate the New Year in Beijing."
"Then don't worry."
"ah?"
Mi Niang didn't understand. He was just a scholar now. Although he was also the son of a marquis, he was not the heir apparent. Even if he was, she couldn't control him!
Fang Weiyan repeated it again in a firm tone: "Don't worry, you will definitely be able to come back for the New Year. I will help you."
She smiled.
Mi Niang thought she had forgotten the way to the palace, but when she walked on the white jade steps, all her memories came back.
They could bring in two personal maids, and Mi Niang brought in Chun Tao and Zi Su. Both of them were very careful and cautious in their words and actions.
What you need to do in the palace is to be careful in what you say and do, and if you don't make any mistakes, you will win.
Fan Yuzhen also looked very nervous. They came here with an aunt from Kunning Palace, whom Mi Niang knew. Her name was Aunt Fen.
She was dressed in an old-fashioned way, but she was actually quite pretty. She was clearly a young lady, but she dressed like an old lady.
Of course, she didn't dress like this on purpose, but people in the palace wore clothes that matched their status.
Once palace maids enter the palace, they will never leave, unless they die.
Moreover, when they were sick, most people could not see a doctor. Although there was an An Le Tang in the palace, it was not very convenient to see a doctor, and most people just had to get by.
Only if you are lucky enough to be favored by the emperor can you become the master.
"You two young ladies are members of the Empress' family, not outsiders. The Empress said that you two will live in the West Courtyard. If you need anything, please feel free to tell us." Aunt Fen was very polite.
Mi Niang and Fan Yuzhen both said they didn't dare, as they had just entered the palace and couldn't see the empress immediately.
Aunt Fen looked at the two girls from the queen's family. One was as beautiful as a Yaohuang peony, and the other was as secluded as an orchid in a valley.
Now the palace is bustling with activity.
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